A major Windows 11 update is just around the corner. Microsoft just shipped Windows 11 version 26H2 to the Release Preview Channel and general rollout of the update starts in a few weeks.

The upcoming update to Windows 11 includes UI changes such as the ability to move the Taskbar and under-the-hood improvements. It's a more substantial change than we've seen in previous years, which begs the question, "Where is the Surface to showcase all these improvements to Windows 11?"

Microsoft appears serious about its push to improve Windows 11 and listen to feedback about the operating system. The first real wave of improvements is essentially here, so why isn't there someone on stage showing them on a Surface?

Biggest News of the Week

Microsoft is a gigantic company and its teams often don’t talk to each other enough to create full unity of design. I talked about this last week in the Windows Wrap when discussing the app situation on Windows 11. While Microsoft is working to fix many of its inbox apps, it's not addressing the same inconsistencies across Microsoft 365, Teams, and other apps.

Microsoft has shuffled things around over the years, combining Surface with Windows and changing how leadership is structured. But right now it feels like Windows and Surface are distant. Microsoft does not have a unified marketing push to highlight all the changes to Windows 11. There isn’t an announced event or upcoming device that would showcase the major Windows 11 improvements that will ship to PCs in only a couple of weeks.

Surface is supposed to show the best of Windows and Microsoft will miss an opportunity unless it has an ace up its sleeve. Microsoft used to announce Surface hardware in April and October. I’d love to see Microsoft surprise us with something that showcases Windows 11.

Windows and Snapdragon

Microsoft did a good job pairing Windows 11 and Snapdragon developments. At one point the Surface Pro X showed that a Snapdragon-powered PC can be fanless. Microsoft later shifted away from that, instead emphasizing the power efficiency and unplugged performance offered by Snapdragon PCs.

But the principal remained the same; Microsoft used it’s flagship hardware to highlight improvements to Windows 11 on Arm. Microsoft's faith in Snapdragon also pushed other PC manufacturers to make laptops powered by Qualcomm's chips. Snapdragon PCs are sold side-by-side with laptops powered by Intel or AMD chips.

Of course, it’s easier to use Windows 11 to show hardware improvements when there are concrete examples such as improve battery life or better unplugged performance. Microsoft has more of a mountain to climb when it comes to marketing the ability to move the taskbar and improved start menu. Under the hood improvements are tricky to show off.

That challenge is why I asked earlier this month if the next major Windows 11 update should be Windows 12. But that’s precisely why Microsoft needs to use Surface to highlight the improvements to Windows 11. Without a major marketing push about an OS upgrade, Microsoft needs to use its other resources to make sure shoppers know that this isn’t the same old Windows 11.

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I've used Windows PCs for most of my life, and I've tested some of the latest laptops from the most reliable brands for the last half-decade. Even before that, I worked in retail, specifically advising on laptops and helping people spend their money where it makes the most sense. So, despite spending most of my time on desktop PCs, I'm savvy with laptops.

For the most part, my criteria for choosing a laptop relate to how well it travels with me. I take regular trips by plane, train, and car to work from hotels and conventions, all with their own limitations and considerations, which has narrowed my list of must-haves to seven non-negotiables. If you're considering a new Windows laptop, this is what matters the most to me.

1. An OLED display for better contrast

I was a skeptic for a long time, but OLED laptops have won me over when I'm looking for a new daily driver. Offering better contrast with deeper blacks than traditional IPS screens, many of these color-rich panels also deliver higher-than-average max brightness, though I generally keep mine at around 250 nits. Most of my apps are in dark mode, too, so my average experience looks great.

You can go even more advanced with a mini LED screen, such as the one I tried in Lenovo's Slim Pro 9 a few years ago that reached an incredible 615 nits, but it's far and above anything I've ever needed. OLED is a noticeable improvement over LCD, and many, myself included, will find that anything beyond that yields diminishing returns if you aren't a professional image or video creator.

2. 14-inch chassis (and lightweight)

It sounds unusually specific, but after traveling with laptops, I found that 14-inch models with 16:10 ratio displays offered me the best experience. They fit perfectly in cramped travel environments with tray tables and tiny tables, yet still feel spacious enough in a hotel room when I can connect an external mouse. A 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 with a 3:2 screen also passes.

Anything around or below 2.65 lbs (1.20 kg) is a bonus, as I'm regularly throwing these compact laptops into rucksacks or whatever carry-on I'm lumped with at the time. However, the lightest laptops are rarely the most affordable, as Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition I tested clearly demonstrated with its 2.15-lb (975 g) chassis. The trick is to find something within that ideal window.

3. At least 512GB of storage

Plenty of Windows laptops are listed by major retailers with 256GB of storage, particularly in budget models. That kind of entry-level drive is aimed firmly at casual users who mostly stick to web browsing, but it's never enough for me. Images and video files build up in my workflow, and I'm often hovering around half capacity on a 512GB drive.

To be transparent, my desktop PC has twin 1TB drives, but that's mostly for games and other gigantic software that I'd never need on the road. Plus, if I tried hard enough, I'm sure I could offload some of my largest files onto external drives, but I'd rather not travel with extra gadgets if I don't have to. 512GB has been perfect for years, and I don't see that changing.

4. At least one USB-A port

My dinosaur bones are showing. This is mostly about me hanging on to hardware for as long as possible, including my most-used flash drives and dongles for an older mouse. USB-C variants are out there and becoming quite common, but I have too many USB-A accessories that show no sign of wearing out, and I'm keeping them.

If you narrow your search to the absolute thinnest possible laptops, you'll find that USB-A ports disappear. Not a big deal if you have modern peripherals compatible with USB-C ports using popular standards like Thunderbolt 4 and USB4, but at least one full-size offering is a traditional mainstay that I'll always look out for. Wired headphone jacks are a bonus, too.

5. Legitimately all-day battery life

Leaving my house without an AC adapter in my carry-on became a realistic option when Intel's impressive "Lunar Lake" mobile processors, more officially known as Core Ultra Series 2, launched in 2024 as part of a new wave of "AI PCs". Putting aside the initial hype around NPUs, Intel's chips made a much more impactful efficiency improvement over their "Meteor Lake" predecessors.

Essentially, the major x86-64 chip manufacturers escalated a back-and-forth rivalry over battery-life claims around the time Qualcomm launched its first-generation Snapdragon X processors, and consumers have generally been better off for it in recent years. Testing ASUS' Zenbook S 14 proved to me that all-day battery life is now a reasonable expectation that doesn't cost the Earth.

6. Backlit keyboard

Typing in the dark has become a pretty regular occurrence at trade shows, whether I'm seated for a glorified PowerPoint presentation in a dim theater or traveling to the event itself on a red-eye flight. To be clear, I've been able to touch type since I was a teenager, but the nuances of switching between US and UK keyboard layouts can still catch me out.

At home, I have desk lamps and plenty of other comfortable light sources, but since my laptops are primarily for travel, I always prefer a backlit keyboard. This generally isn't a difficult criterion to meet, as only entry-level laptops would be likely to sacrifice the backlight to save money, though using the Surface Laptop Go 2 for a few years really made me realize how much it matters.

7. No proprietary chargers!

I've seen a huge improvement in this area since USB-C chargers became more mainstream, and I have a growing collection of 65W plugs suited for various countries. Even the 45W AC adapter from my Steam Deck is a reliable backup in a pinch, and I don't mind that it charges my laptops more slowly. It's much better than a proprietary barrel jack.

Gaming laptops often sit in limbo between USB-C, tethered to a gigantic power brick, and the old-school barrel jack, because they draw so much power. It's similar with higher-end laptops for creators, as the more powerful CPUs and GPUs inside thirst for the extra juice. I just want to travel with a single USB-C adapter that charges my laptop, phone, and everything else.

My perfect laptop is quite common, actually

So, my ultimatum isn't actually that unreasonable, as plenty of brands offer all of the above. Then again, some might start disappearing soon, since USB-A ports and headphone jacks will probably be seen as fossils in a few years. At least those two aren't too difficult to adapt to, as I've owned pairs of wireless headphones that can connect to multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously.

Still, these are all problems that can only be solved by spending money, which is a big ask when the laptops themselves are creeping up in price, snared by the ongoing memory crisis affecting RAM and storage availability. As it stands, my taste traps me into a laptop price bracket of at least ~$1,000. Any less than that, and I start to notice some parts of my list disappearing.

For now, it's easy to recommend an ASUS Zenbook 14 ($1,199.99 at Best Buy) in one of its Intel/AMD configurations, or a Zenbook A14 ($1,349.99) for a Snapdragon X2 Elite variant running Windows on ARM. Storefronts regularly offer filters for my favorite features, which also makes it easier to search for laptops from other brands, and I'm always looking out for discounts.

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Microsoft has began rolling out the next version of Windows 11 to testers in the Windows Insider Release Preview Channel, which is the very last phase of testing before general availability begins. With version 26H2 now in the Release PreviewChannel, the company is signalling that this new version is just about done, and testing of the final bits can begin.

Windows 11 version 26H2 is similar to version 25H2 in scope. It's based on the same platform release as both 25H2 and 24H2 before it, which means it's not a major OS upgrade and won't be making major changes to the OS core. Instead, 26H2 serves to reset the support clock for Windows 11 users, with 26H2 offering a refreshed 24 months of support for consumers, and 36 months for commercial customers.

That's good news for users who usually dismiss new versions of Windows 11 for being unstable or buggy. 26H2 shares the same core OS, feature stack, and security updates as 25H2, meaning there are no compatibility or software quality concerns to be worried about. If it works on 25H2, it'll work on 26H2 also.

"As Windows 11, version 26H2 shares the same servicing branch as Windows 11, version 25H2, the update is implemented through an enablement package (eKB). This means your device will be updated to the next version through a single restart – providing a familiar, fast, and reliable update experience."

There may be some instances where 26H2 gets new features first, but for as long as 25H2 (and 24H2) are supported, they should get the same features also. For now, version 26H2 is at feature parity with version 25H2, which is expected to receive the same Windows K2 improvements such as the more customizable Start menu and new Windows Search pane at the same time.

Now that Windows 11 version 26H2 is now in the Release Preview Channel, that typically means we're just a few weeks away from general availability beginning. Bits that are flighted to the Release Preview Channel are production ready, and so now it's just a matter of ensuring the final bits don't have any last minute bugs or issues.

Should everything go according to plan, I expect we'll begin hearing about version 26H2 general availability in the next few weeks. Microsoft usually aims to begin rolling out new versions of Windows 11 towards the end of September and into October, and I expect the same to happen this year.

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Microsoft's Link to Windows app for Android may soon support restarting or shutting down a computer or putting a PC to sleep. Code within the app was discovered that suggests the functionality is on the way, but nothing has been confirmed by Microsoft at this time.

Windows Latest found evidence suggesting that a pairing of Link to Windows and Phone Link will soon gain greater control of your PC. It's already possible to lock your PC from your Android phone, but the code suggests support for other actions is on the way.

I occasionally forget to turn off my PC, especially since I work from home and can get distracted after my work day ends. Being able to shut down my PC remotely without having to set up a Remote Desktop would be a nice option.

The feature could also come in handy if you need to leave your PC running unattended for a while. The other day I had to download a bunch of large files and knew my PC had to run for a while. If the new Link to Windows feature had been available, I could have shut down my PC after I knew the files were downloaded.

Putting your PC to sleep through Link to Windows will work a bit differently, according to Windows Latest. A warning message discovered by the outlet states, "After it’s asleep, it will be disconnected from this device. You need to go to your PC to wake it up."

Separate warnings appear when you try to restart or shut down your PC in the middle of an update.

Microsoft continues to work on integrating the smartphone and PC experience. The tech giant expanded the connection between devices by adding a section to the Start menu on Windows 11. Microsoft is also testing several flyouts and menus that will make it easier to connect your phone and your PC.

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Microsoft has published a new blog post celebrating significant progress around the Windows on Arm platform over the last year. The company is excited to welcome NVIDIA to the Windows on Arm family with its RTX Spark SoC later this year, joining the Qualcomm Snapdragon X platform and solidifying the Windows on Arm platform as here to stay.

"The market is sending a clear signal: more silicon providers and more OEM partners are investing in Windows on Arm because customer demand is growing for these powerful and efficient Windows devices and experiences," says Klaus Diaconu, Partner Director at Microsoft. "In the fall of 2026, devices from Microsoft Surface, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI will be available [with RTX Spark.]"

In addition to highlighting silicon and hardware makers bringing Windows on Arm to market, Microsoft is also excited to spotlight Windows apps that are now available on the Arm platform, including STEM and education apps, security apps, productivity apps, creativity apps, entertainment and media apps.

"Productivity apps remain the cornerstone of how people get work done on Windows. Whether managing projects, collaborating with teammates, organizing information, or communicating across teams, these apps are essential to our customers’ daily work. The growing list of productivity apps now available reflects both customer demand and increasing momentum from developers building with Arm as a first-class Windows platform."

Some of the highlights include apps like Sharex, Proton Mail, Signal, Discord, FxSound, and more. In fact, Microsoft says there are now over 7,000 compatible Windows on Arm apps being tracked on the "Works on WOA" website, which the company recommends as a comprehensive source for app compatibility information.

While most mainstream apps are now natively supported on Arm, there are still Windows apps that don't yet have an Arm native version. With the Windows Prism emulation layer, these apps still run on Windows on Arm, and on the latest Arm PCs they feel native thanks to improvements to performance from both the silicon and software.

"Windows on Arm is no longer defined by potential, but by a rapidly expanding ecosystem of devices with apps available across workloads that customers depend on most," Microsoft states. "As developers continue to invest in Arm-native experiences and compatibility, customers gain more choices, flexibility, and confidence in adopting the next generation of Windows devices."

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Windows 11 will soon let you pick how much unified memory is reserved for graphics and AI. The feature is hidden in a recent Windows Insider build (29648) and was discovered by X user @XenoPanther.

Unified memory is high-bandwidth memory that can be shared between a CPU, GPU, and other processors. Traditionally, PCs with discrete graphics cards have dedicated VRAM (video memory) that lives separately from other memory.

Unified memory is still relatively new to PCs. The upcoming NVIDIA RTX Spark lets you use up to 128GB of unified RAM. AMD's Ryzen AI Max already features unified RAM.

Apple popularized the concept of unified memory with its M-Series chips, though the technology is not exclusive to Apple.

If the unified memory feature in testing rolls out, Windows 11 will have a key differentiator from macOS.

Microsoft's new feature lets Windows 11 users "reserve additional unified memory for graphics and AI intensive games and applications." The setting would help ensure smooth performance for certain types of workloads that require a lot of memory.

Normally, Windows manages shared memory dynamically, shifting resources back and forth as apps demand them. That approach works fine for general multitasking, but it runs into problems with heavy workloads like local AI inference or 3D gaming.

When memory is shared like that, background OS tasks and apps can contend for the same pool of RAM. That competition can cause latency spikes, frame drops, or total out-of-memory crashes when you're trying to run something demanding.

By letting users reserve memory, workloads with high demands for graphics and AI have uninterrupted access to high-speed memory.

The feature is not finished and has not been announced by Microsoft, so it requires some extra work to see. You can force it to appear using ViveTool.

I'd recommend waiting until the feature enters testing or even ships to general users before using it. In most cases, it's worth letting Microsoft work out any issues and polish the experience rather than use a hidden feature.

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In this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden break down the latest Windows 11 insider features, focusing heavily on major overhauls coming to context menus, File Explorer polish, and options to force apps to open full-screen. They also dive into a surprising new Signal 65 processor study highlighting how Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 chips stack up against Intel and AMD, wrap up recent Windows 11 improvements from March onward, and touch on various tech ecosystem shifts.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast is sponsored by Surfshark VPN. Unlimited devices, access your content from anywhere, and auto-block malware on Windows, Edge, and other platforms from $2.50/mo, with 3 months extra FREE. Sign up today!

• 00:00 — Introduction & Welcome: Daniel Rubino and Zach Bowden kick off Episode 402 of the Windows Central Podcast.
• 03:45 — Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 vs. Intel & AMD: Analyzing the Signal 65 processor study results, showing how Qualcomm beats out Intel and AMD chips in recent laptop testing.
• 10:15 — Windows 11 Context Menu Overhaul: Breaking down new customizable, faster context menus in Windows 11 Insider builds, including default cleanups and third-party app management.
• 24:30 — File Explorer Improvements: Reviewing massive performance updates, elimination of freezing/hang delays, and better UI polish for File Explorer.
• 42:10 — Forcing Apps to Open Full-Screen: Discussing the new Windows settings toggle that allows users to automatically launch apps in full-screen mode.
• 52:00 — Recap of Windows 11 K2 Features & General State of the OS: A look back at the overall quality-of-life improvements rolled out to Windows 11 since March.
• 1:05:15 — Wrap-Up & Outro: Final thoughts, social media handles, and sign-offs until next week's episode.

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

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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Microsoft continues to improve Windows 11. Just this past week, the company began testing new context menus with Windows Insiders and revamped the ancient AutoPlay dialog box.

The Windows K2 initiative to improve the operating system is going so well that I've asked if the next big update should be Windows 12. But fixing the Windows experience is about more than context menus and a unified user interface. Even if Windows is fixed, Microsoft needs to make better apps.

If a person logs onto a PC running a beautiful and zippy version of Windows 11, they won't care about the OS if Microsoft Teams takes too long to load. Microsoft needs to lead by example by making the best Windows apps.

Biggest News of the Week

To give Microsoft credit, work is being done to improve some apps. Rudy Huyn, a well-known Windows developer who worked on the Microsoft Store, is putting a team together to improve Windows apps. That team is still in its infancy, so we will have to wait to see the results.

But Microsoft's app issue isn't just about having a team dedicated to in-box apps or hiring good developers. It's about the direction Microsoft pushes those developers. Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft apps have been "rebuilt from the ground up" or "refreshed with performance in mind" several times over the years. But the underlying problem still exists. Microsoft made the wrong choice by going all-in on web apps, and it needs to course correct.

Huyn's team is all about native apps, but it's not clear right now how many apps will fall under its umbrella. Will we see a new native version of Outlook? What about Microsoft Teams? If Huyn's team is just focused on in-box apps, some of the most-used apps on Windows 11 will remain laggy web apps.

Plus, several of Microsoft's biggest apps aren't even in the same part of the company as Huyn's team. If Microsoft fixes the Photos app, OneDrive, and other in-box apps, but Teams is still laggy, Microsoft is still delivering a poor user experience.

Shopping with Sean

Speaking of apps, this week's top deal is on the ever-popular Microsoft 365. That software suite is massively discounted right now if you bundle it with NordVPN. You'll get the best value if you use both Microsoft 365 and NordVPN, but the bundle is more affordable than Microsoft 365 on its own.

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

As part of the September 2026 update, Microsoft is giving users more control over some of Windows 11's most visible features. The update introduces several customization options that let you change how the desktop works and make some of the default experiences less intrusive.

