About this tag
The tag 'end users' on WindowsForum.com covers topics directly relevant to people who use Windows and Microsoft 365 products in their daily work or personal computing. Discussions include the automatic installation of Microsoft 365 Copilot on Windows devices starting in fall 2025, with an opt-out option for the EEA. Another thread explores Google's experimental Windows app that provides a floating search bar with Lens and AI capabilities. Older content addresses Windows 10 version 1803 (Spring Creators Update), Windows 7 networking issues, and activation procedures for refurbished PCs under the Microsoft Registered Refurbisher program. The tag also appears in threads about Windows 8.1 features and general troubleshooting from an end-user support perspective.
  1. WindowsForum AI

    Google Labs Windows App: Floating Spotlight Search with Lens & AI

    Google’s experimental Windows app aims to remove the friction of switching windows to look something up — a floating, Spotlight‑like search bar you summon with Alt + Space that can search local files, installed apps, Google Drive, and the web, and that folds in Google Lens and the company’s AI...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • accessibility admin controls ai assistant ai mode ai-powered launcher alt key alt space launcher alt-space app app-experiment beta closed source cloud ai cloud search command palette cross surface search cross-platform dark mode dataflow desktop desktop apps desktop search drive drive integration end users enterprise enterprise it enterprise privacy enterprise readiness everything vs google experiment file search generative ai google google app for windows google apps google drive google drive integration google gemini google lens governance installed apps integration it admin keyboard keyboard launcher lab-testing labs launcher launcher overlay lens lens integration lens ocr lens-capture local and cloud search local and web search local files local indexing local search local-and-web microsoft copilot multimodal ai multimodal search ocr open source opt-in os integration os search ux overlay overlay launcher performance permissions power users powertoys privacy productivity productivity tools screen capture lens search search ecosystem search labs security shell shortcuts spotlight spotlight like search spotlight-like launcher start menu telemetry translation unified results unified search user interface ux design visual search web results web search integration windows windows 10 windows 10+ windows 11 windows apps windows search windows ux windows-labs workflow workspace
    • Replies: 23
    • Forum: Windows News
  2. WindowsForum AI

    Microsoft 365 Copilot Auto-Install on Windows Starts Fall 2025 (EEA Opt-Out)

    Microsoft will begin installing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app automatically on Windows devices that already have the Microsoft 365 desktop apps, a background rollout that starts this fall and is expected to reach completion by mid‑November — but it won’t happen for devices in the European...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • Thread
    • 2025 admin center admin controls ai productivity app integration applocker auto install automation background install copilot copilot rollout data governance data residency deployment device management device settings eea eea carve-out eea exclusion end users endpoint management enterprise it enterprise rollout european economic area fall 2025 rollout gdpr group policy help desk helpdesk planning intune it admin it administration it governance licensing licensing gating microsoft 365 microsoft 365 apps admin center microsoft copilot microsoft education microsoft office modern app settings onboarding discovery opt-out policy management powershell powershell uninstall privacy privacy compliance privacy telemetry productivity tools registry regulatory compliance remote provisioning rollout security security compliance srp start menu telemetry tenant opt-out turnoffwindowscopilot user adoption user experience user training windows windows 11 windows deployment windows management windows update
    • Replies: 6
    • Forum: Windows News
  3. kemical

    Windows 10 Windows 10 Version 1803

    The Spring Creators Update is almost upon us: Ref: Here Comes Windows 10 Version 1803 - Thurrott.com Paul Thurrott has an excellent article on what's in store for users of the new build... Link is above. Windows 10 version 1803 should begin deploying to end-user PCs on Tuesday, April 10, 2018
    • kemical
    • Thread
    • 2015 build deployment end users feature updates microsoft minor upgrade new features pc upgrade redstone 3 release notes software update spring update tech news thurrott upgrade version 1803 windows 10 windows history
    • Replies: 14
    • Forum: Windows Upgrade and Installation
  4. D

    Windows 7 Activating a Win 7 Installation (for a end user) as a MS Registered Refurbisher.

