Here's what's new:

24H2

Highlights

This update addresses security issues for your Windows operating system.

Improvements

This security update includes improvements that were a part of update KB5053656 (released March 27, 2025). The following summary outlines key issues addressed by the KB update after you install it. Also, included are available new features. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change.

 

• [Authentication] This update addresses an issue affecting machine password rotation in the Identity Update Manager certificate/Pre-Bootstrapping Key Initialization path. This issue occurred particularly when Kerberos was used and Credential Guard was enabled, potentially causing user authentication problems. The feature Machine Accounts in Credential Gurad, which is dependent on password rotation via Kerberos, has also been disabled, until a permanent fix is made available.

   

• [Daylight Saving Time (DST)] Update for the Aysen region in Chile to support the government DST change order in 2025. For more info about DST changes, see the Daylight Saving Time & Time Zone Blog.

   

• [PcaUiArm] This update addresses an issue affecting the PcaUiArmUpdate feature, which results in unexpected behavior in specific scenarios.

   

If you installed earlier updates, your device downloads and installs only the new updates contained in this package.

 

For more information about security vulnerabilities, see the Security Update Guide and the April 2025 Security Updates.

AI Components

The following AI components have been updated with this release:

 

AI Component	Version
Image Search	1.7.820.0
Content Extraction	1.7.820.0
Semantic Analysis	1.7.820.0

Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5058538)- 26100.3764

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates. To learn more about SSUs, see Simplifying on-premises deployment of servicing stack updates.

 

Known issues

23H2 and 22H2

Highlights

This update addresses security issues for your Windows operating system.

 

Normal rollout

 

• [Daylight Saving Time (DST)] Update for the Aysen region in Chile to support the government DST change order in 2025. For more info about DST changes, see the Daylight Saving Time & Time Zone Blog.

Improvements

Windows 11, version 23H2

Important: Use EKB KB5027397 to update to Windows 11, version 23H2.

 

This security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:

 

• This build includes all the improvements in Windows 11, version 22H2.

   

• No additional issues are documented for this release.

Windows 11, version 22H2

This security update includes improvements that were part of update KB5053657(released March 25, 2025). The following summary outlines key issues addressed by the KB after you install it. Also, included are available new features. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change.

 

• This update makes miscellaneous security improvements to internal OS functionality. No additional issues were documented for this release.

   

If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

 

For more information about security vulnerabilities, see the Security Update Guide and the April 2025 Security Update.

Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5053665) - 22621.5120 and 22631.5120

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates. To learn more about SSUs, see Simplifying on-premises deployment of servicing stack updates.

Known issues

These updates will be available from Windows Update and should install automatically in most cases. If you would like to download these updates for offline installation, you can get them from the Microsoft Catalog website. You can find the update for 24H2 here, and 23H2 and 22H2 here.

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The new updates are being distributed under KB5055518, bumping up the builds to 19044.5737 and 19045.5737. You can find standalone links to download the new update on the Microsoft Update Catalog at this link.

The major highlight of the release is security patches.

Highlights

 

• This update addresses security issues for your Windows operating system.

This release has no known issues, which is very rare.

Some of the older Windows 10 versions have also received updates today, which have been listed below with their respective release notes (KB) linked as well as links to download them at Microsoft's Update Catalog:

It is noteworthy that Windows 10 20H2 and Windows 10 1909 reached the end of servicing. Non-LTSC editions of 21H2 have also reached the end of servicing.

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Last week, it was revealed that Microsoft is working on a brand-new Start menu for Windows 11 that addresses key issues many have had with it since its debut in 2021. An early version of the menu was spotted hidden in the latest Insider preview build, giving us an early first look at what's next for the Windows 11 interface.

Since the OS launched four years ago, the Start menu has been a point of contention for many switching to Windows 11. It's significantly less customizable; you can't turn off or hide specific parts, and the menu itself is limited to three rows of six pinned icons on screen at a time.

Additionally, it moved the All Apps list into a separate page, meaning your list of installed apps was no longer instantly accessible when opening Start. It requires an additional click to see. Windows 10's Start menu by comparison has everything on the same page, with the ability to have way more apps pinned and on screen at once.