Once you install the update on your computer, you'll be able to move the Taskbar to the top of the screen, adjust the size of the Start menu, and disable web results from Windows Search. The options are part of Microsoft's ongoing Windows K2 work to make the desktop more customizable, and they're available through the Settings app.

In this how-to guide, I'll show you the easy steps to customize your desktop with features that are coming back to Windows 11.

Important: Starting with the September update, Microsoft is expected to begin gradually rolling out these features, meaning not every device will get them right away.

1. Place the Taskbar at the top of the screen

Starting with this release, the company begins a gradual rollout of changes that let you change the position and size of the Taskbar.

To change the Taskbar position, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
4. Select the Taskbar position (including Bottom, Top, Left, and Right) under the new "Taskbar position" setting.

5. (Optional) Choose the Small option in the "Taskbar size" option to make the Taskbar and icons smaller and free up screen space on your desktop.

Once you complete the steps, the Taskbar will apply your current configuration, and flyouts, tooltips, and animations will continue to appear as expected based on the position.

However, I've noticed that docking the Taskbar on the left side also slides the Notification Center to the left, which many people find not ideal.

2. Change the Start menu size

Microsoft also lets users further customize the Start menu. As part of the new changes, you can finally change the Start menu sides, decide what sections appear in the menu, and hide your profile name and picture from the experience.

To resize the Start menu on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.
4. Turn off the toggle switches for the sections you don't want to see in the Start menu.
5. (Optional) Choose whether the Recent section (formerly Recommended) shows recently added apps, recent and suggested files, and tips and app recommendations.

• Quick tip: The "Show recent and suggested files" option works independently from the File Explorer file history.

6. Choose the Small or Large option in the "Start menu size" setting to change the menu size.

7. (Optional) Turn on the "Hide your name and profile picture on Start" toggle switch.

After you complete the steps, the new customization settings will apply to the Start menu for a more personalized experience.

3. Disable web results from Windows Search

Finally, Microsoft is also improving the Windows Search experience with several interface tweaks and, more importantly, with the ability to disable web results as well as Microsoft Store app suggestions.

To disable web results from Windows Search, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy & security.
3. Click the Search page on the right side.
4. Turn off the Web Searches toggle switch to prevent Bing results from appearing in searches under the "Show suggested search results" setting.

5. Turn off the Microsoft Store toggle switch to prevent app suggestions from the Store when performing a search.

Once you complete the steps, when performing a search, the results will focus on files, settings, and apps.

Windows Search also gets several usability improvements with the September update. The Search home experience is being simplified to reduce clutter and make recent searches easier to access.

Also, search results will make it clearer whether an item is an app, setting, file, web result, or Microsoft Store suggestion.

Finally, the operating system will additionally be able to automatically index frequently used folders, helping files from those locations appear more quickly in future searches.

Windows Central's Take

I like this update because it addresses a few of the areas where Windows 11 has felt unnecessarily restrictive since its original release. Being able to move the Taskbar, change the Start menu size, and finally remove web and Store suggestions from Search gives me more control over how I actually use the desktop instead of being forced into specific defaults.

The Taskbar change is probably the biggest deal for long-time users. I still think the ability to move it should have been there from the beginning, but bringing back that flexibility is better than continuing to defend the original Windows 11 design decision. The same goes for Search. If I'm looking for a file, app, or setting, I don't always want Bing or Store suggestions mixed into those results.

I wouldn't call these revolutionary changes, but that's exactly why I think they are important. A lot of people use the operating system differently, and these small controls can make the experience feel much more personal. I recommend changing them to fit your workflow. Microsoft is rolling them out gradually, so they may not appear immediately after installing the update.

What are your thoughts about these new customization options 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.

Windows 11 is finally starting to look less like the operating system Microsoft wanted everyone to use, and more like the experience users have been asking for.

It might sound like an overstatement, but look at what the company has been changing lately.

Microsoft is giving users more control over the context menu. It's bringing back the ability to move and resize the Taskbar. It's giving users more control over the Start menu. And across the experience, the company continues to modernize legacy tools without stripping away the functionality that made them useful in the first place.

These changes are part of the company's Windows K2 initiative, which is focused on improving Windows 11's performance, reliability, responsiveness, and overall experience. However, there's another theme running through some of these changes that deserves more attention.

Microsoft is giving users back some of the control it took away when it launched Windows 11. And frankly, it's about time.

Windows 11's biggest problem was never the new design

When Windows 11 first became available, Microsoft wanted the desktop to feel simpler, cleaner, and more approachable. That meant redesigning major parts of the shell, simplifying menus, and reducing what the company considered "unnecessary" complexity.

The problem wasn't that Windows 11 looked different. The problem was that Microsoft sometimes confused simplification with removing choices.

The redesigned context menu is probably the best example. Microsoft created a simpler menu that left out many existing commands, forcing users to open the classic menu to access them. However, over time, the modern menu started becoming cluttered again as more commands and app integrations were added, weakening the simplicity that was one of the reasons for the redesign in the first place.

The Taskbar lost several customization options. Users could no longer move it to the top or sides of the screen. The Start menu became more rigid. A lot of familiar pieces of the operating system were redesigned around the company's preferred workflow rather than the different ways people had used the desktop for years.

Microsoft's intentions were understandable, but the results weren't always convincing. For an operating system built around flexibility, Windows 11 sometimes felt surprisingly restrictive.

Now Microsoft is giving users more control again

That's why the latest context menu changes are more interesting than they initially appear. Microsoft isn't simply making the context menu faster and easier to use. It's giving users more control over how it works.

Users will be able to customize which actions appear, manage entries from apps separately, and control how certain commands show up in the experience. The development team is also working on an option to restore a more traditional vertical arrangement for primary actions, such as Cut, Paste, and Delete.

That's a significant change in how Microsoft is approaching the design of Windows 11. Instead of deciding exactly how everyone should use the context menu, the company is giving users more control over the experience.

We've seen similar changes across the operating system. Microsoft is bringing back Taskbar positioning and sizing options. The company continues to rethink the Start menu. It's also modernizing older components without necessarily throwing away the functionality users depend on.

The context menu isn't the only example, since the company is also giving users more control in other parts of the experience.

Microsoft is learning users don't all use the OS the same way

This is where I think the software giant got Windows 11 wrong. There is no single correct way to use the operating system.

For instance, some people want a clean desktop with as little clutter as possible. Others want every option available at their fingertips.

Some people want the Taskbar at the bottom. Others prefer it at the top or along the side.

Some users rarely use the context menu. Power users can depend on it dozens or even hundreds of times a day.

The operating system has always been able to accommodate those differences. That's one of the reasons the platform became so successful.

Microsoft doesn't need to force everyone into the same workflow to make the desktop easier to use. It can provide reasonable defaults while still letting people change the experience when they want to.

Microsoft shouldn't get too much credit for restoring what it removed

There is an important caveat here. I like where Windows 11 is heading, but Microsoft shouldn't get a free pass simply because it's restoring functionality that didn't necessarily need to disappear in the first place.

The Taskbar didn't need to lose its positioning options, and the context menu didn't need to become so restrictive. And that makes the current changes somewhat frustrating.

The company spent years moving Windows 11 toward a more controlled experience. Now, several years into the operating system's life, it's gradually bringing some of that flexibility back.

I'd rather Microsoft learn from this and not make the same mistake again.

Windows 11 doesn't need fewer choices

I don't think the company needs to turn Windows 11 into Windows 10 again. Windows 11 should look like Windows 11.

It should have its modern interface, new architecture, and new capabilities. Microsoft should keep improving the entire experience and continue modernizing older parts of the operating system.

However, modernization shouldn't mean reducing functionality. A modern component should ideally be better than the old one without being less capable. That's the standard Microsoft should stick to, and the context menu is a surprisingly good example.

If the company can give Windows 11 a cleaner, more modern context menu while also letting users decide which commands they want and how they want to access them, that's a much better solution than forcing everyone into the same interface.

The same principle should apply throughout Windows 11. The operating system should be easy to use by default while still giving users the flexibility to make it work the way they want.

Windows Central's Take

The most interesting thing happening to Windows 11 right now isn't another visual redesign or another collection of new features. It's that Microsoft appears to be reconsidering how much control it should take away from users.

That matters even more as the Windows K2 initiative continues pushing broader improvements to the operating system. Better performance, reliability, design, and responsiveness are important, but the way people interact with the elements and features matters just as much.

A faster operating system that makes people work around unnecessary restrictions isn't necessarily better.

What I appreciate about these changes is that Microsoft isn't simply trying to make Windows 11 look different. It's addressing some of the decisions that made the operating system feel less flexible than previous versions. The movable and resizable Taskbar, a more customizable Start menu, and now a context menu that users can configure all point in the same direction.

Microsoft is starting to recognize that Windows 11's problem wasn't that it gave users too many choices. It was that it sometimes took too many choices away.

That's the lesson I hope the company keeps in mind as the Windows K2 project continues. Make the operating system easy to use out of the box, but still give users the freedom to customize it and make it work the way they want.

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.

Microsoft's makeover of Windows 11 continues. A refreshed AutoPlay dialog box headlines the latest Windows Insider build.

That experience is more than a palette swap or color change. Microsoft rebuilt the experience with WinUI. That brings better performance, more visual consistency with the modern parts of Windows 11, and better responsiveness to text scaling.

The AutoPlay dialog box is a relatively small feature, but it has looked outdated for years. Microsoft's current push to polish Windows 11 includes smaller fixes like updating the AutoPlay dialog box and bigger improvements like optimizing Windows 11 for systems with 8GB of RAM.

Several Windows Insider builds shipped today, but I'll focus on the one available through the Experimental Channel. If you want to catch up on the smaller releases, you can check out Microsoft's collection of release notes.

Build 26340.9233

Modernized AutoPlay experience

• We've updated the AutoPlay dialog that helps you choose the preferred experience when devices are connected to your PC, such as a phone, camera, or removable drive. Rebuilt with WinUI, the refreshed experience is more consistent with the rest of Windows, supports dark mode, and continues to provide the familiar AutoPlay actions you use today. The experience is also more responsive to text scaling and display settings. Notifications for this dialog are now docked in the notification center for easy access.

Accessibility

A simpler way to open apps maximized

• We're introducing a new accessibility setting, Open apps maximized, that automatically maximizes app windows when they open, so you no longer have to do it yourself every time. This small change removes a bit of everyday friction, whether you use a screen reader or magnification, work in tablet mode, or simply prefer a consistent, full-screen workspace.
• To turn it on, go to Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects, and turn on Open apps maximized. Once enabled, Windows maximizes app windows for you as they open. Give it a try, and let us know how it works for you.

Manage camera, microphone, and location access for desktop apps

• Windows Insiders can now manage camera, microphone, and location permissions for individual desktop apps. Previously, access for traditional desktop applications was managed through a single device-wide setting.
• With this update, you can review and control access on an app-by-app basis, giving you greater visibility into which apps are requesting access to sensitive resources and more control over your privacy choices. Our goal is to make privacy permissions easier to understand and manage across the wide range of desktop apps people use every day.

What's changing

• Allow or deny access for each desktop app individually.
• Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Camera, Microphone, or Location to review and manage permissions.
• Apps that haven't yet accessed a resource prompt for permission the first time access is requested.

What stays the same

• Existing app permission decisions are preserved.
• Apps previously granted access continue to have access.
• Apps previously denied access remain denied.
• No action is required, and no settings are reset.
• Existing enterprise policies continue to function as designed. We're exploring additional management capabilities.

Notes

• Most desktop apps appear with clear app attribution. However, some apps that rely on shared system components, browser-hosted experiences, or similar technologies might appear under a different name than expected.
• Some desktop apps might appear as Unsigned if Windows can't verify publisher information. Only grant access to apps you recognize and trust.

File Explorer

• PDF and non-HTML files downloaded from the web can now be previewed automatically in the preview pane.

Microsoft Store

• This update provides support for in-app purchases in packaged WinUI 3 apps that require elevation, helping developers offer purchases through Microsoft's integrated commerce platform.

Taskbar

• Fixed an issue in the latest builds causing taskbar animations to briefly work and then stop working.

Input

• Fixed an issue in the latest builds causing the mouse cursor not to be visible in certain apps.

Other

• Fixed an issue from the last flight causing Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program > Flags to appear empty even though flags were available.
• Updated Settings > Apps > Installed apps to show the version number at the top level for packaged apps, as it already does for other apps.

This update also includes some improvements we already knew about, including the option to open apps maximized.

Build 26340.9233 also adds the option to manage camera, microphone, and location permissions on a per-app basis for desktop apps. Previously, that choice was limited to UWP/MSIX applications.

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

It looks like Microsoft is working on a new feature for Windows 11 that will allow users to configure the behavior of apps when they first open. Right now, pretty much all Windows app will open in windowed mode, until manually set to open maximized by the user. But in the latest Windows 11 preview builds, a new option has been discovered that changes this.

First spotted by phantomofearth, the new option appears in the accessibility area of Windows Settings. The option reads: "Automatically open app windows maximized when they open" with the ability to toggle it on or off. When enabled, all Windows apps will opened in a maximized state by default, meaning the user will no longer be forced to do so for every app they open.

This feature will be great for devices with relatively small screens. PCs with screen sizes of less than 13-inches will benefit greatly from this. On my Surrface Pro 12-inch for example, I almost always find apps are easer to use when maximized as the screen it just too small to enjoy using apps in windowed mode.

This will be especially beneficial for devices with sub 10-inch screens or less, like the Surface Go line or more commonly, PC handheld gaming devices like the Xbox ROG Ally X, which has a 7-inch screen. Windows is famously not very optimized for these small screen sizes, but letting users open apps full screen will make the experience a little better.

It's also beneficial for PCs where the screen may be far away from the user, such as with a PC under a living room TV that's used primarily for watching movies or playing games. In that instance, you wouldn't want apps opening in windowed mode basically ever, and so this option will come in handy.

For a while, Windows 11 included an automatic behavior change that forced apps to open maximized on PCs with small screens, but at some point that behavior stopped. Now, it seems Microsoft is going to give users the option to enable this on any screen size, which makes more sense.

These quality of life improvements are great to see, and another example of Microsoft making WIndows 11 more customizable. Recently, it announces a whole wave of new customization options for the Start menu and context menus, with more customization to come in the next few months.

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

I've been gaming again lately on my desktop PC thanks to cooler weather, but thankfully I haven't experienced this new Windows 11 bug that cropped up after the August 11 (KB5121003) update.

It's apparently affecting 25H2 and 24H2 installs of Windows 11, as this update rolled out to OS builds 26200.9168 and 26100.9168.

According to Microsoft, the Windows 11 update is forcing some games to go unresponsive, crash, or reboot your PC entirely. You might also see the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error pop up, forcing you to close your game.

Thankfully, it doesn't seem like the issue is too widespread. At least, not yet. Microsoft says it has received reports mainly focused on ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals.

As of August 19, when the support page was last updated, Microsoft says it is investigating the issues to figure out if it's a problem on its side. Microsoft is asking any PC gamers experiencing a similar issue to file a report in the proper Feedback Hub app.

Embark Studios, the team behind ARC Raiders and The Finals, took to Discord to address the problem (via Windows Latest).

In another post, the Embark team points at the crashes being caused by an inpoutx64.sys file change in the recent Windows 11 update. It seems like the kernel-level driver is having a hard time communicating properly.

Embark says it's working on its own "long-term fix," but in the meantime, affected gamers might be able to solve the issue on their own.

A temporary fix for the new Windows 11 gaming issues

Embark has laid out the steps required to temporarily fix the crashing and freezing issues on KB5121003.

Launch Command Prompt as Administrator, type "sc stop inpoutx64", and press Enter.

In the same Command Prompt instance, type "sc delete inpoutx64" and press Enter.

Next, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers in your PC's File Explorer. Find the file called inpoutx64.sys and delete it.

That should let your games run smoothly again, but hopefully we'll soon have a fix that doesn't require the manual workaround.

You can, of course, also roll back your Windows 11 PC to an older update version until the problem is officially fixed by Microsoft.

This seems like a fairly minor Windows 11 issue compared to some others we've already experienced this year, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating for those affected.

Most recently, on July 15, Microsoft had to block the Windows 11 KB5101650 Patch Tuesday update on Dell PCs after issues involving unexpected shutdowns, overheating, and generally poor performance were reported by users.

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In early August, Insiders didn't get off to a good start with previews, as the company didn't release any Windows 11 builds in the main testing channels, including Experimental and Beta, for more than 15 days. However, on August 17, Microsoft made five preview builds available across different channels and testing versions, with new features and changes.

In this latest wave of previews, the company began public testing of a new fully customizable context menu. It also rolled out improvements for the background image experience, Magnifier, Camera Roll, and Get Started app.

Also, the company announced that starting with this wave of updates, the operating system will no longer ship the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) and the Drag Tray feature.

In the Experimental track, we've seen builds 29648, 28120.2738, and 26340.9212, while in the Beta channel, the company announced 28020.2731 and 26220.9202.

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 August 2026

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

Redesigned context menu

So far in August, perhaps the biggest change is the redesigned context menu, which is now fully customizable, simpler, and faster.

The new design reduces the clutter as we have never seen in the menu while keeping common actions easy to access. When you right-click a file or folder to invoke the menu, you'll notice a new "App extensions" submenu that now houses those extra entry points from applications you have installed on your computer.

Also, there's a new "Customize menu" option that opens the new Context menu page in Settings > Personalization.

Under the "File actions" section, you can choose the options that you want to appear in the main context menu, such as "Send to," Print, Create shortcut, Copy as path, and Rotate image.

One thing to point out here is that the "Send to" and Print options are new to the modern menu design.

When you open the "App extensions" section, you can decide whether this submenu appears in the main menu. Also, you can choose which extensions from apps appear in the main menu.

Microsoft notes that it understands that many people have accumulated years of muscle memory from Windows 10. As a result, the new menu adds options to make it easier for those users by letting them arrange primary actions (such as cut and paste) vertically, instead of in the new horizontal view.

Also, you can place the "Properties" option at the bottom of the list, like in older versions of Windows.

Finally, it's also possible to restore the "Show more options" entry, or you can continue accessing the classic menu using the "Shift + Right-click" shortcut.

The new context menu options are available on build 26340.9212 for version 26H2 in the Experimental channel.

Personalization improvements

On Windows 11 build 26340.9212, the company is also polishing the desktop background experience with several fixes and improvements.

For example, on Settings > Personalization > Background, the page should now be more reliable, previews now render at higher resolution and display better on portrait monitors, and desktop slideshow transitions are more dependable, including on newly created accounts.

The system can now also improve the process of changing wallpaper quickly, use Device-Independent Bitmap (DIB) image files as backgrounds, and keep slideshow wallpapers enabled across multiple desktops instead of automatically switching back to Picture.

