Exploring Windows 11 - 2024 Edition: The Illustrated, Practical Guide to Using Microsoft Windows

By Kevin Wilson

Unlock the full potential of Windows 11. This vibrant, full-color book is your key to mastering Windows 11, offering a look at all the new features, updates, and enhancements, along with illustrations, screenshots and video demos. From initial setup to customization options, Exploring Windows 11 covers everything you need to know to make the most out of your PC.

Exploring Windows 11 contains chapters on system requirements, upgrading from Windows 10, personalizing your desktop, and optimizing your settings for peak performance. Learn how to navigate the Start Menu, taskbar personalization, light and dark modes, power options, and more.

This guide doesn't just stop at the basics. It also covers networking, managing printers, configuring audio and display settings, creating and managing user accounts, and securing your device with Windows Hello. Plus and introduction to the Windows Subsystem for Linux, Android apps on Windows, and the best ways to use cloud storage with OneDrive.

Exploring Windows 11 goes beyond the printed page. Readers will have exclusive access to online videos that bring the book's tutorials to life, helping you to grasp complex concepts through visual learning.

Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to upgrade your skills, this book ensures you'll be able to leverage all the possibilities Windows 11 has to offer.

Perfect for both personal and professional use, Exploring Windows 11 is the ultimate resource for anyone eager to learn about the latest in computing technology. Don't just upgrade your operating system-upgrade your entire computing experience with this indispensable guide.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elluminet Press
• Release date: Apr 4, 2024
• ISBN: 1738452530

Kevin Wilson

KEVIN WILSON is Vice President of Videologies, Inc., a company that specializes in training administrative professionals in Fortune 500 companies. JENNIFER WAUSON is President of Videologies, Inc.

Book preview

New Features & Updates

Windows 11 is the next major release of Microsoft Windows, and is the successor to Windows 10.

Windows 11 was released on the 5th October 2021 as a free upgrade to compatible laptops, PCs, and larger tablets. However, Windows 11 is far more strict with hardware requirements than Windows 10, so some older machines won’t be supported or be able to upgrade.

Windows 11 features a modern, simplified interface that is intended to inspire productivity and creativity with its more intuitive and visually pleasing design.

In this chapter we’ll take a look at:

What’s New

New Updates

New Features

Microsoft continually updates the operating system with security updates and new features.

To help you better understand this section, take a look at the video resources. Open your web browser and navigate to the following site:

elluminetpress.com/win-11

What’s New?

The Windows 11 updates for 2023 and 2024 have brought a range of enhancements and new features, focusing on user experience, security, and AI integration. Key updates include the introduction of AI capabilities with Windows Copilot, and significant improvements in File Explorer.

The File Explorer has had a makeover and received a modernized user interface for a more streamlined experience with better integration and display of OneDrive, making it easier to manage and access cloud-stored files directly from the File Explorer interface.

The update also features improvements in the Quick Access view now called ‘home’, making it easier to navigate and access frequently used files. The ‘Home’ section now serves as the default landing page in File Explorer, providing quick and easy access to frequently used files and folders.

Another notable addition is the Gallery view. This is designed to simplify the access and organization of your photo collection. It provides a more visually appealing and efficient way to browse through images stored on your device.

The settings app has been updated and now features a new home page with interactive cards for recommended device and account-related settings.

New cloud based Windows Backup and Restore simplifies the transition to a new PC or restoring your PC if you have problems. It seamlessly copies your personal files, installed apps, and settings to your OneDrive storage. You can also restore these when setting up a new PC for the first time.

The Windows 11 Photos app has undergone significant enhancements, offering users a more intuitive and enriched photo viewing and editing experience. Microsoft has revamped the user interface, making it sleeker and more user-friendly, ensuring that navigation and photo organization are seamless.

Additionally, the app now integrates advanced editing tools, allowing users to make professional-grade adjustments to their images without needing third-party software. With AI-driven features, the Photos app can automatically enhance images, recognize faces, and even suggest edits.

Paint now includes features such as Cocreator that uses AI to generate images, as well as other features such as background removal. You’ll also find layers allowing you to create more advanced graphics and illustrations.

Clipchamp is a versatile video editor designed to cater to both beginners and professionals. With its user-friendly interface, users can effortlessly create, edit, and share videos.

There are also countless templates you can use to create your media.

Microsoft’s new Mail app, known as One Outlook, is a comprehensive revamp of its email client, aiming to provide a unified experience across devices. This new version is designed to be more than just an email client; it integrates seamlessly with the calendar and other Microsoft Office features. The user interface has been redesigned to be more intuitive, with a focus on simplicity and efficiency. As well as advanced search features, integration with Microsoft Teams, and improved security.

