It’s fair to say that 2025 was a rough year for Microsoft’s desktop OS. Windows 11 has been deemed by many to be the latest “bad” version of Windows, thanks to constant buggy updates, frequent enshittification, and an overall failure to treat Windows as a first-class citizen by its maker.
In the last few months alone, Microsoft has endured serious pushback from users who are unhappy with the direction Windows is heading. The company has tried to position Windows as a frontier platform for AI, integrating Copilot across a myriad of in-box apps and UI surfaces.
This hasn’t resonated with users online, with any mention of AI from Microsoft on social media sparking negative responses. It got so bad at one point that Microsoft’s Windows president, Pavan Davuluri, was forced to disable replies on a tweet that mentioned how Windows was evolving into an AI-powered agentic platform.
That seems to have been the tipping point for the company, as Microsoft has now confirmed in a statement to The Verge that it has received this negative feedback loud and clear, and is planning to make some important changes in 2026.
“The feedback we’re receiving from our community of passionate customers and Windows Insiders has been clear. We need to improve Windows in ways that are meaningful for people. This year, you will see us focus on addressing pain points we hear consistently from customers: improving system performance, reliability, and the overall experience of Windows.”
This isn’t dissimilar to a tweet he made a few months ago, confirming that the company was aware of the pushback around AI and was planning to improve Windows for developers. It’s clear the company understands that it cannot continue the way it has been in recent months, and is planning to find a balance between AI initiatives and core system stability.
It will be interesting to see how this takes shape throughout 2026. Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program has become a shell of its former self in recent months, to the point where it no longer makes sense to sign up and test new features, as there’s no guarantee the features will even be made available to you.
As things currently stand, the sentiment around Windows is the lowest it’s been in a very long time. Although the platform now has 1 billion users, that doesn’t necessarily make it a good platform, and it’s now down to Microsoft to ensure those billion users want to stay using Windows.
Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central and has been with the site since 2016. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows, Surface, and hardware. He's also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch on Twitter and Threads
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