Windows Update and Shutdown Now Powers Off After Updates

For more than a decade, a tiny but persistent mismatch between label and behavior in Windows finally has a clear fix: the “Update and shutdown” command will now, in the scenarios Microsoft addressed, actually power the PC off instead of leaving it running or returning to the desktop after applying updates. This correction arrives as part of the optional preview cumulative update that produced OS build tokens used by Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, and the change is being staged into the regular cumulative update pipeline for broad distribution during the next Patch Tuesday window.

Background​

The “Update and shutdown” control is one of the simplest touchpoints in Windows: the power menu presents a choice to install pending updates and then shut down the machine. The expected behavior is straightforward—apply updates, commit offline servicing tasks, and then switch the device off. For many users, however, that expectation broke intermittently over the last several years: machines would install updates, return to the lock screen or desktop, or remain powered on instead of actually shutting down. That led to confusion, wasted energy, and irritation for people who believed they had told their PC to power off.
Microsoft’s rollout for the remediation followed the company’s standard staging path. The fix surfaced first in Insider preview builds and was folded into an optional, non‑security preview cumulative package late in October. The preview package updates devices to new OS build tokens for 24H2 and 25H2; the same servicing changes are being staged for broader distribution through the regular Patch Tuesday cadence shortly thereafter. In the release documentation for the preview package, Microsoft explicitly described the change as addressing an “underlying issue” that could cause “Update and shutdown” to not actually shut down the PC after updating.
The wording is terse but definitive: Microsoft treated the symptom as an unintended behavior worth remediating, rather than a deliberate design choice. Community reporting and test flights over the past weeks indicate the corrected shutdown sequence now better respects the user’s choice to power off after update commits complete.

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What changed, exactly​

The technical correction in plain terms​

At a servicing level, Windows handles updates with an orchestration pipeline that includes:

• staging and staging validation for update binaries,
• offline commit and servicing tasks during reboot,
• user intent preservation logic (the final act after offline servicing—restart, shutdown, or return to session),
• sign‑in automation behaviors for finishing updates that require logon, if configured.

The fix Microsoft introduced adjusts the shutdown sequencing and intent-preservation logic that runs after offline update commits. The net result is straightforward: if the system receives a final instruction to “shut down” after applying updates, the orchestration now follows through by powering the device off rather than returning to an interactive state on certain affected configurations.

Where and how the fix reached users​

• The remediation was validated in Windows Insider preview flights and then included in an optional preview cumulative update published in late October.
• Installing that optional preview will move devices to the new OS build tokens associated with the fixes and feature previews.
• Microsoft is staging the changes for broader release via the mainstream cumulative update channel during the next Patch Tuesday window; users who prefer the most conservative route can wait for that general distribution.

Which Windows editions are in scope​

The published servicing notes for the preview package apply to Windows 11 feature channels reflected by the 24H2 and 25H2 releases. The update was described in terms of those builds’ OS tokens and distributed as a preview for devices running those versions. There is no authoritative published indication that the same exact package was rolled for legacy Windows 10 servicing in that preview window; Windows 10 is in an extended servicing posture for many SKUs, and its cumulative servicing cadence differs from Windows 11.

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Why the fix matters (beyond semantics)​

At first glance, fixing an “Update and shutdown” mismatch looks cosmetic: change a behavior that sounds trivial. But this correction matters for real reasons:

• Energy consumption: PCs that remain powered instead of shutting down waste electricity, which is meaningful at scale and for users who expect their devices to be off overnight.
• Predictability and user intention: Consistent system behavior builds trust. When a clearly labeled control does the opposite of what it promises, user confidence and productivity suffer.
• Automation and maintenance workflows: Many users and administrators script around expected shutdown semantics (for imaging, night‑time maintenance, or scheduled tasks). Unpredictable results can interfere with these workflows.
• Security and update compliance: Misunderstandings about whether an update finished and whether a restart or shutdown was executed can complicate verification of update compliance.
• Battery life for portable devices: Laptops and tablets left on instead of shut down will consume battery and may shorten device lifespan if left in abnormal states.

The user experience implications are therefore more than cosmetic; they affect operational predictability, cost, and energy use.

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Cross-check: independent verification and observed side effects​

The remediation’s existence and stated scope are documented in official Microsoft release notes for the preview package, and multiple independent outlets and community testers reproduced the corrected shutdown behavior in preview flights. Independent reporting also surfaced an unexpected side effect: a Task Manager regression that left the utility’s process running after the UI was closed in some environments.

The Task Manager regression (observed regression)​

Shortly after the preview package circulated more broadly, some testers reported that closing Task Manager’s window using the standard close control did not always terminate the underlying taskmgr.exe process. Each open/close cycle could leave a resident taskmgr.exe instance active, meaning multiple orphaned instances could accumulate until reboot. The symptom was reproducible in multiple community reports and reproduced by independent test articles.
This is a good example of how even narrow servicing changes—here, changes to Task Manager’s grouping or process lifecycle behavior—can impact fundamental user interactions. Microsoft’s preview packaging model is meant to surface such regressions before a mandatory mainstream rollout; in practice, that means early adopters and pilot rings play an important role in catching regressions before the update lands on broad production rings.

Interpreting the trade-offs​

The presence of a Task Manager regression does not negate the value of fixing the shutdown behavior. It does, however, illustrate the trade-offs inherent in staged rollouts:

• Fixing complex orchestration logic can inadvertently touch unrelated lifecycle management paths.
• Preview updates are the right place to surface regressions, but they require active testing by administrators and enthusiasts.
• Organizations with strict uptime or deterministic behavior requirements should be conservative in adopting preview channel updates.

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What we still don’t know (and what’s unverifiable)​

A few claims commonly repeated in social channels and some headlines are either incomplete or unverifiable from public documentation:

• Why did the behavior persist for about a decade? Microsoft’s official notes describe an “underlying issue” but do not provide a narrative explaining why the problem was not fixed earlier. The public materials do not explain historical prioritization or the technical root causes over multiple releases.
• Did Windows 10 receive the same fix? The preview package and its OS build tokens are explicitly tied to Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 in available documentation. There is no public, explicit confirmation that an equivalent servicing adjustment was pushed to Windows 10 in that preview window; Windows 10 servicing is handled differently and often only receives selected, limited patches in extended support. This remains an open question until a Windows 10‑targeted KB with the same remediation language is published.
• Was the behavior intentionally designed at any point? The company’s published change language frames the correction as addressing an issue. That does not, however, prove whether any prior behavior had been designed for compatibility reasons on specific hardware permutations. The public record lacks a deliberate historical justification.

Flagging these as unresolved or only partially verifiable is essential for readers who want absolute clarity. The remediation is documented; the deeper why‑and‑when questions do not have fully transparent, public explanations.

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Practical guidance: how to get and test the fix now​

For users who want the corrected shutdown behavior immediately, here are pragmatic steps—ordered by risk and suitability for different users and environments.

• Check your current Windows version and build.
• Press Win+R, type winver, and press Enter. Note the OS version and build token.
• Use the optional preview route (for testers and enthusiasts):
• Settings → Windows Update → toggle on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” (if present), then Check for updates.
• If the preview non‑security package appears (the optional preview KB), install it, reboot, and verify behavior on a non‑critical machine.
• Join an Insider flight (Dev or Beta) for the earliest validation, but only on spare machines:
• Insiders receive fixes earlier but at higher risk of regressions. Do not enroll production devices.
• Wait for the mainstream cumulative rollout (conservative approach):
• The preview is being staged for the scheduled Patch Tuesday distribution; waiting for the general cumulative update reduces regression exposure for production systems.
• For enterprises:
• Pilot the preview in a controlled ring; review telemetry and user reports.
• Validate update and shutdown behavior across representative hardware (BIOS/UEFI versions, fast startup states, BitLocker configurations, and sign‑in options).
• Use WSUS/ConfigMgr to stage deployment and block if regressions appear.

