Microsoft is set to reveal Windows 11 — the successor to Windows 10 — on Thursday, June 24 at a virtual event. The show will be streamed to the public so you can watch as Microsoft announces what it refers to as "the next generation of Windows."
This guide will show you how to watch the Windows 11 event live stream; if you can't tune in to the reveal, don't worry, we will host a live blog with updates on the latest announcements.
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When is Microsoft's Windows 11 event?
The Windows 11 event will take place on June 24 at 8am PT / 10am CT / 11am ET / 4pm BST. A calendar reminder on the Microsoft event page gives an end time of 12pm ET, so the Windows 11 event should be an hour long.
How to watch the Windows 11 event
The Windows 11 launch will be live-streamed on Microsoft's event page. Until then, the page contains a link to put a reminder in your calendar so you don't miss any of the action.
Microsoft will likely stream the Windows 11 reveal on the Windows YouTube channel. We will embed the live video above once it's posted.
If you can't tune into the video or prefer to read highlights, Laptop Mag is hosting a live blog detailing the latest news as soon as it is announced. We'll also publish a roundup of the event once it concludes.
What to expect from the Windows 11 event
It feels, in some way, as if the Windows 11 launch event already happened. Earlier this month, a Windows 11 build leaked online, revealing what appears to be a near-final version of the upcoming operating system. For a breakdown of the new interfaces and features, I'll direct you to our Windows 11 guide.
Before I go any further, Microsoft hasn't even acknowledged the existence of a Windows 11 OS. What we do know is that an overhaul of Windows 10, called Sun Valley, has long been in the works. At the same time, Microsoft had planned to launch Windows 10X — a lightweight OS originally meant for foldable and dual-screen devices — before abandoning the project.
Then Microsoft started teasing Windows 11 by scheduling this upcoming event at 11am EST. OK, so that isn't much of a hint. However, Microsoft later posted an exactly 11-minute long video of Windows start-up sounds. People have also theorized that the shadows cast from the Windows logo in Microsoft's event invite (see the top shot of this article) look like an "11." Then, of course, the leak arrived with references to Windows 11 throughout.
Based on the leaked build, we expect Microsoft to reveal Windows 11 with a new Taskbar, Start Menu, Widgets and more. It will take the basic elements of Windows 10 and beautify them with new animations and icons.
You might be wondering if the event is even worth watching given how much we already know about Windows 11. Remember, what leaked was not the final version of the OS. For us, we'd like Microsoft to address a few things not seen in the leaked build, including upgrade plans as well as possible changes to the app store, File Explorer and the Control Panel.
