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Microsoft announced plenty of interesting stuff for Windows 11 at the ongoing Build 2025 conference. However, one feature apparently showed up unannounced during one of the sessions, revealing Microsoft borrowing a useful productivity feature from macOS. The feature in question is called Handoff. It lets you move a task from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac (and vice versa) and seamlessly continue where you left off. Handoff is a pretty old feature—Apple introduced it nearly 11 years ago in iOS 8, and Microsoft itself explored this concept many years ago. In 2017, Microsoft announced Project Rome to allow developers to build cross-device experiences that can be moved between devices, but not much has been heard about it ever since. Now, the idea appears to be back. In a now-deleted demo, one of Microsoft's product managers demonstrated how the feature works. Once Windows detects that you opened a compatible app on your device (presumably an Android smartphone or tablet), a new icon appears on the taskbar, allowing you to quickly transfer the experience to your PC and continue where you left off. Microsoft (upscaled) Here is how Aakash Varshney, a senior product manager for cross devices and experiences, describes it: This experience will require some work from developers. Attracting developers to implement new client features in Windows has been a challenging task for Microsoft for many years (especially on Windows Phone), so it will be interesting to see how many apps will offer this cross-device capability. That is, of course, assuming Microsoft will ship it. For now, this feature has yet to see its public announcement. Source: @phantomofearth on X | The Verge Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Microsoft has revealed that it's bringing "Cross Device Resume" to Windows 11, which will let apps seamlessly sync between Android and PC. The company has now demoed the feature working with Spotify. Phone Link on Windows 11 syncs your phone with your PC very seamlessly. (Image credit: Future) Microsoft has detailed a new feature coming soon to Windows 11 that will allow app developers to implement "Cross Device Resume" into their apps. This feature is very similar to Apple's "Handoff" feature available on the Mac and iPhone, which lets apps sync between both devices to easily continue where you left off. The feature was revealed during a Build 2025 session titled "Create Seamless Cross-Device Experiences with Windows for your app," but the session has since been edited to delete the demo showcasing Cross Device Resume. @phantomofearth on X was able to spot the session before it was altered. In the now deleted demo, Microsoft showcases Spotify as an app that will take advantage of Cross Device Resume. The demo starts on an Android phone that is currently playing a song in the Spotify app. On Windows, the Spotify app appears in the Taskbar with a phone icon next to it. Hovering over the icon shows that Spotify is currently open on your phone, and clicking the icon will open the Spotify app on Windows and bring you to the same place in the app on your phone. You'll see the app on your phone appear in the Taskbar, letting you easily resume it on Windows with a single click. (Image credit: Microsoft Build 2025) The seamless integration can even continue playing the song from the exact moment you decided to open the app on your PC, creating a continuous experience across devices. Spotify was used for the demo in this instance, but it looks like WhatsApp will also take advantage of Cross Device Resume too. Third-party developers will be able to integrate this experience into their apps, which Microsoft says will provide another avenue for users to discover your app on Windows. This isn't the first time Microsoft has announced Handoff like features for Windows. In 2027, it announced Project Rome, a tool that would let developers sync app data between Windows PCs and phones. It seems this new Cross Device Resume feature is a replacement (or continuation) for Project Rome. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

For the first time, new quantum-safe algorithms can be invoked using standard Windows APIs. Microsoft is updating Windows 11 with a set of new encryption algorithms that can withstand future attacks from quantum computers in a move aimed at jump-starting what’s likely to be the most formidable and important technology transition in modern history. Computers that are based on the physics of quantum mechanics don’t yet exist outside of sophisticated labs, but it’s well-established science that they eventually will. Instead of processing data in the binary state of zeros and ones, quantum computers run on qubits, which encompass myriad states all at once. This new capability promises to bring about new discoveries of unprecedented scale in a host of fields, including metallurgy, chemistry, drug discovery, and financial modeling. Averting the cryptopocalypse One of the most disruptive changes quantum computing will bring is the breaking of some of the most common forms of encryption, specifically, the RSA cryptosystem and those based on elliptic curves. These systems are the workhorses that banks, governments, and online services around the world have relied on for more than four decades to keep their most sensitive data confidential. RSA and elliptic curve encryption keys securing web connections would require millions of years to be cracked using today’s computers. A quantum computer could crack the same keys in a matter of hours or minutes. At Microsoft’s BUILD 2025 conference on Monday, the company announced the availability of quantum-resistant algorithms to SymCrypt, the core cryptographic code library in Windows. The updated library is available in Build 27852 and higher versions of Windows 11. Additionally, Microsoft has updated SymCrypt-OpenSSL, its open source project that allows the widely used OpenSSL library to use SymCrypt for cryptographic operations. Monday’s update bundles new post-quantum computing algorithms selected by the US Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in its yearslong drive to find replacements for RSA and elliptic-curve cryptosystems. The new algorithms are the latest to be added to the list of FIPS, a NIST-endorsed list of standards for ensuring guaranteed levels of security and interoperability. Inclusion in Windows allows developers to invoke the new PQC algorithms using a set of programming interfaces Microsoft calls Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG). “Making the new FIPS-standard PQC algorithms available to developers in Insider builds via the standard CNG APIs is a good first step by Windows and exactly what third-party developers writing Windows apps need in order to start migrating and testing their own code to PQC,” Brian LaMacchia, a cryptography engineer who oversaw Microsoft's post-quantum transition from 2015 to 2022 and now works at Farcaster Consulting Group, wrote in an email. He added that Microsoft had revealed previously that it had begun work integrating the algorithms into SymCrypt, “but this is the first announcement about that work showing up in a beta ('Insider') build of Windows.” The new algorithms are known as ML-KEM and ML-DSA, short for "Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism” and "Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Algorithm,” respectively. ML-KEM provides a means for securely transmitting encryption