Move over iPhone Duo announcement, the real news is here. Windows 11 will soon feature a few more emojis. Microsoft recently shipped Windows 11 Builds 26100.9539 and 26200.9539 to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. Among other changes, the update adds support for Emoji 17.0.

Since these are Release Preview builds, many of the included changes have already been seen during earlier Insider testing.

Several changes have been made to File Explorer that should make for a smoother experience. Home within File Explorer now preserves the state of sections, so the next time you open the app things will be expanded or collapsed as before. Thumbnail previews for cloud files should appear more consistently as well following this update.

Emoji lovers will be happy to hear that Emoji 17.0 support comes with this build of Windows 11. Emoji 17.0 adds the distorted face, fight cloud, and hairy creature (Bigfoot) emojis.

Microsoft continues on its recent push to create more widgets. These Insider builds add a Tips widget that provides guidance about Windows features. Microsoft recently announced a battery widget that's in the works as well.

Another welcome change is the update to remap the Copilot key to function as the Right Control key or Context Menu key. Copilot already has a keyboard shortcut (Alt + Space) for those who want to use it, so having a dedicated key for a niche tool felt a bit like overkill.

Microsoft detailed the changes that are gradually rolling out.

Build 26100.9539/26200.9539

File Explorer

• New! This update adjusts how the preview pane handles files downloaded from the web. For HTML files, a new Preview anyway button lets you acknowledge the warning and preview the file. Non-HTML files, such as PDFs, are now previewed automatically.
• New! File Explorer Home now preserves the state of sections (expanded or collapsed), so you can pick up where you left off.
• New! This update improves the reliability of thumbnail previews for cloud files in the Details pane. The pane has also been reorganized so file properties are easier to find and review at a glance.
• New! This update addresses an issue that could clear the address bar contents when entering edit mode by clicking near the right side of the address bar.

Emoji

• New! This update adds support for Emoji 17.0, including new emoji such as distorted face, fight cloud, and hairy creature. To insert them, press Windows key + Period (.) to open the emoji panel.
• New! This update also refines the design of several existing emoji for better consistency across platforms, including saluting face, face with peeking eye, goose, lotus, and kissing cat.

Widgets

• New! This update introduces the Tips widget, which provides short, helpful guidance about Windows features. To add it to your Widgets board, open the board, select Add widgets, and then choose Tips. To add it to your lock screen, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and add Tips to your lock screen widgets.

Personalization

• This update includes a variety of improvements to desktop background experiences:
  • This update improves the reliability of the Personalization > Background page in Settings.
  • This update adds support for using DIB image files as desktop backgrounds.
  • This update improves the reliability of desktop slideshow transitions on newly created accounts.
  • This update improves the resolution of previews when selecting a desktop background in Personalization > Background.
  • This update improves the desktop background preview display in Settings for users with portrait mode monitors.
  • This update improves the reliability of processing desktop wallpaper changes when they happen in quick succession.
  • This update adds support for using slideshow wallpapers with multiple desktops, so that it won't automatically switch you back to Picture.

Bluetooth

• This update contains several enhancements to improve reliability and the experience when connecting to and using Bluetooth devices:
  • During voice calls, the Windows shell volume flyout now appears when adjusting the volume of a Bluetooth Classic Audio accessory using the volume controls on the accessory, providing visual feedback of the new volume level.
  • This update improves the accuracy of the connection state displayed by Windows for accessories that have disconnected from the PC.
  • This update improves the stability of the Bluetooth & devices page in Settings when managing Bluetooth and audio devices.
  • This update resolves an issue where the Bluetooth radio could be turned off, but the radio control toggle on the Bluetooth & devices page in Settings appeared on.
  • This update improves Bluetooth audio stability and compatibility.
  • This update improves microphone compatibility with certain Bluetooth Classic Audio accessories.
  • This update resolves an issue that could result in a crash (error code 0x139) while streaming Bluetooth audio.
  • This update improves reliability and performance with LE Audio accessories.
  • This update improves the reliability of shared audio.

Accessibility

• New! This update introduces Open apps maximized, an accessibility setting that automatically maximizes app windows as they open. It removes a bit of everyday friction whether you use a screen reader or magnification, work in tablet mode, or simply prefer a consistent, full-screen workspace. To turn it on, go to Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects and turn on Open apps maximized.
• This update improves navigation of the Bluetooth quick settings page when using keyboard input, gamepad input, or Narrator.

Magnifier

• New! This update brings a modernized visual refresh to Magnifier on the taskbar:
  • Updated icons: Magnifier's toolbar icons align with the Windows 11 visual design, giving the tool a cleaner, more modern feel.
  • Refined spacing and padding: The padding is adjusted with consistent spacing across the toolbar for a more polished layout.
• Views, zoom controls, keyboard shortcuts, and Read Aloud all behave exactly as they did in earlier versions.

Settings

• This update improves the reliability of Settings when interacting with the contents of the Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners page.
• This update updates Settings > Apps > Installed apps to show the version number at the top level for packaged apps, as it already does for other apps.
• This update improves the time picker control in Settings so that it reflects your preferred time format when you switch between 12-hour and 24-hour formats. This applies in places such as setting active hours and scheduling night light.
• This update improves the persistence of the Allow multiple apps to use camera at the same time option in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Camera.

Touchpad

• New! Additional gesture controls for precision touchpads are available in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad:
  • Single-finger scrolling: Scroll vertically with one finger starting from the left or right side of the touchpad.
  • Automatic scrolling: Keep scrolling without lifting your fingers by moving them near the edge of your touchpad while scrolling.
• Previously, gesture controls for scroll and zoom speed and accelerated scrolling were released in the July 2026 update (KB5101684).

Copilot key

• New! This update introduces a new Windows 11 setting that lets you remap the Copilot key to function as the Right Ctrl or Context Menu key, helping preserve familiar keyboard shortcuts and accessibility workflows. For more information, see Understand updates to the Copilot key on Windows devices.

Camera Roll

• New! This update introduces Camera Roll Backup in Settings, helping eligible users protect their photos with OneDrive. You can turn on the feature from the Settings Home or Accounts page and complete setup on your mobile phone using a QR code.¹

Fonts

• New! This update adds support for the Garay and Beria Erfe scripts to the Ebrima font, the first Microsoft font to support both. Garay was encoded in Unicode 16.0 and Beria Erfe in Unicode 17.0.
• New! This update also refines the Adlam glyph designs in Ebrima to align with the current Unicode standard and improve consistency.

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)

• New! This update enables WinRE to automatically reuse eligible Wi-Fi profiles already saved in Windows, including supported certificate-based networks. Devices can now get online automatically during recovery scenarios such as quick machine recovery or cloud rebuild, without preconfiguring Wi-Fi credentials in WinRE. This capability is on by default, and IT admins can disable it. For more information, see Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE).
• New! This update adds a recovery remote management plug-in for extending WinRE management capabilities for mobile device management (MDM) providers. For more information, see Recovery Remote Management Overview.

