insider builds

A buried option in a Windows 11 Insider preview suggests Microsoft is quietly restoring the ability to use ordinary video files — MP4, MKV and friends — as looping desktop wallpapers, a modern resurrection of Vista’s long‑forgotten DreamScene that’s already stirring enthusiasts, IT managers, and...

Microsoft is quietly testing native animated video wallpapers in Windows 11 Insider builds, a modern revival of the Vista-era DreamScene that lets users set common video files (MP4, MKV, MOV and more) as looping desktop backgrounds — but the capability is experimental, hidden behind an Insider...

Microsoft’s personalization team appears to be answering a long-standing user request: native video wallpapers — a modern take on the old DreamScene feature from the Windows Vista era — are now visible in recent Windows 11 Insider preview builds, but they remain experimental, hidden behind...

Microsoft has quietly begun testing a native video‑wallpaper feature in Windows 11 Insider preview builds, a modern revival of Vista’s DreamScene that — according to multiple independent community reports — will let users set ordinary video files such as MP4 and MKV as looping desktop...

Microsoft appears to be quietly restoring a long‑requested personalization capability to Windows 11: native video wallpapers that let ordinary video files play as looping desktop backgrounds, a DreamScene‑style feature now visible in recent Insider preview builds and gated behind a hidden...

Microsoft has quietly begun building native support for video wallpapers into Windows 11 — a full-circle moment that revives a DreamScene-era idea while exposing difficult trade-offs around battery life, compatibility, and the long shadow of third‑party wallpaper engines. The capability...

Windows Weekly’s latest episode arrives like a two‑ton reminder that tech transitions rarely happen on a polite schedule: “Coding Makes Me Cry” (Episode 950) drills into the real-world fallout of Windows 10’s imminent end-of‑support, Microsoft’s evolving recovery and Copilot features, and the...

Microsoft's new handheld-focused, full‑screen Xbox interface for Windows 11 can already be unlocked on many in‑market Windows handhelds thanks to a Release Preview of the Windows 11 25H2 update and a handful of community-discovered switches — meaning you don't have to wait for the ROG Xbox...

Microsoft’s recent nudge to users — asking “what do you miss most in Windows?” — is more than a PR moment; it’s a revealing sign that the company is wrestling with conflicting priorities for Windows 11: glossy AI capabilities and the long list of everyday quality‑of‑life features that power...

Microsoft’s new handheld-focused Xbox Mode — the full-screen, controller-first Xbox experience layered on Windows 11 — is already being run on a wide range of in-market Windows handhelds, and community ports plus an Insider-channel push mean owners of existing devices can try the experience now...

Microsoft’s handheld gambit has quietly moved from concept to something you can try on your own device: a controller‑first, full‑screen “Xbox” experience built into Windows 11 is rolling out as part of the platform’s handheld work, and enthusiasts are already using the new handheld view and...

Microsoft’s handheld push has taken a new turn: the Xbox-style, full‑screen “Xbox Mode” that will ship as the default experience on the ROG Xbox Ally family is already appearing on other Windows 11 handhelds — in community builds and hacks — ahead of the Ally’s retail launch, forcing a rapid...

Microsoft Paint is quietly evolving from a tiny utility into a surprisingly capable image editor, and the latest Insider build shows Microsoft is leaning into features that make Paint behave more like a lightweight Photoshop — including a new editable project file, per-tool opacity controls...

Windows 11’s dark mode finally has a practical, reproducible setup that makes the whole desktop — not just a handful of modern apps — feel cohesive, and the path to get there mixes built‑in settings, small automation tools, and a few targeted third‑party utilities that fill the remaining gaps...

Microsoft has quietly repurposed the Xbox button on gamepads when used with Windows 11 Insiders: a long press now opens Task View while a short press still launches the Game Bar, and a press-and-hold continues to power down the controller — a small but practical tweak rolling out to Dev and Beta...

Microsoft’s continued migration of legacy Control Panel features into the modern Settings app has taken another step forward: recent Windows 11 Insider preview builds contain hidden, in-progress pages that surface longstanding keyboard controls and a redesigned haptic touchpad panel inside...

Microsoft is quietly testing a small but notable convenience feature in Windows 11: a one‑click internet speed test shortcut embedded directly in the network flyout and taskbar context menu — a shortcut that, for now, simply launches Bing’s online speed‑test widget rather than running a native...

Microsoft's Settings app is quietly turning into a one-stop hub for RGB: the long-rumored Lighting/Dynamic Lighting controls have appeared in Insider builds, and Microsoft is positioning Windows 11 to manage RGB lighting across compatible keyboards, mice, chassis and other peripherals without...

Microsoft has quietly begun fixing one of Windows 11’s most persistent visual annoyances: the long-neglected file operation (copy/move/delete/permission) dialogs are finally receiving proper dark‑mode styling in Insider preview builds, and the work is rolling out in stages rather than as a...

After nearly a decade of half-finished theming work, Windows 11’s Dark Mode finally begins to behave like a coherent system feature: preview builds now render many of the long‑standing white “flashbang” file‑operation dialogs in dark chrome, while Microsoft simultaneously adjusts the platform’s...