Features and Capabilities Missing in Windows 11

There is definitely a lot to love about Windows 11. Microsoft has done a great job at upgrading existing features, adding in new ones, and in particular, putting a heightened focus on security and safety. For most businesses, it will definitely make sense to upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible. That being said, however, some features and capabilities are no longer available in Windows 11.

Most of the things that Windows 10 had that are missing from Windows 11 were removed because they were not used by very many people. In other cases, a standalone feature was eliminated because it was incorporated into another area of the operating system, so it was no longer needed. If you are planning an upgrade, make sure that nothing that you use is missing, or that you have an alternative option available to get everything done properly. If you find that any features or capabilities that you need are missing from Windows 11, our

Activation Without a Microsoft Account

This will not be a big issue for most businesses as long as they have a centralized upgrade plan, but if your business activates Windows 11 individually on each computer, it may be a hassle. With Windows 11, you must have a Microsoft account in order to activate the program. This is so your computer can upload key files to the cloud to ensure they are safe during the upgrade. It may be annoying, however, if you don’t want to require each user to have their own Microsoft account.

Various User Interface Capabilities

A number of little user interface and experience capabilities were available in Windows 10 but got removed in Windows 11. These were not terribly popular features, but those who used them regularly will definitely miss them. Notable capabilities that are missing include:

• Customizations to the Taskbar

  Once you upgrade to Windows 11, you will no longer be able to move your taskbar to the side or top of the screen. You also cannot move the clock to a different location on the taskbar. This will likely be the most disappointing change for people who were using this option.

  Drag and Drop to the Taskbar 

  Also in relation to the taskbar, you also will not be able to drag files from the desktop onto an application icon on the taskbar in order to open them.

  Live Tiles
  

  Live tiles on the start menu are gone and replaced by widgets. Overall, widgets will give you more functionality, but they definitely do not offer the same functionality. However, there is a third-party app, “Live Tiles Anywhere”, that can restore this functionality if you wish to restore it.

Internet Explorer

This has been a long time in coming, but it is finally here. Windows 11 does not come with Internet Explorer installed at all. Support for the legacy browser will end entirely on June 15, 2022. Fortunately, the new Microsoft Edge browser is widely considered to be better than IE in almost every way.

Cortana Personal Assistant

Microsoft’s personal assistant, Cortana, never gained popularity like Siri from Apple, Alexa from Amazon, or the Google Assistant. For those who used it, however, it is unfortunate to see that it is not pinned to the taskbar by default. Fortunately, Cortana is still an option that can your help desk or IT support services team can help you add back. You can also do it yourself following the standard procedure for pinning an app to the taskbar.

Make Sure Windows 11 Works for You

If you regularly use any of the features or capabilities listed above, or you just want to make sure that your Windows 11 upgrade goes as smoothly as possible, GSDSolutions is here to help. We offer comprehensive managed IT services in the Bay Area, that help business and organizations optimize their technical resources to improve productivity.

How to Contact Us

Give us a call at (650) 282-7695, send us an email at mailto:info@GSDSolutions.io, or click the button below to set up a free, no obligation consultation to get help on transitioning to Windows 11.