key material, and ML-DSA allows for the creation of digital signatures. These algorithms were previously known as CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium but took on their new names once they progressed far enough through NIST’s PQC program. Beware of misallocated key sizes The strength of RSA and elliptic curve cryptography is based on mathematical problems that are simple to solve in one direction and nearly impossible to solve in the other. RSA, for example, relies on the difficulty of factoring extremely large numbers, while elliptic curve cryptography rests on the difficulty of solving the discrete logarithm problem. For decades now, cryptographers have known that the same problems are trivial to solve with a sufficiently large quantum computer. The mathematical problems underpinning PQC algorithms are different and, so far, have not been shown to be easily broken using either classical or quantum computing. LaMacchia warns, however, that the same math that makes ML-KEM and ML-DSA quantum resistant also causes the encryption keys they derive to be three or more times bigger than their RSA and elliptic curve counterparts. On top of that, these larger keys must also be accompanied by RSA and the elliptic-curve keys they are meant to replace, since for the foreseeable future NIST is advising a hybrid approach that uses both the newer and older cryptosystems as a hedge in case the newer ones have vulnerabilities that have yet to be discovered. Estimates for the fall of RSA and Elliptic Curve cryptography vary wildly, with some experts saying it's still two or more decades away. Other experts warn it will happen as soon as by 2035. In either case, the scale, cost, and difficulty of transitioning away from these now-ubiquitous algorithms will be unprecedented. Among the challenges: the significantly larger key sizes have the potential to introduce all sorts of errors into software, which could have catastrophic consequences if not discovered early in the revision process. “One of the things I warned folks inside Microsoft very early on was you better start testing to make sure that if I triple the size of the keys that you're currently using that that actually flows through the software stack and that a developer hasn’t put a fixed allocation somewhere that’s going to block you,” he said in an interview. “You always find stuff like that.” Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Microsoft continues updating File Explorer and its context menus with stuff of questionable practicality. Following the release of the "Ask Copilot" button, Microsoft is now adding AI Actions, which are enabled for some, in build 26120.4151 (KB5058486) that was released on May 19, giving you quick access to AI-powered features like background removal and blur, Visual Search, object erase, and more. Just right-click a file and select "AI Actions" from the menu. Here is what the updated menu looks like with its new AI Actions (do not ask why "Ask Copilot" is a separate thing that is not included in the new menu): As of right now, the feature is gradually rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. Since the rollout is gradual, not everyone with the latest build can try it without tinkering with the operating system. However, enabling it is quite easy: Ensure you are on the latest Windows 11 Dev or Beta build. Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files in a convenient and easy-to-find folder. Launch Command Prompt as Administrator and navigate to the folder containing the ViveTool files with the CD command. For example, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive. Type vivetool /enable /id:54792954,55345819,48433719 and press Enter. Restart your computer. In its current form, AI Actions are only available for images (JPG, JPEG, and PNG). Future updates will bring support for Microsoft 365 files, allowing you to summarize documents, create FAQs, and more. Note that AI Actions do not require a Copilot+ PC and are available on all Windows 11 systems. Other updates for Windows 11 in the latest preview builds include the new Advanced page in the Settings app, reworked Windows Widgets, an improved energy saver, the ability to compress an image before sharing it, and more. Credit for the IDs goes to @phantomofearth on X. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Following the release of the latest Windows 11 Release Preview build, Microsoft is dropping two more updates for Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels. It is one of those occasions when two channels receive identical builds with the same changelog. Those testing Windows 11 in the Dev Channel can download build 26200.5603 (KB5058488), and for Beta Channel users, Microsoft released build 26120.4151 (KB5058486). These updates contain many new features, including AI actions in File Explorer, redesigned Windows Widgets, the new Advanced page in the Settings app, and more. One of the biggest changes in today's builds is AI actions in File Explorer (announced at Build 2025). Now, you can right-click a file, select AI actions, and pick one of the available options on your device, like Bing Visual Search, background blur, object erase, background removal, and more. For now, AI actions are only available for image files (JPG, JPEG, and PNG), but soon, Microsoft will bring AI actions support to Microsoft 365 files, allowing you to summarize files, create FAQs, and more. Next is the Advanced page in the Settings app, which replaces the old For Developers and brings some of the features previously available in the discontinued Dev Home app. You can learn more about it here. In the latest builds, the new page adds the ability to remove folder path limitations, enable virtual environments, and control various File Explorer features, such as GitHub integration. Windows Widgets are also getting some love with today's updates. Microsoft is experimenting with a redesigned experience that offers a more organized, personalized, and engaging feed, including stories curated by Copilot. Just keep in mind that some of the existing features, like widget pinning and the ability to turn off the feed, are not yet available in the redesigned variant. If you do not like the new variant, you can easily go back to the old one. Another important change in builds 26200.5603 and 26120.4151 is the so-called "User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management." This OS-level change aims to reduce power consumption and improve battery life. Windows can detect user inactivity and apply various power-management policies to ensure it uses as little power as possible when idling. Once you are back at your PC, Windows will be able to spin everything back up. Finally, the Share UI, which recently received a built-in image editor, can now let you select the compression level for images when sharing them (0-100). New Windows 11 Dev and Beta builds are not only about new features. They pack some useful fixes as well (gradual rollout): [General] Fixed an issue where core Windows surfaces were not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after latest flights. [Start menu] Fixed an issue causing Start menu to be blank for some Insiders in the previous flight. [File Explorer] Fixed an issue where if File Explorer was maximized and you clicked the new tab button it would unmaximize the window. [Settings] Fixed an issue related to loading Bluetooth information which could lead to Settings and Quick Settings crashes. Fixed an issue where