Mozilla says the update should address crashes on Windows systems with Qihoo 360 antivirus software and "occasional crashes" on startup. The bug with folder shortcuts prevents files from being selected within the target folders. It was also fixed in version 137.0.1.

Here is the official changelog:

Version 137.0.1, first offered to Release channel users on April 8, 2025

 

• Fixed an issue where folder shortcuts on Windows were incorrectly treated as files during file uploads, preventing selecting files within the target folder. (Bug 1958222)
• Fixed a crash experienced by Windows users when downloading files with Qihoo 360 Total Security Antivirus software installed. (Bug 1958112)
• Fixed an occasional startup crash. (Bug 1958293)

In case you missed it, Mozilla released Firefox 137 on April 1. The update was quite a big one, and it introduced some much-requested changes, such as tab groups, a refreshed address bar (it can now work as a calculator), HEVC playback on Linux, PDF signing, and more. Full release notes for version 137 are available here.

You can update Firefox by heading to Menu > Help > About Firefox. Alternatively, get the browser from the official website or the Microsoft Store (if you are on Windows 10 and 11).

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Here is the changelog:

[General]

 

This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• We’re starting to roll out the change again so that when you launch File Explorer folders from outside of File Explorer (for example, from an app or from the desktop), by default they will now open in a new tab if you have an existing File Explorer window open (which we temporarily disabled to address some issues). As a reminder – if you’d prefer that they continue opening in a new window, you can change this in File Explorer folder options, under General > Browse Folders.
• The change that introduced labels on unlabeled actions such as cut, copy, paste, rename, share, and delete in the File Explorer context menu that began rolling out in Build 22635.4660 has been disabled. Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel can upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2 flights to get this change back.

Fixes and other improvements include the following:

[Start menu]

 

• Fixed an issue where when using increased text size, the sign out and more options buttons may not be visible in the Start menu account manager.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• Fixed an issue where was causing File Explorer to crash in some cases when copying or renaming files in recent builds.

 

[Input]

 

• Fixed an issue where if you typed in some apps, they might stop working after disconnecting from a remote desktop session.

And here is the list of known bugs:

[Start menu]

 

The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new grid and category views on the All” page in the Start menu:

 

• When right-clicking on an app, the “Start settings” context menu flashes before the app’s context menu appears.

You can find the official announcement here.

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On Windows 11, if your laptop's battery is draining quickly, the issue could be an application sucking all the energy and not a problem with the battery itself.

If you're not sure, you have multiple ways to check the apps that use the most energy, which could cause the battery to drain quickly. You can complete these troubleshooting steps through the Settings app and Task Manager.

In this how-to guide, I will explain what you have to do to detect the apps using the most energy to improve battery life on Windows 11. In addition, I'll outline several tips to resolve battery drainage issues on your computer.

How to determine app draining battery on Windows 11

On Windows 11, you have at least two ways to check which apps are wasting the most battery, including using the Settings app and Task Manager.

Check battery usage history from Settings

To determine the apps using the most battery on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click the Power & battery page.

NVIDIA has released five new versions of its Game Ready drivers since 572.16 (which arrived alongside RTX 50-series GPUs), but it hasn't fixed the root of the problems experienced by many gamers.

Gamers Nexus has now published a video replicating and confirming the NVIDIA driver issues that countless users have reported.

GN Host Stephen Burke calls the overall situation "absolutely abhorrent and completely embarrassing," and I don't think that's being too harsh.

But before I cover GN's findings (and temporary fixes), a bit of backstory regarding NVIDIA's 572.XX drivers.

NVIDIA's current driver issues began in January 2025

The reasons Redmond's provided for these controversial decisions often center around security and performance, but they've sparked plenty of debates.

Linux distros like Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS, and more offer a great alternative for users who want to make the switch to Linux, offering greater customization, lower system requirements, and more freedom in how you use your computer.

Of course, there are instances where Windows emerges as the clear winner, especially when it comes to gaming, .NET development, and niche Office tasks, especially with powerhouses like Excel, which still have superior support on Windows.

If you're looking to jump to Linux, Paul has also written an excellent piece on how Linux can help save your computer from ending up in the landfill, especially if it doesn't meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11, as the end of life for Windows 10 draws near.

