windows 11

Microsoft began rolling out Xbox mode on April 30, 2026, to Windows 11 PCs in select markets, bringing a controller-first, full-screen Xbox-style interface to laptops, desktops, tablets, and handhelds through a phased Windows Update release tied to Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. The feature...

Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 gaming guidance, reported on May 4, 2026, says 16GB of RAM is now the practical baseline and 32GB is the “no worries” configuration for gamers who run browsers, Discord, streaming tools, and modern titles together. That is not a new minimum requirement, and it does...

Microsoft is phasing out the Microsoft Edge Sidebar app list in 2026, beginning with Microsoft account users, as part of a stated effort to “simplify” the Windows 11 browser while preserving Copilot integration. That makes the move more than a minor interface cleanup. It is a revealing test of...

Microsoft is working on a modern WinUI 3 replacement for File Explorer’s legacy Properties dialog in Windows 11, according to findings in recent Insider builds reported on May 4, 2026 by Windows Latest. The change appears to move one of Windows’ most stubbornly old-fashioned surfaces out of the...

On May 3, 2026, The Register used its Kettle podcast to argue that Microsoft’s recent Windows troubles — aggressive Copilot promotion, second-chance setup prompts, buggy patches, and user-hostile product decisions — have forced Satya Nadella and Windows chief Pavan Davuluri into a public reset...

Windows 11 users are once again debating memory use after a TechRadar writer spent a week running a GitHub RAM optimizer and reported drops of up to 6GB, just as Microsoft is reportedly preparing a broader Windows “K2” effort to reduce bloat, AI overhead, and gaming-performance gaps. The...

On April 30, 2026, Microsoft began rolling out Xbox Mode to Windows 11 PCs in select markets, while new Insider builds and reporting around the internal “Windows K2” effort pointed to a broader push to make Windows 11 quieter, faster, and less irritating. That is the factual week-in-review...

On May 2, 2026, the open-source Lap photo manager released version 0.2.1 for Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS, and Linux, offering a local-first alternative to Microsoft Photos for users who keep large image libraries on their own drives. That timing matters because the Windows desktop has quietly...

Microsoft PowerToys may soon add an optional low memory mode for Windows 11 utilities, based on a new GitHub pull request that lets supported modules shut down idle background processes and relaunch only when users invoke their shortcuts or interfaces. The proposal is not a magic “make Windows...

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told investors during Microsoft’s fiscal third-quarter 2026 earnings call that the company is doing “foundational work” to win back fans across Windows, Xbox, Bing, and Edge, while emphasizing Windows 11 quality, performance, update improvements, and core-user trust...

Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 update-control changes, now appearing in Insider testing in spring 2026, let users pause updates in repeatable 35-day blocks while Microsoft tries to reduce forced restarts and make shutdown choices less coercive. That is a real concession after a decade of Windows...

Microsoft is reportedly using Project K2, an internal Windows 11 improvement push centered on performance, reliability, and polish, to answer complaints from gamers and PC users as SteamOS and Linux-based handhelds make Windows look heavier, noisier, and less console-ready. That is the real...

Microsoft confirmed on May 1, 2026, that Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26300.8346 will make Widgets quieter by default by disabling hover launch, turning off taskbar badging, limiting alerts, and opening first to widgets rather than the MSN Discover feed. That is a small settings change with...

Microsoft began rolling out Xbox mode for Windows 11 PCs on April 30, 2026, through the optional KB5083631 preview update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, bringing a full-screen, controller-first Xbox-style interface to laptops, desktops, tablets, and handheld PCs. The move is not just...

Microsoft will begin escalating Windows Security warnings on May 13, 2026 for Windows 10 and May 16, 2026 for Windows 11 when PCs still lack updated Secure Boot certificates needed before the original 2011 trust certificates start expiring in June. This is not another cosmetic Windows Update...

Microsoft’s late-April Windows 11 updates and Insider builds show a deliberate shift toward reducing everyday friction, with Xbox mode, File Explorer fixes, quieter Widgets, a redesigned Run dialog, stronger admin controls, and reported “K2” quality work arriving as Windows 10’s deadline looms...

On April 30, 2026, Microsoft began rolling out Xbox mode to Windows 11 PCs in select markets, bringing a controller-optimized full-screen gaming interface from Windows handhelds to desktops, laptops, and tablets through the stable Windows update path over the coming weeks. The change is not...

Microsoft confirmed on May 1, 2026, that Windows 11 Insider builds are changing Widgets so the board opens more quietly by default, with hover launch, taskbar badging, and the MSN-heavy feed pushed out of the user’s face. That is a small settings change with a much larger message behind it...

Microsoft’s April 14, 2026 Windows 11 security update KB5083769, and the later optional preview update KB5083631, can stop some third-party backup tools from mounting disk images because Windows is now blocking vulnerable versions of the Macrium-associated psmounterex.sys kernel driver. That is...

Microsoft began rolling out Xbox Mode to Windows 11 PCs on April 30, 2026, bringing a controller-optimized, full-screen Xbox-style interface to laptops, desktops, tablets, and handhelds in select markets through a gradual Windows Update release that expands over the following weeks. The feature...