This article provides instructions on how to update a University staff laptop from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

Please note: The update process normally takes between one and two hours to complete depending on the speed of the internet connection, the age of the computer and how much data the computer has on it. Shared computers, such as those used in meeting rooms or that have many people use them, may take up three hours.

Given this and in order to minimise any disruption to your working day, we suggest you start the update at the end of your working day. Once the update has started the computer should be left to run without any further interaction.

Before starting the update process, which you can do at home or in the office, please be sure to save all your work and RESTART the computer. It is also vital that the computer be connected to a power supply and has a working internet connection. You should NOT connect to the VPN to do this update.

To begin the update process open the Company Portal or Software Center application.
Please note: If you do not have either the Company Portal or Software Center installed on your computer, please get in touch with IT to have it installed.

Find the “Windows 11 Feature Update” and choose the Install button.
 

Not seeing the update?

If you do not do not see the update in Company Portal you may need to look in Software Center instead. If you can not see it these either please contact IT.

Occasionally Company Portal gets stuck in a Download pending loop. If 3 or 4 minutes after clicking the Install button nothing looks to have started and you are just seeing the message shown below, then please simply close the Company Portal, re-open it and try again. This will then usually kickstart the installation process.


If no warnings are displayed, you will be shown the End User Agreement.

Please ‘Accept and Install’ this and then leave the computer alone to allow it to do the update.

The update normally takes between one and two hours to complete, after which the computer will return to the University sign-in screen.

First sign-in

The username that you use to sign-in to the computer remains exactly the same as before the update. Your first sign-in after the update has finished will take a few minutes to complete. After the Desktop appears please wait for the Windows 11 Let's Go! notification to be displayed before you start using the computer.
 

Desktop wallpaper

Many people like to set a pleasant image as their Desktop wallpaper to cheer them through the day. Immediately after the update completes the wallpaper will be set to plain grey. This is designed to help people see the desktop icons clearly.

You can quickly and easily change the Desktop wallpaper back to your favourite picture by right-clicking on the Desktop > Select Personalise > Background > Browse photos although you may have to wait a few minutes after your first sign-in before this option is available.

Features & Apps that have been removed in Windows 11

ABBYY PDF

The old version of the popular ABBYY PDF Converter application does not work after the update and will be automatically removed. The University has however purchased a new version which is now called ABBYY FineReader PDF 16.

This newer version is available to self-install from AppsAnywhere.

WordPad

The old basic word processor app WordPad, not to be confused with fuller Microsoft Word, has been retired by Microsoft and is no longer installed in Windows.

Taskbar relocation

The Windows Taskbar is now locked to the bottom of the screen. It can no longer be moved to the top or side.

Taskbar Calendar

The pop-up calendar that appears when you left-click on the time in the lower-right corner of your screen now only appears on the 'Main' display.

32-bit Apps

There is no 32-bit version of Windows 11 and software that runs only on 32-bit Windows may no longer work. This will mostly impact older research software.

Possible problems

If an error message is displayed at the start of the update please contact IT with details of the error.