Windows 11 video: First official beta hands-on

What are the new features of Windows 11, and what does it look like? We’ve already spent many days working with the first official build of Windows 11 (10.0.22000.51). Now, we have the video tour.

When someone leaked an early build of Windows 11 in mid-June, it appeared to be nothing more than a graphical retooling of Windows 10. That’s true, to a point. The most prominent new features of Windows 11 are the centered Taskbar and the revised Start menu with the minimalist icons—a remnant of the now-cancelled Windows 10X. 

This video will show you some of the new sights and sounds (yes, sounds!) of Windows 11, including the Snap interface, the Settings menu, and the fresh selection of backgrounds that you can use to customize your PC. These new features will help give Windows 11 an updated look and feel for the next generation of PCs.

We’ll also show you what the new Store app looks like, and some of the other apps within Windows. And if you think you’ve seen this before, well…sure, the leaked build of Windows 11 offered a glimpse of what’s new, but we’ll show you how much has changed from that, too.

There’s more to come. Microsoft has yet to preview some of its additional Windows 11 features, such as Teams Chat in the Taskbar, Auto HDR, and more. We hope to see them in future builds.

Stay tuned for what will eventually be our final review of Windows 11, as Microsoft’s new operating system grows closer to launch. In the meantime, keep checking our Windows 11 superguide for more Windows 11 news, tips, and in-depth coverage!

As PCWorld’s senior editor, Mark focuses on Microsoft news and chip technology, among other beats.