With that being said, here's a list of completely FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) apps that you should install when you make the switch.

1. Varia

Varia is a download manager for Linux, written in Vala. It's built on yt-dlp (a very popular command line utility forked from the youtube-dl project) and aria2. It offers download support for websites like YouTube, TikTok, and more. There's also additional functionality, like download scheduling and support for downloads from protected areas requiring authentication.

It's available for both Linux and Windows. For Linux, you'd have to grab the Flatpak package, just make sure you have Flatpak installed properly on your machine.

One downside to Varia is that it embeds yt-dlp instead of relying on the separate yt-dlp build on your computer. If there's an issue with the version of yt-dlp embedded in the app, you'd need to wait for the developer to update the app with a newer version of yt-dlp, then download the update.

In such cases, you can switch back to using regular yt-dlp in the command line or use a different download manager. Varia is available for Linux (as a Flatpak) and Windows.

2. Micro

When you first make the switch to Linux, you'd probably spend some time setting some configuration files. One popular tool for editing files without having to step out of the terminal is Nano.

Nano's great if you need to do some light editing, maybe commenting out a line in a config file, but it's not ideal for editing large files.

Another thing to note is that Nano has fewer features. For example, there's no mouse support by default, so you'd have to start up nano with the -m flag, or add the following line to your ~/.nanorc file.

set mouse

Micro is a much more "modern" alternative, offering sane defaults, very good mouse support, common key bindings, syntax highlighting for over 100 languages, splits and tabs, etc. It's available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and more. Check out the official installation instructions.

3. LocalSend

LocalSend is an open-source app that, using a REST API, allows you to securely share files between devices in your local network, without needing an internet connection.

It's a Flutter app, meaning that it's written to be cross-platform, available for Desktop (Linux, Windows, macOS), mobile (Android, iOS), and even Fire OS. LocalSend has three Send modes: Single recipient, Multiple recipient, and Share via link. The first two are pretty self-explanatory, allowing you to send files between one and more than one recipient, respectively.

The last mode is pretty handy if the recipient does not have LocalSend installed. It works by starting a server on port 53317 by default (you can customize this in settings).

Once the server is started, you can visit the generated link in your browser on your recipient's device, and grab the files from there. If this all sounds interesting, you can download LocalSend here.

4. mpv + uosc

At first glance, mpv is a straightforward media player supporting a wide variety of video file formats, audio and video codecs, and subtitle types. It handles formats such as AVI, ASF, QuickTime, Ogg, OGM, Matroska, MP4, NUT, FLV, and more. This extensive compatibility allows mpv to play virtually any media file you encounter.

Now, you might be wondering why you should consider mpv compared to something like VLC (after all, they both use FFmpeg under the hood). It is mostly down to choice. In my experience, mpv has handled everything I've thrown at it, which is not always the case for VLC. I've had issues with VLC stuttering when playing .webm and .mkv files, especially on Wayland.

Personal experience aside, mpv is more configurable, resource-efficient, and often offers better video and audio playback quality.

There are downsides to mpv, though. For example, it's less user-friendly, and its simple interface might be a turn-off for most people used to GUI apps like VLC. The good news is that there are nice mpv frontends like Celluloid, SMPlayer, and more.

Or if you want something lighter, you can install an On-Screen Controller (OSC), like uosc to replace the default mpv OSC, bringing features like thumbnails, configurable controls bar, UIs for selecting video/audio track, loading subtitles, etc.

mpv is available for Windows (10 1607 or later), macOS (10.15 or later), and Linux. You can grab it here.

5. FSearch

If you use Windows, you might be familiar with Everything, the search utility from Voidtools, that's faster and better than the built-in search in Windows. FSearch is a great alternative to Everything for Linux users. It does require occasional database updates, but I’ve set mine to update automatically every time I open the app (I’ve mapped Super (Windows Key) + S to launch FSearch).

Plus, FSearch includes a neat command-line tool that lets you open the app directly from the terminal.

When launching FSearch from the command line, you can use flags like -s to specify a search term right away.

