5 Big Reasons Not to Upgrade to Windows 11

Many of the reasons stem from the fact that Windows 10 got a lot of things right, and Windows 11 ruins them. Please leave your own reasons for not upgrading in the comments section below. It’s always better to visit a computer repair shop to get a personalized experience. Read more about the 5 big reasons not to upgrade to windows 11.

5 Big Reasons Not to Upgrade to Windows 11

1. You Might Need to Purchase a New PC for Windows 11

The biggest uproar raised by Windows commentators following the release of Windows 11 concerned the new hardware requirements. The need for a TPM security chip received a lot of digital ink, but in my experience, the more common barrier to upgrading was the need for a more recent CPU. I tested three or four PCs, all of which had TPM chips but older CPUs that couldn’t be upgraded. You also can’t install the OS if your PC still has a 32-bit processor; it only works with 64-bit Intel/AMD and Arm chips.

All of this is about upgrading existing PCs. If you’re in the market for a new computer, there are a few more reasons why you should get one that runs Windows 10, as you’ll see below. There is still a good selection of PCs with Windows 10 preinstalled, and it is possible to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10.

2. The Taskbar in Windows 10 Is Improved

Taskbar in Windows 10 vs. Taskbar in Windows 11

Windows 10 allows you to display wider, more informative taskbar buttons and to position the taskbar on the side, top, or bottom of the screen, which is important to some users. Neither does Windows 11. The entries in 10 are always in the same place. When you use the default centre alignment in 11, however, the icon positions, including the Start button, change as you open and close apps. Fortunately, in Windows 11, you can left-align the taskbar, which resolves the last issue, but the others remain.

Another shortcoming is that the Taskbar calendar does not allow you to add or view events like it does in Windows 10. Another disadvantage is that it does not support drag-and-drop as thoroughly as its predecessor. Microsoft is backtracking on this one, restoring the capability in future Windows 11 builds, but when I try to drag a file onto an app icon in the taskbar, I still get the universal No symbol.

3. The Start Menu in Windows 10 Is Improved

Start Menu in Windows 10 vs. Start Menu in Windows 11

The new Windows 11 Start menu does not display recently installed or frequently used applications. It provides the ambiguous “Suggested” apps that may be based on those criteria. But I haven’t found it as useful as Windows 10’s clear sections for those categories. The icons in 11 do not display any app information like the tiles in Windows 10. The previous operating system also provides quick access to Power (Shut down, Restart, and Sleep) and the Settings app.

4. Windows 11 lacks an always-available search box.

Yes, you can show the search box in Windows 11 by pressing a Taskbar icon or by pressing Windows Key-S. But there’s nothing like having a search box there all the time, in the same place. Waiting for your queries. That is available in Windows 10, right next to the Start button. The company has even begun adorning the right side of the box with cute topical illustrations. A rare indication that Microsoft is still improving Windows 10.

5. The Tablet Experience in Windows 11 Isn’t as Good as It Is in Windows 10.

I’ve written about how frustrating it is to use Windows 11 on a tablet, and while Microsoft claims that it has improved, I find the opposite. Swiping in from the left and right in Windows 10 brings up the extremely useful Task view and Action Center (another incredibly useful feature gone in Windows 11; see below). Apps could be closed by dragging a finger down from the top of the screen, and they defaulted to full screen, as would be expected on a tablet. Windows 11 introduces entirely new gestures that require multiple fingers. Despite the fact that these are more Apple-like, I doubt that they will convert many iPad users to Surface Go users. You can also share these with your hiring managers, mortgage recruiters, or relevant acquisition team of your industry to make a list of these five factors.