you couldn’t switch active hours from manually to automatic in Settings > Windows Update. Fixed an issue which was causing Settings > Personalization > Lock screen to crash for some Insiders. And here is the list of known issues and bugs: [General] After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue. The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build. [Xbox Controllers] Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on “View” and then “Devices by Driver”. Find the driver named “oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)” where the “XXX” will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click “Uninstall”. [Click to Do (Preview)] The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders: Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update. [Improved Windows Search] [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows. [Start menu] We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last couple of flights. [File Explorer] [NEW] Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate. [NEW] When your Windows display language is configured with a right-to-left language, the action result canvas displays text from left to right for AI actions for Microsoft 365 files. [Task Manager] After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0. The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations. [Narrator] We are investigating an issue where the richer image descriptions on your Copilot+ PC with Narrator do not work. [Voice Access] We are investigating an issue where support for more descriptive and flexible language on Copilot+ PCs does not work as expected. [Widgets] [NEW] Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience. You can find the complete changelog in a post on the official Windows Blogs website. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Right after dropping a massive portion of announcements at the Build 2025 developer conference, Microsoft released a new Windows 11 Release Preview build 26100.4188 (KB5058499). It previews what is coming soon as an optional non-security update for all Windows 11 users. Build 26100.4188 packs quite a lot of new stuff. Microsoft is now rolling out more Click to Do features to Copilot+ PC users with Intel and AMD-powered processors. You can now use Win + Q to select a portion of text and then pick actions like Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or Rewrite. You can also highlight a text or image and ask Copilot something about it. Plus, Click to Do now supports text actions in Spanish and French. Other Copilot additions include the ability to invoke Copilot with the Win + C shortcut and pick what happens when you press it or the Copilot key. Also, Release Preview users can now try Press to Talk by holding the Copilot / Win + C keys. Finally, you can now type a setting you want to change into the search bar in the Settings app using natural voice, like "change my theme" or "about my PC" with no need to remember the exact setting name. For non-Copilot+ PC users, Microsoft is rolling out improved HDR settings and the ability to stream HDR even if HDR is turned off. Plus, you can toggle Dolby Vision independently of HDR. More mouse settings made their way from the Control Panel to the Settings app, and Voice Typing now lets you turn on or off the profanity filter. Speaking of Settings, there is a new FAQ section with answers on common hardware and performance questions. Finally, the Windows Share UI now has a built-in image editor, and you can share a local file from File Explorer with a new tray that appears at the top of the screen when you drag a file. Fixes in build 26100.4188 include the following: [Audio] Fixed: The startup sound may not play on boot, although it is enabled. [MMC] Fixed: Improved the colors used in MMC when items are selected, both generally, and when contrast modes are enabled. [USB] Fixed: Certain USB devices may become disconnected after sleep, until you reboot your PC. [Input] Fixed: Voice typing won’t start from the touch keyboard when using the Chinese (Simplified) narrow layout. Fixed: When using the Symbols section of the touch keyboard, pressing the key to change pages may unexpectedly insert a character into password fields. Fixed: Typing in some apps may stop working after disconnecting from a remote desktop session. [JPG] Fixed: When using CopyPixels the pixels may be unexpectedly inverted in certain cases. [Bluetooth] Fixed: Settings may crash when loading information about Bluetooth devices. [Display] Fixed: Unexpected scaling and window position changes may occur after sleep/resume for some devices. [Print] Fixed: Non-admin users can’t uninstall printers that they’ve added. [Windows Hello] Fixed: When using Windows Hello for Business facial recognition, the camera may unexpectedly fail after waking the PC from sleep, blocking login using this method. [Camera] Fixed: Settings may crash when interacting with content under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Cameras. [File Explorer] Fixed: If you have disconnected network drives when doing a search from Home it may prevent searches from executing and you remain on Home. [UHF Tuning] Fixed: Tuning scan for UHF channels doesn’t work, and only VHF channels are returned. Note that everything above is rolling out gradually to Windows Insiders, so the system might take some time to receive all the changes. Here is what is available right here and right now: [BitLocker] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where devices with BitLocker on removable drives could encounter a blue screen error after resuming from sleep or hybrid-booting. [Boot menu screens] Fixed: This update addresses the issue where early boot screens, such as BitLocker PIN, BitLocker Recovery key, and boot menu screens, render slowly. [Graphics kernel] Fixed: An issue where some game titles become unresponsive after upgrading to Windows 11, version 24H2. [Memory leak] Fixed: This update addresses an issue in the Input Service that causes increased memory usage, potentially impacting performance in multi-user, multi-lingual, and remote desktop usage. [Multimedia] Fixed: If you turn on multi-app mode or basic camera mode in advanced camera settings, the Windows Hello Face Enrollment might not work and show a bad camera preview. [Network] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where Windows Server 2025 always shows the network as “public” on new domain controllers. It now checks for a domain controller name before using loopback addresses to ensure proper Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) binding. You can find the official announcement with the complete changelog here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