Important precautions before installing preview updates:

• Backup critical data or create a full disk image if the machine is sensitive.
• Ensure System Restore points are enabled or have a recovery image to roll back if necessary.
• Pilot the update on devices that reflect the diversity of your fleet (chipset vendors, drivers, storage controllers, power profiles).

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Recommendations for power users and administrators​

• Treat preview cumulative updates as an early validation stage, not a production deployment vehicle.
• For home power users who value immediate fixes and can tolerate some risk, installing the preview on non‑critical devices is reasonable.
• For administrators, deploy the preview only within a small pilot ring and monitor for regressions such as Task Manager process anomalies.
• If encountering the Task Manager orphaning symptom, mitigate by terminating orphaned taskmgr.exe processes through Details view or PowerShell Get‑Process/Stop‑Process, and report telemetry if you can reproduce the issue.
• Monitor the Windows Release Health dashboard and the update’s KB page for subsequent known‑issue additions or out‑of‑band patches.

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Why this episode is a useful case study in OS maintenance​

This fix-and-regression scenario highlights systemic realities of modern OS servicing:

• Complexity and coupling: Orchestration logic that spans update servicing, sign‑in automation, and process lifecycle management is tightly coupled. A change in one area can ripple into others.
• Staged rollouts are necessary but imperfect: Insiders and preview updates catch many regressions, but not always every environmental edge case. Community testing is a force-multiplier for quality checks.
• User-facing labels matter: The simplest labels—Update and shutdown—carry strong expectations. Misalignment between label and behavior produces friction that compounds over widespread deployments.
• Telemetry and feedback loops: The capacity to iterate quickly—including rolling out a fix in preview and then in mainstream cumulative updates—is central to handling widely distributed platforms. At the same time, public transparency about root causes would help users and administrators understand risk and mitigation more clearly.

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Risks, side effects, and what to watch for​

• Regressions from preview fixes: As seen with Task Manager, fixing one path can create problems in another. Watch for resource accumulation, UI anomalies, or process lifecycle regressions after installing previews.
• Mixed device states: Different BIOS/UEFI, driver, and firmware combinations can vary how shutdown/restart is executed—test across device classes.
• Enterprise automation impacts: Scripts or imaging workflows that implicitly relied on previous behavior should be reviewed. Where automation assumes intermediate restarts or sign‑in steps, validate that the corrected behavior does not alter expected sequencing.
• Communication expectations: For managed users, update rollout notes and internal communication should set expectations about preview risks and the schedule for mainstream inclusion.

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The user experience payoff​

When the user interface finally aligns with user intent—when “Update and shutdown” actually shuts down—the daily friction disappears. For regular users this is a modest but meaningful quality-of-life improvement: a clean, predictable shutdown after updates, less energy waste, and fewer late‑night surprises. For administrators, the corrected behavior simplifies validation for maintenance workflows and reduces anomalies that complicate post‑update checks.
It’s also a reminder that small interface elements can carry outsized weight in user perception. Fixing a deceptively small mismatch restores trust in one of the most common interactions on Windows.

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Final analysis: a small fix with outsized lessons​

This update is an example of the slow, iterative nature of modern platform maintenance. The technical fix is narrow but corrects an important user expectation; the surrounding story—staged rollout, community testing, a preview‑stage regression in Task Manager, and cautious enterprise rollout guidance—tells a broader tale about the trade-offs between speed and stability.
The remediation restores deterministic behavior for users and administrators who had to work around the mismatch. The accompanying regression illustrates the need for robust pilot rings and the value of a staged preview pipeline. The lack of a detailed public explanation for why the symptom persisted for so long is unfortunate, and that opacity fuels speculation about prioritization and regression management. Until Microsoft provides a fuller post‑mortem, the technical chronology and the observed behavioral changes are the most reliable artifacts we can use to evaluate the fix.
For now, users who value immediate consistency can test the preview on non‑critical hardware; everyone else should expect the remediation to arrive via the mainstream cumulative update pipeline in the scheduled Patch Tuesday distribution. The lesson is clear: even tiny, well‑worn interface elements deserve rigorous attention, and when they finally behave as labeled, the platform is better for it.

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Source: www.guru3d.com Microsoft Fixes Windows “Update and Shutdown” Bug After 10 Years

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft’s terse changelog entry in a recent preview update finally does what it promises: the Start menu option “Update and shut down” now appears to power machines off after applying updates, addressing an intermittent bug that left some PCs restarted and still running instead of shut down. The remediation was identified in Windows Insider preview flights and folded into the October 28, 2025 optional preview cumulative package (KB5067036) for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, and Microsoft plans to include the fix in the next mainstream cumulative update cycle.

Background / Overview​

For many users the pair of menu items — Update and restart and Update and shut down — have long been a straightforward convenience: one applies updates and reboots now, the other applies updates and powers the PC off so the next boot is already patched. In practice, for a non‑trivial subset of machines that convenience was unreliable. Users would choose Update and shut down, leave the device, and return to a running PC at the lock screen or desktop — effectively a restart instead of a shutdown. That mismatch created real consequences: drained laptop batteries, failed maintenance windows, and lost trust in a basic OS control.
Microsoft’s public release notes now list a short but explicit remediation: “Fixed an underlying issue which can cause ‘Update and shutdown’ to not actually shut down your PC after updating.” The change first appeared in Insider Dev and Beta channel notes and was packaged into the optional preview cumulative update identified as KB5067036 (OS builds 26200.7019 and 26100.7019). Microsoft has described the corrective action as an orchestration fix in the servicing stack rather than a cosmetic relabeling.

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Why this bug mattered​

At face value the problem looks like a small UI mismatch. In real-world terms, however, it had outsized impact.

• Battery and energy waste — Laptops left “off” were sometimes left running, draining battery overnight.
• Operational friction — Environments that rely on deterministic shutdowns (imaging labs, staged maintenance) saw processes fail or produce inconsistent results.
• Loss of trust — When a labelled control doesn’t produce the promised outcome, users adopt risky workarounds (for example, always using Update and restart), undermining update compliance and convenience.

These practical effects explain why an apparently trivial bug generated sustained attention from home users, administrators, and the tech press. The bug’s intermittent and environment‑dependent nature made it particularly frustrating: it often depended on hardware, drivers, power settings, and the exact update payload.

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Technical anatomy — why “Update and shut down” sometimes acted like a restart​

Modern Windows update servicing and the shutdown process are not monolithic; they’re an orchestration across multiple subsystems. That complexity produced edge conditions where the final power state diverged from user intent.
Key technical contributors:

• Fast Startup (hybrid shutdown): When Fast Startup is enabled the OS performs a hybrid shutdown that preserves kernel session state. That hybrid semantics can change how offline servicing commits are handled and can influence whether the system performs a full power‑off or reuses preserved state on the next boot. This behavior can alter the shutdown vs. restart decision.
• Multi‑phase servicing: Many cumulative updates stage files while Windows runs and then commit replacements during offline shutdown/boot. Some packages require intermediate reboots; the servicing pipeline must carry the user’s final intent (shutdown vs. restart) across these phases — and if that “intent flag” is lost or overridden by a conditional path, the final result can be a restart.
• Sign‑in / finish‑after‑restart flows: Features that complete setup tasks by automatically signing in after restart (for example, “Use my sign‑in info to finish setting up my device”) change how post‑update configuration runs. If those flows are enabled or blocked, they can affect whether Windows completes an offline commit and powers off or instead restarts to complete the job.
• Driver/firmware handoffs and third‑party agents: Drivers or management agents that require full restarts to swap in updated in‑memory components can nudge the orchestrator toward a restart for the sake of system integrity. Different OEM drivers and management stacks multiply the conditional branches that determine final power state.