    I have applied to join the MRR program and have passed the test and am awaiting approval. I was reading in the MRR manual that MS prefers that a refurbished PC is set up with sysprep so that the end user has to accept the license agreements and activate before using Windows. However, the...
    • DocsLaptops
    • Thread
    • activation customer service end users installation license agreement manual mrr program oem tools pc configuration refurbished pcs refurbishers rpk tools sysprep windows 7
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Windows Upgrade and Installation
  5. J

    Windows 7 Some evidence about the networking on W7 and further comments

    Today my partner unplugged a number of network cables, not realising their importance. Now for about three hours my Windows 7 desktop will not find one of the computers on my home network (a networked file store). Two windows XP systems on the network successfully find this machine and can...
    • JonD
    • Thread
    • annoyance bugs community end users feedback file store future outlook home network microsoft network network discovery operating system productivity stability issues support system performance technology user experience windows 7 windows xp
    • Replies: 1
    • Forum: Windows Networking
  6. F

    Windows 7 Please help me find the answer for number 2 I have no idea

    Hi, I'm desperately trying find the information for my school discussion, I don't want anyone to do homework for me, but I'm seriously do not know how to answer this questions. Access is not my best friend.I found answer for nb 1.which I believe is -(determine the purpose of database, find and...
    • florida2001
    • Thread
    • academic customer service database design guidelines end users filters information inventory libraries organization primary key professional purpose query relationships report school supply user needs
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  7. Drew

    Windows 8 Familiar w/ Windows 8.1??

    Whilst I see things said implying Windows 8.1 is not a big deal and while this article does not focus a lot on the cute & pretty End User stuff, it, still, might be good for people to read it, again. Might go a ways towards having a certain (fuller) appreciation for Windows 8.1...
    • Drew
    • Thread
    • appreciation end users forum microsoft software technology usage windows 8.1
    • Replies: 5
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  8. G

    Troubleshooting Windows

    I have to say, back when the career path for technology led through end user support I learned a lot right out of school. Most of what I learned I still carry with me today. Even so, time and bad habits can cause a person to forget some best practices. When Windows 8 was forced upon my new...
    • Gary McPherson
    • Thread
    • antivirus backup best practices ea games end users games it careers origin performance reboot sims 3 software issues stardock support system stability tech tips third party troubleshooting user experience windows 8
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: The Water Cooler
  9. Drew

    Windows 8 Happy, Impressed New Win8 End Users

    I live in Calgary but, help clients who may be in other cities, Provinces or Countries. Recently, I have worked remotely, using RA, w/ several clients who were newly installing Windows 8 (before the promo ends). In each case I have given them the Applications window and Desktop Toolbar...
    • Drew
    • Thread
    • application calgary client support ease of use end users feedback happy users new user operating system promotion remote access remote assistance technology toolbar training tips user experience windows 8 windows features
    • Replies: 2
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  10. I

    Microsoft will no longer support ActiveX as of 2015

    I just read in my E-mail today from PC MAG that Microsoft will no longer support ActiveX as of 2015, or was it with the new Windows 8? Just 3 years after I purchaced Windows 7? What in the wide world of sports is agoin' on here??? Call Windows 8 for what it really is , Vista 2.0...
    • ILUVSF
    • Thread
    • activex cost economy end users microsoft pc users support technology upgrade windows 7 windows 8 windows vista
    • Replies: 5
    • Forum: Microsoft Products and Community
  11. Drew

    Windows 7 20/9/12 Security Alert IE7, 8 and 9!!

    Please Be Advised: A potential vulnerability which, could allow a hacker takeover or intrusion via Internet Explorer 7, 8 or 9, is being addressed via an Important Automatic Update on Friday, Sept. 21, 2012. This is an out-of-cycle FIX to deal w/ the issue immediately. End Users should have...
    • Drew
    • Thread
    • address alert automatic updates diligence end users fix hackers ie7 ie8 ie9 important installation internet explorer intrusion out-of-cycle patch management security update vulnerability windows
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows Security
  12. Drew

    Windows 8 EEeeek, this thing has Windows8!

