Additionally, Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Windows Update for Business eliminated the need for using more than one disk image and made it easier for employees to get Windows 11. It also meant that employees’ Windows 10 apps work seamlessly in Windows 11. Whereas significant time and resources were once dedicated to testing app compatibility, building out multiple disk images, and managing a complex delivery method, processes and tools introduced during Windows 10 have streamlined upgrades and enabled the transformation to a frictionless experience.ĭata from App Assure, a Microsoft service available to all customers with eligible subscriptions, shows the company had 99.7 percent compatibility for all apps in Windows 11-that eliminated the need for extensive testing. Over the past decade, our Microsoft Digital Employee Experience team, the organization that powers, protects, and transforms employee experiences, has worked closely with teams such as the Windows product group to improve how it runs Microsoft’s updates, upgrades, and deployments.

What made the deployment of Windows 11 a success? The rollout of Windows 11 at Microsoft was our most streamlined to date, frictionlessly delivering employees the latest operating system in record time. However, with established practices and evolved solutions in hand, historical obstacles became just that-a thing of the past. Introducing a new operating system, especially across a distributed workforce, naturally led to questions about device downtime and app compatibility. Our priority in rolling out Windows 11 internally was to provide employees uninterrupted access to a safe and productive workspace while giving them a chance to try out the new operating system.

Five key learnings from Microsoft’s Windows 11 upgrade.

Employees are at the heart of Microsoft’s internal Windows 11 upgrade.

Windows 11 boosts employee engagement at Microsoft.

Unpacking Microsoft’s speedy upgrade to Windows 11 (this story).Microsoft tries Windows 11 on for size and likes the fit.

Why to upgrade to windows 11