STACK #251 September 2025

TECH FEATURE

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What new features come with Windows 11? One of the big advantages of Windows 11 is greater access to Copilot – Windows' AI assistant. While new Windows 11 PCs support the Copilot app, a dedicated Copilot+ PC can unlock more advanced AI capabilities. Copilot can summarise documents and meeting notes, draft emails in Outlook, perform more effective file searches, and more. It's also better at detecting whether apps and files are safe to run, and gives users access to some photo editing tools. Windows 11 can connect to phones wirelessly to help you manage devices, take calls, and see onscreen notifications. Security features are also improved, with advancements in Microsoft Defender Antivirus and live SmartScreen notifications keeping your PC safe. A Windows 11 PC is future-proofed and will continue to receive updates and support going forward. What updates are coming for Windows 11? Windows 11 is continually improved with updates based on user feedback and experiences. The next update, Version 25H2, aims to improve performance on Windows 11 systems by tightening requirements for new drivers. This basically means that any system updates for your devices must pass a higher quality bar before they're passed on to users. This will continue into the future, with more updates like 25H2 likely to improve stability and performance.

Support for Windows 10 ends in October 2025, but upgrading to Windows 11 is easy and brings better performance, smarter features, and stronger security. Here’s what you need to know to make the switch. Words James O’Connor W indows 10 is wrapping up, with Microsoft ending support for the operating system after October 14, What if my PC can't run Windows 11? Why you should upgrade to Windows 11 before Windows 10 support ends

If you’ve received a notification that your PC is ineligible to upgrade to Windows 11, it might be time to consider upgrading to a new Windows 11 laptop or desktop. Windows 11 comes with some updated system requirements: a processor of at least 1GHz, 4GB of RAM, and a graphics card with DirectX 12 or later, plus 64GB of storage. Windows 11 also requires a compatible 64-bit processor with at least two cores and TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module). If you're upgrading to a new Windows 11 PC, it's going to be a huge upgrade, and very affordable. From entry-level models to premium PCs, essentially any new PC laptop will be Windows 11-ready, with an upgrade in storage, processor speed, and

2025. That means PCs running Windows 10 won’t receive security updates, fixes, or any meaningful changes or improvements after this date. Thankfully, for many users, transferring to Windows 11 is a painless process. If you already use a PC that can upgrade to Windows 11, you’ll have received prompts to switch over. But if your computer can't run Windows 11, what can you do? How do I switch over? If you're already using a system that can run Windows 11, you may have already received notifications about a free upgrade. If you’ve ignored these, now is the time to make the transition. First make sure you back up important files before upgrading, whether via an external backup system or a cloud server. If your PC can run Windows 11, the update in Settings will easily install it, with no hidden fees.

Can I keep using Windows 10 if I want to? Technically yes, but be aware that the system will be more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. If the PC is used online, it's recommended you upgrade to a Windows 11 device. Alternatively, Windows is offering consumers access to the Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates program, but there's a fee attached. This may be a reasonable option for a computer that’s only used for occasional emails, or mostly used when disconnected from the Internet. For the majority of users though, updating or upgrading to Windows 11 is definitely the way to go.

performance. Plus, your new Windows 11 laptop will typically have better battery life, thanks to improvements in how capacity is managed.

50 SEPTEMBER 2025

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