New volume mixer is more useful and allows you to adjust audio levels for specific apps. You can use the quick settings panel to adjust audio levels for individual apps that are playing sound. This means for example, you’ll be able to turn the volume down on a video playing in Edge, or system sounds, and turn up the volume on Micrsoft Teams, allowing proper live audio level mixing.

Windows Copilot is a feature introduced in Windows 11 designed to significantly enhance the user’s interaction with their PC. You’ll find a new icon on the taskbar.

Copilot merges the capabilities of AI with Bing Chat, and some additional plugins to provide a range of services from answering simple queries to assisting with tasks such as document analysis, trivia, creating graphics, writing and so on. At the time of writing Copilot is still in its early stages of development and is fairly limited but further development and refinements are expected to improve its performance and capabilities.

Passkey support has been added to Windows Hello for more secure sign-ins and are a significant advancement in digital security and user convenience, eliminating the need for creating and remembering complex passwords. They offer better protection against phishing attempts and other cyber threats.

Furthermore, passkeys work on multiple browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Firefox, and are a part of the FIDO Alliance’s initiative, which is supported by major technology companies. This is the beginning of a major shift towards passwordless authentication in Windows 11.

Additionally, multi-device usage is an added convenience, allowing users to use passkeys across different devices without the need to remember passwords for various accounts and services.

The taskbar now includes an option to combine taskbar buttons and hide labels. Quick access to Task Manager has also been added to the right click context menu on the taskbar.

New details have been added to the Accounts section in the Settings app. This displays information related to your Microsoft account, including details about Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and OneDrive, as well as links to order history, payment details, and Microsoft Rewards. This feature allows direct access to Microsoft account information from within the Settings app.

Setting up Windows 11

New PC laptops, tablets and computers will come with Windows 11 already installed, usually the home edition.

If you have an older machine purchased in 2017 or later, you may be able to upgrade to Windows 11. It is unlikely older machines will be able to run Windows 11.

In this chapter we’ll take a look at:

Upgrading to Windows 11

System Requirements

TPM

Secure Boot

Checking your PC

Upgrading using Windows Update on Windows 10

Upgrading using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant

Running Windows 11 for the First Time

To help you better understand this section, take a look at the video resources. Open your web browser and navigate to the following site:

elluminetpress.com/using-win-11

Upgrading to Windows 11

If you have a fully licensed version of Windows 10 installed, then if your PC is compatible, you will receive the Windows 11 update for free.

Requirements

If you’re upgrading, make sure your PC meets the following specification.

Two things to take note of. First, you’ll need a device that has a trusted platform module v2.0 (TPM 2.0). TPM is a chip usually mounted on the motherboard that securely stores passwords, digital certificates, or encryption keys that are used to authenticate a PC or laptop, so that malware can’t access or tamper with that data. If you purchased your PC after 2017, you most likely have this feature installed.

You can check this in device manager. Right click on the start button, select ‘device manager’ from the menu.

Scroll down the list, double click on ‘security devices’. You should see ‘trusted platform module 2.0’. If you see ‘trusted platform module 1.2’, or ‘security devices’ doesn’t appear at all, you won’t be able to install Windows 11.

Go to www.elluminetpress.com/enable-tpm for details on how to enable TPM on your machine.

Secondly, your device will also need secure boot enabled. Most modern devices include this feature. Secure Boot is a security feature that only allows approved operating systems to boot up, thereby preventing malware from taking control of your device at boot time.

Check your PC

To check if your PC is compatible, use the PC Health Check tool. To do this go to

www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

Click ‘PC Health Check’ at the top of the web page.

Click ‘download pc health check app’

Click ‘open’ when prompted by your browser. Run through the installation wizard. Once the installation is complete, click ‘check now’ at the top of the screen.

If you see the message on the left, you’re all set, otherwise you can’t install Windows 11.

Upgrade using Windows Update on Windows 10

If you are running Windows 10 and your device meets the requirements, then you should automatically receive a notification in Windows Update. In Windows 10, open the Start Menu. Click the settings icon.

Click ‘update & security’.

Then select ‘Windows Update’ from the list on the list. Then click ‘check for updates’.

Windows 10 will check for any available updates. When Windows 11 is available, you’ll see a ‘feature update’ notification in windows update. Click ‘download and install now’.

To complete the update, you’ll need to restart your machine when it’s finished. Go to Start > Power Icon > ‘Update & Restart’.

If you only see ‘restart’ on the menu, then the update hasn’t finished downloading yet.

Windows 11 Installation Assistant

The Installation Assistant downloads and installs the latest version of Windows 11.

First, download the health check tool, then run it to confirm your PC is compatible.

