Assisted Setup opens Get Started after OOBE to install apps, pin regional websites like BBC and eBay UK to the taskbar, and nudge you toward Windows Update. We tested it on a UK PC, along with the new Tips widget that brings Microsoft's retired Tips app back as a lock screen and Widgets board card. The post Windows 11 setup now offers to install TikTok and Netflix on your new PC appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 26H2 reaches 24H2 and 25H2 PCs as a quick enablement package, and our test PC landed on Build 26300.9550. Here is when to use the Installation Assistant, how to upgrade from an ISO without losing files, and what Rufus can and cannot bypass. The post How to download and install Windows 11 26H2, now available for everyone appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 26H2 reaches 24H2 and 25H2 PCs as a 174KB enablement package, but the ISO is a full installer. We explain the Media Creation Tool, clean installs, SHA-256 checks, and why the movable taskbar and resizable Start menu are not 26H2 exclusives. The post Download Windows 11 26H2 ISO (offline installer) directly from Microsoft appeared first on Windows Latest

If you have issues with Windows 11 25H2 or 24H2, you're also going to have those issues with Windows 11 26H2. The post Microsoft explains if Windows 11 26H2 has issues, and whether you should skip the update appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 26H2, "Windows 11 2026 Update," is now rolling out, and you can download it by going to Settings > Windows Update. The post Windows 11 26H2 is now rolling to everyone, how to get it right now, and is it even worth installing? appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 26H2 looks like it could be hours away, with the public rollout possibly beginning today. If there’s a delay, October 6 is another possible date, as Windows feature updates usually release on Tuesdays. Microsoft hasn’t confirmed either date, but ESDs (installation files) for Windows 11 26H2 have now appeared, and they point to […] The post Windows 11 26H2’s rollout is hours (or days) away, as the installation files are already live appeared first on Windows Latest

A viral post says Windows keeps a permanent record of every USB device. Microsoft's docs call them non-present devices, which can be removed. USBSTOR only covers storage drives, can't prove files were copied, and a Remove everything reset with Clean data is what you need before giving a PC away. The post Microsoft explains why Windows remembers your USB drives even after you unplug them appeared first on Windows Latest

A viral X post says Windows keeps a thumbnail of every photo you delete. Microsoft docs and Raymond Chen show thumbnails are cached only when generated, our test found no new entries, and Disk Cleanup plus a Group Policy setting let you wipe or stop the cache. The post Five things Windows 11 quietly keeps about you, and which ones actually matter appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 26H2’s public rollout could begin any day, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it rolls out during the week of September 28 or the following week (early October). But it’s not an update you should be excited about unless you care about the Windows lifecycle or you’ve been planning a fresh install (clean […] The post Windows 11 26H2 releases any day now, and here’s who gets it and when appeared first on Windows Latest

Discord's Electron 42 upgrade cut median CPU usage by 17% but raised memory use by 4%. With WhatsApp and Teams also running on web runtimes and 8GB Windows 11 PCs returning, WinUI 3 is the native path Microsoft now wants developers like Discord to take. A toggle only dials things down. The post Electron is one of Windows 11’s biggest RAM offenders, and Discord’s Game Mode doesn’t fix it appeared first on Windows Latest

After a viral comment asked if anyone actually uses Copilot, a Microsoft employee pushed back, arguing the "nobody uses it" sentiment comes from living in a tech bubble. With 30 million paid seats on the line, here is why enterprise compliance and the new Copilot super app tell a different story. The post “Does anyone use Copilot?”: Microsoft employee says “most people love it,” blames the San Francisco tech bubble appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft has a new idea that might give you a reason to choose New Outlook over Outlook Classic: automatic spell check before you hit Send. The post Microsoft’s New Outlook will stop the typo you always spot right after hitting Send appeared first on Windows Latest

A Google researcher and former Microsoft engineer argues that Windows NT's unified object model still puts Linux to shame. As AI agents demand stricter containment, Laurie Kirk explains why NT was built for this moment, and imagines an alternate history where Microsoft released an "Open NT." The post Google researcher explains why Windows NT “puts Linux to shame,” and imagines an alternate history where it won appeared first on Windows Latest

Satya Nadella has unveiled Microsoft's biggest Copilot overhaul yet, calling it a "new OS for work." The unified super app ditches simple chat to embed Word, Excel, and PowerPoint directly, while adding no-code app building and autonomous Autopilot agents. Here is what Microsoft's new AI vision looks like. The post “We’re building Copilot as a new OS,” says Satya Nadella, even as Microsoft strips it from Windows 11 appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft is changing Excel's decades-old one-value-per-cell approach, as it's getting the ability to have multiple values in a single cell. The post Microsoft is breaking a decades-old Excel rule: one cell can now hold an entire list (multiple values in a single cell) appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft 365's X account now tells followers to go find Copilot at @MSFTCopilot instead, part of a years-long rename chain from Office to Microsoft 365 to Microsoft 365 Copilot to just Copilot. The replies show just how little sense any of it makes to actual customers. The post “Stop it, Microslop”: Microsoft adds to its branding confusion, tells users to follow Copilot for Microsoft 365 updates on X appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 broke Remote Desktop, USB audio, File History, and more in September alone. We checked nine months of Windows 10 and Windows 11 updates side by side, and Windows 10's quieter update history says a lot about what Microsoft has, and hasn't, been changing in Windows 11. The post Sorry Microsoft. Windows 10 is more stable than Windows 11, and your recent updates have made it obvious appeared first on Windows Latest

In March, Windows Latest was the first to notice that Microsoft’s official Copilot Discord server was blocking messages containing “Microslop.” Anyone who tried to post it got a moderation warning, and people quickly started testing variations like “Microsl0p” to slip past the filter. Naturally, the situation escalated until Microsoft locked down parts of the server […] The post Microsoft tried to ban “Microslop,” and six months later it has given up appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft is killing Microsoft 365 mini apps, even after the company tried to force-install them on PCs with an eligible subscription. The post Microsoft force-installed three apps on Windows 11, and now you have to delete them yourself appeared first on Windows Latest

Google's Googlebook page features Microsoft Copilot and M365 among its top productivity apps, spotted first by Windows Latest. It's an odd nod from a company that once fought Microsoft over a YouTube app on Windows Phone, especially as Copilot keeps losing ground inside Windows 11 itself. The post “For productivity”: Google uses Microsoft Copilot to sell Googlebook, which is more than it did for Windows Phone appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft has finally admitted that Windows 11 may no longer correctly back up your files, even if you’ve configured the feature ‘File History.’ According to our tests, the bug affects almost everyone who installed the September 2026 update, but most users may not realize why backups have silently stopped working. This issue specifically affects File […] The post Microsoft confirms Windows 11 quietly stopped backing up your files due to a new bug in September 2026 update appeared first on Windows Latest

Setting up a fresh Windows 11 PC for development usually means an hour of dodging upsells, clearing MSN clutter, and toggling hidden settings. Microsoft's open-source Windows Developer Config automates the entire ritual with a single command. I tested it to see what changes and what it leaves out. The post I tested Microsoft’s secret tool that debloats Windows 11 and makes you a power user appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 KB5124010 is now rolling out, and it lets you try new features before the next Patch Tuesday release. This update significantly improves Bluetooth, makes File Explorer faster, and more. Microsoft has published direct download links for the KB5124010 offline installer (.msu), but you can always (and should) use Windows Update if you can. […] The post Windows 11 KB5124010 is out with major changes, direct download links for offline installer (.msu) appeared first on Windows Latest