Kiosk mode

• The Windows key + Tab keyboard shortcut is now disabled when using a restricted user experience kiosk.
• The Windows key + A and Windows key + C keyboard shortcuts are now disabled when using single-app kiosk mode.

Windows Backup

• PC-to-PC Migration is no longer available. This feature, introduced through a phased rollout, previously allowed you to transfer files and settings directly from your previous PC when setting up a new Windows PC. To back up and restore your files, settings, and other supported items when moving to a new PC, use Windows Backup. For more information, see Back up and restore with Windows Backup.

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Windows 11 now includes new family safety features that can reduce how much adult content children are exposed to or able to view. Microsoft has a pair of blog posts on the topic, one that focuses on consumer-facing features and another that covers how APIs and Microsoft accounts are used to make the Windows experience safer.

The first change Microsoft highlighted is not a new feature, but a speed boost to an existing one. Granting parental approval is now faster than before, which allows parents and guardians to quickly approve things like additional screen time, access to specific apps, and purchases.

Speed is important when it comes to family safety. Occasionally children run into blocks when trying to access content that is required for homework or that is otherwise age-appropriate. Delayed approvals leave children sitting around and can cause frustration for kids and parents.

Microsoft has also made it easier for parents to keep track of web activity, app activity, and spending. Managing family groups has been improved as well, including options that make it simpler to add or remove members.

The importance of Microsoft accounts

Some people complain about Microsoft accounts being a requirement to use certain services. Microsoft has budged a bit in this area. For example, it's now possible to sign in to Microsoft Edge with a Google account.

But managing family safety settings relies heavily on a Microsoft account, as explained by the company:

"At Microsoft, we believe safety should be easier for families to understand and easier for developers to build into experiences for children to use. On Windows, that starts with the account. Microsoft account is a trusted foundation through which Windows brings age-appropriate protections and parental choices into more of the digital experiences encountered by children and teens every day."

Setting up accounts for children is a requirement to set parental controls for individuals. Microsoft accounts also allow Windows to know if a user is a child, teen, or adult.

Microsoft has introduced a new API to extend age awareness beyond the OS and across the entire Windows ecosystem. The Windows Age APIs can verify a user's age and then send that verification to an app without sharing personal information. It's a bit like Windows Hello but for age verification.

The new Windows Age APIs are available now to Windows Insiders and should ship to all Windows users soon.

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Windows 11 will finally support automatic switching between dark mode and light mode. The most recent Windows Insider build that shipped to the experimental Channel shows strings for the feature, though we still lack key information about the option.

It's been possible to schedule shifts between light and dark mode on Windows 11 for a while, but it has required a third-party application. Auto Dark Mode works well and is a must-have app for Windows 11.

The ever-popular PowerToys can also handle theme switching through its "Light Switch" feature. PowerToys is made by Microsoft but it only recently added the Light Switch utility. It's also not built in to Windows 11.

While both those apps are great, some features need to be built into Windows 11. People shouldn't have to search for an app or install a multi-tool utility to automate theme switching.

The upcoming feature for Windows 11 was spotted by X user "phantomofearth." They shared some of the strings that appear in the latest build, which give us a glimpse of how the feature will work:

• "Schedule auto mode"
• "Mode only changes when PC is idle"
• "This prevents the mode from changing while you're working or in meetings"
• "Turn on location services to automatically schedule dark mode. When location services are turned off, dark mode is active from [START] to [END]."

Since there are likely many other strings about the feature, we only have a small idea of how auto mode will work. But the snippets we can see now look promising.

It appears that the feature will support shifting between modes based on your location to better match sunrise or sunset. Alternatively, you'll be able to schedule switches for specific times.

The feature also looks like it will have the option to only switch themes when your PC is idle, which should prevent a jarring change from happening in the middle of important work.

Again, this functionality is already available on Windows 11 through apps, but I'll be happy to see it ship to Windows 11. I love tinkering with apps to customize my PC, but general users shouldn't have to do that to get such a straightforward feature.

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Microsoft has just announced a set of new Windows 11 preview builds that are packing some notable improvements and changes that are now in testing with Insiders. This week's preview builds come packing an upgraded set of settings for sound and audio devices on Windows, enhanced cross device features that sync with your phone, and new family safety options.

First up, Microsoft has introduced a new design for the volume sliders that appear in the Sound Settings area of Windows Settings. The sliders now also show audio activity for when music or video is playing in the background while you configure your settings, making it easier to dial in exactly where you want your volume.

Microsoft is also porting over more Control Panel sound settings to Windows Settings, including the ability to set default devices, and the ability to allow hardware acceleration for devices that support it.

Here's a list of the new sound settings coming to Windows 11:

• We've updated the design of the volume sliders in Sound Settings so that they display audio activity on the side when audio is playing.
• If your audio device supports hardware acceleration, an option to allow hardware acceleration is now available in the Advanced section of the device's properties.
• You can now configure exclusive mode for an audio device in the Advanced section of the device's properties, so you don't have to go to Control Panel.
• You can now configure adaptive communication sound levels, which reduce the volume of other sounds when communications activity is detected, directly in Settings.
• The option to set an audio device as the default sound device for communication now always appears in Properties. The option is unavailable if the device is already the default instead of being hidden.
• We've updated the text for allowing audio devices to make it clearer.
• We've added a new banner when mono audio is enabled to make it clear that some properties don't take effect while mono audio is active.
• We've updated the All sound devices page:
  • You can now change default devices from this page.
  • We've adjusted the page design so that you can filter whether you're viewing input or output devices.
  • We've added toggles so that you can choose whether to hide or show disabled, disconnected, and unplugged devices.
• We've also updated the input and output audio properties pages in Settings to include jack information for devices that need it.

Another new feature in testing is the ability to quickly download the Windows app for a phone app that appears in the Taskbar via Phone Link. If you use the cross-device sync features that comes with Phone Link, hovering over an open app such as your phone's browser on the Taskbar will now let you quickly pick up where you left off without missing a beat.

In addition to the new sound settings, Microsoft has announced major upgrades to the family safety features in Windows 11. The company says family safety is a top priority for the company, and is addressing key issues and concerns from parents.

Key areas of focus include:

• Parental approvals for offerings like screen-time extensions, app access, and purchases now happen faster, so kids aren’t left waiting and parents stay in control.
• We restored clear visibility into web and app activity so parents can trust what they see in their reports.
• Made spending more transparent, with wallet balances.
• We also gave adults in a family more control over their own experience, making it far easier to add, manage, or leave a family group 

"Each of these improvements came from a real family experience — from issues parents told us mattered most: speed, accuracy, control, transparency, and peace of mind." Microsoft Distinguished Engineer, Rob Mauceri said. "This is the compounding effect of a team that treats every piece of customer feedback as a commitment to do better."

