Microsoft Windows 11: Difference between revisions

'''Microsoft Windows 11''' is an operating system for personal computers developed and owned by [[Microsoft]]. It was released on October 5 2021. As of 2025, Windows 11 is the current version of Windows sold by [[Microsoft]]. It is used in personal, business, server, and embedded systems applications. Windows by far has the highest market share of any operating system on consumer desktop computers.

*In order to use the operating system, it is required to link a Microsoft account. Since October 2025 local accounts cannot be created and Microsoft has blocked the ways to bypass the Microsoft account requirement.

*Updates are forced and cannot be disabled, only postponed by default. They can only be disabled with third-party tools. Some settings and preferences set by the user are modified after applying updates. A very known case of this happening is the modification of the default browser preferences to [[Microsoft Edge]] if the user has set other web browser instead.

*Like Windows 10, [[OneDrive]] synchronization is active by default. The File Explorer redirects the local file shortcuts to the OneDrive file addresses.

Telemetry is active by default and cannot be completely disabled without using third-party tools.

Microsoft Copilot application setting of using user's data to train AI models is active by default {{Citation needed}}

Windows comes pre-installed on most of current new desktop computers.

Following the update form of Windows 10, Windows 11 updates are also forced and the system settings only allow them to be postponed, without having any official form to disable them that does not require registry edition or third-party software. They're frequent, usually happening once per month.<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Microsoft |date=27 Mar 2025 |title=Update release cycle for Windows clients |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/deployment/update/release-cycle |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314163711/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/release-cycle |archive-date=2026-03-14 |access-date=14 Mar 2026 |website=Microsoft Learn}}</ref> The way that updates are deployed, without allowing to use the OS while it is updating, have caused several users to be unable to use their computers when they need to work, do a project, or even when they're in a critical situation. {{Citation needed}}

Windows users have also reported several times issues and bugs with the recent updates, that vary from minor issues to major issues that can lead the system to become unusable.  

*An update on December 2025 caused core features issues on many computers, with several users complaining about this. Microsoft admitted later this update was problematic. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Dalton |first=Theo |date=8 Dec 2025 |title=Microsoft finally admits almost all major Windows 11 core features are broken |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/discussions/windows11/microsoft-finally-admits-almost-all-major-windows-11-core-features-are-broken/4475930 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260309033645/https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/discussions/windows11/microsoft-finally-admits-almost-all-major-windows-11-core-features-are-broken/4475930 |archive-date=2026-03-09|access-date=9 Mar 2026 |website=Microsoft Community Hub}}</ref>

*Update '''KB5077181''', released on February 11 2026. This update affected some Samsung computers, making them unable to access to the C:\ drive. If someone attempted to access to this drive, the system launched an error message containing "C:\ is not accessible – Access denied". This glitch also affected the ability to launch programs and perform administrative tasks. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Batt |first=Simon |date=13 Mar 2026 |title=A nasty Windows 11 bug is causing the C drive to become inaccessible in select devices, says Microsoft |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-11-c-is-not-accessible-access-denied-bug/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314042240/https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-11-c-is-not-accessible-access-denied-bug/ |archive-date=2026-03-14 |access-date=14 Mar 2026 |website=XDA}}</ref>

These combined factors have causes users to respond in several ways, from complaining about the OS and how Microsoft handles it<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Joe |date=25 Nov 2025 |title=Windows 11 has become INCREASINGLY unstable |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5635937/windows-11-has-become-increasingly-unstable |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260107122136/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5635937/windows-11-has-become-increasingly-unstable |archive-date=2026-01-07 |access-date=9 Mar 2026 |website=Microsoft Learn}}</ref>, by blocking updates with third-party tools such as [https://winaerotweaker.com/ WinAeroTweaker] to prevent the forced and problematic updates despite the risks of doing so <ref>{{Cite web |last=Rozario |first=Hamlin |date=25 Feb 2026|title=I stopped updating Windows immediately — here's how long I wait now |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/i-stopped-updating-windows-immediately/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260227172743/https://www.xda-developers.com/i-stopped-updating-windows-immediately/ |archive-date=2026-02-27 |access-date=9 Mar 2026 |website=XDA}}</ref>, or even by migrating to modified or unsupported versions of Windows or to other operating systems such as Linux. {{Citation needed}}

Windows explorer has a button which is misleadingly labeled to "back up" files.  Instead of backing them up, it sends the files to OneDrive, Microsofts own cloud service. If the file is deleted, OneDrive deletes the online copy too (a backup would preserve a file if it was deleted). If OneDrive runs out of space, it is likely to lose the backed up files. If you try to disable or remove OneDrive, Windows will push you to re-enable it.  It takes several steps to stop Windows from advertising OneDrive.