At Build 2025, Microsoft announced several improvements to popular Windows developer tools, namely WinGet, PowerToys, and Terminal. The company says that "building great AI experiences starts with developer productivity," so these improvements will help app makers keep all the necessary tools in one place and set up their environments with fewer clicks. Starting with WinGet, Microsoft will soon let you set up and replicate a developer environment with a single WinGet Configuration command. This feature captures the current state of your system, including apps, packages, and tools, into a single config file, allowing you to quickly set up the same environment on another system. WinGet Configuration will also support Microsoft Desired State Configuration V3, which means apps that support DSC V3 will have their settings included in the configuration file. Next, we have Advanced Windows Settings, a new section in the Settings app, which replaces the old "For Developers" page and the now-discontinued Dev Home app. Advanced Windows Settings allows developers and users to control more aspects of their Windows experience and have faster access to developer-related settings, including GitHub integration in File Explorer, and more. We have already seen the new page in action in recent Windows preview builds, and it is finally official. Microsoft says it will be available for public testing in the near future. The recently introduced Command Palette from PowerToys also got a shout-out at Build 2025. In case you are not familiar, Command Palette is a reworked PowerToys Run launcher that provides a faster and easier way to access commands, apps, workflows, files, and more in one place. It is useful not just for developers but for regular users as well, and with Windows Search still being in a rather miserable state, Command Palette is a must-have tool for everyone, and it is now generally available. Finally, Microsoft announced a new command-line text editor for Windows called Edit. It will allow developers to edit files directly in the command line without switching to another app. Edit is coming soon to Windows 11 preview builds, and its source code will be available in the official GitHub repo. In addition to new developer tools, Microsoft announced a lot of changes in the Microsoft Store that make it easier to create a developer account, track apps' health metrics, promote programs in the store, and more. You can learn more about that here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Around the same time Microsoft released Windows 11 24H2 to the general public, the company also began testing a new security feature called Administrator protection in the Canary channel. Bypassing elevated privileges can lead to big security problems, so the idea behind this was to improve security with just-in-time admin rights. If you are wondering how this works, Windows follows the principle of least privilege, giving users minimal access by default via a deprivileged user token. When admin rights are needed, Windows asks for approval and creates a temporary, privileged but isolated admin token. This token exists only for that specific task and is destroyed afterward, ensuring admin privileges don’t persist and hence the need for just-in-time admin rights. The process repeats whenever admin access is required, thus enhancing security. Administrator protection requires user verification via Windows Hello before granting admin rights. Windows Hello recognizes a user's face using the camera and authenticates biometrics using a fingerprint scanner. However, with the latest update to Administrator rights, Microsoft says that input devices like the Camera and Microphone, as well as Location data, will be disabled by default when apps try to access them. Enabling these would require "explicit user consent." Microsoft writes, "Access to sensitive resources such as camera, microphone and location (C/M/L) will soon require explicit user consent. The journey begins with Windows changing the desktop access switch for these resources from default ON to OFF, ensuring users have more control over which apps can access this data." Microsoft adds that developers of apps that require a camera or a microphone must ensure that such applications can work with the default OFF setting before the Administrator protection feature exits preview. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Sometime after the launch of Windows 11 24H2, Microsoft updated an official support article on its website regarding Windows Update troubleshooting. The company has added a bunch of new information regarding fixing and working around update-related issues. Updates can be pretty troublesome as they introduce all sorts of bugs, and sometimes, these take Microsoft many months to resolve. Well, what's worse than a buggy update? It turns out that an update itself can become a nuisance even before it has managed to install. The guidance article aims to help users resolve or at least work around such problems. As mentioned above, the post itself is not new, but Microsoft has added several new pointers. First and foremost, Microsoft has recommended that users run the native Windows Update Troubleshooter tool in case an update fails to download and/or install. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security. From the left-hand menu, select Troubleshoot, then click on Additional troubleshooters. Under the Get up and running section and select Windows Update and click Run the troubleshooter. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. Another interesting new point is about clearing the Windows Update cache. Microsoft says that corrupt Update cache files can cause such problems, and thus, clearing them could help. It writes: Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Locate the Windows Update service, right-click it, and select Stop. Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution. Delete all files and folders inside this directory. Go back to the Services window, right-click Windows Update, and select Start. Besides those, Microsoft has also listed the common Update-related error codes and steps on how to fix them. The company has also provided small descriptions of what those error codes mean. Here are the ones for Windows 10 and 11: 0x800705b4: Update took too long to install or was interrupted 0x80240034: Update process is stuck due to an incomplete update or connection issue 0x800f0922 or 0x8007000E: Unable to install the update due to insufficient disk space 0x800F081F, 0x80073712 or 0x80246007: Corrupted or missing system files or incomplete download 0x80246007: Missing download or required update files are unavailable 0x80070002, 0x80070003 or 0x80070057: Update failed to install 0x80070422: Windows update service is disabled or stopped 0x80070020: Another program or process is blocking the Windows update process Windows Update stuck at 0% or 100% Windows Update got to 51-99% and wont complete installation Unable to locate my files after the Windows update And here are the ones that are only for Windows 11: 0x8007000d: Issue with Windows Update files or corruption in the update cache 0x80070057 or 0x80080005: Corrupted files or incorrect system configurations 0xC1900101: Incompatible driver is causing the update to fail 0x80248014: Windows Update database problem or update service not running 0x80070005: Access Denied error or insufficient permissions to install updates You can find this helpful support article here on Microsoft's official website. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Microsoft, from time to time, kills off various features in its apps. The company explained in detail earlier this year how this is good for users. Most recently, Microsoft announced the deprecation of Bing Search APIs and another Edge feature in favor of something more standard and secure. The company also confirmed some major changes to Windows hardware drivers as it announced the deprecation of Windows Device metadata and the Windows Metadata and Internet Services (WMIS). Meanwhile, an Excel feature is also going away as the company feels it's not worth the effort and cost to maintain support for it. Likewise, VBScript removal has also been on Microsoft's radar for a while. The company first expressed the desire to remove it back in May 2023. Later that year, in October, Microsoft officially deprecated it. However, if you are not familiar, a deprecation announcement does not automatically mean that the feature goes away overnight. Instead, the feature is marked for removal and enters its "deprecation phase." This phase, as Microsoft explained before, is meant to help organisations reliant on such a feature move on. As such, Microsoft had provided a timeline of events in May 2024 and divided the deprecation phase into three parts. The first phase is ongoing as VBScript is still enabled by default as a feature on demand (FOD). This is where things get tricky, though. Microsoft had previously mentioned in its timeline that VBScript FOD would be disabled by around 2027, and that would coincide with future Windows updates in 2026 and 2027. Microsoft's latest guidance post, published today, about VBScript removal suggests that the FOD accessibility may be removed early in version 24H2 itself or perhaps in 25H2 (there are already traces of version 25H2). The company writes: Thus, the wording seems to suggest that VBScript might go away early as a default FOD, and this may also be why the company has shared this new guidance to help companies move on faster. Regardless, it is now time to "proactively disable VBScript on Windows 11," says the tech giant. In this guide, Microsoft has highlighted four mechanisms that can help an enterprise detect the usage of VBScript in their workflow so that they can take the next necessary steps to remove all dynamic link libraries (.dll files) based on VBScript. The company has recommended using its official SysMon (System Monitor) utility to trace and track down VBScript DLLs and review VBScript dependencies like those related Group Policy and PowerShell scripts for logon, logoff, startup, shutdown, scheduled tasks, as well as those for invoking VBScript. To help, Microsoft has also provided a PowerShell script to scan for VBScript files across the system: Speaking of PowerShell scripts, Microsoft has also provided another sample script for detecting the presence of embedded VBScript in Microsoft Installer (MSI) packages: As mentioned above, Microsoft recommends proactively disabling VBScript on Windows 11 from now on. The company has explained how to do so once an enterprise has detected VBScript usage in its systems: Upon running the above DISM command, Microsoft says that VBScript will be disabled. Thus, all processes attempting to use VBScript will be blocked and will either "fail silently or with errors." You can read the blog post here on Microsoft's official Tech Community website. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Microsoft took a break from shipping Canary builds to Windows Insiders due to various bugs and issues that needed to be addressed. Now, the company finally has a release-worthy build, and it is available for download. If you are a Windows Insider in the Canary Channel, you can download build 27858. While the update is not the biggest one, it brings some interesting changes to the desktop and the taskbar. On the desktop, Microsoft finally removed the colored backplate for packaged Windows apps like Snipping Tool or Calculator. Now, icons are bigger and easier to read. Just keep in mind that you will have to create new shortcuts to see the change in action. Next, Microsoft is adding a new taskbar button to make it easier to invoke the emoji panel. You will find it next to other tray icons. If you prefer launching the emoji panel using he old Win + Period shortcut, you can toggle off the new button by right-clicking it or visiting the taskbar settings. Other changes and fixes in today's release include improved accessibility for File Explorer, fixes for UI crashes when dragging a window, fixes for non-working Night Light, broken Wi-Fi connections in the previous builds, fixes for system crashes with the KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE code, and more. Known bugs in build 27858 include the following: [General] [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”. [NEW] You may see an Administrative Templates error message when opening Group Policy Editor. If you click OK, you should be able to proceed as normal. [Input] [NEW] Pen input may be non-responsive on some PCs that support pen for inking. You can find the complete changelog in a post on the official Windows Insider blog. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Windows 11's calendar flyout is frankly a joke and a massive downgrade from what we had in the Windows 10 days. While some good third-party apps can partially fix that, Microsoft remains radio silent about solving the missing calendar features. Now, however, we have a new Calendar app for Windows 11 from Microsoft itself. In the official Microsoft 365 Blog, the company announced a new Calendar app for Windows 11, the latest Microsoft 365 Companion. This app joins the recently launched People and File Search mini-apps. The goal of the Calendar companion is to show your day and schedule at a glance with a simple flyout right above the taskbar. Click the app's icon, and Windows 11 will show a small window with your schedule, calendar, search bar, and more. This window allows you to quickly check upcoming meetings, accept invitations, join calls on Teams, participate in meeting chats, and more. The idea is simple and quite exciting, especially when you consider that Windows 11's native calendar is still criminally lackluster, with no option to create an event, view your agenda, or join a meeting. Here is how Microsoft describes it in the official documentation: Sadly, there is a big catch. The new Calendar companion is only available to Microsoft 365 users on Enterprise or Business editions, just like the People and File Search apps. Therefore, no luck for those with consumer versions of the subscription. Also, the Calendar app is only available to Microsoft 365 Insiders in the Beta Channel Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Following the release of Copilot Vision updates for Windows 11 Insiders, Microsoft is bringing a new feature to the Copilot app, which will be familiar to those who used Cortana on Windows 10 or Windows Phone. Now, with the latest update, Windows 11 users can wake Copilot by saying "Hey, Cortana Copilot!" The new command makes it easier to start Copilot Voice without touching your device or pressing keys. In March, Microsoft updated the Copilot app to allow you to hold Alt + Space to launch Copilot Voice, but now, you can do it with your voice. Of course, not everyone will be happy about Windows constantly listening to a wake phrase, so Microsoft is making this experience strictly opt-in. By default, the Copilot wake word is turned off, and you can turn it on in the app's Settings. Here is how to do it: Open Copilot and tap your avatar in the bottom-left corner. Tap Settings and scroll down to the Voice mode section. Toggle the "Listen for ‘Hey, Copilot’ to start a conversation" option. Microsoft adds that Windows 11 uses on-device processing to detect the wake word and is now sending any voice recording to the cloud when "Hey Copilot" is enabled. Upon activating Voice Mode, you will hear a chime or a greeting from Copilot, with the voice mode UI showing at the bottom of the screen. You can exit Copilot Voice by pressing X or remaining silent for a few seconds. The wake word for Copilot is now rolling out to insiders across all channels in version 1.25051.10.0 and newer. Note that the rollout is gradual, which means some insiders will get it later. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Microsoft has released Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 24H2, 23H2, and 22H2. The 24H2 update is provided via KB5058411, while the 23H2 and 22H2 updates are delivered via KB5058405. You will be on build versions 26100.4061, 22631.5335, and 22621.5335, respectively, after applying the update. Here's what's new: 24H2 23H2 and 22H2 These updates will be available from Windows Update and should install automatically in most cases. If you would like to download these updates for offline installation, you can get them from the Microsoft Catalog website. You can find the update for 24H2 here, and 23H2 and 22H2 here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