These improvements are welcome to see, and a sign that Microsoft continues to modernize and improve Windows 11 for the masses. These improvements are part of Microsoft's ongoing Windows K2 effort, which is focused on fixing Windows 11's biggest flaws.

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Another record-setting Patch Tuesday is here for Windows 11. The operating system has a massive number of security patches and fixes that are now available to hundreds of millions of PCs.

At the time of publication, we do not have the change log of the latest updates. You can, however, grab the most recent builds through the Microsoft Update Catalog. We will update this piece as more information becomes available.

According to The Verge, this month's Patch Tuesday update includes more than 650 security fixes just for Windows. That's a six-fold increase over what we normally saw in a usual month until recently. But advances in AI have sped up the process of discovering vulnerabilities as well as the need to patch them swiftly.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated after Microsoft releases the change log for this month's Patch Tuesday updates.

Thanks in large part to AI, it's now common to see hundreds of security patches ship on a Patch Tuesday.

AI is a useful tool for Microsoft's engineers, but it can also be used by malicious actors. We're seeing an AI arms race for discovering and patching vulnerabilities.

In addition to helping discover vulnerabilities, AI can help malicious actors take advantage of vulnerabilities that have been discovered or disclosed. That process has been accelerated greatly by AI, putting pressure on organizations and IT admins to test security patches quickly so they can be rolled out.

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Last week at IFA 2026, Microsoft announced Project Zenith, the codename of a new class of devices aimed squarely at developers looking to build apps and local AI experiences on top of Windows 11. The announcement came out of the blue, which naturally caused a bit of confusion online.

So, what is it? Well, Zenith is an effort to formalize a baseline for "developer-ready" hardware: devices that meet a minimum bar for performance and are ready out of box to begin coding and compiling. This means the configuration of Windows 11 that ships on these devices is different from normal PCs, with different default settings and pre-installed apps.

To be clear: This isn't a new or different version of Windows 11. Zenith devices will almost definitely still ship with either Windows 11 Home or Pro, depending on the OEM. It's simply how Windows 11 is configured out of box that differentiates these developer-class devices from normal Windows 11 PCs.

There's seemingly also a hardware component at play, too. Microsoft says Zenith devices must ship with at least 64GB of unified memory and be capable of 250GB/s of memory bandwidth if they want to ship with this specially preconfigured version of Windows 11 for developers. All other hardware will ship with the normal configurations of Windows 11.

In recent years, there has been an uptick in developers making the switch from Windows to Mac for a variety of reasons, including OS quality issues or lack of capable hardware in the wake of Apple Silicon. Developers have also complained that it just takes too long to set up a Windows PC for development, sometimes taking hours or even days from the first power-up.

Zenith removes this friction. These devices are certified high-end and ship from the factory in a state that is ready to code, with apps like Visual Studio and GitHub Copilot already installed and ready to go as soon as you reach the desktop. They also ship with Windows 11 in a configuration that already dials back the annoyances that developers have complained about.

Out of box, "File Explorer shows file extensions, hidden files, the full path in the title bar, and the details pane, with long-path support enabled. Recently used files and folders and sync provider tips are turned off for a cleaner workspace. In Search and Start, Command Palette is enabled, while Start menu tips and account notifications are turned off to reduce distractions."

These are small but meaningful changes to the default Windows configuration, one that can save minutes of setup time. If you're managing a fleet of developer devices, this will save you hours of configuration time. The good news is these settings aren't unique to Zenith PCs.

If you don't fancy spending the money on a new Zenith device, you can manually configure your existing Windows 11 PC to match the configuration that comes preloaded on Zenith PCs. Of course, it'll take longer to do, but you'll save yourself the cost of a new PC in the process.

Ultimately, the goal of Zenith is to signal to developers that Microsoft is listening and wants to position Windows as the preferred platform for on-device AI and app development. The first Zenith devices to ship will be ones powered by AMD's Ryzen AI Halo chips, with other chipmakers such as the RTX Spark expected to follow.

No word on which OEMs will build Zenith hardware, or when the first Zenith devices will begin shipping just yet. We'll keep you posted when we know more!

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Windows 11 will soon be able to provide a "distraction-free" experience with less clutter... as long as you are a developer with an extremely expensive PC. Microsoft just announced Project Zenith, which feels like a mixture of marketing speak and a good idea.

Project Zenith devices will come with pre-enabled settings and pre-installed apps to reduce how much developers need to do to start working. None of the features are exclusive to those devices, however. You could just manually set Windows 11 a certain way and install apps like Visual Studio Code.

Project Zenith devices also need to have at least 64 GB of unified memory and at least 250 GB/s memory bandwidth.

But if you can already buy a PC with those specs and install apps and change settings yourself, what's the point of Project Zenith? That's a fair question, but I think there is a solid idea to build on.

Biggest News of the Week

Windows 11 runs on over a billion devices, ranging from lightweight laptops in classrooms to powerful gaming rigs. There are different SKUs of Windows 11 already, but too many people are tossed into the standard Windows experience out of the box.

Having a configuration of Windows 11 tailored to developers is a fine idea, and I'd love to see Microsoft explore the concept further. We're seeing that a bit on the gaming side of things with Game Mode and Project Helix.

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The concept of a tailored version of Windows is not new. Microsoft has toyed around with the idea several times over the years. We saw a glimmer of hope with Windows 10X, but that version of Windows never made it out of testing. Windows 10 S mode was another attempt to tweak the OS for certain users.

I'd love to see a dynamic version of Windows with entire components stripped out if they're unneeded. A glorious modern version of Windows that can easily add full legacy support with the flip of a switch. But that doesn't seem realistic.

Instead, Microsoft needs to lean into the idea of tailoring the "full fat" version of Windows 11 to different use cases. For example, a lot of people hate AI but Microsoft appears to be a big fan of it. Microsoft could have Copilot+ PCs come with AI features pre-enabled and Copilot pre-installed. The tech giant could then have a "non-AI" version of Windows 11 that has AI features disabled or not installed at all.

Alternatively, this could be done through the unboxing experience. Microsoft already asks you questions to determine how you plan to use your PC. Having different modes could make that process more impactful. But since your PC is running Windows 11, you could always enable or install what you need later.

Of course, this would require Microsoft to admit that there's a real demand for an AI-free version of Windows 11, and that users shouldn't need an EU mandate just to get a PC without ads.

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It looks like Microsoft is working on a handy new widget for Windows 11 that will display the status of your device's battery, along with any wireless peripherals connected to your PC. References to such a widget were first discovered on Discord in the latest Windows 11 preview builds, though it doesn't appear to be functional just yet.