Camera Roll backup

Also, on build 26340.9212, Microsoft is making it easier to protect your pictures by adding new entry points in Settings > Home and Accounts that let you set up Camera Roll backup, which automatically backs up photos and videos from your mobile device to OneDrive.

Magnifier interface update

Magnifier is getting a cleaner look without changing how the accessibility tool works.

Microsoft has refreshed the toolbar icons to better match the operating system's visual design and refined the spacing and padding for a more polished layout.

This update is currently available only in version 26H2, starting with the release of build 26340.9212.

Windows Recovery Environment changes

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is getting a useful networking upgrade that can automatically reuse eligible Wi-Fi profiles saved in the operating system, including supported certificate-based networks.

In the past, this recovery mode could automatically connect to wired unauthenticated Ethernet or separately preconfigured Wi-Fi, while other WPA2/WPA3 networks required manually entering a password.

In this update, recovery workflows such as Quick Machine Recovery or cloud rebuilds can get online without manual interaction, without having to reconfigure Wi-Fi credentials.

The behavior is enabled by default, although technical users can disable it if needed.

Windows 11 features removed

In this wave of updates across all channels, Microsoft is no longer shipping Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) and the Drag Tray feature.

In this release, the legacy Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) tool is no longer included as Microsoft continues its broader effort to phase out WMIC from the operating system, pushing users toward newer management tools.

One thing to point out about WMIC is that Microsoft isn't removing WMI. Only the "wmic.exe" command-line utility will no longer be included in the operating system. WMI remains available through PowerShell and other supported utilities.

Microsoft is also pulling the plug on the Drop Tray experience from this build after hearing feedback from users. The company says it'll continue exploring improvements in this area and plans to share more about a future replacement in a later update.

File Explorer improvements

In Windows 11 build 26220.9202 for version 25H2 (Beta), File Explorer gets a small but noticeable usability boost.

For example, the "Home" page now launches faster and feels more responsive, while the "Recommended" section supports touch scrolling, making it easier to browse files in the carousel.

Microsoft also fixed an issue that caused previews to display an unexpectedly thick band across the middle.

Windows Security app changes

Finally, the company is making small visual adjustments to Windows Security to better align the app with the other Windows 11 experiences.

On Windows 11 build 29648, testers may notice subtle differences as more changes roll out. However, after installing this update on my machine, I failed to notice anything different in the app.

On managed devices with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint enabled, information about the protection will now appear at the top of the "Virus & threat protection" page.

Windows Central's Take

Although Microsoft kept Insiders without preview builds for the first half of August, the latest updates are still worth the wait because the company is finally giving users more control over parts of the experience it previously tried to simplify. The customizable context menu is the most significant change, especially because it acknowledges that users don't necessarily want the company's preferred layout forced on them.

I'm also glad the improvements aren't limited to interface changes. The improvements to desktop backgrounds, File Explorer, and WinRE address small frustrations that can make the experience feel inconsistent over time.

I wouldn't rush to install an Insider build just for these changes, but the direction is encouraging. Microsoft is giving Windows 11 more flexibility while continuing to modernize the parts of the operating system that have fallen behind.

What are your thoughts 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.

Microsoft claims that Windows 11's built-in security tool is enough for most PC users, but that's only the case if the tool works. An issue affecting some PCs prevents security scans from being completed, leaving systems potentially vulnerable.

The problem was flagged on Reddit by user Huynh_Jovi. Several users in that thread have had issues running scans with Microsoft Defender. Both Full Scan and Quick Scan appear to be affected.

Pinned at the top of that thread is a comment by a moderator that gathers together key information on the situation.

"It appears Microsoft released a bad update to Windows Defender, causing it to crash a few seconds after attempting to perform a Full Scan or Quick Scan," reads the comment by user goretsky. They continue, stating, "Offline scans reportedly stop at around 90-93% of completion." The latest version of the Microsoft Safety Scanner is reportedly affected as well.

The exact cause of the issue has not been determined, though there are several suggested causes. The issue seems to be related to a Microsoft Security Intelligence update. Performing an upgrade to Security Intelligence Update v1.457.236.0 resolves the issue, according to Reddit users Schoonie84 and Master_Pie1940.

You don't need to hunt down that update manually. If you check for updates in the Windows Security app or through Windows Update, the latest version should appear.

There's a chance the issue appeared after Microsoft attempted to mitigate ShieldBreak, a zero-day vulnerability disclosed shortly after August's Patch Tuesday update.

Versions v1.1.26070.7 and v1.1.26080.2 of Defender are said to be affected by the issue when used with any of the following Microsoft Security Intelligence Update versions:

• 1.457.222.0
• 1.457.225.0
• 1.457.226.0
• 1.457.227.0
• 1.457.230.0

Restoring to an older Microsoft Security Intelligence update also reportedly fixes the issue, adding weight to the theory about the cause of the problem.

Many users have spent hours trying to address the issue. At the time of publication, there has not been official word on the problem from Microsoft, so the work of the Reddit users taking a closer look is appreciated.

Performing regular scans is an important step in securing a PC. Hopefully Microsoft can resolve the issue quickly and get word out to affected users.

In the meantime, affected users can still scan a specific folder or drive by right-clicking and selecting "Scan with Microsoft Defender."

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

Windows 11 will soon give you greater control over the permissions your apps have. A new feature hidden away in the latest Experimental Insider Build (26340.9212) lets you block access to your camera and microphone on a per-app basis for Win32 apps.

The change was spotted by X user @jakub25050. Well-known Windows sleuth @phantomofearth confirmed that the change appears on their system as well when running build 26340.9212 and after enabling Win32SignatureIdentity (60730253). On X, @jakub25050 noted that they did not have to enable any feature flags.

Microsoft did not discuss the change in the official release notes for the latest Windows Insider build.

This behavior will feel familiar to most people who use a smartphone, since both iOS and Android have fine-tuned privacy controls. Windows 11 has also supported this functionality for other types of apps for a while.

What's changing with Windows 11 privacy settings?

Windows 11 already has an option that allows or blocks desktop apps from accessing things like your microphone or camera. But you can only enable or disable those permissions on a per-app basis for certain types of apps.

The feature in testing right now allows you to toggle camera and microphone permissions on a per-app basis for Win32 apps. That's a massive addition since many popular programs are Win32 apps, such as Discord, Chrome, and game launchers like Steam.

The current way app permissions work means that to use your webcam on a browser like Chrome, you'd also need to have your settings configured to let other desktop apps access your webcam.

I've seen some debate about when the per-app option for Win32 apps rolled out to Windows 11. While Windows 11 has had the option to grant or deny permissions for years, that choice was limited to UWP/MSIX apps and was not available for Win32 apps.

Build 26340.9212 started shipping to Insiders in the Experimental Channel on August 17, 2026. Assuming testing goes well, we could see the expanded app controls roll out to everyone in the near future.

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Fixing Windows may be an impossible task, at least if the goal is to please every user. Because Windows has been around for decades and is used by billions of people, Microsoft has to be careful in how it rolls out changes to its operating system.

One of the strengths of Windows is backward compatibility, but that is a double-edged sword. Because Microsoft values legacy software and compatibility, Windows 11 is basically several operating systems stacked together under a trenchcoat.

I've argued before that unifying the look of Windows should have been a priority for decades. But even if it were, updating Windows would be a challenge. People get used to things and often dislike changes, even if they're considered improvements by many.

With changes like the overhauled Start menu and movable taskbar on the way, I shared a poll recently asking about Microsoft's improvements to Windows 11. That poll was inspired by the recent change to how file sizes are displayed in File Explorer.

40 percent of those who voted said that "Some tweaks are great, but others feel like changes for the sake of change." Another 32 percent of participants said Microsoft should "bring on the modern polish," noting that they adapt quickly and prefer clean interfaces.

Almost 30 percent of voters wanted to ensure some level of consistency, whether that be keeping legacy options (17 percent of voters) or leaving features and layouts alone (12 percent).

The fact that even our readers are split shows how divisive this topic can be. Generally speaking, our readers are tech-savvy and keep up to date with tech and new features, so they should be able to adapt to changes well. But being able to adapt is not the same as favoring the need to adapt.

The comments on that article echoed sentiments about Microsoft not being able to please everyone, such as the quote above by "Q-Less." They also noted that "Microsoft needs to spend significant effort on change management."

Over the years, Microsoft has tried different strategies. Major OS updates such as Windows 7 or Windows 10 bring many changes at once and allow Microsoft to roll out improvements as part of a package.

Incremental updates shipped every few months let Microsoft get improvements to users quickly, but that may not be a good thing. People need time to adapt to changes, even good ones. Having an interface or experience tweaked several times in a year can be jarring.

One route Microsoft could take is adding options.

I like having options, and Microsoft sometimes ships new features with a toggle to go back to the previous interface. But there's a limit on how many choices can be built into Windows 11. If Microsoft kept every option across several OS generations, Windows would be a mess.

Some want Microsoft to take the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.

Within the Windows Central community, there is debate on how to handle changes and improvements to Windows. Expand the discussion to all PC users and you have an almost deafening amount of noise to sort through.

Even when Microsoft settles on changes to Windows, the company needs to decide how to package those changes. Last week's Windows Wrap asked if the next big update should just be Windows 12.

Windows carries over much of its base when switching between major OS versions these days, so it's more about marketing than a technical definition.

Where do you stand in the debate? Do you want to see Windows modernized even if it means you'll have to adapt to changes? Or do you want Windows to stay largely the same? Let us know in the comments!

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

Last year, Microsoft announced a major update coming to the Taskbar on Windows 11 that would allow users to swap out the Windows Search box for one powered by Copilot. Dubbed "Ask Copilot," this new experience would let users interact with Copilot straight from the Taskbar, while maintaining support for searching for apps and files.

Since its announcement, the feature has slowly rolled out in preview to a small subset of users. Most of those users are commercial customers utilizing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, but a version for consumers was also being developed for the standard Microsoft Copilot app.

At least, that was true until a few months back, when an update to the consumer-facing Copilot app removed support for it. Since then, Ask Copilot has only worked with the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, but with the announcement that the consumer Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot are merging under one app experience, Ask Copilot is disappearing once more.

"As we implement these changes, we're temporarily disabling Ask Copilot on the taskbar to update the new experience and incorporate your feedback," a Microsoft changelog has confirmed. The company doesn't explain what user feedback it's taking onboard, or if the Ask Copilot experience will change in any meaningful way. For now, it's no longer in testing.

If you've been using Ask Copilot on the Taskbar, the latest updates to the Copilot app and Microsoft 365 Copilot app will result in the feature disappearing, restoring the standard Windows Search experience automatically.

The UI between Ask Copilot and Windows Search is different. In fact, the two experiences are handled by entirely separate teams at Microsoft. Windows Search is, naturally, developed by the Windows team, whereas Ask Copilot is built by the Copilot and Microsoft 365 AI teams.

Recent upgrades to the Windows Search experience confirm that Ask Copilot is always going to be a separate, optional experience for users who want it. Windows Search is still the primary search experience on Windows, and is being redesigned to remove clutter, ads, and prioritize more accurate and speedy results.

The Ask Copilot search pane is similarly decluttered, but includes a chat box for initiating conversations with Copilot, along with shortcut buttons in the Taskbar for launching into Copilot Vision. If you're someone who has been looking forward to the Ask Copilot experience, it looks like you're going to be waiting a while longer before it begins shipping.

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Built as an alternative to the standard File Explorer in Windows 11, Files is an open-source project that always seems to stay one step ahead of Microsoft. Its latest update to Files v4.2.7 is a perfect example, as it focuses on improving the speed and overall responsiveness of the right-click menu before the official context menu upgrade comes to Windows.

The optimization trend extends to multitasking in Files, as v4.2.7 also improves its memory cleanup habits when any tabs are closed. Efficient tabs are a headline feature of the app, even if the experience feels quite similar to File Explorer — including its support for keyboard shortcuts — but Windows PC enthusiasts will undoubtedly appreciate any efforts to lower memory usage.

The context menu is improving in multiple ways

We already knew that plans to fix Windows 11's slow context menus are coming with a major overhaul, and it certainly feels overdue, but it's a step in the right direction for Microsoft. Nevertheless, some of our YouTube audience certainly share this sentiment, and I wouldn't be surprised if Files sees broader adoption among like-minded PC users with updates like this.

I first started using the Files App on my primary laptop shortly after v4.0 launched, when it added more flexibility for the right-click context menu. It isn't installed on all of my PCs, but on my travels I find it quite useful alongside my portable mainstays like PowerToys Run. Anything that lowers my RAM usage is a winner in my eyes, whether it comes from Microsoft or elsewhere.

You can try Files — and even make it your default file manager in Windows 11 without uninstalling File Explorer or damaging your OS in any way — to see if you prefer the experience over Microsoft's default implementation. If you don't, it's no big deal; you can revert to the standard experience by uninstalling it, as you would with any other app. Give it a shot.

Files v4.2.7 changelog

• What’s New in Files v4.2.7
  • Improved context menu performance
    • Opening the right-click context menu is now noticeably faster and more responsive.
  • Open a new tab by middle-clicking the tab strip
    • You can now open a new tab by middle-clicking an empty area of the tab strip, giving you a quick way to add tabs without reaching for the new tab button.
  • Select items opened from other apps
    • When you open a file’s location from another application, Files now selects that item in the folder automatically.
  • Reduced memory usage after closing tabs
    • Files now frees up more memory when tabs are closed, helping keep the app lightweight during long sessions.
• Fixes
  • Fixed issue with the filter text box being cleared.

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Microsoft has today announced a set of major improvements coming to the context menus that appear in File Explorer and the desktop on Windows 11 that are designed to make the right-click experience faster, less cluttered, and more customizable.

I first revealed Microsoft's plans to overhaul the context-menu system on Windows 11 last month, and now the company has confirmed those plans. In fact, it's already rolling out preview builds with the new context menu system in place, ready for Windows Insiders to begin testing and provide feedback on.

Microsoft says that it knows the context menu system on Windows 11 today is not in a good place. "The menu became cluttered and sluggish, and we recognized the need to dramatically reduce the time between right-clicking and having a menu that’s fully ready to use," says Microsoft engineer Michael Novak in a blog post published today.

"Today, we’re excited to announce an updated context menu that delivers a faster, simpler, and more customizable experience. The new design reduces top-level clutter, keeps commonly used actions easy to access, and introduces a new Settings experience that gives you more control over what appears in the menu."

I went hands-on with the new context menu system over the weekend, and I can confirm that the new right-click experience is a major improvement over what is shipping on Windows 11 currently. The new default layout is much less cluttered, with less actions immediately presented to the user in exchange for a much faster response time.

Microsoft is finally letting users customize the context menus too. You can now enable and disable whichever actions you want, as well as show or hide app extensions from third-party apps. This is great for when an app installs itself into your context menus without permission, as you can now hide them from view.

It's even going so far as to allow users to restore the Windows 10 context menu layout within the modern Windows 11 context menu system. Until now, Windows 11's context menu has placed "primary actions" such as cut, copy, and paste into a horizontal view along the top of the menu. Windows 10's context menu placed those actions vertically alongside everything else, and now Windows 11 is letting users restore that layout for users that want it.

"We know many people have years of muscle memory from the Windows 10 menu, so we’ve added options to bring that feel back. You can list the main commands (Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share) inline directly in the menu instead of as a row of icons, and you can move Properties down to the very bottom."

These are genuinely good quality of life improvements coming to Windows 11, and Windows Insiders can download the latest Windows 11 preview builds to begin testing them today. Given that they only just entered preview, I expect we won't see them begin shipping to everyone until later in the fall.

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Microsoft has announced that it's disabling its unique Drag Tray file sharing experience on Windows 11 after feedback from Insiders. After initially rolling out to a small subset of users a number of months ago, it appears the company is now scrapping the concept in favor of something else.

"Based on feedback, we're removing the experience in this build," Microsoft says. "We're continuing to explore improvements in this area and look forward to sharing more about a future replacement experience in a later update."

The Drag Tray experience was a unique way of sharing files from the File Explorer on Windows 11. It has been in testing for well over a year, and appeared at the top of the screen whenever a user grabbed a file with their cursor. Users would be able to drag the file to the top of the screen and drop the file into an app to instantly share it.

The feature works well on paper, but users online complained about the feature when it first began rolling out, with some calling it frustrating and annoying. While some users found it useful, most users did not like its implementation and sought out guides to disable it.

Windows 11 features multiple ways of sharing files. Most users share files by right-clicking on the file in particular, and clicking share, which opens a dedicated share UI window that makes it easy to send the file to contacts or apps that are installed. The drag tray was supposed to be a faster and easier to use alternative.

Microsoft hasn't yet revealed what will replace the Drag Tray, if anything. While the company says that it's exploring improvements in this area, there's no guarantee that the Drag Tray in this implementation will survive. Given the pushback it received from users originally, it's unlikely to return in its current form.

If you're using Windows 11 with the Insider Program, you'll notice the Drag Tray is gone as of the latest preview builds. If you're running production builds of Windows 11, Drag Tray is still available, but it's likely only a matter of time before Microsoft removes it from shipping builds of the OS too.

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I'm a big fan of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) not least because I like Linux, and it means I can run it from the same PC as Windows 11 without the need for virtual machines or dual-booting.

It's been around for quite a while now and is a pretty powerful tool for developers, especially, and it's come to light that for Canonical, at least, WSL might soon be the biggest source of users of Ubuntu.

It comes to light from comments made by Canonical's VP of Engineering, Jon Seagar, actually back in April to The Pragmatic Engineer‘s Gergely Orosz spotted by the team over at Windows Latest.

Not only is Ubuntu growth on WSL continuing to increase, it's actually starting to outpace the desktop. So much so that it's expected that Ubuntu on WSL will soon be bigger than native Ubuntu use.

Obviously Linux is more than just Ubuntu, and its overall use is still dwarfed by Windows 11. But Ubuntu is one of the biggest distros, and this is pretty interesting to hear.

WSL does have GUI support for apps, but it's not the same as running a full desktop, but in most cases, developers and system admins don't need a full desktop. The terminal is just fine, and WSL has seamless integration into Microsoft's VS Code as well.

I've written in the past that WSL is a great tool to use to learn about Linux as a beginner since you can fire it up within the comfortable surroundings of your existing Windows 11 PC. But that same principle can apply for professionals who need access to both.

It's convenient and gives access to the Linux tools needed, including nowadays for AI, and some tools are built specifically for or work best on Linux. But with WSL you have integration with your existing Windows 11 file system.

I use probably 5% of the potential of WSL on my own PC, but it's still one of the first things I set up whenever I'm moving on to a new machine. You're not limited to Ubuntu, either, with Fedora my own distro of preference. But there's plenty to choose from.

Microsoft keeps improving it, too. The most recent development is WSL Containers, and it even has its own version of Linux now for users to deploy in Azure Linux. There are still plenty of cases for having a bare-metal Linux machine, but with Windows 11 and WSL working together, you've got a hybrid that's good enough for many.

