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Windows Central
Windows Central
Technology
Mauro Huculak

The Windows 11 Microsoft shipped in 2021 and the Windows 11 we have in 2026 are worlds apart — this is the full breakdown of what changed

Windows 11 desktop showing the Start menu from 2021 and 2026.

When Microsoft made the launch of Windows 11 back in October 2021, the company touted it as the biggest visual redesign of the operating system in years. The centered Start menu, redesigned Taskbar, rounded corners, and refreshed interface gave the system a cleaner, more modern look while introducing new productivity features like Snap Layouts and a redesigned Microsoft Store.

Although the operating system now looked fresh and modern, the first release left plenty of room for improvement. A lot of the features that users were familiar with from Windows 10 were either missing or had been scaled back. File Explorer did not have tabs, the Taskbar lost several customization options, and many advanced settings still sent users to the Control Panel.

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