userexperience

Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 Insider builds are shipping a new, full-screen renewal prompt aimed at lapsed Microsoft 365 subscriptions — an eye-catching SCOOBE (Second‑Chance Out‑of‑Box Experience) screen that insiders and early reports describe as a full‑screen nag to renew rather than a...

Google's work on making Chrome feel faster has quietly returned to an old idea with a modern twist: the browser is now experimenting with using simple mouse hovers as a signal to prepare pages before you click, and it has added a lower-level "render boost" that gives active page loads more...

RefreshOS 2.5 arrives as a carefully curated Debian-based distro that grafts a KDE Plasma desktop shell onto a deliberately mixed bag of applications — and, in doing so, trades orthodox desktop purity for a pragmatic, user-focused experience that is both attractive and slightly divisive...

Netflix finally brought its long-promised offline-download feature to Windows 10 — but the story since that launch is a textbook case in how platform choices, licensing agreements, and product redesigns can change what users actually get on their laptops and tablets. (techcrunch.com...

Microsoft's PowerToys team is preparing a set of small but meaningful usability fixes that aim to remove two of the most common annoyances power users report: hunting for the right toggle inside a growing Settings app, and accidentally quitting the suite when they only meant to hide it. The next...

If you’ve ever rebooted your PC and felt a wave of nostalgia at the unmistakable chime that once heralded the arrival of Windows Vista, you’re not alone. This week, Windows enthusiasts running the latest Canary build of Windows 11 (27898) were once again greeted by the iconic, shimmering Vista...

Just a suggestion for forum admin: I recently installed Win 11 using the forum guidance and Rufus ("How to Install Windows 11 Using Rufus: Bypass Restrictions and Create Local Account"). Except for one minor issue, it worked very well. Under item #5 in the guidance it says: "You can even...

Microsoft is introducing a new customization feature in Windows 11 that allows users to adjust the on-screen position of system indicators such as volume, brightness, virtual desktops, and camera controls. This enhancement, currently available in preview builds, offers users the flexibility to...

Microsoft's Snipping Tool, a staple in Windows for capturing screenshots, is poised for a significant enhancement: the ability to create and export animated GIFs directly within the application. This development, currently being tested in the Canary and Dev channels of Windows 11, aims to...

In a surprising twist, the latest Windows 11 preview builds have resurrected the iconic startup sound from Windows Vista, a chime that also graced Windows 7. Users booting their systems after installing the recent update were greeted by this nostalgic audio cue, replacing the standard Windows 11...

I find that co-pilot is a pain but I can live with it. Today I would like to know who/what this poster on the Web is all about ie: Forbes. It does come on most everyday with dire warnings about our machines, I never heed these warnings and I am still happy on all my W-11 machines, three here...

In a recent episode of the Windows Central Podcast, hosts Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden delved into the challenges facing Windows 11, particularly in the realm of gaming handhelds. They highlighted how the shortcomings of initiatives like Windows Core OS and Windows CorePC have left Microsoft...

For as long as digital creation has been mainstream, picking precise colors from the screen has been a tricky if essential task for designers, developers, and anyone who cares about finely-tuned aesthetics. Historically, Windows users have relied on a slew of third-party tools to nab the exact...

Microsoft's latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4151 introduces a suite of AI-driven enhancements, signaling a significant shift in the operating system's functionality. These updates, while promising increased productivity and user engagement, also raise questions about the balance...

Windows users have witnessed a steady evolution in voice-assistant technology—from the limited, at times inconsistent, capabilities of Cortana, Microsoft's now-retired digital assistant, to the prominence of AI-driven conversational interfaces. Now, with its latest experiment, Microsoft is...

In a recent discussion, Microsoft engineer Raymond Chen shed light on the intricacies of the Windows clipboard, emphasizing its design for optimal performance. Chen, known for his deep dives into Windows architecture, explained that the clipboard's asynchronous operation is a deliberate choice...

Microsoft’s relentless push to modernize and reinvent the Windows 11 experience took an ambitious leap with today’s announcement of the “next wave of Windows experiences.” Windows 11 is poised to roll out significant updates in the coming months—from a redesigned Start menu to a new class of...

Microsoft's latest update, Windows 11 KB5055627 (Build 26100.3915), introduces significant performance enhancements to File Explorer, particularly when accessing the "Home" tab. Users have reported noticeably faster launch times, addressing previous concerns about sluggishness in navigating...

Here is a summary of the main updates and features introduced in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3941 (KB5055634) for users running Windows 11 24H2, as reported by ExtremeTech: Voice Typing Profanity Filter: A new setting allows you to control how spoken profanity is handled during voice...

Here are the key points about the Microsoft Recall feature rollout for Windows 11, as detailed in the source article: What is Recall? Recall is a new Windows 11 feature designed to help users quickly rediscover apps, files, and websites they've accessed in the past. It creates a searchable...