Microsoft may be upgrading to Windows 11, but how do you know when you’re ready to switch over? The NCRA Technology Committee did some digging to find out the latest and give you some tips on how to figure out if it’s time for you to upgrade.
Microsoft has been rolling Windows 11 out slowly. Originally available last fall, the company has been patching it and improving it over the past year and in May announced that Windows 11 is ready for everyone to use.
Of course, there are still caveats. For one, you would still want to make sure that your computer’s system is advanced enough to run the new operating system. PCMag reported that “Certain requirements, such as your PC needing TPM 2.0, mean in a lot of cases upgrading simply isn’t possible.” Microsoft offers a PC Health Check app that can help you determine if your computer can handle the upgrade. You may also want to avoid upgrading if you have fine-tuned your system for a specific application.
Some of the features include improved access to apps on your PC, greater resistance to malware, and a more consistent interface. You can also download the upgrade and uninstall it within 10 days with no worries.
Or as Lynette Mueller, FAPR, RDR, CRR, NCRA Technology Committee chair, reminds us: “It’s always good practice to test upgrading your system on one computer until you are sure that you are happy with how it’s working. Upgrading and making sure I have a smooth-running system is one of the reasons I maintain a back-up system.”
One further consideration as you contemplate Windows 11 – this a warning from eagle-eyed NCRA Technology Committee member Suzanne Trimble, RPR, CRR, who found a ZDNet.com article “Fake domains offer Windows 11 installers but deliver malware instead” – make sure you are downloading the real deal by heading directly to Microsoft.com.
Thanks to the NCRA Technology Committee members for their help in researching this article. Questions on technology and realtime can be sent to the Committee through jcrfeedback@ncra.org.
