Microsoft to launch Windows 11 on Oct. 5; rollout to last into ‘22
Microsoft this week made it official: it will start distributing Windows 11 on Oct. 5, just five weeks away, to eligible PCs.
"On this day, the free upgrade to Windows 11 will begin rolling out to eligible Windows 10 PCs and PCs that come pre-loaded with Windows 11 will start to become available for purchase," wrote Aaron Woodman, general manager of Windows marketing, in an Aug. 31 post to a company blog.
Although Windows 11's rollout will begin Oct. 5, the process will have an extraordinarily long tail. "We expect all eligible devices to be offered the free upgrade to Windows 11 by mid-2022," Woodman said.