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Microsoft is finally paying more attention to some of the oldest parts of Windows 11, and I hope it doesn't stop with the obvious ones.

For years, the operating system has had a strange split personality. Some parts of the system look and feel as if they were designed specifically for Windows 11, while others still feel like they were carried over from much older versions. But that's slowly starting to change.

Microsoft has been modernizing parts of Windows 11 for years, gradually updating interfaces that have remained largely unchanged. We've seen this work arriving in the Run dialog, Task Manager, shell controls, parts of File Explorer, and many other areas. Recently, however, Microsoft has been talking more openly about the challenges of modernizing deeply embedded components and developing the tools and frameworks needed to make that work easier without breaking the functionality people still depend on.

That's encouraging because I don't think the operating system needs another redesign just for a new coat of paint. There are much more important parts that deserve Microsoft's attention.

In particular, there are three classic tools I would like to see Microsoft modernize next, including Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services.

And when the company eventually gets to work on these tools, I don't want "cheap" replacements that hide the advanced options. I want modern designs that preserve everything the existing tools can do while making them considerably easier to use.

In this guide, I'll highlight the legacy tools I want the company to update with a design that aligns with the style of Windows 11.

1. Device Manager

Device Manager is probably the most obvious place for Microsoft to continue.

It remains one of the first places I go when troubleshooting hardware or driver problems. Yet the experience has barely evolved compared with the rest of the system.

The basic workflow still revolves around expanding a tree of hardware categories, right-clicking a device, opening properties, and digging through a collection of tabs.

It works, but it doesn't feel like a modern tool a regular user would use. Microsoft could turn Device Manager into a much more useful hardware management experience without removing any of its existing capabilities.

I would like to see a modern hardware manager with a proper search box, better filtering, and a more useful device overview.

For example, selecting a graphics card could immediately show the device name and manufacturer, the current driver version and date, and the device state, in addition to options to roll back, uninstall the device, and enable controls.

The important part is that Microsoft shouldn't simply move the existing tree into a prettier WinUI 3 window.

It should rethink how the information is presented. If the system knows a device isn't working correctly, I shouldn't have to hunt through several tabs to find out. The interface should tell me.

Something as simple as a clear status indicator saying "This device is working normally" or "Windows detected a problem with this device" would make the tool considerably more approachable.

At the same time, the company should retain the advanced information that administrators and enthusiasts rely on.

2. Event Viewer

Event Viewer is one of those tools that has plenty of useful information, but finding the information you actually need can be difficult, especially for someone who doesn't use the tool every day.

The bigger problem is that Microsoft already has a better way to understand system problems. Reliability Monitor. It gives you a timeline of crashes, warnings, and other problems, making it much easier to see when something went wrong. However, when you need more details, you're sent back to Event Viewer.

That's where I think Microsoft could do better. Instead of maintaining separate experiences, the company could combine the best parts of Reliability Monitor and Event Viewer into one modern troubleshooting tool.

For example, I should be able to see a timeline of Windows 11 and app problems, search and filter events, group related events, and quickly identify crashes, driver problems, and service failures.

3. Services

The Services console is another tool I'd like the company to modernize, but not because it lacks information. The existing tool already gives you a lot.

In the Extended view, I can select a service and see its description, while the main list shows its status and startup type. Opening the properties gives me even more options, including dependencies, recovery settings, and the account used to run the service.

The problem is that the overall experience still feels like a management console from another era. For example, search could be one of the new features that should make it possible to search for Windows Update, Bluetooth, networking, or even an executable name and quickly find the related services.

Dependencies could also be easier to understand. The information is already there, but I have to open the properties and look through another tab to see it. A modern interface could show those relationships more clearly.

That would be especially useful when troubleshooting. If one service isn't working because another isn't running, Windows 11 could make that relationship clear instead of leaving me to figure it out myself.

I don't want the company to simplify Services by removing its advanced options. I want it to keep everything that's already there and make the tool easier to search, navigate, and understand.

And then there's Task Scheduler

Task Scheduler is another example in which Microsoft already has many of the pieces I would want in a modern tool.

The Create Basic Task wizard makes creating a simple task relatively straightforward. It walks you through the task's name and description, when it should run, what triggers it, and what action it should perform. The problem comes when you need to go beyond the basics.

The full Task Scheduler interface offers a large number of options across multiple tabs, making it difficult to understand how everything fits together. Triggers, actions, conditions, settings, history, and security options are all there, but the experience hasn't evolved much. And that's where I think Microsoft could make a difference.

In this case, I wouldn't want the company to change those advanced options. Instead, it could build a modern interface around them, making it easier to understand what a task does, why it runs, what it launches, and whether it's working correctly. All, while keeping the existing advanced configuration available when needed.

Again, the functionality isn't necessarily the problem. The experience is.

If Microsoft isn't sure where to start, there's already an open-source project called FluentTaskScheduler, which I recently covered, that offers a modern take on the Task Scheduler experience.

Some legacy tools don't need a replacement

I'm fine with Microsoft moving Disk Management into the Settings app because it's already heading in that direction with Disks & volumes.

The same applies to Computer Management. I don't think the company needs to create a modern version of the entire console. A lot of the tools inside it already exist separately, including Device Manager, Services, Event Viewer, and Task Scheduler.

The parts that remain particularly useful, such as Shared Folders and Local Users and Groups, could eventually receive their own modern experiences. Or these could become part of the "Accounts" settings.

Microsoft doesn't need to reinvent these tools

I don't expect the software giant to rebuild every classic utility from scratch. I also don't think every legacy tool needs to disappear.

Some of these tools exist because the operating system has accumulated decades of functionality, compatibility requirements, and enterprise dependencies. Microsoft has already acknowledged that replacing deeply integrated components isn't as simple as building a new interface and deleting the old one because of functionality and compatibility.

That's why I like the direction Microsoft appears to be taking. The company recently indicated that it is looking to modernize the Registry Editor, one of the oldest and most recognizable administrative tools in the operating system. At the same time, the company has already been experimenting with a new Print Management app inside Windows 11 Insider builds, showing that some of these long-standing management experiences can be replaced with dedicated modern apps rather than simply being given a new coat of paint.

Microsoft doesn't need to modernize the operating system by throwing away everything that came before it. It can take the functionality people already depend on, put it behind a better interface, and gradually roll these experiences into Windows 11.

Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services would be a very good place to start.

If the company can modernize those tools while preserving the advanced functionality that makes them useful, I'll take that over another visual refresh any day.

Which classic tool do you think Microsoft should modernize next, and what would you change about it? 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

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Windows 11 has a major update on the way, and that update promises to address some of the loudest complaints about the operating system. August is traditionally a slow month for Windows news, but thanks to some previews of what’s on the way next month, we have a lot to talk about.

Microsoft’s refreshed taskbar, customizable Start menu, and other improvements are all in the final stages of testing. Microsoft confirmed that a major Windows update is on the way very soon. But my question is, should that major update have been Windows 12?

Biggest News of the Week

It’s worth asking what a new operating system even is in 2026. As opposed to historical upgrades, the kernel and underlying code base of Windows stays largely the same when jumping between major version numbers. We’re well past the days of major architectural changes or code based swaps that make old software incompatible, at least when it comes to computers.

Is a new Start menu or a revamped taskbar set of options enough to justify calling a new OS Windows 12? Perhaps a revamped Settings app or an upgraded core experience for connecting your phone to your PC is enough to do it. There’s a fine line between a UI overhaul and a fresh coat of paint when it comes to making a new operating system.

Is the Damage Already Done?

The core question about keeping the Windows 11 name or upgrading to Windows 12 is if the damage has already been done or, in other words, is it even possible to save Windows 11 in the eyes of the public?

Windows 11 launched in controversy. The minimum requirements of the operating system made millions of PCs ineligible for an upgrade. Other decisions from Microsoft, such as rebuilding the taskbar without all of the options available in previous versions of Windows, also drew criticism.

I’m among the critics of Windows 11. I’ve pointed out several of the flaws in the operating system and mistakes I feel Microsoft has made. But I’m also a newswriter for a niche website that focuses on Windows. The general public may not be so passionate.

If Windows 11 is a lost cause, Microsoft should gather together a bunch of the changes from the Windows K2 initiative and package them into Windows 12.

Learning the Right Lessons

If there ever is a Windows 12, I’m worried that Microsoft would have it focused on the wrong things. One of my favorite podcasts often says Hollywood learns the wrong lessons when a movie makes money. I think that could be the case with Windows 12.

Microsoft is trying to be better with Windows 11 and its K2 initiative shows promising signs, but part of me still worries that the higher-ups of Microsoft will think AI PCs are the future and use the sales of Copilot+ PCs to justify a Windows 12 centered around artificial intelligence.

But it’s not that Copilot+ PCs are must-have devices and that consumers are running into stores to find PCs capable of running AI. If you make the models of the best-selling PCs Copilot+ PCs and then those computers continue to sell, that’s not a sign that people want Copilot+ PCs. If you cram AI into every computer on the market, you can’t then justify making Windows 12 AI-focused by saying every PC is AI capable.

A hypothetical Windows 12 should be about moving past the stains that cover Windows 11. It will have been long enough since people bought new PCs that the TPM 2.0 requirement will not be as big of a deal. Additionally, Microsoft will have fixed the major user interface issues that have drawn so many complaints over the years.

Shopping with Sean

My top pick for shoppers this week is the XPS 14 (2025). That laptop is still on sale and is still one of the best bargains available. I love the XPS 14's design and a $1,150 discount on a PC with 32GB of RAM is rare these days.

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Last month, I revealed that Microsoft was hard at work on a redesigned context menu system for Windows 11 that's designed to make them faster and more customizable. Now, we've got our first look at the new context menu customization features, discovered hidden in the latest Windows 11 preview builds, and I've been trying them out!

Soon, you'll see a new customize menu option appear at the bottom of the context menu. When selected, you'll be taken into the Windows Settings app where you'll see a wide array of new options that allow you to configure the layout and actions that appear within the context menu.

The toggleable actions presented to the user are:

• Send to
• Prin
• Create shortcut
• Copy as path
• Rotate image
• App extensions
• Arrange primary actions inline
• Keep cloud storage actions in their own section

These options allow users to hide certain actions that they might not often use, speeding up the context menu in the process. Additionally, Microsoft is adding an option that lets you change how actions like cut, copy, and paste appear within the menu.

By default, these primary actions appear at the top of the menu in a horizontal layout. This new option will let users restore how they used to appear on Windows 10 and older, where they are listed vertically alongside the other actions within the menu.

It's also worth noting that by default, the context menu has most actions disabled automatically. That means the context menu will be fast for users automatically when these changes roll out, and you'll have to head into the customization options to add back any actions you find useful.

These new customization options are really great to see, and show that Microsoft is finally listening to feedback when it comes to common UI surface such as the context menu.

The legacy Windows context menu is also still present, and while it no longer appears as an option in the context menu by default, you can still go in and enable that action if that's something you find yourself using. Notably, there's still no option to set the legacy context menu to be the default experience.

In the meantime, we know the new customizable context menu options are imminent, with an announcement from Microsoft expected in the next week or two.

Thanks to phantomofearth for discovering and helping me enable the feature to try out!

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When Microsoft made the launch of Windows 11 back in October 2021, the company touted it as the biggest visual redesign of the operating system in years. The centered Start menu, redesigned Taskbar, rounded corners, and refreshed interface gave the system a cleaner, more modern look while introducing new productivity features like Snap Layouts and a redesigned Microsoft Store.

Although the operating system now looked fresh and modern, the first release left plenty of room for improvement. A lot of the features that users were familiar with from Windows 10 were either missing or had been scaled back. File Explorer did not have tabs, the Taskbar lost several customization options, and many advanced settings still sent users to the Control Panel.

Furthermore, even the new right-click menu could make simple tasks take an extra step. Also, adding to the mix were some early performance problems and a mix of new and old interfaces, and Windows 11 often felt like an operating system that was still being put together.

Five years later, the operating system has evolved considerably. Microsoft has delivered annual feature updates, dozens of cumulative updates, thousands of bug fixes, and an expanding set of AI-powered capabilities. Along the way, the company has restored requested features, improved performance, modernized more of the interface, and refined many of the areas that drew criticism at launch.

That doesn't necessarily mean every change has been for the better. While the operating system has become faster, more capable, and more polished, Microsoft has also introduced new requirements and experiences that some users view as steps backward, such as a greater emphasis on Microsoft accounts and online services during setup.

So, how different is Windows 11 today compared to the version that debuted in 2021?

In this guide, I'll compare the two side by side to see how much the operating system has really changed over the past five years.

This comparison includes features and changes that Microsoft is still rolling out or developing at the time of this writing. Some features may not yet be available on all devices and could change before they become generally available in future Windows 11 updates.

Windows 11 first impressions

The desktop is probably the easiest place to see how the operating system has changed. When Microsoft introduced Windows 11, it brought a new visual style with rounded corners, updated icons, a centered Taskbar, and a simpler overall look. It was a noticeable change from its predecessor, but some parts of the experience still felt unfinished behind the new design.

Five years later, the desktop remains instantly recognizable, yet it feels far more polished. The software giant has refined the Taskbar, improved the Start menu, modernized more system components, and added new AI-powered experiences, all while making the operating system faster and more consistent.

The transformation isn't defined by a single feature. Instead, it's the result of hundreds of incremental improvements that have gradually turned Windows 11 into a more complete operating system.

In 2026, at first glance, Windows 11 still retains the familiarity of the version released back in 2021. You can see this in the centered Taskbar, rounded corners, and overall design are still there. However, you can notice the changes once you start using it.

The company has also brought back features that were missing at launch, added new options, and made many everyday tasks feel quicker and easier.

Start menu: From basic to more flexible

On Windows 11, the Start menu was one of the most controversial redesigns. In this new version, Microsoft replaced the Live Tiles with a simpler launcher focused on pinned apps and recommended content.

Although the cleaner look matched the new design language, it also removed many of the customization options users had relied on.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original Start menu prioritized simplicity over customization. It introduced a centered layout with pinned apps and recommendations. However, users couldn't resize the menu, hide recommendations completely, or organize the elements as freely as they could on Windows 10.

For many people, it felt more like an app launcher than the central hub users were accustomed to.

Windows 11 (2026)

Today, the Start menu keeps the same visual identity but offers considerably more control. Microsoft has added Small, Large, and Automatic size options, giving users more control over how much space the menu takes up. The company has also improved the organization of pinned and recent content and added more controls for customizing what appears in the menu.

Although it still doesn't replicate the Start menu from Windows 10, the newer design strikes a better balance between simplicity and flexibility.

Taskbar: It had to be rebuilt

The Taskbar quickly became one of the biggest complaints about Windows 11. Although Microsoft modernized its appearance with centered icons and a simplified design, it also removed several long-standing features that many users considered essential.

Windows 11 (2021)

The first version of the Taskbar focused on a cleaner interface but came with significant compromises. For example, features such as drag and drop, app labels, and the never combine option were removed, the right-click menu was reduced to a single shortcut, and the Taskbar could no longer be moved to other edges of the screen.

While the redesign looked modern, it also disrupted the familiar workflows.

Windows 11 (2026)

Microsoft spent the following years restoring many of the missing capabilities and adding more control. Also, the drag-and-drop support was added back, app labels and never combine became available again, and the system tray gained additional refinements and customization options. Microsoft has also brought back the ability to change the Taskbar's position, allowing it to be placed at the top, left, or right of the screen.

The Taskbar still follows the same basic visual design introduced in 2021, but it is now far more practical and customizable for everyday use.

File Explorer: From missing essentials to modern

File Explorer is one of the examples that shows how the operating system matured over the years. The version of the file manager introduced a modern interface with new icons and a simplified command bar, but many of the productivity features users expected were still missing. It looked modern, yet much of the experience remained familiar.

Since then, Microsoft has expanded File Explorer with features that make everyday file management more useful. The company added tabs, Gallery, better cloud integration, improved thumbnails, and several smaller changes that make browsing and managing files easier.

Windows 11 (2021)

At launch, File Explorer received one of the first major visual updates in years. Microsoft replaced the traditional Ribbon interface with a cleaner command bar, updated icons, and a simplified design that matched the rest of the operating system.

However, the redesign was mostly cosmetic. A lot of the improvements users had been requesting were still missing. File Explorer launched without tabs, navigation between folders could feel slower than expected, and the redesigned context menu often required an extra step to access older commands. The experience looked more modern, but it still felt like a transition between the old and new versions of Windows.

For many users, File Explorer represented the broader Windows 11 launch experience. It had a refreshed appearance, but it still needed more time to mature.

Windows 11 (2026)

Five years later, File Explorer has become one of the strongest examples of Microsoft's gradual modernization effort. The company has added tabs, Gallery, a redesigned Home experience, improved thumbnails, better cloud integration, and clearer file-size information. Users can also middle-click to open folders in new tabs, making navigation more convenient.

Performance has also become a major focus. Everyday tasks such as opening folders, switching between tabs, loading previews, and searching through files feel more responsive compared with the original release.

While some legacy elements remain, File Explorer on Windows 11 (2026) feels much closer to the modern file manager Microsoft has been building toward. It keeps the familiar workflow while adding many of the productivity features users had expected for years.

Settings: The long transition

The Settings app has been one of the longest-running modernization projects for the company. When the new version of the operating system launched, Microsoft continued moving options away from the traditional Control Panel and into a redesigned Settings experience. However, the transition was far from complete.

The experience for configuring the system was inconsistent because some settings felt modern and easy to navigate, while others still redirected users to older interfaces. Five years later, Microsoft has continued expanding Settings, adding more controls, improving navigation, and reducing the number of times users need to open legacy tools.

Windows 11 (2021)

Originally, the Settings app received a refreshed design with a new navigation layout, updated pages, and a cleaner interface that matched the operating system's visual changes.

However, the modernization was far from complete. A lot of advanced options still opened Control Panel or older dialog boxes, creating an inconsistent experience. Finding specific options could also be frustrating because some controls were organized differently compared to Windows 10.

The Settings app represented one of the biggest challenges Microsoft faced with Windows 11. The company wanted to create a modern management experience, but decades of legacy components made a complete transition difficult.

Windows 11 (2026)

Five years later, the Settings app has become a much more capable replacement for many traditional Control Panel experiences. Microsoft has continued moving features into Settings, improved search, reorganized pages, and added more controls for managing devices, personalization, accounts, and system features.

The experience is more consistent than it was at launch, especially for everyday tasks such as managing displays, Bluetooth devices, power settings, personalization, and Windows Update.

However, the transition is still not fully complete. For instance, some advanced tools and legacy configuration pages still exist, and that shows that modernizing the operating system is a gradual process that must also maintain compatibility with older features and apps.