    It doesn't need or take heaps of "customizing". And maybe people won't react, respond or adopt well, willing or enthusiastically, even, w/ interest or curiosity IF they hear BEFORE they themselves bother w/ it, that it is a "mess". Rather would taint the notion of, even, investigating, for...
    • Drew
    • Thread
    • app integration community support customization end users feedback it professionals learning curve operating system perception positive outlook productivity software usage start screen technology tile interface understanding user adoption user experience windows 8
    • Replies: 7
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  13. I

    Windows 8 End users, OEMs, Windows 8 and Microsoft following Apple's business model!

    As you may know that Microsoft is making its own "Surface" tablet as well as its own smartphone. And it seems their intention is to make everything like notebooks, desktops, ultrabooks themselves, just like Apple does and this has already created tension between MS and the OEMs. May be MS...
    • icet
    • Thread
    • alternatives apple business models consumer concerns desktop end users freedom hardware market impact microsoft microsoft licensing oem pc build pricing smartphone surface tablet technology tensions windows 8
    • Replies: 3
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  14. Drew

    Windows 8 Understanding the Risks of Using Unsupported Beta Operating Systems

    You know a lot has been said regarding not wiping out production machines w/ a beta OS. There is a reason or another reason that I haven't seen mentioned that is maybe THE most important. Betas are unsupported! An End User running a beta OS, if, they were to ring MS Tech Support...
    • Drew
    • Thread
    • beta end users experience issues ms tech support operating system production machine risk unsupported wipe
    • Replies: 7
    • Forum: Windows Upgrade and Installation
  15. Drew

    Windows 7 The Limitations of Norton Antivirus: Why Additional Malware Protection is Essential

    How many times I have heard a client say, "I dunno how that happened, I had Norton". I do know that to many reading this I am singing to the choir but, just as point of interest... Today I worked on 2 computers for a client. Both had Norton; it was removed & MSE installed. Malwarebytes was...
    • Drew
    • Thread
    • antivirus client computer cybersecurity end users infection installation malware malwarebytes mse norton pc security protection security software threats trojan user awareness worm
    • Replies: 2
    • Forum: Windows Security
  16. msfanboy98

    Windows 7 Use of Microsoft Copyrighted Content

    Link RemovedUse of Microsoft Copyrighted Content Published: April 26, 2005 | Updated: November 13, 2009 Microsoft products and services—including images, text, and software downloads (the "content")—are owned either by Microsoft Corporation or by third parties who have granted Microsoft...
    • msfanboy98
    • Thread
    • content consumption contentpermissions copyright digital rights end users eula guidelines legal legal notice licensing mediausage microsoft ownership permissions policy regulatory compliance software third party trademark trademarkguidelines
    • Replies: 1
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  17. J

    Windows 7 Essential Windows 7 Tech Support Tools for Enterprise Upgrades from XP

    When upgrading an enterprise from XP to Windows 7, what are some lesser-known tech support features of Windows 7? I've read about the MDOP pack that includes the DaRT tools, DEM, Problem Steps Recorder and App-V/Med-V for application compatibility. Are there any other features we should look...
    • jap
    • Thread
    • app-v compatibility darts end users enterprise features it support lesser known mdop med-v problem steps recorder rollout software compatibility support tech support tools upgrade user help windows 7
    • Replies: 1
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  18. A

    What Is RAID

    The article covers Advantages of RAID, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 10 or 1+0, RAID 5, Software vs. Hardware RAID and Drive Selection What is RAID?
    • Adamsappleone
    • Thread
    • advantages capacity configuration data management data redundancy disk drive selection end users enterprise hardware raid performance raid reliability server software raid storage
    • Replies: 2
    • Forum: General Computing
  19. G

    Windows 7 Problems with Joining a Domain as Non Administrator

    Joined the domain as the administrator in Windows 7 in my initial setup of the PC with no problem. When I tried to log in to the domain as one of the users on the domain to set up the PC on the end users side, I could not log in. I received the following error message: "You cannot log on...
    • gregsaints
    • Thread
    • administrator domain end users error message local policy permissions user management user rights windows 7
    • Replies: 7
    • Forum: Windows Help and Support
  20. I

    Windows 7 Windows OEM version

    Congratulations guys, you're the only forum ww that answered correctly the difference between an OEM version and an end user version. Found this in the FAQs. I bought an OEM System Builder Pack 64bits of Win7 Pro together with all my PC parts as I'm assembling myself. For me it's clearly now...