For example, this command will launch FSearch and instantly search for any files that match the *.png pattern in the background.

fsearch -s *.png

FSearch is available for various Linux distros, like Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch Linux. You can also grab the Flatpak if that's your thing, though the Flatpak version is limited in features.

6. KDEConnect (or GSConnect)

I can't imagine being without this one. KDE Connect makes connecting devices on your local network super easy, and it brings tons of useful features.

You get things like a shared clipboard, synchronized notifications, and a virtual touchpad and keyboard. Plus, you can turn your phone into a presentation remote and control your desktop's slides from it. If you happen to misplace your phone around the house, you can even ring it from your desktop.

To use it, just grab the KDE Connect app for your desktop (Windows, macOS, and Linux) and install the app on your phone (Android and iOS).

If you're using GNOME, you might want to try the GSConnect GNOME extension for a better experience than the regular KDE Connect Linux app. Just remember that you should not have GSConnect and KDE Connect installed and running on the same computer.

7. Apostrophe

If you're after a clean, no-fuss markdown editor for GNOME, Apostrophe's definitely worth checking out. It's got a bunch of handy features like live preview, a focus mode that dims everything except the sentence you're writing (great for cutting out distractions), and export options to PDF, Word, LibreOffice, LaTeX, even HTML slideshows.

It's available as a Flatpak on Flathub, but if you're on Arch or Fedora, there are unofficial builds floating around too.

8. Switcheroo

I use Switcheroo all the time to convert .webp files to .png. It supports plenty of other formats too, including JPEG, PNG, AVIF, BMP, HEIF, and JXL. You can adjust image quality, set a background for transparent images, and resize using different algorithms.

It also handles batch processing, so converting a bunch of images at once is no problem. You can get it as a Flatpak on Flathub.

9. Newsflash

Newsflash is an RSS reader built with Rust that gives you a smooth, modern interface. It comes with a bunch of handy features, like syncing with popular web-based RSS services such as Feedbin, Inoreader, NewsBlur, Miniflux, Fever, FreshRSS, and CommaFeed.

Plus, it supports local RSS feeds, lets you import and export OPML files, and offers content parsers, among other cool features. The app is available as a Flatpak on Flathub, Snap, and Arch Linux via AUR.

10. LibreOffice

LibreOffice is truly a behemoth, and it's amazing that it's free. Its comprehensive suite of applications rivals those of commercial office suites, offering robust tools for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.

Another feature I love about LibreOffice is its command-line utility for converting various file formats. For example, to convert a PowerPoint file to PDF, you can use the following command:

libreoffice --headless --convert-to pdf presentation.pptx

The latest release, LibreOffice 25.2, introduces several notable improvements like inline headings in Writer, soft edge and glow effects in text frame objects in Impress, and more. On desktop, LibreOffice is available on Linux, Windows, and macOS.

That wraps up this list. Are there any other Linux apps you recommend or use daily? Please share them in the comments.

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Interestingly, even those who have an eligible computer may be blocked from upgrading due to major compatibility issues and other bugs. Windows 11 24H2, even six months after its release, is having such problems. The latest one happens to be an encryption-related one with SenseShield's software.

Meanwhile, for those who have managed to move to Windows 11, Microsoft has shared some useful "tips" to get the most out of it. As usual, Microsoft starts it off hyping Windows 11 and nagging users still on 10 to update to make the switch. It says:

So, you’ve heard the buzz about Windows 11, but is it worth the upgrade? From productivity tools to sleek designs, Windows 11 is packed with features that make your life easier. If you’re still on Windows 10, now’s a good time to make the switch—especially with support for Windows 10 ending in October 2025. And if you’re already on Windows 11, these tips will help you get the most out of it.

First, it mentions Windows 11's centered Start menu and how it allows users to personalize the Start Menu by pinning applications, rearranging tiles, or resizing it to match individual preferences. Speaking of which, the feature is finally getting a much-needed overhaul as it seems to be prioritizing user feedback over design instincts, unlike on Windows 8.

After that, it highlights the Snap Layouts feature that can help users manage multiple windows side by side, enhancing efficiency and ease of multitasking. On the topic of multitasking, the ability to create separate desktops for various tasks with the help of multiple desktops has also been mentioned.