The new battery widget will be available in the Windows 11 Widget Board and will also be placeable on the Windows 11 lock screen, too. Although it's not functional just yet, strings and assets are already present in the latest builds, revealing how the widget will function and what it will actually look like.

The widget features light and dark mode themes and will show devices in a vertical list, starting with your PC battery at the top. Each device will include an icon representing the peripheral, along with the name of the device and the battery percentage. The widget will also be able to show when a device is charging, or has energy saver enabled or disabled.

Of course, other platforms have featured a battery widget of some kind of years. Both Android and iOS have battery widgets that show the battery levels of all accessories connected, and now Windows 11 is catching up with the same feature.

The new battery widget will be a nice addition to the Widgets Board, which many might argue has been kind of useless since its debut in 2021. While some apps have taken advantage of it, most apps haven't. Phone Link, OneDrive, and Weather are the only useful widgets I've found on Windows 11, and it would be nice to have some more.

In fact, more system-level widgets wouldn't go amiss. Widgets for checking on current CPU or memory usage would be a nice addition alongside the battery widget, though there's no sign that this is in the works just yet. For now, we just have the battery widget to look forward to, which I'm happy to see is in development.

Now, if only we could convince Microsoft to let us pin widgets to the Start menu or desktop. Perhaps then they'd actually get some use!

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A "ready-to-code distraction-free Windows experience" is on the way for developers. Microsoft just detailed how Windows 11 will be optimized for people with developer-class devices.

The idea behind Project Zenith is to save developers time by preinstalling apps and having Settings pre-enabled that are optimized for development. For example, File Explorer will show file extensions, hidden files, and the full path in the title bar.

Those options are not new, but they can take a while to set up when you also have to install a bunch of apps and tweak other settings.

We already knew about some of these experiences because of announcements made at Build 2026, but we now know a name for the project and more information about how Windows 11 will be optimized for developer-class devices.

Those devices will be able to run 30B+ parameter models locally and unmetered and use a variety of tools out of the box. Windows Terminal and Visual Studio Code are pinned to the Taskbar by default. GitHub Copilot, PowerToys, WinAppCLI, and Windows Dev Skills will also be preinstalled, according to The Verge.

Project Zenith will launch first on AMD's Ryzen AI Halo devices, but it will make its way to other systems over the coming months.

To classify as a developer-class device, a system will need at least 64 GB of unified memory and at least 250 GB/s memory bandwidth.

The best version of Windows 11

A natural response to Microsoft's blog post is to ask, "don't we all want a distraction-free Windows experience?" I don't know anyone clamoring for more distractions on their PC. But I believe Project Zenith is specific to developers for a good reason.

Many developers have a similar workflow or rely on a set of tools. What would be considered a useful preinstalled app for developers would be viewed as bloat for general users.

Similarly, the enabled settings viewed as useful by developers would make Windows 11 feel crowded for everyday computing.

A better approach would be to tailor Windows 11 to different use cases. We're starting to see that with Xbox Mode on Windows 11 and now Project Zenith for developers.

Of course, Project Zenith devices, PCs running Xbox Mode, and all other Windows 11 devices benefit from the general improvements to Windows 11, such as reducing memory usage and improving Search and File Explorer. Many of those changes can be seen in the latest major update to Windows 11.

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In a new blog post, Microsoft has announced that starting in October 2026, "Memory Integrity Protection" will become enabled on more eligible devices. The feature, which is already enabled by default on most modern Windows PCs, is a kernel-level security feature designed to protect PCs from "sophisticated attacks with little or no additional configuration."

"Built on Virtualization-based Security (VBS), memory integrity helps protect critical parts of Windows from tampering," Microsoft says. "It forms a foundation for modern security innovations such as hotpatch updates that improve user experience and productivity, as well as protection."

The company says that memory integrity protection will begin being enabled by default on eligible PCs starting next month, enhancing security with no additional setup required. "Windows quality updates will begin enabling memory integrity protection on eligible devices. If not already enabled, these updates will also enable VBS, helping make additional security capabilities available"

Of course, users still have control over whether they want memory integrity protection enabled. Most Windows PCs today come with it enabled by default already, but the user is able to control whether it is turned on or off. If you've already manually disabled memory integrity protection, it won't be automatically enabled next month.

"To help ensure a reliable device experience, Windows automatically evaluates readiness before enabling memory integrity."

The automatic rollout will only really apply to older PCs that never had it enabled to begin with. For those users, this will be an invisible change that makes your PC more secure. "Memory integrity helps make this possible by allowing only trusted kernel-mode code and drivers to run."

Microsoft has been working to make Windows 11 more secure while also reducing the frequency and annoyances of Windows Update. In recent months, the company has announced a complete overhaul to the Windows Update system, reducing how often it prompts users to restart to just once a month.

With features like hotpatch on commercial editions of Windows, Microsoft is now also able to update the OS on the fly without restarting the OS. While hotpatching isn't yet available on Windows 11 Home or Pro, it's something that we would love to see on consumer editions of Windows in the future too.

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According to a new report from Taiwanese publication United Daily News (UDC,) Microsoft is raising the cost of Windows license fees for hardware makers by a much higher amount than normal. According to the report, certain OEMs are seeing licensing price hikes of between 7% and 10%.

Usually, Microsoft raises Windows license fees for OEMs by a low digit percentage, making this 7% to 10% increase much more significant than normal. "A PC brand executive stated that Microsoft increases licensing fees for Windows OEMs (device manufacturers) every year. In the past, licensing fees mostly increased by single digits each year, but starting in July this year, the average increase has reached 7% to 10%, which is a significant increase compared to previous years," UDC says.

Of course, the cost of the Windows license fee is usually (at least partially) passed onto the consumer buying a computer, and UDC claims that their source says laptop pricing is already being impacted by these recent license fee increases. Microsoft charges different OEMs their own fees for Windows, so the exact increase in cost will differ for each hardware maker.

Regardless, with the ongoing memory component shortage, PCs have already seen astronomical price increases over the last year, with experts claiming that we haven't yet seen the worst of it. With Microsoft raising prices higher than usual on Windows licenses, it feels like the Redmond giant is adding extra fuel to the fire.

Windows Central reached out to Microsoft for comment regarding this story, but the company declined to provide one.

To be clear, the Windows license fee price hikes only apply to OEMs building hardware that ships with Windows. The cost of buying a license for Windows 11 as a consumer remains unchanged, being $99 for Windows 11 Home and $199 for Windows 11 Pro.

The ongoing component crisis has made computing unaffordable for many people. PCs that used to target the $600-$800 price bracket now cost close to $1,000. And flagship Windows laptops that used to cost $1,200-1,500 are now closer to $2,000. Even Apple has been hit by the shortage, being forced to raise prices by hundreds of dollars across its Mac lineup. Microsoft's own Surface line was hit especially hard, with the flagship Surface Pro and Surface Laptop being $400-$500 more expensive than the last-gen models.