A solid color should be the easiest thing for an operating system to render. Yet shortly after Windows 7 launched, choosing one caused the Welcome screen to hang for exactly 30 seconds. Veteran engineer Raymond Chen explained how a missing signal broke the logon process, and how users worked around it. The post Microsoft engineer explains what made Windows 7 take 30 seconds to show the desktop appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft spent 2026 overhauling Windows 11 for developers with native Linux containers, Project Zenith, and Coreutils. Yet a new poll across thousands of developers puts Windows at just 12%, with macOS and Linux dominating. Here is why the startup crowd is still avoiding Windows despite huge updates. The post Developers are still rejecting Windows, poll finds, even as Microsoft rebuilds Windows 11 for them appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11’s emergency update still breaks audio on some PCs, and it looks like a fix won’t arrive until October 2026 Patch Tuesday, which is scheduled for October 13. On September 8, Microsoft released KB5124008, the September 2026 Patch Tuesday update, which broke RDP connections and made host folder shares unavailable in Linux VMs used […] The post Microsoft admits Windows 11’s emergency update still breaks audio, and a fix may not arrive until October appeared first on Windows Latest

If you delete a file in Windows and quickly create another with the same name, the new file can inherit the old creation timestamp. It is not a bug—it is an intentional feature called File System Tunneling. Here is why Microsoft built it into NTFS and why safe saves depend on it. The post Microsoft engineer explains why Windows gives new files the date of ones you deleted appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft has confirmed that it's coming after every ancient dialog left in Windows 11, including those that we barely use The post Windows 11 is getting a new look as Microsoft’s design boss confirms more ancient dialogs are next appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 is taking the hassle out of PC recovery. In Build 26340, Microsoft upgraded its experimental Cloud Rebuild tool with hardware-level storage sanitization and remote IT triggers via Recovery CSP, eliminating USB installers and making device decommissioning seamless. Here is how it works. The post Windows 11 can leave your deleted files recoverable after a reset, and Microsoft has a new option to securely wipe them appeared first on Windows Latest

On some PCs, Windows 11 has been incorrectly warning that Microsoft Defender is turned off, even when it isn't, for almost two months. The post Windows 11’s Defender kept falsely saying your antivirus was off, and Microsoft just fixed it appeared first on Windows Latest

After three decades of looking like an 8-bit retro relic, Windows 11's Mouse Indicator is finally getting a proper visual redesign. Build 26340 brings a fluid animation, new Ctrl activation toggles, and a persistent mode. Here is how it works and how it stacks up against PowerToys Find My Mouse. The post Windows 11 is getting a better way to find your mouse cursor, and we tried it appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 has rolled out multiple new features, including a resizable Start menu, a movable taskbar, the ability to remove Bing from Windows Search, and major performance improvements. But the catch is that most of us do not see anything visibly different after these monthly upgrades, and Microsoft’s research boss has finally responded. “We’ve been […] The post Microsoft’s research boss reveals why Windows 11 features don’t show up, and his fix half works appeared first on Windows Latest

Fast Startup saves your PC's kernel session to hiberfil.sys every time you shut down, so stuck drivers and corrupted services can survive a shutdown and come right back. Restart wipes that session for good. Here's what actually happens in each case, plus the command to force a true full shutdown. The post Microsoft explains why Windows doesn’t really shut down when you click Shut Down appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft is finally toning down clutter on the Windows 11 lock screen. In a quiet update to its release notes, the company confirmed that Weather is now the only widget enabled by default, ditching MSN cards and promo junk. But while the screen is quieter, it still feels unfinished. Here is our breakdown. The post Microsoft turned Windows 11’s lock screen into MSN hell, now it’s undoing most of it appeared first on Windows Latest

CTO of Microsoft Azure, says he used AI to bring ZoomIt, a Windows tool he has maintained for more than 20 years, to macOS. The post Microsoft Azure CTO used AI to port 20-year-old Windows tool to macOS in two days: “I was flabbergasted” appeared first on Windows Latest

On September 8, Microsoft rolled out KB5002914 for Excel, but it apparently has a bug that makes it impossible to copy and paste. The post Microsoft confirms it accidentally broke copy and paste in Excel with a major security update you shouldn’t remove appeared first on Windows Latest