Another productivity-related feature is Focus Sessions that can enable a user to set work intervals and breaks, helping them stay focused and manage tasks effectively. None of the three above features is Windows 11 exclusive, though, as they are present on Windows 10 as well.

Next up, Widgets are mentioned, which can provide tailored updates, including news, weather, and reminders, through a single interface.

After that, Windows Hello has been touched on, which enables face recognition log-in for users without the need for passwords. Finally, Microsoft also mentions Dark Mode on Windows 11 for reducing eye strain.

At the end of the article, Microsoft again urges Windows 10 users to embrace Windows 11. It says:

Here’s the thing; if you’re still using Windows 10, you need to know that Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. That means that Microsoft will no longer provide software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Transitioning to Windows 11 is essential for maintaining your access to the latest security features.

 

So, don’t wait until the last minute—upgrade now and enjoy the cool features Windows 11 has to offer.

In the middle of the post, it also embeds its "Start Fresh Without Starting Over with Windows 11" advert that was meant to highlight the seamless, hassle-free upgrade process. You can view the blog post here on Microsoft's official website.

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However, the experience on Windows 11 may not be flawless, especially on the latest OS feature update, version 24H2. Last month, the company lifted an upgrade block related to gaming with safeguard hold ID 52796746.

Today, however, the company has issued a new block on some new devices as it has been found that the sprotect SYS driver is having compatibility problems on Windows 11 24H2, leading to system freezing and blue screening or black screening errors.

Below, Microsoft explains the issue and has also provided the safeguard hold ID for system admins:

Microsoft is working with SenseShield Technology Co on a compatibility issue between Windows 11, version 24H2 and the sprotect.sys driver. This issue causes affected devices to become unresponsive and display a blue or black screen error.

 

The sprotect.sys driver provides encryption protection and is used by specialized security software and enterprise solutions. This driver can be automatically introduced into a system as part of the installation process of many different applications. The issue impacts devices with any version of the sprotect.sys driver (1.0.2.372 and 1.0.3.48903).

 

To safeguard your update experience, we have applied a compatibility hold on devices running the incompatible sprotect.sys driver. These devices will not be offered to install Windows 11, version 24H2 via the Windows Update release channel.

 

If you have a Home or Pro Windows device affected by this hold, the Windows Update page under Settings will display a message saying you don’t need to take any action now... IT administrators using Windows Update for Business reports can check this issue using safeguard ID 56318982.

As always, Microsoft has recommended not to force an update to Windows 11 24H2 in case you can't do it. The company says it is working with SenseShield to fix it. You can find the issue here on Microsoft's Windows health dashboard website.

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Microsoft has announced new memory and personalization features that will enable Copilot to be able to remember who you are as a person, including things like your likes and dislikes, preferences and more.

Copilot's new memory capabilities will allow it to craft an accurate profile about you as you use it. Microsoft says that as you chat with Copilot, it wil learn about you just like a real human and retain that information across conversations.

"It notes your preferences, building a richer user profile and offering tailored solutions, proactive suggestions and timely reminders" says Microsoft. Copilot will be able to remember things like your favorite food or color, types of films you enjoy, information about your friends and relatives (that you give it) and more.

Of course, this does sound a little creepy, and Microsoft is eager to address those concerns. The company says privacy is a top priority for a feature like this and is giving users control over what types of information Copilot can remember about them. You can also opt out of this entirely if you only intend to use Copilot as a tool for work, not as a virtual friend.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Microsoft just announced several new features for Copilot. The AI tool will receive the features over the coming months, but some upgrades are already available.

One of the more interesting features announced today is Copilot Search in Bing. That tool combines traditional web search with generative search results.

Microsoft claims the addition "transforms web search." Copilot Search checks information from multiple websites to show more detailed and accurate responses through Bing.

Those search results will show citations and suggestions that lead people to more information on a topic.

The improved search functionality probably won't garner as much attention as Copilot gaining support for remembering details from conversations, but it is more important for many people. For many, Bing search is their first introduction to the Copilot brand.

Bringing together traditional search and generative AI should result in better responses to queries. Google is still the dominant search engine by far, but many complain about the results generated by Google search.