(Sources: 1, 2)

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Last week, users began noticing a new app appearing in their Start menu on Windows 11, titled "OneDrive Photos" which was being forcibly installed by the OS. Naturally, this caused outrage among users who aren't interested in using OneDrive for photo storage, resulting in pushback online.

Now, Microsoft's EVP of Apps and Agents, Jeff Teper, has taken to X to explain what happened. He confirms that the OneDrive Photos app is an incubation project, which wasn't supposed to rollout as widely as it did. "We are incubating a new photos experience in OneDrive that went more broadly than it should have in Windows. We’re fixing that. Windows Photos will always give you the option of local and cloud photos and the choice to use OneDrive or not."

It looks like a switch was flipped on Microsoft's end which made the already pre-installed OneDrive app begin showing the OneDrive Photos experience, which is usually hidden from the user currently. Microsoft has been building this new OneDrive Photos experience for a number of months, as it first leaked back in 2025.

It's unclear why Microsoft thinks it needs to build a dedicated OneDrive Photos app, especially when Windows comes preinstalled with an already competent photo viewer that does a good job of handling photos stored in OneDrive. The new OneDrive Photos app is a web app, which is heavy on RAM usage and not very responsive.

Although Microsoft has confirmed that the rollout of OneDrive Photos was an error, the company does say that it's still looking forward to delivering this new experience soon. "We're very excited for you to try out OneDrive's photos features on desktop, web, and mobile and hear your feedback."

It's unclear if Microsoft intends to re-hide the OneDrive Photos app from appear on PCs where it shouldn't. On my PC, I can still see the new Photos (Preview) appearing in Windows Search, which opens the OneDrive Photos experience. This isn't the first time Microsoft has been caught automatically installing new apps on Windows 11. The OS has frequently been accused of automatically installing apps like Microsoft 365 Copilot, much to the dismay of users who don't want it.

The good news is it appears Microsoft is listening to the feedback, and publicly acknowledging that it made an error with the rollout of the OneDrive Photos app is confirmation that it saw the backlash and understands that a lot of users don't want this new experience. Hopefully that means the company won't forcibly install it next time.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In a new tweet, Partner Director of Design at Microsoft, March Rogers, has confirmed that there are no plans to introduce a customizable UI transparency slider on Windows 11, after users asked for a feature similar to the Liquid Glass slider that was recently added to the next version of iOS.

For a long time, Windows has featured transparency and blur effects. However, Windows has never natively supported adjusting how strong those effects are. Users have the option to turn transparency on and off, but there's no fine-tuning options for those effects to be found in the OS.

Third-party apps such as Windhawk do allow for customizing these effects, but this customization is not natively supported by the OS on its own. As such, it's natural to find that there are users out there who wish they could adjust these settings without being forced to download a third-party app first.

Rogers confirms that there are no plans to introduce a transparency slider on Windows 11 at current. "We think hard about who will benefit from the investment, usability and accessibility considerations. We also look at our community of developers (like the amazing Windhawk project) who may already be providing what users need. We won't be making immediate changes to the transparency options already in Windows, but we love getting your feedback."

It sounds like Microsoft has looked at this option, and has found that it's not a priority at the moment, which is understandable. Windows 11 has much bigger issues that needs fixing right now, and the company is focused entirely on delivering those improvements first.

The beauty of Windows is that it's an open-platform, meaning third-party developers can easily builds tools and apps that modify the Windows experience. Windhawk is a powerful suite of customization enhancements for Windows that lets users customize everything from the Start menu design to blur effects across the OS.

It's very refreshing to see Microsoft be so open about the design process for Windows 11 these days. I'm frequently checking the X accounts of many Microsoft employees these days, as they are always responding to Windows Insiders with explanations about new features and feedback from users.

While a transparency slider isn't on the cards for Windows 11 right now, Microsoft is working on a number of new customization options for the OS. There's a new customizable Start menu coming very soon, along with a redesigned context menu that will also be user customizable.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 is finally starting to see the changes Microsoft has promised for months, except the best parts are still limited to Windows Insiders and mockups. I appreciate Microsoft's efforts to revamp Windows 11 — better late than never — but some of these improvements should have shipped years ago.

The status of Windows 11 makes me ask why Microsoft didn't aggressively start climbing the metaphorical mountain years ago. Microsoft has revamped settings and UI elements, but the big changes are part of a new initiative that honestly shouldn't need to exist.

Microsoft is updating several core parts of Windows 11 with WinUI, which improves performance and even helps Windows 11 run on PCs with less RAM. But I can't help but ask how we got here in the first place. How did we end up with a "modern" OS with legacy components and UI elements from different decades?

Biggest News of the Week

I understand that updating legacy components can be tricky. Microsoft's CVP of Design and Research on Windows, Marcus Ash, joined the most recent Windows Central Podcast and discussed the challenges of updating Windows.

Obviously, Ash knows more about Windows than I ever will. I don't question the difficulty of updating an entire OS, especially if you need to re-update components several times.

What I question is why keeping Windows up to date and unified was not a core value from the start? Why did Microsoft reach a point where user feedback became overwhelming and the tech giant finally decided to make bigger changes?

Legacy support is critical for enterprise users, so Microsoft could not just throw out old code or elements to make Windows modern. But having a unified OS could have been a priority from the beginning.

Work like this needed to start decades ago, not in 2026. Some of the groundwork has been laid for these improvements, but some projects are quite new. That's not an acceptable way to make an operating system.

Shopping with Sean

My top recommendation isn't an item on sale. Instead, it's a must-have for Xbox owners that's running out of stock. Several retailers have listed the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S as unavailable. Best Buy ran out of stock while I was writing a piece highlighting the shortage. Below are all the listings I've found that still let you order the speedy storage card.

An excellent deal on the Dell XPS 14 slashes $1,150 off the premium PC. I love the design of the XPS 14 from last year, and the current discount makes the laptop a great choice for back-to-school shopping.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Every time I install Windows 11, I turn off the same handful of features before I do anything else. They're not necessarily bad features, but I don't need widgets, recommendations, badges, and constant notifications competing for my attention while I'm working.

Over the years, I've found that making a few small changes creates a desktop that feels cleaner, quieter, and easier to focus on. I prefer Windows 11 to stay in the background and only get my attention when something truly matters. If you feel the same way, you're not alone.

In this how-to guide, I'll show you the Windows 11 features I always disable and explain why I think each change is worth making.

7 features worth turning off for a calmer desktop

None of these features are inherently bad, and I know many people enjoy using them. The problem, at least for me, is that they all compete for the same thing, which is my attention. One widget or notification isn't a big deal. However, once you combine recommendations, badges, alerts, and promotional content across the operating system, Windows 11 starts to feel busier than it needs to be. That's why these are the first settings I change.

