Do I need to do anything?
The IT department will perform the update through the management system. Windows 11 will be transferred to your PC without you noticing it, and will be installed and activated when you are prompted to restart the computer. Since the update is quite large, the restart will take a little longer than usual. Most will find that the restart takes about 30-40 minutes, but some may find that it takes up to 60 minutes.
If you want full control over when this restart takes place, you can go to Settings and choose Windows Update (after February 3). There, you can choose to initiate the update and restart by clicking on Download & install. Remember that this may take some time, so do it at a time when you don't need to use the PC for at least an hour – just to be safe.
If you prefer to wait, you will receive a notification that the computer needs to be restarted. The restart can be postponed if it is inconvenient, but it must be done by the date included in the notification.
If the PC has not been restarted by the deadline, it will send more notifications, and then it will proceed with a forced restart that you cannot cancel or postpone.
Documents and applications are not affected
Documents, files, and programs you have on the PC will not be affected by the update. Only the operating system is updated. Therefore, you do not need to take extra copies or reinstall anything.
What if my PC is not updated?
If your PC is not updated to Windows 11 by February 15th, it is of a model that cannot be updated automatically. You can safely use a PC with Windows 10, managed by IT at UiO, until you receive other instructions.
If after February 15th, you have a PC that still has Windows 10 and you want it to be updated to Windows 11, contact IT support by email so your PC can be assessed.
What's new?
Windows is still Windows, but there are some quite visible changes:
- Location of the start menu and search bar: In Windows 11, the start menu and search bar are still at the bottom of the screen, but have been moved to the center. If you prefer to have the start menu and search bar on the left, you can move it back. Instructions further down on this page.
- Taskbar: The taskbar can no longer be moved (right, left, top).
- Design and layout: Windows 11 introduces a simplified and more minimalist design. The live tiles popular in Windows 10 have been removed, replaced by a more traditional list of app icons.
- Recommended: A new feature in the Windows 11 start menu is the “Recommended” section, where you find recently opened files and apps.
- Customization options: Customization options are simplified in Windows 11. You can still pin apps for quick access, but without the possibility of custom tile colors or sizes as in Windows 10.
Do you have questions or need help?
Contact IT support, UiO’s central IT user support.
The start menu and search bar are moved to the middle of the bottom edge of the screen in Windows 11. Want to move it back?
- Search for Settings in the start menu.
- Select Personalization and then Taskbar.
- Select Taskbar behaviors. There you will find a menu for Taskbar alignment, and here you can choose Left instead of Center.