Productivity: Smarter Search, multitasking, and Widgets

One of the goals with the release of Windows 11 was to make everyday tasks easier, whether users were looking for files, managing multiple apps, or getting information without opening additional apps. At launch, the operating system introduced features such as Snap Layouts and Widgets, while Windows Search continued the experience users already knew on Windows 10.

However, many of these features were still in their early stages. Search relied mostly on keywords, Snap Layouts offered useful but limited window management, and Widgets focused heavily on news and Microsoft services.

Today, these experiences have improved considerably. Microsoft has expanded Search, refined multitasking tools, and added more controls to Widgets. Together, these changes show how Windows 11 has developed beyond its original desktop redesign.

Windows 11 (2021)

In the original release, Microsoft introduced several features designed to improve productivity, but many were still in their early stages.

Windows Search provided a familiar way to find apps, settings, and files, but it relied mainly on traditional keyword matching and could sometimes struggle to return useful results quickly.

Snap Layouts was one of the more useful additions, giving users predefined window arrangements that made multitasking easier. However, the feature offered fewer layout options and less flexibility than the experience available today.

Widgets introduced a new way to access information from the desktop, but the original implementation focused heavily on news, weather, and Microsoft services. For many users, it felt more like an information panel than a productivity tool.

Windows 11 (2026)

Today, Microsoft has expanded these features and added more ways to get things done.

Windows Search now includes improvements such as better indexing, typo correction, improved local results, and AI-powered capabilities on supported devices. Recent updates have also improved how Search handles short queries and understands what users are looking for.

Microsoft has also introduced AI-powered capabilities for finding and changing settings on supported devices, allowing some configurations to be located and applied more easily.

The company is also working on a new search experience that replaces Windows Search with Ask Copilot in the Taskbar, using AI and natural language to search for files, settings, apps, and virtually anything else.

Snap Layouts has matured with better layout suggestions and improved support for larger displays and multiple monitors, making it easier to arrange several applications.

Widgets have also gained more personalization options and additional integrations. While news and information remain part of the experience, users have more control over what appears in the panel.

Copilot and AI: The biggest change?

Microsoft's decision to integrate AI into Windows 11 is perhaps the biggest difference between the 2026 and 2021 versions. When the company introduced the operating system, AI was not part of the desktop experience. The focus was on a redesigned interface, productivity improvements, and a more modern foundation.

Over the following years, the software giant shifted the operating system into a platform powered by AI. Copilot became part of the operating system, new AI features arrived on Copilot+ PCs, and Microsoft began integrating AI into areas such as search, accessibility, creativity, and system interactions.

The change has been significant, but it has also created a new debate around Windows 11. While some users see AI as the next major step for personal computing, many others question whether these features improve everyday tasks or add more complexity.

The comparison below shows how Windows 11 evolved from an operating system without built-in AI experiences into one designed around the company's vision of intelligent computing.

Windows 11 (2021)

Originally, AI was not a central part of the operating system. The experience focused on traditional desktop features.

Windows Search remained a conventional tool based mostly on keywords and indexing. Voice features, accessibility tools, and system assistance existed, but they were not powered by the newer AI capabilities Microsoft would introduce later.

The original Windows 11 experience also lacked dedicated AI hardware features. There were no Copilot+ PCs, no built-in AI assistant integrated into the desktop, and no local AI models designed to run directly on compatible devices.

At the time, Windows 11 represented a visual and usability redesign. AI would become the next major chapter in its evolution.

Windows 11 (2026)

Several years later, AI has become one of the defining parts of Windows 11. Microsoft introduced Copilot as an integrated assistant and expanded AI capabilities across the operating system, especially on newer Copilot+ PCs with dedicated neural processing units (NPUs).

Modern Windows 11 includes AI-powered experiences such as improved Search, Recall, Click to Do, enhanced voice features, and creative tools designed to help users complete tasks faster. Accessibility has also benefited from AI through improved voice interaction, captions, and other assistive features.

The biggest change is that the operating system is no longer only reacting to commands. Microsoft is building toward an operating system that can understand context and help users complete tasks more naturally.

However, AI has also become one of the most debated parts of Windows 11. Features like Recall and increased integration with Microsoft services have raised questions about privacy, control, and whether every user wants AI built into their everyday computing experience.

Performance: Why Windows 11 feels different

Performance was one of the biggest concerns surrounding Windows 11 in its early days. The operating system looked modern, but some users encountered sluggish animations, slow File Explorer responses, high memory usage, and inconsistent responsiveness. For an operating system built on the same Windows 10 foundation, those problems made the visual redesign feel less convincing.

Microsoft has spent the years since launch improving responsiveness, resource management, and overall reliability. The company has also made performance a major focus of its broader Windows K2 work, with improvements designed to make everyday interactions feel faster without requiring more powerful hardware.

The difference is not always something that can be captured in a screenshot. Unlike the Start menu or File Explorer, performance is something users experience through hundreds of small interactions throughout the day.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original release could feel less responsive than Windows 10 on some systems, particularly during everyday tasks such as opening File Explorer, switching between windows, or interacting with the Taskbar and Start menu.

Some of these problems were related to animations and transitions that could feel sluggish. File Explorer also experienced performance issues in early releases, while memory management and background processes could cause responsiveness issues on systems with limited resources.

The result was an operating system that sometimes looked faster and more modern than it actually felt.

Windows 11 (2026)

Half a decade of updates have made Windows 11 a more responsive operating system. Microsoft has optimized core components, improved File Explorer performance, refined animations, and continued to reduce the delays users experienced in earlier releases.

Recent work under the Windows K2 initiative has placed an even greater emphasis on responsiveness, resource management, reliability, and reducing unnecessary overhead. Microsoft has also introduced improvements designed to make interactive tasks feel faster without simply relying on more powerful hardware.

Windows 11 is not universally faster on every piece of hardware, but the overall experience is considerably more mature than it was at launch. A lot of the small delays that made the 2021 release feel unfinished have either been reduced or eliminated. However, a lot of work still needs to be done.

Security and accessibility: Stronger protection

Security and accessibility have both evolved significantly since the first release of the operating system. In 2021, the company made hardware-backed security a bigger part of the operating system by requiring features such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.

Also, accessibility tools such as Narrator, Magnifier, and Voice Access provided the foundation for a more inclusive experience. Now, in 2026, Windows 11 offers stronger security protections and more accessibility features.

For example, Microsoft has expanded Windows Hello, introduced Enhanced Sign-in Security, improved voice and captioning experiences, added Administrator Protection, and added AI-powered capabilities that can make the operating system easier to use for people with different needs.

Windows 11 (2021)

Security was one of the defining changes in the original Windows 11 release. Microsoft required TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on supported systems and continued promoting Windows Hello as a more secure alternative to traditional passwords.

The operating system also included a strong foundation for accessibility, with tools such as Narrator, Magnifier, and high-contrast options. Voice Access was available in a more limited form, while features such as Live Captions were still relatively new.

At launch, the focus was largely on establishing stronger hardware-backed security and improving the accessibility features already available in the system.

Windows 11 (2026)

Security has become more deeply integrated into the experience. Microsoft has expanded protections such as Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security, improved support for passkeys, added Administrator Protection, and strengthened defenses against malicious applications and other threats.

Accessibility has also become more capable. Voice Access provides more natural ways to control the desktop experience, Live Captions have become more useful, and newer AI-powered capabilities can help users interact with the operating system in ways that were not possible in 2021.

The biggest change is that security and accessibility are no longer just collections of separate tools. They are increasingly built into the way Windows 11 works, from how users sign in and protect their devices to how they interact with the desktop.

Setup experience: From easier to more connected

The Windows 11 setup experience has changed in an important way since 2021. The original release already encouraged users to connect their devices to the internet and use a Microsoft account. However, it was still possible to find ways around the requirement and create a local account. The option was not always obvious, but users had more control over how they configured a new installation.

By 2026, Microsoft has pushed the setup process further toward a connected experience. Internet access and a Microsoft account have become more central to the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE). In contrast, local account setup has become increasingly difficult to access through the normal setup process.

This makes the setup experience one of the areas where Windows 11 has not simply evolved, but has also changed how people should use the operating system.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original setup process introduced a stronger push toward Microsoft accounts and online connectivity, particularly on Windows 11 Home. However, users could still create a local account by finding the appropriate setup option or using workarounds when the option was not immediately presented.

That gave users more flexibility when setting up a computer without wanting to connect their installation to Microsoft's cloud services.

The setup experience was also relatively straightforward once the initial account and network requirements were handled. The emphasis was on getting the system ready to use rather than introducing users to a growing collection of online services.

Windows 11 (2026)

The setup experience is now much more tightly connected to Microsoft's online ecosystem. The company has continued to make a Microsoft account and an internet connection central requirements for setting up Windows 11, while eliminating the local account option for home consumers.

This approach makes it easier to connect services such as OneDrive, Windows Backup, Microsoft Store, and other account-based features from the beginning. However, it also gives users less choice during setup, particularly those who want a traditional local offline account.

The change is significant because it reflects a different perspective from Windows 11, which launched in 2021. Microsoft is no longer treating the computer as an isolated device. It increasingly sees the operating system as part of a connected Microsoft account and cloud ecosystem.

What Windows 11 still hasn't fixed

Five years of updates have transformed Windows 11, but the operating system is still not completely consistent. Microsoft has modernized many of the areas that felt outdated at launch, yet some of the same problems that frustrated users in 2021 remain in one form or another.

The difference is that these issues are no longer spread across the entire operating system. They are increasingly concentrated in specific parts of Windows 11, particularly areas where Microsoft has to maintain compatibility with decades-old components and applications.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original release exposed many of these inconsistencies. Windows 11 introduced a modern Settings app, but many advanced options still opened in the older Control Panel experience and legacy dialogs. Different parts of the operating system often followed different design rules, making the experience feel like a mix of new and old.

Microsoft also faced criticism over limited customization, aggressive Microsoft account integration, and the reduction of familiar features.

Windows 11 (2026)

Windows 11 is considerably more polished, but some of those issues remain.

Legacy components are still visible in parts of the operating system, particularly advanced configuration tools and older dialogs.

Control Panel has not completely disappeared. Microsoft has moved many settings into the Settings app, but some functionality still depends on legacy interfaces.

Microsoft account integration is stronger. This makes services such as OneDrive, Windows Backup, and Microsoft Store easier to connect, but users who prefer a local account have fewer obvious choices during setup.

AI remains controversial. Microsoft has added AI to more parts of the operating system, but not everyone wants an assistant, AI search, or AI-powered features built in.

Promotions and recommendations remain part of the experience. Start menu recommendations, account prompts, Microsoft service integrations, and other promotional elements can sometimes make Windows 11 feel more like a platform for Microsoft's services.

Updates can still cause problems. Microsoft has improved the update and recovery experience, but system updates can still introduce bugs or compatibility issues.

The important difference is that these problems no longer define the entire Windows 11 experience. In 2021, inconsistencies and missing features were difficult to ignore. In 2026, they are increasingly the remaining pieces of an operating system that has otherwise matured considerably.

Windows 11 (2021) vs. Windows 11 (2026): The verdict

The question isn't whether Windows 11 changed. It clearly did.

The better question is whether Microsoft fixed enough of the problems that made the original release feel unfinished.

Windows Central's Take

In my opinion, Windows 11 is a much better operating system than the one shipped in 2021, but that improvement also says a lot about how rough the original release was. A lot of the familiar features were removed in the name of a cleaner design, and Microsoft ultimately spent years putting much of that functionality back.

What I appreciate more now is that Windows 11 feels less like a redesign layered over Windows 10 and more like its own operating system. File Explorer, the Taskbar, Start menu, Settings, and overall responsiveness have all moved in the right direction. The changes aren't always dramatic, but after using this experience for years, those small improvements add up.

My bigger concern is the direction Microsoft is taking the operating system rather than how it looks. The stronger push toward Microsoft accounts, cloud services, and AI gives Windows 11 capabilities that didn't exist in 2021, but it also makes the experience feel less user-controlled in some areas. I don't think every computer needs to be treated like a gateway to Microsoft's services. Users should have direct control of what they want.

For someone using Windows 11 today, I wouldn't recommend avoiding the operating system because of the problems it had at launch. Five years of updates have made a real difference. At the same time, I wouldn't pretend Microsoft has finished the job. The remaining legacy components, account push, and inconsistent experiences show that Windows 11 is still being rebuilt while millions of people are using it.

However, important to note that through its new Windows K2 initiative, Microsoft has been working to address many of the pain points in the operating system.

What do you think about how much Windows 11 has changed since 2021? 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.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced big updates for the Start menu and Taskbar on Windows 11 that would address users biggest complaints and bring highly requested features and functionality to the OS. Those changes include the ability to move and resize the Taskbar, as well as customize the size and different sections that appear within the Start menu.

Those features have been in public preview ever since, but those outside of the Windows Insider Program are yet to experience these new features. Now however, Microsoft has confirmed that it's now gearing up to ship the updated Taskbar and Start menu to everyone next month, as the features are now in the final Windows Preview Channel before public rollout.

As of yesterday, the movable and resizable Taskbar, along with the customizable Start menu, and other polish and quality of life improvements, made their way to the Windows 11 Release Preview Channel. This is the last stop before features begin shipping in public, non-Insider updates.

Usually, when a feature lands in the Release Preview Channel, it's no more than two or three weeks away from appearing in a public update. Usually, that's with the non-security feature preview update that drops at the end of every month, followed by the security-focused Patch Tuesday which is released on the second Tuesday of every month.

That means if everything goes according to plan, the new Taskbar and Start menu updates will begin rolling out later this month for users with the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" toggle in Windows Update switched on, and next month for everyone else.

This is the big user experience update people have been waiting for on Windows 11 this year. The ability to move and resize the Taskbar made headlines when it was announced that it was coming to Windows 11 earlier this year, with a lot of Windows 10 holdouts claiming that the lack of this feature was one reason why they hadn't yet moved to Windows 11.

Microsoft is slowly but surely ensuring that Windows 10 users feel comfortable with the move to Windows 11, and ensuring that functionality that Windows 10 already has is also available on Windows 11 is one way of doing that. Being able to turn off entire sections of Start, as well as resize the menu itself, will be useful for those who enjoyed tweaking the Windows 10 Start menu too.

If you don't want to wait any longer, you can join the Windows Insider Release Preview Channel today to get access to the new features as soon as possible. The quality of code in the Release Preview Channel is usually representative of the final product, meaning the code being previewed in the Release Preview channel now is what will begin shipping in the next handful of weeks.

If you do choose to enroll in the Release Preview channel, be warned that Microsoft is rolling out the new Start menu and Taskbar in waves, so you may not see it right away. This will likely also be the case when the update is released generally, as Microsoft utilized a phased and measured rollout approach to ensure the new features aren't breaking things.

Microsoft has many more quality of life improvements in the works for Windows 11, many of which are expected to begin shipping towards the end of this year and into 2027. Improvements such as better performance and responsiveness in apps and UI surfaces like the Start menu are still to come, as the OS begins adopting WinUI across more areas of the interface.

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

After years of waiting, you will finally be able to move your taskbar on Windows 11. But you still have to wait just a bit longer.

The latest Windows 11 Insider Preview builds include the option to move the taskbar to the top or either side of the screen. Assuming all goes well with testing, that change should ship with the September Patch Tuesday update. But Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel can start moving their taskbar right now.

The same update also brings the option to make the taskbar smaller on Windows 11, which maximizes screen space on smaller devices.

These changes should sound familiar to anyone who follows the development of Windows 11. They're among the several improvements that are on the way to Windows 11 this fall.

Other improvements include a more customizable Start menu, improved Windows Search, and a faster File Explorer.

The full change log for the latest Insider builds breaks down everything that's new.

Build 26100.9267/26200.9267

• [Taskbar] This update gives you more ways to customize the taskbar to match how you work and make better use of screen space.
  • New! You can now choose whether the taskbar appears at the bottom, top, left, or right side of your screen. In these other positions, tooltips, flyouts, and animations still come from the taskbar, and most customization settings, such as never combining taskbar icons, work with all locations. The search box and smaller taskbar are currently supported only for top and bottom positions. To change the position of the taskbar, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar position.
  • New! A smaller taskbar option is now available to help maximize screen space on smaller devices. This experience reduces the size of taskbar icons and the taskbar height while maintaining access to key features such as Start, Search, and the system tray. To change your taskbar size, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size. When set to Small, both the icons and the taskbar height become smaller.
  • New! The Taskbar behaviors section of the Taskbar settings page is now expanded by default for improved discoverability.
  • This update improves reliability when loading the system tray area of the taskbar on non-touch PCs.
• [Start menu] This update makes the Start menu more personal with several customizations.
  • New! You can choose between a small or large Start menu, in addition to the Automatic (default) option that's available today. To customize this setting, go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Start menu size.
  • New! The Recommended section is renamed Recent in the Start menu and on the Start settings page (Settings > Personalization > Start).
  • New! You can now hide your name and profile picture in Start by going to Settings > Personalization > Start > Hide your name and profile picture on Start.
  • New! The Start menu settings page is now redesigned with section-level toggles to independently show or hide Pinned, Recent, and All.
• [Windows Search] This update includes improvements that make Windows Search more dependable, easier to scan, and clearer before you select a result.
  • New! Search home is simplified to reduce visual clutter and make it easier to get back to recent searches quickly.
  • New! Search does a better job of showing where a result comes from, such as an app, setting, file, web result, or Microsoft Store suggestion. It's easier to tell what you're looking at and where you'll go before you select a result.
  • New! A new setting in Settings > Privacy & security > Search lets you choose whether web and Microsoft Store suggestions appear alongside local results.
  • New! Windows now automatically indexes your most used folders so that files in those folders appear in subsequent search results. You can control the setting in Settings > Privacy & security > Search > Automatically find additional relevant locations.
• [File Explorer]
  • New! File Explorer Home now launches faster and is more responsive.
  • New! The Recommended section on Home now supports touch scrolling, making it easier to browse files in the carousel.
• [General design] New! This update introduces updated progress indicators across Windows, providing a more consistent and modern experience during startup, sign-in, restart, shutdown, and update installation.
• [Windows Share] New! This update adds the ability for users signed in with a work or school account to discover and install relevant apps directly from the share window. To manage this experience, go to Settings > System > Share and select Show suggested apps in share surfaces.
• [Administrator protection] New! Administrator protection aims to protect free-floating admin rights for administrators. It enables users to perform administrative tasks using just-in-time privileges. Administrator protection isn't classified as a formal security boundary. It hardens security against elevation-of-privilege attacks by introducing profile separation. This feature is turned off by default and can be enabled using OMA-URI in Microsoft Intune or through Group Policy. This feature was previously disclosed in October 2025 (KB5067036) and is now beginning to roll out.
• [Multiple desktops] Switching between virtual desktops is now smoother and more responsive.
• [Display and graphics]
  • This update improves reliability when navigating to and interacting with Settings > System > Display.
  • This update improves the persistence of your previous brightness setting after energy saver turns off.
• [Task Manager] This update improves reliability when displaying app history information in Task Manager.
• [Windows Setup]
  • This update streamlines the experience for selecting a secondary keyboard during Windows setup, making it easier to skip when it isn't needed.
  • This update improves the Get Started app with new App install, Site pinning, and Theme pages to help you personalize your device and discover new features.
• [Windows Update] This update improves restart behavior so PCs that were manually put to sleep return to sleep after completing an update, even when automatic sleep is set to Never.
• [Network]
  • This update improves resiliency and recovery from potential VPN-related background issues that can cause processes to stop responding.
  • This update improves the output of the netsh wlan show wlanreport command for Japanese users.
• [Input]
  • This update improves the reliability of typing with the Japanese IME by reducing potential hangs.
  • This update improves the persistence of voice typing settings for automatic punctuation and the launcher.
• [Cryptography] The post-quantum cryptography algorithm ML-KEM can now be used as a standalone algorithm for TLS key exchange, in addition to the hybrid groups added previously.
• [Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC)] Starting in August 2026, Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2 no longer include the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) utility. WMIC is already removed by default in new installations of Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2, and is no longer available as a Feature on Demand (FoD). This change affects only the WMIC utility. Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) remains supported. To learn more, see Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) removal from Windows.