If Microsoft can use Copilot to make Bing a better tool for finding useful information, that would help the Bing brand substantially. The fact that Microsoft markets the resulting tool as "Copilot Search" is also handy because it appears to customers as something new rather than just an update to Bing.

On this day in 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded a company called Micro-Soft in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The two men had worked together before, as members of the Lakeside Programming group in the early 70s and as cofounders of a road traffic analysis company called Traf-O-Data. But Micro-Soft, later renamed to drop the hyphen and relocated to its current headquarters in Redmond, Washington, would be the company that would transform personal computing over the next five decades.

I'm not here to do a history of Microsoft, because Wikipedia already exists and because the company has already put together a gauzy 50th-anniversary retrospective site with some retro-themed wallpapers. But the anniversary did make me try to remember which Microsoft product I consciously used for the first time, the one that made me aware of the company and the work it was doing.

To get the answer, just put a decimal point in the number "50"—my first Microsoft product was MS-DOS 5.0.

Riding with DOS in the Windows era

I remember this version of MS-DOS so vividly because it was the version that we ran on our first computer. I couldn’t actually tell you what computer it was, though, not because I don’t remember it but because it was a generic yellowed hand-me-down that was prodigiously out of date, given to us by well-meaning people from our church who didn't know enough to know how obsolete the system was.

It was a clone of the original IBM PC 5150, initially released in 1981; I believe we took ownership of it sometime in 1995 or 1996. It had an Intel 8088, two 5.25-inch floppy drives, and 500-something KB of RAM (also, if memory serves, a sac of spider eggs). But it had no hard drive inside, meaning that anything I wanted to run on or save from this computer needed to use a pile of moldering black plastic diskettes, more than a few of which were already going bad.

Bear in mind that my knowledge of and exposure to computers before this was minimal, and my exposure to PCs had been nearly nil—I'd played Oregon Trail on an Apple IIe in elementary school, and the few computers that were in my classrooms or computer labs at the time were Macs. So all I really knew was that this computer was old but it was ours, and I set about learning what I could about it, blissfully unaware of its obsolescence and the fact that the computing world was well into the Windows 95 era.

The operating system diskette for this PC just happened to be running MS-DOS 5.0, so that was where I started.

MS-DOS 5.0 is actually a fairly significant release of the operating system. Released in June of 1991, MS-DOS 5.0 was the first version to include Edit and Qbasic; it was also the last version to be jointly developed by Microsoft and IBM before the two companies formally parted ways. It was a welcome corrective after the ambitious-but-busted MS-DOS 4.0 release, with new features and higher RAM requirements but few of the same compatibility problems. It was also the first version offered as a shrink-wrapped retail product that PC owners could buy as a standalone upgrade, which might explain why that old PC was running it in the first place.

Armed with nothing more than a version number, the next time we went to our local public library, I hit the boring non-fiction shelves to try and find more information. My memory is fuzzy, but I think the reference book I found was Carolyn Z. Gillay's DOS 5 Fundamentals, because I remember it having a sort of toothpaste-green colored cover and that it came with disks that had sample files on them. Whatever book it was, the fact that I found a tome that just happened to be about the exact version of DOS I was working with felt lucky (it was not a very up-to-date part of the library).

That book taught me how to do all the stuff I couldn't figure out on this horrible old PC—searching through files and folders, writing snarky journal entries in the Edit app, copying and formatting disks (and, crucially, checking them for errors so I could weed out the bad ones), writing batch files, and creating additional system disks so we could have backups. I had the free time and the elastic, absorbent brain that only a kid can have, and I quickly soaked it all up.

The information I was acquiring was already outdated by the standards of the day. But a working knowledge of DOS remained useful for decades afterward. A couple of years later when we got our first Windows PC (another hand-me-down, a similarly generic 486DX-based PC that did OK with Windows 95 but buckled under the load of Windows 98), MS-DOS was still there under the surface, and knowing how to use it was essential for the inevitable OS reinstallations. If anything, knowing about the MS-DOS undercurrents lurking beneath the surface of those Windows versions helped keep me curious about the underpinnings of other electronics I used, something that led me pretty much directly to my first IT jobs and then to writing detailed and overlong articles about technology.

Microsoft is far from a perfect company. Strong-arm tactics and anticompetitive practices defined the MS-DOS and Windows eras, and I have all kinds of misgivings about the company's push into generative AI and the current state of Windows 11. But I owe a lot to that first computer and the software that it unhappily, begrudgingly ran. And that's why I found myself thinking about my strange, nostalgic attachment to a particular version of MS-DOS on Microsoft's 50th anniversary.

Other stuff to do and read

Today you can relive the experience of using all kinds of MS-DOS versions—as well as PC-DOS, DR-DOS, and many retro Windows versions—in your web browser using the emulators hosted at PCjs machines.

For further reading, here are a few other Microsoft and Microsoft-related retrospectives from the Ars archives:

• The complete history of the IBM PC, parts one and two
• The Windows Start menu saga, from 1993 up through the launch of Windows 10.
• Exploring modern retro-computing with the Book 8088 and Pocket 386 laptops.
• The rise and fall of Internet Explorer, which was finally laid to rest in 2022.
• "Too much and too soon," a look back at Windows 8
• Microsoft open-sources MS-DOS 4.00
• An interview on the 30th anniversary of FreeDOS, an operating system that keeps the DOS software running on newer hardware

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The major new feature in this update is a change to the confinement of the Tor Browser. To help protect users against potential flaws in the Tor Browser, it could only save files to the Downloads folder and read data from a limited number of folders. This has changed now and you can safely access any file in your Home folder or persistent storage.

Explaining how it was able to achieve this, the Tails Project said:

“These improvements rely on 2 security technologies: the flexibility of the new XDG Desktop Portals of Flatpak allowed us to relax the AppArmor confinement, improving usability without compromising on security.”

This update also fixes the following problems:

• The Large Text accessibility feature works in Tor Browser.
• The Cursor Size accessibility feature works in Tor Browser.
• The minimize and maximize buttons are available again in the title bar.

The rest of the release notes for this update read as follows:

Changes and updates

• Update Tor Browser to 14.0.9.
• Update the Tor client to 0.4.8.16.

Fixed problems

• Fix the Welcome Screen freezing after unlocking the Persistent Storage. (#20783)
• Add a clearer border to the Kleopatra window when on white background. (#20861)
• Fix the error when closing the check for upgrades from About Tails. (#20861)
• For more details, read our changelog.

If you already have Tails on a USB stick, boot into it and you should get a message to update automatically. If that’s not available to you, look into a manual upgrade or perform a clean install.

Source: The Tails Project

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So while Nvidia continues dealing with problems on Windows, an engineer from there helped resolve an AMD driver bug on Linux. A recent patch note reveals this as it says:

Fix a performance regression on AMD iGPU and dGPU drivers, related to the unintended activation of DMA bounce buffers that regressed game performance if KASLR disturbed things just enough.

Interestingly, this issue, as it turns out, was the consequence of a previous "bad commit" by an Nvidia engineer. It was able to be pinned down thanks to the effort by Bert Karwatzki, who noticed problems when playing Stellaris on Steam. He wrote:

Using linux next-20250307 to play the game stellaris via steam I noticed that loading the game gets sluggish with the progress bar getting stuck at 100%. In this situation mouse and keyboard inputs don't work properly anymore. Switching to a VT and killing stellaris somewhat fixes the situation though in one instance the touchpad did not work after that. I bisected this between v6.14-rc5 and next-20250307 and got this as the first bad commit

 

....

 

Reverting commit 7ffb791423c7 in next-20250307 fixes the issue for me. The OS is debian sid (last updated 20250309) and this is the hardware is an MSI Alpha 15 Laptop

Upon investigating further, it was understood that the bug was a result of an issue with the kernel address space layout randomization (KASLR) feature when it was disabled (nokaslr), which leads to a DMA (direct memory access) addressing error. For those wondering, KASLR is a security feature that helps load the kernel to a random location in memory and is meant for memory safety.

