Windows 11 has been out for a couple of months now and has been fairly well-received thus far. But does that mean you should upgrade right away?
Two months is still fairly early in a new operating system’s life cycle, and things could still go wrong that hasn’t yet been reported.
The OS that your office uses is the foundation of your entire technology infrastructure. The software and peripherals that you use are all based on the operating system version that your users have installed on their computers.
While you don’t want to wait too long to upgrade to a new OS, otherwise you can face security and compatibility issues, you also don’t want to rush into things. If you upgrade your office to a new operating system too soon, it can mean problems that cause costly downtime and drops in productivity.
Downtime costs businesses an average of $5,600 per minute.
We recommend waiting to upgrade to Windows 11 until a little more time has passed. This will also allow you to properly plan and ensure your operations will continue to run smoothly after you’ve made the switch.
When it comes to personal PC’s the impact isn’t going to be as wide if you upgrade right away, but for businesses with multiple users, upgrading too soon can cause widespread problems.
Here are some reasons to wait to upgrade your business to Windows 11.
It’s Still Early, More Bugs May Be Found
The Windows 11 release has not been without bugs and depending upon the software and systems you use, these could cause stumbling blocks for your productivity.
Initial bugs reported that are now showing as resolved include a variety of issues with network printing.
A compatibility issue still showing as unresolved is a problem with Oracle VirtualBox that can cause errors when trying to start Virtual Machines.
NEW BUG: To illustrate our point that it’s still early and more bugs may be found, Microsoft just acknowledged that a new Windows 11 bug is slowing down storage drives on computers (NVMs, SSD, and hard drives).
There May Be Some Security Vulnerabilities Not Found Yet
Beyond bugs that cause problems with hardware and software, there may yet be more security vulnerabilities found in the new operating system. Hackers are carefully looking through code to find any possible weaknesses that can be exploited with malicious code.
You can see a list of vulnerabilities that have already been found and that are being addressed on CVE Details, a site that lists vulnerabilities for multiple software types.
Users Need Time to Get Ready
Even an upgrade like Windows 11 that is very user-friendly, needs to incorporate user training and give employees time to adjust workflows as needed.
It’s important to have enough time to train your employees properly so they’ll be ready to hit the ground running when the new OS is introduced.
It’s Not Such a Dramatic Upgrade That It Will Hurt to Wait a While
There are some nice productivity-boosting features in Windows 11, such as snap layouts and native MS Teams integration. However, the OS isn’t such a dramatic upgrade that you’ll be missing major performance benefits by waiting.
Some Features (Like Widgets) Aren’t Completely Finished Yet
The aforementioned snap layouts and MS Teams integration are both great features that are executed well in Windows 11. But not all features look completely finished.
For example, the widgets panel that is accessed from the taskbar is not very helpful right now. It has problems connecting Outlook email to the email widget and there are very few widgets to work with. This is most likely why you won’t see this feature highlighted on the Windows 11 product page.
You Still Have 3+ Years Before Windows 10 Loses Support
You don’t have to rush to upgrade due to security reasons because Windows 10 will still receive security update support until October of 2025. This gives companies plenty of time to mindfully plan an upgrade without needing to rush.
It’s Smart to Take Time to Test and Time Your Rollout with an IT Provider
Some of the things you want to do when planning your upgrade are to work with an IT Provider, like Unity IT, to review the software and hardware your office uses. We’ll look at compatibility issues that might come up and help you test your processes on Windows 11 before you switch over all your employees.
We can help you time your upgrade so it will be smooth, intentional, and without any downtime or loss of productivity.
Let’s Start Your Windows 11 Planning Today
Unity IT can help your Fresno area business ensure you don’t have any problems when it comes time to upgrade to Windows 11.
Contact us today to schedule a technology consultation at 559-297-1007 or reach out online.