The last update for those using this version of Windows will become available on the 13^th of June 2023, and after that all services and support will be stopped.

Trying to stop the Windows 11 upgrade might just leave you with a system that is vulnerable to hacking and other malicious attacks, as further updates for Windows 10 21H2 won’t be coming.

There is no definite date yet for when users can expect the system to be upgraded but it is now a guarantee that it will come sometime after the June update.

This essentially means that Windows 10 22H2 will be the very last version of this operating system, and Microsoft has already said that it will continue to provide support to Windows 10 22H2 until the 14^th of October 2025, with Enterprise users being given a few extra years with their system.

Windows 11 Is Growing in Popularity (But Only a Little)

Along with the news that Windows 11 is coming to Windows 10 21H2 users, the latest stats from Statcounter are showing that the operating system is gaining a few fans.

Although many users will say that Windows 10 is so far the best, Windows 11 is growing on people, and it recently hit an all-time high user share percentage.

Although the statistics aren’t looking too bad, Microsoft is said to be a little be disappointed at the low uptake of its latest Windows offering.

By comparison, towards the end of the Windows 10’s time on the market, it was experiencing a phenomenal user market share of 76%, and seeing that so many people are happily using Windows 10 for such an extended period of time, you can understand why they weren’t in such a rush to embrace the newest version.

Ultimately, because most users, both individuals and companies, are unlikely to make a move over to any other type of operating system, Windows 11 will eventually dominate the scene.

But whether or not it becomes memorable, for all the right reasons, remains to be seen.

And while the operating system is gaining more users, Microsoft’s built in internet browser just keeps on taking knocks, as Edge, which was supposed to be a huge improvement on Internet Explorer, has lost its standing to Safari.  

A Snippet About Windows 11

Windows 11 was released to much fanfare in October of 2021, and it became available to all users in 2022.

As with all the versions of Windows, this latest one had quite a few growing pains, with most of the more obvious problems having now been resolved.

Windows 11 brings with it so many much-welcomed new things such as the much-hyped inclusion of AI technology. Although the layout of Windows 11 takes some getting used to, if you are a long-time user of the operating system, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem getting the hand of things.

* Struggling to decide if it is time to introduce Windows 11 to your business? Or maybe you need help installing this upgrade? At 24/7 IT Services, we provide our clients with a range of fantastic IT solutions which include managed IT support and various IT consultancy options. For more information, give us a call.

The post Microsoft to Upgrade Windows 10 21H2 Users appeared first on 247 IT Services.

Although it might be hard to believe, Windows 10 has been on the market since 2015! Time sure does fly, and during the tenure of this version of Microsoft’s popular operating system, it was heralded as vast improvement on its much unloved predecessor, Windows 8.

Since Windows 11 has been available for almost a year, with the various kinks being ironed out over the last few months, it was only going to be a matter of time before the announcement of the end of Windows 10 came.

And besides, since Windows 11 became available, the amount of updates for Windows 10 has become noticeably fewer with most updates only being for fixes. This in itself should have been an indication that this announcement was coming.

Should you update to Windows 11 now?

The end of new features for Windows 10 might cause some anxiety, but since the software is still going to be kept secure and any issues will still be fixed, now is probably not the time act in haste.

Although it is never a good idea to update your version of Windows to the latest option the moment it becomes available (because of the issues all new software comes with), this version has been out since May 2022 so it is safe to say that most users can update should they wish to.

Windows 11 has been called the best version yet. It comes with better features and a user friendly design, it offers Android App integration, better gaming features, easy multitasking, collaboration and remote working capabilities, and enhanced overall performance. This alone makes it tempting to make the leap.

But with all of the exciting advantages, there are some drawbacks to installing this new operating software.  

Windows 11 is not being kind on older PCs and Laptops. If you are thinking about installing Windows 11, you should start the process by having a look at whether or not your computer has the type of hardware that will meet the new operating system’s requirements.

Computers that are relatively new will be able to handle the update with no performance issues, but older computers might end up slowing down, making work impossible. And that is if the system will even allow an older computer to update at all.

Hardware requirements for running Windows 11 include the following:

Processor: 1 GHz with 2 cores and 64 bit capabilities

Memory: 4GB of RAM

Storage: 64GB of Drive Space

Firmware: UEFI with Secure Boot capabilities

TPM: 2.0

Graphics: DirectX12 or a later version along with a Windows Display Drive Model 2.0

Display: 720p Resolution with a 9-Inch Screen

The computer will also need to be connected to the internet for the update to complete and for the setup to be done.

*

If all of this sounds Greek to you, you can always contact 24/7 IT Services, for advice or to help you with your Windows installation. We are one of the leading IT companies in the London area, and along with helping companies with their day to day IT needs, we also offer Business Continuity Services and IT Security Solutions, among a range of other services, for all kinds of companies.

The post Microsoft Announces the End of Windows 10 appeared first on 247 IT Services.

Since so much of the system is geared towards helping users to be as productive as possible, there are plenty of shortcut options that are designed to save you loads of time while helping you to get the information that you need. There are shortcuts that will minimise your desktop and give the option of adding another, which is incredibly helpful when you are looking at working with a variety of applications.

And then there is the little known shortcut that will allow you to preview a file without having to open it, which will definitely be a big help, especially if you have plenty of other files open and you don’t want to slow down your PC or laptop by opening more.

Whether you are working with Windows 10 or Windows 11, this shortcut should work, and it is suitable for a number of applications including Word, Excel, PDFs, photos, graphics, videos, music, and audio files.

This feature can also be used to previews files that are unknown. When you preview the unknown file, you won’t have to worry about not having the correct type of application to open it, something which can be the case if you are working with design files.

How to Preview Files and Additional Preview Programmes

There are a number of ways that you can preview a file in Windows, and these are the easiest options.

Use Windows File Explorer Panel

The simplest way to preview a file in Windows would be to use the built in feature, which is the File Explorer. You can access this by opening the File Explorer in your version of Windows and then clicking on the view tab and then selecting the preview option. Click just once on the file that you want to view and you will be given a preview in the tab next to it. This option will also allow you to increase or decrease the size of your preview.

Use the QuickLook Programme

If you are looking for something different, you can download QuickLook for free. It easily integrates with File Explorer, and once it is installed, all you need to do is select the file you want to use and then press your space bar. A preview window will pop up where you will be able to view the file. You will also be able to increase or decrease the size of the preview.

Use the Cool File Viewer Programme

A programme that doesn’t integrate with Windows File Viewer, but is quite sophisticated and might be preferred by those who are looking for something a little more advanced, this programme is a good option. With Cool File Viewer, you can preview most files as well as have a look at and even extract if need be, files that have been compressed in ZIP or RAR formats. And as for office applications, with this programme you will be able to both view the file and edit it. The downside of the programme is that it will only allow you to preview a limited number of programmes before you have to use a paid version.

If you are looking for a team of IT professionals to assist you with your business IT needs, you can contact 24/7 IT Services today. We offer a variety of solutions including IT consultancy, Cloud Computing and Network Services.

The post How to Preview any File in Windows appeared first on 247 IT Services.