There is no shortage of third-party file managers for Windows 11, but Files stands out among them with its native-like design, a big list of convenient features, and frequent updates. In addition to the stable version, Files has a preview channel where users can try upcoming releases and changes ahead of their public debut. The latest update for Files Preview, version 3.9.9, has just been released, and it packs a redesigned icon, new cloud providers, faster performance, and more. The new icon is now available in Files Preview 3.9.9, and the stable release will get it in version 4, which is expected later this year. Note that the public release will have its icon yellow, instead of blue, which indicates the preview channel. Here are all three new icons: Besides cosmetic changes, Files Preview 3.9.9 adds performance optimizations for the Quick Access widgets on the Home Page. Also, the app now supports two additional cloud drive providers: Magent and Sync. Other changes include the following fixes: Other changes that were recently released for Files Preview include an improved sidebar, size units customization, and other changes. Files Preview is available for free on the official website, but you can also purchase it in the Microsoft Store for $9.99 to support developers. As for the stable version, the last update was released in January. Version 3.9 introduced a new layout and improvements for tags, tabs, and more. You can check out full details here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Back in March 2023, Microsoft began publicly testing a new Windows Backup app. The app, while being quite helpful, has also been criticized for episodes like that of the forced installation, for example. Alongside the one for backups, Microsoft has also been testing a new migration app. Some of the details about it surfaced earlier this year within an Insider build. Based on the available UI data, some Windows enthusiasts managed to create a reconstruction of the app. Curiously, traces and artefacts of such a "WindowsMigration" component were found back in April 2024, but at that time, Microsoft denied that anything of that nature existed and simply said that it was a bug. Whether related or not, we are finally getting more information about the migration tool. Now, with the latest Dev channel and Beta channel builds, more details about the new migration applet have emerged which is now inside the Backup app. X user and Windows enthusiast phantomofearth uncovered this. Upon launching the updated Windows Backup app, users can select "Backup this PC to OneDrive" or the newly added option to "Transfer files to new PC" via the network. The new feature is being designed so that users can easily move local files, settings, apps, credentials, and other data to the new computer once the two systems have been paired up. A simple passcode authentication is required to complete the pairing. Do you like this new addition to the Windows Backup app? Let us know below! Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Microsoft is moving Windows 11 Beta Insiders to version 24H2 today, and the first release, build 26120.3964 (KB5058496), brings some big new changes, like an AI agent in the Settings app, new Click to Do features on Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs, and other changes. Here is what is new: Here is what was fixed: Finally, here is the list of known issues: You can find the official announcement here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Following a brief hiccup last Friday, Microsoft is dropping two new builds for Windows Insiders. Those in the Dev Channel can download build 26200.5581 (KB5058493) with new AI-powered experiences on Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs, namely new Click to Do actions. Plus, there are various improvements and enhancements across the operating system, including a new FAQ section with "quick and helpful insights" about using your PC. Note: The AI-powered agent in the Settings app is currently available on the Beta Channel. Dev users will receive this feature later. Here is the changelog: Here is what was fixed: Finally, here is the list of known issues: You can find the official announcement here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Windows designers share concepts they explored for a new Start menu for Windows 11, before settling on one that does little to push the boat out. Last week, Microsoft announced that it will be bringing a new Start menu to Windows 11 later this year that combines the all apps list with the main Start menu page. The layout will also be more customizable, with more pinned rows and a removable Recommended feed. Now, the company has shared a blog post that details how the new Start menu came together, maintaining familiarity while also making it easier to access your apps. More interestingly, the blog post gives us a rare look at some other Start menu design concepts that the company explored during early planning and development. A full screen Start menu probably wouldn't have gone down well with users. (Image credit: Microsoft) These design explorations reveal that pretty much nothing was off the table. One of the designs attempts to merge the Windows 10 Start menu with Windows 11's, by bringing the all apps list to the forefront on the left side while keeping Windows 11's pinned and recent files on the right. Another design explores a spiritual successor to Windows 8's full-screen menu, with a "Start screen" that blurs the background and takes up a large chunk of the display area. It shows your pinned apps above a new "create" section for quickly launching Microsoft services like Designer, Clipchamp, or PowerPoint. There's an interesting "for you" area on this Start menu design. (Image credit: Microsoft) Curiously, many of these design ideas include both a "create" and a "for you" area, which would showcase your upcoming day, including meetings, tasks to complete, and recent files. Both of these areas are absent from the Start menu design that is ultimately shipping. One Start menu design even included an area dedicated to your phone. Microsoft is now shipping the Phone Link companion alongside the new Start menu, but one of the design concepts appears to have integrated it directly into the menu itself, instead of as a sidebar. This Start menu design includes dedicated tabs for Start, your apps, create, and your phone. (Image credit: Microsoft) Unfortunately, it looks like these more radical Start menu designs were discarded in favor of something simpler. The new Start menu that is shipping addresses most of my criticisms of the original Windows 11 Start menu, but I would be lying if I said I didn't prefer pretty much all the design explorations that Microsoft discarded over the one we're getting. What are your thoughts on these Start menu explorations? Let us know in the comments. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