1. Widgets in the Lock screen

I like my Lock screen only to let me know it's time to sign in, and nothing more. I don't need sports scores, market updates, or suggested content before I've even reached the desktop. It's one more thing competing for my attention before I start working.

I also switch from Windows Spotlight to a static image because I don't want tips or promotional overlays appearing before I've even signed in.

For these reasons, I always try to disable the desktop widgets and use a static image, and here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Lock screen page on the right side.
4. Turn off the Widgets toggle switch.

5. Turn off the "Suggest widgets for your lock screen" toggle switch.
6. Select the Picture (or Slideshow) option in the "Personalize your lock screen" setting.

7. Choose the image you want to show on the Lock screen.

Once you complete the steps, the Lock screen becomes a simple place to check the time and sign in instead of another surface competing for your attention.

2. Widgets icon in Taskbar

I don't mind having quick access to Widgets, but I don't need live updates constantly trying to pull my attention away from whatever I'm doing. Removing the Taskbar button keeps the interface quieter while still letting me open Widgets with the keyboard shortcut whenever I actually want it.

If you don't want the unnecessary distraction, you can hide the icon from the Taskbar. Here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
4. Turn off the Widgets toggle switch under the "Taskbar items" section.

After you complete the steps, the Taskbar stays free from live updates while still letting you open Widgets anytime with the "Windows key + W" keyboard shortcut if you need it.

3. Do not disturb to stop toast notifications

Another feature I always turn on is "Do Not Disturb" to prevent distractions from toast notifications.

If you want to, you can also turn off notifications altogether, but I do this because I can still access the notifications from Notification Center.

To enable Do Not Disturb on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click the Notifications page on the right side.
4. Turn off the "Do Not Disturb" toggle switch.

5. (Optional) Turn off the Notifications toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 stops interrupting your workflow, but your notifications are still waiting in Notification Center whenever you're ready to review them.

If you decide to turn off the notification feature, the system and services won't be able to show or collect notifications.

4. Start menu content recommendations

The Start menu has become much cleaner over the years, but I still don't like seeing recent files, app suggestions, and recommendations every time I open it. I prefer using the space for the apps I've pinned instead of content the system thinks I might want.

I personally like to have the "Pinned" and "All" sections in the Start menu, and I always turn off the "Recommended" section, but these steps aren't obvious to everyone.

To disable the Recommended section, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Start page on the right side.
4. Turn off the "Show recently added apps" toggle switch.
5. Turn off the "Show recommended files in Start, recent files in File Explorer, and items in Jump Lists" toggle switch.
6. Turn off the "Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more" toggle switch.

7. (Optional) Turn off the "Show account-related notifications" toggle switch to prevent alerts from the Account Control menu in the Start menu.

After completing the steps, the Start menu feels cleaner and focuses on the apps you've chosen to pin instead of recent files and recommendations.

5. Search highlights from the web

When you open the Windows Search home from the Taskbar, the first thing you'll notice is web highlights with daily quizzes, image of the day, trending searches, games, news, and more, when the search experience should be about finding local and cloud files, settings, and applications installed on your computer.

Search is one of the features I use dozens of times a day, so I want it to open directly into search, not news stories, trending topics, or games. The less visual clutter between me and what I'm looking for, the better. Fortunately, you can turn off the web highlights for a simpler experience using Windows Search, and here's how:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy & security.
3. Click the Search page on the right side.
4. Turn off the "Show search highlights" toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, Windows Search opens with fewer distractions, making it easier to get straight to finding your apps, files, and settings.

6. Taskbar app badges for unseen content

Taskbar badges are another feature I disable on every new installation. These are the small counters or dots that appear on app icons to let you know something needs your attention. While they can be useful, I find they encourage me to check apps that aren't important at the moment.

I prefer opening apps when I decide to, not because a badge is telling me to. If I want to check for updates or unread messages, I'll do it on my own schedule.

To turn off Taskbar badges on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
4. Click the Taskbar behaviors section.
5. Clear the "Show badges on taskbar apps" option.

After you complete the steps, app icons will no longer display unread message counters, helping keep the Taskbar cleaner and reducing another small source of distraction throughout the day.

7. Desktop icons and files

Like pretty much everyone else, I usually place shortcuts and files on the desktop, but I don't like a crowded desktop either, so one thing I usually do is to hide the desktop icons.

You can easily do this by right-clicking the desktop, selecting "View," and clicking on the "Show desktop icons" option to clear the setting and hide everything on the desktop for a clear view of the background image.

If I want to access the content of the folder, I usually just open the "Desktop" folder within File Explorer.

I know this one isn't for everyone, but hiding my desktop icons makes the entire workspace feel less cluttered. Everything is still there when I need it, but I don't have to look at it every time I minimize a window.

Windows Central's Take

I've been customizing this operating system for years, and this is still one of the first things I do on a new installation. Windows 11 includes plenty of features that many people enjoy, but I don't need constant reminders, recommendations, or badges pulling my attention away from my work. Spending a few minutes changing these settings makes the desktop feel much calmer without taking away the features I actually use.

Out of everything on this list, Do Not Disturb is the setting I'd tell most people to try first. I don't want notifications interrupting me throughout the day, but I also don't want to miss them completely. It gives me the best of both worlds.

Microsoft has been adding more customization options recently, but I still think the default Windows 11 experience tries a little too hard to keep people engaged. Fortunately, almost everything I mentioned here can be changed in just a few minutes, making the system feel much more personal without removing features you might want later.

Which Windows 11 feature do you turn off first to create a calmer desktop experience? Let me know in the comments below.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

For the longest time, Windows has suffered from an inconsistent user interface design. It started with Windows 8, but got worse over the lifespan of Windows 10, with various levels of UI design, frameworks, context menus, iconography, and more getting thrown into the mix across the many different versions of Windows 10.

In fact, Windows 10's inconsistent UI design became so bad that it began contributing to people's dislike of Windows, citing its perceived lack of polish and craft as a reason to avoid it over competitors like Apple's macOS, a platform that takes pride in how it looks and feels to use.

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So with Windows 11, Microsoft began addressing this problem. The debut of Windows 11 in 2021 was a huge step in the right direction, attempting to modernize a number of Windows UI surfaces with a consistent design language using the company's WinUI framework.

Slowly but surely, older and inconsistent UI surfaces were updated with modernized alternatives that match the design of Windows 11. Things like the volume and brightness control, file share dialog, context menus, and more were updated with a more consistent design that look great.

