If my desktop PC is any indication, Microsoft really wants people to start using Windows 11.

Although it's been available since last fall as a free upgrade for Windows 10 users, this week my computer started pushing the issue with a blue-badged update icon in the taskbar, replacing the usual yellow icon that indicates a basic system update. The only way to dismiss the nag is to open the Windows Update menu and elect to "Stay on Windows 10 for now."

But should you? Having upgraded my travel laptop soon after the initial launch, Windows 11 still hasn't made a strong enough case for using it on my desktop, with too many missing features and not enough utility in return.

The main thing to know about Windows 11 is that it makes major changes to some long-standing Windows features:

I've also run into some unusual problems with Windows 11 on my travel laptop, including sluggish performance, battery drain in sleep mode, and a power button that no longer works as expected. The battery drain was fixable with yet another registry edit, but the other issues linger.

Microsoft has at least made some improvements since last fall's launch. A recent update, for instance, brought drag-and-drop back to the taskbar, so you can drag files onto any icon to open the corresponding app. Switching default browsers is also much easier than it was at the outset.

But even with a year of refinement, Windows 11 still takes getting used to, and may even require some tweaking to bring back features you depended on.

Windows 11isn't all bad. A few things I've enjoyed about it since updating my travel laptop:

But none of those features amount to must-haves for me, especially given the issues I've run into on my travel laptop.

Despite my lack of excitement, the Windows 11 upgrade is starting to carry an air of inevitability.

That's because Microsoft will only deliver security updates for Windows 10 through the fall of 2025, and I intend to keep my desktop PC for much longer than that. At some point, Windows 11 might be necessary to keep getting basic security patches.

And while I don't mind holding off to see what other improvements Microsoft might make, Windows 11 may not be a free upgrade forever. The fine print on the company's Get Windows 11 page says that "Microsoft reserves the right to eventually end support for the free offer."

Whether that will happen is unclear. Microsoft originally said it would offer free upgrades for at least a year from Windows 11's release date of October 5, 2021, but the company has since scrubbed that messaging from its website, and a separate upgrade FAQ page says nothing about it being a limited-time deal.

My guess is that if Microsoft does ever rescind free upgrades, it won't be without an even more aggressive push for Windows 10 users beforehand, with messages that make it seem unavoidable. In lieu of any major new features or improvements that make Windows 11 more appealing, I'm going to hold out until then.

A repair-friendly Chromebook: Framework is one of the most interesting companies in the laptop business right now, having built a Windows notebook in which every component is easily repairable or upgradeable. Now, it's offering a Chromebook version for the same $999, with the same basic tech specs but supposedly better battery life.

But there's a caveat: As Kevin Tofel points out, Framework hasn't committed to making the processor upgradable like the Windows version, and its eight-year support lifecycle from Google is no different from any other new Chromebook. Being able to swap out ports and upgrade the RAM is nice, but the lack of a long-term upgrade path feels like a huge missed opportunity for Framework and Google alike.

Goodbye, Google Assistant reminders: In the "coming months," Google plans to discontinue its voice assistant's built-in reminders system. You'll still be able to set reminders by voice on Google Assistant speakers or in the Assistant app, but by default they'll appear in Google Tasks, which you can access through the right sidebar menu in Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs.

Much like the search giant's merger of Duo and Meet for video chat, a consolidation of its multiple reminder systems makes sense, though I hope it doesn't threaten the ability to use Assistant with other services, such as Google Keep. Combining Assistant with Keep is still my favorite way to remember things.

Apple's Stage Manager switch: Reversing an earlier decision, Apple will bring its forthcoming Stage Manager multitasking feature to iPads Pro from 2018 and 2020, Engadget reports. The company previously said the feature would require an M1 or higher processor. On the downside, M1 iPad Pro users will have to wait a bit longer on external monitor support, which Apple has delayed until after next month's launch of iPadOS 16.

Stage Manager is a much-ballyhooed feature that brings a semblance of desktop-like window management to the iPad, but it's been finicky and buggy in beta testing, frustrating even the most devoted iPad users. I'm not sure how expanding the feature to more devices helps, but it does show that Apple's committed to the concept.

A bag of PDF tricks: You don't need expensive software such as Adobe Acrobat just to modify PDF files. Instead, check out iLovePDF.com, a free website with more than 20 PDF editing tools.

Most notably, you can convert PDF files to Word documents for editing, and can then use Word's Save to PDF function to convert them back again. While Word has a similar conversion feature built in, I found that iLovePDF did a better job preserving the original formatting in a test PDF file.

Other tools include drag-and-drop document signing, page re-ordering, and the ability to merge multiple PDF files together. The site is free to use, with an optional $7 per month subscription to lift file size limits and enable batch editing of several files at a time. (Via the Tech Productivity newsletter.)

Another iOS 16 tip: Given the attention it's received, I'm kicking myself for not including this one in last week's list of hidden iOS tricks: Just long-press any person or object in your photo gallery to share a version with the background removed.

When selecting an object, you can either drag and drop it into another app (such as Messages, as shown above), or release your finger for options to copy or share the image. While you can find similar background removal tools on the web, this is a much faster option for sharing from an iPhone.

Easier appointments: Cal.com is a free website where anyone can reserve an open slot on your calendar, using a link that you share with them. It's similar to Calendly, but with fewer limitations on its free tier. For instance, you can connect multiple calendars, or set up automated reminders for your guests via email or text message.

It's been a while since I've featured a monitor deal, but here's a good one on eBay: For $200, you can get 31.5-inch HP monitor with 2560 x 1440 resolution, an IPS panel for great viewing angles, HDR video support with 400 nits brightness, and a refresh rate of 165Hz to make everything look extra smooth. If you're a gamer, the monitor also supports AMD's FreeSync tech, which automatically adjusts the refresh rate to match your game's framerate.

Just note that you'll likely need a computer with HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 output to hit those higher refresh rates.

I appreciate the extra day to get this week's newsletter together as I was off on Monday for Rosh Hashanah. We'll be back on the regular Tuesday schedule next week.

In the meantime, send me your tech questions by replying to this email!

Until next week,

Jared