I returned to Windows 10 because it was more stable and familiar after the changes in Windows 11.
I returned to Windows 10 because it was more stable and familiar after the changes in Windows 11.
Recently I talked about certain subjects where upgrading to W11 turned out to be quite disappointing. Surprise, I know... - Among many users with genuine HDR screens, I was eager for Auto-HDR, which aimed to improve most games that didn’t support HDR. In reality, almost every title just appeared overly bright and saturated. (Actually worse than standard definition) - The new interface felt more fluid and modern initially, offering smoother animations. But after prolonged use, I noticed missing features I was used to from Windows 10. To top it off, nearly all video players required fullscreen toggling twice to switch between modes, which was frustrating for platforms like YouTube or Twitch. - Still, the lack of Android app support in the public release wasn’t a dealbreaker for me at first, though it would have been nice. I chose to stay with Windows 11 because it functioned adequately and didn’t cause major problems compared to what others reported. I didn’t want the trouble of backing up data or reinstalling Windows 10. And honestly, I think I made a mistake—just one day after mentioning my plan to switch to Windows 11, Explorer crashed completely. Every time I searched in the start menu, it would freeze and I had to restart the PC for it to work again (not just search, but general browsing too). It wasn’t a big issue for games, but extremely annoying for streaming services like YouTube or Twitch. - Obviously, there’s still no Android app support in the current version. Initially, I wasn’t sure if this was a feature I’d actually use much, but it would have added value. Still, I opted to revert and reinstall Windows 10 completely. After months of using W11 and then a few days on Windows 10, I can confidently say it feels much better as a desktop OS. I’m unlikely to consider upgrading back to Windows 11 anytime soon, probably never. I hope Windows 11 gets retired before support ends for version 10. Anyone have similar “game-breaking” experiences that pushed you back to Windows 10? Feel free to share!
I opted for version 11 via ExplorerPatcher to address a few UI issues and just moved my last machine there. Added Android support through sideloading and used it regularly without any problems.
In the meantime I just moved from Windows 7 to Windows Server 2022 this week. Still I keep Windows 7 in dual boot just in case I want to go back. Overall I think the interface of Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2 is still better than what you find in newer releases. While Windows Server 2022 feels more like Windows 10, it lacks the clutter and forced updates that come with the latest version. You can get security patches without upgrading to a newer build and it runs very smoothly. I also have the old control panel, probably because some features are still missing in the new Settings panel you see today. I used Blackbird for Windows to remove all tracking and data collection, removed Edge, and that’s about it.
Installed Windows 11 on both devices without encountering any problems.
As discussed earlier, I've generally faced minimal problems for a long time. However, the frequent removal of small features to improve tablet compatibility and the various trivial justifications they offered grew increasingly bothersome. Eventually, Explorer simply ceased functioning altogether, which was the final blow. Up to now, I haven't found anything familiar that I'm used to missing in W10 beyond the centered Taskbar. Windows 10 offers a more effective solution, though it's somewhat concealed and doesn't require third-party tools. Some of the enhancements W11 claims—such as improved window snapping—simply perform better on W10. Most of the features mentioned by Amelia 1 didn't appeal to me; only Auto HDR proved disappointing. I'm unsure if W10 will support Direct Storage, but currently only a few games that actually use it are years away. By the time they're released, W10 is likely to reach end-of-life, and W11 might either get patched or become obsolete. For now, I'll stick with W10 until official support ends, just like many users still run Windows 7 without issues.
Linux isn't going to be a choice for me soon. It'll matter more when a fully functional Windows compatibility layer is available, which seems unlikely. The biggest issues with Linux remain compatibility, and using Wine or Proton for some games isn't sufficient. As a typical office OS it could work well for what I know, but it's not ideal for gaming-focused PCs. I really hope they improve W11 in the coming years or learn from past mistakes and remove it. Then we can stick with W10 support or move to W12 without any problems.