group policy

Windows 11’s Notepad has been modernized with formatting and AI features, but the classic, no-frills Notepad is still available — and with a few sensible tweaks you can run it side-by-side with Microsoft’s new Notepad or make it the editor that opens when you type notepad.exe. This article...

Microsoft has quietly pushed Windows 11, version 25H2 (preview Build 26200.5074) into the Release Preview Channel and is delivering it as a lightweight enablement package (eKB) that flips features already staged on 24H2 systems — a move that prioritizes security, manageability and low-impact...

Microsoft has quietly pushed Windows 11, version 25H2 (Build 26200.5074) into the Release Preview channel — and unlike many headline OS releases, this one arrives as a lightweight enablement package (eKB) that flips features already staged on devices rather than replacing the whole...

Microsoft has opened the gates for early access to the next Windows 11 annual update: Windows 11, version 25H2 is now available to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview channel and is being delivered as a small enablement package (eKB) that activates pre‑staged features already present on the...

Microsoft’s next Windows 11 annual update, version 25H2, is not a headline-grabbing reinvention of the desktop — it’s a deliberate, operationally focused release that prioritizes stability, manageability, and measured AI integration over bold new consumer-facing flourishes. This update arrives...

Microsoft has pushed Windows 11, version 25H2 into the Release Preview channel while publicly denying any link between August’s cumulative updates and a rash of user-reported SSD failures — a week that illustrated both Microsoft’s increasingly disciplined servicing model and the fragility of...

Microsoft has quietly begun testing app promotions inside the Windows 11 Start menu, placing Microsoft Store recommendations directly into the Start menu’s Recommended area for select Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel — a move that is enabled by default, limited to U.S. Insiders, and...

Windows Security failing to open is a deceptively common problem that can leave a PC exposed and users unnerved — yet in almost every case the root causes and remedies are resolvable without a full reinstall. Symptoms range from a completely unresponsive Windows Security app to a blank or...

Microsoft has begun distributing Windows 11 version 25H2 to Insiders in the Release Preview channel, a move that signals the annual feature update is production‑adjacent and ready for targeted validation ahead of a broader public rollout later this year. Background / Overview Windows 11 25H2...

Audit and Lock Down App Permissions & Privacy Settings in Windows 10/11 Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 15 minutes Introduction Apps asking for access to your camera, microphone, location, files, and other data can be convenient — but they’re also a privacy and security risk if left...

Microsoft’s April 2025 Kerberos protections — delivered to close CVE‑2025‑26647 — introduced a new operational knob, AllowNtAuthPolicyBypass, that was intended to let administrators audit then enforce stricter certificate-based authentication behavior on domain controllers; the rollout fixed a...

Windows 11’s next annual feature update is now on the cusp of broad testing — but this year Microsoft shipped something that tidies and trims more than it innovates. Background / Overview Microsoft has moved Windows 11 version 25H2 into the Release Preview channel, signalling that the update is...

Windows 11’s next annual feature update is now moving from staged preview into its final validation ring: Microsoft has made Windows 11, version 25H2 available to Release Preview Insiders and commercial customers for targeted testing, delivered as an enablement package on top of the 24H2...

Releasing Windows 11, version 25H2 to the Release Preview Channel — what you need to know (for Insiders, IT pros, and forum readers) Today (August 29, 2025) the Windows Insider team made this year’s annual feature update — Windows 11, version 25H2 (Build 26200.5074) — available in the Release...

Microsoft has warned that the cryptographic roots underpinning UEFI Secure Boot on Windows devices will begin to expire in June 2026, forcing a global certificate update that every IT team and many end users must plan for now to avoid boot-level insecurities and loss of updateability. Background...

Windows 11 ships with a maze of background services: some are essential, some are convenience features, and a surprising number quietly collect data or spin CPU and disk cycles while you work. A recent practical guide singled out a small set of these services as safe targets for trimming —...

Control Windows Update Interruptions: Active Hours, Pause, and Delivery Optimization Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 10-15 minutes Keeping Windows up to date is important for security and performance — but unexpected restarts or large background downloads can interrupt work or slow a...

Microsoft’s AI ambitions inside Windows have quietly been given a new label: mounting evidence from Insider builds and system files suggests Microsoft is preparing to promote a unified artificial intelligence umbrella called Windows Intelligence, consolidating generative-AI controls, app...

Microsoft has quietly flipped a foundational behavior in Word for Windows: new documents you create now start life in the cloud, with AutoSave enabled by default and an immediate OneDrive/SharePoint identity — a change rolling out in Word for Windows Version 2509 (Build 19221.20000) and later...

Microsoft is rolling out a quiet but consequential change to how Word for Windows saves new documents: starting with Word for Windows Version 2509 (Build 19221.20000) in Insider channels, documents you create will be saved to the cloud (OneDrive, SharePoint, or a preferred cloud location) by...