More recently, Microsoft has improved dark mode across the Windows 11 interface, making it more consistent in apps like File Explorer where much of it was missing dark mode support and contributed to the "Windows never feels finished" allegations that have haunted the platform for years.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a renewed focus on modernizing and updating more of the Windows 11 interface, with an effort to utilize WinUI across more of the Windows 11 shell where applicable. The company also promised to deliver performance upgrades in the process, ensuring that WinUI surfaces would match or exceed the performance of the older interfaces it's replacing.

It's been a few months since Microsoft announced its plans to bring WinUI to more areas of the OS, and work has been slowly progressing. The company has already confirmed that it's rewriting the Start menu with WinUI, which should make it faster and more responsive. But there's more interfaces that the company is yet to announce that we know is also in the works.

Modernized File Properties

First up, recent Windows 11 preview builds have confirmed that Microsoft is rebuilding the File Properties dialog in File Explorer with WinUI. This is one area of the File Explorer that hasn't been touched in well over a decade, meaning it still doesn't even support dark mode.

This legacy interface is being rewritten with WinUI, and the first sightings of this work were spotted in a recent preview build, albeit only when viewing the properties of a file in the Recycle Bin.

With that said, we know Microsoft is planning to bring this modernized experience to the entire File Properties experience, meaning right-clicking and selecting properties on a file in File Explorer will soon present you with a consistent design that matches the Windows 11 aesthetic.

Modernized Autoplay Menu

This interface hasn't been touched since Windows 8, and is one of few areas of the OS that still utilize Microsoft's old Metro design language. The menu that appears when you plug in a USB drive or insert a disc is being modernized with WinUI, which will bring a consistent Windows 11 design to the aged interface.

Microsoft has confirmed this work is underway, but is yet to give us a look at the new interface, though we know it will support both light and dark mode unlike the current version. For now, we'll just have to imagine what such a modernized menu might possibly look like. Still, it's good to know the work is happening.

Modernized Print Management

It's not the sexiest feature in the world, but it looks like Microsoft is building a modern version of the Print Management experience with WinUI, replacing a decades old interface with something that looks like it was designed for Windows 11. And yes, it supports dark mode now.

This is the first MMC-based interface we're seeing get the WinUI treatement, which bodes well for future modernizations of apps like Disk Management, Computer Management, and more. These 90s era interfaces have plagued the Windows experience for years, so it's very reassuring to see Microsoft is finally working on WinUI versions of these apps.

Modernized Run Dialog

Microsoft has already announced and shipped preview builds with this redesigned interface, but the company is rebuilding the classic Windows Run dialog with WinUI, now with support for both light and dark mode, and features from PowerToys.

The company says the new UI is both better looking, more functional, and faster than the legacy Run box it replaces. With that said, it appears the modern Run interface will be shipping as an option that users will have to manually enable first if they want to see it.

The new Run interface also includes the ability to type ~\ for quick access to your home directory, and it will also show app icons when applicable in your recent search list, which is a nice touch.

Rewritten Start Menu

As mentioned up top, Microsoft has already confirmed that it's rebuilding the Start menu with WinUI, but we're yet to hear more about what that's going to entail for the end user.

So far, we know the goal of the WinUI rewrite is to make the Start menu faster and take up less system resources. This should mean (very) slightly less memory usage for the Start menu, as many WinUI interfaces will share a System Compositor, which is how Microsoft intends to make WinUI faster.

It's unclear if Microsoft is planning to redesign the Start menu alongside the WinUI rewrite. Last I checked, this was not in the plan. While there may be some minor UI differences and adjustments between the current Start menu and WinUI Start menu, I understand that the company intends to keep the experiences mostly the same.

This makes sense given Microsoft just launched new customization options for the existing Start menu, which would be odd to change so soon.

Compact Context Menus

While not technically a legacy interface, context menus on Windows 11 are a mess, and Microsoft is working to redesign them so that they are faster, more responsive, and most importantly, more customizable.

Coming this year, Windows 11's context menus will be updated with a new compact design that's smaller and lighter, meaning they won't lag or take as long to open, especially when there's lots of actions and items within the menu.

Microsoft is also planning to let users customize which items appear within the context menu, as well as configure the order in which those items appear. This means users will be able to hide certain actions and apps from the context menu if they don't use them.

More to come

It's clear that Microsoft is not done with updating legacy and problematic parts of the Windows 11 interface with WinUI. Microsoft's CVP of Design and Research, Marcus Ash, recently told Windows Central that the company has been working to improve its tooling so that it can move quicker to update even more legacy parts of the OS, including apps like the Registry Editor one day.

With that work ongoing, it's likely that we're going to see even more older and outdated parts of the Windows experience updated with modern WinUI designs. While certain legacy interfaces will likely continue to exist for years to come, it looks like Microsoft is exploring where it can best implement new UIs as fast as possible without breaking compatibility.

Moving more parts of the Windows UI under a consistent UI framework should result in better performance and reduced memory usage, which should make the OS feel faster and less bloated, thanks to that new System Compositor that's in the works that is designed to manage all WinUI interfaces across the Windows Shell. Though features like an optional transparency slider appear to not be in the works.

It's good to see Microsoft once again focused on polish and craft. It helps make Windows feel more unified and cared about, something that has not been so obvious in recent years and in my opinion has eroded confidence in the platform. Hopefully Microsoft will continue to focus on craft for years to come.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it was moving to address Windows 11's biggest issues and criticisms from users in an effort to win back trust from customers and reposition Windows once more as a viable alternative to macOS and Linux, something people actually want to use over the competition.

It was nice to see Microsoft outline its roadmap and plan for Windows 11, but I wasn't prepared for just how fast the company would start delivering on the promises it was making. Since March, Microsoft has previewed and even shipped many improvements to Windows 11 that are the direct result of its Windows K2 initiative, all designed to fix Windows 11.

I've been testing these new Windows 11 builds over the last few months, and there are 5 big changes and improvements that stand out as super exciting. Some of these improvements are already shipping, whereas others are still in preview.

A new and improved Windows Update

Updates on Windows have always been frustrating, so much so Microsoft made it a point of focus for its Windows K2 effort. In the last few months, Microsoft has shipped multiple changes and improvements to Windows Update which are designed to make it more reliable, and more importantly, less annoying.

The first big change is ensuring driver, framework, and security updates are now all timed to install at the same time. Previously, any update could require the user to restart at any time. Now, Windows Update will only ask you to restart once a month, as the update system now installs those driver and framework updates alongside security patches.

That's in addition to being able to pause updates indefinitely now, so even when the one time a month that Windows asks you to restart finally rolls around, users have the option to say no and postpone the restart for as long as they need. Even when an update is pending restart, the option to shut down or restart without installing said update is now present.

Microsoft has even made it so users can skip installing updates when setting up a PC for the first time, meaning it now takes just a few minutes to get right into using your new PC instead of the 20+ minutes it used to take when installing the latest update was a requirement before reaching the desktop.

All of these Windows Update improvements are already shipping to all Windows 11 users, which is a crazy quick turn around.