Next, you’ll need to download installation assistant. To do this, open your web browser and navigate to the following website.

www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

Scroll down to ‘Windows 11 installation assistant’, then click ‘download now’.

Click on the file in the downloads prompt, or click ‘open’ if prompted by your browser. If not, you’ll find the file in your downloads folder.

Once the tool confirms the device hardware is compatible. You’ll land on the ‘install windows 11’ screen. Click ‘accept and install’

Select ‘accept and install’ on the license terms.

The install assistant will download and install Windows 11. This might take a while. Once this step is complete, your PC will restart.

Click ‘restart now’.

Once your PC reboots, the update will install. This will take a while.

Running Windows 11 the First Time

If you’ve just bought a new computer with Windows 11, or installed a fresh copy, you’ll need to run through the initial set up procedure. This will allow you to connect your computer to your WiFi/Internet, enter your Microsoft Account email address and password, and set a login method such as a PIN, fingerprint, or face ID.

Select your country or region from the list and click ‘yes’.

Select keyboard layout for your country, then click ‘yes’.

Skip secondary keyboard if you don’t have one.

Click ‘sign in’.

Then sign in with your Microsoft Account email address and password, then click ‘next’. This allows you to make use of OneDrive, email, purchase apps from the App Store, buy music and films.

If you’re setting up a new PC or if you have to reinstall Windows, you will see the last backup available from the the previous PC you’ve used with your Microsoft Account (if any). If you want to restore specific folders, click ‘folders’ then select the folders you want to include. Similarly with apps, settings and credentials.

If you want to restore a previous backup, or if you want to set your device up as a new PC without restoring a backup, click ‘more options’. Either select the backup you want to restore from the list, or click ‘setup as new pc’. Note that ‘setting up as a new pc’ will execute a clean install meaning no prevous settings, apps or documents will be restored.

Set up your sign in method. You’ll have certain options available depending on your device. If you have a finger print scanner on your device select that option. If no other options are available, select PIN. Click ‘create pin’, then enter a 4 digit pin code. This will is the code you’ll use to sign into Windows on your device, so don’t forget it.

Choose the privacy settings for your device. ‘Location’ allows windows to determine your physical location. This enables you to use location based apps such as weather, local interest, news as well as maps, and getting directions.

‘Find my device’ is useful if you’re setting up a tablet and allows windows to periodically report its location. This can help if you lose your device or it is stolen. You’ll be able to see its location in your Microsoft Account settings.

‘Diagnostic data’ is what Microsoft uses to troubleshoot problems and make improvements to its services. I’d suggest you select ‘required only’, so the only data that is sent to Microsoft is your device settings and its current state of operation,

‘Inking & Typing’ data collected when you use Windows Ink and allows Microsoft to use the data to improve its product.

‘Advertising ID’ means any ads that appear will be tailored to your personal computing habits.

Here you can further customise Windows 11. If you’re a gamer, click the ‘gaming’ box. If you’re a creative, click ‘creativity’, and follow the steps. You can skip this section for now and customise Windows later. Click ‘skip’.

Next, you can link your Android phone to your PC. If you want to do this, use your phone to scan the code and follow the instructions. If not, click ‘skip’.

Allow your browsing data to allows you to snchronizing your browsing data across devices where you use Microsoft Edge. This means if you log into Microsoft Edge on a different device with the same Microsoft account, you’ll find your browsing information waiting for you.

Click ‘accept.

Here, you can sign up for a free trial of Microsoft 365 to get access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. Note that there is a charge for this service. If you already have Microsoft 365 or don’t want to use it, click ‘decline’. If you want to sign up and pay the subscription fee, then click ‘continue’.

The next screen is about purchasing more storage space on OneDrive. With a Microsoft Account you get 5GB of free space on OneDrive.

Click ‘decline’. You can always purchase more space later on.

Here you can sign up for a Game Pass if you intend to play games. Click ‘skip for now’. You can always sign up for these later.

Allow Windows 11 to finish checking for updates. This might take a while, and your PC may restart a few times if required.

Allow your PC to configure itself.

When the configuration is complete, you’ll land on your desktop.

You can now use your PC.

Settings and Personalise

You can personalise Windows according to your personal taste and how you intend to use your PC.

In this chapter, we’ll take a look

Adjusting System Settings

General Settings

Keyboards

Mouse

Internet & Networks

Printers

Bluetooth Devices

Audio Settings

Display Settings

User Accounts

Windows Hello & Sign In Options

OneDrive

Linking your Phone

Dynamic Lock

Focus Mode

Notification Settings

Storage Sense

Search Settings

Fonts

Linux & Android Subsystem

Family Safety

To help you better understand this section, take a look at the video resources. Open your web browser and navigate to the following site: