I grew up in an analog world. Smartphones were at least a decade away. Laptops were bricks of hardware with tiny, low-res screens and enormous hard drives. The first PC games I played shipped on floppy discs. I bought my first music album on cassette. I spent a lot of time outdoors, exploring the woods and building forts with friends.

You get the idea.

It pains me to say that the analog world in which I grew up has disappeared over time, giving way to a digital reality. Have you ever seen a toddler effortlessly operate a phone or tablet? Yeah, they know what's up.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there's a growing resistance to this digital takeover. The analog revival, as it's often called, is usually framed as an anti-technology story. I don't think that's fair.

Younger generations aren't quitting all tech as a rule. They're mostly quitting smartphones and the digital hypnosis they can affect with seemingly no effort at all.

Sure, knitting needles, film cameras, vinyl records, landlines, and inked journals seem to be taking over TikTok and other social media hot spots, but there's another revival underway. One that could place Microsoft and the PC landscape in a very good spot.

The children yearn for the analog hobbies

In March 2026, crafting superstore Michaels published its latest Creativity Trend Report.

The findings suggest that there's some serious digital fatigue going on, noting significant upticks in searches for journals, hands-on crafts like sewing or knitting, crafting parties, party decorations, and more.

Searches for these analog hobbies rose, in some cases, by 919% in 2026. Yarn accessory sales alone grew by 40% compared to 2025, according to Michaels.

Similarly, CNBC covered the analog revival shortly before the Michaels report was published, noting that it's an effort pushing beyond a simple digital detox.

I have to agree; the movement feels a lot like an attempt to slow down and do things by hand at a time when generative AI is taking over the thinking and doing, especially in the creative and professional spaces.

Gen Z is largely driving the analog revival, and I wouldn't say it's afraid of tech. This is the generation that grew up with a phone in hand, after all.

But it's also the generation that's experiencing the worst AI fatigue, and it's the generation that Microsoft has largely focused on courting with its Copilot+ AI PC movement.

Microsoft's AI PC collision with analog refugees

Microsoft seems to have been in a collision at the crossroads of AI PCs and the analog revival.

When Copilot+ PCs were first introduced in May 2024, it was the very beginning of an "AI everywhere" push for Microsoft's Windows 11. I won't go into the specifics here, but it was a hard time for Windows users as it seemed like AI was being injected into just about every aspect of the OS.

The backlash from users led to Microsoft's Windows president, Pavan Davuluri, stating in early 2026 that the company would be focusing on addressing pain points like performance and reliability.

Since then, Microsoft has been stripping Copilot features out of areas where they make the least sense, including Notepad, Teams, Snipping Tool, and Photos.

At Build 2026, the Copilot+ PC brand was barely mentioned. The strict NPU requirement to run Copilot+ tools? It might not be around long, as Microsoft is reportedly testing the features to run on GPUs as well.

The company that created an entirely new hardware category around AI handling tasks on your PC is backing away from its original pitch. The fact that it's happening at the same time that there's a major analog movement is probably just a coincidence.

I certainly don't think Microsoft alone is driving the digital desertion trend, but it's definitely not fighting it, either.

Where do PCs fit into an analog lifestyle?

I don't believe the analog movement is anti-computer. It's anti-friction, anti-ambient, and anti-notification. Phones are designed to interrupt you at every possible chance. One more short video. One more text. One more post. A phone is like a slot machine in your pocket, delivering dopamine on demand.

A PC, on the other hand, is more like a workbench. You don't pull out your laptop to kill a few minutes of idle time. You sit down at a PC because you decided to write something. Edit something. Build something. Play something.

Microsoft spent a couple of years trying to make Windows behave more like a phone while adding AI everywhere it could, and the resulting backlash shows just how flat that bet fell. No, I don't think the analog crowd is rejecting the PC. It's rejecting the parts of a PC that most behave like a phone.

The avenue of intentional computing is what I think Windows is best positioned to own, whether it intends to or not. The PC's real advantage over the phone isn't more AI. It's that it's still, fundamentally, a tool you purposefully use and turn off when you're done.

Will Microsoft lean into the analog revival?

Microsoft has a genuine opportunity here to gain users simply by doing less with Windows 11. Rather than positioning the OS as the de facto AI platform, why not position it as an escape hatch from the AI/attention economy that casts its shadow over so many of our lives?

I'm talking about improving focus modes. Removing ambient monitoring and notifications. Removing more AI features where they don't make sense. Make the PC feel more like a workbench again.

Davuluri's own message about pulling back on AI, listening to users, and fixing what's broken is already halfway there. It just hasn't been articulated expressly as a perk.

The PC doesn't need more AI to remain relevant to younger generations that are rabidly returning to analog hobbies. If anything, it's the opposite.

Will Microsoft make the most of the analog revival? Do you think I'm way off course with this intersection of tech and anti-digital crowds? Is it just a generational phase? Let me know in the comments section below!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

If you spend your entire day managing complex multi-monitor setups, editing video, or plowing through spreadsheets, you know that standard mice aren't always the best fit for long-term comfort. While ergonomic vertical mice get plenty of spotlight, trackballs have retained a dedicated, almost legendary following for a reason: pure, effortless efficiency.

And when it comes to trackballs, Kensington is royalty. Celebrating 40 years of innovation in the space, the company is preparing to launch its most ambitious peripheral yet: the Kensington Expert Mouse Pro TB900 EQ Trackball.

I’ve been spending some quality hands-on time with an early review sample—specifically the eye-catching red ball variant (it also comes in silver)—to see if it lives up to four decades of heritage.

Here are my early impressions of what might be the ultimate desk upgrade for power users.

Kensington had no input, nor did it see the contents of this hands-on preview prior to publication.

Design: Classic presence, modern polish

The TB900 EQ keeps the commanding footprint and symmetrical silhouette that made the original Expert Mouse series famous. The ambidextrous chassis ensures lefties and righties get the exact same ergonomic comfort.

At the center sits that signature, massive 55mm ball. The red sphere on my unit gives the trackball a vibrant, premium look against the dark chassis. One notable departure from legacy models: there is no wrist rest included in the box. While classic Expert users might miss the snap-on rubber pad, the naturally sloped angle of the body still feels surprisingly natural during extended typing-and-navigating sessions.

Also, buttons. LOTS of buttons and dials everywhere.

Controls: Macro heaven with software smarts

Kensington didn't just update the chassis; they overhauled how you interface with your PC. The hardware features a wealth of physical input options, including:

• The classic Expert scroll ring, now enhanced with software-adjustable responsiveness.
• Two side scroll wheels for effortless horizontal navigation.
• An array of physical buttons configured to support up to 16 sets of programmable controls via software layering and button combinations in KensingtonWorks.

Without physical mechanical tension dials on the bottom—where you’ll only find connection toggles labeled A, B, and C along with the power switch—the scroll behavior and button mapping are handled digitally. That gives power users deep flexibility to map complex workflow macros, application-specific commands, or multi-display shortcuts without relying on physical switches.

That Expert scroll ring is also like butter on this device. Super satisfying to use.

Performance: 1kHz polling rate meets dual optical tracking

Historically, trackballs have lagged behind high-end desktop mice in polling rates, making cursor movement feel a bit sluggish on fast, high-refresh-rate displays. The TB900 EQ completely eliminates that bottleneck.

It boasts a 1kHz polling rate, bringing gaming-mouse responsiveness to productivity workflows. Paired with Kensington’s DIAMONDEYE Optical Tracking with Dual Sensors, the tracking is razor-sharp. Flicking the 55mm red ball sends the cursor smoothly gliding across high-res ultrawide monitors without a hint of jitter or smoothing.

Connectivity and battery life

Flip the device over, and the underside reveals clean, minimal physical toggles (A, B, C) for device switching and power. The TB900 EQ supports robust multi-device flexibility across four channels:

• 2.4GHz wireless via USB receiver
• Two distinct Bluetooth channels
• USB-C direct wired connection

Whether bouncing between a primary Windows desktop, a secondary laptop, or a tablet, switching inputs is quick and intuitive. Better yet, the built-in rechargeable battery promises up to four months of productivity on a single USB-C charge, meaning battery anxiety is virtually non-existent.

Pricing, availability, and early verdict

While originally slated for an earlier release, the launch of the Kensington Expert Mouse Pro TB900 EQ has been pushed back slightly into late Q3. Official pricing details put the Expert Mouse Pro TB900 EQ at $129.99 USD, and given the specs—1kHz polling, dual optical sensors, quad-connectivity, and deep software customization—it is clearly positioning itself at the top tier of ergonomic desktop gear.

So far, the TB900 EQ feels like the definitive modern trackball. It honors Kensington’s 40-year legacy while delivering the high-refresh accuracy and macro density modern workflows demand.

Total disclosure: Trackballs aren't my cup of tea, so there is definitely a learning curve when switching from my current favorite mouse, the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, but I'm trying my best. I guess that segues into who this trackball is for, and it's definitely not your average office worker, but for those who love 'em, the Expert Mouse Pro TB900 EQ looks to be the pinnacle of this form factor. It'll very likely make our best PC mice for 2026 list.

You can find more information about the Expert Mouse Pro TB900 EQ directly from Kensington's website.

Stay tuned for our full, in-depth review on Windows Central as we get closer to launch!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft is expected to roll out the 2026 Update for Windows 11 (version 26H2) later this year, marking the fifth feature update for the desktop version of the operating system. However, this release isn't a full operating system swap, but it's still important not to skip it.

In this guide, I'll walk you through 10 interesting facts about Windows 11 version 26H2 to know before upgrading once it becomes available.

Facts to know about Windows 11 version 26H2

These are some facts about the new version for Windows 11.

1. Same operating system platform

Although the company will market Windows 11 version 26H2 as a new release, it shares the same platform as version 25H2, meaning both operating systems are identical under the hood. This is exactly the same case as versions 24H2 and 25H2.

2. Same set of features and improvements

Windows 11 version 26H2 includes the same features and improvements already available in version 25H2. Microsoft isn't introducing a separate feature set for this release because both versions share the same platform.

Perhaps the most noticeable differences between Windows 11 versions 26H2 and 25H2 are their version and build numbers, along with their support lifecycle.

For example, version 26H2 uses build numbers in the 26300 series, while version 25H2 uses the 26200 series. Now, despite the different build numbers, updates for both versions typically share the same cumulative update (KB) number because they are based on the same code and include the same features and improvements.

Microsoft is expected to continue servicing both versions with the same features and improvements for the foreseeable future. As a result, version 26H2 is not expected to introduce major new capabilities at launch. Instead, it serves as another enablement package release that activates a new version number while preserving the same experience users already have on version 25H2.

3. Enablement Package-based installation

Similar to Windows 11 version 25H2, version 26H2 is expected to be rolled out as an Enablement Package (eKB). This means that if you're already running version 25H2, upgrading to 26H2 will be similar to installing a regular monthly cumulative update, without requiring a complete reinstallation of the operating system.

An Enablement Package is a small update that acts as a switch to activate features already included in the operating system but kept dormant. Once installed, it simply changes the version number from 25H2 to 26H2 while enabling the new release (if applicable).

Because version 26H2 shares the same platform and feature set as version 25H2, the installation process is expected to be quick and require only a single restart. As with previous enablement package releases, Microsoft will likely offer the update as an optional installation at first before making it available automatically to eligible devices as version 25H2 approaches the end of its support lifecycle.

4. Full reinstallation upgrade

Although Windows 11 version 26H2 is virtually identical to version 25H2, the upgrade path depends on the version currently installed on your computer.

If you're already running Windows 11 version 25H2 (or 24H2), you can upgrade through the Enablement Package without reinstalling the operating system. However, devices running an older release (such as version 23H2) will need to perform a full feature update to move to version 26H2.

5. Upgrade from Windows 10

If your computer is still running Windows 10, upgrading to Windows 11 version 26H2 requires a full feature update. Compatible devices will receive the latest supported version of Windows 11 directly through Windows Update, so you won't have to install 24H2 or 25H2 first.

If your computer doesn't receive the upgrade through Windows Update, you can also perform an in-place upgrade using Microsoft's installation media.

6. Direct upgrade from older versions

You can upgrade directly to Windows 11 version 26H2 from version 23H2, 22H2, or an earlier release, as well as from Windows 10, using the ISO file or other Microsoft installation media.

These methods perform a standard in-place feature update, allowing you to keep your files, apps, and settings while installing the latest version of the operating system.

7. Upgrade tools trigger a full feature update

Although upgrading from Windows 11 versions 24H2 or 25H2 to version 26H2 through Windows Update only requires installing a small Enablement Package, using the official ISO file or other installation media will perform a full in-place upgrade instead.

The installation still preserves your files, apps, and settings, but it reinstalls the operating system rather than simply activating the new version with the Enablement Package. This results in an unnecessarily longer installation process compared to upgrading through Windows Update.

8. Reasons to upgrade to version 26H2

Since the last three releases of the operating system are virtually identical, the primary reason to upgrade is to extend your device's support lifecycle rather than gain access to new features.

Windows 11 version 25H2 remains supported through October 2027, but upgrading to version 26H2 extends support for another year. As with previous releases, Microsoft is expected to provide 24 months of support for the Home and Pro editions and 36 months for Enterprise and Education editions.

This also means there won't be any urgency to upgrade as soon as version 26H2 becomes available. Because these releases offer the same features and improvements, you can continue using version 25H2 until you're ready to switch. However, you should plan to install version 26H2 before version 25H2 reaches the end of its support lifecycle to continue receiving security updates and bug fixes.

It's worth pointing out that version 24H2 is set to retire on October 13, 2026, and it's recommended to upgrade as soon as possible to the next supported version.

9. Same hardware requirements

Windows 11 version 26H2 does not introduce new hardware requirements compared to version 25H2. The same requirements for supported processors, TPM 2.0, and other system components remain in place.

These are the minimum requirements to install or upgrade to Windows 11:

• CPU: 1GHz or faster processor, or System on a Chip (SoC) with at least two cores.
• RAM: 4GB or more.
• Storage: 64GB or larger storage device.
• Firmware: UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability.
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0.
• Graphics: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
• Display: High-definition (720p) display larger than 9 inches diagonally, with 8 bits per color channel.

This means that if your device can already run Windows 11 version 25H2, it will also be compatible with version 26H2 without requiring any hardware changes.

10. Rollout strategy will be gradual

Although the Enablement Package that upgrades Windows 11 from version 25H2 to 26H2 is a small update, Microsoft will likely follow the same gradual rollout strategy used in previous releases.

The company typically uses the Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) system to monitor the update experience, check for potential compatibility issues, and expand availability over time. As a result, not every device will receive the Windows 11 2026 Update immediately through the Windows Update settings page.

Availability will gradually expand over several weeks or months as the company confirms that the update is ready for a wider range of hardware configurations. If your device doesn't see the update right away, it doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem. It simply means the rollout has not reached your hardware configuration yet.

Windows Central's Take

I think the Windows 11 2026 Update is a good example of how the software giant is changing how it delivers upgrades. A new version number no longer automatically means a major redesign or a long installation process. Instead, the company is leaning more toward smaller transitions that keep computers current with less disruption.

From my experience covering the operating system, I think this approach makes a lot of sense. Full feature updates have historically been among the most complicated parts of maintaining the operating system, often leading to compatibility issues, driver problems, and upgrade failures. By using an Enablement Package model, Microsoft can accelerate the transition, reduce the risk of errors, and make it easier for more users to move to the latest supported version.

This strategy also benefits the company because a simpler upgrade experience could encourage more people to stay on newer versions instead of delaying updates for months or years. When an upgrade takes only a few minutes instead of requiring a complete operating system installation, users are more likely to accept it.

That said, I don't see 26H2 as an update users need to install immediately. If you're already running 25H2, the main reason to move will be support rather than new features. However, I think this is a better direction for the operating system. Making upgrades faster and more reliable could help reduce the problems that have caused many users to delay installing new versions.

What are your thoughts about Windows 11 version 26H2 following the same path as 25H2? Do you prefer smaller, smoother updates, or do you want major new features with every release? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Can you hear that? It's the sound of capitalism crumbling. After years of pushback against ads, Microsoft has finally given in and decided to make a cleaner Search experience in Windows 11.

Sarcastic quips aside, Search is genuinely going to improve. Microsoft unveiled a massive upgrade to Search this week that will improve the accuracy of results, shift away from relying on the web, and yes, remove ads and promotional material.

The improved search will prioritize local results over grabbing information from the web. You'll even be able to customize whether web and Microsoft Store suggestions appear alongside local results at all. Search should also be more forgiving of typos, which should reduce frustration.

The upcoming improvements to Search were the biggest Windows 11 story of the week, but several other topics trended as well.

Biggest News of the Week

I'd argue that Windows 11 never should have placed ads within Search in the first place. Certainly, Windows 11 Pro should have been ad-free. I'm glad to see Microsoft listen to feedback and get rid of some ads. I just think it's wild that the tech giant needs to be pushed in that direction.

I'm happy to see Microsoft did more than remove ads and call it a day. The new Search experience is better across the board. Our Zac Bowden was impressed after going hands-on with the feature.

As always with updates like this, you can focus on the fact that Microsoft should have launched Windows 11 in this state rather than be strong-armed into making search usable. Alternatively, you can choose to be happy that Windows 11 is finally getting fixed. I choose the latter.

Shopping with Sean

Laptop deals have cooled off a bit, but you can still save hundreds of dollars on the Samsung Galaxy Book6 or the HP OmniBook Ultra 14. Both are excellent laptops with gorgeous displays and snappy performance.

If you're a gamer, make sure to check out the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale that's now live. Hundreds of games are discounted in what might be one of Microsoft's best-ever sale events.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

As part of the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft released several preview builds of Windows 11 in early July 2026, some of which introduced new features and others only improvements for existing experiences.

In the first two weeks of July, the company began the public test of the Cloud rebuild recovery feature, revealed a new design update for the account manager available through the Start menu, and made other improvements for version 26H2

In addition, Microsoft is continuing to expand previously announced features to more Insider channels, including the ability to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro Education for K-12 environments. The company is also rolling out Taskbar position and size options, along with Windows Update improvements designed to reduce the number of required restarts each month.

In the Experimental track, we've seen builds 26300.8772 and 28120.2387, and builds 28020.2380 and 26220.8764 have been released in the Beta channel.

In this recap, I'll highlight the latest and most noteworthy changes available through the Windows Insider Program.

Biggest improvements from the Windows Insider Program in July 2026

In this recap, I'll highlight the latest and most noteworthy changes available through the Windows Insider Program since my last roundup.

Cloud rebuild new feature

Starting with build 26300.8772, Windows 11 introduces a new recovery feature known as "Cloud rebuild," which has been designed to make it easier to reinstall the operating system when the computer is unable to start, or you're looking for a fresh install.

If this feature sounds familiar, it's because it's similar to the Cloud download option in Reset this PC. However, Cloud rebuild introduces a new workflow that downloads the Windows 11 installation files and drivers and performs a clean installation without requiring a bootable USB drive, a custom recovery image, or access to the desktop environment.

Cloud rebuild can be accessed from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) by going to the "Troubleshoot" page and using the "Cloud rebuild" option.

Before you can use the feature, the computer must be running Windows 11 on compatible hardware, and the device must be connected to the internet using a wireless or wired connection.

Once you confirm the Windows 11 version, edition, and language, click "Install," and the system will erase the hard drive and reinstall the operating system and drivers.

Account Control flyout redesign

In the Start menu, Microsoft is also updating the Account Control flyout with build 26300.8772. The new design offers a more modern style that highlights your account information and picture.

It also highlights your Microsoft 365 subscription, cloud storage, and access to your benefits.

Backup and restore default settings

In commercial computers, starting with the preview build 26300.8772, Windows 11 is enabling the backup and restore feature policy by default for devices enrolled in a Microsoft Entra ID or Entra hybrid-joined environment.

The idea is to start the device with backup protection to make recovery smoother. For example, when a device is reset or replaced, users can quickly return to their personalized desktop without extra steps.

Of course, network administrators can always control this experience, and Microsoft notes that existing policies will remain in effect, and manually configured settings always take priority over the default behavior.

Taskbar position settings

The company is also bringing back the ability to change the Taskbar location with the release of build 28120.2387 in the Experimental channel.

This change allows users to place the Taskbar at the top of the screen, as well as at the left or right edges, rather than being limited to the bottom.

The setting appears on Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, under the "Taskbar behaviors" section. The setting is called "Taskbar position."

The company notes that flyouts, tooltips, and animations will follow the Taskbar orientation regardless of the position.

Also, most existing features will continue to work, including the option to ungroup and show labels for apps.

Furthermore, the company is updating the "Show smaller taskbar button" option to make the Taskbar smaller instead of just the buttons. (As we have already seen in other tracks, the company is expected to create a separate option to make the Taskbar smaller.)

Windows Update with fewer reboots

As part of Windows 11 build 26220.8764, the company is introducing a new unified Windows Update experience that coordinates monthly quality updates with driver, .NET, and firmware updates.

By bundling these updates into a single installation cycle whenever possible, Microsoft aims to reduce the number of restarts users experience each month, with the long-term goal of requiring just one monthly reboot.

Windows 11 Pro Education for K-12 free upgrade

Microsoft is changing the installation requirements to allow devices running Windows 11 Home to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro Education at no additional cost for K-12 education.

This change aims to give schools more flexibility when acquiring new devices. However, the company says that this is one-way only. After the upgrade, the only way to roll back to the Home edition is by performing a clean installation of the operating system.

Windows Search upgrades

Outside its regular download schedule, Microsoft recently began rolling out a slew of improvements to the Windows Search experience on devices enrolled in the Experimental channel.

First, the company is decluttering the home screen and focusing on the search experience. As part of this rollout, the Windows Search home screen only includes your recent searches, ditching the visual clutter, including those annoying advertisements.

In addition, when performing a search and a web result is more relevant, the experience will now prioritize the answer rather than products and promotions.

Microsoft is also introducing design tweaks to better indicate where each result comes from. For example, you'll find better spacing between items and interface changes when selecting a result, including thumbnail previews.

Second, you'll now have more control over search results with the options to disable web searches and Microsoft Store apps from appearing in the Windows Search experience.

However, by default, search will work as always. It's up to you to customize your search experience from Settings > Privacy & Security > Search.

Third, the search experience now improves local content and rankings, meaning local results are given higher priority in apps, settings, and files, instead of web and Microsoft Store results showing up first when there are better results.

As part of the ranking tweaks, you'll notice that searches for settings now appear higher in the results.

Fourth, Microsoft is also focusing on improving search accuracy through two specific changes. For instance, Windows Search has been updated to better handle typos, missing or extra letters, and partial words.

In addition, the feature will now show results for local files using two-character file search, and more accurately surface cloud and connected files when they're the best match.

Windows Central's Take

I think these Insider builds show Microsoft focusing on what Windows 11 has needed for a while, improving the experience instead of simply adding more features. Cloud rebuild could make recovery much less stressful, while the Windows Search changes address one of the operating system's biggest frustrations by prioritizing useful local results over web content.

The reappearance of Taskbar positioning is also a welcome change. It shows Microsoft is still paying attention to feedback and bringing back flexibility that many users have missed since Windows 11 launched.

What are your thoughts on these latest Windows 11 Insider changes? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

If you've been using Windows as long as I have, you probably remember when a serious problem often meant backing up your files and reinstalling the operating system from scratch. Whether it was a bad driver, a failed update, or corrupted system files, a clean install was frequently the fastest way to rescue your computer.

I don't think that's the case anymore. Over the past several years, Microsoft has quietly transformed Windows 11 into a much more resilient operating system. Instead of relying on a single recovery option, the operating system now bundles a collection of tools designed to solve different types of problems. Some can repair Windows 11 while minimizing changes to your data. Others can roll back a problematic update, recover a computer that won't boot, or completely rebuild the system from the cloud.

The downside is that all these options can be confusing. Microsoft doesn't always make it clear which recovery feature you should use first, and many of them sound similar even though they solve different problems.

A lot of the recovery features discussed in this guide are available through the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This separate recovery workspace runs outside the normal installation and provides access to tools that can repair, reset, or troubleshoot the operating system when the computer cannot start normally.

In this guide, I'll outline the recovery features available on Windows 11 and when I would actually use them.

Important: The right recovery option depends mostly on what went wrong. A broken update, a damaged driver, and a corrupted installation all require different approaches.

Fix problems using Windows Update

If the computer still starts normally but something doesn't feel right, I'd try the "Fix problems using Windows Update" recovery option first.

This feature repairs the operating system by downloading the same version of Windows 11 installed on your computer through Windows Update and reinstalling it over your existing installation. Unlike resetting your computer, it preserves your personal files, installed apps, user accounts, and settings.

If system files have become corrupted, built-in features have stopped working, or you're seeing unusual behavior after an update, this repair process can often restore the operating system without forcing you to reinstall your apps afterward.

I like this approach because it's the least disruptive recovery option Microsoft offers. If it solves the problem, you save yourself the time of reinstalling software and reconfiguring the system.

Best for:

• Corrupted system files.
• Missing or broken features.
• General system instability.
• Repairing Windows 11 while keeping apps, files, and settings.

Reset This PC

When repairing Windows 11 isn't enough, "Reset This PC" is usually the next step.

This feature reinstalls the operating system and lets you choose between two options.

Keep my files reinstalls Windows 11 while preserving your personal files, pictures, and videos, but it removes installed applications and resets system settings.

Remove everything wipes the computer completely before installing a fresh copy of Windows 11, making it a good choice if you're selling the device or want to start over.

You'll also choose between "Local reinstall," which uses recovery files already stored on the computer, or "Cloud download," which downloads a fresh copy of Windows directly from Microsoft's servers.

Personally, I almost always recommend Cloud Download. It takes longer because it downloads several gigabytes of data, but it also avoids problems caused by damaged local recovery files.

Best for:

• Severe software problems.
• Persistent performance issues.
• Malware cleanup after backing up your data.
• Preparing to sell or give away the computer.

Cloud rebuild

Cloud rebuild is one of Microsoft's newest recovery tools, and I think it fills an important gap in Windows recovery.

Available through the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), Cloud rebuild reformats the operating system partition, downloads a fresh Windows 11 image and compatible drivers from Windows Update, and restores the computer to the out-of-box setup experience.

Unlike Reset This PC, it doesn't depend on the recovery image already stored on your computer, and more importantly, it also includes the device drivers.

To me, this feature sits somewhere between Reset This PC and creating a bootable USB installer. It gives you a completely fresh installation without requiring installation media or another computer to download the setup files.

Best for:

• Severely corrupted installations.
• Failed Reset This PC attempts.
• Damaged recovery files.
• Rebuilding Windows 11 from scratch.

Go Back (rollback)

The upgrade process to a new version doesn't always go smoothly, and that's exactly why "Go Back" exists.

After upgrading to a new version of the operating system on top of an existing setup, Windows 11 temporarily stores your previous installation in the "Windows.old" folder. If the new version introduces compatibility problems, driver issues, or poor performance, you can roll back to the earlier version with just a few clicks.

The only catch is that this option is temporary. The system typically removes the previous installation files after about 10 days to free up storage.

If you notice problems immediately after installing a feature update, don't wait too long before deciding whether to roll back.

Best for:

• Performance problems after upgrading.
• Driver incompatibilities.
• Software compatibility issues.
• Bugs introduced by a feature update.

Uninstall Updates

Not every system update improves the experience. Sometimes a cumulative update can introduce startup problems, driver conflicts, or unexpected bugs.

When that happens, Windows 11 includes an option in the Windows Recovery Environment that lets you remove the latest update without resetting the entire computer.

Using this experience, you can uninstall the latest quality updates (monthly cumulative updates) and feature updates (major version upgrades).

The first option is usually the one you'll use after Patch Tuesday problems.

Best for:

• Device problems after installing an update.
• Boot issues caused by a recent update.
• Update-related stability problems.

System Restore

Some people think System Restore is outdated, but I still think it's one of the most underrated recovery features in the operating system.

System Restore creates restore points that save system files, drivers, registry settings, and installed applications. If something goes wrong after installing a driver or application, you can return Windows to an earlier working state without affecting your personal files.

It's often much faster than resetting the computer and can solve problems in just a few minutes.

Best for:

• Bad driver installations.
• Faulty software.
• Registry changes.
• Recent system configuration problems.

Startup Repair

If Windows 11 won't boot, Startup Repair remains one of the built-in recovery tools designed to fix common startup problems.

Available through the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), the tool scans the system for damaged startup files, corrupted Boot Configuration Data (BCD), missing system files, and other issues preventing the operating system from loading correctly. If it finds a problem it knows how to fix, it attempts the repair automatically.

Depending on your recovery configuration, Windows 11 may first attempt newer recovery mechanisms, such as Quick Machine Recovery, before Startup Repair becomes available.

It won't solve every startup issue, but when it works, it can save you from more drastic recovery options like resetting or reinstalling the operating system.

Best for:

• Windows 11 stuck during boot.
• Endless restart loops.
• Missing or damaged boot files.
• Startup-related errors.

Safe Mode

Sometimes Windows 11 itself isn't the problem. Safe Mode starts the system with only the essential drivers and services needed for the operating system to run. That makes it much easier to remove a problematic graphics driver, uninstall recently installed apps, or troubleshoot malware that's preventing Windows 11 from working normally.

If Windows 11 works as expected in Safe Mode but crashes at startup, it's usually a sign that a third-party app or driver is causing conflicts.

Best for:

• Troubleshooting driver problems.
• Removing incompatible software.
• Malware cleanup.
• Diagnosing startup crashes.

Quick Machine Recovery

Quick Machine Recovery is one of the newest additions to Windows 11, and I think it's a direct response to lessons Microsoft learned from major outages like the CrowdStrike incident.

If a bad update or driver prevents Windows 11 from starting, the feature can automatically enter the Windows Recovery Environment, connect to Microsoft's recovery service, download a remediation package, and attempt to repair the problem before you ever reach the desktop.

Ideally, you'll never have to think about this feature because it works automatically behind the scenes. If the automated recovery isn't successful, you can continue troubleshooting using the other recovery options available through the Windows Recovery Environment.

Best for:

• Startup failures caused by updates.
• Driver-related boot issues.
• Automatic recovery without user intervention.

Point-in-time Restore

Point-in-time Restore is another piece of Microsoft's evolving recovery strategy.

Rather than asking users to troubleshoot a failed Windows Update manually, Point-in-time Restore is part of Microsoft's effort to make Windows Update failures easier to recover from automatically.

A lot of people may never notice it working, but that's exactly the goal. The more the system can recover automatically, the less often users need to search for recovery guides or perform clean installations.

Best for:

• Failed system updates.
• Rolling back to a previous working update state.
• Automatic update recovery.

