|
 |
Feature deprecationsWhen upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 or when installing an update to Windows 11, some features may be deprecated or removed. For a full list of deprecated features for Windows, see Deprecated features in the Windows client. Please see below for information regarding some of the key features impacted: |
|---|---|
| Desktop wallpaper | This feature cannot be roamed to or from device when signed in with a Microsoft account. |
| Mail, Calendar and People | Support for Windows Mail, Calendar and People ended on 31 December 2024. Any local emails, calendar events, and contacts stored in Mail, Calendar, and People will remain exportable following the steps in Export emails and contacts from Windows Mail or People and import to new Outlook. |
| Management capabilities | This feature for organisations to deliver customised Start and Taskbar experiences are limited:
|
| Math Input Panel | This feature is removed. Math Recogniser will install on demand and includes the maths input control and recogniser. Maths inking in apps like OneNote are not impacted by this change. |
| News & Interests | This feature has evolved. New functionality has been added which can be found by clicking the Widgets icon on the Taskbar. |
| OneNote for Windows 10 | This is the legacy version of OneNote. Download the latest OneNote app for Windows. |
| Quick Status | This feature, from the Lockscreen and associated settings, is removed. |
| S Mode | This feature is only available for Windows 11 Home edition. |
| Search Results from the Internet | Windows 11 does not support disabling the return of internet Search results via Registry Key. The related Group Policy setting is not impacted by this change. |
| Snipping Tool and Snip and Sketch | These features have been merged into a single experience keeping the familiar Snipping Tool name. |
| Start | This feature is significantly changed in Windows 11 including the following key deprecations and removals:
|
| Tablet Mode | This feature is removed and new functionality and capability is included for keyboard attach and detach postures. |
| Taskbar | This feature is changed including:
|
| Timeline | This feature is removed. Some similar functionality is available in Microsoft Edge. |
| Touch Keyboard | This feature will no longer dock and undock keyboard layouts on screen sizes 18 inches and larger. |
| Universal Windows Platform (UWP) Applications for 32-bit Arm | This change is applicable only to devices with an Arm processor, for example Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm. If you have a PC built with a processor from Intel or AMD, this content is not applicable. If you are not sure which type of processor you have, check Settings > System > About. |
| Wallet | This feature is removed. |
| Windows Deployment Services | This feature is being partially deprecated. Please see this article for detailed information. |
| Windows Mixed Reality | This feature was removed in Windows 11, version 24H2. This includes the Mixed Reality Portal app, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR, and Steam VR Beta. Existing Windows Mixed Reality devices will continue to work with Steam until November 2026, if users remain on their current released version of Windows 11, version 23H2. After November 2026, Windows Mixed Reality will no longer receive security updates, non-security updates, bug fixes, technical support or online technical content updates. This deprecation doesn't affect HoloLens. |
| Windows Store for Business and Windows Store for Education | These Stores no longer include the Private Store tab. Please see this blog post for information on app deployment options. |
The following apps will not be removed on upgrade but will no longer be installed on new devices or when clean-installing Windows 11. They are available for download from the Store:
These are the minimum system requirements for installing Windows 11 on a PC.
- A 1 GHz or faster processor with 2 cores or more
- 4 GB of RAM
- 64 GB of storage or more
- UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability
- TPM version 2.0
- DirectX 12 compatible graphics card
- Display larger than 9 inches diagonally with HD resolution (720p)
- Windows 11 Pro for personal use and Windows 11 Home require internet connectivity and a Microsoft account during initial device setup
- Internet access is required to perform for updates and take advantage of some features
The central processing unit (CPU), often called the processor, is the brain of your computer. It interprets instructions and tells every component what to do, from running apps to managing data. A faster CPU means your PC can handle more tasks at once, making everything feel quicker and more responsive. Watch now to learn more about your computer’s CPU.
RAM is like your computer's quick-access memory, keeping the data you need right now at your fingertips. With more RAM, your PC can run faster and handle multiple tasks more smoothly, making everything feel more responsive, allowing you to do more at the same time. Watch now to learn more about your computer’s RAM.
An NPU, or Neural Processing Unit, accelerates AI features like image generation and live captions on Windows devices to help you work faster and be more creative. Watch now to learn more about NPUs.
An NPU is important because it improves how AI works on your device by:
- Allowing certain AI features to keep working even when you’re offline, since the NPU can run AI directly on your PC.
- Using less power than the CPU or GPU for AI tasks, which helps features run smoothly without noticeably affecting battery life or heat.
- Processing more data on your device instead of in the cloud, which can help reduce how often personal information needs to leave your PC.
- Supporting real-time AI features that can run in the background without slowing down everyday use.
- Enabling your PC to add new AI capabilities over time through software updates, thanks to dedicated on-device AI hardware.
When the device starts, the firmware interface controls the booting process of the PC and then passes control to Windows or another operating system. UEFI is a replacement for the older BIOS firmware interface and the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) 1.10 specifications. More than 140 leading technology companies participate in the Unified EFI Forum, including AMD, AMI, Apple, Dell, HP, IBM, Insyde, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, and Phoenix Technologies.
The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) technology is designed to provide hardware-based, security-related functions. A TPM chip is a secure crypto-processor that is designed to carry out cryptographic operations. The chip includes multiple physical security mechanisms to make it tamper-resistant, and malicious software is unable to tamper with the security functions of the TPM. Some of the advantages of using TPM technology are to:
- Generate, store, and limit the use of cryptographic keys.
- Use it for device authentication by using the TPM's unique RSA key, which is burned into the chip.
- Help ensure platform integrity by taking and storing security measurements of the boot process.
Secure Boot is a security feature that ensures your PC only starts with trusted software. It helps protect your system from malware and unauthorised changes during the startup process and keeps your device more secure from the moment you power it on.
Copilot+ PCs are a class of Windows 11 AI PCs that are powered by a turbocharged neural processing unit (NPU)—a specialised computer chip for AI-intensive processes like real-time translations and image generation— that can perform more than 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS).
In addition to the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, Copilot+ PCs must include the following:
- Processor: A compatible processor or System on a Chip (SoC) with an NPU capable of performing 40+ TOPs. This currently includes:
- RAM: 16 GB DDR5/LPDDR5
- Storage: 256 GB SSD/UFS
Specific features, plus apps and hardware that you add to your Copilot+ PC may have additional hardware, software or other requirements and these requirements may change over time.
If your PC runs Windows 11 it’s already compatible with Copilot. You can access Copilot’s built-in AI features like assistance for writing, summarising content, and more.
To unlock Copilot+ PC experiences on your device, like improved Windows search and agent in Settings, you’ll need a Copilot+ PC.
Windows 11 supports cloud-based AI experiences through apps like Microsoft Copilot and Copilot Mode in Microsoft Edge. For the best on-device AI experiences, choose a PC with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) delivering 40+ TOPS, designed especially for AI workloads on Copilot+ PCs.