Almost everything new in these builds is rolling out gradually. The normal rollout only includes "Additional quality improvements," according to the change log.

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I have several PCs in my office that are capable of running Copilot+ tools in Windows 11, but there's one feature I've stayed away from: Windows Recall.

Why? I don't particularly like the idea of AI snapshotting what I do on my PC and making it searchable, even if it promises to never let the data leave my local system. I'm sure it's handy for some users, but I've yet to come across a scenario where I wish I had it enabled.

If you're of the opposite opinion and happen to use macOS, I have good news. OpenAI today announced "ChatGPT Computer History" for its macOS app.

What is ChatGPT Computer History?

It's tough not to immediately begin comparing Computer History to Windows 11's Copilot+ Recall feature.

Here's a blurb from the ChatGPT press release about how it works:

Yeah, that sounds like the same thing. But let me explain ChatGPT's version a bit more.

Computer History, according to ChatGPT's website, is completely optional and turned off by default for Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscribers.

Rather than collecting screenshots every so often to keep track of your doings, Computer History "records interaction events and does not capture your screen or audio." It's basically its own little keylogger, keeping tabs on clicks, typing, app switching, shortcuts, and more.

The data it records is searchable, and you can interact with Computer History the same way you interact with any AI, asking it regular language questions.

The data that Computer History gathers is saved locally on your Mac, but it does get sent to OpenAI's cloud servers in order to turn it into memories. These memories are then sent back to your Mac for local storage.

OpenAI says it does not keep this data on its servers unless required by law, and it does not use the data for training.

Is Computer History different enough from Recall to avoid similar backlash?

The reaction to ChatGPT's Computer History announcement is surely mixed. It seems like there are just as many people worrying about massive privacy and surveillance issues as there are people wondering if they should go out and buy a Mac.

Windows Recall faced the same adversity when it was announced as a default feature, with no opt-in available. The pushback was so bad that Microsoft delayed its launch by almost a year in order to address security issues. It officially released in April 2025 as an opt-in feature, but I know that many Windows users are still wary of its abilities.

The fact that ChatGPT is making its Computer History opt-in from the start tells me it learned from Microsoft's mistakes. There's also the fact that it doesn't take screenshots, making it feel less like routine spying.

That doesn't mean there aren't inherent risks to using something like Recall on Windows or Computer History on macOS.

It's clearly noted in OpenAI's Computer History documentation that the feature does not encrypt your information, and that it can be accessible to other apps running on macOS.

Like Recall, there are also serious prompt injection risks. Because these AI-powered features can essentially see what you're doing, they can be tricked with text. You might visit a seemingly innocuous website, only to realize later that it contained hidden instructions aimed at AI that made it do something unsavory.

Windows Central's take

Some of us here at Windows Central use Windows 11's Recall feature. Others don't. I'm in the latter camp, but one day that might change.

Why? It feels like there's a definite push going on with AI assistants that can remember everything you do, and it's not just ChatGPT and Microsoft. I've spent time with Lenovo's Qira cross-device ambient assistant, and I've written about HP IQ.

Although I shudder at the privacy implications of these tools gone wrong, they definitely seem like one strong fork in the future of computing. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, and ultimately to see how macOS users react to something that made Windows users go ballistic.

What do you think about ChatGPT's Computer History? Is it Recall with a different name? Is ChatGPT approaching the tool properly with opt-in-only settings and no screenshotting? Is it something you'd use on Windows 11? 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.

Join Zac Bowden and Jez Corden on this week’s Windows Central Podcast as they dive deep into unreleased Microsoft hardware, AI developments, and big Xbox announcements!

• The Lost "Surface Phone" Prototype: Zach and Jez dissect newly leaked images and video of an unreleased 2013-era Microsoft-built Windows Phone prototype, reminiscing about the Lumia era, Nokia’s acquisition, and what could have been.
• Microsoft Copilot’s Super App & AI Disillusionment: A look at the rollout of the new unified Copilot experience (merging consumer and Microsoft 365 features), dropped functionalities (Group Chat, Podcast mode, Deep Research), and a frank discussion on AI hype, practical workflows, and "AI psychosis".
• Xbox Backward Compatibility Coming to Windows PC: The hosts break down the official announcement of original Xbox/Xbox 360 emulation on Windows, potential licensing hurdles, Play Anywhere integration, and upcoming achievement support.
• Gaming Rumors & Franchise Future: Updates on The Elder Scrolls VI codename rumors (Sentinel), long development cycles across Bethesda/Obsidian, and a candid critique of the state of the Halo franchise following Halo Campaign Evolved and project cancellations.
• New Xbox Console Features & Live Q&A: A discussion of the upcoming "Platinum Trophy" achievement equivalent, party/mic audio in Game DVR captures, and a live Q&A touching on Windows K2 progress, mobile shells for Windows on ARM, MSN's automation, and modern foldable vs. slab phones.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast is sponsored by Surfshark VPN. Unlimited devices, access your content from anywhere, and auto-block malware on Windows, Edge, and other platforms from $2.50/mo, with 3 months extra FREE. Sign up today!

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

Hosts:

• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

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Fellow Canadian Dave W. Plummer is a legendary programmer who created some of Microsoft's most recognizable (and lasting) software.

Not only did he create ZIP file support for Windows and get Space Cadet Pinball running on Windows NT, but he also created Windows Task Manager. As the story goes, Plummer began working on Task Manager at home before bringing it into Microsoft. It began shipping on Windows PCs in 1996, and the rest is history.

Well, sort of.

Plummer has been a regular figure on social media and YouTube (check out Dave's Garage) for years, and I particularly enjoy his stories and insights regarding the early days of Microsoft and Windows.

Earlier this year, Plummer shared a mockup of what Task Manager would probably look like if he'd never left Microsoft in 2003 to start his own software company.

The example was bathed in neon lighting for a definitive cyberpunk vibe, and of course it was accompanied by a hard-hitting synthwave soundtrack.

It's been about six months since Plummer showed off the concept, and he's now returned with a working version of what he calls "Task Manager OG," or TMOG for short.

It's not quite as cyberpunk as the original idea. The neon lighting is still there, but it's toned down, and the synthwave soundtrack seems to have been replaced with classic rock tunes.

Plummer explains that he created TMOG to have "the clarity of Activity Monitor" from macOS with "the depth of Task Manager" from Windows. The software has all the main information about CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, temps, etc. up front, with much deeper diagnostics sitting just below.

Perhaps the best part is that Plummer says his OG version of Task Manager is "half the size of the Windows Task Manager."

Here's the rub. Plummer's Task Manager OG is, for now, only available on macOS. But as Plummer states, "Windows support will follow shortly." That's a bit of a bummer because I wanted to test it out myself; alas, I'm fresh out of Macs in my office.

Plummer has a full website set up for TMOG, where you can download the beta for free (currently for macOS only). The upcoming Windows version of TMOG is listed as native Win32, with no browser shell required.

There's another Task Manager alternative I've been enjoying

While I wait patiently to test out Plummer's Task Manager OG on Windows, I should remind readers that earlier this year I made the switch to AppControl.

It's a Windows 11 Task Manager alternative that I found quite capable, and I went so far as to say that AppControl is what the stock Windows 11 Task Manager should have been all along.

AppControl is available to download for free directly from the official website. It doesn't require any registration to use, and it's stated that the app collects "little to no data by default."

What do you think about the cyberpunk-esque look of Plummer's Task Manager OG? Is it something you'll try out on your Windows PC once it's available? Will you test it out on your Mac first? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!

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

Back in May, Microsoft confirmed that it was working on a Copilot super app that would merge the different consumer Copilot and productivity Copilot experiences under one app. Until now, Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot have been targeted at different users, but starting today those apps are being merged into one.

"We're updating Copilot to create a simpler, more cohesive experience for everyone," a new Microsoft Support document says. "Depending on the account and device you use, you will see changes to the Copilot app including changes to appearance and functionality, such as navigation, feature availability, or sign-in experience."

The unified Copilot experience begins its rollout today, but not everyone will see it right away. Microsoft says the experience will land on mobile first, with the unified Copilot on Windows and macOS being an opt-in experience at first, made available over the coming weeks.

The rollout should make it easier to move between using Copilot as an AI assistant for personal matters and using Copilot for productivity based tasks. For most people, not much will change with the unified app, which will simply appear as "Copilot" now. With that said, Microsoft does say that some features are going away with the unification. Those features include:

• Group Chat
  • All group chat threads, messages, and images will not carry forward after August 18, 2026.
  • Users must manually copy or download anything they want to keep.
• Podcasts
  • The Podcasts feature is being fully retired on August 18, 2026.
  • Users will no longer be able to create or access podcasts in Copilot after this date.
  • Individual podcast files can still be downloaded before retirement.
• Deep Research
  • Deep Research is being retired for consumer users starting August 18, 2026.
  • Existing Deep Research content will remain accessible, but the feature itself will no longer be available.

For those using Copilot with a work or school account, Microsoft says the unified Copilot app is also coming to those accounts too. The personal and commercial accounts will be separated within the app, meaning data from your work or school account won't be shared with your personal account, and vice versa. "Work and personal accounts remain separate. Your organization's security, privacy, compliance, and administrative controls continue to apply when you use Copilot with your work or school account."

For those using the personal consumer Copilot app, you will notice an updated UI that more similarly matches the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. Those who use the Microsoft 365 Copilot app likely won't notice much of a difference, outside of the rebranded app to just "Copilot," along with a slightly updated logo.

For those curious, this is the new Microsoft Copilot icon and branding. Can you tell the difference? No, us neither.

Lastly, Microsoft has confirmed that all your Copilot data (except for the features that are being taken away) will migrate automatically to the new experience, meaning users won't need to do anything to ensure their chats and data are carried forward. All of that will happen automatically when the unified app lands on your device.

The unified Copilot experience begins its rollout today, though it's happening in waves so most users won't see the changes right away. Worldwide rollout for the mobile starts today, with rollout for Windows and macOS expected to start in mid September. Here's the full rollout schedule:

• Mid‑August 2026 — Worldwide rollout begins for mobile and web apps; early‑access opt‑in opens for Windows and Mac apps; copilot.cloud.microsoft URL available in Frontier for testing.
• Late August 2026 — Standard rollout of the URL redirect begins.
• Mid‑September 2026 — Worldwide rollout begins for Windows and Mac apps.
• Late September 2026 — Deferred rollout of the URL redirect begins for the web app.

Microsoft's unification of Copilot is a long time coming, and one that is setting the company up to deliver a Copilot super app experience that can do everything across Microsoft's platforms and services. It never made sense for Microsoft to split Copilot up between consumer- and productivity-based use cases, especially since users commonly want to do both.

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

Stardock just announced AltTabby, an alternative to the Alt+Tab experience on Windows 11. The app switcher supports customizable layouts, smart grouping, application pinning, and keyboard shortcuts. The app plays nicely with other utilities from Stardock, such as allowing you to customize how Groupy groups behave.

Stardock reached out to me ahead of the release of the app and sent over a code to let me try AltTabby. I've never thought much about the Alt+Tab experience, so I lacked any ideas on how to improve it. I've always just pressed Alt+Tab to switch between apps without thinking.

AltTabby lets you do that, of course, but it has some nice options for customization that are worth a look.

Of the five views in AltTabby, I prefer the carousel. That view feels natural, and switching between apps flows smoothly. I like that I can customize things like window color as well.

I'm not a fan of the icons view or the classic icons view. I find both too crowded and compact. But I can see why people would like the minimal designs. The Icons view has a search box along the top that's handy.

If you want to use the search box in any of the views that support it, I suggest enabling the option to "Keep AltTabby interface open when hotkeys are released." This keeps the AltTabby view on your screen until you click elsewhere.

If you use multiple monitors, you'll want to take advantage of options like having apps from all displays appear or limiting the view to just your current monitor.

AltTabby can learn your most frequently used windows to show those prominently or be set to just show all of your windows sorted by which has been used most recently.

I've never given the Alt+Tab experience on Windows 11 much thought, but it's nice that Stardock did. AltTabby refreshes a classic Windows interface with new looks, expanded functionality, and several customization options.

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

Yesterday, Microsoft rolled out the latest Windows 11 updates for all users across version 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1. For users running version 24H2 and 25H2, this latest patch includes a number of nice to see quality of life improvements in the way of performance and reliability upgrades in a number of key areas.

According to the changelog, which includes improvements that began rolling out as part of last month's optional feature update, the KB5101684 update includes reliability upgrades for explorer.exe, which will make opening things like Jump Lists and recent files faster. Additionally, Microsoft says this update will also make sharing files and switching between desktops with Task View faster too.

The reliability improvements don't end there, either. This update also includes reliability upgrades for the Windows lock screen and sign-in screen, which will be most noticeable on PCs with low amounts of RAM available. There are also startup reliability upgrades for the Start menu and Taskbar, which should make those interfaces appear quicker when powering up.

Furthermore, Microsoft says that this update also makes the post-update process less resource intensive, meaning your PC will feel faster to use immediately after an update is installed. Previously, Windows Updates required a clean-up phase after install which could be quite resource intensive on certain PCs.

The good news is all of these performance and reliability upgrades apply regardless of the amount of RAM your system has. You should notice a more responsive system if you have 8GB or 128GB of RAM.

Here's a rundown of the reliability-focused improvements in the latest update:

• This update improves explorer.exe reliability, including when opening Jump Lists and recent files, when sharing files and folders, and when using Task View and multiple desktops.
• This update improves the reliability of the Windows sign-in and lock screens, especially when system memory is low. It also improves the reliability of the Start menu and taskbar during startup.
• This update improves reliability of loading the system tray area of the taskbar when using the taskbar on touch devices in a tablet posture.
• The update improves the reliability of Start menu view preferences, ensuring your selected view is retained.
• This update includes changes to update clean-up logic to improve system performance immediately following an update.
• This update improves app search to better handle typos and partial app names when finding installed apps.

These reliability and performance upgrades are in addition to the many other quality of life improvements shipping as part of the KB5101684 update, including improvements to File Explorer, Windows Hello, Windows Search, system sounds, and more.

Microsoft recently announced a renewed commitment to making Windows 11 better on PCs with 8GB RAM, and it appears we're already seeing the fruits of that labor. While there's plenty of more optimizations to come, it's good to see Microsoft already moving to address this weak point on Windows.

Microsoft has been delivering genuinely nice improvements to Windows 11 over the last few months, all of which have been addressing issues with the OS around performance and reliability. This latest update continues that crusade, meaning your PC will feel better to use as of the latest updates.

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According to a new report from Taiwanese publication United Daily News (UDC,) Microsoft is raising the cost of Windows license fees for hardware makers by a much higher amount than normal. According to the report, certain OEMs are seeing licensing price hikes of between 7% and 10%.

Usually, Microsoft raises Windows license fees for OEMs by a low digit percentage, making this 7% to 10% increase much more significant than normal. "A PC brand executive stated that Microsoft increases licensing fees for Windows OEMs (device manufacturers) every year. In the past, licensing fees mostly increased by single digits each year, but starting in July this year, the average increase has reached 7% to 10%, which is a significant increase compared to previous years," UDC says.

Of course, the cost of the Windows license fee is usually (at least partially) passed onto the consumer buying a computer, and UDC claims that their source says laptop pricing is already being impacted by these recent license fee increases. Microsoft charges different OEMs their own fees for Windows, so the exact increase in cost will differ for each hardware maker.

Regardless, with the ongoing memory component shortage, PCs have already seen astronomical price increases over the last year, with experts claiming that we haven't yet seen the worst of it. With Microsoft raising prices higher than usual on Windows licenses, it feels like the Redmond giant is adding extra fuel to the fire.

Windows Central reached out to Microsoft for comment regarding this story, but the company declined to provide one.

To be clear, the Windows license fee price hikes only apply to OEMs building hardware that ships with Windows. The cost of buying a license for Windows 11 as a consumer remains unchanged, being $99 for Windows 11 Home and $199 for Windows 11 Pro.

The ongoing component crisis has made computing unaffordable for many people. PCs that used to target the $600-$800 price bracket now cost close to $1,000. And flagship Windows laptops that used to cost $1,200-1,500 are now closer to $2,000. Even Apple has been hit by the shortage, being forced to raise prices by hundreds of dollars across its Mac lineup. Microsoft's own Surface line was hit especially hard, with the flagship Surface Pro and Surface Laptop being $400-$500 more expensive than the last-gen models.

(Sources: 1, 2)

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Windows 11 will soon lose a way to log in to a PC. A recent update removes the option to set up a new picture password. If you already have a picture password on your PC, you can continue to use it, but the feature is being phased out.

Microsoft is on a mission to push the world beyond passwords. The tech giant generally recommends a PIN, facial recognition, or a fingerprint to log in to Windows 11. Passkeys are often the top recommendation for authentication, though you cannot log in to a Windows 11 PC with a passkey. But back in the days of Windows 8, Microsoft introduced the option to unlock your PC using a picture.

That feature, which has remained available across Windows 10 and Windows 11, allows you to unlock your PC with a series of touches or gestures, like tapping the eyes of a smiley face then swiping across the face's mouth.

You could use a combination of three types of gestures as part of a picture password: circles, straight lines, or taps.

Picture passwords were a fun way to show off the touch-centric nature of Windows 8, but they aren't as secure as a passkey or even a strong password.

Since people often pick gestures or taps around key objects, hackers can sometimes guess the gestures needed to unlock a PC. People can look at the smudges on your screen to guess where you touch frequently.

A research paper from 2013 that was flagged by Neowin highlights the risks of picture passwords.

If you have a picture password set up now and want to continue to use it, you need to make sure to leave it set up. Once you remove it or disable it, you will not be able to set up a picture password.

