Windows 11 Slump: Will Microsoft Loosen Hardware Restrictions?

This Week in IT, Microsoft talks Windows 11 hardware requirements as Windows 10 gets closer to end of life, a new search experience is coming to Windows, plus some important security updates.

Links and resources

• TPM 2.0 – a necessity for a secure and future-proof Windows 11 | Microsoft Community Hub
• Windows 11 market share falls despite Microsoft ad blitz • The Register
• Introducing Microsoft Security Exposure Management | Microsoft Community Hub
• Microsoft plans to make searching in Windows 11 better – I just hope it doesn’t screw it up | TechRadar

Episode overview

In this week’s episode, Russell discusses various updates and news related to Microsoft, including Windows 11 hardware requirements, a new search experience, security updates, and more.

• Windows 11 Hardware Requirements: Microsoft talked about hardware requirements for Windows 11 to have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip, emphasizing its necessity for security and future-proofing.
• Windows 10 End of Life: Windows 10 is approaching its end of support in Fall 2025, which means many devices will soon be unsupported if they cannot meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements.
• Microsoft Store Updates: Microsoft Store will now support updating Win32 apps that were installed through the Store, addressing a previous issue where the Store and the app’s own update mechanisms did not communicate.
• New File Search Companion App: Microsoft is developing a new file search companion app for Windows 11, with potential AI integration for improved search capabilities, though it is still in early stages.
• Security Exposure Management Tool: Microsoft announced the general availability of their security exposure management tool at Ignite, which helps organizations identify and mitigate security risks in their infrastructure.