Other details

This guide focuses on Windows 11 features that can restore the operating system to a known working state or help troubleshoot problems preventing the system from working correctly. However, the operating system also includes other recovery-related tools that serve a different purpose.

The Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is the workspace where many of these options are available, including Startup Repair, Reset This PC, System Restore, Cloud rebuild, and other troubleshooting tools. It does not repair Windows 11 by itself. Instead, it provides access to the features that can recover the operating system.

The Recovery Drive works in a similar way. It does not fix the setup directly. Instead, it creates a bootable USB drive that lets you access WinRE if the built-in recovery options are unavailable.

Other tools, such as Command Prompt, Startup Settings, and UEFI settings, are designed for advanced troubleshooting. They can help diagnose and manually repair problems, but they do not automatically restore the operating system.

Also, the Windows Backup app is part of the recovery experience, but it serves a different purpose. Instead of repairing a broken installation, it helps restore settings, credentials, Microsoft Store apps, and files stored in OneDrive after reinstalling Windows 11 or moving to a new computer.

The legacy Backup and Restore (Windows 7) tool is still available on Windows 11 and can create file backups and full system images. Unlike newer recovery features such as Reset This PC or Cloud rebuild, it relies on a backup created ahead of time. If you have a system image available, you can use it to restore the computer to a previous state, including the operating system, apps, settings, and drivers.

However, Microsoft has shifted toward newer recovery experiences that rely more on Windows Update, cloud services, and automatic repairs.

Windows Central's Take

After covering the operating system for more than two decades, I think Microsoft has finally addressed one of the biggest weaknesses: recovery.

The company has built a much more complete safety net into Windows 11. However, these tools only matter if they work when users need them most. A failed update, broken driver, or corrupted system file can still leave people searching for answers because the recovery experience isn't always predictable.

What I find interesting is that Microsoft didn't replace older tools like System Restore or Safe Mode. Instead, it kept building on top of them with newer experiences such as Cloud rebuild and automatic recovery features. The result is a layered recovery system that makes Windows 11 far more resilient than previous versions.

The next challenge isn't creating another recovery feature. It's making the existing ones easier to understand. If the operating system can better recognize what's wrong and automatically recommend the right recovery path, most people may never have to wonder whether to use System Restore, Reset This PC, or Cloud rebuild.

That's the direction recovery should continue moving toward, with less troubleshooting, fewer reinstalls, and more automatic repairs that keep people productive.

Have you ever had to use one of these Windows recovery features? Which one helped you get your device back up and running? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The Xbox camp's airwaves have been dominated by pessimism now for as long as I can remember.

For years and years, Xbox fans and employees alike have endured a rollercoaster of ups and downs for Microsoft's gaming brand. Whether it's layoffs, unpopular decisions, or external factors like the memory crisis — team Xbox can't catch a break. Things can't get any worse, right? Well ...

Much has been said about the callousness of this latest round of Microsoft layoffs, which hit the entire run of the company, as has become tradition almost every July now. It's painful knowing that these cuts and reductions won't solve the biggest problem facing Xbox, and traditional gaming platforms in general.

The eternal question: where will the next phase of real growth come from?

The attention economy is getting more saturated by the day

The uncomfortable truth for traditional video game platforms is that revenue is only growing by squeezing the existing user base. PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and even Steam are basically trading the same fixed amount of users back and forth. Some estimates predict a contraction in gaming this year, owing to the memory crisis pushing prices beyond people's means.

The memory crisis won't be forever, but even after that, therein lies an existential question: huge swathes of younger cohorts have side-stepped Xbox, PlayStation, and even Nintendo, in favor of Roblox.

The Robloxification of gaming demographics cannot be overstated. Roblox has more monthly active users than Steam and Xbox combined, and double that of Minecraft. It's only when you throw in casual games like Candy Crush Saga that Xbox really begins to approach similar figures, but it obviously becomes a faulty comparison at that point.

It's also true that Roblox hasn't made a penny (yet). They're in their growth phase, burning cash on changing user behavior before jacking up prices — effectively the Spotify and Netflix model. Eventually, creditors will want to see returns, by which point Roblox hopes to have become the default gaming development platform. For many, it already has.

Xbox and PlayStation have grossly under-invested in younger cohorts, and Nintendo's insistence on gatekeeping their franchises behind hardware has limited their ability to reach younger audiences. The fact that traditional core games also take exponentially longer periods of time to produce means that youngsters might completely age out of titles that target them before they even ship, by which point trends will have changed, and tastes will have evolved.

Indeed, in our attention-anemic, hyper-infotainment, insta-gratification society, Roblox's "quick and dirty" game delivery model is perfect for the era. Games come and go in a flash, devouring the latest memes and in-jokes that baffle older generations and celebrate youth culture in ways God of War or Halo simply cannot tap into now.

For sure, Roblox's rise to dominance is less about gameplay quality or visual fidelity, but more about the social value Roblox offers that has made it a juggernaut. The vibes.

The fact Microsoft looked to a former Meta executive to run Xbox is likely no coincidence.

Can Xbox become ... COOL?

One criticism I have of Phil Spencer and, honestly, Microsoft in general is their utilitarian approach to product design. Xbox and Windows both have become sterile in recent years, with fun and quirky features relegated to memes and memories. Indeed, trends are cycling more quickly than ever, turbo-charged by artificial intelligence and short-form social media. That's perhaps not ideal if you're a corporation that moves as slowly as Microsoft, which also has no culturally relevant social media layer.

Therein lies Xbox's core problem. Putting the legal troubles and safety concerns to a separate discussion for now, Roblox has amalgamated social media and gaming into this amorphous digital monster that seems inaccessible to Microsoft and Xbox in general.

How can Xbox hope to become culturally relevant in an era where culture is now a chaotic revolving door? It was barely relevant to begin with, but in ages past it had the advantage of an era where corporations had greater control over content and context. Modern internet culture spawns from a vast and increasingly artificial digital ooze which bubbles up an occasional banger only for it to almost instantaneously deteriorate when corporations get their tasteless claws in. The rise of independent creation has corporations like Microsoft and Xbox completely locked out.

But Xbox does have one cube-shaped trick up its sleeve here ...

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has stated that her short-term goal is to improve the situation for the core. Namely, older gen-z, millennials, and gen-x, who are pretty locked in their ways and want specific types of games and experiences. They aren't the future of the platform, though, nor are they the future of growth. We're aging out, getting old, having kids, and, ya know, dying to be blunt about it.

For Xbox to maintain competitive salaries against AI funny-money talent scouts and inflation, it needs to find new growth. This summer, that growth came from cuts and price increases. That's hardly sustainable, though. It's a short-term solution to hedge against a longer-term problem.

The big problem is Xbox's lack of new user acquisition. Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and devices like the Xbox Ally haven't really helped. Most Xbox Cloud Gaming and Xbox handheld gamers are already Xbox Series X|S users. The trick is finding those elusive new users, which Microsoft describes as "NTX" internally (new to Xbox).

The crux of it will make for uncomfortable reading for Microsoft higher-ups: Xbox needs to become social media adjacent. It needs to be less sanitized. It needs to lean into that digital ooze I mentioned, and, perhaps even a little dangerous if it wants to succeed in an era where cultural capital is more important than pixel density.

I don't think Microsoft has the stomach for it ... but this is Asha Sharma's wheelhouse. It's probably no accident that she was specifically chosen for this job. It's probably no accident that she just bought Minecraft, Xbox's closest Roblox allegory, in-house. It's probably no accident that she hired Matthew Ball, who wrote the book on social media-adjacent games like Roblox as CSO.

It might take years to see the fruits of her ideas in this area ... and in the short term, she's going to focus on strengthening the core of what Xbox is today. But I believe she's also planting seeds for a social media revolution at Xbox — bringing Microsoft into an industry that it has long been too afraid to even touch.

What's your take? Let me hear it in the comments, down below.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It's hard to find AI optimists these days.

AI-adjacent stocks have taken a battering in recent months, with Oracle and Microsoft particularly hard hit. Microsoft's stock is down over 20% from last summer's highs, as investors increasingly worry that the firm has over-extended and misjudged the opportunities therein.

Wider questions remain about the future viability of the tech. Cheaper Chinese models are pressuring the big U.S. hyper-scalers to find new efficiencies and strategies, as firms like OpenAI, SpaceX, Palantir, and Anthropic struggle to justify their more optimistic valuations. Some of the more dire warnings suggest the rife circular investments and financing could implode, threatening not only the associated companies, but potentially the entire global economy.

Recently, I caught up with Ed Zitron, head of EZPR and the Better Offline Podcast, who has become a prominent journalistic voice in AI analysis. Zitron's industry-leading tech newsletter Where's Your Ed At has become a primary source for those navigating the complex (and shady?) financial deals these companies are weaving, cutting through the industry hype with an oft-times scathing dose of reality.

I asked Zitron specifically about Microsoft's bets in this space, as the hype train objectively begins to lose steam.

Microsoft occupies an odd space in the "AI race," if you can still call it that at this point. Why do you think Wall Street and the stock market are rewarding Google but punishing Microsoft this year?

"It’s because Microsoft is uniquely awful at having to prove its worth outside of financials, and is run by some of the most decrepit, disconnected, and directionless leadership I’ve seen in any company I’ve ever monitored.

Whenever this company has to beguile investors, it can usually just throw up big money numbers and raise the price on Microsoft Office. This time it made the mistake of actually spending cash — and man, did AI save its ass from humiliation by distracting from its Activision-Blizzard acquisition! — on something, and doing so in the loudest way possible, because saying “AI” and spending lots of money on AI was all it took to make people buy your stock.

Sadly, $200 billion or more in capex in, Satya Nadella doesn’t really have a compelling answer as to where this money is going. He mentioned on their last earnings that they’d hit a $37 billion run rate for AI - around $3 billion a month in revenue, with the vast majority of that being OpenAI’s compute spend — and it didn’t get anybody hot and heavy, so the stock has kept tanking."

"This is also because Azure has been a much bigger business than Google Cloud.

Sundar Pichai is also better at the financial tricks than Satya Nadella, and worked out a way to make circular financing more conspicuous, selling Anthropic its own chips and then getting those chips put in Google data centers so that it can get the revenue from Anthropic, who it funds, buying compute. That huge bump in remaining performance obligations was, to be clear, mostly from circular financing.

I have no idea why Satya didn’t do this with OpenAI’s spend, and I have to wonder if he doesn’t start being really blunt about how much it’s boosting Azure revenue, even though that’ll probably work to his detriment.

Anyway, Google Cloud is a younger and smaller business and thus much easier to show explosive growth in. Satya is also not very good at marketing."

Do you think Microsoft will realistically see any long-term return on investment from its data center build out? Have they completely misjudged the potential?

"So, this depends on your definition of “ROI.” I think that, long-term, this will be seen as a disastrous, horrifying misallocation of capital, the kind of thing that will potentially get Satya Nadella fired.

In the short-term, Nadella got “ROI” out of AI in that it kept Microsoft interesting, and OpenAI’s compute spend buoyed Azure’s revenues without them ever having to disclose AI’s actual contribution. It was a shiny object to show investors, which gave them a vague sense of growth.

This was always a gamble, and because Microsoft started the era, it will inevitably be harmed the most by it.

No, I do not see any ROI at scale. Microsoft has spent over $200 billion on AI capex and will probably spend anywhere from $300 to $400 billion if it continues its pace past this year. It will need to make more than $500 billion in brand, spanking new revenue, in a very conspicuous way, to make any of this feel worthwhile."

"The problem they face is that the longer this goes on, the less incremental it can be. Showing modest growth in Intelligent Cloud and Business & Productivity isn’t going to make this problem go away.

The other is that the clock starts the second they stop spending on capex, and that includes a cut of anything more than 30%. Maybe they try and spread it out, but at some point they’re gonna have to stop, because this is a ludicrous expense.

But once they do, the street will start asking them to prove that they didn’t just nuke hundreds of billions of dollars and take on a bunch of debt for no reason.

I will say this: Amy Hood is very good at her job, and likely the only reason Satya Nadella hasn’t blown up the entire company."

Microsoft's early investment in OpenAI was initially hailed. In your research, how has that partnership panned out? Reporting suggests it hasn't gone well …

"At first, OpenAI must have seemed like the best thing that happened to Microsoft since it won that antitrust trial because the judge talked to the media. It was the single-most buzzy company in the world, and it had to spend money on Azure.

Satya Nadella could say that he had backed the next big tech titan, all while capturing the entirety of its value and cloud spend. The original deal - owning all the IP, making Azure their only cloud provider, all that stuff was a masterstroke.

Except it’s very obvious that something went sour there in 2024 or early 2025, likely when OpenAI demanded Microsoft build more compute than it wanted to. It must have also become clear that owning all of OpenAI’s IP and models and being able to power their services with it wasn’t actually helping Microsoft enough to justify the capex, so they got desperate and bought Mustafa Suleyman’s crappy little company so he’d bring that DeepMind magic to Microsoft."

"Also, Sam Altman very clearly started making demands that were effectively “change the agreement to our benefit for no apparent reason,” and Microsoft embarrassed themselves making any concessions for him. I think that Satya had assumed he had full control of Altman, and when that wasn’t apparent, I think it weakened both his and Microsoft’s position.

And, if I’m honest, Microsoft has embarrassed itself with AI - substandard models, lots of noise but not a lot of actual stuff, running GitHub Copilot at a massive loss for several years, then turning on token-based billing and creating a bunch of bad blood for no measurable gain?

The partnership was great when Satya had control, and the moment he let Altman buy compute from other companies was the moment he lost it, even though it was absolutely the right thing to do."

Windows users have backlashed pretty hard against some of Microsoft's AI products, including things like random Copilot buttons and Windows Recall. Do you see Microsoft finding any realistically good and viable uses for LLMs?

"Nope! I don’t remember the last time that Microsoft made anything that was both new and good, and every “idea” that Microsoft has is literally somebody else’s! Copilot Cowork is Claude Cowork, GitHub CLI is Claude Code, Scout is Codex or some other agentic crap; it’s all the same thing in the glossy Microsoft wrapper that used to mean “good but expensive” but now means “weird and sterile.”

This is not a product company, and the only thing they seem to be able to do with talent is lay it off. Nobody wants anything they’re selling other than for the products they like to work like they used to. If I surveyed 100 people about what they’d change about Microsoft, I bet at least 30% of them would say “remove Copilot.”

For that to change would require Microsoft to make a completely different product."

What do you think the AI landscape will look like in 5 years, if you had to predict?

"These are all guesses, and I can’t append them to any time period. I’m pulling them out of thin air — I can’t see the future! Nobody can! These are things that could happen far more than they are for sure events.

1. LLMs are gone from the cloud other than for obscure GCP/Azure/AWS instances with AI GPUs for people doing very specific things, all of which cost way too much to do regularly.

Whatever LLMs survive are a boring on-device situation you run on a $100k workstation, and that’s not very common because they’re pretty expensive. That being said, this might also be what happens to the large amounts of GPUs that are left for dead after the bubble pops.

2. Eventually, the big labs have to start doing aggressive cost cuts, which up usage but up costs, or cost increases, which destroys usage. Either way, growth is slowing because of token-minimizing, and it’ll accelerate and eventually break the companies."

"OpenAI dies or gets absorbed into Microsoft, who jacks up the prices and unwinds the business. The same happens to Anthropic, which likely becomes a much smaller company that’s effectively a subsidiary of Google and Amazon.

3. Microsoft does a $5bn-$10bn write-down of GPUs and Nadella is booted in favor of Amy Hood. Maybe more!

4. The software industry enters a prolonged depression within the next few years because growth starts to stumble in one of the major hyperscalers. Remember: Anthropic and OpenAI are currently boosting the revenues of Microsoft, Google and Amazon, to a level that I really should look into!

5. NVIDIA’s revenues eventually return to the 2023 era, single-digit billions of dollars annually. I also expect some sort of write-down on their side too."

A huge thanks to Ed Zitron — now it's your turn

Thanks a ton to Ed Zitron for joining us on this piece. Be sure to check out Ed Zitron's podcast and newsletters here; both are full of incredible research and insights into the AI biz more recently, but also tech in general.

Often when I'm writing about AI, I feel like the big players are gaslighting me into believing that the tech is good enough to solve all of humanity's problems, if we'll just hang on and accept a little bit more (a lot more) compute. While it seems AI does have a role to play in parsing large quantities of data and tracking anomalies humans might miss, the "hyperscale" opportunities increasingly seem far-fetched and vague as we head through the current cycle.

Where it all ends up remains anyone's best guess. Perhaps some kind of incredible breakthrough will give AI the nuance and accuracy it needs to actually be a viable general-purpose assistant — rather than an expensive mimicry and content theft machine.

Perhaps its pairing with robotics will enable real opportunities that have so far eluded the big corps. Or perhaps the simple truth is: there's no real room for optimism here. Perhaps we've all been conned by something that seems suspiciously capable on the surface, until you actually put it to any form of real work.

What do you think? Hit the comments, let's talk.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 has a new search box on the way, or at least a slightly larger one. The search box within the Windows 11 Start menu will be four pixels taller if a change that's currently in preview ships to everyone.

That's four more entire pixels of height dedicated to searching for files or using the improved search capabilities of Windows 11. The change, which was accidentally included in release notes for a preview build, was the butt of jokes. But I think it also shows something bigger (pun intended).

Windows 11 has had design inconsistencies for years. Context menus are a mess and the operating system has a mix of features that originated in different decades. The Windows K2 initiative aims to reduce the pain points of Windows 11. As part of the push, Microsoft will also iron out inconsistencies.

Biggest News of the Week

With the development of Windows 11, if design consistency is thought about at all, it's an afterthought. The OS is several operating systems in a trenchcoat, resulting in a mismatched design.

But even within individual apps or settings, Windows 11's design lacks polish. The infamous one pixel border around apps infuriates some people and has been a hot-button topic for years.

If you look hard enough, you'll find tiny issues throughout the design of Windows 11. Windows not aligning or inconsistent menus do not break the operating system, but they do make it look unpolished. If Microsoft wants to convince people it cares about Windows 11, the OS needs to look like a finished product.

Small changes like resizing the search box in the taskbar, which appears to have been done to align with Copilot Search, add up. Attention to detail matters.

While the Windows K2 initiative may be felt most through its impact on RAM usage or other elements that affect performance, it can also give Windows 11 a refreshed look that improves the overall computing experience.

Shopping with Sean

A growing number of Windows 11 laptops are on sale. If you need a budget-friendly convertible, a premium-quality clamshell laptop under $1,000, or a brand-new laptop with a Snapdragon X2 and a beautiful OLED display, there are sales worth a look.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The tech world is sweating, and it’s not just the summer heatwave. This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino, Zac Bowden, and Jez Cordon sit down to unpack a massive wave of Microsoft layoffs. We break down Asha Sharma’s internal memo revealing a staggering 14 layers of middle management at Xbox, why the gaming division has struggled to capitalize on massive acquisitions like Fallout and Minecraft, and whether turning Xbox into an independent subsidiary is the brand's last chance for survival.

Zac walks us through the shocking Discord leak of "Project Ion," an experimental, web-native Copilot Operating System built entirely inside Microsoft Edge. Finally, we break down the quiet arrival of Snapdragon X2-powered Surface devices, the new 24 GB RAM "sweet spot," and why sources tell us the Surface Go lineup is officially dead.

• Microsoft and Xbox Layoffs: An in-depth look at the 4,800 job cuts, why the brunt is hitting Xbox, and a critique of management's failure to capitalize on massive IPs like Fallout and Minecraft.
• Leaked "Project Aion" (Copilot OS): Zac reveals an internal 2024 incubation project that leaked on Discord—an experimental, platform-agnostic, web-native operating system built entirely inside Microsoft Edge where Copilot replaces the traditional Start menu.
• The Tech Industry's AI Bubble: A philosophical debate on consumer pushback against AI, the staggering cloud costs of large language models, and the lack of quantifiable productivity gains for regular users.
• Snapdragon X2 Surface Refresh: Details on the consumer launch of the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12, the introduction of a 24 GB RAM middle-tier "sweet spot," and lower-cost 8 GB configurations engineered to beat the RAM crisis.
• The Death of the Surface Go Lineup: Breaking down exclusive source info confirming that the 10-inch Surface Go and the Surface Laptop Go lines have been canceled, leaving a major gap for enterprise and ultra-portable tablet fans.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Pocket Casts
• Subscribe via RSS
• Download the Windows Central Podcast

If you like the show, please let us know by give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps us!

LIVE Video Podcast

You can watch the live, uncut version of the Windows Central Podcast on our YouTube channel!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft's share price has slid 22% in the past year, as investors increasingly cast doubt on the firm's long-term AI strategy.

Artificial intelligence has been billed as the next coming by Big Tech, with everyone from Amazon to Google trying to figure out how to leverage the expensive technology to generate profits. The problem is, nobody is even close to having an answer.

Generative AI is incredibly costly to run, and the return on investment is unclear at best. Many companies are starting to discover that, in fact, it's cheaper and more effective to simply use human labor. Companies that previously laid off engineers in favor of AI models later found themselves crawling back to those fired, and others have put large restrictions on token expenditure as returns remain elusive.

I saw a clip on CNBC from Ed Zitron, creator of the Where's Your Ed At newsletter and host of the Better Offline podcast recently. It summarized Microsoft's AI conundrum in pro wrestling terminology — which appealed to my simple brain. His full analysis is anything but simplistic, though. It speaks to the hard reality companies like Microsoft are facing: Is any of this actually worth it?

Zitron describes the challenges of companies like OpenAI and Anthropic joining SpaceX in going public, describing how the company's financial realities betray the almost demented hype around them.

"They'd be the first to be this bad, other than WeWork, and this is so much worse than that. OpenAI burned $20.9 billion dollars in 2025. The problem with these companies is ... their margins are getting worse. Their costs increase linearly with their revenues. There's no proof they can improve their margins. No amount of specialist silicon will bring these costs down.

"We're at a point where OpenAI is pushing their IPO to 2027 because they couldn't get a trillion-dollar valuation. People are wising up to the problem of generative AI: there's not really a business there."

Zitron posits that none of the hyperscalers and companies like OpenAI and Anthropic "encourage waste," while potentially stealing ideas generated by companies using their models, citing Claude Design and Figma. Indeed, the only public company that seems to be flying on its AI hype right now is Google. I would argue that's less to do with innovating, and more because they've found a way to steal revenue from human creators via Gemini's Google Search summary box — instantaneously creating infinite, dynamic (albeit hallucinating) ad-scaling opportunities.

This wholesale content theft is not as readily available to OpenAI, Anthropic, or Microsoft. Google Search remains the dominant tool for browsing the web, and thanks to Chrome and Android, Google owns the entire stack here.

Microsoft very much does not own the entire stack. It barely owns a stack at all here.

Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI is on the verge of collapse, pending contractual obligations that will expire over the next few years. It's already ditching OpenAI's pricey models in favor of supposedly more-efficient MAI home-grown models in some products. Microsoft Copilot is already barely used, despite being baked into Windows. It languishes at lower than 10% of the market, according to estimates, far behind the likes of Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT.

CEO Satya Nadella's decision to give up on Windows Phone and internal Android projects has precluded Microsoft from any form of mobile play here. Mobile is where all new consumer tech will thrive, whether or not it's AI or something else. The historical open nature of Windows prevents it from reaching consumers with any of its products. Nobody uses Bing, Edge, or Copilot, and it's a result of Microsoft's wholesale lack of foresight.

Microsoft bet that it could provide the underlying infrastructure instead, and has spent monstrous amounts of CapEx on data centers in the past few years. But Zitron posited in a large report from May that it might be exaggerating, or perhaps even outright lying, about its data center expansion plans. Indeed, there's little evidence that Microsoft has actually expanded its capacity since 2024. Zitron tracked a variety of Microsoft-announced data center projects and found them in various states of incompletion.

Is this a signal that there's no real demand? Is Microsoft intentionally stalling and dragging out construction because it knows there's no actual ROI incoming from these projects?

AI-adjacent stocks, including SpaceX, Oracle, and Microsoft, have all been in near free-fall decline recently, as investors seem to bet that there's gross over-extension going on. Meta is also reportedly spinning up a cloud company to try and offload excess compute it had previously invested in AI specifically, despite not having any actual demand.

"The only reason Big Tech is investing in this is that they've run out of hypergrowth ideas," Zitron said, on the general AI industry. "They don't have a next iPhone, they don't have a new Google Search. They've put over a trillion, with trillions more to come, into a kind of dead-end industry. When that ends, they'll have to admit that they don't have anything else."

"In the future, I see [AI] as a boring hardware-based business, kind of the Oracle licensing hardware model. I think this is a $10 to $30 billion TAM [total addressable market] industry, pretending to be a $1 trillion industry."

"Everyone is just kind of pretending. It's the kayfabe of a tech industry that really has run out of ideas."

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

When the first rumors of Xbox's massive 3,200-role restructure started circulating weeks ago, just days after the Xbox Games Showcase, the Xbox community was awash with opinions on how Xbox should handle its lower-performing studios, and deserved criticism awaited the management that had allowed all of this mess to happen.

We've seen this play before: a spreadsheet-driven mega-corp consolidation normally means a beloved studio gets wiped off the map, and its intellectual property is discarded into a black hole, never to see the light of day again.

In a "best of a bad situation" twist, today Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has announced that in an effort to combat Microsoft's losses of 64 cents for every dollar invested in these teams, Compulsion Games and Double Fine are going independent. Ninja Theory and Undead Labs, on the other hand, will transition to new publishers.

No projects have been canceled (yet), no studio doors have been shuttered (yet). These studios now have a lifeline and a chance of survival outside the clutches and "14 layers of management" of Microsoft.

Following all this, I plead with the Xbox community: if you genuinely care about the survival of these studios beyond social media soliloquies, then it's time to put our money where our mouths are and support them.

RELATED: Xbox's big "reset" cuts: Compulsion, Double Fine, Undead Labs, Ninja Theory to leave Xbox — 3,200 roles to be removed

State of Decay 3 is not obligated to launch on Xbox Game Pass

Now, the true test of gaming consumers' loyalty is coming sooner than you think. As we recently shared, State of Decay 3 is no longer obligated to launch on Xbox Game Pass under it's new announced ownership terms. The same reality will likely apply to Ninja Theory's future projects.

This will change the entire equation for the average Xbox consumer. For nearly a decade, Xbox gamers have been conditioned to treat first-party titles as perks of the monthly subscription and haven't had to really weigh up the financials of each individual game purchase. Now this is a model I fully support, and it makes gaming so much more accessible for the majority, but clearly the math isn't mathing enough for Xbox.

Undead Labs could now be stepping out into the competitive wild west if they choose not to launch on Xbox Game Pass. Not giving the audience a chance to try your multiplayer game before buying it is a huge gamble, but if enough people buy it at retail price, it could pay off.

Whether studios decide to launch on Game Pass or not, we as players need to step up.

Vote with your wallet

I want to be clear: this isn't about virtue signaling in the way I see people do all the time about players choosing to use Xbox Game Pass as their main source of gaming entertainment. This is not a lecture. The current economic realities are brutal, and everyone should do what is best for their own budget.

Not every gamer has a disposable $70 (or whatever this game will cost) lying around to drop on a whim, and no one should feel guilty for protecting their own finances. That aside, my message is explicitly aimed at those who can afford it.

If you are a fan who spent the last year screaming on social media about corporate greed, demanding that Microsoft "let their studios cook," you now have a real chance to support those studios. Buying these games at retail on day one, whether on Xbox, PC, or PlayStation, is the clearest way to send a message to the rest of the industry that the work these studios does matter. (Note: State of Decay 3 is currently on the Steam Most Wishlisted games list and has already surged by 1,977 additions this week.)

It proves that mid-sized and experimental games have a viable commercial audience outside the protective bubble of Xbox's checkbook. Or, indeed, if nobody buys the games, it proves that Xbox ultimately made the right decision with these moves.

Xbox has made its new strategy crystal clear: they are slimming down their overly complex corporate structure, protecting their next-gen console hardware, and narrowing their focus to mega-franchises like Halo and Fallout. They want to be leaner, meaner and more profitable.

As for studios like Undead Labs and Ninja Theory, if we want these newly freed studios to flourish, we have to stop treating them like subscription padding and start treating them like creators worth paying for. If you can support them, you absolutely should.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has already confirmed that Windows 11 version 26H2 is the next annual feature update, and it's expected to roll out during the second half of 2026. Unlike those feature drop upgrades we used to get, requiring a full installation, this release will follow the same servicing model as version 25H2, arriving as a small enablement package that simply switches the version number from 25H2 to 26H2.

Whenever the company takes this approach, I see the same reaction: "It's not a real update because it doesn't include anything new," and I don't think that's accurate.

The enablement package is just the way the software giant delivers the update. It doesn't determine what's actually included in the release.

Today, Windows 11 evolves through monthly cumulative updates rather than one massive annual upgrade. Throughout the lifecycle of version 25H2, Microsoft continues to roll out new features, interface improvements, and security enhancements. When version 26H2 arrives, all of those additions officially become part of the next supported release.

If you're already running Windows 11 version 25H2, you'll likely receive most of these features before upgrading to 26H2. The actual installation will simply enable the new version while extending support for another two years. If you're upgrading from an older release, however, all of these improvements will arrive together, making the update feel much more substantial.

That alone is reason enough not to dismiss Windows 11 version 26H2.

In this guide, I'll highlight seven features and improvements I'm personally looking forward to the most.

Windows 11 2026 Update (version 26H2) top features

This list is not organized in any specific order. Also, at the time of this writing, the improvements are part of the Windows Insider Program, more specifically in the Experimental channel.

As a result, Microsoft can choose to discard any of them at any time, and remember that the company uses a gradual rollout approach, meaning it could take time for the new improvements to reach every compatible device, even after version 26H2 has been released.

1. Ask Copilot finally feels useful

Microsoft has been adding AI features across Windows 11 over the past couple of years, but not all of them have improved everyday tasks.

Ask Copilot aims to be something different. It introduces a new search box that brings Copilot directly into the search experience, allowing you to interact with AI while also using it as a traditional search tool.

It's not just for chat-style answers. You can use it to quickly find files, open apps, or locate system settings, similar to Windows Search but with AI-assisted results layered in.

What makes this feature more interesting is that it's optional. You're not forced to replace Windows Search. You can choose when to use Copilot instead.

While I'm not fully convinced of Microsoft's AI integration, I like this feature because it's surprisingly fast for surfacing settings and files, and it's optional.

This feature can be managed from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.

This feature is expected to be available on Copilot+ PCs as well as on regular PCs.

2. A more customizable Taskbar

The Taskbar is probably the part of the desktop I interact with more than anything else, so even small improvements can make a noticeable difference.

This new version is expected to bring long-requested customization options, including the ability to position the Taskbar anywhere on the desktop, and you'll also be able to make the Taskbar smaller.

These Taskbar improvements have specific settings that can be managed from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, and then by accessing the "Taskbar behaviors" settings to change the position and size.

Giving users more control has always been one of the platform's strengths, and I'd like to see Microsoft continue moving in that direction.

3. The redesigned Start menu

The redesigned Start menu is probably the feature I'm most excited about.

Microsoft is finally making better use of the available space while giving users more flexibility over how the menu looks and behaves.

First, the company is adding a menu setting to choose between smaller and larger sizes, rather than relying on the system to automatically determine size based on screen scaling and resolution.

Then there's an updated layout that makes it easier to organize pinned apps, browse installed applications, and reduce some of the clutter that has frustrated many Windows 11 users since launch.

For example, you can now independently show or hide Pinned, Recent, and All.

Also, note that "Recommended" has now been renamed to "Recent," and it's much clearer to hide it. Also, you can customize what type of content appears in this section.

Furthermore, disabling recent and suggested files will no longer turn off File Explorer's recent history.

Finally, to improve privacy while doing a presentation, you'll find a new option to hide your name and profile picture from the Start menu.

These settings will appear under Settings > Personalization > Start.

Instead of insisting there's only one correct way to use the Start menu, the company is giving users more choices. That's exactly what I expect from the operating system.

4. Windows Search without web results

This may be one of the smallest additions in version 26H2, but it's also one I've wanted for a long time.

Microsoft is finally adding an option to turn off web results in the Windows Search feature.

When I open the Start menu and type something, I'm usually looking for a file, a setting, or an app on my computer, not Bing search results. So, having a built-in setting to turn off web results should make Windows Search feel faster, cleaner, and far less distracting.

This implementation is expected to appear on Settings > Privacy & security > Search, under the "Show suggested search results" setting, where you'll also find an option to prevent search from showing Microsoft Store apps.

Sometimes the best new features are the ones that remove unnecessary clutter.

Currently, this feature is still a work in progress, but it can already be surfaced in the latest preview build of the operating system in the Experimental channel from version 26H2.

5. Better control over Windows Update

Windows Update has improved significantly over the past few years, but I still think users deserve more control over when updates happen.

As part of the new improvements, the company is expanding the Windows Update controls, making it easier to schedule updates and pause installations when needed without (significantly) compromising security.

For example, you can now use a calendar-based setting to pause updates for up to 35 days, and you can pause as many times as you want.

The new setting is available through Settings > Windows Update.

In addition, the company is reducing monthly reboots to only one by aligning the install schedule for drivers, products, and firmware updates with the quality update.

Also, the settings page for updates now groups downloads under a single "Available updates" section, and drivers include clearer labels.

Furthermore, the power options in the Start menu now show independent commands to restart and shut down without installing updates.

While the calendar-based setting to pause updates is gradually rolling out through the July 2026 Security Update, this improvement will also be considered part of version 26H2.

6. Administrator Protection security feature

Security features rarely generate much excitement, but Administrator Protection is an exception.

The feature changes how the operating system handles administrator privileges by adding another layer of protection around elevated processes, making it more difficult for malicious software to gain unrestricted access to the system.

Administrator Protection works by creating a temporary account to execute the task and then deleting the account when the task is complete. This approach ensures that the administrator privileges are not persistent, making the system more secure.

This feature is expected to become available through the "Account protection" page in the Windows Security app.

One thing to note is that this feature will replace User Account Control and will use Windows Hello for authentication.

7. Run dialog with modern design

Microsoft is finally giving the Run dialog box a visual refresh.

The new interface adopts the design language of Windows 11, bringing rounded corners, improved spacing, and a cleaner overall layout that better matches the rest of the operating system.

It's also noticeably larger than the classic version. The expanded layout provides a wider input field for commands and introduces a "recent commands" section positioned above the text box, making it easier to reuse previously entered entries.

Another practical improvement is the ability to surface matching apps as you type, complete with their icons. It's a small but useful upgrade that helps bridge the gap between a simple command launcher and a more modern search-style experience.

What makes this change particularly interesting is that the company isn't forcing it on everyone, at least initially. The redesigned Run dialog will be optional, with a toggle available in Settings > System > Advanced under the "Run dialog" option, allowing users to switch between the classic and modern versions.

Windows 11 doesn't need another major redesign

I understand why some people look at Windows 11 version 26H2 and think it isn't a major release, especially since it installs as a small enablement package.

However, that view places too much emphasis on how the update is delivered rather than on what it actually includes.

Microsoft no longer waits for one big annual release to add new features. Instead, Windows 11 is updated continuously throughout the year. The annual update simply packages all of those changes into a new, supported version of the operating system.

That's why I'm looking forward to the Windows 11 2026 Update.

It will take only a few minutes to install. However, by the time it arrives, it will already include months of improvements across the system, from a redesigned Start menu and a more customizable Taskbar to better search, stronger security, improved Windows Update controls, and a more practical approach to AI.

Windows Central's Take

I think Windows 11 version 26H2 shows that Microsoft has finally settled into a better update strategy. (At least for the foreseeable future.) Instead of holding features back for one big annual release, the company is delivering improvements when they're ready and using the feature update to reset the support lifecycle. That may not be as exciting as the old days of massive releases, but it's a much better experience for people who actually use the operating system every day.

More importantly, I like the direction that the company is taking with many of these changes. The common theme isn't flashy AI features or another visual overhaul. It's giving users more control over how Windows 11 works, whether that's customizing the Start menu, moving the Taskbar, cleaning up Windows Search, or making Windows Update less intrusive.

Of course, not every feature will matter to everyone, and some may still change before the final release. However, if Microsoft follows through on what it's testing today, I think 26H2 could end up being one of the most practical Windows 11 updates yet, even if it arrives as nothing more than a small enablement package.

What are your thoughts on some of the expected features coming as part of the 2026 Update for Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

When life closes a door, it tends to find a way to open a window. This week the tech industry may have tried a bit too hard to make that literally the case. Sony slammed the door shut on physical media while Microsoft extended the window of support for Windows 10.

Over the last seven days, we saw the Surface Go and Surface Laptop Go retired, PlayStation announced the end of discs, Sony revoked movies people paid for, and Xbox studios pushed toward a dissatisfying end. We also received new details on a potential disc-to-digital program for Xbox and gained another year of security updates for Windows 10.

A leaked video even gave us a glimpse of Copilot OS, though the door was never open for that AI-centered operating system to ship to consumers.

Biggest News of the Week

In a week full of things ending and rumors of shutdowns, it was refreshing to see that a disc-to-digital program could finally make its way to Xbox. Microsoft laid the foundation for that program with the Xbox One over a decade ago, but the company never rolled it out.

With Sony announcing plans to shut down its production of physical discs, Microsoft went in a different direction. While the next Xbox might not have a disc drive, it may support converting discs to digital licenses.

Microsoft has not made a final decision about the disc-to-digital program. With digital ownership under threat and Sony making such an unpopular decision, it would be a major miss if Xbox fails to take advantage.

Shopping with Sean

I'm happy to share that laptop deals remain strong and plentiful this week. Right now, you can get the Dell XPS 13 at a major discount. Both the Snapdragon X Elite and Intel Core Ultra 7 versions of that PC are on sale.

The HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is $650 off despite the laptop launching recently. It's one of the first PCs with the Snapdragon X2 Elite chip and is the prettiest laptop of the year, according to our review from Zac Bowden.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac and senior Xbox editor Jez Corden sit down to discuss the current state of Xbox, and where the business is headed.

It has been a wild month since Asha Sharma took the reins as Xbox CEO. While the team has been working to re-capitalize the brand and bring back some big-name exclusives, the narrative over the last week has taken a sharp negative turn. Between heavy rumors of Microsoft looking to sell off or close down certain first-party studios, console price hikes hitting shelves, and a massive rethink of what the next-gen hardware looks like, we wanted to figure out what’s actually going on with Xbox as a business.

In this episode, we break down the brutal economic realities hitting the industry. From the "RAM apocalypse" destroying console profitability to how free-to-play giants like Fortnite and Roblox have completely upended the old hardware subsidy model. We also look ahead at the next-generation "Helix" console, discussing whether Microsoft can actually deliver on its open Windows/Steam ecosystem vision if the hardware costs a grand, and what Sony's shift away from physical media means for the future of discs.

• [01:34] Podcast Introduction
• [03:17] The State of Xbox Leadership & Business Health A look at the whirlwind of changes under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, transitioning from the strategy of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond, and balancing last year's record profits with the harsh reality of incoming corporate cuts.
• [06:42] Microsoft-Wide Headcount Reductions & AI Capital Spending Discussion on how massive investments into Artificial Intelligence infrastructure are forcing headcount reductions and belt-tightening across all of Microsoft, including Azure, Surface, and Xbox.
• [11:34] Studio Closures, Sales, and the Fate of Big IP Jez discusses rumors regarding potential studio sales or closures (such as Ninja Theory and Undead Labs) and how Microsoft is trying to find buyers to save projects like State of Decay 3 rather than flat-out canceling them.
• [16:37] Is Xbox Becoming a Subsidiary? The hosts debate the pros and cons of Microsoft potentially spinning off Xbox into a more independent subsidiary, drawing comparisons to how LinkedIn and Skype were handled.
• [22:55] 'Ramageddon' and the Broken Console Subsidy Model How skyrocketing RAM and component prices mean both Microsoft and Sony are losing hundreds of dollars per console. The hosts explain how the rise of casual, non-monetizing players on free-to-play games has broken the traditional model of selling hardware at a loss.
• [28:32] The Death of Physical Media & Disc-less Futures Analyzing Sony’s shift away from physical disc drives and predicting whether the next-generation Xbox Helix will completely eradicate physical discs due to supply chain economics.
• [30:54] Next-Gen Consoles: Power, Pricing, and Lifespans A realistic projection of what the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Helix will look like, predicting premium price tags ($1,000+) and a much longer cross-gen lifespan for the Xbox Series X/S.
• [34:58] Xbox Helix: Open Windows Platform vs. Closed Box Jez outlines the original plan for Helix to function as an open Windows device supporting Steam, and how Microsoft's new Chief Strategy Officer, Matthew Ball, is rethinking that approach due to the financial risk of players buying the hardware but only spending money on Steam.
• [43:31] Grandfathering the Series X/S Family Exploring the possibility of the next generation skipping clean architectural cut-offs, instead grandfathering the Series S and Series X as budget tiers alongside the premium Helix.
• [52:12] The Unsustainable Cycle of AAA Game Development Zach and Jez express frustration over 6+ year development cycles, ballooning West Coast production budgets, and why smaller global studios (like Bloober Team) are building games more efficiently.
• [57:35] Code Name 'Positron': Xbox Disc-to-Digital Tech Jez details a leaked upcoming platform feature that allows users to insert a physical disc once, permanently claim a digital license to their Microsoft account, and only lose it if that physical disc is registered by someone else.
• [01:04:12] Redemption of the 2013 Xbox One Vision A retrospective on how the highly criticized 2013 Xbox One vision (all-digital, heavy DRM, licensing pools, multi-media focus) was actually correct, just poorly messaged and ahead of its time.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Pocket Casts
• Subscribe via RSS
• Download the Windows Central Podcast

If you like the show, please let us know by give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps us!

LIVE Video Podcast

You can watch the live, uncut version of the Windows Central Podcast on our YouTube channel!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It's been a few days since PlayStation announced the end of physical games, and to say the reception has been bad would be an understatement. While we here at Windows Central also reported that Xbox's Project Helix is expected to drop the disc drive, we also covered fresh details on Xbox's disc-to-digital scheme, which could give players a way to preserve their physical game libraries while still enjoying the benefits of digital ownership.

Following those stories, we asked you one simple question: "How do you feel about PlayStation ending physical game discs?" The response was overwhelmingly in favor of one option. Of the 1,577 votes cast, 71% of you said you'll miss buying physical games, while just 13% said you're happy to embrace a fully digital future.

I also spent some time reading through the comments because, while the poll shows how you voted, the discussion reveals why. Concerns over ownership, game preservation, the rising cost of digital storefronts, and calls for optional disc drives all came up time and time again. There was also plenty of discussion surrounding Xbox's Positron system, so let's take a look at what stood out most from the community.

For many of you, it's about ownership

Moving over to the comments, many of you echoed the results of the poll, saying you'll miss buying physical games, and to be fair, it's hard to blame you.

I've been guilty myself of embracing the convenience of the digital era, relying heavily on services like Game Pass. That said, when a game really means something to me, I still make the effort to buy a physical copy.

Halo: Campaign Evolved, which launches later this month, is a perfect example. I'll be picking it up on disc because, for me, it comes down to ownership. I want a physical copy sitting on my shelf, regardless of whether I also have access to a digital version.

That brings us nicely to our first comment, from Obi74 here on Windows Central:

“I'm not much of a gamer, so my opinions in this aren't strong. However, I have worked closely with product designers for many years and every time changes were made, we used to ask two questions:

What problem does this change solve for our customers?

Do our customers see this problem as important enough to be solved?

I can't come up with answers that make sense when I apply those questions to removing disc drives on consoles.

It's not a Microsoft issue. It just shows how those corporations moved from serving customers to mostly serving themselves.

Not a trend I like.”

Whilst Obi74 looked at it from the perspective of whether removing disc drives actually benefits consumers, Floyd Smertnitch took things a step further by looking at why Sony might be making the move in the first place. They wrote:

“The decision doesn't just make sense from the perspective of preventing reselling. There's also the 30% margin to consider: Sony takes 30% from every transaction made through the PlayStation Store. This is not the case for physical game sales. Sony takes a cut, but it is often smaller, and retailers can negotiate directly with publishers”

Whatever Sony's reasoning may be, a recurring theme throughout the comments was trust, or rather, the lack of it. Many of you worried about what happens when everything is tied to a digital license, with reader Goose UK sharing their own experience:

“They can still pull your rights whenever they feel like it... I prefer my media to be on a disk somewhere, and then digitized if possible, as I've had digital rights pulled in the past (including from a disc based game I currently own).”

That comment really sums up what many of you were saying throughout the discussion. It wasn't necessarily digital gaming that worried you; it was the thought of losing ownership and putting even more trust in platform holders to safeguard your purchases for years to come.

Many of you aren't against digital gaming

One thing that actually surprised me while reading through the comments was just how many of you weren't completely against digital gaming, especially given the outrage over Sony’s decision to end physical media. Like myself, it seemed as though quite a few readers admitted they'd already made the switch years ago, but still didn't want physical games to disappear altogether.

Reader RagingTyga summed it up rather well, saying:

"It's unfortunate but I've been mostly all digital for nearly 3 generations now, starting with the PS3, and now the Xbox Series."

They went on to argue that Microsoft's original Xbox One vision, despite being heavily criticized at the time, could have offered "the same benefits of Play Anywhere and Digital convenience WITH the preservation and collection aspect of Physical."

Looking back, Xbox may well have been ahead of its time in some respects (a common theme for Microsoft), but in typical Xbox fashion, they completely fumbled the messaging. Fast forward to today, and many of us seem to be heading towards that same digital future anyway, only now we run the risk of getting far fewer of the benefits that were originally promised.

Judging by both the comments and the poll, the issue doesn't seem to be digital gaming itself. It's the loss of choice. Many of you have embraced digital purchases for years, but that doesn't mean you want physical ownership to disappear entirely.

The community wants a compromise

Perhaps that's why one of the most common suggestions wasn't for Xbox or PlayStation to abandon digital or whatever, but to meet somewhere in the middle.

Several of you suggested optional external disc drives, multiple console SKUs, or Xbox's reported Positron disc-to-digital system as ways of preserving physical collections without giving up the convenience of digital gaming.

Reader Xirathi put it simply:

"Why not just sell an external drive for dirt cheap?"

Others shared similar ideas, with fatpunkslim suggesting Helix could launch with "an optional external reader," while GraniteStateColin argued Microsoft could offer an external USB disc drive for those who still wanted one, rather than forcing every buyer to pay for hardware they might never use.

Looking back at the poll, I actually think that ties in quite nicely with the 16% of readers who said they were still undecided and simply wanted more options. Rather than choosing between an all-digital future or sticking entirely with physical media, many of you seem to believe the industry can, and perhaps should, support both.

Interestingly, each social platform had a slightly different take on the news. Here on Windows Central, the discussion largely centered around ownership, game preservation, and consumer choice.

Over on X, many of you were more interested in the technical side of Xbox's reported Positron system, asking how it might work with older Xbox discs, backward compatibility, and lending games to friends. Reddit, meanwhile, was far more divided. Some argued physical media is no longer relevant because most people already buy digitally, while others felt the real issue wasn't the disc itself, but losing consumer choice and giving platform holders even more control.

The community's message is clear

No matter where the discussion took place, one thing stood out to me. This debate was never really necessarily about the plastic disc you purchase. It's about ownership, preserving the games we buy, and having the freedom to choose how we play them.

Personally, I think it's a sad direction for the industry. Whether you actively buy physical games or not, having fewer options is rarely a good thing. As the industry continues shifting towards digital ownership, we're placing more trust in platform holders to maintain access to the games we've paid for, and that's something I don't think should be taken for granted.

This is especially true, as Sony have just revoked over 500 purchased movies from PlayStation users.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our poll and joined the discussion here on Windows Central, as well as over on X and Reddit. It genuinely means a lot to us. If you have any more thoughts on the future of physical games, be sure to share them in the comments below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

I imagine that Sony knew its recent announcement that it's ending physical disc production in 2028 would cause backlash, but not likely to this extent. Indeed, the amount of pushback from gamers and game historians is astounding, and the debate is spilling out into adjacent communities.

Browsing the r/pcmasterrace subreddit last night, I came across one thread basically asking "what the point of a console is becoming" now that Sony is going digital-only and Xbox might not be far behind.

That's an excellent question, and one that I've also been pondering for some time. If consoles no longer have a physical library of media that can be owned, shared, and resold, what's the main appeal?

A mid-range PC-esque device that's locked down to one store? That requires subscription fees just to play online? Running software you can't control? Sounds fun!

I know, I'm not exactly being fair to consoles. As the top reply to OP's subreddit question about the point of consoles, it's "ease of use and low barrier to entry" that remain the selling points of Xbox and PlayStation.

Those are good points, but the foundation on which they're built is also quickly eroding.

Microsoft's Xbox Mode for Windows 11 effectively turns your PC into a console experience, exactly as the name suggests. SteamOS, Valve's custom Linux effort that runs on the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and increasingly other devices, is as smooth as any console UI I've used.

Next-gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony won't likely be affordable, at least not in the traditional sense. Nearly all components that make up a "PC" are far more expensive than they used to be, and the crisis isn't likely to see any easing AT ALL until early 2028, never mind a complete return to normal.

Unless something miraculous happens, I can't imagine next-gen consoles launching for less than $1,000. You might be effectively paying PC prices for console problems like license revocations, store closures (in the case of PS3 and PS Vita), and other overarching issues with game preservation.

The Steam Machine is pricey, but the perks are worth it

The running joke in the PC gaming community is that we'll spend anything just to keep playing, and there's definitely some truth in that. This willingness to spend has kept the PC market going through recent rough times, and it's why it feels like Valve gets a bit of a pass when it comes to the Steam Machine's pricing.

Launching at $1,049 for the base model, it's a refined gaming PC that offers a console-like experience for the living room. Valve straight out said the price is caused by component shortages and a lack of subsidies that are found in the console market, and it still sold out immediately.

Free online multiplayer. Access to any storefront you want. Deep sales on games, old and new. Freedom to use the device as a regular PC. Excellent emulation abilities to play old games. I could go on, but I'm sure you see the perks of a PC compared to a console.

It's no wonder that the Steam Machine has already spawned a new market of $1,000-ish compact gaming PCs and custom SFF projects. There's a real audience for this sort of thing, and I expect it will only continue to grow as jaded console gamers make their exit.

Even if you dislike Steam for its own digital ownership rules (or lack thereof), other PC game stores like GOG make it clear that you own whatever you buy, forever. Besides, there are plenty of ways to get your Steam games working without Steam.

And although Xbox is much more geared toward game preservation than PlayStation, it's still not on the same level as PC. The reality is that digital ownership on PC is not the same as digital ownership on console.

Is this the beginning of the end for the console market?

I understand that there's a lot of anger right now regarding game preservation and the overall state of the console market. There are probably going to be a lot of console gamers making a switch to PC in the near future.

However, that doesn't mean I think the console market is going anywhere anytime soon. Sony and Xbox are going to sell a ton of consoles between now and the next generation, and whenever that next gen arrives, it had better be an incredible piece of hardware with some can't-miss exclusives that draw gamers in.

Xbox has already signaled that its next device will be more like a Windows 11 gaming PC than ever before, capable of handling Xbox games, legacy games, and PC software.

I think that's the right move forward, but whether it can actually pull it off remains to be seen. Many will claim that exclusives are still the point of consoles, but if Project Helix is "like a PC," how exclusive will those games really be?

When the physical disc market disappears, and console exclusives increasingly end up on PC anyway, the argument for buying a closed box rather than an open box gets tougher to make.

Why buy a device that will only work while a corporation keeps the servers running? Who wouldn't want to own something you can build, upgrade, and keep going as long as you'd like?

Am I way off the mark here? Am I overlooking other perks of consoles not mentioned here? Let me know in the comments section below!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

As the dust settles after the Xbox Showcase and Summer Game Fest, I began reflecting on the games I checked out. One thing became increasingly apparent to me over the past few weeks: the game I found myself thinking about most is Remedy's upcoming Control Resonant.

The Control franchise forms the core of the 'Remedyverse,' which shares canon with Alan Wake, FBC: Firebreak, and potentially Quantum Break too (if Microsoft ever gives up the IP ...).

The original Control passed me by somewhat. I felt like it started a bit slow and for whatever reason, the game never gripped me. But after playing Resonant, I went back to Control and its DLCs, and played it religiously to completion in a single weekend.

Remedy's worldbuilding is second to none, and while Control itself wasn't perfect, Remedy is once again taking some unexpected risks with its sequel, Resonant, by completely flipping the gameplay style.

I didn't want to write this preview until I had the context of the Control universe in full. The rabbit hole runs incredibly deep in this world of parallel dimensions, quantum phenomena, and warped aberrations. Mysterious conspiracies, fourth-wall bending tropes, and hefty Twin Peaks, SCP, and X-Files inspirations made Control an unexpected hit with myself.

It's with humility that I admit I underestimated Control Resonant's potential. After going hands-on and getting myself immersed in the harrowing responsibilities of the Federal Bureau of Control, Resonant is now one of my most anticipated upcoming Xbox games.

The Hiss is spreading

The main character of Control is Jesse Faden on paper, but I would argue that really it's the Federal Bureau of Control itself in a lot of ways. The FBC is a secret U.S. organization that tracks, researches, and contains anomalies. Fans of the X-Files and SCP Foundation will find familiarity immediately here, but Control's mysteries tend to revolve around extra-dimensional phenomena and entities above all.

In the base game, Jesse arrives at the FBC headquarters to find her brother, taken by the organization when they were children. As she arrives, she finds their HQ on lockdown, with hundreds of agents driven violently insane by a mysterious extra-dimensional signal.

Without giving away too much for those who haven't played, very early on, Jesse ends up as the director of the Federal Bureau of Control, and becomes endowed with a variety of telekinetic powers and extra-dimensional weaponry. Jesse also finds her brother, Dylan, although it's hardly what you'd call a happy reunion.

Indeed, in Control Resonant, you take command of Dylan Faden, almost directly after the events of the previous game — and the threats are bigger than ever.

The mysterious signal that drove the Bureau's agents violently insane has spread beyond The Oldest House HQ and into Manhattan proper. Known as The Hiss, it turns regular folk into disturbed, murderous shadows of their former selves. And in Resonant, it seems to stronger and more deadly than ever.

CONTROL Resonant works incredibly well with action RPG elements

Change of central protagonist meets change of central gameplay style in Control Resonant.

The Faden siblings were experimented on and researched by the FBC for their Parautilitarian powers, which essentially gives them command of some of the Control universe's extra-dimensional physics. They're super heroes in short form, and their abilities make up the basis of gameplay in both titles.

The original was similar to Quantum Break with its physics-bending abilities mixed with gunplay. Resonant leans far more heavily into kinetics and melee combat, giving Dylan a variety of close-quarters capabilities that, to me, felt more intuitive in motion than Resonant's predecessor.

Dylan wields an aberrant tool which can transform into a variety of melee weapon forms. In the demo, I only had access to a couple of abilities, but more unlock as you play much like in the original. The basic hack n' slash horizontal slashery felt good, but not as good as the two-handed heavy hammer which can flatten enemies into paste — although the wind up can leave you vulnerable.

It's hard to say for sure how Control Resonant will play out across the course of its campaign. I wonder how Resonant will approach aspects of the original proved controversial with some critics. I loved getting lost in the dimension-breaking mind-fuckery that was The Oldest House, but some felt the map layout was confusing and convoluted, hurting the game's pacing.

Resonant takes place in Manhattan, warped and decimated by The Hiss signal. Dylan Faden can platform and hover from the outset, making for rapid city traversal almost reminiscent of games like InFamous or Prototype, albeit in a more linear, focused fashion. Indeed, this isn't a sandbox title, but the urban spread makes for a wider playground than its predecessor's oft-claustrophobic office-style haunts.

My demo concluded with a boss battle against a gigantic (and rather haunting) disembodied head. It wasn't quite soulsian in delivery as so many melee-oriented action games seem to want to emulate these days. It felt old school hack n' slash to me, in a good way, with well-telegraphed attack patterns that were easy to follow even on the higher difficulties. It also felt like a marked improvement from some of Remedy's previous attempts at boss battles, that's for sure. It makes me wonder just how many of them will pop up throughout the campaign.

I didn't expect Remedy to be able to pull off this type of gameplay so confidently. No guns in sight, slashing and hammering enemies into particulates felt effortlessly fun, but what really grips me about Resonant and Control in general is Remedy's painstaking approach to world-building and strong character treatment.

Dylan is an interesting character. We don't see too much of him in the original overall. But growing up as a lab rat in a nightmare-inducing Federal black hole is going to make for uniquely interesting hang-ups.

Also, Control already left several dozen (or more) unansered questions in its wake. Who or what is The Board? What is The Hiss, and what does it want? If indeed, anything at all? Jesse and Dylan's relationship doesn't seem as clear cut as being mere siblings either ... and the very nature of the Federal Bureau of Control itself is dripping with intrigue and conspiracy.

And I love it.

Control represents one of the most immersive universes I've gotten into in recent years. I know I'm late to the party, and regret that my attention-addled brain couldn't push through the slower-paced early segments sooner. Control Resonant was the perfect antidote — thrown head-first into apocalyptic chaos from the outset, in a world dripping with as much mystery as it is style.

Do not sleep on CONTROL Resonant

Control Resonant is launching in a very busy month, with lots of high-profile games in its orbit. Onimusha, Blood of the Dawnwalker, Wolverine, Silent Hill: Townfall, Minecraft Dungeons 2 ... just to name a few.

I'm surprising myself to say that Control Resonant will be the first of the September heavy hitters I intend to play this year.

If you like the look of it, I implore you to give Control and its DLC expansions a real go beforehand. The world building for me is what really makes Control a standout title, even if some other aspects of it aren't quite at the level you might want from a fully priced title. As an X-Files kid, there's just so, so much to love here, and the clandestine Federal agency angle remains a timeless trope that really sparks the imagination. Whether you grew up with Twin Peaks, the X-Files, or SCP, or even creepypasta in recent years — Control is at its best when it taps into that contemporary mythos.

Resonant may give Control's industry-leading worldbuilding the gameplay it deserves to match.

CONTROL Resonant launches on September 24, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC with Xbox Play Anywhere, PS5, and PC via Steam.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Xbox looks likely to follow PC gaming by doing away with physical media, and Sony is already taking heat for its plans to stop PlayStation disc production by 2028. Whether or not Microsoft's next-gen, PC-like "Project Helix" console ships with some kind of external disc drive option is up for debate, but we know that Xbox executives are rethinking their strategy around production and shipping, mostly thanks to the unending RAM crisis affecting Xbox console prices.

An understandable knee-jerk reaction across social media has been to quiz PC gamers on why they're comfortable with Steam's approach to digital-only game sales and its implied digital rights management, even if the executable DRM wrapper in Steam is apparently optional. Plus, the popular, if runner-up, GOG maintains its stance on DRM-free digital ownership, though it relies on a proactive backup mentality from buyers.

However, regardless of how any retailer pitches itself as supposedly being on the side of consumers, there's no denying that there's a scary implication for the future of gaming, whether that's on Windows PCs or whatever hybrid consoles come next. Sony already plans to close its digital PS3 and PS Vita store, and has withdrawn ownership of digitally purchased movies for UK gamers, due to "content licensing agreements".

The slow, miserable death of ownership

There's understandable pushback from some gamers, who ask whether physical discs serve a purpose in 2026, with many questioning whether their peers have even bought a game outside digital stores in the last few years. However, our own readers say they'll "miss buying physical games", and I'm firmly in the same boat. Still, the status quo is seemingly shifting to digital purchases (or rentable licenses, depending on who you ask), whether we like it or not.

Besides the obvious benefit of allowing a friend or family member to borrow your games with ease — something Sony is also suffering criticism for on social media, given its previous tongue-in-cheek video response to Xbox's stance at the time — other elements of physical media now feel stranger in their absence as time goes on. Midnight launches, quirky in-box booklets, and money-saving second-hand sales are relics of the past.

At the risk of sounding like a budding applicant for a nursing home, midnight launches were a huge part of the hype surrounding games. Sure, they've been irrelevant for a few years already, but the FOMO effect of seeing hundreds of people queuing to buy a game even piqued my interest in some that I previously had no real desire to play, now replaced by refreshing web browsers to pre-order a digital GTA 6 code for $100.

Even today, after picking up a Switch 2, I'm borrowing Switch 1 cartridges from friends to catch up on Nintendo's modern era, spending a grand total of zero dollars on second-hand titles. Now, as the company moves towards Virtual Game Cards, it feels like this will likely be the last generation that lets me borrow games. Sorry to all the younger siblings out there, but you'll need to buy your own copies — no more hand-me-down goldmines.

Frankly, I rarely even spend the full amount on PC games, opting instead for discounted CD keys from Loaded or somewhere similar. I'm so regularly frustrated when I see pre-owned boxed games grow cheaper — depending on their rarity — while some digital copies remain expensive. From now on, we can only hope for sales events and pray the platform owners never shut down and take our licenses away.

Are you concerned with the disappearance of physical game discs, or are you fine with digital ownership — perhaps as long as there's a plan in place to transfer licenses in the future? I'm interested in takes from both sides, and the justifications for anything in between. Let me know in the comments, because it's certainly a turbulent time for gamers, no matter what opinion you hold.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On Windows 11, if GIFs suddenly disappeared from the emoji panel, the problem wasn't caused by a broken update. It was caused by a service the operating system depended on quietly going away.

Starting June 30, 2026, users on versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1 began seeing a "GIF service is not available" message after pressing the Windows key + . (period) keyboard shortcut to open the emoji panel. Microsoft has now confirmed the issue affects devices that haven't installed its latest optional update, which replaces Google's Tenor service with GIPHY.

Why this happened

This wasn't a traditional bug with the operating system. The emoji panel relied on the Tenor API to search and display animated GIFs, but Google retired that service on June 30. Once the API was switched off, Windows 11 had nowhere to retrieve GIFs, leaving the feature effectively offline.

"Starting June 30, 2026, install the latest Windows update to continue using GIFs in the Emoji panel. If you don't update, you will see a 'GIF service is not available' error in the panel," Microsoft explains.

Instead of restoring Tenor, the company moved to GIPHY before the shutdown. Microsoft included the change in the June 23 preview update for versions 25H2 and 24H2 (KB5095093) and for version 26H1 (KB5095091), allowing updated systems to continue displaying GIFs without interruption.

Why GIFs may look different

The fix also changes the experience. Since Windows 11 now pulls results from GIPHY instead of Tenor, searches may return different animations, rankings, and content for the same keywords. The feature works the same way, but the library behind it has changed.

How to restore GIFs

If you're seeing this error, you can restore the functionality by installing the latest quality update from Settings > Windows Update. If you're doing this before the Patch Tuesday update release, then turn on the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" toggle switch.

Once the update is installed, the emoji panel automatically switches to GIPHY, and no additional configuration is required.

This is a reminder that even built-in features increasingly depend on online services outside Microsoft's control. When one of those services disappears, a feature that looks native to the operating system can stop working overnight until Microsoft rewires it to something else.

Windows Central's Take

On Windows 11, when a core feature suddenly stops working, the default reaction is usually to assume Microsoft broke something in the latest update. However, after tracking updates for years, I've learned that the operating system is often (not always) just caught in the crossfire of third-party service changes.

In this case, the company handled the transition as smoothly as it could. Instead of leaving users stranded, they already had a replacement lined up, and installing the latest update fixes the issue immediately. Just keep in mind that since GIPHY is taking over for Tenor, your typical reaction GIFs might look a bit different from now on.

Have you noticed any changes to the GIFs in the Windows 11 emoji panel, or are you still seeing Tenor? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

June is closing out, making it a good moment to recap the latest Windows 11 changes Microsoft delivered in the second half of the month. While there are no headline-grabbing feature drops, the updates continue to refine the overall experience with a steady set of improvements across the system. Microsoft also confirmed active development of Windows 11 version 26H2, the next major release on the roadmap.

During the final two weeks of June, preview builds in the Experimental channel transitioned their versioning from 25H2 to 26H2, signaling the formal shift toward the next development cycle.

At the same time, Taskbar customization gained more flexibility, allowing users to adjust its size independently of button scaling, offering finer control over the desktop layout.

Meanwhile, the Future Platforms channel received a broader set of enhancements, including Screen tint, reduced reboot requirements for Windows Update, improved Magnifier zoom options, and refinements across Personalization, Storage, and Audio settings.

In the Experimental channel, we've seen builds 29617, 28120.2374, 26300.8758, 28120.2315, and 26300.8697. In the Beta channel, the company released builds 26220.8754, 28020.2366, 28020.2308, and 26220.8690.

In this recap, I'll highlight the latest and most noteworthy changes available through the Windows Insider Program.

Biggest improvements from the Windows Insider Program in June 2026

These are the most significant changes Microsoft has unveiled since my last roundup.

Windows 11 version 26H2

Although it's not a feature, starting with build 26300.8697 in the Experimental experience, Microsoft officially changed the version number from 25H2 to 26H2.

You will find the change in Settings > System > About, under the "Windows Info" section. Also, the version number can be found when running the "winver" command. However, the "Windows Insider Program" still reports this channel as "Windows 11, version 25H2."

This means that everything that the company makes available in the Experimental channel will become part of the version 26H2.

However, another point to note is that versions 25H2 and 26H2 share the same core file system, meaning that even though the company has announced the development of the new version, virtually all the changes intended for version 26H2 will also be available for version 25H2.

Privacy & security page redesign

Build 26300.8697 also updates the "Privacy & security" page with a new header that includes an entry point to the Windows Security app and a glance at details for various features, including location, camera, and microphone features.

On the rest of the page, the development team is also reorganizing the items into new sections, including "Your info," "Communication," "File access," and "System."

Other new entry points include "Custom Dictionary" and "Passkeys."

Although it's not officially available, it has been found that on the "Search" page, Microsoft is updating the "Show suggested results" setting to include options to disable web searches and Microsoft Store apps from search results in the Windows Search feature.

Mobile Devices changes

As part of the change for version 26H1, in the Beta and Experimental channels, builds 28120.2374 and 28020.2366 update the Mobile Devices page in the Settings app and add the ability to configure and manage mobile devices.

Emoji panel changes

Also, in version 26H1, the company is changing the GIF provider to GIPHY, replacing the Tenor API to improve the experience for browsing and sharing GIFs.

Taskbar resize option

Microsoft also made available build 26300.8758 for version 26H2, which updates the Taskbar settings with a new dedicated option to make the Taskbar smaller.

The setting is called "Taskbar size," and it features two options, including "Default" and "Small."

If you use the "Small" option, this action turns off the "Show smaller app icons" feature.

The description under the "Automatically hide the taskbar" option is also new in this release.

Sounds in dark mode

This isn't a flashy improvement, but it's worth pointing out that build 26300.8758 improves system sounds when using the system dark mode.

XBOX branding

In the Gaming section, the Xbox mode page is being rebranded to "XBOX mode" as the company refreshes the brand based on feedback.

Screen tint new feature

On Windows 11 build 29617 for the Future Platforms version, Microsoft introduced a new accessibility feature called "Screen tint." It's a system-wide color overlay designed to reduce eye strain and soften overly bright or saturated displays.

Unlike the Night Light feature, which primarily reduces blue light for nighttime use, Screen tint changes the overall intensity and color tone of the display during the day. The software giant notes that the two features solve different problems and can work together.

The feature is available in Settings > Accessibility > Vision > Screen tint, with six preset tint colors and an option to create a custom color.

In addition, you can also adjust the intensity with the available slider. However, one thing to point out is that enabling Screen tint disables Color Filters, and vice versa.

Magnifier new zoom controls

The Magnifier feature is receiving several enhancements for the Future Platforms version.

For instance, it's now possible to enter a specific zoom percentage directly in the interface instead of repeatedly clicking the zoom-in and zoom-out buttons.

Also, in the Magnifier settings, you can now find additional zoom presets, including 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 400 percent.

Personalization changes

The company has also improved the personalization experience by enhancing the accuracy of automatic accent color selection. This allows the operating system to better match the chosen accent color to the colors in your desktop wallpaper.

In addition, Microsoft has fixed a problem to improve how background images are preserved across restarts and upgrades.

These improvements are already available in other channels, but they won't arrive in the Future Platforms version until build 29617.

Windows Central's Take

I like the direction Microsoft is taking with these Insider builds. There isn't a single feature that completely changes how I use Windows 11, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the best updates are the ones that quietly make the operating system more polished over time. A dedicated Taskbar size setting, a cleaner "Privacy & security" page, and accessibility improvements may not grab headlines. However, they're the kinds of refinements people notice after using the operating system every day.

The official move to version 26H2 is also significant. Based on Microsoft's recent release strategy, I expect the next feature update to focus more on improving what already exists than on introducing major new experiences. If that's the case, I'd much rather see the company continue investing in performance, consistency, and usability than chase flashy features that don't solve real problems.

Of course, these are still preview builds, so I wouldn't recommend installing them on a primary computer unless you're comfortable testing unfinished preview builds.

What do you think about these latest Windows 11 changes? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Last week, Microsoft quietly announced that it will extend support for Windows 10 through 2027, even though the operating system officially reached the end of support on October 14, 2025. Initially, the company had planned to offer just one additional year of updates under its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, but the new decision gives Windows 10 a longer lifeline.

However, critics and groups like The Restart Project, which helped co-develop the "End of 10" toolkit to support Windows 10 users who can't upgrade to Windows 11, claimed that Microsoft's move to continue pushing security updates to Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a band-aid on a bleeding system.

They argued that the move would force up to 400 million working PCs into early retirement, prompting many users to brand it as programmed obsolescence rather than anything else. It also seems like an outright, blatant attempt designed to make users transition to Windows 11.

However, if previous complaints lodged are anything to go by — Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements for the operating system, coupled with arguments of flawed design elements, including unnecessary AI and Copilot integrations, will only widen the digital divide, making the jump even harder.

Currently, users enrolled in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program will continue receiving critical security patches for one additional year, extending coverage beyond the original end-of-support date of October 14, 2025, through October 14, 2026.

Windows 10

As highlighted in the poll results, a clear majority of participants (68%) indicated they plan to continue running Windows 10 on their devices following Microsoft’s support extension. Interestingly, 19% of respondents said they have already upgraded to Windows 11, highlighting a smaller but notable shift toward the newer operating system.

Granted, only 321 people voted, so we need to take the results with a pinch of salt.

If you are still running Windows 10 on your PC, you can take advantage of the extended lifeline by enrolling in the ESU program for free by signing in with a Microsoft account, or pay for access via 1,000 Microsoft reward points or $30.

Last week, I wrote an article attempting to capture the overall sentiment from the community and tech enthusiasts following Microsoft's decision to extend support for Windows 10 through 2027. It quickly became apparent to me that many people are still running Windows 10 on their devices, with some outrightly calling for Microsoft to extend Windows 10's shelf life to 2028 because 2027 won't cut it.

The conversation about alternative operating systems like Linux also popped up. According to an avid Windows Central reader:

"Linux has gotten way better, and perhaps with some install help it does everything the common folks want to do (read: not gamers or others reliant on some very specific tailored app).

The way Microsoft has been talking about their future makes every conscious consumer know this is only the beginning, and regular os subscription payments, more surveillance etc is coming.

I might buy win 11 based pc in the future when the current one stops working, but I already know it will run Linux just fine, so MS has opened Pandora's box.

Though frankly I'm surprised MS cares so much. corporate world has been their sole focus for over a decade, and they still have a good stranglehold there. ofc one piece of wisdom might be that if people use Linux at home, eventually they'll start asking why we are using MS products at work. We are used to Linux and more competent with apps there."

"What they are admitting is that they are afraid of letting part the 25% Windows base go for Linux or worse, to become botnets for cybercrime after they get infected for lack of security patches, creating havoc," another reader added.

Some users came up with interesting ideas, painting a picture where Microsoft continues to support Windows 10 and Windows 11 simultaneously.

While it seems inevitable for users to eventually upgrade to Windows 11, the current RAM crisis due to AI's heavy appetite for computing power isn't making the jump any easier, as hardware prices are steadily increasing and becoming unaffordable for most people. According to another Windows Central reader:

"That people don't have the money to upgrade at today's prices.

Let's not make too much of this: MS OSes have always run a bit ahead of entry level hardware and conversely, people have always stayed with trailing edge software longer than safe. There are probably still people running Windows XP out there.

The security rationale of W11 over W10 can be debated but in the end, everybody will have to upgrade the hardware...

...when they can afford it. At least MS is being understanding that it's not just parsimony holding people back."

That said, it will be interesting to see if Microsoft will continue to hold its massive dominance in the desktop landscape with Windows.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It's no secret that due to increasing RAM and NAND (storage) costs, everyone from Apple to Dell to Valve to Xbox is raising prices. And it's the latter here we're concerned with, as this may be your last chance to get the Xbox Series X below $700 until 2028. Indeed, we may not see prices on hardware drop significantly until 2030.

As such, I'm creating this page to show you the latest deals and inventory on the Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and associated accessories like the ever-so-important expansion cards.

I'll be updating this page every day, usually multiple times.

Xbox Series X prices

The Xbox Series X (see our updated review) is the top-tier Xbox model and is aimed at 4K/60 FPS gaming for those who want the best and fastest available.

Because it's in such high demand, this one often sells out or goes through frequent and rapid price shifts. We think it's the version most people should buy.

We have seen Xbox Series X (1TB, optical) drop down to $573 in the last few days (during Prime Day), and that could happen again for the July 4th holiday.

Xbox Series S prices

If you want to save some more money and don't quite need the power of the Series X (or simply can't afford it), you can go for the more budget-friendly Xbox Series S. If you're not familiar with this model, you can read our Xbox Series S review (2025) for more context and to see what we have to say about it.

The tl;dr is the Xbox Series X is the more powerful console, built for native 4K gaming, higher frame rates, and larger storage with its 1TB SSD. The Xbox Series S is a smaller, more affordable model designed for 1440p gaming, with reduced GPU power and a 512GB or 1TB SSD.

Both run the same games and features, but the Series X targets premium performance while the Series S focuses on value and accessibility.

The good news is that while the savings are not as much for Xbox Series S, they are often in stock at most stores either for pickup or shipping.

How much (and when) are Xbox prices going up?

Beginning August 1, the Xbox Series X Digital will rise to $749 (up from $599) and the Series S to $499 (up from $399) in the United States, with similar jumps across multiple regions.

And those are the entry-level models!

Xbox Series X (1TB) with optical drive is going up to $799 (from $649), while the Xbox Series S (1TB) increases to $599 (from $449).

To put that in perspective, the Xbox Series X (1TB) with optical drive launched at $499, but is going up a total of $300.

The company cites rising manufacturing and component costs as the primary driver, noting that the broader hardware market continues to face pressure that shows no signs of easing.

Analysts expect component prices to climb again in 2027, driven by supply constraints and increased demand for advanced chips. Microsoft’s own internal projections suggest that the “Rampocalypse” — the ongoing surge in RAM and component pricing — will continue well into 2028, making this price hike potentially the first of several.

For consumers, the timing is significant. Xbox consoles have remained relatively stable in price for years, but this shift signals a new era where premium hardware will cost more to produce and more to buy.

With the August 1 increase approaching, the window to buy an Xbox Series X|S at current pricing is closing quickly. We’ll keep updating this tracker as retailers react, deals appear, and the market adjusts, so you always know the best time to make your move.

What about expansion cards?

If you're picking up an Xbox Series X or Series S, extra storage becomes essential fast. Constantly deleting games or clearing space for updates interrupts play and makes managing your library a chore.

The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S adds more room instantly with true plug‑and‑play support, giving your console the storage it needs without slowing anything down.

Like Xbox consoles, we've seen pricing on these vary a lot, and many times they go out of stock, so give it some serious thought, as we do expect these cards to cost even more later this year.

As to why get a storage card, it really depends on the size of your gaming library.

For instance, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 alone is 161 GB, without any DLC. The Seagate Expansion Card delivers similar speeds to the native storage of the Xbox Series X|S, so you can store games on the card and play them without having to transfer or delete files.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The 2026 XBOX Games Showcase was undeniably packed with exciting game reveals from AAA studios and independent teams alike, but there was one particular reveal that I can’t stop thinking about. As soon as the large purple text and adorably odd bird-like creatures appeared on screen, I recognized the art style. Everybody’s favorite little purple dragon was back to face a new foe, albeit with a little more of a mature redesign that reflects some of the new gameplay mechanics.

Toys for Bob unveiled Spyro: A Realm Beyond in a flashy cinematic trailer, complete with a tease for our hero’s newest ability — goodbye gliding, hello flight. Spyro can be seen soaring through the air with his new skill: freely flying through the arches of a bridge and collecting orbs in the sky of the beautifully color-saturated world, where the danger of a dark and mysterious big bad lurks above the clouds.

The reveal for Spyro: A Realm Beyond has been nothing shy of successful. The cinematic reveal trailer on the Spyro The Dragon YouTube channel has amassed more than 16 million views in just two weeks. Add yet another million when you combine view counts across the XBOX, Nintendo, and PlayStation channels.

But the successful revival of Spyro almost didn’t happen. Toys for Bob had to return to its independent roots after being targeted for closure by Activision to give its beloved purple dragon his big-boy wings.

The path forged by Toys for Bob — avoiding closure and spinning out to become an independent studio that continues to work in partnership with Activision and XBOX to publish its next game — could prove to be the solution that just might save studios like Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games, which are rumored to be next on the chopping block under new XBOX CEO Asha Sharma’s “reset.”

A notable history that led to a radical plan

Few game studios make it to see their 35th anniversary. With the tumultuous state of the games industry today, that elite club seems even more elusive. But Toys for Bob, originally founded in 1989 and operating as a partnership between founders Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford until the pair incorporated the studio in 2002, has somehow managed to not just see the 35-year mark — it has surpassed that milestone and continues trucking along, creating mesmerizing and meaningful digital worlds for a dedicated fanbase.

However, the Toys for Bob story is one of resilience. In 1990, the studio changed the landscape for science fiction games with the release of Star Control, followed by the 1992 sequel Star Control II with Accolade, Inc. and Crystal Dynamics as its publisher. Toys for Bob continued its partnership with Crystal Dynamics until the early 2000s, when it faced a layoff following the release of Disney’s 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue.

The studio found a new publisher in Activision and was fully acquired by the publisher in 2005. Activision then merged Toys for Bob with Vivendi Games, which held the rights to the Spyro IP at the time, setting the studio up to launch the Skylanders series and pioneer the toys-to-life game genre. “We had a fantastic, successful partnership over that time,” Toys for Bob studio head Paul Yan said in a recent IGN interview. Toys for Bob’s time with Spyro didn’t end there, as they then released the Spyro Reignited Trilogy in 2018.

After the unbelievably successful launch of Call of Duty: Warzone in March 2020, however, things changed for the studio as Activision began to allocate all of its studio teams to the resource-hungry free-to-play battle royale. Toys for Bob took its place as part of the dozen-plus studio machine that was fueling Call of Duty in addition to providing support for Overwatch 2 and other Activision properties.

“Toys for Bob stepped up to support those initiatives, and those teams, and those games. We’re very proud of the work that we did, but deep down inside, we knew it wasn’t the right fit. We were getting away from the types of games that we love to make and that we’re best known for doing,” said Yan.

Activision was then acquired by Microsoft in 2022. Despite statements by then Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer on the potential for studios to revive past IPs, Toys for Bob still found its studio offices closed down amid massive layoffs that affected 1900 jobs across Microsoft’s workforce in January of 2024. Just four months later, Toys for Bob successfully spun off from Activision and regained its independence.

How to save a game development studio the Toys for Bob way

Toys for Bob’s plan was unprecedented. Buy back its independence. Take back creative, financial, and organizational control. And preserve its tenured team. For the plan to succeed, it hinged on the past success of Spyro. The team pitched a new Spyro title, published by Activision and XBOX with plans to drop day one on XBOX Game Pass, to secure its future. Two years after going independent, the Spyro: A Realm Beyond trailer showing up during the XBOX Showcase feels like a step in the right direction for a radical plan at independence paying off.

The more things change, however, the more they stay the same. XBOX has a new CEO with fresh eyes for the future of the company, but rising hardware prices and ballooning development costs are cutting into the bottom line. We’re told a ‘hard reset’ is on the horizon. Microsoft-owned studios like Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games are the new sacrificial lambs sitting on the proverbial chopping block, despite a strong showing for Senua at the 2026 XBOX showcase and South of Midnight’s ongoing award-pick-up spree.

Studio closures are a scourge on the gaming industry. Studios are often formed from teams that come together organically to bring life to a creative vision, and then those studios are scooped up by publishers who promise financial security. Then, when the tides of a fickle industry shift, the studio is shuttered, and creative talent that was being fostered finds itself fractured between other studios, where the cycle starts again. That’s without taking into consideration the talent that simply leaves the games industry altogether.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond was more than just a game announcement. It felt like a victory lap for independent game development and a survival plan for how studios could keep things together even in the face of closure.

Should Asha Sharma consider taking any pages from Phil Spencer’s playbook as CEO, I hope it’s the one that saw fit to accept Toys for Bob’s independence plan so that we can continue to see studios in danger of closure have a chance to stand on their own and create what they love. When studios like Toys for Bob have the opportunity to return to their independent roots and keep creative teams together rather than just finding locks on the studio doors, consumers win.

With any luck, the radical plan that let Toys for Bob become an indie studio with creative control can serve as a roadmap for studios like Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games if the rumors of their impending closures turn true. If there's anything the games industry can use right now, it's radical plans for independence that pay off.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Two more Surface devices were announced this week, at least technically. The ongoing RAM crisis forced Microsoft to follow in the footsteps of Apple and Acer by making laptops with 8GB of RAM in 2026.

During a week full of deals through Amazon and other retailers, Microsoft took a different approach to make its Surface devices more affordable, at least for certain models. The Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch can now be bought with just 8GB of RAM.

Those versions with less memory start at $849 for the Surface Pro and $949 for the Surface Laptop. I'm happy to see more affordable options, but Microsoft's timing was poor. Raising Surface prices during Prime Day meant better hardware was at or near the same pricing as the cheaper Surface Pro and Surface Laptop. And with other retailers dropping prices to compete with Amazon, the new Surfaces are a bad value.

Dell’s XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is still $999.99, which means better hardware is sitting only $50 above Microsoft’s new “affordable” Surface models.

Deals, discounts, and rising prices were the focus of this week, but we also saw Windows 10 support extended and Bill Gates weigh in on AI. Here are the biggest stories from the week.

Biggest News of the Week

Microsoft is in a no-win situation with pricing. RAM and other components continue to go up in price, so manufacturers have to adjust to match. Even Apple, which was more insulated than most due to stockpiles of components, had to increase the cost of MacBooks, iPads, and other devices.

As a result of shortages, Microsoft has had to raise the price of hardware. Since people still need laptops at somewhat reasonable prices, models with 8GB of RAM can fill that gap.

8GB of RAM is better than many assume on a Windows 11 PC. Our Cale Hunt said using a device with that amount of memory is "Not only viable but quite enjoyable." Since that's the case, more affordable Surface devices are good news.

But announcing a Surface Pro and a Surface Laptop with lower price tags in the same week as one of the biggest shopping events of the year is a strange strategy.

A Surface Laptop with a Snapdragon X Plus, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage costs $949.99 through Microsoft's website. The Dell XPS 13 (9345) with a Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage is on sale for $999.99 through Dell.

Maybe Microsoft should have rolled out its cheaper Surface devices a bit earlier or held off until other sales ended.

Shopping with Sean

The best deal of the week is still up for grabs despite Prime Day ending, and it's the laptop I just highlighted. Dell's discount on the XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite drops that premium laptop to $999.99. That discounted price looks even better after Apple raised the prices of its MacBooks.

If you want something newer, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is $650 off. That gorgeous laptop is powered by the Snapdragon X2 Elite. I'm jealous of our Senior Editor Zac Bowden because he got to review it (the OmniBook 14 Ultra earned a perfect score in that review).

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

If, by some miracle, you've been living on the moon in a soundproof dome for the last six months, you may not have noticed that gaming hardware has grown extremely expensive, making the hobby a mostly miserable affair for all involved. We first called it the RAM crisis, but the sad reality is that it's now spilling over into storage, and experts are predicting a grim future.

It's shredding PC gaming, as Valve's much-anticipated Steam Machine launched at over $1,000 for its cheapest model — a higher price than most might have expected — with its creators explaining that it "reflects the state of the world". Consumers are flanked at every turn, as anyone planning to buy older generations of memory sees that DDR4 and even DDR3 prices are going up.

It's easy to point fingers at Microsoft, given its undeniable, if somewhat retracted, obsession with AI, whether that's Copilot in Windows or an implementation across its Azure cloud stack. And let's be honest, it's not without irony that XBOX CEO Asha Sharma said that "gaming is becoming unaffordable" just before the brand announced a price increase on its consoles.

Sure enough, Xbox's Matthew Ball agrees that "crisis is the right term", and the effects of expensive RAM will undoubtedly be felt in the lead-up to its next-gen Project Helix console — which supposedly behaves more like a gaming PC — and who knows what its launch price might look like (over a thousand dollars?) In fact, hardware pivots are already appearing in Microsoft's PC hardware, as the Surface Laptop returns with 8GB of RAM to keep costs down.

I know, I'm hardly a beacon of good news or hopeful visions of the future, but this AI bubble will presumably break at some point, and it's good to take stock of what options we actually have. The usual midsummer onslaught of sales events brought some relief with retailer discounts, and pre-built gaming PCs maintain a hint of value throughout. Still, prospective buyers will have to brace for an inevitable sting if they plan to grab something later this year (or into 2027).

If you're interested in console gaming, you're looking at a minimum of $749.99 for a digital Xbox Series X — that's the one without a disc drive — or $499.99 for a similarly discless (and less powerful) Xbox Series S. On Sony's side, a PS5 Pro is now $899.99, or at least $599.99 for a digital base PS5. That's without any games, by the way, and Grand Theft Auto VI recently confirmed a $99 price tag for a code of its Ultimate Edition with all in-game content intact.

Gamers at large are already expected to spend close to $1,000 just to get started. The entire situation is absurd and unfair, but it puts the price of handhelds like MSI's $1,799 Claw 8 EX AI+ into perspective; that's just how much this kind of ultra-enthusiast hardware costs now. The whole thing reminds me of a bygone era of crypto mining that drove up GPU prices, but this time, it's bigger and even more insulting.

So, what are you supposed to do? You can penny-pinch your way through buying discounted and second-hand hardware, or you can submit to a future of subscription-based gaming streamed from the cloud. If you don't already own an Xbox, I'd suggest picking one up before the price increase happens in August, but that's about all you can do. Stay strong, gamers.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

If there ever was a golden age of cheap memory and storage, I'm sorry to tell you that it's over.

The 2TB NVMe SSD you bought early last year? It now costs three times what you paid. The 32GB kit of DDR5 RAM that was $90 last summer? It's now somewhere between $300 and $500, if you can find it for sale at all.

The effects of the RAM crisis are being felt downstream in tech markets everywhere. Xbox just announced this week another console price hike. Apple announced it's raising prices of its MacBooks. Microsoft recently raised the prices of its Surface PCs. The Steam Machine is making its debut at $1,049. I could go on and on.

The worst part of this whole RAMpocalypse? No one really knows when it's going to end.

Why are memory and storages prices still going up?

So what happened? AI happened. The way the world's memory market is set up relies on three major companies to supply everyone else with DRAM for consumer memory and storage.

Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron realized early on in the AI boom that they could make a whole lot more money by moving away from consumer memory and into high-bandwidth memory (HBM) that's used in AI datacenters.

Profit margins are enormous on the other side, and I really don't find it surprising that these massive corporations made the shift, as companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have essentially offered blank checks to buy up as much memory as possible.

The fallout of these moves by the three big memory manufacturers, of course, is a strangulation of the consumer memory market. And this isn't a typical supply crunch like we've seen in the past that can be remedied by a new manufacturing plant coming online.

This time around, the memory crisis is a reallocation of the world's DRAM manufacturing capabilities, and there's no real end in sight.

I don't think RAM and SSD prices will drop anytime soon

I'm not expecting to see tech prices drop anytime soon, and you don't have to take my word for it.

Counterpoint Research confirmed in February that memory prices rose in Q1 2026 by 80% to 90% compared to Q4 2025. Late last year, Kingston noted that it had seen a 246% increase in NAND wafer pricing compared to the start of 2025, the steepest ever in the company's 29-year history.

In February 2026, Gartner released findings suggesting that, by the end of 2026, DRAM and SSD prices could surge by 130% compared to 2025, which could raise PC prices by 17%. I believe we're already seeing that estimation come into play, and this same study predicts that global PC shipments could fall by 10.4% this year.

It gets worse. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra signaled earlier this year that the RAM crisis would continue beyond 2026. This week, Micron announced that most of its DRAM has been bought up via long-term contracts through 2030, and that there's almost certainly no end to the crisis.

SK hynix, another one of the three big DRAM players, stated in 2025 that its HBM, DRAM, and NAND manufacturing capacity is sold out through 2026.

OK, I know that's a lot of numbers, but I'm trying to drive the point home: the RAM and SSD crisis isn't likely to end in 2026. It probably won't end in 2027, either. 2028 could be our lucky year, but that's relatively far into the future and harder to predict.

The problem is compounded by the fact that it takes a very long time to create new fabrication plants, not to mention the billions of dollars required to get the project going.

Micron is building a new fab plant in Idaho, for example, but it's not likely to begin producing anything meaningful until the end of 2027. Keep in mind that this is the same company that axed its entire consumer RAM and SSD portfolio in 2025 to focus on AI clients.

Samsung and SK hynix, meanwhile, are focusing on raising production in their existing plants, as new fabs won't be ready until the late 2020s.

Most of the analyst forecasts I've read rightfully point to some relief coming no earlier than late 2027, and I'm not talking about 2024-era prices. If those prices ever return, it will be at the end of a long, slow decline as the market levels out.

If memory prices drop, will PC prices also fall?

I certainly enjoy entertaining more conspiratorial ideas, and the one question that I don't think enough people are asking is about PC prices after memory and storage markets return to normalcy.

Will the laptops, PC components, consoles, tablets, and other affected tech products drop in price once RAM and storage markets return to normal?

If I'm being optimistic, then yes, I do believe that a correction in component costs would also lead to a correction in PC and console pricing. History suggests that this isn't out of the ordinary. There was a glut of memory and storage in 2023 and 2024, and I recall consumer prices did soften a bit.

However, I don't think 2026/2027/2028 is at all the same as years gone by. PC makers are expecting to see a major hit in worldwide PC shipments in 2026. As mentioned, Gartner predicts a 10.4% decline. IDC research points to an 11.3% decline.

The twist is that by raising prices for consumers, the PC market is still expected to grow by hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming years.

This is what I find particularly frightening. If the volume of sales drops but profits keep growing, is there really any financial pressure that will make PC makers drop prices?

I don't think most PC makers will care that entry-level buyers are priced out of the market when enthusiasts and enterprise customers continue to shovel money their way. Why bother with discount laptops at thin margins?

👉 Conspiracy theory or apt prediction? — The AI-fueled hardware shortage will kill local PCs, paving the way for subscription-based cloud computing

Gartner believes the sub-$500 laptop market will completely disappear by 2028, and I'd say we're already well on our way. Will that market recover when RAM and SSD prices return to normal? Hard to say.

I can reference the GPU price spikes from a few years ago during the crypto boom and pandemic shortages. GPU prices went up, the market leveled off, and GPU prices came back down. But they didn't go all the way back down, resetting at a higher baseline than before.

Consumers had become used to paying inflated GPU prices, and there was really no incentive to drop prices back to 2019 levels. I think the same logic applies to the PC market.

The Chinese wildcard could save us all

Competition is likely the only thing that can save us, barring a collapse of the AI boom and a bursting of the market bubble.

Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron currently control about 90% of the world's DRAM production, which makes it painfully easy to coordinate pricing. I'm not saying it's explicit collusion, but it's certainly something.

The best chance of breaking up this oligopoly comes from China. Companies like YMTC and CXMT have been steadily growing their share of the NAND market with newfound production and new fabs.

If these competitors can indeed scale up production and get their products out to international buyers, I don't see how that wouldn't disrupt the oligopoly. It's not exactly smooth sailing for China's manufacturers, though, as issues with exports, access to advanced equipment, and geopolitical concerns are all hurdles they must pass.

What does this mean for you and your next PC?

Gartner expects PC lifetime for regular consumers to increase by 20% by the end of this year. The cheap PC upgrade cycle has all but come to an end.

When new DRAM factories do come online, I expect them to serve AI customers first. Consumers will get the scraps, just like they are currently. Chinese DRAM makers might enter the international market and force prices to fall, but I doubt by enough to make a serious impact.

👉 Best Windows laptop in 2026

If you're waiting for the RAM crisis to be over before you buy your next device, I have some bad news. The most optimistic predictions put easing as early as late 2027 or 2028, while the most pessimistic push the dates into the 2030s.

Should you need a new PC now, I recommend buying one that will last for years to come. What some thought was a brief blip on the PC market's graph has some serious staying power. What it will look like, if it ever returns to normal, is anyone's guess.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft plans to begin the Windows 11 July 2026 Security Update on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. In this seventh month of the year, the company is rolling out several new features and improvements for existing features. In addition, this update is expected to deliver a number of bug fixes.

In this new quality update, Microsoft will be introducing brand new features, including the Point-in-time Restore recovery feature and the Screen tint accessibility feature.

This release also introduces the new Windows Update changes that allow users to pause updates indefinitely. The Widgets feature receives a few changes to make the experience quieter and less distracting.

Furthermore, in this release, users will also find changes to the Windows Magnifier, a new default for installing printers using Windows Ready Print support, as well as improvements to the Settings app, File Explorer, Bluetooth, network virtualization, touchpad, and much more.

In this guide, I'll highlight the most significant changes in the July 2026 Security Update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, since both are identical.

Windows 11's new features arriving in July

As per usual, the company uses the Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) technology to roll out new improvements gradually, so it may take some time before you see them.

Point-in-time Restore recovery feature

Starting with the July 2026 Security Update, Microsoft is introducing Point-in-time Restore, a new recovery feature designed to quickly roll back a system to a previous good working state.

The feature works automatically and creates restore points that include settings, files, and apps using the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), allowing you to recover your computer when an issue arises.

Point-in-time Restore comes enabled by default in the Home and Pro editions of the operating system. However, the system must have at least 200GB of storage.

You can always control the feature in Settings > System > Recovery by using the "View or edit" button. On the page, you can turn the recovery feature on or off, configure the restore point frequency and retention, and decide how much storage the feature uses.

At the bottom, the feature will also notice the most recent restore points.

If something is working correctly, you can always access the feature from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), and from the "Point-in-time Restore" page, select the restore point to recover your device.

Screen tint accessibility feature

In this update, the company is also rolling out Screen tint. This accessibility feature applies an overlay color on the screen designed to reduce eye strain and improve viewing comfort.

The feature is available in Settings > Accessibility > Screen tint. Once enabled, you can choose from one of the six preset color overlays or create a custom color.

In addition, there is a slider to control the overlay strength.

While the Screen tint feature seems similar to the Night Light feature, they are different, and they can work alongside each other. However, this feature automatically turns off Color filters and vice versa.

Windows Update new controls

Windows Update is getting a major upgrade. In this release, Microsoft is adding the ability to pause updates indefinitely, which seems to be the closest we'll get to completely turning off automatic updates.

As part of the changes, the "Pause updates" option now includes a calendar view that lets you pause automatic updates for up to 35 days. However, you can re-pause updates as many times as you want.

The only caveat is that if you want to postpone updates for more than 35 days, you'll need to manually pause them again. Otherwise, the system will download and install updates automatically as soon as the scheduled expiration expires.

Widgets with less distracting defaults

The company is trying to make the experience quieter and less distracting.

Widgets now open directly to the dashboard on first use, with hover activation disabled and notifications and Taskbar badges minimized by default.

The experience also offers more control over notifications and personalization settings, allowing users to customize Widgets from the Settings menu.

The dashboard icons can display the number of alerts, while badges clear automatically after leaving the dashboard. Microsoft notes that some settings will continue to adapt based on usage patterns to help limit interruptions.

This update also includes improvements to reliability, responsiveness, and overall visual quality across the Widgets experience.

Windows Magnifier improvements

In a continued effort to improve accessibility features, the software giant is also updating the Magnifier with more granular controls, allowing you to enter exact percentage values rather than having to use the zoom buttons to increase or decrease the zoom level.

Also, in the settings flyout, the zoom adjustment now allows users to set increments up to 400 percent.

Printer default changes

Starting with the quality update for July 2026, the operating system will install printers by default using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), provided the device is supported.

If you prefer to revert this configuration, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, and turn off the "Default install printer using Windows Ready Print" option.

Location settings improvements

Microsoft is making location settings easier to understand in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location.

When location services are turned off, options such as "Default location" and "Allow location override" no longer appear active, since apps and services cannot access location data.

As a result, these settings will now be greyed out until location services are enabled, helping clarify when the options are available and reducing confusion.

File Explorer improvements

After installing this quality update, you'll notice that File Explorer will launch faster thanks to new speed improvements.

Also, on the Home page, when hovering over files, users who are logged in with a work or school account should now see options like "Open file location" and "Ask Copilot."

In addition, the address bar now supports paths with double backslashes and quotation marks, making it easier to paste or type folder paths from different sources.

Continuing with the improvements to the address bar, the experience now closes more reliably after selecting an option. Finally, File Explorer improves its ability to rename files.

Bluetooth changes

Microsoft is rolling out a series of Bluetooth improvements focused on reliability, compatibility, and audio performance.

For example, Windows 11 now keeps the microphone mute status synchronized between the system audio controls and Bluetooth headphones that include dedicated mute buttons or indicators, providing a more consistent experience during calls.

The update also improves compatibility with certain audio accessories. For instance, AirPods should enter pairing mode faster, and Beats Studio Pro headphones should offer more reliable microphone performance.

Voice calls on devices that support the Hands-Free Profile (HFP) should be more reliable. LE Audio accessories can begin playing audio faster while the microphone is active, and Windows 11 stability has been improved for some systems affected by Bluetooth-related driver issues.

The operating system will no longer incorrectly display a "Remove failed" message when a Bluetooth device cannot be removed because the Bluetooth radio is unavailable or has changed since the device was paired.

In addition, the "Bluetooth & devices" settings page has been updated to provide a more stable and consistent experience.

Connection reliability has also been enhanced. Classic Bluetooth audio devices can reconnect more quickly after a computer resumes from hibernation. At the same time, LE Audio accessories should maintain more reliable connections when switching between devices and recover more smoothly from temporary disconnections.

Phone Link improvements

Microsoft is improving how phone calls are handled between Windows 11 and a connected smartphone through Phone Link.

When you place a call from your paired phone, the audio will stay on the phone while it rings, then switch to the computer only after you answer the call on Windows 11.

This change helps prevent audio from switching between devices unexpectedly before the call connects.

The update also improves the "Do Not Disturb" experience. When Do Not Disturb is enabled, incoming calls from a connected phone will no longer ring through the computer, reducing interruptions while you're working.

Voice Typing and Voice Access

As you speak, Voice Typing and Voice Access can now refine the text in real time. In addition, the feature improves its capability to adapt to background noise. However, this is only available for Copilot+ PCs.

Furthermore, Voice Access and Voice Typing are now available in German, Spanish, and French.

Networking changes

The software giant is introducing several networking improvements focused on reliability, performance, and virtualization.

For virtualized environments, Confidential Virtual Machines (CVMs) now use SR-IOV hardware acceleration by default to improve network performance. At the same time, a networking configuration issue affecting nested Hyper-V setups has been fixed to ensure virtual machines are provisioned correctly.

The update also enhances the reliability of the networking stack. It reduces some Wi-Fi-related blue screen errors, improves cellular (WWAN) connectivity, and adds better support for IPv6-based VPN connections.

In addition, Microsoft has improved compatibility with certain third-party VPN solutions and server configurations that use SR-IOV networking. Network adapter settings and bindings are now also preserved during operating system upgrades, helping prevent networking configurations from being reset after an operating system update.

Touchpad changes

If you use a compatible touchpad, there's a touchpad customization option that lets you adjust the size of the bottom-right right-click area.

In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad, you can choose between "Default," "Small," "Medium," or "Large" to control how much of the touchpad responds to a one-finger right-click.

This feature is available only on devices with a pressable touchpad surface. If your computer manufacturer provides touchpad customization through its own software, the system will display a "Custom" option to reflect those settings.

Windows Central's Take

I find it interesting that one of the biggest additions in this update is a feature designed to help when Windows 11 breaks rather than when everything is working perfectly.

Microsoft has spent the last few years talking a lot about AI, Copilot, and new experiences, but Point-in-time Restore addresses a much more fundamental problem. Every user eventually runs into a bad update, problematic driver, or software conflict. When that happens, recovery tools suddenly become far more important than whatever new feature was added to the Start menu.

The Windows Update changes also stand out to me because they give users a little more breathing room. The software giant clearly isn't interested in letting people permanently turn off updates, but repeatedly extending the pause period feels like a practical compromise between security and user control.

As for the rest of the update, I see it as evidence that Microsoft is continuing to chip away at long-standing annoyances. Faster File Explorer performance, Bluetooth reliability improvements, and less intrusive Widgets aren't headline-grabbing changes. However, they're often the updates that have the biggest impact on how the system feels after months of daily use.

Which feature in the July 2026 update are you most looking forward to trying on Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

With the latest Diablo 4 expansion, Lord of Hatred, behind us, and BlizzCon 2026 on the horizon, I find myself wondering what's next for the game.

Diablo 4 was the first Diablo installment to actually receive two story expansions, with the base game, Vessel of Hatred, and Lord of Hatred telling what is now dubbed the Age of Hatred saga.

And what a saga it was; many new characters were introduced to the fray and subsequently killed off... and returning characters came back... and were also killed off... come to think of it... the Age of Hatred was pretty much a bloodbath for most of the characters involved wasn't it?

With that in mind, I'm taking a look back through the records and combing through the deaths of those who tried to hold the line, as well as those who tried to destroy it.

The following feature, “Diablo IV - Those We've Lost," was provided by the Diablo 4 team and is reproduced here with permission.

The first Fallen, aka base game Diablo 4 casualties

Vhenard

No sooner did we meet Neyrelle's mother, Vhenard, than we were having to bring her life to a swift end.

Vhenard was a passionate explorer and seeker of knowledge, convinced by Lilith to embrace demonic knowledge and to assist her in crossing the Black Lake to reach the Necropolis of the Firstborn.

This demonic knowledge corrupted her mind, leading her to try and kill her own daughter. The Wanderer (us) had no choice but to bring her down.

In the end, Neyrelle performed a ritual to briefly raise her mother from the dead. Time enough for Vhenard to help open the way to pursue Lilith, and to bid her daughter, her “Magpie”, a regretful goodbye.

Vigo

Vigo was the less-than-pious watch commander of the Knights Penitent, sworn to serve the Cathedral of Light. Charged with guarding the condemned mines in the southern Fractured Peaks, preventing all from reaching the ancient ruins within.

Foolishly accepting a bribe from Vhenard and her companion (Lilith) resulted in his downfall and allowed them to enter the mines. This mistake cost both Vhenard and his fellow knights their lives.

Consumed by the weight of that mistake, Vigo submitted himself to the Reverend Mother Prava to serve out a brutal penance. Locked inside a painful suit of armor known as the "Father's Grace". Ouch. Clad in this armor, he caught up with the Wanderer within the Necropolis of the Firstborn, giving his life to cut a path through corruption.

Rathma

The first and most ancient of the Firstborn, son of Lilith and Inarius. Keeper of the sacred Balance between Light and Dark. Foundation of the Priests of Rathma (more commonly known as necromancers).

He had long ago rejected both Lilith and Inarius in favor of serving humanity as he saw fit. His methods and motives have ever been shrouded in mystery.

In a revelation of prophecy, he predicted that “the way to Hell would be torn asunder” and “a spear of light would pierce Hatred’s heart.” For this reason, Inarius sought him out and demanded the Hell Key, a dangerous artifact hidden in Rathma’s possession.

When Rathma refused, Inarius, his own father, struck him down, finally killing the Firstborn.

Donan

Donan was once a Horadrim and a colleague of Lorath Nahr until the two had a falling out. He remained ever a protector of humanity.

In his youth, he fought alongside the druids of Scosglen to defeat the demon Astaroth and in the aftermath helped them rebuild. Then Lilith arrived. She not only brought back Astaroth to burn Scosglen a second time, she resurrected the demon using Donan’s own son. Yorin.

He was lost in his grief until the Wanderer called on him again, this time with his old “friend” Lorath Nahr, to continue the fight against Lilith. Reluctantly he joined the cause but soon rose to the challenge, following his allies into the depths of Hell itself where he took a mortal wound.

Because of him, his allies were able to entrap Mephisto in the soulstone, thwarting Lilith’s ambitions and buying humanity precious time before the Prime Evil’s return.

Yorin

A young knight and only child of Donan and Braega. Eager to prove himself to his father, he set out with the Wanderer in pursuit of Lilith across Scosglen, using both his connections with the Knights Penitent stationed there as well as his deep understanding of local druid belief.

His efforts helped the Wanderer to confront the druid Airidah and force her to confess what aid she had given Lilith.

But in the end, Lilith seized Yorin and thrust a soulstone into his skull, permitting the demon Astaroth to possess him, body and soul.

The Wanderer was able to defeat Astaroth, but when the demon’s essence left Yorin, the boy was already dead. His father Donan carried him from the battlefield and laid him to rest.

Meshif

Once a renowned traveler and unflappable man of adventure. He was born in the city of Kurast but his home was the open sea. In his youth, he met a group of heroes and became entangled in the fight against the Prime Evil Mephisto, taking him from the deserts of Lut Gholain back to save his beloved Kurast.

He somehow survived this and every adventure since, but after several decades, his glory days were suddenly behind him. A new mission found him in the middle of nowhere Kehjistan, smoking away his twilight years in a den of bandits. The Wanderer needed a guide through the desert to infiltrate the palace of an evil mage. Smelling adventure, Meshif was thrilled to oblige.

Meshif guided his new friends across the desert and into the palace, but before he could escape with them, he was cut down. A bittersweet yet fitting death for such a man.

Elias

Once a brilliant mage and rising star of the Horadrim, apprenticed to Lorath Nahr.

Elias learned of Rathma’s prophecy and the foretold return of the Prime Evils. He became obsessed with finding a solution, and his ideas grew increasingly more radical. Too radical for Lorath to condone. The two of them argued endlessly until finally, Elias left Lorath and the Horadrim behind.

For him, all signs pointed to Lilith, the only being in all eternity (he believed) with the power and the will to save Sanctuary.

On his own, Elias did everything in his power to bring Lilith back from the Void, including promising his own head to the Tree of Whispers.He succeeded in summoning Lilith, and by her side he sought to make humanity suffer, forcing them to grow stronger for the fight against the Prime Evils.

But time and again Lorath and his allies frustrated his efforts. He confronted them one final time in the Black Tomb of Sankekur. In the end, he was defeated. His undying head taken in payment by the Tree of Whispers to hang for all eternity.

Inarius

The angelic father of humankind. Once the counterpart of the demon Lilith, their mother.

He and Lilith had sought to escape the Eternal Conflict between the Heavens and Hells by creating their own hidden world. Sanctuary. There, on the Skovos Isles, they gave birth to humanity, starting with their son Rathma. These days of peace would not last.

Inarius became fearful of his children’s power and eventually conspired against them, leading to a bloody conflict with Lilith. In the end, he banished her to the Void and attempted to sink the Skovos Isles to drown his children, only to stop at the last moment.

He resolved instead to diminish humanity’s power over time and hoped that was best, but for the sin of creating his children, the Heavens would not forgive him. Thousands of years and torments later, Inarius’ fellow Angels still forbade his return to the Heavens.

But, he believed, if he could fulfill the words of his son Rathma’s prophecy, lead humanity against the Hells, and drive his “spear of light into Hatred’s heart” the Heavens would finally forgive him.

It was not to be. He led his faithful forces into Hell itself in pursuit of Lilith, and there she defeated him. Running him through with his own spear before tearing his wings from his back.

Though his legacy is one of selfish hubris, humanity will always owe its existence to him and his original dream of freedom from the Eternal Conflict.

Lilith

Daughter of Hatred, Creator of Sanctuary, and Mother of All Humankind. Together, she and the angel Inarius created the hidden world of Sanctuary as an escape from the Eternal Conflict, and there, they gave birth to humanity.

Since then, she has remained absolutely devoted to her children, willing to commit terrible atrocities in the name of their survival. She was banished to the Void for such an act, but after thousands of years in that darkness, one of her children brought her back. Elias.

With him at her side, she unleashed terrible suffering upon Sanctuary. Not to torture or kill, but to make her children strong enough to face the Burning Hells. For herself, she sought to consume her father, Mephisto, and claim his power, enough to repel any threat to her children.

And yet the strongest among her children fought back. They would not allow her to turn Sanctuary into a living Hell. They pursued her into the Realm of Hatred and imprisoned her father in a soulstone before she could consume him.

Against all odds, they defeated her in the Cathedral of Hatred, but she issued a final warning as she turned to dust. “Without me, you would have no victory.” (And spoiler, she was right).

Vessel of Hatred (and more death)

Urivar

A Knight Penitent of the Cathedral of Light and alleged survivor of their ill-fated March on Hell. His scarred face and armor attest to his claims.

Whether a true believer or a cynical opportunist, Urivar seized the hearts and minds of the fractured Knights Penitent, filling them with renewed, violent purpose. To hunt the Horadrim they believed responsible for the death of the Father, Inarius.

With Lorath in the wind, Urivar and his Burned Knights set their sights on Neyrelle and pursued her all the way to the jungles of Nahantu, where through her, the demon Mephisto had begun to poison the land.

But the Wanderer would not allow Urivar to harm Neyrelle. In a final confrontation, they cut him down and ended his mad crusade.

Maka

A proud spiritborn and member of the Council of Kurast in Nahantu. In effort to help Neyrelle resist the corruption of Mephisto, Maka set out with the Wanderer and Eru, her former mentor, to find a solution in the spirit realm.

She was strong, brave, and true in her care for Neyrelle, but the evil within the young woman lashed out and took her life. Maka was mourned by Nahantu but most of all by Eru, her lifelong friend.

Akarat

A benevolent student of the Light whose teachings gave rise to the Zakarum faith. They would name him their holy prophet.

Born on Xiansai to an Umbaru mother and Xian father, Akarat and his family were forced to flee their home when fallen demons attacked. He spent his early life disillusioned by conflict until he beheld a vision of Light, compelling him to teach a revelation, that every human holds the Light within them.

Ultimately, Akarat returned to his mother’s homeland of Nahantu to battle the spreading corruption there, teaching his faith to all who would listen. Then he disappeared into the jungles. Some said he fell in battle against great evil, and while his body was entombed, his spirit continued to serve humanity. The faithful have searched for his tomb ever since.

Then, with the help of the spiritborn Eru and guided by the Spirit of Akarat himself, it was found by Neyrelle and the Wanderer. They hoped that Akarat’s body and spirit could safely secure a soulstone — one with Mephisto, Lord of Hatred trapped inside. Indeed, it seemed like it could until they were betrayed and attacked.

The Spirit of Akarat fought fiercely to defend them. In the end, he sacrificed himself to defeat Mephisto’s harbinger, removing the Spirit of Akarat from the world forever...Until Mephisto stole his body to walk Sanctuary in his image.

The final toll: Lord of Hatred

Neyrelle

A brilliant, young explorer and seeker of knowledge whose fateful encounter with Lilith, the Daughter of Hatred, set her on a path to become a true Horadrim. At her mother’s side, Neyrelle came to the Fractured Peaks in search of the Horadrim, but soon, Lilith tempted her mother with the promise of demonic power.

The Wanderer helped Neyrelle find her mother, but by then, she was beyond saving. Rather than despair, Neyrelle stayed with the Wanderer and pursued Lilith, proving her worth as a scholar and protector of Sanctuary. It cost her greatly, including her own left hand.

She followed the Wanderer and her new Horadrim friends into the depths of the Burning Hells, and there, she was asked to make an impossible decision: Imprison Lilith and allow her father Mephisto to return? Or imprison Mephisto to delay his return and deny Lilith her prize?

She chose the latter. And she tried with all she had to find a way to keep Mephisto imprisoned, but his corruption proved too much to bear. Even after Neyrelle was rid of the soulstone, she remained haunted by his presence.

She never stopped searching for a way to stop Mephisto. To break the cycle of Hatred for good. But just as she found it and sent word to her friends, Mephisto found her. And at last, took her life.

She died as a true Horadrim, wearing the talisman given to her by Lorath.

Queen Adreona

High Queen of the Amazons, matriarch and protector of the Skovos Isles.

Adreona did not inherit her position. She joined the Amazons in her youth, serving as one spearmaiden among thousands in the Amazon Legion. Through martial prowess, strategic mind, and a little luck, she rose through the ranks until at last, she was selected by the Council of Veterans to endure the Passage and become Queen of the Amazons.

For decades, her rule kept Skovos safe from the chaos of the continents, making a paradise of the isles. But she did not do it alone. Her faithful companion and adviser, Captain Tharra of the Amazons, stood ever at her side. And once, she accepted help from abroad.

A Horadrim named Lorath Nahr came to Skovos in search of lost members of his order. Together, they learned what happened to them, averted disaster, and forged a close bond. But it could not last.

Years later, when the fires of Hatred had consumed the mainland, another outsider arrived on Adreona’s shores. The holy prophet Akarat. Along with scores of pilgrims, Akarat promised her he would save her people from the Age of Hatred.

But in reality, he was Hatred Incarnate. Mephisto—disguised in the body of Akarat. Mephisto tricked and coerced Adreona into believing his lies, slowly turning her against her own people and tragically, against the one man she had almost loved.

Convinced Lorath had become her enemy, Adreona killed him in cold blood. An act which sealed her fate, giving Lorath’s allies no choice but to strike her down on the cliffs of Mount Hefaetrus.

Lorath Nahr

The last Horadrim of the modern age, tenacious defender of humankind, and a dear friend.

Lorath was born the son of a blacksmith in the city of Westmarch. He grew up with stories of the brave Horadrim and had ever dreamed to become one.

He joined their order just before the Reapers descended upon Sanctuary. Alongside the archangel Tyrael and a small band of heroes, he fought and triumphed over them, helping to stop the Reaping of Malthael.

Lorath doggedly served the Order for the rest of his life, and in his twilight years, he fought to deliver Sanctuary from the Age of Hatred. First against Lilith and then her father, Mephisto.

To accomplish this, he suffered the loss of friends, endured persecution, bargained his head to the Tree of Whispers, and ventured into Hell itself without guarantee of victory or gratitude. He considered it simply his duty.

When Mephisto came to the Skovos Isles in the guise of Akarat, Lorath alone spoke truth to the people. And when he was brought low by Mephisto’s trickery, he persevered, both supporting victory in Athulua and finding the weapon that would stop Mephisto for good. But he would not see it come to pass. He was cut down by Queen Adreona, a woman he had loved, and his head was taken to the Tree of Whispers.

His soul would have languished there forever, but his allies would not permit it. Setting fire to the Tree they laid Lorath Nahr, the last Horadrim, to rest. His duty done.

Mephisto

One of the Three Prime Evils. Lord of Hatred and father of Lilith. Since the dawn of the Heavens and Hells, Mephisto has been a snake in the garden of creation, ever conspiring, manipulating, and corrupting all he touches.

He has long sought to possess and control humanity to wield as his own; if for no other reason than to prove his daughter Lilith, their creator and mother, that her beloved children are nothing. Mere pawns to be wielded in the Eternal Conflict.

Mephisto has suffered defeats throughout eternity, but his demon soul was always reborn in Hell. Each time, giving only a short respite before his return.

Engaging in his old ways, Mephisto had disguised himself as the prophet Akarat and sought to corrupt all of humankind, starting with Skovos.

But with the help of his daughter Lilith and the weapon she had made from her own body, a single human got the better of him. Mephisto was stabbed through the heart with this weapon and banished screaming into the Void between realms.
Not dead, not alive, and unable to return to Hell. There he will remain.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 brings major changes to the Start menu and Taskbar in 2026, finally giving users more control over customization.

Microsoft spent the first years of Windows 11 simplifying the Start menu and Taskbar, often at the expense of features that users had relied on for years. In 2026, the company is correcting its direction.

In recent preview builds, the operating system has revealed a growing list of improvements that bring more customization and control back to the experience. From Taskbar positioning and resizing to Start menu layouts and recommendation controls, the software giant is restoring capabilities that many users have been complaining about since the original release of Windows 11.

However, the company's approach isn't about recreating Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft is rebuilding these experiences around the design principles of Windows 11 while giving users more flexibility than they have today.

Microsoft is giving users more control over the Taskbar

The biggest change is the reversal of positioning controls. Users will once again be able to place the Taskbar to the top, left, right, or bottom edge of the screen.

For many users, this feature never should have disappeared in the first place. The ability to place the Taskbar where it works best has been part of the operating system for decades.

At the same time, the company isn't restoring the exact Windows 10 experience. Previously, users could unlock the Taskbar and drag it directly to a different edge of the screen, or change its position through the Settings app. On Windows 11, changing the position requires using the option available through the Settings app, more specifically in the Taskbar settings under the "Taskbar behaviors" section.

Taskbar sizing is also making a comeback. However, the company is updating the "Show smaller taskbar buttons" option so that enabling it makes the buttons and Taskbar smaller, not just the buttons.

The feature improves flexibility, but it still doesn't offer the same freedom available on Windows 10, where users could manually resize the Taskbar and even create multi-row layouts.

The Start menu is finally becoming more customizable

The Start menu is being updated with some of the most significant improvements since the operating system's launch.

One of the biggest additions is support for different Start menu sizes. Instead of relying entirely on the automatic layout, users will be able to choose between different menu configurations based on their preferences.

You will find these settings on the updated "Start" page from the Settings app.

Microsoft is also introducing dedicated controls to show or hide sections such as Pinned, Recommended, and All apps. These changes address one of the most common complaints about the Start menu, which has often felt too limited compared to previous versions of the operating system.

The company is also separating recommendation settings from recent files and activity history. As a result, users will gain more granular control over what appears in the Start menu without affecting other parts of the operating system.

Privacy is also receiving attention, with a new option that lets users hide their account name and profile picture from the Start menu.

These changes reflect a broader shift in Microsoft's strategy

The Start menu and Taskbar updates are part of Microsoft's wider Windows K2 initiative, an effort focused on improving performance, reliability, and usability across Windows 11.

While much of that work happens behind the scenes, the Start menu and Taskbar provide visible evidence that Microsoft's priorities have evolved since 2021.

When this version of Windows launched, the company emphasized simplicity and consistency, even when it meant removing long-standing customization features. A lot of users felt those decisions made the operating system less flexible than Windows 10.

The changes expected to roll out in 2026 suggest Microsoft is rethinking and taking a more balanced approach. Rather than limiting customization in the name of simplicity, the company is finding ways to offer more control while preserving the modern design introduced on Windows 11.

Windows 11 is becoming a more flexible operating system

Microsoft's reinstatement of Taskbar positioning and sizing, Start menu layouts, and recommendation controls may not seem revolutionary on their own. However, these changes represent one of the most notable shifts.

The company is not abandoning its vision for Windows 11, nor is it trying to turn the operating system into Windows 10. Instead, the company is acknowledging that flexibility remains one of the operating system's greatest strengths.

For years, many of the conversations around Windows 11 focused on features that were removed. In 2026, the conversation is increasingly focused on the features Microsoft is bringing back and what that says about the operating system's future direction.

Windows Central's Take

I think the most interesting part of these Start menu and Taskbar changes isn't any individual feature. It's what they reveal about Microsoft's evolving approach to Windows 11.

When the operating system launched in 2021, the software giant removed a noticeable amount of customization in favor of simplicity. The Taskbar lost positioning and resizing controls, and the Start menu became significantly more limited compared to Windows 10. At the time, those choices felt deliberate, almost like a firm design reset.

In 2026, that direction looks less fixed. The reintroduction of Taskbar positioning and resizing options, along with more granular Start menu controls, suggests Microsoft is recalibrating how much flexibility the operating system should offer without undoing its modern design language.

What are your thoughts on the Start menu and Taskbar changes coming to Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

There’s no shortage of hype surrounding Summer Game Fest, and its orbit of smaller indie game showcases, as well as the wildly successful Xbox Games Showcase. This year’s events were chock full of exciting game reveals, especially for AAA lovers.

Titles like State of Decay 3, Fable, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 dominated the post-showcase conversation, and it can be difficult for indie game reveals to get enough time in the limelight.

So we here at Windows Central want to take this opportunity to highlight ten indie game reveals for Xbox from this month’s showcases that have stolen our hearts. Maybe you’ll find a few that you want to bump up to the top of your wishlist, too.

Grave Seasons

Life sims are having a moment. The genre has been on the rise for a few years now, though, which means that it is at risk of feeling stale. This has led to a new wave of genre mashups where newly released life sims have unique plot twists that keep players intrigued.

One of the best mashups of this genre is the cozy horror life sim. Grave Seasons, developed by Perfect Garbage and published by Blumhouse Games, is a shining example — we find ourselves playing as an escaped convict who has made themselves at home in an idyllic town called Ashenridge.

As one does in a cozy life sim, we set ourselves up with a darling little farm, rubbing elbows with the locals and maybe even falling in love. Hit the mines, grow your crops, and drown a few worms at the local fishing hotspots. It's all you would expect from a pixel art cozy life sim. Until the murders start, anyway, then you find yourself tossed into the chaos of investigating a murder and protecting the next victim whenever possible.

Grave Seasons is a narrative feast, with each playthrough having a different potential killer in the town — it could even be your current love interest. Different playthroughs of the game result in new details and conversations based on your relationships with the locals, keeping gameplay fresher than your garden harvest.

Start your new creepy life in Grave Seasons when it comes to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud with support for Xbox Play Anywhere on August 14. Grave Seasons will also launch day one on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic

In 2018, Polyarc released a 3-D action-adventure puzzle game about a little mouse named Quill, called Moss, and it stole our hearts. There was just one problem — Moss was only available in VR.

Those of us on Xbox or who were unable (or unwilling) to play in VR had to just look on at trailers and screenshots of Moss longingly and hope that someday it would eventually find its way to consoles in a non-VR variant. Though at the time, it didn’t seem likely at all for that to ever happen.

Imagine the surprise when the first trailer for Moss: The Forgotten Relic dropped. This stunning adventure that takes place in a living fable has players exploring a fallen kingdom that is slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Quill, the courageous but small mouse protagonist, will need your guidance and protection as you uncover hidden secrets and navigate puzzles in a story that feels plucked from the pages of a classic fairy tale.

Both Moss: Book I and Moss: Book II have been combined for a complete fairy tale epic that is enhanced and reimagined for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic is developed and published by Polyarc and is expected to release this Summer.

Bad Magpie

Sometimes in life, you just want to be a magpie — burning meadows, finding shiny objects, and creating generalized chaos using cartoon logic. There’s just one problem. In Bad Magpie, your magpie self only has one wing. Surely that couldn’t have anything to do with the chaos and arson, right?

Anywho, Bad Magpie sets you loose in a small but densely packed world with plenty of chaotic things to do as a grounded magpie who wants nothing more than to win the heart of a fallen star and cure its own loneliness in the process.

It’s a delightfully chaotic romp through a colorful world packed with puzzles that give you the freedom to solve them however you see fit, as long as you’re curious enough to try.

Despite there being no text, no dialogue, and no cutscenes, Bad Magpie does have a rich story with a cast of critters and tactile interactions that encourage mischief and exploration in order to experience an emotional narrative told through environment and interactivity.

Bad Magpie, developed and published by Milktooth, is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support and Xbox Game Pass in 2027.

Momento

The “put stuff in a room to learn a story” genre is an interesting niche that explores environmental storytelling through beautiful art and puzzles. In the five years since Unpacking popularized the concept, there have been several new entries, but few have captured the same gut reaction we all experienced when we finally started to understand the game’s narrative.

Developers Fat Alien Cat & Nomo Studio and publishers Silver Lining Interactive may have managed to expand that experience with the upcoming release of Momento.

Similar to Unpacking, Momento is a cozy room decorator where players place objects around a beautifully illustrated room, but there is a slight twist. It’s up to you to choose the objects that matter most to decorate with, and the objects you select have a lasting impact on the path the story takes.

Starting with your childhood scene, Memento asks us to choose the toys that represent our dreams and future, which then lead into different scenes in adulthood that explore unique themes.

Wonder, love, heartbreak, and the significance of sentimentality are at the heart of Momento, as you experience a lovingly crafted tactile world that reacts to you.

Unlike similar narrative room decorators, Memento does not have a puzzle element to its gameplay. Instead, small decisions made by the player have lasting impacts that ripple throughout the story. Memento is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds with support for Xbox Play Anywhere.

The Witch’s Bakery

Nothing heals a broken heart better than French pastries, which leads us to The Witch’s Bakery. Playing as Lunne, you can experience a colorful adventure in Paris as you serve the locals tasty treats from your newly opened bakery. Lunne’s not your ordinary chef, however. She’s also a witch with the power to see into people’s hearts.

Developed by Sunny Lab and published by Silver Lining Interactive, The Witch’s Bakery lets players experience Paris in three parts each day. During business hours, Lunne manages her bakery and serves up pastries.

As the sun goes down, Lunne closes up shop, and players can explore Paris and uncover the secrets of the city while building up relationships with her friends and neighbors. Sometimes characters’ emotions are locked away, and it requires a little more than just a chat to help them overcome their troubles.

During the evening hours, Lunne can use her witchy abilities to go inside of her friends’ troubled heart palaces and discover that person’s key ingredient — the secret touch to the recipe for a magic pastry that can heal them.

After guiding emotions through heart palaces and exploring Paris, Lunne can return to her atelier for the night to rest, improve her magic, and decorate her bakery before the next day begins anew.

The Witch’s Bakery is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in August.

Magicians: The Devil’s Deal

If you prefer a more action-heavy take on magic, developer Uppercut Games and publisher Focus Entertainment’s upcoming narrative-driven first-person shooter, Magician’s The Devil’s Deal, just might scratch the itch for you. Uppercut Games is previously known for the narrative, no-dialogue, no-combat adventure Submerged and its sequel, making Magicians: The Devil’s Deal a new challenge for the experienced studio.

Magicians: The Devil’s Deal follows the story of Jacob Menteuro, an illusionist bound to a deal with the Devil, who unfortunately finds himself cast into Hell. Combat, exploration, and stage magic come together as Jacob and the player experience a narrative where he must overcome the Masters of Theatreland on an infernal stage that turns everyday magical props into lethal weapons.

Compelled by the Devil himself, Jacob must topple the Masters to take their powers for himself in this visually stunning world inspired by Victorian London.

Magicians: The Devil’s Deal takes the stage in 2027 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. And for the final trick, you can play it day one on Xbox Game Pass.

Cassette Beasts 2002

In 2023, Cassette Beasts crashed onto consoles and introduced fans to a world where they could collect and transform creative monsters with the power of retro cassette tapes. During the recent rash of showcases, developer Bytten Studio and publisher Raw Fury showed off the upcoming sequel, Cassette Beasts 2002.

Cassette Beasts 2002 starts in a quiet neighborhood of London, but players will find themselves and their custom-created characters pulled down to the land of Nodnol. Players can explore Nodnol alone or with friends via online multiplayer, and can even opt to import their original character from the first game.

In Nodnol, players can form bonds with the colorful cast of twelve different companions who can be bonded with, recruited, and even romanced. Similar to its predecessor, Cassette Beasts 2002 lets players record audio from beasts using cassette tapes that can then be played back to take on their form in battle. Fusions are also making a return, but Cassette Beasts 2002 ups the ante with over 57,000 fully-animated fusion forms.

Cassette Beasts is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere entitlements and support for Xbox cross-platform multiplayer.

Deer and Boy

Upcoming platformer Deer and Boy has long had a spot on our wishlists, and we will finally be able to get our hands on a heartwarming and poetic journey about a young runaway boy who befriends a delicate fawn very soon.

Deer and Boy is an original adventure with a unique twist: a single-player game where you are never alone as your companion grows into a majestic deer during your story, changing the way you interact with the game’s world and puzzles.

Developed by Lifeline Games and published by Dear Villagers that offers a deep narrative adventure with complex story layers that change how you see the game’s tale, with young players experiencing a wholesome story about the friendship between a boy and his deer companion. More mature players may see deeper meaning in the story, even though it has no dialogue or text.

Deer and Boy promises to be an easy, relatively short game that can be completed in a few sessions and is suitable for all members of the family — even the little guys. You can enjoy this interactive cinematic story when it releases on June 23 on Xbox Series X|S.

Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit

A beautiful island awash in a watercolor aesthetic, a wholesome character creator, and an ominous bus crash that leaves you stranded at a spooky campsite — welcome to Cozy Grove.

Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is the much-anticipated sequel to the 2021 life sim, where players became Spirit Scouts stranded on an island inhabited by the ghosts of adorable bears. To return home, your Spirit Scout had to help those bears become at peace with elements of their past lives.

Some stories were tragic, others heartwarming, but all of them were meaningful and left us just a little sad when the bear’s ghost would move on and become golden.

Netflix snapped up Cozy Grove developer Spry Fox in its earliest days of reaching into the gaming industry, and initially hoarded the ghost-bear-helping life sim on its mobile platform before deciding to sell the studio back to its founders at the end of 2025.

That return to independence is great news for console and PC players who were desperate to return to this incredible world and experience more haunting bear stories, because now Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is coming to Xbox on July 15.

Grab your badge sash, we’re going decorating and helping ghosts remember their pasts and come to peace with their deaths. New bears, new island, new NPCs to meet. Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit comes to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds with support for Xbox Play Anywhere. A free demo is available now.

Grim Trials

There’s more to look forward to than just cozy games, so we’re closing out the list with a coming-of-age tale set in the afterlife, complete with heavy metal riffs and action roguelike gameplay. You can still craft, but like, in a hardcore way.

Grim Trials lets you customize your weapons and equipment as Avelin, a young woman who has been recruited to serve as one of Death’s reapers. It’s up to Avelin to track down impure souls, but in doing so, she will be forced to come to terms with her own untimely demise and face her own demons.

Grim Trials features endless hex-grid arenas where Avelin will need to overcome monsters and traps before tackling the 7 sacrilegious bosses. Players are armed with customizable scythes, crossbows, and Blessings from the Gods of Death.

A victory on the battlefield affords Avelin the spoils of war, and she can use the materials collected to craft better weapons, armor, and consumables to aid in the journey through the afterlife.

Developed by Rolling Glory Jam and published by Soft Source Pte Ltd, Grim Tales is sure to pique the interest of those who fell in love with Hades 2 and similar roguelikes with deep customization options, relationship-building side quests, and a full cast of characters to learn more about.

A demo for Grim Tales is available now, and you can look forward to it launching on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and compatible handhelds, though no release date has been confirmed just yet.

As part of the Experimental experience for Windows 11 version 26H2, Microsoft recently released build 26300.8697. While the official announcement focused on fixes and improvements, a more interesting discovery was hiding beneath the surface. A new Search setting that can turn off Bing-powered web results in the Windows Search experience.

Search may finally get a Bing off switch

Windows Search has long mixed local files, apps, and settings with web suggestions, often surfacing Bing results even when users are simply looking for something on their computer. The appearance of a dedicated toggle to remove those web results suggests that the company is exploring a more streamlined Search experience with fewer distractions.

However, this isn't entirely new. Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) have had similar controls for some time as part of Microsoft's compliance with the Digital Markets Act. What's notable here is that the company now appears to be building the same functionality for all markets.

The story I see is much more than user choice. This appears to be Microsoft acknowledging that not every Windows Search query needs a web result attached to it. Instead of forcing online content into the experience, Windows 11 could soon let users decide what belongs in Search. For many people, that could make finding apps, files, and settings faster and more predictable.

New Search controls reduce clutter

The setting is currently tucked in under Settings > Privacy & security > Search in build 26300.8697. The option is labeled "Web Searches" in the "Show suggested search results" section.

Microsoft is also testing a separate "Microsoft Store" toggle to prevent Store apps from appearing in Search results. Together, these options would give users more control over what surfaces when searching from the Start menu and Search box in the Taskbar.

Privacy & Security settings are getting reorganized

The same preview build also includes an updated version of the "Privacy & security" page. Microsoft has reorganized the settings into clearer categories and added a new header that provides quick access to Windows Security, along with glanceable information for location, camera, and microphone permissions.

The company is also adding new entry points for features such as Passkeys and the Custom Dictionary.

Availability of the Search experience

At this stage, the feature is not officially available, and it's not an option you can turn on from the "Feature flags" page either. It was spotted by @PhantomOfEarth inside the Insider build and can only be enabled using ViveTool feature IDs, indicating that Microsoft is still actively developing and testing the experience.

If testing goes as planned, the company could refine the feature through future 26H2 preview releases before deciding on a wider rollout.

Windows Central's Take

I think Microsoft should have offered this option to everyone a long time ago. When I'm using Windows Search, I'm usually looking for a file, app, or setting, not a Bing result. While web integration has its place, it often makes Search feel more cluttered than helpful.

What's interesting is that similar controls have already existed in Europe, so this isn't really a new feature. The bigger story is that Microsoft appears to be testing the same level of control for users across all regions, including the addition of an option to suppress apps from the Microsoft Store in the experience.

I wouldn't consider this a major feature for Windows 11, but it's the type of improvement that can make the operating system feel less intrusive and more focused on what users actually want to find.

What are your thoughts about having the option to remove Bing results from Windows Search on Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

During 2026's Warhammer Skulls event, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide announced its 3rd DLC expansion, where players could play as the new tech-based Skitarii class.

I'm not too familiar with the Skitarii myself, so I was curious to see how they would stand out from the rest of the classes, especially when the developers, Fatshark, mentioned they would have more customizable freedom in their skill trees compared to the other classes.

My curiosity would be quickly satiated as Fatshark invited me to attend a sneak preview presentation of the Skitarii class, as well as provided me with a Steam code to try it out myself.

After getting hands-on with the Skitarii, it may just be my favorite class in the whole game and one that may convince me to play it more often and finally strive for its endgame content.

This preview was made possible thanks to a Steam code, Preview presentation, and B-Roll footage screenshots provided by Fatshark. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this preview before publication.

What are the Skitarii?

The Skitarii are a unique military force that fights for the tech-worshipping Adeptus Mechanicus faction. They are heavily augmented cyborg hunters that specialize in plasma and lightning-based weaponry, multi-purpose gadgets, and other technologically advanced ways to purge heretics, aliens, and mutants.

They usually act in groups, but in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, you play as an upgraded Alpha Skitarii, who can act as a solo operative.

My preview of this class began with their character customization, which is probably one of the most disturbing yet cool character creators I've ever seen in a game.

You get to customize how royally horrifying your Skitarii look underneath their robes with all their cybernetics, what kind of robotic limbs they have, and even adjust the distortion and pitch of their modulated voices.

Once I finished creating my Skitarii (which took a long while because I wanted to recreate the iconic voice of Soundwave from Transformers), I was off to the training room to learn about their abilities.

How do the Skitarii play?

What sets Skitarii apart from all the classes in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is that their skill tree, which looks like the Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy 10, rather than a linear line like the others.

This means you can spend points to adjust the Skitarii's playstyle however you want, rather than being restricted to a certain playstyle like the other classes due to their more open-ended skill tree, and the Skitarii have A LOT of playstyles to experiment with.

You can create a support-focused Skitarii that focuses on using Servo-Skull drones to crowd-control enemies while reviving downed teammates or operating terminals to save players from having to do it themselves.

You can make a long-range sniper Skitarii that's all about destroying elite enemies using a special ability that augments the ammo of their weapons, like the iconic Galvanic Rifle or Arc Rifle, to auto-track targets without aiming.

Heck, you can even make a melee-focused Skitarii that uses a special forcefield that blocks incoming ranged attacks that explodes once depleted, and rushes enemies down with melee attacks using electrified maces or dual blades before ripping out their heart with a giant, gnarly robotic claw.

Plus, thanks to the Skitarii's open-ended skill tree, you can mix up the various abilities of these playstyles together and create your own custom build that sort of functions as a jack of all trades.

Now, all this sounds cool on paper, but it won't mean much if it doesn't come together during real combat scenarios. So, after deciding to adapt a melee-focused build with the anti-ranged shield, I decided to take my new Skitarii class into live combat to see how it would fare.

Now I'm not the best Darktide player in the world, as I've casually played here and there, getting my shiny metal butt kicked plenty of times. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the Skitarii class because it was so fun to play as.

There's just something so empowering about being able to strut up to an enemy screaming in terror that his bullets aren't penetrating your shield and then snuffing out his Nurgle-worshipping, heretical existence by ripping off his head with a giant claw.

Also, I enjoyed the utility of the Skitarii's Servo-Skulls for how surprisingly useful they were. Commanding it to hack terminals instead of having to deal with the annoying image-match mini-game yourself and using it to revive teams so you don't leave yourself wide open to enemy attacks is so convenient and gives your team a better, and less frustrating, chance at survival when things go south.

I can't wait to zap heretics to ash in the name of the Omnissiah

Overall, I was impressed with the Skitarii class by what I saw and played. Its tech-based weapons and abilities are fun to play with, and the personalities you can assign to your Skitarii are a joy to listen to during moments when player characters talk to each other,

Also, I LOVE the idea of having a voice modulator when designing your character's voice to give it a robotic feel, which I hope to see more often in games in general and not just Warhammer 40,000 games featuring the Adeptus Mechanicus.

If the Arbites were the class that convinced me to play Darktide, then the Skitarii may be the class that will motivate me to play at a higher level beyond the occasional casual weekend romp with friends and check out its endgame content.

Bottom line, the Skitarii are awesome, and I can't wait to play more of them alongside everyone else as the Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's Skitarii DLC expansion launches on June 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam, which happens to be today.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's new Skitarii class? Do you think it will be your main class, or are you waiting for a different kind of servant of the Imperium to become playable, like one of the Sisters of Battle, for example?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll below, the comments section, or our Reddit page.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

After facing intense scrutiny for quirky crossovers in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Treyarch committed to keeping its operator bundles more lore-accurate for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Then they added Dave Chappelle as part of a Half Baked crossover in April. Now with Season 4 Reloaded, we're getting a crossover with Nick Cage.

Call of Duty: Season 4 Reloaded kicks off on June 25 at 9AM PT/12PM ET, and here is everything you can expect for multiplayer, Zombies, Endgame, and Warzone.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Endgame

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Endgame mode was originally locked behind campaign progression, but Treyarch ultimately decided to move the underappreciated mode to Call of Duty: Warzone and make it temporarily free-to-play. However, at the time, no end date for the free-to-play era was announced. It is now confirmed that Endgame will remain F2P until the end of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 5.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is expected to launch on October 23, with campaign early access going live on October 16. While it has not been confirmed that Black Ops 7's post-launch support will end at Season 5 instead of the standard 6 seasons we've seen with previous launches, the early launch date for MW4 does make that possibility more likely.

For Season 4 Reloaded, Endgame fans can expect Operation King Killer to be the next chapter of the story, which will push players to locate the Central Command Node and eventually face off against the Glitch Boss. Ten escalating challenges in Zone III and higher will challenge players as they unlock new rewards and weapon camos.

Endgame players can work their way through the new Guardian skill track with the Payback perk that ricochets enemy damage and increased ammo spawns on enemy eliminations. The Guardian skill track is for the tanky team player, allowing for friendly revives just by being in proximity to downed teammates, reduced flinch, and reduced damage for equipped armor plates.

The newest minor ability for Season 4 Reloaded is the psych grenade with a brain rot affect common in other Black Ops 7 modes. A new Exotic Skill, Fission, will result in players triggering an explosion that deals damage to nearby enemies when killing elite foes. The latest nightmare skill to make its way to Endgame is Sleeper Agent, which provides a chance for base enemies to become allies that rush nearby hostiles and detonate on impact.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Multiplayer

Season 4 Reloaded will bring two new maps to the multiplayer roster, one brand-new and one remastered.

New map: Zenith (6v6, 2v2, Medium-sized)

Zenith is a brand-new map coming to Black Ops 7's multiplayer during Season 4 Reloaded, bringing back to the Jungle vibes we've seen in previous Black Ops titles, but this time featuring a massive compound with state-of-the-art tech and security. The three-lane map features flanking paths on either side and a running waterway that leads into the compound's lower bunker.

Remastered map: Launch (6v6, Medium-sized)

This classic map from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops has officially been remastered for Black Ops 7, featuring a Russian rocket facility where the launch initiation protocol begins at the halfway point of each match. Launch has a soft spot in many COD players' hearts for its design, which caters to a variety of play styles thanks to the complex layout that lends itself to long sniper sightlines from elevated positions and tight corridors with plenty of potential flanking paths.

Returning mode: Team Blueprint Sharpshooter

Blueprint Sharpshooter challenges players to eliminate enemies with a rotating cycle of loadouts. The higher your kill streak, the more power ups you unlock to help you keep going. Operator bonuses are as follows:

• 1-Streak: Faster movement speed.
• 2 -Streak: Faster reload speed.
• 3-Streak: Faster sprint recovery.
• 4-Streak: Faster aim down sights speed.
• 5-Streak: Double score.

Returning mode: Knife Fight

This melee-only mode is a close-quarters variant of Gunfight for the 2v2 crowd who are looking to make some progress on weapons like the H311-SAW and MK.II. No scorestreaks or field upgrades, though players can receive ranged equipment a few seconds after the round starts. The first duo squad to win six rounds wins the match.

New updates: Black Ops Classic

Treyarch has been priming fans of Black Ops for the Black Ops 1 and 2 ports coming to PlayStation later this summer with the Black Ops classic playlist that will now become a permanent fixture in the playlist rotation. This mode features the roster of classic Black Ops maps and weapons with limited mobility, perks, and scorestreak options for that throwback vibe.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Zombies

Welcome to Kowakujō, the newest round-based map for Black Ops 7 Zombies coming in Season 4 Reloaded. Treyarch has been teasing Kowakujō for a couple of weeks, as well as the supernatural Oni enemy, scorched Zombies, and a fiery new take on Hellhounds.

The story will have players battling the undead on the slopes of a volcano with a dragon flying overhead as they attempt to free the final Shadowsmith and recover the World Seed — failure means catastrophe for the material world. That's easier said than done, however, when the foreboding Oni is ready to attack with its electrified melee weapon. A new wonder weapon could help make things easier, but Treyarch is keeping the details of the new tool close to its chest until Season 4 Reloaded goes live.

The Main Quest for Kowakujō goes live on June 25 at 9AM PT/12PM ET.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Warzone

Season 4 Reloaded will bring some new changes to Call of Duty: Warzone, though not as significant as we've seen in some other updates. Players who have been enjoying the snow-covered Rebirth Island will have to say goodbye to the frost caps as the island returns to a more seasonally appropriate color palette. However, the Season 2 changes to points of interest will remain intact.

New modes are coming to the playlist rotation for Warzone, including Squad Gun Game on Resurgence maps and Buy Back Quads for Battle Royale Maps. Those of us pining for duos or trios playlists on Black Ops Royale are still out of luck, unfortunately. But hey, the Champions Quest is back for those teams who want to challenge themselves to consecutive victories that meet specific criteria.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Events

It's not a new season without some new events, and the first one planned for Season 4 Reloaded gives us Nick Cage — for, reasons? Treyarch is touting the addition of Nick Cage to Call of Duty as part of its "action-packed summer" themed event, offering a free and premium track to unlock a variety of rewards by earning XP during a limited time. The free track includes:

• “Opportunist” Samuels Operator Skin
• “Wide Eyed” Spray
• 1-Hour Double Weapon XP Token
• “On Set” Loading Screen
• Battle Pass Tier Skip “Art of Respect” Animated Emblem
• “Hired Muscle” Grimm Operator Skin
• “Personal Tyrant” Weapon Charm
• New “Executioner’s Duet” Melee Weapon
• New “AN-94” Assault Rifle

While the premium reward track will cost players some out-of-pocket cash and include the following:

• New “Nick Cage” Operator
• “Elegant Transformation” Animated Calling Card
• “Shedding Limits” Peacekeeper MK1 Assault Rifle Weapon Blueprint
• “Get In Position!” Emote
• “Snake Handler” Jäger 45 Pistol Weapon Blueprint
• “Calmly Ended” Finishing Move
• “Burn Into Memory” HUD Theme
• “Studded Pelt” Dravec 45 SMG Weapon Blueprint
• “Fiery Streak” Gunscreen
• “Unlimited” Nick Cage Operator Skin

The "Summer of Action" event will feature a new Daily Login event that includes the following rewards:

• 1-Hour Double Player XP Token, Tier Skip
• “Loaded and Locked” Emblem, Tier Skip
• 1-Hour Double Weapon XP Token, Tier Skip
• “Air Time” Sticker, Tier Skip
• 1-Hour Double XP Token, Tier Skip
• “Against the Odds” Calling Card, Tier Skip
• “Catharsis” X9 Maverick Assault Rifle Weapon Blueprint, Tier Skip

Zombies players can also look forward to their own Kowakujō Event with rewards including weapon camos and GobbleGums.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Free Trial

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has been a contentious entry to the franchise, with the game's psychologically-thriller style campaign deterring players who were expecting a more traditional single-player experience. However, the multiplayer has been applauded as one of the best in the franchise's modern history, mainly due to Treyarch's willingness to listen to player feedback on features like out-of-place operator skins and Skill-Based Match Making.

If you haven't yet tried out Black Ops 7's multiplayer and Zombies mode, a free trial period is coming later during the Season 4 Reloaded window to give players a chance to check out what they've been missing.

Treyarch has excelled at listening to player feedback, but still drops the ball on operator bundles

Call of Duty's development teams have taken quite a hit in the 'goodwill' department from fans of the franchise since the explosion of weed-themed and cel-shaded operator bundles hit the in-game store in full force during Modern Warfare 3 (2023)'s post-launch seasons. The ridiculous operator bundles and cross-overs became even more egregious with Black Ops 6, when we were stuck with the likes of cel-shaded Beavis and Butthead and American Dad operators running around.

A lot of players have hot takes about other operator bundles like Nicki Minaj or the more colorfully adorned operators, and I can almost see their point. What I, personally, find more frustrating is the out-of-universe nature of some of the crossovers. I don't expect Call of Duty to be a milsim, and I am not ashamed to say that I am first in line to scoop up a unicorn bundle or a female operator with some witchy vibes. I'm still gleefully jaunting around Black Ops Royale in the witchy raven operator bundle I purchased a few years ago, actually.

Treyarch has had a spectacular year in multiplayer, where they've really made an effort to give players the Black Ops experience they've been begging for, and it has been — hands down — one of the best Black Ops multiplayers in recent memory. And yet, they just refuse to turn loose of these senseless crossovers with celebrities. It's a commitment to going against the audience that I just don't understand. Give me rainbow tracers any day of the week. It's Dave Chapelle, Nick Cage, and other out-of-universe celebrities that have me feeling like the ball is being dropped.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On Windows 11, I often see users concerned about high memory usage when they open Task Manager. It's not uncommon to see RAM utilization sitting at 70, 80, or even 90 percent. When that happens, many people assume their computer is slowing down, the operating system is using too many resources, or it's finally time to upgrade to more memory.

Microsoft PC Manager is one of the tools designed to address this concern. The app includes a one-click "Boost" feature that promises to free memory and improve performance instantly. However, before you start clearing memory every time you see a high percentage, it's important to understand what the system is actually doing behind the scenes.

Why Windows 11 uses so much memory

Nowadays, modern operating systems are designed to use available resources efficiently. Instead of letting memory sit idle, Windows 11 uses available RAM to cache data and keep frequently used apps ready to launch faster. The goal is to make the system feel more responsive.

As a result, high memory usage isn't necessarily a warning sign. In many cases, it's evidence that the operating system is taking advantage of the hardware you already paid for. This is also why two computers with the same amount of memory can show very different usage in Task Manager, even when performance feels nearly identical.

It's important, though, to separate "good" memory usage from "bad" bloat. When the system uses RAM to cache files, it'll immediately give that memory back when another app needs it. On the other hand, if a single app or browser tab is consuming several gigabytes of memory because of poor optimization or a memory leak, that's a legitimate resource problem and a valid reason to close the app or use a tool like PC Manager.

Where Microsoft PC Manager fits in

Microsoft PC Manager can help when memory consumption becomes excessive. The Boost feature quickly closes unnecessary background processes and releases memory back to the system. If you've left dozens of browser tabs open, forgotten apps running in the background, or are working on a computer with limited memory, the feature can provide an immediate improvement.

For users who don't want to dig through Task Manager looking for resource-hungry processes, PC Manager offers a much simpler approach.

However, the tool works best when it's solving an actual memory problem rather than chasing a lower number.

The mistake many users make

The biggest mistake I see is treating memory usage as a score that should always be kept as low as possible.

If Task Manager reports 85 percent memory usage, many users immediately assume they need to free RAM. After using the Boost feature, they feel reassured because the percentage drops to a lower number.

The problem is that lower memory usage doesn't automatically translate into better performance.

Windows 11 often stores useful information in memory to speed up common tasks. Clearing that data may reduce the percentage shown in Task Manager, but it doesn't always make the computer faster. In some situations, the operating system simply reloads the same information back into memory moments later.

When should you actually worry?

The percentage itself isn't what matters most. What matters is whether you're experiencing symptoms that indicate the system is running out of available memory. Apps taking longer to open, sluggish multitasking, and random slowdowns are usually better indicators than the number shown in Task Manager.

Another sign is when the system begins to rely heavily on virtual memory, forcing it to move data between RAM and storage. That's when performance can start to suffer noticeably. Also, keep in mind that many other factors can affect system performance, including the type and speed of your local drive, available disk space, thermal throttling, processor limitations, and excessive startup apps and background processes, just to name a few.

If your computer remains responsive throughout your normal workload, high memory usage alone usually isn't a reason to worry.

So how much RAM usage is too much?

There isn't a magic number that applies to every computer. For some users, 90 percent memory usage may be perfectly normal because they're running dozens of browser tabs, editing photos, or working with virtual machines.

Actually, I fall into this category. When I built my system, I installed 96GB of RAM, and I haven't noticed any slowdown in the applications I use when the usage is around 90 percent or even more.

However, context is also important. On an 8GB system sitting at around 85 percent memory usage, there's very little room left to work with. At that point, Windows 11 has to rely more on memory compression and move data to the storage drive, which can lead to noticeable slowdowns or stuttering. High memory usage on a high-end computer is usually just normal caching. However, on a lower-end system, it often means the hardware is starting to struggle.

My rule of thumb is simple. If memory usage consistently stays at 85-90 percent and you're noticing performance issues, it's probably time to investigate and consider a RAM upgrade. If performance remains smooth, Windows 11 is likely managing memory exactly as intended.

Windows Central's Take

Every time I see someone post a screenshot showing 85 or 90 percent memory usage on Windows 11, the first reaction is usually, "You need more RAM." In reality, that's often not the case.

I've tested Windows 11 on systems with 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB of memory, and one thing I've learned is that the system will happily use available RAM if it can improve performance. That's exactly what modern operating systems are supposed to do. Unused memory doesn't make your computer faster.

This is why I think Microsoft PC Manager's Boost feature is both useful and potentially misleading. It's useful because it can quickly free resources on low-memory systems or when an app is misbehaving. However, it can also reinforce the idea that high memory usage is always bad, which simply isn't true.

The one major exception here is right before you launch a heavy workload. If you are about to open a demanding game or start rendering a 4K video, it could make sense to hit the "Boost" feature beforehand. It forces background tasks to clear out early, ensuring your heavy application has immediate access to raw blocks of memory without waiting for the system to reallocate resources on the fly.

If you open Task Manager and see memory usage sitting at 80 or even 90 percent, I wouldn't rush to upgrade your memory. Instead, I'd ask a different question. Is the device actually slow? If apps open quickly and multitasking feels smooth, Windows 11 is probably managing memory exactly as intended.

For me, the real sign that it's time for more RAM isn't a percentage in Task Manager. It's when I start noticing slowdowns, app reloads, stuttering, or other performance issues during my normal workflow. That's when additional memory makes a difference.

What's the highest memory usage you've seen on Windows 11 without noticing any performance issues? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The Royal Festival Hall in London was recently transformed into a musical gateway to the burning pits of Hell, and no I'm not talking about a recreation of the London Underground.

As I sat in the audience for the Diablo 30th Anniversary Symphony on 06/06/(202)6, surrounded by hundreds of fellow fans, it felt like a somewhat full-circle moment for me. After all, it was my rambling spam texts I would send to friends about the current state of Diablo 3 that got me into writing about games in the first place. This franchise has changed my life in many ways, and the concert was something of a pilgrimage through three decades of iconic, haunting, and deeply atmospheric music that has defined the Diablo franchise from its humble 1996 beginnings right up to Diablo 4.

Watching a full live orchestra play the Diablo music that permeates every game session was like an out-of-body experience. I found myself in awe of how the choir's human voices, booming over the strings, functioned as instruments in their own right, really carrying the weight of the game’s gothic horror.

The instantly recognizable 12-string guitar melody from the Tristram theme was the highlight of the night. As those familiar, melancholy notes rang out, I could hear a collective intake of breath from the other fans sitting around me. It was a shared connection to a piece of music that has been the background of many a session over the years. It was heard a few times throughout the performance, as it's woven deep into the soul of Diablo 4’s soundtrack, linking all of the franchises, yet distinctly recognizable as a Diablo 2 sound.

Ahead of the performance, I had the privilege of sitting down with two of the architects behind these sounds: Charlotte Pyle, Principal Audio Producer, and Derek Duke, Music Director at Blizzard Entertainment.

Getting the right people for the job

For those who live and breathe these games, it is easy to assume that the people making the music have been lifelong gamers in the traditional sense, but the paths to Blizzard are as diverse as the scores themselves.

Charlotte Pyle joined the studio nine years ago, coming from the film industry. "I was contacted when I was working in the film industry about a production role for cinematic sound," Pyle explained. "I did a whole gauntlet of interviews, and they called me to say they were interested in me joining, but wanted me to actually be the music producer lead".

Derek Duke, on the other hand, is a cornerstone of the Blizzard legacy. "I started at Blizzard as a contractor, writing music, and then I got an opportunity to come on board full time," Duke shared. Having been with the studio for roughly 25 years, his tenure spans the evolution of Blizzard's entire musical identity

Blizzard's "darkest" franchise

We touched upon the distinction between Blizzard's franchises, and the creative process behind Diablo's unique and ominous sound.

"Diablo is our 'M for Mature' game. It’s our darker, gothic franchise," Duke explained. "It’s heavier, it’s even more immersive; it has that sense of dread. World of Warcraft is definitely a bit brighter, a bit more neoclassical."

I’ve always felt that Mephisto's theme in Diablo 4 gives a sense of creeping death comparable to having Jaws nipping at your heels. When I asked if they looked to horror/thriller cinema for inspiration, Duke noted that their influences come from all over, explaining that they listen to a wide array of music and film rather than limiting themselves to one genre.

How collaboration has evolved

As technology has advanced, so too has the way Blizzard creates its soundtracks. The team works with musicians and singers from all over the globe. In fact, it was explained that this evening would be the first time many performers had performed in the same room, despite their sounds being woven together for years as we step around Sanctuary.

"Technology has evolved a lot, but it’s only just allowed us to move a little bit faster and work more efficiently," Duke noted. "Especially with things like Diablo 4, it’s made collaboration amazingly better. We’re working with vocalists and instrumentalists all over the world — from electric violinists in Canada to percussionists in LA. It’s amazing".

This collaborative spirit extends into the game’s development cycle itself. I asked how early the guys got involved with the writers when it came to making a piece of music for a specific cutscene or side quest.

"We’re constantly in contact with the game team — that’s one of the benefits of the central music team being so embedded with every single game," Pyle said. "The minute we start hearing about something, we’re getting on a call, getting concept art, and looking at narrative storylines as early as possible".

Duke gave an example. "Neyrelle's theme would have been created when we started on that cinematic with Neyrelle in it, so we would have decided that Neyrelle needed a theme for her, because she was being used in the storyline, so we started working on a theme for her that could be used in multiple cinematics as well throughout the story,"

Translating the digital to the live stage

The challenge of taking music meant for a PC headset and moving it to a grand concert hall was one of the most exciting topics we touched on. For the symphony, the team didn't just play back digital files; they leaned into the human element of the soundtrack.

"The arrangements were created specifically for the symphony," Duke explained. "We have four of the soloists that we used on Diablo 4 flying in to perform live. There won't be any stopping or starting or second takes; it’ll be captured in one go"

A legacy of sound

One of the most impressive things about Diablo 4 is how its soundtrack manages to feel entirely new while sneaking in those "twangs" of nostalgia, those specific notes we talked about that instantly transport you back to Diablo 2.

"We’re always conscious of the past and keeping that legacy," Duke said of their approach to the latest entry. "We always want to evolve the sounds of the franchises, but keep that past present in the future. It’s great that you picked up on that".

I left that evening with a sense that the team behind Diablo 4's sound has a deeper focus on history than you might think, aided in no small part by a group of Blizzard veterans. It can't be easy to keep the franchise's legacy alive while still fostering a unique identity for Diablo 4, but they've pulled it off. This was felt more than ever when experiencing the Infernal Symphony itself. The shift in pace from the classic Diablo 2 tracks to the melancholic despair of Kyovashad’s theme made it clear they have been able to go bigger and bolder with Diablo 4. Yet, even amidst that grand orchestral scale, I am incredibly glad that there is still room for that classic 12-string guitar.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

As a lifelong PC gamer, I know well the woes that Denuvo and other Digital Rights Management (DRM) platforms can cause for even the most law-abiding consumers.

Whether it's a noticeable performance impact, a roadblock to modding, or annoying online check-ins, DRM has become something despised by those in the games industry. And I'm talking about those who design games and those who buy them.

Unfortunately, what is likely the leading alternative to DRM tools like Denuvo doesn't make me very happy, either. Nor should it make you excited for the future of gaming.

DRM has been getting less effective over time as popular game crackers become more effective. I can easily imagine a time when no DRM is effective anymore. The leading alternative that I think will replace it?

Subscription-based game "ownership", where you own nothing and are happy just to be able to play at all. Let me explain.

Video game popularity goes nuclear and piracy begins

The mainstream video game industry got its start in the '70s, with home consoles like the Magnavox Odyssey, running (in retrospect) rudimentary games like Pong.

Countless consoles were launched at consumers over the next couple of decades, with the vast majority featuring embedded games (like the Magnavox Odyssey) or physical media (like the original Nintendo Entertainment System).

It wasn't until the '90s that a perfect mixture of hardware advancements for personal computers and groundbreaking games like DOOM fueled a huge PC gaming boom.

Let me be clear: video game piracy has been happening basically since the start of video games.

Savvy users were duplicating games sold on magnetic tapes in the '70s and '80s, and once the internet came about, the rise of the Warez subculture saw countless cracked games being shared in online forums.

I'm old enough to fondly recall visiting computer stores to buy physical PC games, but the CDs used to ship games were rather easy to rip and reburn to a new disc. That is, if the games weren't just being sent to share online.

Steam, the wildly popular digital games distribution hub, began to gain popularity in the '00s. It provided gamers with an extremely convenient way to buy games, but again, the digital copies were easy to share after being "cracked."

The PC gaming industry soon realized it had a real problem. Gamers were downloading titles via torrent hubs like Napster and LimeWire at a frantic pace, robbing developers and publishers of revenue.

The response to game piracy was two-fold. On one side, Steam (and its parent company, Valve) realized it could make buying games more convenient than stealing them. And to make that strategy work, games had to be harder to steal via DRM efforts.

DRM was effective at stopping game piracy ... until it wasn't

A peer-reviewed 2024 study published in the Entertainment Computing journal is one of the best resources that proves the effectiveness of DRM. The study tracked 86 games launched on Steam between 2014 and 2022.

The highlights? Games that had cracked versions hit the internet in the first week after their initial launch saw roughly 20% decreased revenue. When those cracks were delayed by DRM by at least six weeks, revenue only dropped by 5%.

If a game's DRM managed to hold out against cracks for at least three months, there was no noticeable loss of revenue.

This study shows that DRM indeed did exactly what it was supposed to do. If it could slow down free versions of a game from being uploaded to the web, studios and publishers stood to make a lot more money.

As DRM improved, however, so did the individuals and groups dedicated to cracking it. Whereas something like Denuvo was frequently able to hold out for long periods of time, Denuvo today is often being cracked mere hours after launch.

Such was the case with LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, which showed up online in cracked form shortly after launch. Speaking of recent games, 007: First Light was also notably cracked in less than two weeks.

You won't own your games, and you'll be happy to play them

It's becoming clear that there's really no foolproof way to stop someone from cracking a game that they have full access to, and I fear that the answer to Denuvo's demise is contractual rather than technological.

I'm talking about subscription-based gaming that lets you "rent" a game that's then streamed to your device from a cloud server instance. With live authentication handshakes at every step and no real access to a game's files and no actual downloads, piracy potential is basically nonexistent.

This logic is, of course, already being applied in some ways. Xbox's PC Game Pass, a service to which I've been a longtime subscriber, grants access to countless games for one price. Of course, I'm still downloading those games to my PC to play. Xbox Cloud Gaming takes the downloading part out of the equation, delivering games straight to your devices from the cloud.

The convenience these types of services afford, as well as Steam's frequent and deep sales, helped curb piracy. But piracy is far from dead, especially as game (and hardware) prices continue to rise.

A bargain that no gamer asked for

Because AI has caused RAM and storage (and other component) prices to skyrocket, there are valid concerns that a majority of gamers soon won't be able to afford the hardware on which games run.

The leading solution that doesn't involve payment plans and interest-free financing? Again, it's cloud gaming, where you don't actually own any hardware and instead pay a modest monthly subscription fee to rent a GPU and CPU sitting in a data center somewhere nearby.

What I find particularly troubling about this trajectory is that gamers are the ones being shafted. As usual. Sure, a subscription-based model would remove piracy almost entirely, but the idea of not actually owning any games is frightening.

Imagine if, like Netflix, the gaming service to which you subscribed decided to remove a selection of games from its library. Where would you turn then? A new subscription? You'd better hope the rights to those games are purchased by someone else.

Will the final boss of piracy indeed be a complete lack of game ownership? I can't say for sure, but it certainly feels like we're headed in that direction.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 this week, but thanks to a confusing naming scheme and the lack of an event or stream, the new PCs have not drawn the attention they deserves.

Those who paid attention and saw the announcements may have experienced sticker shock, since the new Surface devices are at least $500 more expensive than their predecessors. Microsoft will include a free keyboard to ease the pain, but still.

This week marked the third time this year that Microsoft announced new Surface PCs, and I feel cheated. This isn't how Surface week is supposed to feel.

Biggest News of the Week

Microsoft has announced a whopping six Surface devices this year. But information trickled out in a series of press releases. No on-stage event. No live stream. No buzz.

I can understand Microsoft skipping a Surface event when there's little to announce. In a couple of previous years, there's been little to talk about. But in just the first half of 2026, Microsoft unveiled:

• Surface Laptop Ultra powered by NVIDIA RTX Spark
• Surface Pro 12 for Business and Surface Pro 12 for consumers
• Surface Laptop 8 for Business and Surface Laptop 8 for consumers
• Surface RTX Spark Dev Box

Those PCs aren't just spec bumps. They include two new form types of PCs for the Surface family (a true clamshell workstation and a mini PC), and the latest components from Intel, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm.

The Surface Laptop 8 for Business has an innovative privacy screen that should make non-business users jealous. The new consumer Surface hardware runs on the Snapdragon X2 Elite. The Surface Laptop Ultra runs NVIDIA's RTX Spark superchip and Windows on Arm.

Microsoft had the partners, internals, form factors, and unique features to fill a keynote. Instead, inboxes were filled with emails of spec sheets and basic information.

Shopping with Sean

The new Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 are beautiful machines, but I think it's hard to justify their price. Instead, I suggest a Dell XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite and 32GB of RAM.

If you do get a Surface Pro, the discounted Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is worth grabbing. It can be used wirelessly or when physically attached and features a large haptic trackpad.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

An essay published last week by a Microsoft Principal Scientist and University of York Researcher is getting some viral heat, and the title alone was enough to make me do a double-take: "If LLMs Have Human-Like Attributes, Then So Does Age of Empires II."

The paper, authored by Adrian de Wynter, is not a joke. Well, it's sort of a joke, but not in the way I first thought. The premise is simple (heh heh). De Wynter built and trained a working neural network inside Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, the remaster of 1999's legendary real-time strategy masterpiece.

Using the game's rather powerful custom map editor, de Wynter constructed operational NAND gates using palisade walls, grass, and bridge terrain, with goats as signal carriers.

While admittedly rudimentary, de Wynter essentially built the basics of a modern AI system. And by doing so, he flipped one of the biggest assumptions in AI research on its head.

Do AI systems have human qualities? AI research wants you to believe so.

There are countless AI studies out there that you can read suggesting that Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Claude possess human-like qualities. I'm talking about empathy. Anxiety. Morality. Self-awareness. The stuff that makes humans human.

Researchers design experiments around these assumptions, test LLMs with them, and report on their findings. There's a problem with this approach. De Wynter looked at more than 300 AI research papers published in the last two years and discovered that more than half of them were created under the assumption that, yes, LLMs do have human attributes.

If an AI paper's author specifically set out to prove that LLMs possess human properties, a whopping 77% concluded that those properties existed. You can see how there's a rather serious confirmation bias at play.

Playing Age of Empires 2 at a truly high level

Age of Empires II is one of my favorite games of all time, and its thriving competitive scene nearly three decades after its original launch is something to behold. But I've never seen something like this.

In his essay, de Wynter proves that Age of Empires II is "Turing-complete," which means it can theoretically run any computation.

As mentioned, he used the game's map editor to build NAND logic gates using custom scenario triggers, with a functioning 1-bit perceptron (a "fundamental build block of neural networks").

Taken to a grand scale with a lot of effort, de Wynter effectively proves that, yes, Age of Empires II could create something functionally similar to an LLM.

Applying the same rules to Age of Empires II as we apply to AI

What de Wynter proves with this experiment is that anyone claiming LLMs have anxiety or morals also has to admit that Age of Empires II, given enough time and complexity, is in the same boat.

De Wynter doesn't stop at Age of Empires II, either.

You might look at this experiment and assume that AI is actually not as smart as everyone thinks it is. In my eyes, that's the wrong take. Instead, the experiment essentially proves that human-like behavior is actually a part of any complex system designed to produce certain results.

For AI researchers attempting to make us believe that LLMs are on the verge of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), that's a rather heavy blow.

Is it time to break up with your AI partner?

AI firms design their products to feel as human as possible. That's probably why so many users form emotional attachments to soulless server racks, using them for therapy and to help with serious life decisions.

Researchers writing papers suggesting that AI possesses human-like qualities feed back into a loop of product and policy decisions from the big AI firms, creating a false illusion of what AI actually is on the inside.

De Wynter's paper posits not that AI lacks truly interesting properties, but that researchers need to be more honest in their approach. He believes that tests should be performed using a "null assumption" that doesn't start with "AI is human," with tests designed to prove the claim.

It's a pretty obvious scientific change that even I, a rural imbecile, understand is necessary to reveal the true nature of AI.

The call is coming from inside the house

I'd like to point out that de Wynter isn't an outsider hoping to discredit AI. He's an established AI researcher based at Microsoft, the company that has poured untold billions into OpenAI and that has jammed Copilot into products as much as possible.

I absolutely love that it's Age of Empires II that was used for the experiment, and I hope that de Wynter's paper has a positive effect on the AI research community. I'll be keeping a closer eye on the goats gathered around my Town Center the next time I play some Age.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft is often referred to as the software giant — and for a good reason. Windows and Office are among the most profitable products in its ecosystem, thanks to their widespread global adoption. However, the tech giant has seemingly shifted its focus from its bread and butter to chase the elusive generative AI.

It dates back to Microsoft's first investment in OpenAI in 2019. CEO Satya Nadella revealed that his company's original co-founder, Bill Gates, wasn't party to the idea, citing the AI firm's non-profit structure. "Yeah, you're going to burn this billion dollars," Gates warned.

Conversely, a separate report claimed that Bill Gates is still intimately involved in Microsoft's affairs, despite stepping away to focus on his philanthropic efforts. His advice is reportedly regarded as gospel, with Nadella frequently relying on his guidance for the company’s transformative AI initiatives.

Nevertheless, Satya Nadella indicated that the company was moving away from Bill Gates' software factory vision: "That idea has guided us for decades," he indicated. "But today, it's no longer enough." According to Nadella, that original vision is becoming outdated as we edge closer to the AI revolution.

Instead, Microsoft is pivoting to security, quality, and AI transformation as its core business priorities. While it sounds good on paper, reality paints a very different picture (at least in the short term). Microsoft has faced a wide array of challenges in this age of AI, which could potentially undermine the backbone that has propelled it to a market capitalization of 2.82 trillion.

Too little, too late for Windows?

I've used Windows all my life, with a few side quests with Linux (Ubuntu) and macOS. Over that period, there's been a paradigm shift in Microsoft's OS, and not necessarily for the better. Windows 11's slow adoption rate before Windows 10's death is a clear depiction.

Many blatantly expressed their preference for the previous edition for a range of reasons, including Windows 11's stringent hardware requirements, flawed design elements, and more.

According to a recent HP survey, 3 out of 10 HP PCs are still running Windows 10 despite Microsoft pulling the plug on October 14, 2025. Then again, the number of Windows 10 holdouts has slightly decreased from September 2025, when HP and Dell indicated that up to 50% of PCs were still running on the operating system.

As a result, many users may not switch to Windows 11 immediately, instead delaying the upgrade until later this year, likely when ESU support officially ends.

Consequently, groups like The Restart Project group, which helped co-develop the "End of 10" toolkit to support Windows 10 users who can't upgrade to Windows 11, claim Microsoft's move to continue pushing security updates to Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a band-aid on a bleeding system.

Critics have even branded Windows 10's end of support as programmed obsolescence on Microsoft's end, because the move forced millions of working PCs into early retirement, as they didn't meet the requirements to upgrade to Windows 11.

While it might seem like a stretch to some, rival platforms like Linux have shown some increased traction with incentives like a lack of ads and telemetry tracking fueling the switch from Microsoft's ecosystem. Some of our own Windows Central community members share the same sentiments, too.

That said, it might be too early to write off Windows. At the beginning of the year, Microsoft pledged to improve the overall user sentiment around the operating system, and has made good on its promise with its Windows K2 initiative (an internal initiative designed to address major pain points across Windows 11 based on customer feedback), including reducing where Copilot and other AI integrations appear across the operating system.

The company even brought back Windows Insider meetups to bridge the gap between users and the Windows development team, potentially making it easier to voice concerns and even provide feedback that will help steer the platform in the right direction.

However, Microsoft plans to evolve Windows into an agentic AI operating system — a move that has been received with mixed feelings. It indicated that Windows will ship with a new agentic workspace feature right out of the box, containing AI agents in their own secure sessions.

Last month, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s head of product marketing for AI and Copilot, transitioned to a new role focused on "reimagining Windows for the agentic era" before eventually departing the company. This is a clear indication that the evolution of Windows into an agentic OS is already on track and could happen sooner than you think.

It'll be interesting to see how this will impact Microsoft's massive market share on desktops with Windows, and whether users will jump ship to "less intrusive" alternatives.

Office lost Teams, and Microsoft thought Copilot would sweeten the deal

In case you missed it, Microsoft unbundled Teams from Office 365 to dodge EU antitrust fines in 2025. The new arrangement offers Office 365 and Microsoft 365 without Teams at a lower cost, at around $2.20 (€2) less per user each month. This means you'll have to get Teams as a standalone service for about $5.50 (€5) per user per month.

In April, Salesforce filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, citing anticompetitive practices related to its Microsoft Teams app: "Microsoft's practices harmed ⁠competition, using tying and bundling of Teams to ​limit customer choice," the Slack maker claimed.

However, Microsoft dismissed the claims, citing that the antitrust case lacked merit. At the same time, it used the opportunity to throw jabs at Slack's lackluster growth and inferior capabilities compared to Teams and Zoom.

In the interim, Microsoft Office could potentially be looking at a competitive threat from the likes of The Document Foundation's LibreOffice and even newcomers like Euro-Office.

Euro-Office is Europe’s bold alternative to Microsoft 365, promising sovereignty and control. Perhaps more interestingly, the service ships a familiar user interface as Microsoft's service, which should technically make the jump less drastic for users.

However, the threat doesn't seem that serious, at least in the short term, unless the rival platforms address major concerns affecting their services and commit to improving compatibility. According to Windows Central member, GraniteStateColin:

"Microsoft Office is cheap and excellent. It's a bargain for anyone who benefits from its feature set. If all you need is a simple text entry window, then it is overkill, but at $20/year/user ($120/year for 6 users), it's still one of the cheapest options. That's $2/mo! If that's what's bankrupting Europe, they have bigger problems."

"LibreOffice's compatibility with MS Office docs is terrible. If there's anything more than the occasional bold or italic word, formatting is almost always a mess when trying to open a LibreOffice document in Word. That's on them, not Microsoft. They have had access to the file standards for more than a decade and CHOSE not to implement them properly."

This isn't the first threat to Microsoft's dominance with Windows and its Office productivity tools. In April, the French government revealed that it was ditching Windows for Linux as part of the country's broader strategy to reduce its dependence on American tools.

Similarly, at the beginning of this year, France announced plans to ditch Microsoft Teams and Zoom for a domestically developed platform called Visio across its public institutions by 2027.

Microsoft's toxic relationship with AI

Last year, Microsoft started automatically installing the Copilot AI app on Microsoft 365 users' Windows PCs. However, it temporarily suspended the forced installation following backlash and complaints from users, including a critical bug that allowed the chatbot to access sensitive data and read confidential emails.

However, the company is resuming automatic Microsoft 365 Copilot installations, starting July 1, for all Microsoft 365 users. It's worth noting that admins can opt out of the experience.

Despite Microsoft's fixation on AI, shareholders recently filed a class action lawsuit against the company, alleging it deliberately overstated Copilot’s success and its partnership with OpenAI. They also claimed that Microsoft failed to disclose Azure’s revenue slump while pouring billions into expanding AI data center infrastructure.

Market analysts and experts warned that Microsoft could be facing its worst quarter since the 2008 financial crisis if it continues blowing money on AI that isn't meeting investor expectations for returns.

Microsoft's big bet on AI and consequent setbacks go beyond Office and Windows; Azure is a victim too. According to a former engineer, Microsoft reportedly rushed the service into the market to compete with Google and Amazon.

This resulted in a talent exodus and lackluster software, which seemingly left Microsoft's cloud fragile and unable to compete on an even playing field with competitors. Either way, the next few years will reveal whether Microsoft's AI gamble strengthens its legacy products or leaves them further behind.

What are your thoughts about the current state of Windows and Office as Microsoft pivots to AI? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The first Echo Generation was announced back at an ID@Xbox showcase back in 2020, and I remember reading how Vanessa Chia, Writer & Producer and Co-founder of Cococumber, wanted the game be a reflection of the childhood many players grew up in, with the nostalgia of the era being a theme with that small town vibe that was prevalent in media of the time, such as Stranger Things, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, or The Goonies. Gameplay-wise, with RPG mechanics feeling familiar with a lack of mechanical bloating, you would be amiss to not feel nostalgic for games like Paper Mario or Super Mario RPG.

It was no surprise that Echo Generation continues this nostalgia-ridden trip with Echo Generation 2, giving the player a feeling of chill familiarity, like they are watching a Saturday morning cartoon with a bowl of cereal. What I did find a surprise, however, was how invested I would get into the characters and world the team at Cococumber would create.

You follow the game through the perspectives of two characters to begin with: Sister M & Jack, two completely different characters, sharing the same story without knowing. From the beginning, you can choose where you want to start, which is a nice addition if you think you will favor one over the other, though I find it hard to decide. As with some games with multiple playable characters that feel like a re-hash of each other, the stories are distinct and somehow, tonally different while keeping the same vibe, if that makes sense.

Sister M begins her story escaping the research facility she and the other children have been raised in and experimented on. Where are all your friends, and who is ‘The Commander?’

Jack’s story begins with him and his family having a weekend away in a cabin when there’s an explosion at Jack’s workplace, a local science facility. Jack then has to get his family home to safety before being called back into work to help save the day.

Is it the same facility? You’ll have to play the game yourself, but I played the first 3 chapters for this preview and also had the option to play two others, each chapter with a brand new character: Annata Z, a zombie who awakens with no memories other than that she’s missing her daughter, and Nolivia, a bounty hunter from the future.

The art style of the game follows on from the first being retro pixel art 3d extravaganza for your eyes, with each screen you enter being just as beautiful as the last. Within Jacks chapter, the game opens with a shot of a sunset across a lake but the one I keep coming back to is the guest bedroom.

With how the light shines through the window on either side of the bed, the cleanliness of the room which allows the greens and reds around the room to be highlighted, adding a greater level of 3d space to the already 3d pixel art. I don’t think I can think of a screen I entered that I thought was a let-down.

The game’s gameplay is a simple nostalgic take on a turn-based RPG battle system, where the good guys and the bad guys politely take turns in trying to beat the other to a pulp, one move at a time.

The difference this time around, though, is the reworked battle system, which works on a card-collecting system, where throughout the world, glowing trading cards will be hidden for the player to find, each giving you a new attack, defense, or support card to add to your arsenal. Each belongs to a certain type of card, either diamond, spade, or heart. Each enemy will have a stance bar above their health; using cards with matching symbols will eradicate their stance bar, making your subsequent attacks do more damage.

A choice that Cococumber made to distinguish the two stories is to put Sister M as a solo character who battles to escape the oppression of her overlords, and Jack as the typical dad who teams up with his babies to fight with knives and axes. It’s a great way to keep the player engaged with your gameplay as you change your tactics from being allowed one or two attacks per turn to 3-6.

​Echo Generations 2 is short and sweet, with a completion time of around 9 hours if you want to see all the game has to offer, giving you a great bite sized game to pick up and play before you tackle your next mammoth of an RPG, or if you do want a trip down memory lane and play a game that feels like it could have been a console from your childhood.

Echo Generations 2 is available right now on Xbox Series X| S, Xbox on PC, Xbox One, Steam, and compatible handhelds. The game is also a part of your Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscription and features support for Xbox Cloud Gaming and the Xbox Play Anywhere program, making it the perfect game to play when you get 5 minutes, wherever you are.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

I'm not a naysayer of VR; I've used it plenty over the years and had a lot of enjoyment. But one of the issues I've always had is fatigue, purely from hanging these things off my head for extended periods.

Be it the Meta Quest lineup or the last PC VR headset I owned, the now-defunct Lenovo Explorer (RIP Windows Mixed Reality), the form factor and the weight ultimately turned me off.

At the recent Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte, I had my first chance to try out the Pimax Dream Air, a high-end, PC VR headset that's smaller and lighter than anything I've ever worn before. All while preserving the quality of the image inside the headset, which is easily up there with the best I've ever seen.

It's not cheap. Not at all. If you're looking for budget-friendly VR, you'll still want to look at a Meta Quest 3S.

But for more serious VR players, specifically here looking towards Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 or sim racers in titles such as iRacing, aka experiences where you'll be inside VR for much longer, I think this could be a winner.

Lightness makes a huge difference (to me) for VR

The Pimax Dream Air isn't the lightest headset out there; there's still one from Bigscreen that has it beaten there. But compared to the likes of the well-known kings of the space, like the Meta Quest 3, it's night and day.

The Pimax Dream Air is around 170g for the headset, compared to the 515g of the Meta Quest 3 (and a hair lighter than this for the Meta Quest 3S). You could wear three of the Pimax headsets and still be under the weight of a single Meta Quest 3. That's significant.

Of course, as it's a PC VR headset, it doesn't have all the computer bits inside that a Meta Quest 3 does, which certainly helps. But the form factor combined with this lack of weight means it's extremely comfortable.

The bulk of my previous iRacing career was done using VR, partly for immersion, but more so because I don't have space for massive screens. But with the Lenovo Explorer, which at the time was one of the lightest headsets around, I couldn't race for more than an hour because I just started to feel uncomfortable. This meant I couldn't really take on longer races.

I'm not saying the same wouldn't eventually happen with this VR headset, but given how little it weighs, it'd certainly be longer before it did. That's where I think this could be a killer piece of hardware.

Sim racers and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 pilots will really feel the benefit during those longer sessions.

High-end hardware if you have the budget

There's no getting away from the fact that both the Pimax Dream Air and Dream Air SE are expensive VR headsets. The Dream Air SE drops a huge chunk off the price by 'only' featuring 5K resolution, and it's also the lightest of the two.

The full-fat Dream Air has an 8K resolution, and it's this one I tried out. Simply put, the visuals are mindblowing. It's by far the best VR display I've ever tried, with deep blacks, glorious colors, and razor-sharp images.

Eye tracking and Dynamic Foveated Rendering also helps preserve system performance, rendering only the sharpest images where your eyes are focusing.

With titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in mind, the resolution available to replicate the detail both in and out of the cockpit would be insane. All from a tiny headset.

The full specs of each version are broken down in the table below.

The Dream Air and Dream Air SE both have the option of SLAM (inside-out tracking) or saving $300 and going with a Lighthouse system.

It's also worth highlighting you don't need a monster rig to run either of them. Pimax says the minimum requirement is an RTX 2070, while the recommendation is an RTX 3080. You can run it off a laptop, too, so long as you have a good enough GPU and its outputs to either a miniDP port or USB-C.

But if you're in the market for a high-end VR headset, you probably already have a PC that's capable of running it.

It's been a while since I've really been impressed with VR, but the Pimax Dream Air certainly ticks that box. The experience is astonishing, and with its small form factor and lack of weight, I could happily lose hours flying or racing in one of these.

The only real issue seems to be when you can actually get one. Both headsets are available to preorder on the Pimax website, but there's no indication of when shipping is expected. Hopefully they start landing soon.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Through a series of staggered press releases, Microsoft has unveiled six new Surface devices this year. The Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box have distinct names and designs that make them easy to identify. But the situation is less clear for the other Surface hardware.

The business and consumer versions of the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 were announced separately by Microsoft and have key differences. But the average shopper will struggle to find the right PC because of Microsoft's Surface naming scheme.

Let's say you found out about the new Surface hardware because you're an enthusiast. Despite the lack of an event, business devices launching without consumer counterparts at first, and the overall blasé attitude of Microsoft toward Surface, you learned that consumer versions of the Surface Pro and a Surface Laptop are on the way. What are you met with? A confusing naming scheme that basically requires you to already know which device you want.

Microsoft's website doesn't even have a device officially called "Surface Laptop 8." Instead, the company has a "Surface Laptop, 13-inch" and a "Surface Laptop 13.8-inch" available. Considering many companies round screen size within names, I'd forgive you for assuming these are the same device.

Head over to a third-party retailer, and things get worse. Search for "Surface Laptop" on Best Buy's website, and you'll see a mixture of Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (7th Edition), Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition but not specified on the search results page), and the Surface Laptop 13.

Normally, I wouldn't criticize a company for keeping the same name across generations. Car shoppers never seem confused about the difference between 2025 and 2026 model of the same car. But things get a bit muddier when there are devices with similar names from different generations of the same line and a PC from a separate line.

The Surface Pro family adds another layer of complexity because it's been around so long that its generation numbers overlap with screen size configurations.

The Surface Pro 12-inch came out after the Surface Pro 11 (officially called the Surface Pro 13-inch (11th Edition)), confusing people and causing some reviews and references to call the smaller device the "Surface Pro 12."

My head hurts writing about this. Just look at this chart covering the last handful of devices:

Maybe Microsoft would argue that its official names are clear, but the company swapped its naming scheme a couple years ago, and that added to the confusion. The first handful of Surface Pros were just Surface Pro followed by a number. Microsoft tested a new naming scheme with what many call the Surface Pro 5, but then reverted for a while to traditional numbering.

But Microsoft doubled back and now uses the "Edition" naming structure except for the confusingly named Surface Pro 12-inch.

Let's be real

I predict people will claim they understand all the Surface names and that I'm an old man yelling at a cloud. But please take a moment to consider folks who aren't tech experts. Shouldn't a Google search for "Surface Pro 12" show one device? Shouldn't searching Microsoft's own website for the same thing provide clarity?

The average shopper doesn't eat, live, and breathe Surface announcements. Microsoft's Surface naming scheme is about as consistent as that of Xbox and Windows.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

I remember the first time I tried Bus Simulator 21, with the first thought being "how is this going to be fun?" Turns out it was — mostly —and now there's a new version coming later this year.

Bus Simulator 27 has a free demo available now as part of Steam Next Fest. Since it's been a few years since I got behind the virtual wheel, I thought I'd give it a try. And you can too by grabbing it from Steam before June 22.

What I found was equal parts of relaxation and frustration. After a long day working I hit the buses and at times enjoyed the tranquility and the scenery, and at others I was shouting and bashing the horn.

The important thing to remember is that this is just a demo; the full release isn't scheduled until September. It's also a very small snippet of what the final thing will be like.

But I feel like it's offered enough to both get me interested in playing when it's released and feel there's still some serious work to be done.

Bus Simulator 27 can be super relaxing

One of the things I enjoyed the most about the old Bus Simulator 21 was that it was such a (generally) relaxing game to play once you got into the swing of it.

You're not racing anyone, you're not trying to park trailers and pick up loads, you're not landing a jumbo jet in a crosswind, and you're not generally doing anything stressful at all. You're following your route, the pace is relaxed, and generally all is calm.

The same is true in Bus Simulator 27, and the new setting certainly adds to it. You're running the routes in a fictional location based on Southern Europe, and it feels like it. Any time I've visited the real-life region, I fall for the pace of life, the warm climate, and the beautiful towns.

Bus Simulator 27 looks like it's capturing that vibe superbly, and even in the demo, the map looks quite extensive. The default color palette is warm, and the town streets have a charm to them.

I really like the little electric bus you start out in, too. As I've discovered in reality, an electric vehicle is a relaxing way to travel. Both buses in the demo are really easy to drive, even with a controller.

A special shoutout is deserved for the menu system, too. For controller players (it is launching on console, after all), it's very easy to understand and navigate. You can operate the buttons in the cockpit if you want, or with a couple of button presses, you've done the same from the menu.

Bus Simulator 27 can also be extremely frustrating

For all the nice, chilled-out, fun parts, there are also some that are less so. There's also clearly still work to do.

The performance is pretty rough, for one. The system requirements on the game's Steam page are pretty ridiculous, and I really hope it's not final. Recommended to have 32GB of RAM? In this financial climate?!

Sure, it looks nice, but it's hardly photorealistic, and when you compare to how good Forza Horizon 6 looks with far lower requirements, that screams of not being optimized well.

The demo doesn't have DLSS or FSR, either, and running at 1440p on high settings using an RTX 5090, I'm only seeing 70-80 FPS, with some pretty horrid frame drops at times. But there's still time to work on this in the next few months, of course. And I hope they do.

Perhaps more frustrating is the AI, though. It's just dumb. Plain old dumb. AI traffic will inexplicably just stop in front of you, go far slower than the speed limit, sit in the middle of a junction, or just drive into your bus. And when they drive into you, you'll be the one getting the penalty.

The environment in the demo feels alive, with plenty of traffic. But on the whole it's just so dim-witted. The same goes for pedestrians. I 'ran over' a pedestrian at a bus stop because they weren't getting on my bus, but kept walking into it as I was trying to pull away.

The voice acting as well is quite annoying. There's obviously a 'story' here, but good lord, the AI characters do not stop talking! You'll be cruising along just nicely, and then out of nowhere, some completely useless comment will pop into your ears. No distracting the driver!

You can't properly judge a game from a demo months before the full release. But, while it's clear there is work that can still be done, there's also some promise.

It's not an expensive game, either, at just $30 for the base game, with further purchasable content thereafter if you want it. It feels like a nice game to play, a simulation title without being too nerdy or serious and approachable for more casual players.

But please, I'm begging you, Astragon, do some optimization on it. And tweak the AI traffic, because it'll get old fast otherwise.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On Windows, screensavers once defined a small but memorable part of the experience. They served a clear purpose in the era of CRT monitors in the 1980s and 1990s, preventing burn-in while adding a layer of personality to otherwise idle machines. Over time, they became part utility, part expression, and part nostalgia.

By the time Windows 95 and XP became mainstream, screensavers had changed from utility to expression. Users weren't just protecting displays anymore. They were customizing them using options like 3D Text, Bubbles, Mystify, Ribbons, and photo slideshows, which became part of the personal computing identity (don't even get us started on the awesomeness that was After Dark and flying toasters).

In 2026, that original purpose is gone. The majority of modern displays no longer require burn-in protection, and Windows 11 already relies on power management and lock screen behavior to handle inactivity more efficiently. However, screensavers still exist inside the operating system, largely unchanged and tucked away in the legacy Control Panel.

That raises a question. Do screensavers still belong on Windows 11, or are they a feature that no longer has a clear place in modern computing?

A feature that outlived its original purpose

From a technical standpoint, screensavers are no longer necessary. For example, displays now sleep intelligently, and system security is handled through the lock screen rather than idle animations.

However, screensavers were never just about utility. They also represented one of the earliest forms of personalization, which users used to express themselves. While that role has shifted to features such as lock screen images, desktop slideshows with Windows Spotlight, and widgets, none of them fully replace the experience screensavers once offered.

How screensavers are used today

Although screensavers are still available, usage has changed significantly. Today, they tend to fall into a few categories, including personal photo slideshows during inactivity and basic visuals used for aesthetic setups.

The closest the operating system gets to a modern interpretation is the "Photos" screensaver, which can cycle through images from a local folder. However, it remains limited, disconnected from cloud services, and largely untouched by modern design evolution.

You can still access the feature from Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Screen saver, which opens the feature through Control Panel.

As part of the options available, you can use 3D Text, Bubbles, Mystify, Photos, and Ribbons.

Microsoft's reason to keep it

Microsoft's focus has changed to bigger priorities, such as AI features, performance improvements, security, and modernizing the desktop interface. At the same time, the original reason for screensavers has disappeared, as modern displays no longer need protection from burn-in (excluding OLED displays), and the system can simply turn off the screen after a period of inactivity.

Also, Windows 11 already offers several ways to personalize the experience when you're away from the keyboard, including the lock screen, desktop backgrounds, and widgets. As a result, screensavers have become a legacy feature that the company has continued to support but has not actively developed.

Where screensavers still make sense

Even though screensavers are no longer needed to protect displays, they can still be useful in modern operating systems.

Instead of showing simple animations, screensavers could make better use of the time when a computer is idle. For example, they could display personal photos like a digital picture frame, surface useful information such as weather or calendar events, or simply add another layer of personalization to a desktop setup.

In other words, screensavers no longer need to save the screen. Their value today lies in making an idle device more useful (without affecting energy usage), more personal, and more visually appealing.

Missing evolution on Windows 11

Windows 11 already contains many of the components needed for a modern idle experience, but they exist separately.

For instance, lock and sign-in screens handle authentication and some personalization, widgets provide glanceable information, and desktop backgrounds offer static or slideshow visuals.

What's missing is a unified system that activates during inactivity and blends these experiences into a consistent, intentional layer. Instead, the system offers overlapping features that never fully converge.

Should Microsoft bring screensavers back?

The answer depends on how Microsoft approaches the feature. If screensavers remain limited to simple animations and photo slideshows, they probably don't deserve much attention. Modern power management and lock screen customization already cover that territory more efficiently.

However, if screensavers are reimagined as a modern ambient mode for Windows 11, then the idea becomes far more compelling.

In that form, they could evolve into something closer to a system-level experience, turning idle screens into personalized, context-aware displays rather than simply blank or static states.

Windows Central's Take

Screensavers solved a real problem decades ago, but I don't think that's why many people still remember them. They added personality to the operating system in a way that today's lock screen and widgets still don't quite match.

Personally, I don't miss the old screensavers themselves. I haven't used Bubbles, Mystify, or Ribbons in years. What I miss is the idea that the operating system did something interesting when I stepped away from my computer.

Windows has evolved in many ways over the years, yet when you step away from your device, it usually just shows the lock screen or turns off the display. Maybe that's enough. Or maybe the software giant is missing an opportunity to make idle time a little more useful.

What do you think? Should Microsoft bring screensavers back as a modern feature, or is it a piece of computer history that's better left in the past? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Xbox, and Microsoft in general, really reminds me of this old webcomic called Persistence, depicted above. It shows two dudes mining, as one gives up right before hitting diamonds.

I feel like this mentality has long been the bane of Microsoft all over, and its inability to see things through has led them to miss the boat on various computing paradigms and other types of opportunities.

We're seeing it play out again now with Xbox. New leadership has come in, with a mandate from Microsoft higher-ups to "make Xbox sustainable," whatever that means. This is despite the fact Xbox posted record profits last year. But decisions like this are made on future projections, rather than past wins.

Xbox has a variety of headwinds to contend with, as does the entire gaming industry. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has suggested that Microsoft's gaming division will finish the year with "only" a 3% accountability margin. The lion's share of the blame falls on the ill-fated Xbox Game Pass price hike (now reversed), the memory availability crisis, and a soft year for both Call of Duty and Candy Crush Saga. But all of these things will abate over time.

Microsoft's instinct has long been to cut and run at the wrong time. It's potentially making the same mistake now, too, in my view.

Some of Xbox's teams just haven't delivered profitability Microsoft wants, but that's not all on them

Rumors suggest that studios like Double Fine, Compulsion Games, and Ninja Theory are all being explored for closure right now — with others too likely on the block.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but these talks are happening. CEO Asha Sharma is going over the books and seeing how much has been spent on certain studios, and what their returns have been. It's true that none of these studios have delivered a hit game since joining Microsoft, in terms of retail sales or Xbox Game Pass engagement. It could also be argued that they weren't exactly positioned for massive success stories either.

Ninja Theory, in particular, is a frustrating case. The UK had a particularly aggressive Covid shutdown regime, which Ninja Theory can hardly be blamed for. They also spent a huge chunk of time moving studio locations. Ninja Theory is also based in Cambridge, one of the UK's most expensive regions.

Hellblade won awards for its character acting, technology, atmospherics, and depiction of mental health struggles. But I would argue it was on Microsoft's leadership for not identifying the hard truth: interactive walking simulation games just aren't big sellers. It's particularly true when Hellblade is at least superficially similar in presentation to Sony's God of War, albeit without the gameplay depth to complement it.

I'm not armed with intimate knowledge of how Hellblade 2 was greenlit in this genre, but the solution to its soft sales was readily obvious to me and anyone else watching: it should've been an action-adventure title, meeting the market demand where it is. We've seen a huge variety of superficially similar hack n' slash games absolutely blow up on comparatively smaller budgets. Stellar Blade comes to mind, Lies of P comes to mind as well.

We're finally getting Hellblade in the genre it was always destined to be with Senua, which Microsoft announced at its own Xbox Showcase just a few days ago, only for reports to emerge that Xbox isn't even going to see it through to completion.

As a fan and customer who is tired of Microsoft's "announce first, then cancel" approach to games people have been waiting years for in some cases ... this is an absolutely awful pill to swallow. Again. But it's far worse knowing the human cost of these cancellations. Ninja Theory has never been given the runway to fully spread its wings.

Covid wasn't Ninja Theory's fault. And someone, somewhere along the chain, should've identified that Hellblade 2 wasn't going to be a big game in the genre or budget it had been saddled with. Someone, somewhere along the chain, should've invested in it becoming something more.

Studios eventually have to sell games, but how can they if Microsoft keeps thinking so quarterly about things?

There have been a large variety of projects greenlit under Xbox Game Studios that they had to have known were never going to sell or get any kind of engagement in Xbox Game Pass. Keeper from Double Fine, for example, is a great and fun art project, but in an era of restless non-stop neon lights grabbing our attention-deficient brains at every angle, how can these types of projects cut through the noise?

The pressure Microsoft puts on Xbox to deliver "results; now," betrays the reality of modern game development. Games need to either be turbo-unique, cultural phenomena, or absolute AAA bangers. South of Midnight, Kiln, Keeper, Hellblade 2, and even Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 didn't have the scope, polish, edge, or marketing budget to compete with very similar titles that either do it better or just grabbed more attention.

The studios and teams backing the games ultimately work with what they're given. Those who have been around long enough remember Xbox's anemic Terry Myerson era, where the products being shipped barely even hit AA quality bars. What would Avowed or The Outer Worlds 2 have looked like with a more dynamic world or reactive engine? What would Hellblade look like if it were a wide-linear action-adventure instead of a walking simulation? Do smaller projects like Keeper and Kiln detract development time from a more ambitious project? What if South of Midnight had better combat and a broader scope?

I wish we lived in a world where important and artistic games like Keeper and Hellblade 2 could thrive. Xbox Game Pass funds were supposed to be that. But we don't live in that universe, and likely never will. I would argue it's on Xbox Game Studios to guide and invest in the creativity of its teams, steering them towards the kind of quality bars we know Xbox is capable of. We've seen it emerge with Gears of War: E-Day, Clockwork Revolution, State of Decay 3, Fable, Grounded 2, Sea of Thieves, Forza, and so on.

The talent is clearly there. I know Microsoft isn't going to listen to me or any of us, but I would love to see what would happen if these studios were given a chance at a longer runway. Acknowledge that previous management mistakes were not their fault, and things like Covid surely represent mitigating factors.

RELATED: Xbox fans have run out of trust for Microsoft

Alas. CEO Satya Nadella betrayed his position on a recent interview where he bemoaned the fact "there’s more monetization of Xbox games happening on YouTube than at Microsoft ..." I would argue that it's a privilege that so many millions of people want to talk about, watch, and share content based on those worlds. Perhaps there'd be more video monetization going on at Microsoft if it hadn't bailed out on growing Mixer ... but I digress.

Nadella takes the wrong lesson from gaming's popularity on YouTube. The value and interest are obviously there. It's Microsoft's fault for not unlocking that value properly — and the developers shouldn't be punished for it.

How are you feeling about the state of Xbox? Should Xbox give their studios more time? Let us know your thoughts below.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks in the tech world! Following a busy stretch of trade shows, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down to break down one of the most consequential weeks for the Windows and PC ecosystems in years.

From the show floor of Computex in Taipei to the developer tracks at Microsoft Build, the guys dissect the massive shift toward ARM computing, the hardware taking aim at Apple’s high-end territory, and the future of "agentic" AI operating systems. Plus, the show caps off with breaking news regarding Xbox's business health and a massive report on the future of Microsoft’s gaming division.

• Nvidia’s "Super Chip" Shift: A deep dive into the shocking announcement of the Nvidia RTX Spark (built in partnership with MediaTek on TSMC's 3nm process). Zac explains why Nvidia completely took control of the messaging from Microsoft, ditching the "Copilot Plus" branding to pitch an ultra-premium workstation ecosystem aimed squarely at Apple’s M5 Pro and Max MacBook Pros.
• The Surface Laptop Ultra: Zac shares his hands-on impressions of Microsoft’s brand-new, thick-and-dense 15-inch powerhouse. We look at the gorgeous mini-LED display, a massive haptic trackpad, and a mystery magnetic breakaway USB-C port that could spell the end of the proprietary Surface Connect port.
• The $599 Laptop Wars: Dell stuns the industry by pushing the XPS 13 downward to a student-friendly $599 starting price, pitting it right against the MacBook Neo. We compare the premium build, its 120Hz display, and the new Intel Wildcat Lake chips against the Acer Swift Air 14 and Qualcomm’s budget-oriented Snapdragon C processor.
• Project Solara & Build 2026: What is an "agentic OS"? We break down Microsoft's Android-based platform shift away from traditional app stores and toward just-in-time user interfaces, including a look at their hardware "badge" and "desk" concept prototypes.
• Breaking Xbox News: Daniel and Zac react in real-time to a staggering report from The Information. Is Microsoft preparing to spin off Xbox into a wholly owned subsidiary like LinkedIn or GitHub? We discuss the fallout from the Xbox Games Showcase, Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer's leadership legacy, and the aggressive new mandate under Asha Sharma to pump out massive franchises like Halo, Fallout, and Elder Scrolls.

Timestamps

• [00:30] Welcome & Computex vs. Build Retrospective
• [04:12] Nvidia RTX Spark: The ARM Workstation Disruption
• [30:09] Surface Laptop Ultra: Hands-on Specs & The Mystery USB-C Port
• [42:05] Dell's Sub-$700 Flagship Strategy & Intel Wildcat Lake
• [56:26] Acer Swift Air 14 & The Internet's Linux vs. Windows Debates
• [01:01:14] Project Solara: Microsoft’s Future "App-Less" Agent Ecosystem
• [01:10:10] Xbox Showcase Fallout & First-Party Exclusivity Backpedaling
• [01:29:25] Breaking News: Is Microsoft Spinning Off the Xbox Business?

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Pocket Casts
• Subscribe via RSS
• Download the Windows Central Podcast

If you like the show, please let us know by give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps us!

LIVE Video Podcast

You can watch the live, uncut version of the Windows Central Podcast on our YouTube channel!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

As part of the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft made available several preview builds of Windows 11 in early June 2026. Although these preview builds didn't introduce many new features, the company dedicated most of its work to improving existing ones.

In the first two weeks of June, the company unveiled a new Beta channel for version 26H1, and in the different channels, we've also seen a number of features and improvements. For example, we've seen new features like Screen Tint and Low Latency Profile.

In addition, a new version of Widgets with fewer distracting settings has rolled out, an updated Magnifier with new settings has also rolled out, and there are improvements for File Explorer.

Furthermore, Microsoft continues improving the Windows Update experience, Windows Search, and more.

In the Experimental track, we've seen builds 28120.2242, 26300.8687, 29610, and 28120.2302, and builds 26220.8575, 28020.2236, 26220.8680, and 28020.2298 have been released in the Beta channel.

In this recap, I'll highlight the latest and most noteworthy changes available through the Windows Insider Program.

Biggest improvements from the Windows Insider Program in June 2026

These are the most significant changes Microsoft has unveiled since the last roundup.

Screen tint new feature

On Windows 11 build 28020.2298, in the new Beta channel for version 26H1, Microsoft introduced a new accessibility feature called "Screen tint." It's a system-wide color overlay designed to reduce eye strain and soften overly bright or saturated displays.

Unlike the Night Light feature, which primarily reduces blue light for nighttime use, Screen tint changes the overall intensity and color tone of the display during the day. The software giant notes that the two features solve different problems and can work together.

The feature is available in Settings > Accessibility > Vision > Screen tint, with six preset tint colors and an option to create a custom color.

In addition, you can also adjust the intensity with the available slider. However, one thing to point out is that enabling Screen tint disables Color Filters, and vice versa.

In June 2026, Screen Tint also became available on build 26220.8680 through the Beta experience.

Low Latency Profile

Also, for version 26H1, on build 28020.2298, the company introduced Low Latency Profile, a feature that temporarily maxes out (or near-maxes) the processor frequency for 1 to 3 seconds during interactive tasks on Windows 11. Instead of focusing on sustained performance, the feature appears designed to reduce delays during actions like opening apps or opening flyouts, such as the Start menu, File Explorer, and context menus.

The feature can result in up to 40 percent faster application launch times and up to 70 percent faster interaction times with system features, such as opening the Start menu or context menu.

Low Latency Profile works automatically, so you won't find an option to turn it on or off in the Settings app or Control Panel.

It's important to note that responsiveness improvements will vary by hardware. Computers with lower-end or older components may notice the biggest difference because these systems typically struggle more with interface responsiveness, app launches, and short bursts of activity.

Widgets with quieter defaults

In the Beta channel for version 25H2, starting with build 26220.8680, the development team updated the Widgets experience with less distracting default settings.

For example, Widgets no longer open in hover and turn off badges in the Taskbar by default. In addition, alerts will be limited until you open the app and engage with the experience.

When you open the dashboard, Widgets will appear under your "widgets" rather than in the news feed. In addition, the company is updating the Taskbar badging to use a color scheme that follows the system accent color, rather than the red indicator, to reduce the sense of urgency.

Another change being developed is adaptive behavior for user engagement. This means that the system will now adapt the Widgets feature based on user interaction. For example, highly engaged users will continue to receive the current experience. On the other hand, less engaging users will notice quieter default settings, including reduced or disabled badging.

Magnifier additional controls

As part of the accessibility improvements, in build 26220.8680, the Magnifier feature is receiving several enhancements.

For example, it's now possible to enter a specific zoom percentage directly in the interface instead of repeatedly clicking the zoom-in and zoom-out buttons.

Also, in the Magnifier settings, you can now find additional zoom presets, including 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 400 percent.

File Explorer changes

Although File Explorer remains visually the same, Microsoft has been pushing various improvements focused on compatibility, performance, and reliability.

For example, on build 26220.8680, the address bar now supports paths with double backslashes and quotation marks. Microsoft has also improved performance when mounting ISO files to prevent the application from becoming unresponsive during SmartScreen scans.

On build 26300.8687, you can now use the middle-click support to open folders in a new tab directly from the address bar and the Home page.

In addition, the company has made further refinements to improve File Explorer responsiveness at higher text scaling.

Windows Update single monthly restart

Alongside the ability to pause updates indefinitely, Microsoft continues improving its Windows Update system, and starting with the release of build 26300.8687, the company is unifying drivers, .NET, and firmware updates with the monthly quality update install to reduce restarts to one per month.

Windows Search with typo handling

Starting with build 26300.8687, Windows 11 includes an updated version of the search experience that improves the handling of typos, missing letters, extra characters, and partial app names.

It all means that, when searching the system, making mistakes should now be more likely to show the right answer. For instance, if you type "utlook," the Outlook app should be the first result.

Furthermore, local results now take priority over web results.

Windows Central's Take

These June Insider builds don't introduce many brand-new features, but they do show where Microsoft's priorities are right now. The majority of the features highlighted this month have already appeared in other preview builds. However, they're now making their way across additional testing channels as the company continues developing future versions of Windows 11.

Personally, I think the most meaningful changes are the ones that improve everyday usability. The Windows Update changes, better search results, and ongoing File Explorer refinements may not generate the same excitement as a major new feature. However, they have the potential to make the operating system feel more polished and less frustrating to use over time.

What are your thoughts about these latest Windows 11 improvements? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Caught up in the excitement of the June 2026 Nintendo Direct and Dragon's Dogma 2 getting a DLC expansion, Capcom made one crucial announcement that many people (including me) overlooked.

On June 25, 2026, Capcom will be removing several DLC microtransactions from Dragon's Dogma 2 and delisting its Digital Edition from the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Steam's digital stores due to the gameplay changes its Summer patches and Dark Arisen 2 expansion will bring.

These items that will be removed from the base game include:

• Dragon’s Dogma 2 Deluxe Edition
• A Boon for Adventurers – New Journey Pack
• Harpysnare Smoke Beacons – Harpy Lure Item
• Heartfelt Pendant – A Thoughtful Gift
• Ambivalent Rift Incense – Change Pawn Inclinations
• Makeshift Gaol Key – Escape from Gaol
• Art of Metamorphosis – Character Editor
• Portcrystal – Warp Location Marker
• Wakestone – Restore the Dead to Life
• 500 Rift Crystals – Points to Spend Beyond the Rift
• 1500 Rift Crystals – Points to Spend Beyond the Rift
• 2500 Rift Crystals – Points to Spend Beyond the Rift

If you had bought any of these items, you would still be able to use them in-game.

The only DLC items that will remain untouched will be the Explorer’s Camping Gear – Camping Kit and the Dragon's Dogma Music and Sound Collection – Custom Sounds.

As an added bonus, the base game of Dragon's Dogma 2 will receive a permanent discount on all digital storefronts.

Windows Central's take

If you've played Dragon's Dogma 2 since it launched in 2024, you may have caught wind of people giving Capcom harsh criticism over these microtransactions.

While they were available to obtain the game naturally, they were hard to come by and limited in supply, especially the Portcrystal items.

These were needed to activate the game's fast travel system, and the idea of making a crucial in-game item a microtransaction sparked debate about whether or not this broke immersion or was a pay-to-win item that manipulated people to buy their way out of skipping the tedious travel time so they can progress through the game faster.

So Capcom decided to appease its naysayers by making more Portcrystals obtainable in the base game through its latest update, along with creating an Eternal Ferrystone item so they can fast-travel as much as they want without the need for consumable Ferrystones.

Now, I personally didn't engage in these debates back then as I was more annoyed at Dragon's Dogma 2's sub-optimal performance at launch, but I'm happy Capcom's willing to pull back on controversial DLC like this and just make these features a permanent part of the game.

In fact, I'm shocked a big-time company like Capcom is willing to do this because they could've just easily kept it in to make extra money off completionists who can't help themselves (speaking from experience here). You would never see a company like Activision or EA do this with any of their games, so I consider this a small blessing.

It also makes me wonder: if Capcom can remove microtransactions from a game and make their content permanently more readily available in-game, why don't they do it for other games, like Monster Hunter?

Ever since Monster Hunter World, Capcom has been making piecemeal DLCs for the Monster Hunter series. Most of these paid emotes, chat pictures, and cosmetic armor sets can be safely ignored, as their mid-tier designs don't outshine what you get from playing the game normally.

However, recent games like Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Wilds have had some paid cosmetic gear DLC with insanely over-the-top designs that make most of the weapon and armor designs of the games they come from look lame by comparison.

Examples include the Cosmoloid armor and weapon set in Monster Hunter Wilds, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak's Lost Code Weapon set, and cosmetic outfits locked behind Monster Hunter Rise's Nintendo Amiibo figures.

Thanks to Dragon's Dogma 2's update, there's no reason why Capcom can't go back to these games and make these cosmetics permanently available through completing extremely challenging quests where you have to fight multiple hard monsters at once.

Now I realize that this change isn't as needed as Dragon's Dogma 2's DLC was because they were paywalling in-game resources for crucial gameplay mechanics rather than optional cosmetic armor pieces.

However, I'd argue that paywalling cosmetic sets is just as egregious as adding prices to limited gameplay resources, especially in a game like Monster Hunter.

Hunting giant monsters and collecting their parts to make gear is part of why I play these games in the first place. If we just start paying money for these awesome-looking weapons and gear instead of earning them in battle, we're no longer playing Monster Hunter; it's just whale hunting.

By removing Dragon's Dogma 2's microtransactions, I'm hoping that Capcom is starting to realize nobody wants to pay extra money for microtransactions for premium, non-free-to-play games that are getting more and more expensive to buy.

Thus, this could potentially lead to Capcom no longer pay-walling any additional piecemeal content for their games and just having them in the base game by default, whether it's gameplay or cosmetic.

Granted, Capcom's not going to stop charging people for extra cosmetics anytime soon, as its most recent games, Pragmata, Monster Hunter Stories 3, and Resident Evil Requiem, have cosmetics DLC outfits you have to pay extra for besides the main game, but there's always hope for the future.

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, the large-scale DLC expansion for Dragon's Dogma 2, will be dropping on October 9, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of Dragon's Dogma 2's gameplay-related microtransactions? Do you think Capcom should start removing cosmetic microtransactions from all its games and make them earnable in-game by completing ultra-hard challenges?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll below, the comments section, or our Reddit page.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Ten years ago, we covered one of Microsoft’s most forward‑looking ideas: encouraging Android developers to port their apps to Windows 10 and link notifications through Cortana. It was a glimpse of a company trying to unify ecosystems before “cross‑platform” became a default expectation.

In 2026, that vision still feels important. Microsoft’s current AI strategy — spanning Windows, Android, and the cloud — builds directly on the same connective tissue Astoria (Android app emulation) and Cortana (early AI assistant) once represented. Back then, it was about notifications and app parity; today, it’s about intelligent context and seamless device continuity.Some are even predicting that we won't need apps in the coming years, as AI will handle it all.

Looking back, this story reads like an early chapter in Microsoft’s long game to make Windows not just an OS, but a hub for every platform around it. While it didn't work out quite as expected, we do have Phone Link today to help bridge that gap. — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief

The original article, Microsoft encouraging Android-to-Windows 10 app ports via Cortana notifications, was published on June 10th, 2016, by John Callaham.

Microsoft is using the Cortana notification sync feature in Windows 10 to add a "request app" feature if the notification comes from an Android smartphone.

The notifications were first spotted by Reddit user "MrPromaster'. The "Request app" link goes to a UserVoice page where anyone can recommend that an app be added to the Windows Store.

This new method to encourage more Android apps to come to the Windows Store comes several months after Microsoft officially canceled its "Project Astoria" bridge tool plans that would have made it easier for developers to port Android apps to Windows 10.

Notification syncing between Android and Windows 10 is currently only available for those running Insider builds of 'Redstone'.

While the notifications are configurable on Android the request is rather nondiscriminatory too. For instance, we had the request feature show up for the Google Play store after it performed some app updates. Likewise for Shazam, even though there already is a Shazam for Windows 10 app available. While this tactic is not a slam dunk to get more apps to Windows 10, it is a rather clever move to reach the millions of Android users who also use a Windows PC every day.

We'll have to wait and see how well this new strategy pays off once the Windows 10 Anniversary Update rolls out later this summer to the masses.