Microsoft shared the following in a support document:

"To help enhance security, picture password is no longer available for new enrollment. Users who have already configured a picture password can continue to use it to sign in to Windows. If a picture password is removed, disabled, or not previously configured, it cannot be set up again. We recommend using Windows Hello PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint recognition where available."

That change arrives alongside the July 2026 security update, which is now rolling out to Windows 11.

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Last week, users began noticing a new app appearing in their Start menu on Windows 11, titled "OneDrive Photos" which was being forcibly installed by the OS. Naturally, this caused outrage among users who aren't interested in using OneDrive for photo storage, resulting in pushback online.

Now, Microsoft's EVP of Apps and Agents, Jeff Teper, has taken to X to explain what happened. He confirms that the OneDrive Photos app is an incubation project, which wasn't supposed to rollout as widely as it did. "We are incubating a new photos experience in OneDrive that went more broadly than it should have in Windows. We’re fixing that. Windows Photos will always give you the option of local and cloud photos and the choice to use OneDrive or not."

It looks like a switch was flipped on Microsoft's end which made the already pre-installed OneDrive app begin showing the OneDrive Photos experience, which is usually hidden from the user currently. Microsoft has been building this new OneDrive Photos experience for a number of months, as it first leaked back in 2025.

It's unclear why Microsoft thinks it needs to build a dedicated OneDrive Photos app, especially when Windows comes preinstalled with an already competent photo viewer that does a good job of handling photos stored in OneDrive. The new OneDrive Photos app is a web app, which is heavy on RAM usage and not very responsive.

Although Microsoft has confirmed that the rollout of OneDrive Photos was an error, the company does say that it's still looking forward to delivering this new experience soon. "We're very excited for you to try out OneDrive's photos features on desktop, web, and mobile and hear your feedback."

It's unclear if Microsoft intends to re-hide the OneDrive Photos app from appear on PCs where it shouldn't. On my PC, I can still see the new Photos (Preview) appearing in Windows Search, which opens the OneDrive Photos experience. This isn't the first time Microsoft has been caught automatically installing new apps on Windows 11. The OS has frequently been accused of automatically installing apps like Microsoft 365 Copilot, much to the dismay of users who don't want it.

The good news is it appears Microsoft is listening to the feedback, and publicly acknowledging that it made an error with the rollout of the OneDrive Photos app is confirmation that it saw the backlash and understands that a lot of users don't want this new experience. Hopefully that means the company won't forcibly install it next time.

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In a new tweet, Partner Director of Design at Microsoft, March Rogers, has confirmed that there are no plans to introduce a customizable UI transparency slider on Windows 11, after users asked for a feature similar to the Liquid Glass slider that was recently added to the next version of iOS.

For a long time, Windows has featured transparency and blur effects. However, Windows has never natively supported adjusting how strong those effects are. Users have the option to turn transparency on and off, but there's no fine-tuning options for those effects to be found in the OS.

Third-party apps such as Windhawk do allow for customizing these effects, but this customization is not natively supported by the OS on its own. As such, it's natural to find that there are users out there who wish they could adjust these settings without being forced to download a third-party app first.

Rogers confirms that there are no plans to introduce a transparency slider on Windows 11 at current. "We think hard about who will benefit from the investment, usability and accessibility considerations. We also look at our community of developers (like the amazing Windhawk project) who may already be providing what users need. We won't be making immediate changes to the transparency options already in Windows, but we love getting your feedback."

It sounds like Microsoft has looked at this option, and has found that it's not a priority at the moment, which is understandable. Windows 11 has much bigger issues that needs fixing right now, and the company is focused entirely on delivering those improvements first.

The beauty of Windows is that it's an open-platform, meaning third-party developers can easily builds tools and apps that modify the Windows experience. Windhawk is a powerful suite of customization enhancements for Windows that lets users customize everything from the Start menu design to blur effects across the OS.

It's very refreshing to see Microsoft be so open about the design process for Windows 11 these days. I'm frequently checking the X accounts of many Microsoft employees these days, as they are always responding to Windows Insiders with explanations about new features and feedback from users.

While a transparency slider isn't on the cards for Windows 11 right now, Microsoft is working on a number of new customization options for the OS. There's a new customizable Start menu coming very soon, along with a redesigned context menu that will also be user customizable.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4)

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Windows 11 is finally starting to see the changes Microsoft has promised for months, except the best parts are still limited to Windows Insiders and mockups. I appreciate Microsoft's efforts to revamp Windows 11 — better late than never — but some of these improvements should have shipped years ago.

The status of Windows 11 makes me ask why Microsoft didn't aggressively start climbing the metaphorical mountain years ago. Microsoft has revamped settings and UI elements, but the big changes are part of a new initiative that honestly shouldn't need to exist.

Microsoft is updating several core parts of Windows 11 with WinUI, which improves performance and even helps Windows 11 run on PCs with less RAM. But I can't help but ask how we got here in the first place. How did we end up with a "modern" OS with legacy components and UI elements from different decades?

Biggest News of the Week

I understand that updating legacy components can be tricky. Microsoft's CVP of Design and Research on Windows, Marcus Ash, joined the most recent Windows Central Podcast and discussed the challenges of updating Windows.

Obviously, Ash knows more about Windows than I ever will. I don't question the difficulty of updating an entire OS, especially if you need to re-update components several times.

What I question is why keeping Windows up to date and unified was not a core value from the start? Why did Microsoft reach a point where user feedback became overwhelming and the tech giant finally decided to make bigger changes?

Legacy support is critical for enterprise users, so Microsoft could not just throw out old code or elements to make Windows modern. But having a unified OS could have been a priority from the beginning.

Work like this needed to start decades ago, not in 2026. Some of the groundwork has been laid for these improvements, but some projects are quite new. That's not an acceptable way to make an operating system.

Shopping with Sean

My top recommendation isn't an item on sale. Instead, it's a must-have for Xbox owners that's running out of stock. Several retailers have listed the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S as unavailable. Best Buy ran out of stock while I was writing a piece highlighting the shortage. Below are all the listings I've found that still let you order the speedy storage card.

An excellent deal on the Dell XPS 14 slashes $1,150 off the premium PC. I love the design of the XPS 14 from last year, and the current discount makes the laptop a great choice for back-to-school shopping.

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Every time I install Windows 11, I turn off the same handful of features before I do anything else. They're not necessarily bad features, but I don't need widgets, recommendations, badges, and constant notifications competing for my attention while I'm working.

Over the years, I've found that making a few small changes creates a desktop that feels cleaner, quieter, and easier to focus on. I prefer Windows 11 to stay in the background and only get my attention when something truly matters. If you feel the same way, you're not alone.

In this how-to guide, I'll show you the Windows 11 features I always disable and explain why I think each change is worth making.

7 features worth turning off for a calmer desktop

None of these features are inherently bad, and I know many people enjoy using them. The problem, at least for me, is that they all compete for the same thing, which is my attention. One widget or notification isn't a big deal. However, once you combine recommendations, badges, alerts, and promotional content across the operating system, Windows 11 starts to feel busier than it needs to be. That's why these are the first settings I change.

1. Widgets in the Lock screen

I like my Lock screen only to let me know it's time to sign in, and nothing more. I don't need sports scores, market updates, or suggested content before I've even reached the desktop. It's one more thing competing for my attention before I start working.

I also switch from Windows Spotlight to a static image because I don't want tips or promotional overlays appearing before I've even signed in.

For these reasons, I always try to disable the desktop widgets and use a static image, and here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Lock screen page on the right side.
4. Turn off the Widgets toggle switch.

5. Turn off the "Suggest widgets for your lock screen" toggle switch.
6. Select the Picture (or Slideshow) option in the "Personalize your lock screen" setting.

7. Choose the image you want to show on the Lock screen.

Once you complete the steps, the Lock screen becomes a simple place to check the time and sign in instead of another surface competing for your attention.

2. Widgets icon in Taskbar

I don't mind having quick access to Widgets, but I don't need live updates constantly trying to pull my attention away from whatever I'm doing. Removing the Taskbar button keeps the interface quieter while still letting me open Widgets with the keyboard shortcut whenever I actually want it.

If you don't want the unnecessary distraction, you can hide the icon from the Taskbar. Here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
4. Turn off the Widgets toggle switch under the "Taskbar items" section.

After you complete the steps, the Taskbar stays free from live updates while still letting you open Widgets anytime with the "Windows key + W" keyboard shortcut if you need it.

3. Do not disturb to stop toast notifications

Another feature I always turn on is "Do Not Disturb" to prevent distractions from toast notifications.

If you want to, you can also turn off notifications altogether, but I do this because I can still access the notifications from Notification Center.

To enable Do Not Disturb on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click the Notifications page on the right side.
4. Turn off the "Do Not Disturb" toggle switch.

5. (Optional) Turn off the Notifications toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 stops interrupting your workflow, but your notifications are still waiting in Notification Center whenever you're ready to review them.

If you decide to turn off the notification feature, the system and services won't be able to show or collect notifications.

4. Start menu content recommendations

The Start menu has become much cleaner over the years, but I still don't like seeing recent files, app suggestions, and recommendations every time I open it. I prefer using the space for the apps I've pinned instead of content the system thinks I might want.

I personally like to have the "Pinned" and "All" sections in the Start menu, and I always turn off the "Recommended" section, but these steps aren't obvious to everyone.

To disable the Recommended section, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.
4. Turn off the "Show recently added apps" toggle switch.
5. Turn off the "Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists" toggle switch.
6. Turn off the "Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more" toggle switch.

7. (Optional) Turn off the "Show account-related notifications" toggle switch to prevent alerts from the Account Control menu in the Start menu.

After completing the steps, the Start menu feels cleaner and focuses on the apps you've chosen to pin instead of recent files and recommendations.

5. Search highlights from the web

When you open the Windows Search home from the Taskbar, the first thing you'll notice is web highlights with daily quizzes, image of the day, trending searches, games, news, and more, when the search experience should be about finding local and cloud files, settings, and applications installed on your computer.

Search is one of the features I use dozens of times a day, so I want it to open directly into search, not news stories, trending topics, or games. The less visual clutter between me and what I'm looking for, the better. Fortunately, you can turn off the web highlights for a simpler experience using Windows Search, and here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy & security.
3. Click the Search page on the right side.
4. Turn off the "Show search highlights" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, Windows Search opens with fewer distractions, making it easier to get straight to finding your apps, files, and settings.

6. Taskbar app badges for unseen content

Taskbar badges are another feature I disable on every new installation. These are the small counters or dots that appear on app icons to let you know something needs your attention. While they can be useful, I find they encourage me to check apps that aren't important at the moment.

I prefer opening apps when I decide to, not because a badge is telling me to. If I want to check for updates or unread messages, I'll do it on my own schedule.

To turn off Taskbar badges on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
4. Click the Taskbar behaviors section.
5. Clear the "Show badges on taskbar apps" option.

After you complete the steps, app icons will no longer display unread message counters, helping keep the Taskbar cleaner and reducing another small source of distraction throughout the day.

7. Desktop icons and files

Like pretty much everyone else, I usually place shortcuts and files on the desktop, but I don't like a crowded desktop either, so one thing I usually do is to hide the desktop icons.

You can easily do this by right-clicking the desktop, selecting "View," and clicking on the "Show desktop icons" option to clear the setting and hide everything on the desktop for a clear view of the background image.

If I want to access the content of the folder, I usually just open the "Desktop" folder within File Explorer.

I know this one isn't for everyone, but hiding my desktop icons makes the entire workspace feel less cluttered. Everything is still there when I need it, but I don't have to look at it every time I minimize a window.

Windows Central's Take

I've been customizing this operating system for years, and this is still one of the first things I do on a new installation. Windows 11 includes plenty of features that many people enjoy, but I don't need constant reminders, recommendations, or badges pulling my attention away from my work. Spending a few minutes changing these settings makes the desktop feel much calmer without taking away the features I actually use.

Out of everything on this list, Do Not Disturb is the setting I'd tell most people to try first. I don't want notifications interrupting me throughout the day, but I also don't want to miss them completely. It gives me the best of both worlds.

Microsoft has been adding more customization options recently, but I still think the default Windows 11 experience tries a little too hard to keep people engaged. Fortunately, almost everything I mentioned here can be changed in just a few minutes, making the system feel much more personal without removing features you might want later.

Which Windows 11 feature do you turn off first to create a calmer desktop experience? Let me know in the comments below.

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.

For the longest time, Windows has suffered from an inconsistent user interface design. It started with Windows 8, but got worse over the lifespan of Windows 10, with various levels of UI design, frameworks, context menus, iconography, and more getting thrown into the mix across the many different versions of Windows 10.

In fact, Windows 10's inconsistent UI design became so bad that it began contributing to people's dislike of Windows, citing its perceived lack of polish and craft as a reason to avoid it over competitors like Apple's macOS, a platform that takes pride in how it looks and feels to use.

DEAL: Get Surfshark VPN 86% OFF with Windows Central 🦈

So with Windows 11, Microsoft began addressing this problem. The debut of Windows 11 in 2021 was a huge step in the right direction, attempting to modernize a number of Windows UI surfaces with a consistent design language using the company's WinUI framework.

Slowly but surely, older and inconsistent UI surfaces were updated with modernized alternatives that match the design of Windows 11. Things like the volume and brightness control, file share dialog, context menus, and more were updated with a more consistent design that look great.

More recently, Microsoft has improved dark mode across the Windows 11 interface, making it more consistent in apps like File Explorer where much of it was missing dark mode support and contributed to the "Windows never feels finished" allegations that have haunted the platform for years.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a renewed focus on modernizing and updating more of the Windows 11 interface, with an effort to utilize WinUI across more of the Windows 11 shell where applicable. The company also promised to deliver performance upgrades in the process, ensuring that WinUI surfaces would match or exceed the performance of the older interfaces it's replacing.

It's been a few months since Microsoft announced its plans to bring WinUI to more areas of the OS, and work has been slowly progressing. The company has already confirmed that it's rewriting the Start menu with WinUI, which should make it faster and more responsive. But there's more interfaces that the company is yet to announce that we know is also in the works.

Modernized File Properties

First up, recent Windows 11 preview builds have confirmed that Microsoft is rebuilding the File Properties dialog in File Explorer with WinUI. This is one area of the File Explorer that hasn't been touched in well over a decade, meaning it still doesn't even support dark mode.

This legacy interface is being rewritten with WinUI, and the first sightings of this work were spotted in a recent preview build, albeit only when viewing the properties of a file in the Recycle Bin.

With that said, we know Microsoft is planning to bring this modernized experience to the entire File Properties experience, meaning right-clicking and selecting properties on a file in File Explorer will soon present you with a consistent design that matches the Windows 11 aesthetic.

Modernized Autoplay Menu

This interface hasn't been touched since Windows 8, and is one of few areas of the OS that still utilize Microsoft's old Metro design language. The menu that appears when you plug in a USB drive or insert a disc is being modernized with WinUI, which will bring a consistent Windows 11 design to the aged interface.

Microsoft has confirmed this work is underway, but is yet to give us a look at the new interface, though we know it will support both light and dark mode unlike the current version. For now, we'll just have to imagine what such a modernized menu might possibly look like. Still, it's good to know the work is happening.

Modernized Print Management

It's not the sexiest feature in the world, but it looks like Microsoft is building a modern version of the Print Management experience with WinUI, replacing a decades old interface with something that looks like it was designed for Windows 11. And yes, it supports dark mode now.

This is the first MMC-based interface we're seeing get the WinUI treatement, which bodes well for future modernizations of apps like Disk Management, Computer Management, and more. These 90s era interfaces have plagued the Windows experience for years, so it's very reassuring to see Microsoft is finally working on WinUI versions of these apps.

Modernized Run Dialog

Microsoft has already announced and shipped preview builds with this redesigned interface, but the company is rebuilding the classic Windows Run dialog with WinUI, now with support for both light and dark mode, and features from PowerToys.

The company says the new UI is both better looking, more functional, and faster than the legacy Run box it replaces. With that said, it appears the modern Run interface will be shipping as an option that users will have to manually enable first if they want to see it.

The new Run interface also includes the ability to type ~\ for quick access to your home directory, and it will also show app icons when applicable in your recent search list, which is a nice touch.

Rewritten Start Menu

As mentioned up top, Microsoft has already confirmed that it's rebuilding the Start menu with WinUI, but we're yet to hear more about what that's going to entail for the end user.

So far, we know the goal of the WinUI rewrite is to make the Start menu faster and take up less system resources. This should mean (very) slightly less memory usage for the Start menu, as many WinUI interfaces will share a System Compositor, which is how Microsoft intends to make WinUI faster.

It's unclear if Microsoft is planning to redesign the Start menu alongside the WinUI rewrite. Last I checked, this was not in the plan. While there may be some minor UI differences and adjustments between the current Start menu and WinUI Start menu, I understand that the company intends to keep the experiences mostly the same.

This makes sense given Microsoft just launched new customization options for the existing Start menu, which would be odd to change so soon.

Compact Context Menus

While not technically a legacy interface, context menus on Windows 11 are a mess, and Microsoft is working to redesign them so that they are faster, more responsive, and most importantly, more customizable.

Coming this year, Windows 11's context menus will be updated with a new compact design that's smaller and lighter, meaning they won't lag or take as long to open, especially when there's lots of actions and items within the menu.

Microsoft is also planning to let users customize which items appear within the context menu, as well as configure the order in which those items appear. This means users will be able to hide certain actions and apps from the context menu if they don't use them.

More to come

It's clear that Microsoft is not done with updating legacy and problematic parts of the Windows 11 interface with WinUI. Microsoft's CVP of Design and Research, Marcus Ash, recently told Windows Central that the company has been working to improve its tooling so that it can move quicker to update even more legacy parts of the OS, including apps like the Registry Editor one day.

With that work ongoing, it's likely that we're going to see even more older and outdated parts of the Windows experience updated with modern WinUI designs. While certain legacy interfaces will likely continue to exist for years to come, it looks like Microsoft is exploring where it can best implement new UIs as fast as possible without breaking compatibility.

Moving more parts of the Windows UI under a consistent UI framework should result in better performance and reduced memory usage, which should make the OS feel faster and less bloated, thanks to that new System Compositor that's in the works that is designed to manage all WinUI interfaces across the Windows Shell. Though features like an optional transparency slider appear to not be in the works.

It's good to see Microsoft once again focused on polish and craft. It helps make Windows feel more unified and cared about, something that has not been so obvious in recent years and in my opinion has eroded confidence in the platform. Hopefully Microsoft will continue to focus on craft for years to come.

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Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it was moving to address Windows 11's biggest issues and criticisms from users in an effort to win back trust from customers and reposition Windows once more as a viable alternative to macOS and Linux, something people actually want to use over the competition.

It was nice to see Microsoft outline its roadmap and plan for Windows 11, but I wasn't prepared for just how fast the company would start delivering on the promises it was making. Since March, Microsoft has previewed and even shipped many improvements to Windows 11 that are the direct result of its Windows K2 initiative, all designed to fix Windows 11.