Because these pieces interact, the symptom was intermittent and hardware‑dependent — which is why Microsoft had to stage the fix through Insider rings and preview packages before a broad rollout.

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What Microsoft changed — timeline and artifacts​

Microsoft’s approach followed the standard validation path for servicing fixes: fix in Insider flights → bundle into an optional preview (fourth‑week) cumulative update → include in mainstream Patch Tuesday CU after telemetry validation.
Concrete milestones:

1. Insider preview notes (late September 2025) — The fix was first documented in Dev and Beta channel release notes with the succinct remediation text indicating an underlying servicing/orchestration change.
2. Optional preview cumulative update (October 28, 2025 — KB5067036) — Microsoft packaged the remediation into the non‑security preview cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 (OS builds reported as 26100.7019 and 26200.7019).
3. Staged rollout to mainstream (Patch Tuesday inclusion expected November 11, 2025) — The preview was intended for Release Preview testing and telemetry gathering prior to inclusion in the next mainstream monthly cumulative update. Administrators should expect the fix to reach broadly after Patch Tuesday validation completes.

Microsoft’s public changelog deliberately omits low‑level diagnostics; the company characterized the change as addressing an “underlying issue” rather than publishing an engineering postmortem. That means the precise code path or race condition fixed is not publicly documented. Treat any attribution of a specific root cause as an engineering inference rather than a confirmed internal explanation unless Microsoft later publishes deeper technical notes.

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How to verify and get the fix today (practical steps)​

For readers who want to validate or install the fix now, there are two practical paths: opt into preview (Insider/Release Preview) or wait for the mainstream Patch Tuesday roll‑out.

1. Insider/Preview path (immediate access, higher risk)
   • Enrol in the Windows Insider Program (Dev, Beta, or Release Preview channels as appropriate).
   • Install the optional preview cumulative update KB5067036 (published October 28, 2025) on non‑critical hardware to validate the behavior.
   • Test shutdown behavior across representative hardware and workloads (laptops, desktops, machines with Fast Startup enabled/disabled, and those with vendor management agents).
   • Roll back or defer if you encounter unrelated preview regressions — preview packages sometimes carry new issues alongside fixes.
2. Mainstream path (lower risk, broader validation)
   • Wait for the cumulative update distributed via normal Patch Tuesday channels (expected the second Tuesday of the month following the preview cycle).
   • Validate on a pilot ring (small cohort of production systems) before broad distribution across large fleets.
   • Continue to monitor device drivers and firmware updates from OEMs, since some interactions that previously caused restart behavior are hardware/driver dependent.

Checklist to verify the behavioral fix on a system:

• Confirm OS build after installing the preview CU (should reflect OS builds 26100.7019 or 26200.7019 for the preview packaging).
• Reproduce a test update scenario: create a pending update that requires offline servicing, choose Update and shut down, and confirm the device reaches a true power‑off state rather than returning to the lock screen or desktop.
• Test with Fast Startup both enabled and disabled.
• Validate with common third‑party drivers/managers used in your environment so you capture device‑specific behavior.

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Notable strengths of Microsoft’s approach​

• Behavioral fix, not just wording — The remediation is described as an orchestration and servicing change, which means Windows Update’s shutdown sequencing was addressed at the system level rather than merely adjusting UI text. That’s the correct engineering approach for a behavioral mismatch.
• Staged rollout with Insider validation — Shipping the change to Insider Dev/Beta channels first and then bundling it into an optional preview CU is standard Microsoft practice and reduces the risk of an immediate bad‑scale rollout. It gives telemetry across a range of hardware and configurations.
• Clear, concise public note — Microsoft’s release-note entry is explicit about the symptom addressed. Even though the note is short, it provides an actionable signal to administrators and users that a behavioral correction is included in the preview packaging.

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Risks, caveats and potential downsides​

• Preview packages can introduce regressions — Optional preview cumulative updates sometimes bundle multiple fixes and UX changes that haven’t completed full mainstream validation. Early adopters should be prepared for unrelated regressions; community reports have already called out isolated issues following the October preview. Test before wide deployment.
• No detailed root‑cause public postmortem — Microsoft’s notes do not explain the exact race condition or orchestration bug fixed. This improves speed of remediation but limits transparency and diagnostic clarity for enterprise teams trying to determine if other systemic issues might exist. Treat any specific internal cause claims as speculative until Microsoft provides a deeper analysis.
• Hardware/driver interactions may still cause edge cases — Because the servicing flow intersects with OEM drivers and third‑party management agents, certain configurations might continue to behave unpredictably until drivers and firmware are updated. Administrators should coordinate vendor updates and test in representative environments.
• Windows 10 coverage unclear in official notes — The preview KB and the Insider notes explicitly reference Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Public documentation tied to the preview package does not indicate a corresponding Windows 10 remediation in the same package. Reports claiming Microsoft will not provide a Windows 10 fix should be treated cautiously until Microsoft explicitly confirms an exclusion or publishes a Windows 10 update that addresses the same orchestration path. The official artifacts and preview KB are focused on Windows 11 branches.

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Enterprise impact and recommended rollout strategy​

For IT administrators the lesson is familiar: validate before you trust.

• Pilot first — Deploy the preview or the forthcoming Patch Tuesday cumulative update to a small pilot group with representative hardware and management agents to validate the fix and to watch for other interactions.
• Test power‑state semantics — Include automated checks that verify shutdown semantics after update install. Create test cases that exercise Fast Startup enabled/disabled, different driver stacks, and devices managed by vendor tools.
• Coordinate vendor updates — Ask endpoint OEMs and management tool vendors whether their drivers or agents have known interactions with offline servicing flows. Update device firmware and drivers when vendor patches are available.
• Monitor telemetry — Collect logs around the update orchestration and the reboot/power‑off decision path. Look for abnormal reboot counts or unexpected state transitions in device telemetry post‑deployment.
• Defer non‑critical preview adoption — For large fleets, prefer the mainstream Patch Tuesday rollout after initial telemetry validates behavior across a wide hardware set. Optional preview releases are best for lab and pilot deployment.

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Cross‑checks and verification of claims​

Multiple independent reporting artifacts and community threads corroborate the key points:

• The remediation language appeared in Insider Dev and Beta release notes and was then packaged into an optional preview cumulative update in late October 2025.
• The preview KB lists the improvement as addressing an “underlying issue” that could cause Update and shutdown to not actually power off, and identifies the affected Windows 11 branches (24H2 and 25H2).
• Community testing and early adopter reports indicate the fix corrects the behavior in tested scenarios, while some early preview adopters reported unrelated regressions that underscore the need for careful staging.

Where public documents stop short: the precise engineering root cause — the exact race condition or code path — has not been disclosed in a technical postmortem by Microsoft. That omission is common for many servicing fixes but means the public cannot, today, point to a line‑level change or a patch diff that incontrovertibly explains the prior behavior. Treat internal cause claims with caution unless Microsoft publishes further technical detail.

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Practical troubleshooting if the problem persists after the update​

If you install the preview or later cumulative update and still see restart behavior after selecting Update and shut down, investigate these items in sequence:

1. Check Fast Startup — Temporarily disable Fast Startup and rerun the update‑and‑shutdown scenario to see if hybrid shutdown semantics were a factor.
2. Update firmware and drivers — Ensure OEM firmware and critical drivers (chipset, power management) are current. Driver handoffs can force restart semantics.
3. Examine management agents — Vendor or MDM agents may alter shutdown flows; test with them disabled to isolate behavior.
4. Inspect update staging logs — Look for multi‑phase servicing indicators (staged operations that require multiple commits) and rebootCount fields in update telemetry.
5. Reproduce on known‑good hardware — Test the same update on a machine with a minimal software stack to determine whether the issue is configuration specific.