Tali Roth once said moving the taskbar caused a "huge" reflow problem for apps, and telemetry showed low demand anyway. In 2026, Microsoft reversed course, restoring taskbar positioning and Start customization while crediting faster AI-assisted development for some of the pace. The post Microsoft explained why Windows 11 dropped these Windows 10 features appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft is killing a really nice feature called the "PC-to-PC" transfer tool that it quietly built for Windows 11 and rolled out in stages. The post Microsoft built a local PC-to-PC transfer tool for Windows 11, now it’s killing it to push OneDrive-based solution appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft will host its first major Windows event in over two years on October 7. Joined by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the company plans to showcase the Surface Laptop Ultra, RTX Spark silicon, and local AI agent capabilities in Windows 11. However, don't expect Windows 12 to make an appearance. The post Microsoft confirms first major Windows event in two years, but don’t hold your breath for Windows 12 appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft sent an email to users saying early testers can already feel improvements in Windows 11's responsiveness. The post Microsoft’s design lead says users “can feel” Windows 11 speeding up, confirms major improvements this fall appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft has confirmed it's preparing to roll out the long-promised DataGrid-style control for WinUI, which should result in more native apps. The post Windows 11 got more web apps because WinUI couldn’t get the basics right, now Microsoft is fixing the mess appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 KB5129195 is rolling out now, and it addresses multiple critical issues we found in our tests, including a bug that broke audio on some PCs. Microsoft told me today’s emergency update downloads automatically on all PCs, and it also includes additional security protections against an “elevation of privilege” vulnerability. KB5129195 is a mandatory, […] The post Windows 11 KB5129195 is out after Microsoft confirms major issues with the September 2026 update, but it won’t fix AMD GPU errors appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft tried to retire MS Paint for Paint 3D in 2017, users pushed back, and Paint survived. Paint 3D didn't. Here's the full history, and why Microsoft should open-source what's left. The post Microsoft tried to kill Paint in Windows for a successor nobody wanted, then killed the successor appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 has a taskbar shortcut that force-closes frozen apps without opening Task Manager, and it's especially useful for apps like WhatsApp and Discord that keep running after you close them. The post You don’t need Task Manager, Windows 11’s End Task button kills apps from the taskbar, and here’s how it works appeared first on Windows Latest

We tested a new Windows 11 Home ISO and found that clicking the small Learn More link on the Microsoft account sign-in page skips straight to local account setup, no commands or registry edits required. The post Microsoft blocked every Windows 11 account bypass except the most boring link on its own page appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 KB5124008 has a bug that could kill audio on your device and even make your microphone unresponsive. The post Microsoft confirms Windows 11’s update kills audio on some PCs, and the bugs keep piling up appeared first on Windows Latest

32-bit Windows is commonly said to max out at 4GB because of basic address math, but Microsoft had a way around that limit years before Windows 11 arrived, and chose not to use it on consumer PCs. The post Microsoft engineer explains why 32-bit Windows was capped at 4GB RAM, and it wasn’t technical appeared first on Windows Latest

Latest Release Preview update builds 26100.9539/26200.9539 finally lets you turn the Copilot key into Right Ctrl or the Context Menu key, and Microsoft's own documentation explains the accessibility problems the key caused. The post Windows 11’s useless Copilot key finally does something, you can map it to right-click appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows 11 KB5124008 was supposed to be one of the year’s best updates, at least on paper. It restored Windows 10-era features, including a movable taskbar and a resizable Start menu, but unfortunately, it’s causing issues on some PCs. Windows 11 KB5124008 was released on September 8 as a mandatory patch, and Microsoft says the […] The post Microsoft admits Windows 11’s biggest September update is breaking multiple features, days after it warned users not to delay updates appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft's own screenshot for Build 26340.9354 shows a pointer that looks broader, softer, and more symmetrical than the usual Windows 11 arrow, three months after a report said a redesign was being tested internally. The post Is this Windows 11’s new modern cursor? Microsoft quietly shows a redesigned pointer mock-up appeared first on Windows Latest