I've been testing these new Windows 11 builds over the last few months, and there are 5 big changes and improvements that stand out as super exciting. Some of these improvements are already shipping, whereas others are still in preview.

A new and improved Windows Update

Updates on Windows have always been frustrating, so much so Microsoft made it a point of focus for its Windows K2 effort. In the last few months, Microsoft has shipped multiple changes and improvements to Windows Update which are designed to make it more reliable, and more importantly, less annoying.

The first big change is ensuring driver, framework, and security updates are now all timed to install at the same time. Previously, any update could require the user to restart at any time. Now, Windows Update will only ask you to restart once a month, as the update system now installs those driver and framework updates alongside security patches.

That's in addition to being able to pause updates indefinitely now, so even when the one time a month that Windows asks you to restart finally rolls around, users have the option to say no and postpone the restart for as long as they need. Even when an update is pending restart, the option to shut down or restart without installing said update is now present.

Microsoft has even made it so users can skip installing updates when setting up a PC for the first time, meaning it now takes just a few minutes to get right into using your new PC instead of the 20+ minutes it used to take when installing the latest update was a requirement before reaching the desktop.

All of these Windows Update improvements are already shipping to all Windows 11 users, which is a crazy quick turn around.

Less ads and AI across the OS

People didn't believe they'd do it, but they actually have reduced the ads and AI buttons that are present across the OS. The Widgets board has been updated to replace the MSN feed with the local widgets feature by default, meaning you won't ever see any MSN stories or sponsored content unless you manually go into that section of the OS.

Microsoft is also removing Bing and MSN ads from Windows Search, in preview now. The search pane itself is now a long list or recent search queries and items, with nonsense like the Bing wallpaper of the day and other sponsored content no longer appearing at all. Even search results that reach out to the web no longer include sponsored content.

The Start menu now also has more granular controls over the kind of content that appears in there. The "Recommended" feed has been renamed to the "Recents" feed and no longer shows recommended apps and websites that came across as more advertising. Users even have the option to remove the Recents feed entirely now, which is great.

Copilot used to plague every inbox app and UI surface you could think of on Windows 11, but today it only appears in a few very specific areas. It still exists as a standalone app on Windows 11, but the Copilot button no longer exists in apps like Photos and Notepad. Microsoft has even removed the "Ask Copilot" option in File Explorer.

Better performance and reliability

One big area of focus for Microsoft is the overall performance and reliability of Windows 11, which many agree has slipped over the last few years. The good news is Microsoft has already delivered several improvements on this front, with more to come in the following weeks.

The first big change is the new "Low Latency Profile" feature that shipped just a few weeks ago. It's an invisible change that makes opening apps, context menus, and flyouts from the Taskbar much more responsive by silently increasing CPU frequency when these common actions take place.

This is something other OS platforms do which allows them to remain feeling snappy, even under heavy load, and now Windows 11 has the same behavior. This has outright fixed the issue users sometimes have where things like the Start menu don't always appear immediately when clicked. That's a thing of the past now.

Microsoft is also improving the performance of WinUI interfaces across the system via a new System Compositor which reduces latency and memory overhead across the OS so that these modern interfaces are consistently responsive. There's even a new Run dialog built with WinUI that is faster than the old Win32 version.

Opening and navigating through file trees in File Explorer is faster too, and searching for files and apps on Windows 11 is now more consistent. Two character search is already shipping, which makes finding content a little bit easier.

Customizable Taskbar and Start menu

One of the biggest issues people have with Windows 11 is how it took away customizable options for areas of the system like the Start menu or Taskbar. Microsoft has heard that feedback, and is already publicly testing a new Taskbar and Start menu that can be user customized.

The Taskbar can now be repositioned just like on Windows 10, allowing the user to move it to the left, right and top of the display if that's where they want it. There's also a new resize option letting users make it smaller like the Windows 10 one could.

The Start menu is also getting more customization options. Users can hide entire segments of Start, such as the Recents feed, Pinned apps, or All Apps area. They can toggle on or off the Phone Link companion, and disable Start entirely if they don't ever use it.

And there's more to come

Above are all the new improvements that I've tested and are either shipping or in public testing via the Windows Insider Program. These are the real changes and features that can be tried and tested as we speak, not just empty promises or ideas. It's all available to download and try out right now.

There's still more to come too, stuff that isn't yet in public preview testing. Microsoft has confirmed it's working to move more parts of the OS to WinUI for faster performance, such as the Start menu and areas of File Explorer. There's an effort to reduce the footprint of the OS in the works too, which should make the OS less resource intensive at idle.

Other improvements in the works are a redesigned context menu system that is faster and more customizable, more integration across the OS with your smartphone, and dark mode in even more places.

For the features that are yet to ship outside of preview, I understand that Microsoft is aiming to get the bulk of these improvements out of the door before the end of 2026, with some expected in 2027.

SI'm so very impressed with how quickly Microsoft has turned Windows 11 around so far. I haven't felt this positive about the features and changes being actively made to Windows in a really long time, to the point where it feels weird to not have anything to really complain about. All of my biggest issues with Windows 11 have either already been addressed, or are in the process of being addressed.

It's a great time to be a Windows user again.

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Windows Insiders need to update their PCs to be on a recent build of Windows within the next week. The latest Windows Insider builds contain a renewed flight certificate, which is important because the current flight certificate is set to expire on August 11, 2026.

Flight certificates are used to encourage people to keep devices up to date and on supported versions of Windows. Microsoft ships renewed certificates on a routine basis.

Microsoft emphasized the importance of a renewed flight certificate because in the past renewal mainly affected those in the Canary Channel. Now, those certificates apply across all Insider channels, including Experimental and Beta.

A brief reminder about the flight certificate appears at the top of the change log for the most recent Insider build:

"Today’s Experimental (Future Platforms) build contains a renewed Windows Insider flight certificate. Windows Insider Preview builds use flight certificates that are renewed periodically to help ensure Insider devices remain on supported builds and continue receiving future Insider Preview updates. The current flight certificate expires on August 11, 2026, so please update your device to a build containing the renewed flight certificate before that date."

A separate document dives into more detail, though the main takeaway is that Insiders should simply update their PCs to a recent build. Microsoft shared the chart below to help Insiders stay up to date.

Once you've performed this one-time larger update, your PC will go back to receiving regular updates.

If you don't update your PC to a build with a fresh flight certificate, you'll start seeing a warning that says, "This build will expire soon" on your desktop. You will also stop receiving automatic background updates once the flight certificate expires.

You should update your PC to a build with a fresh flight certificate, but if you don't, you can fix the issue by going to Settings > Windows Update and letting your PC install the latest build.

Test builds of Windows 11 are designed to expire relatively quickly, so you should update your PC regularly if you're a Windows Insider. Doing so will ensure your system is running a supported version of Windows.

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In this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down with Marcus Ash, Corporate Vice President of Design and Research for Windows at Microsoft. The discussion centers on the user experience vision for Windows 11, balancing modernization with legacy app compatibility, and optimizing system efficiency across diverse hardware configurations.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast is sponsored by Surfshark VPN. Unlimited devices, access your content from anywhere, and auto-block malware on Windows, Edge, and other platforms from $2.50/mo, with 4 months extra FREE. Sign up today!

• Design Philosophy in Windows 11: Marcus Ash discusses how design decisions are shaped by user feedback, telemetry, and modern workflow requirements.
• Optimizing Performance for Low-RAM Devices (8GB): A deep dive into full-stack optimizations—ranging from kernel memory scheduling to UI process management—to ensure smooth performance on 8GB RAM hardware.
• Modernizing Legacy Tools vs. Backward Compatibility: Discussion on how Microsoft approaches updating older OS utilities (e.g., Control Panel, Registry Editor) while protecting enterprise compatibility and muscle memory.
• Web Tech, WebView2, and Modern UI: Exploring the role of web-based interface components in Windows 11, including trade-offs between agility, feature delivery, and resource utilization.

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

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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562 researchers across 64 countries were on the receiving end of $20 million of rewards from the Microsoft Bounty Program. That program has researchers work with Microsoft to identify and report vulnerabilities across Microsoft's products and services.

The program has been around for years, but the $20 million in awards is a new record. For context, the Microsoft Bounty Program awarded $17 million to 344 researchers last year.

How much researchers receive depends on the type of vulnerability they report. Cloud programs and Zero Day Quest vulnerabilities are capped at $100,000 per vulnerability. Reporting an Endpoint and On-Premises program vulnerability can be worth up to $250,000.

Of course, those are the maximum payouts per report. Many reported vulnerabilities result in smaller awards.

Microsoft expanded the scope of its researcher awards last year. Now, in addition to flagging traditional bounties, researchers can be rewarded for reporting vulnerabilities in open-source software, third-party components, and Microsoft cloud services.

Microsoft detailed the rewards in a recent blog post.

"Security is a team sport. Every vulnerability reported through our bounty programs represents an opportunity to address risk before it can be exploited against customers," said Microsoft. "The work of the research community plays a critical role in helping Microsoft stay ahead of emerging threats while strengthening the security of cloud services, AI systems, enterprise platforms, and consumer technologies."

Microsoft credited the increase in submissions in part to AI. Increasingly, AI is being used to help security researchers.

Microsoft also uses AI to find and fix vulnerabilities as well. Unfortunately, AI can also be used by hackers to quickly leverage discovered vulnerabilities. As a result, there is an AI arms race happening between malicious actors and security researchers.

Microsoft also recalled the success of the Microsoft Zero Day Quest, which had researchers from 20 countries travel to Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington. Over 700 vulnerability reports were filed and over $2.3 million was awarded at that event.

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July has come to an end, and as we start a new month, it's a good time to look at the new features and changes that Microsoft has been working on in the second half of the month for Windows 11.

In the last two weeks of July, the company has delivered several new features, but many of those improvements were features that we have already seen in other builds as Microsoft continues to align each channel more closely together.

As part of the improvements, we have seen new customization options for the Start menu, new gestures for the touchpad, an updated interface for the Account Control menu, and improvements for File Explorer.

In addition, we have seen the company pushing changes to Widgets, Windows Search, and more.

In the Experimental channel, Microsoft released builds 26300.9032, 26300.8935, 28120.2630, and 28120.2546, while the Beta channel introduced builds 26220.9022, 26220.8925, 28020.2623, and 28020.2539 for versions 26H2, 26H1, and 25H2.

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

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

Windows Search automatic locations

Starting with the release of build 26300.9032, the operating system ships with an updated version of Windows Search that can now automatically find and search other folder locations based on your activity.

The new feature uses signals, such as files and frequently accessed locations. According to the company, this helps to make relevant files easy to find without requiring manual indexing.

The feature is known as "Automatically find additional relevant locations," and it's located on Settings > Privacy & security > Search.

In addition, Microsoft didn't mention this, but I've noticed a new "Search the contents of online files" on the same page, which allows you to decide whether Windows Search can search online content.

Phone Link changes

The Phone Link companion flyout that appears in the Start menu is getting an update on build 26300.9032 that allows you to hover over a recent message or notification in the "Recent" section to preview the content without extra steps.

This improvement requires the Phone Link app version 1.26021.3.0 or higher.

Adaptive hibernate policy update

In the Experimental channel, build 26300.9032 (version 25H2) also introduces changes for the adaptive hibernate policy to prevent hibernation when the battery is above 80 percent and to hibernate when the battery falls below 10 percent.

Microsoft accomplishes this by increasing instances of instant-on resumes from Modern Standby and increasing battery preservation at the low end of the battery.

This change is also available on builds 28120.2630 and 28020.2623 for version 26H1.

File Explorer performance boost

On build 26300.8935, File Explorer received three specific improvements. First, the company made file deletion faster when deleting large and fragmented files.

This update also makes the Home page faster, and finally, the "Recommended" section on the Home page now supports touch scrolling to make it easier to browse files from the carousel.

In addition, starting with build 26220.8925 for version 25H2, the "Details" view now shows file sizes with appropriate units, such as KB, MB, and GB, instead of only showing KB.

Furthermore, on the "Home" page, you can now use a middle mouse click to open folder locations in new tabs.

Widgets improvements

The preview build 26300.8935 also updates the animated icons for the Widgets entry point in the Taskbar.

First, the icon now matches the system accent color instead of the red color. Also, the animated icons can now show more dynamic content if notifications are enabled in the Widgets dashboard.

Windows Update changes

On build 28120.2630 (Experimental channel for version 26H1), Microsoft is making system updates less disruptive by reducing the number of restarts users face each month.

This is possible thanks to a new unified update experience that coordinates driver, .NET, and firmware updates with the monthly quality update, consolidating updates into a single monthly reboot instead of multiple interruptions.

The company is also expanding update pause controls, allowing users to extend update pauses as many times as needed.

These improvements are also available for build 28020.2623 in the Beta channel for version 26H1.

Touchpad gestures

Builds 28120.2630 and 28020.2623 for version 26H1 add new gesture controls for Precision Touchpads through the Settings app.

The new options will work across most apps, although apps built with WinUI 3 will require updated WinAppSDK 1.8 or 2.0 support before they can take full advantage of the changes.

The new controls include scroll and zoom speed, which lets you adjust the default speed for scrolling and pinch-to-zoom gestures. Also, accelerated scrolling will allow you to increase scrolling speed the longer you continue scrolling, making it easier to move quickly through long documents and webpages.

These improvements are also available for build 26220.8925 in the Beta channel for version 25H2.

Smart card policy

Starting with build 28120.2546, Microsoft is adding support to remove smart card policies in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 sessions that use Microsoft Entra ID authentication.

As a result of this change, administrators can configure remote sessions to automatically disconnect when a redirected smart card is removed, helping improve security and meet compliance requirements.

This improvement is also available for build 29639 in the Experimental channel for version Future Platforms.

Narrator changes

Microsoft is making refreshable Braille displays easier to use with Narrator in build 28120.2546.

Windows 11 now supports HID-compatible Braille displays, allowing users to connect supported devices instantly over USB with no additional setup, or wirelessly through Bluetooth. The feature also works during the initial Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE), enabling you to configure a new computer independently.

These improvements are also available for build 28020.2539 in the Beta channel for version 26H1, for build 26220.8925 for version 25H2, and for build 29634 for version Future Platforms.

Taskbar positioning

Starting with build 26220.9022 for version 25H2 in the Beta channel, the operating system introduces the ability to change the position of the Taskbar to the top, left, right, and bottom of the screen.

The new setting is known as "Taskbar positions," and it's available from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors.

When using this new functionality, Taskbar tooltips, flyouts, and animations continue to work in any of the positions, while most customization options, including never combining Taskbar icons, remain available.

This flight also introduces the ability to make the Taskbar smaller. The option is available from this page. However, in the Beta channel, the option works when configuring the "Show smaller app icons" option. In future releases, the company will add a dedicated button under the "Taskbar behaviors" setting, as it's currently available in the Experimental channel.

It's worth pointing out that these changes are still under development, and they may not work as intended.

Start menu new customization

On Windows 11 build 26220.8925, Microsoft is rolling out new Start menu customization options, including the ability to choose which sections appear in the menu and adjust its size.

The new customization settings are available on Settings > Personalization > Start. On this page, you can show or hide any of the sections, and you'll also notice that the "Recommended" section has been renamed to "Recent."

In addition, there's a new option to change the Start menu size, which means you can make the menu larger or smaller, or use the automatic option to let the system choose the size based on the configuration.

Finally, at the bottom of the page, under the "Other" section, you can enable the "Hide your name and profile picture on Start" setting to improve your privacy when projecting your screen to other people.

Account Control menu redesign

Microsoft is also refreshing the Account Control flyout in the Start menu with a more modern design and clearer Microsoft account information.

The updated interface adds a subscription badge, making it easier to check your account state, view available benefits, and explore upgrade options.

It also surfaces account benefits and storage details, giving users a centralized place to manage their Microsoft account without opening the Settings app.

This improvement is also available for build 29634 in the Experimental channel for version Future Platforms.

Voice Isolation for Voice Access

On build 29634 in the Experimental channel for version Future Platforms, Windows 11 also introduced Voice Isolation for Voice Access to improve speech recognition in noisy environments and shared spaces.

According to the company, the feature uses on-device processing for filtering background noise and nearby conversations.

In addition, Voice Access now includes three speech recognition models, including "Voice Isolation," "Remove background noise only," and "No filtering."

Windows Central's Take

Looking back at the second half of July, I don't think this was Microsoft's most exciting set of Insider releases. A lot of what landed in the Beta and Experimental channels wasn't entirely new. Instead, it felt like the company was catching those channels up with features that had already appeared in other Insider channels as it continues to align the program.

I don't think that's a bad thing. It suggests Microsoft is getting closer to offering a more consistent experience across the Insider channels while focusing on improvements that people will actually notice.

I'm still waiting to see how quickly these features make it into the stable release. Microsoft has been moving faster recently, but Insider builds are still a preview of what's planned, not a guarantee of what will eventually ship.

What are your thoughts about 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

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Mark Russinovich is the CTO of Microsoft Azure, and as it seems, a big fan of id Software's classic 1993 FPS, DOOM. I've seen the game running on practically every imaginable piece of hardware with a screen and any semblance of buttons, but I hadn't expected it to be playable inside Paint — until I installed it on my own PC earlier this morning.

"Playable" is being generous, because as Russinovich explains in his documentation for DoomPaint on GitHub: "Every frame is placed on the Windows clipboard and pasted into Paint's canvas as a genuine document edit", so Microsoft Paint is acting like more of a monitor than anything else, but it's still a sight to behold.

Performance ranges from quite smooth to snail's pace, but "the spreadsheet-tier framerate is part of the charm", and this is hardly the kind of medium I'd expect anyone to beat the entire game in. Nevertheless, it's real, and stands as the latest example of DOOM running in weird places. You'll need to install Python to run it, but that's all — alternatively, you could just watch my video.

It's a particularly bizarre crossover featuring two of my special interests, retro boomer shooters and classic Windows apps, with the icing on the cake being its creator. Sure, looking at the contributors section of DoomPaint shows generous commits from Anthropic's Claude and Microsoft's GitHub Copilot, so we're definitely dealing with a vibe-coded project here, but this is still a fascinating look into the downtime of a Microsoft executive.

Plus, there's working sound and music in this oddity, which is a step beyond what I expected from using Paint as a DOOM renderer. Again, though, this is more of a visual trick than an engine conversion, as Russinovich reiterates, "Paint renders the game but does not compute it. Paint computes nothing. Paint has never computed anything. That's the joke."

I've spent plenty of hours replaying the classics with source ports like UZDoom, and pulling a legitimate copy of its internal ".WAD" file will make variants like this playable with the complete selection of levels and weapons. If, somehow, you still haven't played DOOM in 2026, this could be one of the strangest ways to get started — but it's probably better to appreciate it from a distance.

— via Tom's Hardware

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