If the issue persists and cannot be isolated, collect logs and open a support case with Microsoft, providing reproduction steps and telemetry to aid triage.

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Conclusion​

The functional promise of a UI label — that Update and shut down will actually power the PC off — is almost too small to mention until it fails. The recent preview update and the Insider‑validated remediation address an orchestration-level servicing bug that, in certain configurations, turned that simple promise into a frustrating restart. Microsoft’s fix restores deterministic behavior in the targeted Windows 11 branches and follows normal staged validation paths; it is the right class of fix for a behavioral defect of this type.
That said, the story highlights persistent realities of large OS ecosystems: complex interactions between update servicing, power management, drivers, firmware, and third‑party agents can produce surprising user-visible effects. Administrators and power users should validate the preview on non‑critical systems, coordinate vendor updates, and prefer staged rollouts for broad deployments. Finally, because Microsoft has not published a detailed postmortem, assertions about the single precise root cause remain speculative until the company provides deeper technical disclosure. Proceed with measured testing, and expect the fix to reach the general population through the upcoming mainstream cumulative update cadence.

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Source: gHacks Technology News Microsoft claims that it has fixed "update and shutdown" bug that caused Windows to restart instead - gHacks Tech News

 

[ChatGPT]

After years of complaints, Microsoft has quietly reworked the Windows 11 Start menu into a single, scrollable launcher that finally restores practical app discovery, gives users explicit controls to silence the persistent Recommended feed, and adds three distinct ways to browse installed software — all delivered as part of the recent 24H2/25H2 servicing previews and a staged enablement model.

Background​

When Windows 11 shipped, its centered, tile‑free Start menu traded density and discoverability for a cleaner look. That aesthetic choice produced a consistent complaint from power users and long‑time Windows fans: apps and recently used items felt harder to reach, and the prominent Recommended area crowded the interface with suggestions and frequently surfaced files. Microsoft has been iterating in Insider rings for months and has now folded those experiments into a broader, optional preview rollout that packages the new Start experience in servicing updates while enabling the feature gradually via server‑side flags.
The practical delivery vehicle for this redesign has been an optional, non‑security preview (identified in coverage as KB5067036) that ships binaries to systems running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Installing the package places the new Start infrastructure on a PC, but Microsoft flips the experience on for subsets of devices in stages to limit risk and gather telemetry — meaning installing the KB does not always make the new UI appear immediately.

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What changed: the Start menu rethought​

Microsoft’s redesign is focused, pragmatic and clearly responsive to long‑running user feedback. The changes most users will notice right away are functional rather than cosmetic: the Start menu is larger, it’s presented as one vertical surface, and it now offers multiple browsing modes for the full apps catalog.

Single, scrollable surface​

The Start menu now behaves like a single, vertically scrollable canvas: pinned apps, the Recommended area (if enabled), and your complete All apps list live on one page you simply scroll through. This eliminates the old two‑step interaction where All apps lived behind a separate page and reduces friction for users with long app lists. The layout adapts to display density and scales to show more content on larger, high‑DPI screens.

Pinned area improvements​

Pinned apps sit at the top of the canvas and are presented in a more flexible grid. By default you get two rows of pins, with wider screens showing more icons per row (for example, six per row on smaller displays and up to eight on larger ones). A new “Show all pins by default” option removes the extra click to reveal the full pinned set — an especially welcome tweak for users who rely on many shortcuts. The pinned section also automatically shrinks when you only have a few pins, keeping the surface tidy.

Three All apps views: Category, Grid, List​

One of the biggest functional additions is three distinct ways to browse the installed apps:

• Category view: Apps are grouped automatically into topical buckets such as Productivity, Games, Creativity, and Communication. Frequently used apps rise to the top of their respective categories. Categories are created only when the system detects a threshold of similar apps (commonly three or more), otherwise entries fall into an Other bucket. This view is designed for task‑oriented discovery.
• Grid view: A denser, tile‑like alphabetized grid that lets your eyes scan horizontally across the screen. This is useful on widescreen or high‑resolution displays where horizontal scanning is faster than long vertical lists.
• List view: The classic alphabetical A→Z list retained for keyboard‑driven workflows and power users who prefer a predictable ordering. The Start menu remembers the last view you chose and restores it on next open.

These three options balance contextual discovery and predictability: Category helps group related tools, Grid speeds visual scanning, and List keeps deterministic order.

Finally: hide Recommended entirely​

Responding to a persistent gripe, Microsoft added explicit toggles under Settings → Personalization → Start so you can turn off:

• Show recently added apps
• Show recommended files
• Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts and new apps

Flip these switches and the Recommended section disappears entirely from the Start canvas, leaving only your Pinned and All apps views for a much cleaner launcher. This is a decisive move that addresses the long‑standing annoyance of in‑Start suggestions and promotions.

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Phone Link: a practical sidebar inside Start​

Microsoft also folded Phone Link into the Start chrome with a collapsible sidebar. A mobile device button near Start’s search opens a compact Phone Link panel that surfaces phone battery, messages, calls, photos and recent activity — and offers lightweight file sharing between phone and PC without launching a full Phone Link window. For users who keep their phone nearby, this is a welcome productivity shortcut; for others it’s easily hidden via the same Start personalization settings.
Phone Link integration is particularly notable because it signals Microsoft’s continuing push toward cross‑device convenience: making phone interactions glanceable and actionable from the desktop reduces context switching for hybrid workflows.

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How Microsoft is rolling this out​

Understanding the delivery model matters: Microsoft has not pushed a monolithic reinstall. Instead, much of the 25H2 UI code has been back‑ported into servicing branches and is activated via small enablement packages and server‑side gating.

• The redesigned Start appears in optional preview packages commonly referenced as KB5067036 and was made available to Release Preview and Insider channels. The package contains the updated binaries for both 24H2 and 25H2, but Microsoft rolls the feature out in phases to reduce risk.
• Binaries may be present on many devices before the feature is enabled; Microsoft flips feature flags for cohorts of devices as part of a staged deployment and telemetry monitoring strategy. That explains why two otherwise identical machines can show different Start experiences even after applying the same update.

This measured approach lowers the chance of large‑scale regressions while allowing Microsoft to observe behavior across hardware classes and user segments. It also means early adopters may need to be patient or choose an alternative route to force the experience onto their systems.

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How to get the new Start now — supported and community paths​

There are two practical ways to get the new Start menu:

• Official path (recommended): install the optional preview in Release Preview / optional Windows Update. Wait for Microsoft’s staged enablement to turn the experience on for your device. This route is the safest and preserves official support and rollback behavior.
• Community method (faster, unsupported): use ViVeTool to enable the feature flags now. ViVeTool is a community utility that flips OS feature IDs locally and has been commonly used by enthusiasts to unlock staged functionality. If you go this route, download ViVeTool only from official GitHub releases, run it from an elevated prompt, and be prepared to revert or uninstall the preview if something breaks. Community builds such as ViVeTool v0.3.x are mentioned widely, but this approach is unsupported by Microsoft and carries real risks to stability and enterprise compliance.

Cautionary note: forcing staged features can expose unpolished code paths and may interact poorly with third‑party shell modifiers, Start menu replacements, or enterprise management policies. For most users and all enterprise deployments, the supported preview path is the safer option.

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What’s still missing or imperfect​

The redesign is a solid usability improvement, but it’s not a cure‑all. Several pragmatic limitations and user pain points remain:

• No resize control: despite the larger Start canvas, you cannot manually resize the Start menu. On smaller laptops, the fixed scale can feel unwieldy and cramped. Power users who value precise sizing still have to lean on third‑party Start replacements or workarounds.
• Category control is limited: the Category view is auto‑generated and currently lacks robust manual editing (you cannot rename buckets or force‑reassign apps into custom categories). That system control may frustrate users who want deterministic organization or admins who require predictable software placement.
• Search behavior jarring: when you start a search from Start, the UI switches to a smaller, separate search surface — a minor but noticeable interaction mismatch that some users find jarring.
• Feature gating and rollout inconsistency: because the update is staged via server flags, availability is uneven across devices — a practical annoyance for multi‑machine households and IT teams trying to document or pilot the change.

These limitations should not be overlooked — they matter to the audience most likely to care about Start: enthusiasts, developers, system administrators and heavy multitaskers.

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Enterprise and IT considerations​

For IT teams the new Start menu presents both opportunity and a few complication points.

• Testing: the staged rollout model means enterprises cannot assume synchronous exposure across a managed fleet. Pilots should include hardware and software diversity to catch UI regressions and interactions with enterprise tools (virtual desktops, app virtualization, or management agents).
• Manageability: while toggles to hide Recommended content are user‑accessible, enterprises that want to standardize Start layouts across users will need to watch for policy or MDM settings changes. Microsoft’s phased model reduces risk but increases planning overhead for large deployments.
• Supportability: admins should avoid community feature‑flag methods like ViVeTool on production machines; doing so can complicate support, break group policies and introduce troubleshooting ambiguity. The supported path — installing the optional preview and waiting for staged enablement — remains the recommended enterprise approach.

In short: prioritize testing, don’t force features on production endpoints, and include the new Start experience in compatibility validation for line‑of‑business applications and workflows.

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Security, stability and rollback advice​

The safest path to new experiences is the supported preview channel. If you choose to experiment earlier, follow these rules:

• Back up first: create a system restore point or a full image before toggling feature flags with community tools. Unforeseen interactions with shell extensions or accessibility tools can necessitate a rollback.
• Use official downloads: if using ViVeTool, only obtain binaries from the official project releases on GitHub and verify the release tag and checksums where provided. Community tools reduce friction but are not supported by Microsoft.
• Revert with care: if the new Start causes issues, remove the preview package or disable the feature flags and allow the system to revert on reboot. Document the enablement IDs you change so you can reverse them cleanly.
• Enterprise policy: avoid community flagging on corporate devices. Instead, use Microsoft’s distribution channels, roll out to canary groups via your management tooling, and monitor telemetry and helpdesk tickets closely.

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Why this matters: a critical assessment​

The redesign represents a pragmatic course correction rather than a dramatic rethink. Strengths and risks deserve explicit consideration.

Strengths​

• Tangible usability wins: making the All apps list first‑class and scrollable reduces clicks and cognitive friction for users with many apps. The three views give real choice between contextual discovery and predictable ordering.
• User control over recommendations: adding explicit toggles to hide Recommended content directly addresses a top user complaint and reduces unwanted promotional surfaces inside Start.
• Cross‑device productivity: embedding Phone Link in Start is a practical plus for users who lean on phone/PC continuity throughout the day.
• Low friction delivery model: the enablement package approach means the update can be small and fast to deploy for patched 24H2/25H2 systems.

Risks and missing pieces​

• Limited customization for power users: lack of manual category control and inability to resize the Start menu are realistic pain points for users who preferred the configurability of previous Start iterations or third‑party replacements.
• Rollout inconsistency: the staged enablement model is sensible from a risk management standpoint, but it creates variability and support complexity across environments.
• Potential for early instability: using community tools to force features can expose untested combinations of shell extensions and enterprise agents, increasing the chance of regressions.

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What’s next for Start​

The redesign is a clear signal that Microsoft is listening to feedback and iterating in ways that favor productivity and control. Expected next steps likely include:

• More granular category controls (manual renaming, splitting/merging buckets).
• Improved keyboard and accessibility workflows to ensure the single surface remains friendly to screen readers and power keyboard users.
• Greater enterprise control for organizations that need deterministic Start layouts.

Microsoft’s staged approach allows them to refine these elements before a broad release, but users and admins should keep expectations realistic: this is an important, practical improvement — not a complete reimagining of the Start paradigm.

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Conclusion​

The new Windows 11 Start menu is the most meaningful usability correction Microsoft has made to the OS launcher since Windows 11’s launch. It addresses the central complaints that long‑time users had about discoverability and intrusive recommendations by delivering a single, scrollable surface, multiple browsing modes (Category, Grid, List), explicit controls to hide Recommended content, and useful Phone Link integration. That combination makes the Start menu measurably better for day‑to‑day work while leaving room for the power‑user polish still missing — notably the ability to resize the menu and fully control category assignments.
For most users the recommended route is to install the supported optional preview and wait for Microsoft’s staged enablement; enthusiasts who want the redesign immediately can experiment with ViVeTool but should do so only after backing up and understanding the risks. Overall, the redesign is a welcome, practical step in the right direction — not a perfect finish, but a meaningful improvement that shows Microsoft can course‑correct when long‑time users speak up.

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Source: MakeUseOf Microsoft finally fixed the worst part of Windows 11

 

[ChatGPT]

Windows 11’s 25H2 maintenance release arrives as a familiar-but-refined shell over last year’s 24H2 codebase, and with it comes the same friction many users have come to expect: taskbar clutter, persistent tips and recommendations, Web‑driven Copilot hooks, widget feeds, and a raft of preinstalled apps and prompts that make a “fresh” install feel busy instead of calm. This feature‑forward posture is optional to an extent — Microsoft exposes supported toggles to turn most of these behaviors off — but it also pushes users toward choices that favor discovery and Microsoft services. The practical response is a conservative, reversible cleanup routine: silence notifications, hide or remove UI chrome you don’t use, clamp down telemetry and targeted ads, and decide how — and whether — you want Copilot and other AI integrations to run on your device. This article walks through a modern, validated cleanup playbook for Windows 11 25H2 (builds in the 26200.x family), explains what you gain and what you risk, and gives clear, step‑by‑step actions for both home users and IT admins.

Background / Overview​

Windows 11 25H2 is delivered primarily as an enablement/servicing update that keeps feature parity with 24H2 while packaging fixes and Copilot/Copilot+ refinements for eligible devices. Microsoft’s October 28, 2025 non‑security preview update (KB5067036) references OS builds 26200.7019 and 26100.7019 and documents a range of Copilot and File Explorer improvements as well as staged rollouts for Copilot+ experiences on supported hardware. That update is the version many technicians are now tuning their cleanup workflows against. At the same time, the product trend is clear: Windows surfaces more contextual content (Start recommendations, Search highlights, Widgets, and Copilot hints) to support discovery and Microsoft services. Those same surfaces produce the visual noise that drives users to “declutter” in the first place. The following sections reconcile those two truths: you can significantly reduce noise using officially supported controls, but some deeper removals require caution and enterprise‑grade tooling.

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Quick, safe wins: calm the desktop in 10 minutes​

These are the lowest‑risk, highest‑payoff changes. They’re reversible, use Settings or Control Panel paths, and preserve security updates and core services.

1) Tidy the Taskbar and hide Widgets​

• Open Settings → Personalization → Taskbar and toggle off items you don’t use: Widgets, Search, Task View, and other taskbar items. Hidden buttons stay off the surface but remain available via keyboard shortcuts (for example, Win + W for Widgets).
• Consider Automatically hide the taskbar (Taskbar behaviors) to keep the desktop visually cleaner.

Why this helps: the taskbar is the primary visual anchor; removing active badges and animated icons lowers cognitive load immediately.

2) Disable Start menu suggestions​

• Settings → Personalization → Start → turn off Show suggestions for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more. This removes the rotating “Recommended” cards and installation prompts.

Impact: stops promotional suggestions and reduces background lookups tied to personalization pipelines.

3) Mute notifications and turn on Focus​

• Settings → System → Notifications → turn off Get tips, tricks, and suggestions and set priority channels carefully.
• Use Focus sessions (Clock app) or Do Not Disturb to schedule interruption‑free work windows.

Result: fewer popups, fewer UI redraws, and improved perceived responsiveness.

4) Switch lock screen and File Explorer behavior​

• Settings → Personalization → Lock screen: use Picture or Slideshow (not Windows Spotlight) and turn off fun facts/tips.
• File Explorer → … (three dots) → Options → View → uncheck Show sync provider notifications to stop OneDrive/other cloud nudges.

Benefit: reduces dynamic content downloads and minor background activity from Spotlight and cloud providers.

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Privacy and telemetry: tighten data flows​

If your objective includes privacy, these supported settings limit what Windows sends or uses without disabling critical protections.

• Settings → Privacy & Security → General → turn off Advertising ID to stop apps from using your advertising identifier.
• Settings → Privacy & Security → Diagnostics & Feedback → disable Send Optional Diagnostic Data, turn off Tailored Experiences, and set Feedback frequency to Never. Optionally use Delete diagnostic data to clear existing telemetry.

Why it matters: these toggles reduce personalization‑driven promotions and the telemetry surface that fuels recommendations. They are supported toggles Microsoft exposes because the company balances telemetry for improvements with user control.
Caveat: some cloud features and experiences (cross‑device Resume, Windows Search cloud results) will lose functionality when you restrict telemetry aggressively.

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Taking the AI out: Copilot, Copilot+, and Edge integration​

Windows 11’s evolving Copilot integration is the most frequent reason people ask to “take the AI out.” Copilot now exists in multiple forms: a native app in some builds, deep links into Edge and Web services, and Copilot+ hardware‑accelerated experiences on Copilot+ PCs. There is no single master switch that disables every Copilot‑related surface across every edition and integration; however, supported controls plus conservative administrative measures can effectively neutralize its presence for most users.

What Microsoft documents and what’s practical​

• Microsoft’s 25H2 servicing notes document Copilot and Copilot+ feature rollouts and note that experience availability depends on device, region, and Copilot+ hardware. KB5067036 details Copilot+ changes and other fixes for 24H2/25H2 builds.
• For Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education, use Group Policy:
• Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Copilot → Turn off Windows Copilot (set to Enabled) or apply the equivalent registry policy under HKLM/HKCU Policies for WindowsCopilot. This removes the taskbar button and prevents the system‑level Copilot entry from appearing in many contexts.
• For Home users, the registry method achieves similar effects (create the WindowsCopilot key and set TurnOffWindowsCopilot = 1), but Registry edits should be used with backups and a restore point.

Edge and Web fallbacks: the hard part​

• Newer builds route many Copilot invocations through Edge or Web URIs (for example, ms-copilot:, ms-edge-copilot:, or Edge Sidebar Copilot). Hiding the taskbar button does not necessarily prevent Edge from opening Copilot‑style experiences when a link or shortcut is invoked. Practical controls include disabling the Edge Sidebar Copilot via Edge policies or Group Policy (Microsoft Edge → Sidebar → Disable Copilot in Sidebar) and, in managed environments, blocking the ms‑copilot URI handler via policy.

Advanced enterprise controls​

• AppLocker or Software Restriction Policies can block access to any Copilot executable path or the associated protocol handlers, preventing both local and deep‑link launches. Blocking network access to copilot endpoints at the firewall level is a last resort for organizations that require complete isolation. Microsoft’s admin guidance and community testing recommend staged pilot deployment when applying such rules.

Practical, safe removal (summary)​

• Hide the Copilot taskbar button (Settings → Personalization → Taskbar) for immediate reduction of surface noise.
• Apply the Turn off Windows Copilot GPO or the equivalent registry key for machine‑wide disabling.
• Disable Copilot in Microsoft Edge via Edge policy (Sidebar/Copilot flags) where Edge is used as the fallback.
• For maximum isolation in managed fleets, use AppLocker/SRP to block executable and URI handlers, and consider firewall rules to block web endpoints.

Important: Microsoft has repeatedly changed how Copilot is packaged and invoked across updates; experience may differ between builds and may be reintroduced by future updates. Test on non‑production devices and maintain rollback procedures.

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Removing preinstalled apps and “bloatware”: measured approaches​

Windows ships with many UWP and Win32 apps. Removing everything is tempting but may break dependencies (some in‑box apps provide shared runtimes). Use these conservative options:

• Settings → Apps → Installed apps: remove third‑party apps (Spotify, OEM trialware). Use the Install/Uninstall UI for user apps.
• For built‑in UWP apps, PowerShell’s Get‑AppxPackage / Remove‑AppxPackage can uninstall apps per user; Get‑AppxPackage -AllUsers followed by Remove‑AppxPackage removes packages systemwide. Only remove packages you understand and be prepared to re‑register apps if needed (Add‑AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "<InstallLocation>\AppXManifest.xml").

Caveat: community projects (Tiny11, Tiny11Core Maker, custom ISOs) offer aggressive debloating and slim images, but they are not officially supported and can cause update or security issues — Tiny11 has historically struggled with updates and may not reliably install future security patches. Use such tools only in lab environments or where you can accept rebuild risk.

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Advanced: registry tweaks, Group Policy, and the risk profile​

Many persistent “hacks” on the internet work today but can break tomorrow when Microsoft moves settings, renames keys, or replaces components.

• Registry edits (SearchHighlights, ContentDeliveryManager tweaks, disabling Spotlight) are often effective but brittle. Back up keys and create System Restore points. Several community threads note updates re‑enable or change registry-backed behaviors across feature updates.
• Group Policy (GPO) is the preferred management approach for enterprise fleets. Use Administrative Templates or Intune Configuration Profiles instead of ad‑hoc registry pushes for reproducibility.

Safety checklist before any registry/GPO sweep:

• Create a disk image or system restore point.
• Test changes on a pilot machine for ≥48–72 hours.
• Keep rollback commands and documentation (services sc config / sc start, PowerShell re‑registration scripts) handy.

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A realistic expectation of wins​

What you can expect:

• Immediate UX calm and lower interruption rates from Start suggestions, Widgets, and notification reductions. These are subjectively large wins.
• Modest measurable performance improvements on low‑spec or HDD‑based devices: fewer background polls, lower memory usage from widgets/WebView2 activities, and shorter perceived app open times. Gains vary widely by hardware.
• Improved privacy posture from disabling Advertising ID and optional diagnostics.

What you likely will not get:

• A massive occlusion of all telemetry — some basic telemetry is required for update health and Windows Security; enterprise audits should weigh the tradeoffs.
• Permanent removal of AI hooks if you only hide buttons. Microsoft’s ongoing rework of Copilot may mean it returns in alternate forms unless you use administrative blocking.

Unverifiable claims: avoid single‑number promises (for example, “app opens 20% faster” or “65% of users report visual overload”) unless they cite a reproducible study. Independent sources and community lab tests show directional gains but results depend on each device’s profile. Treat such percentages as illustrative, not guaranteed.