Less ads and AI across the OS

People didn't believe they'd do it, but they actually have reduced the ads and AI buttons that are present across the OS. The Widgets board has been updated to replace the MSN feed with the local widgets feature by default, meaning you won't ever see any MSN stories or sponsored content unless you manually go into that section of the OS.

Microsoft is also removing Bing and MSN ads from Windows Search, in preview now. The search pane itself is now a long list or recent search queries and items, with nonsense like the Bing wallpaper of the day and other sponsored content no longer appearing at all. Even search results that reach out to the web no longer include sponsored content.

The Start menu now also has more granular controls over the kind of content that appears in there. The "Recommended" feed has been renamed to the "Recents" feed and no longer shows recommended apps and websites that came across as more advertising. Users even have the option to remove the Recents feed entirely now, which is great.

Copilot used to plague every inbox app and UI surface you could think of on Windows 11, but today it only appears in a few very specific areas. It still exists as a standalone app on Windows 11, but the Copilot button no longer exists in apps like Photos and Notepad. Microsoft has even removed the "Ask Copilot" option in File Explorer.

Better performance and reliability

One big area of focus for Microsoft is the overall performance and reliability of Windows 11, which many agree has slipped over the last few years. The good news is Microsoft has already delivered several improvements on this front, with more to come in the following weeks.

The first big change is the new "Low Latency Profile" feature that shipped just a few weeks ago. It's an invisible change that makes opening apps, context menus, and flyouts from the Taskbar much more responsive by silently increasing CPU frequency when these common actions take place.

This is something other OS platforms do which allows them to remain feeling snappy, even under heavy load, and now Windows 11 has the same behavior. This has outright fixed the issue users sometimes have where things like the Start menu don't always appear immediately when clicked. That's a thing of the past now.

Microsoft is also improving the performance of WinUI interfaces across the system via a new System Compositor which reduces latency and memory overhead across the OS so that these modern interfaces are consistently responsive. There's even a new Run dialog built with WinUI that is faster than the old Win32 version.

Opening and navigating through file trees in File Explorer is faster too, and searching for files and apps on Windows 11 is now more consistent. Two character search is already shipping, which makes finding content a little bit easier.

Customizable Taskbar and Start menu

One of the biggest issues people have with Windows 11 is how it took away customizable options for areas of the system like the Start menu or Taskbar. Microsoft has heard that feedback, and is already publicly testing a new Taskbar and Start menu that can be user customized.

The Taskbar can now be repositioned just like on Windows 10, allowing the user to move it to the left, right and top of the display if that's where they want it. There's also a new resize option letting users make it smaller like the Windows 10 one could.

The Start menu is also getting more customization options. Users can hide entire segments of Start, such as the Recents feed, Pinned apps, or All Apps area. They can toggle on or off the Phone Link companion, and disable Start entirely if they don't ever use it.

And there's more to come

Above are all the new improvements that I've tested and are either shipping or in public testing via the Windows Insider Program. These are the real changes and features that can be tried and tested as we speak, not just empty promises or ideas. It's all available to download and try out right now.

There's still more to come too, stuff that isn't yet in public preview testing. Microsoft has confirmed it's working to move more parts of the OS to WinUI for faster performance, such as the Start menu and areas of File Explorer. There's an effort to reduce the footprint of the OS in the works too, which should make the OS less resource intensive at idle.

Other improvements in the works are a redesigned context menu system that is faster and more customizable, more integration across the OS with your smartphone, and dark mode in even more places.

For the features that are yet to ship outside of preview, I understand that Microsoft is aiming to get the bulk of these improvements out of the door before the end of 2026, with some expected in 2027.

SI'm so very impressed with how quickly Microsoft has turned Windows 11 around so far. I haven't felt this positive about the features and changes being actively made to Windows in a really long time, to the point where it feels weird to not have anything to really complain about. All of my biggest issues with Windows 11 have either already been addressed, or are in the process of being addressed.

It's a great time to be a Windows user again.

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Windows Insiders need to update their PCs to be on a recent build of Windows within the next week. The latest Windows Insider builds contain a renewed flight certificate, which is important because the current flight certificate is set to expire on August 11, 2026.

Flight certificates are used to encourage people to keep devices up to date and on supported versions of Windows. Microsoft ships renewed certificates on a routine basis.

Microsoft emphasized the importance of a renewed flight certificate because in the past renewal mainly affected those in the Canary Channel. Now, those certificates apply across all Insider channels, including Experimental and Beta.

A brief reminder about the flight certificate appears at the top of the change log for the most recent Insider build:

"Today’s Experimental (Future Platforms) build contains a renewed Windows Insider flight certificate. Windows Insider Preview builds use flight certificates that are renewed periodically to help ensure Insider devices remain on supported builds and continue receiving future Insider Preview updates. The current flight certificate expires on August 11, 2026, so please update your device to a build containing the renewed flight certificate before that date."

A separate document dives into more detail, though the main takeaway is that Insiders should simply update their PCs to a recent build. Microsoft shared the chart below to help Insiders stay up to date.

Once you've performed this one-time larger update, your PC will go back to receiving regular updates.

If you don't update your PC to a build with a fresh flight certificate, you'll start seeing a warning that says, "This build will expire soon" on your desktop. You will also stop receiving automatic background updates once the flight certificate expires.

You should update your PC to a build with a fresh flight certificate, but if you don't, you can fix the issue by going to Settings > Windows Update and letting your PC install the latest build.

Test builds of Windows 11 are designed to expire relatively quickly, so you should update your PC regularly if you're a Windows Insider. Doing so will ensure your system is running a supported version of Windows.

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In this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down with Marcus Ash, Corporate Vice President of Design and Research for Windows at Microsoft. The discussion centers on the user experience vision for Windows 11, balancing modernization with legacy app compatibility, and optimizing system efficiency across diverse hardware configurations.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast is sponsored by Surfshark VPN. Unlimited devices, access your content from anywhere, and auto-block malware on Windows, Edge, and other platforms from $2.50/mo, with 4 months extra FREE. Sign up today!

• Design Philosophy in Windows 11: Marcus Ash discusses how design decisions are shaped by user feedback, telemetry, and modern workflow requirements.
• Optimizing Performance for Low-RAM Devices (8GB): A deep dive into full-stack optimizations—ranging from kernel memory scheduling to UI process management—to ensure smooth performance on 8GB RAM hardware.
• Modernizing Legacy Tools vs. Backward Compatibility: Discussion on how Microsoft approaches updating older OS utilities (e.g., Control Panel, Registry Editor) while protecting enterprise compatibility and muscle memory.
• Web Tech, WebView2, and Modern UI: Exploring the role of web-based interface components in Windows 11, including trade-offs between agility, feature delivery, and resource utilization.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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