Windows 11: release date, versions and system requirements

Windows 11 was released on October 5, 2021, preinstalled on new computers and as a free upgrade for compatible Windows 10 computers. Since then, Microsoft has released a new version every fall; the most recent is Windows 11 26H2, available since September 29, 2026. The upgrade from Windows 10 is still free for computers that meet the system requirements.

We wrote the first version of this article in September 2021, just before the release. Below you’ll find what was announced at the time and what has been confirmed since.

Windows 11 in brief:

• Release date: October 5, 2021.
• Price: a free upgrade for Windows 10 computers that meet the system requirements.
• Interface: a new design, with rounded corners, the Start button in the middle of the taskbar and windows that are easy to arrange in halves, thirds or quarters of the screen.
• A redesigned Microsoft Store, with Android apps until March 2025.
• For gaming: better integration of the Xbox app, AutoHDR and DirectStorage.
• The requirement that matters most: the TPM 2.0 security module and a compatible processor.

Windows 11: when was it released?

Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 on June 24, 2021, at the “What’s next for Windows” event, after an early build had leaked online a week before. Panos Panay, then Chief Product Officer for Windows, announced in a post on the Windows blog that Windows 11 would be available as a free upgrade for eligible Windows 10 computers and on new computers. Microsoft said at the time that Windows 11 was designed both for businesses and for gamers.

Until the announcement, it wasn’t clear what would come after Windows 10. Many expected the new interface, code-named Sun Valley, to arrive as a simple Windows 10 update. In a way, that’s what happened: Windows 11 builds on Windows 10, but it has enough changes to deserve a new name.

The official date was October 5, 2021. New computers came with Windows 11 preinstalled, and the upgrade for Windows 10 computers was rolled out gradually, starting on the same date. Microsoft aimed to offer the upgrade to all compatible computers by mid-2022. The gradual rollout had an advantage too: by the time they got the upgrade, most users received a system whose early bugs had already been fixed. Before the release, the system could be tested through the Windows Insider program, which still exists today.

At the time, Windows 10 was scheduled to receive updates until 2025. That’s exactly what happened: Windows 10 has not received free security updates since October 14, 2025.

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Which versions of Windows 11 have been released so far?

Version	Release	Notes
21H2	October 5, 2021	first version
22H2	September 20, 2022
23H2	October 31, 2023	no longer receives updates in the Home and Pro editions
24H2	October 1, 2024	no longer receives updates in the Home and Pro editions
25H2	September 30, 2025
26H1	February 10, 2026	only for certain new computers
26H2	September 29, 2026	current version

Each version receives security updates for 24 months in the Home and Pro editions and for 36 months in the Enterprise and Education editions. That’s why, on top of the monthly updates, the annual feature update matters too: a computer left on an old version eventually stops receiving patches, even though it runs Windows 11.

Windows 11: the new interface

The most visible changes in Windows 11 are in the interface. Windows no longer have square corners but rounded ones, and some panels have a frosted glass effect. It’s a subtle change, but it feels different, at least when windows aren’t maximized.

The other major change is that the Start button and the taskbar icons have moved to the middle of the screen. You can move them back to the left, as in Windows 10, from Taskbar settings.

The way you arrange windows on screen has changed as well. If you hover over the maximize button, a palette appears where you choose how to split the screen: in halves, thirds or quarters. It’s especially useful on large monitors, when you want to see several apps at the same time. We also wrote about the new look of the built-in apps in the article Windows 11 apps get a new look.

In 2021, rumor had it that Windows 11 would drop the famous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). The change came later: in June 2025, Microsoft announced that the blue screen would be replaced by a simpler black screen.

What became of the other new features announced in 2021?

• Android apps in the Microsoft Store, through the Windows Subsystem for Android, were available for a while, but Microsoft shut the service down on March 5, 2025.
• DirectStorage, the technology that loads games faster from NVMe SSDs and reduces the load on the processor, didn’t remain a Windows 11 exclusive, as had been announced: it also works on Windows 10, from version 1909. On Windows 11, however, it has additional optimizations. Nor does it need the fastest SSDs: it also works with PCIe 3.0 drives, not just PCIe 4.0.
• AutoHDR and Xbox app integration are still part of Windows 11 and are useful mainly for gaming.
• The redesigned Microsoft Store is still the place to install apps vetted by Microsoft.

What are the system requirements for Windows 11?

The basic requirements for Windows 11 aren’t very different from those for Windows 10 when it comes to the processor, RAM and graphics card. What makes the difference are the security requirements, especially the TPM 2.0 module and a compatible processor, which keep many older computers from moving to Windows 11.

Windows 11: minimum specifications

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster, with 2 or more cores, on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC).
• Memory: 4 GB RAM.
• Storage: 64 GB or more.
• System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable.
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
• Graphics card: compatible with DirectX 12 / WDDM 2.x.
• Display: larger than 9 inches, with HD resolution (720p).
• Internet connection and Microsoft account: required to set up Windows 11 Home.

Windows 11 isn’t limited to x86 processors: it also runs on ARM processors, for example on laptops with Snapdragon X. To find out whether a computer is compatible, use Microsoft’s PC Health Check app. See also the article Are you ready for Windows 11?

How much does Windows 11 cost?

Windows 11 is available as a free upgrade for computers with a Windows 10 license that meet the system requirements, and the offer still stands today. Since 2023, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 license keys no longer activate Windows 11. For computers that can’t move to Windows 11, companies can buy the paid ESU program for Windows 10, until October 2028 at the latest, or replace them.

What does this mean for your company?

If your company still has Windows 10 computers without ESU, they no longer receive security updates and need to be moved to Windows 11 or replaced. Those that already run Windows 11 need to be kept on a supported version. See also the security recommendations for Windows 10 and Windows 11 and the article on the problem of end-of-life (EOL) technologies.

A free IT audit shows you which computers can move to Windows 11 and what needs to be replaced, and with IT maintenance, updates are installed and checked on every workstation.

RezolvIT is an IT outsourcing company that supports the companies it works with, whether that means securing laptops used at home or helping employees work remotely.