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A step‑by‑step cleanup checklist (conservative, reversible)​

• Install all current security updates and create a full system backup or system restore point.
• Taskbar: Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → toggle off Widgets, Search, Task View, and Copilot (if present).
• Start menu: Settings → Personalization → Start → turn off Show suggestions.
• Notifications: Settings → System → Notifications → turn off tips & suggested notifications, configure priority app list.
• Privacy: Settings → Privacy & Security → General → Advertising ID Off. Diagnostics & Feedback → Send Optional Diagnostic Data Off; Tailored Experiences Off.
• Widgets and Search Highlights: disable via Settings; if persistent, clear Edge/Search caches and reboot.
• Copilot: hide first; then apply Group Policy / registry policy if you want it disabled systemwide (Pro/Enterprise preferred). If Edge still opens Copilot, disable Edge sidebar Copilot via Edge policy.
• Remove obvious third‑party bloat via Settings → Apps. Use PowerShell judiciously for built‑in UWP app removals. Keep a reinstallation plan.
• Verify operation for 48–72 hours. If issues arise, roll back the most recent change and restore the system image if necessary.

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Enterprise notes: fleet management and update posture​

• Use Group Policy, Microsoft Intune (MDM), or configuration profiles to apply consistent settings across large deployments. Avoid user‑level registry pushes; they’re harder to manage and audit.
• Test any blocking of Copilot in pilot groups. Blocking Copilot via AppLocker/URI rules may be necessary for sensitive environments but can create helpdesk churn when users expect the feature.
• Monitor the Windows release health dashboard and KB change logs — Microsoft stages non‑security updates and sometimes changes or reintroduces behaviors in subsequent releases. KB5067036 is an example of a staged, build‑specific update to watch.

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Final analysis: strengths, risks, and recommended posture​

Strengths of a supported cleanup approach:

• Low friction: Most changes are reversible through Settings or Group Policy.
• Immediate benefits: Fewer interruptions and a calmer visual environment for end users.
• Privacy gains: Supported toggles reduce ad personalization and optional telemetry without breaking core security services.

Risks and tradeoffs:

• Brittle hacks: Registry and third‑party ISO hacks may be undone by feature updates; they require maintenance.
• Functional loss: Disabling telemetry and Copilot features can remove convenience features (cross‑device Resume, cloud‑powered search results).
• Operational overhead: Enterprises must pilot and document changes to avoid support issues, especially when using AppLocker, SRP, or firewall blocks for Copilot.

Recommended posture:

• Start with the supported, reversible Settings toggles described here and validate results for several days.
• If you manage multiple devices, codify changes through GPO or MDM so they’re auditable and reproducible.
• Reserve advanced removals and third‑party image builds for lab or disposable systems only, and maintain an imaging/restore plan.

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Windows 11 25H2 doesn’t force you to live with noise and unsolicited suggestions — it provides supported tools to quiet the desktop and remove AI surfaces you don’t want. The right balance is conservative: use Settings and Group Policy for most changes, test in pilots, and only apply aggressive removals when you can accept the maintenance cost. That approach reclaims attention and privacy without turning Windows into an unsupported experiment.

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Source: Ars Technica How to declutter, quiet down, and take the AI out of Windows 11 25H2

 

[ChatGPT]

Windows 11 25H2 lands like a familiar, slightly busier living room: the furniture is largely the same as 24H2, but there are more accent pieces, streaming prompts, and an insistence that you adopt a certain lifestyle before you can sit down. For technicians and power users who prefer a calm, private workspace, the release has re‑ignited a practical workflow: clean the UI, reclaim control over AI hooks, and harden privacy without trashing updates or supportability. This feature‑by‑feature guide synthesizes recent community testing, Microsoft servicing notes, and the practical cleanup playbooks circulating among Windows experts to give you a step‑by‑step, reversible plan for decluttering Windows 11 25H2 — plus the real risks to watch for and the enterprise considerations admins must factor into any fleetwide policy.

Background / Overview​

Windows 11 25H2 is delivered as a servicing/enablement update that continues the product direction set in previous releases: tighter integration with Microsoft services, broader Copilot AI surfaces, and more proactive recommendations across Start, Search, and Widgets. That posture gives casual users discovery cues, but it also creates ongoing friction for those who prefer a minimal, local experience. Practical cleanup is therefore a balance: use supported toggles where possible, apply administrative controls for enterprise consistency, and treat any registry or script‑based "hard removals" as brittle — they can be undone by future feature updates or servicing patches.
At the same time, October–November 2025 preview updates (notably KB5067036 in late October) remind us that patching can introduce regressions and behavior changes. Community reports show a mix of functional fixes and painful edge cases after the October preview — from UI quirks to device driver breakage — underscoring the value of testing cleanup steps on a pilot machine before a wide rollout.

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Why bother? The upside of cleaning Windows 11 25H2​

The immediate wins from a conservative cleanup are obvious and fast:

• Reduced distractions: hiding Start recommendations, Widgets, and taskbar extras cuts notification noise.
• Better perceived performance: fewer UI redraws and background WebView2 activity give low‑spec and HDD systems measurable gains.
• Improved privacy posture: disabling Advertising ID, Tailored Experiences, and optional diagnostics reduces personalization‑driven data flows without breaking critical security services.

These are mostly low‑risk, reversible changes you can apply in minutes — and they buy you a calmer desktop that behaves predictably.

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Quick checklist: ten minutes to a calmer desktop​

These are supported, low‑risk changes to make first. Test them, then give the machine 48–72 hours of normal use before doing anything deeper.

• Taskbar: Settings → Personalization → Taskbar — toggle off Widgets, Search, Task View, Chat/Copilot buttons.
• Start menu: Settings → Personalization → Start — turn off “Show suggestions” and recommended items.
• Notifications: Settings → System → Notifications — turn off “Get tips, tricks, and suggestions”; use Focus sessions/Do Not Disturb.
• Lock screen: Settings → Personalization → Lock screen — choose Picture/Slideshow, disable Windows Spotlight tips.
• File Explorer: open the menu (three dots) → Options → View → uncheck “Show sync provider notifications” to reduce OneDrive nudges.
• Privacy basics: Settings → Privacy & Security → General — disable Advertising ID; Diagnostics & Feedback — set Feedback frequency to Never, disable Optional data and Tailored Experiences if privacy is a goal.
• Storage and cleanup: Settings → System → Storage → Run Storage Sense or Cleanup Recommendations to reclaim previous Windows installs and temp files.

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The Start Menu and Taskbar: prune, don’t hack​

The taskbar and Start menu are where most users feel the clutter first. Use the supported UI toggles above for the least friction. Beyond the UI switches, cautious power users and IT admins have a few additional, supported options:

• Use Group Policy or MDM to apply Start and taskbar settings across devices to prevent user‑level reconfiguration in managed environments.
• Avoid unmanaged third‑party tweaks for deep removals on production machines — they can be flagged by security software and break after updates.

Why avoid heavy hacks? Because Microsoft’s servicing model can reintroduce features or re‑enable UI elements — what you remove by editing the registry today may be restored or changed after the next cumulative or enablement update.

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AI features: hide vs. disable — what works and what’s fragile​

Copilot and related AI surfaces are the common lightning rods. They appear as:

• a taskbar button and native Copilot app,
• deep Edge integrations (sidebar, contextual hints), and
• platform linkages to Copilot+ hardware experiences on select devices.

There is no universal “kill switch” that covers every integration across all editions, but there are practical, layered approaches:

• First step (supported): hide the Copilot button and related UI elements via Settings → Personalization → Taskbar. This removes visual clutter and is reversible.
• Administrative controls: for Pro/Enterprise/Education, Group Policy exposes a policy path (Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Copilot → “Turn off Windows Copilot”) and equivalent registry keys can be pushed via device management to neutralize system‑level Copilot surfaces.
• Edge and web hooks: if Copilot behavior is still triggered through Edge, a separate Edge policy (or MDM configuration) is the supported path to control that surface.

Important caveat: registry and user‑level hacks that remove Copilot entirely are brittle. Microsoft may reintroduce the UI or change integration paths via servicing updates; admins should prefer Group Policy/Intune where possible and keep blocking rules under review. Community testing shows that some aggressive removals are reanimated by subsequent patches.

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Recall and local privacy concerns: what to turn off​

Newer Windows features that “remember” or index user activity for recall and contextual suggestions are handy for some users and invasive for others. The common approach is:

• Disable optional sync and tailored experiences from Settings → Privacy & Security → Diagnostics & Feedback and Related Areas.
• For Recall‑style features that persist beyond simple toggles, follow the vendor‑documented disabling steps and confirm via the privacy dashboard that data has been cleared. Community documentation and step‑by‑step guides exist for the recent Recall feature, and responsible cleanups include explicit deletion of stored memories where supported.

Flag: when a feature stores data beyond local caches (cloud memory, cross‑device continuity), deleting the local control may not remove cloud copies — use the account privacy portal or device management APIs to purge cloud records.

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Setting up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account (local/enterprise installs)​

The insistence on Microsoft accounts during OOBE has been tightened in recent builds, prompting user and admin pushback. There are three practical, community‑tested routes to set up a machine locally:

• Official/Supported: For Pro/Enterprise, use the “Domain join instead” / Azure AD/Hybrid join options or provisioning packages in enterprise scenarios to create local/managed identities during setup.
• Supported admin path: create installation media using provisioning tools or configuration passes (unattend.xml) that specify local accounts for business deployments. This is the recommended, auditable route for organizations.
• Community/workaround methods: command prompts (Shift+F10) with OOBE bypass commands (oobe\bypassnro or start ms-cxh:localonly), or using Rufus to produce an ISO that removes the online account requirement. These are widely discussed and can still work in many cases, but Microsoft is actively closing common bypasses in newer test builds, so they are not guaranteed forever.

Operational note: Microsoft has been progressively plugging bypass routes in test builds and preview channels. If your workflow requires local account installs at scale, invest in sanctioned device provisioning tools rather than depending on brittle tricks.

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Storage, cleanup, and reclaiming space without risking stability​

Built‑in Windows tools are your safest first stop:

• Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr) with “Clean up system files” removes Windows Update leftovers and Windows.old safely.
• Storage Sense and Cleanup Recommendations automate temporary file removal and suggest large, unused files to delete.
• For deeper dives: use DISM /Online /Cleanup‑Image /StartComponentCleanup to shrink the component store and DriverStore Explorer to identify outdated drivers. Visual treemaps like WizTree or WinDirStat help locate hidden space hogs.

Caution: tools that delete drivers or critical Windows components should be used with administrator awareness and backups. Create a system restore point or full image before aggressive pruning, and keep a rollback path.

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Testing, verification, and rollback — an essential discipline​

A reliable cleanup process includes validation steps:

• Test changes on a pilot machine for at least 48–72 hours. Monitor for functional regressions (audio, NVR clients, USB devices) that community reports show can surface after updates or policy changes.
• Keep rollback commands and documentation ready: system restore, uninstall the most recent update, or maintain a known‑good recovery USB/ISO.
• Avoid pushing user‑level registry hacks fleetwide; prefer MDM/GPO so you can audit and reverse changes centrally.

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Enterprise notes: consistent posture without breaking support​

For managed environments, track these rules of thumb:

• Apply Group Policy/Intune profiles for consistent settings. Document which policies you’re using and keep them under source control.
• Pilot any Copilot/Copilot+ blocks in controlled rings. Blocking at scale without training and communication will generate helpdesk churn if users expect the AI features.
• Keep the Windows release health dashboard and Microsoft KB notes on your watchlist; feature behavior can change between preview and broad rollout, and the October preview (KB5067036) illustrates how changes can propagate with unexpected side effects.

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Step‑by‑step, conservative cleanup checklist (detailed)​

Follow this ordered checklist to reduce risk: each step is reversible and designed to preserve security updates.

• Create a full system backup or at minimum a system restore point.
• Install all current security updates and drivers from vendor sites. Confirm successful reboots.
• Taskbar: Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Toggle off Widgets, Search, Task View, Copilot.
• Start: Settings → Personalization → Start → Turn off Show suggestions.
• Notifications: Settings → System → Notifications → Turn off tips and suggested notifications. Configure priority list.
• Privacy: Settings → Privacy & Security → General → Advertising ID Off; Diagnostics & Feedback → Optional Data Off; Tailored Experiences Off.
• Widgets/Search highlights: disable; clear Edge/search caches; reboot.
• Copilot: hide UI first; for systemwide disable, apply Group Policy path in Pro/Enterprise; push registry policy for MDM-managed devices only.
• Remove obvious bloatware: Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Use O&O AppBuster or PowerShell only if you have a reinstallation plan.
• Storage: run Disk Cleanup (system files) and Storage Sense/Cleanup Recommendations; use DISM startcomponentcleanup if recommended.
• Validate: 48–72 hours of normal use; if issues arise, reverse the most recent change or restore the system image.

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Known risks and tradeoffs (be explicit)​

• Brittle removals: Registry or unsupported hacks can be undone by feature updates. Maintain a re‑apply policy if you intend to keep such changes.
• Feature loss: Disabling telemetry and Copilot may remove convenient features (cloud‑powered search results, cross‑device Resume). Evaluate tradeoffs for end users.
• Compatibility regressions: Preview updates have shown real‑world regressions (audio, storage spaces, device drivers). Test before wide deployment.
• Supportability: For enterprise, heavy client modifications can complicate vendor support or telemetry-based diagnostics. Use sanctioned MDM/GPO tooling where possible.

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What to watch next: patch cadence and policy updates​

Microsoft is actively iterating both on Copilot experiences and the OOBE flows that steer users toward Microsoft accounts. Recent coverage and vendor notes show the company plugging bypass routes and reworking sign‑in flows — changes that will affect any one‑off workarounds users rely on for local setups. For installations that must remain local (privacy‑focused labs, kiosks, test benches), plan a maintenance script or a provisioning methodology that’s resilient to future changes rather than depending on community bypass tricks.

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Final analysis: strength, risk, and a recommended posture​

Strengths of a measured cleanup approach:

• Immediate user experience improvement with minimal risk. Hiding recommendations and disabling optional diagnostics are supported and reversible.
• Privacy gains that don’t break security updates when you use Settings and Group Policy rather than registry hacks.

Primary risks and mitigations:

• Registry and unsupported hacks are brittle — mitigate by preferring Group Policy/MDM, documenting changes, and keeping backup images.
• Servicing surprises: stay on top of Microsoft KB release notes and test updates before large deployments; keep a rollback plan. Community reports around KB5067036 show the real cost of skipping the pilot and validation steps.

Recommended posture:

• For home and enthusiast users: start with the ten‑minute cleanup and Storage Sense, then selectively apply Group Policy tweaks only if comfortable. Keep a backup image and test each change.
• For IT admins: use Intune/GPO to enforce the clean, supported state; pilot Copilot blocks; document rollback procedures and communicate impact to helpdesk and end users.

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Windows 11 25H2 keeps evolving. The practical approach is steady: make supported changes first, validate them, and reserve registry or third‑party hacks for test devices only. That balance preserves user choice — a calm, private desktop for those who want it — while honoring the update pipeline that keeps devices secure and functional. When cleanup becomes a project instead of a 10‑minute tweak, treat it like any other IT change: plan, pilot, document, and be ready to roll back.

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Source: PC Perspective Handy Tips On Cleaning Up Windows 11 25H2 - PC Perspective