While we wait for the promised, yet delayed, new features for Windows 11, Microsoft is introducing some upgrades for Copilot Vision. New additions include the ability to ask Copilot to guide you through the app to complete a task or use Copilot Vision with more than one application at once. Now, when you use Copilot Vision, you can share a window and ask the AI to help you get something done. For example, you can give it access to the Settings app and ask how to turn on night light or share a Clipchamp window and ask how to add text to a video: Next, Copilot Vision can now work with two apps side-by-side and answer questions about both. For example, you can compare lists or documents: The new Copilot Vision updates are rolling out to Windows Insiders in version 1.25044.92 (or higher). The update itself is available in all channels, but Copilot Vision, including highlights and dual-app support, is only available in the United States. Also, the rollout is gradual, so not all insiders will get it right away. In case you missed it, a recent Copilot app update introduced a new entry in Windows 11's context menus, allowing you to quickly ask Copilot about certain files. However, you can turn that feature off by tweaking the system registry. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Whether you are new to the PC industry, upgrading from Windows 10, purchasing a new Windows 11 PC, or just reinstalling Windows 11 for some reason, there are many things you can do after booting the system for the first time to improve your experience and reduce frustrations. In this article, I prepared a list of five important things to do after upgrading to or installing Windows 11. Unlike plenty of other articles on the internet, I am not going to tell you where you should keep your Start menu button, how to change the desktop background, or do some other preference-based stuff. Instead, I tried to gather a list of actually useful and important things that affect your user experience. Here are some quick links: Back up your BitLocker Key Improve the context menus "End Task" Remove ads Turn off OneDrive annoyances 1. Find your BitLocker Key Not a single guide I looked up mentioned this, but this one is actually very important. The latest Windows 11 version, 24H2, encrypts drives by default, regardless of your edition, without any notification or telling the user where the key is. This behavior just begs for trouble, and there are already reports about frustrated users not knowing how to decrypt their drives. To avoid this, make sure you have your BitLocker key backed up, not just know where it is. Microsoft stores your BitLocker keys in your Microsoft Account by default, so if you get locked out of it, you are screwed. Here is what to do: Make sure you have signed in to your Microsoft Account on your computer. Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft Account. Go to the "Devices" tab and select your device. Click "Info and Support." Click "Manage Recovery keys." Find the "Key ID" and "Recovery Key" and write them somewhere safe, say in your password manager. Alternatively, you can turn off BitLocker encryption during Windows 11 installation. 2. Clean up the Context Menus Windows 11 context menus have redundant options like "Open in Paint / Photos / Clipchamp / Ask Copilot," etc. These options clutter the menus and slow them down, further ruining the already questionable user experience. Also, for some reason, Windows 11 still offers "Edit with Notepad" wherever I right-click a picture or another file that has nothing to do with text. Ugh... The good news is that it is quite easy to get rid of all those extra entries. You can either delete those apps (assuming you do not need them) or tweak the system registry to remove redundant options from context menus. To do so, launch Notepad or any other text editor and paste one of the following app-specific lines. Then, save the file, change its extension from .txt to .reg, and open it to apply the changes. Remove "Edit with Clipchamp": Remove "Ask Copilot": Remove "Edit with Notepad": Remove "Edit with Photos": 3. Enable End Task I love this small feature. It saves me quite a lot of clicks when Microsoft Edge suddenly decides it feels like hanging for a while, or another app misbehaves and stops responding. Instead of opening Task Manager, which on its own likes to throw me a random "Not responding," I just right-click the app on the taskbar and select End Task to kill its process on the spot. Note that this is different from "Close Windows." "End Task" terminates the process, which makes it an efficient tool for killing stuck applications. However, this option is disabled by default; here is how to turn it on: Open the Settings app and go to the "System" tab. Click "For developers." Find and turn on the "End Task" feature. 4. Reduce annoyances and ads Windows 11 can be quite irritating with its pop-ups, ads, notifications, and other things that only distract and get in your way. Here is how to tame it a little: Disable notifications and prompts in the Start menu: Go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off "Show account-related notifications." Disable app ads and other recommendations in the Start menu: Go to Settings > Personalization > Start and turn off "Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more." Disable feedback request notifications: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Diagnostics & Feedback and set "Feedback frequency" to Never. Disable "suggested content" in the Settings app: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > General and toggle off "Show me suggested content in the Settings app." Here, you can also turn off ad personalization across the operating system and apps. Disable "Finish setting up this device" screen: This thing can take over your screen after turning on your computer, prompting you to set up additional features like OneDrive backups, Phone Link, and more, especially if you use a local account. To turn it off, go to Settings > System > Notifications > Additional settings and untick all three options. Turn off widgets' auto-open on hover: Press Win + W and click the Settings icon. Then, turn off "Open Widgets board on hover." Turn off the news feed in Windows Widgets: Open Widgets and click the Settings icon. Then, select "Show or hide feed" and turn off the feed. 5. Turn off OneDrive auto-backup Another thing Windows 11 does without your permission is auto-enabling OneDrive backup. Everything on the Desktop and in certain user folders (Pictures, Documents, Music, and Videos) is automatically sent to OneDrive. As a result, objects on the desktop have a green checkmark, and you can get a lot of unwanted stuff if you already have files in OneDrive. Unfortunately, there is no way to turn off OneDrive auto-backup during the initial setup, so once you are on the desktop, do the following: Click the OneDrive icon in the tray area and select Settings. Go to the "Sync and backup" tab and click "Manage backup." Turn everything off. Important: If you have a bunch of files with green check marks (on the desktop or other folders), they will disappear after turning off automatic backup. However, they have not been deleted; they are just in OneDrive. Go to File Explorer, open OneDrive, and check the Desktop / Documents / Music / Pictures / Videos folder. You can also improve your user experience by replacing some of the stock Windows 11 apps with better third-party options. Also, there are some very useful tweaking apps that offer deeper, user-friendly customization, so check out the following articles: Top 10 Windows 11 apps for every user in 2025 Top 10 apps to fix Windows 11's inconveniences Top 11 apps every Windows 11 user should have If you know other useful tips for Windows 11 users (except for staying on Windows 10), share them in the comments. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Recently, Microsoft reminded users about the end of support for Windows 10, which is less than six months away. As such, there is now a Linux-backed project called "End of 10" that is trying to guide users to make the switch. Meanwhile, Microsoft itself is also aware that this move can be quite a challenge for many. As such, the company quietly extended the support for Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, Excel, and more, on Windows 10. Another good thing Microsoft has done recently is to list all Surface devices that originally shipped with Windows 10. Neowin spotted this recently updated support page while browsing. With the looming end of support for the OS, the list has two parts, first shows the PCs which can be upgradable to Windows 11 as they meet the system requirements, and second, the devices that cannot be upgraded. Microsoft writes: If your PC is on the second list, ie, it cannot upgrade to Windows 11, Microsoft's official recommendation is to buy a new Copilot+ Surface PC. The company has also explained with some numbers and data why such AI PCs make for a commendable upgrade choice. You can find the support article here on Microsoft's website. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Windows 11 context menus are probably one of the most controversial design changes in Windows 11. While Microsoft has already addressed some of the pain points, like adding labels for common file actions, the menus remain slow, cluttered, and confusing (I am looking at you, "Show more options"). And the latest update is not making things any better. Quite the opposite, to be precise. Microsoft released an update for the Copilot app, and it introduces a new entry in the ever-growing context menus, joining stuff like edit in Notepad/Clipchamp/Photos/Paint, etc. Now, when you right-click a file, you can select the new "Ask Copilot" command. It will launch the Copilot app, copy the file, and let you ask something about it, like summarize a document, draft an email based on the file, explain something, and more. Of course, some might see this addition as actually useful. At the same time, it is not difficult to imagine that quite a lot of users will be discontent about yet another feature cluttering the already slow context menus, which were supposed to be less overcrowded like those in Windows 10. The new "Ask Copilot" option is part of app version 1.25044.93.0, which was released today. Going back to the previous version removes the context menu button, just like uninstalling Copilot for good. However, a simple tweak in the system registry can remove "Ask Copilot" from the context menu. All you need to do is open Notepad and paste the following text (via ElevenForum ) : After that, save the file, change its extension from txt to reg, and double-click it. Confirm changes in the registry and restart your computer. However, there is more to come. This week, Microsoft announced that you will be able to trigger AI-powered actions by right-clicking a file in Windows 11's File Explorer. As for more positive changes, Windows 11 is also getting a big Start menu revamp, and you can check out this article to read about how it was made and what designs Microsoft considered. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Did you hear the news that Windows 11 is getting a shiny new Start menu? Earlier this week, alongside the announcement of the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, Microsoft revealed the much-reworked Start menu, plus some new features (some of which are slightly delayed). Now, in a new blog post on the Microsoft Design website, Microsoft revealed how it came to the new Start menu that will soon be available for Windows 11 users. Microsoft says it followed the following four "guiding stars" to make the new Start menu: Apps, at a glance: all your apps, including pinned, installed, and freshly discovered, should be "right there." Make it yours: the menu should reflect your preferences and workflow, showing what matters the most to you. Accelerate the day: speed things up by eliminating unnecessary clicks. Honor the icon: keep the menu familiar while also offering some new stuff. The design team prototyped a bunch of designs. Here are some of them with some interesting ideas, including a unique take on app categorization, a segmented Start menu, widgets in the Start menu (remember live tiles?), some seriously radical notions, and more: Microsoft adds that over 300 Windows 11 users helped the company in their studies, and some even joined live co-creation calls. As a result, the company implemented the following changes: What users asked What Microsoft made Easier app discovery A single-view Start menu with your pins at the top, recommendations in the middle, and dynamic app categories or the list of all apps below. No more switching between different views. Smarter suggestions Windows 11 now learns your preferences for more useful recommendations. Plus, the recommended section could be fully turned off (one of the most popular requests from users) More control You can select what you want to see more of: pins or recommendations. Clear mobile separation A separate pane for all Phone Link-related content. Here is the final result in action: The company also notes that the goal was to ensure the Start menu looks good and is well-optimized for devices ranging from a small Surface Go to massive 49-inch ultrawide displays. Microsoft does not say when the new Start menu will be publicly available for testing (not to mention the public release), but you can already toggle it on using feature IDs in recent Windows 11 preview builds. What do you think about the Start menu redesign? Do you like how Microsoft addressed popular criticism? Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Bad news for Windows Insiders: no more Windows 11 preview builds this week. Microsoft announced that we won't see a new Dev or Beta build this week, and the Canary Channel is blocked due to a major bug. This also means that some of the features that Microsoft promised to release for testing this week are not coming. Brandon LeBlanc, senior program manager on the Windows Insider Program, revealed in a post on X that the Canary bug preventing the team from releasing a new build affects various features, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, camera functionality (including Windows Hello), and more. While build delays are nothing extraordinary in the Windows Insider program, this one is especially unfortunate, considering that earlier this week, Microsoft promised to release some big AI upgrades for Windows 11 in the Insider program. Hopefully, we will get the promised stuff, namely the AI agent for the Settings app, in one of the next week's builds, so stay tuned. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of April): 1,811 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend