You're reading from Windows 11 for Enterprise Administrators - Second Edition

Product typeBook

Published inOct 2023

PublisherPackt

ISBN-139781804618592

Edition2nd Edition

Concepts

System Administration

Authors (5):

Manuel Singer

Jeff Stokes

Steve Miles

Thomas Lee

Richard Diver

View More author details

Windows 11 21H2 and 22H2 Changes (versus Windows 10)

In this chapter, we want to give an overview of the numerous changes in the first two Windows 11 versions compared to the previous Windows 10 versions. Unfortunately, Windows 11 is often only reduced to the modified Start menu. Also, the OS itself also disguises itself as Windows 10 in many places. However, this is for compatibility reasons, as already explained in Chapter 1, Windows 11 – Installation and Upgrading. We do not want to limit ourselves to the obvious changes in the UI. Since some features are still being backported from Windows 11 to Windows 10 or are still being added through Moments in Windows 11, this is sometimes a bit of a moving target. This chapter is a good start to familiarize yourself with the new features that enhance the user experience and allow you to work more efficiently with Windows 11. It also gives you an overview of the new security features you should definitely take a look at.

In this...

New Start menu and taskbar

The most discussed (and loved or hated) new feature is the completely reprogrammed Start menu and taskbar. Due to this reprogramming, some features are no longer available.

The new Start menu has a completely different look than the previous Windows 10 Start menu. At the first click, you now get an overview of 6x3 app icons (scrollable). This number is only expandable or reduced with Windows 11 22H2. Below that are the last used documents/files (3x2). All other apps are only available after clicking on All apps in the upper-right corner. Then, you get an overview sorted by letters similar to the old Start menu. Live Tiles are no longer available.

The new Start menu is not resizable as a whole, neither in 21H2 nor so far in 22H2, which is a pity, especially on large monitors. This is what it looks like:

Figure 10.1 – New Windows 11 Start menu

Also, the taskbar has been renewed, but the visual changes are less dramatic...

Windows 11 22H2 (build 22621)

The second iteration of Windows 11 was released in GA in September 2022 with build 22621.521 and officially branded as Windows 11 22H2 (or Windows 11 2022). Due to the release of the second version, the original Windows 11 was rebranded to Windows 11 21H2. Some weeks after the release of Windows 11 22H2, a new version of Windows 10 called 22H2 was also released. So, it is best to also mention the build numbers as they are in some cases the only differentiator programmatically for the different Windows 10 and 11 versions. Some major criticisms of the original Windows 11 version have been addressed with 22H2, which significantly improves the UI and user experience. These are discussed in the following sections.

New security options

With Windows 11 22H2, new security features and enhancements were introduced. We picked some important ones that you should be aware of, so let’s have a closer look.

HVCI and VBS enabled by default

Windows 11...

Summary

In this chapter, you have learned about the changes in Windows 11 21H2 and 22H2. This should help you decide which version to use and which features to look at closely during piloting or to include in design decisions. We have not only introduced you to the obvious changes in the UI but also to the changes in the Windows substructure. We have summarized a selection of important changes, but as you can see from the numerous references to URLs and other changes, the changes are much more extensive. I hope we have aroused your interest in the new operating system. Take the opportunity to try out Windows 11 22H2 as soon as possible and get an impression of the new operating system.

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Authors (5)

Manuel Singer

Manuel Singer works as a Senior Premier Field Engineer for Windows Client at Microsoft and is based in Germany. He has more than 10 years of experience in system management and deployment using Microsoft technologies. He specializes in client enterprise design, deployment, performance, reliability, and Microsoft devices. Manuel works with local and international top customers from the private and public sector to provide professional technical and technological support.
Read more about Manuel Singer

Jeff Stokes

Jeff Stokes is a Windows / Microsoft Engineer currently employed at Microsoft. He specializes in Operating System Health, Reliability, and Performance. He is skilled in Windows Deployment with MDT (Microsoft Deployment Toolkit) and has exceptional skills in VDI (Virtual Desktop) and performance analysis. He is an active writer and blogger and loves technology.
Read more about Jeff Stokes

Steve Miles

Steve Miles is a Microsoft security and Azure/hybrid MVP and MCT with over 20 years of experience in security, networking, storage, end user computing, and cloud solutions. His current focus is on securing, protecting, and managing identities, Windows clients, and Windows server workloads in hybrid and multi-cloud platform environments. His first Microsoft certification was on Windows NT and he is an MCP, MCITP, MCSA, and MCSE for Windows and many other Microsoft products. He also holds multiple Microsoft Fundamentals, Associate, Expert, and Specialty certifications in Azure security, identity, network, M365, and D365. He also holds multiple security, networking vendor, and other public cloud provider certifications.
Read more about Steve Miles

Thomas Lee

Thomas Lee is a consultant/trainer/writer based in the UK and has been in the IT business since the late 1960s. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, Thomas joined ComShare where he was a systems programmer building the Commander II time-sharing operating system, a forerunner of today's cloud computing paradigm. In the mid-1970s, he moved to ICL to work on the VME/K operating system. After a sabbatical in 1980/81, he joined Accenture, leaving in 1988 to run his own consulting and training business, which is still active today. Thomas holds numerous Microsoft certifications, including MCSE (one of the first in the world) and later versions, MCT (25 years), and was awarded Microsoft's MVP award 17 times.
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Richard Diver

Richard Diver is a senior technical business strategy manager for the Microsoft Security Solutions group, focused on developing security partners. Based in Chicago, Richard works with advanced security and compliance partners to help them build solutions across the entire Microsoft platform, including Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft 365 security solutions, and many more. Prior to Microsoft, Richard worked in multiple industries and for several Microsoft partners to architect and implement cloud security solutions for a wide variety of customers around the world. Any spare time he gets is usually spent with his family.
Read more about Richard Diver

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