Windows 11 to be released on October 5, 2021
Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 will be released on October 5th, 2021. It will be available as a free upgrade for Windows 10 devices that meet its minimum requirements. It will also start shipping pre-loaded on new computers and Windows tablets.
While Windows 11 will start rolling out on October 5th, it will be distributed via Windows update in phases. This means it may take weeks or months before those with PCs that meet Windows 11’s stringent requirements, get the update.
“Following the tremendous learnings from Windows 10, we want to make sure we’re providing you with the best possible experience…We expect all eligible devices to be offered the free upgrade to Windows 11 by mid-2022.” General manager of Windows marketing at Microsoft, Aaron Woodman, explained.
For those using Windows 10 devices that meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11 (generally meaning computers four years old or newer), Windows Update will users know when the upgrade is available for Windows 11.
If you’re not sure your device meets the minimum requirements to run Windows 11, you can check by looking at Windows Update in the Settings app. Or you can check using the Microsoft PC Health Check app (currently in Beta). Or read this article to learn about another way to check your device can run Windows 11.