The patch notes say:

As Bert Karwatzki reported, the following recent commit causes a performance regression on AMD iGPU and dGPU systems:

 

7ffb791423c7 ("x86/kaslr: Reduce KASLR entropy on most x86 systems")

 

It exposed a bug with nokaslr and zone device interaction. The root cause of the bug is that, the GPU driver registers a zone device private memory region. When KASLR is disabled or the above commit is applied, the direct_map_physmem_end is set to much higher than 10 TiB typically to the 64TiB address.

 

When zone device private memory is added to the system via add_pages(), it bumps up the max_pfn to the same value. This causes dma_addressing_limited() to return true, since the device cannot address memory all the way up to max_pfn.

 

This caused a regression for games played on the iGPU, as it resulted in the DMA32 zone being used for GPU allocations.

You can read them in full at the source LKML (Linux Kernel Mailing List) links below.

Source: LKML (link1, link2, link3)

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• Agent Mode in VS Code Stable: Enables autonomous task completion by Copilot, enable it by setting chat.agent.enabled.
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server Support: Allows AI models to interact with external tools and data sources.
• Built-in Tools for Agent Mode: Includes features for fetching web content, finding symbol references, and deep analysis.
• Next Edit Suggestions Now Generally Available: Provides predictive code editing assistance.
• Reduced Distractions During AI Edits: Minimizes diagnostics events while AI applies edits.
• Support for Custom API Keys in Chat (Preview): Allows access to various language models using personal API keys.
• Unified Chat Experience: Simplifies switching between ask, edit, and agent modes.
• Improved Workspace Search: Offers faster and more accurate remote workspace indexing.
• Enhanced Notebook Editing: Supports creating and editing notebooks with edit and agent modes.

Some of the big updates in this update pertain to accessibility. If you’re a screen reader user, Microsoft has made the editor and terminal more compatible with readers. Additionally, Microsoft has made changes so that the Command Center and Quick Access announce the focused element’s type and state, and the Problems view now announces the error, warning, or info message.

Another change affects anyone who uses Git, which is a significant majority. The Source Control view now shows you how many incoming and outgoing commits there are for each repository, giving developers a quick overview of the status of their repositories.

Finally, there are improvements to extensions. The Python extension now supports the Pylance language server by default, giving you improved code completion, navigation, and error checking. The Jupyter extension has also got an update so that data scientists and researchers can run notebooks in a remote Jupyter server.

You can now download this version by going to the Visual Studio Code website or checking for updates inside an older version of Visual Studio Code.

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If you’re on the beta, under Taskbar settings > Taskbar behaviors, you can now select options under Show smaller taskbar buttons: Always, Never, or When taskbar is full. The third option will scale down icons so that they all can fit and not get hidden away in a second menu.

Here’s what small icons look like.

Image: Microsoft

The behavior appears to be similar to macOS where icons on the dock get smaller as more applications or minimized windows are added.

X user phantomofearth, who frequently digs through Insider builds, posted that there’s an update to the Start menu as well. Now, it has a larger layout that includes the ability to hide the recommended recent apps and can show all of your apps on the page.

Microsoft notes that people who update to this Insider Build might lose those cool new battery charge status icons it introduced in January, but the company plans to bring it back to Insiders soon.

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ISSUE

 

Users with multiple calendars enabled in the Calendar view may see blank sections rendered in some calendars.

 

Affected channels with starting builds:  

 

• Current Channel: Version 2501 (Build 18429.20132)
• Monthly Enterprise Channel: Version 2501 (Build 18429.20200)
• Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel: Version 2408 (Build 17928.20440)

 

STATUS: INVESTIGATING

 

The Outlook Team is currently investigating this issue.

For those affected by the issue, Microsoft has issued a simple workaround for the problem. The company says that scrolling up and down in the Calendar view should resolve the issue. Another trick that could work is to set the Zoom setting to lower than 100%. Hence, it may be some sort of rendering issue that is triggered, but can be worked around.

Microsoft writes:

WORKAROUND

 

Blank sections will disappear after scrolling up and down in the Calendar View. Another workaround is to change the Zoom setting to smaller than 100%.

You can find the support article here on Microsoft's website.

On the topic of calendars, the company has confirmed another problem with the feature. When selecting time slots for setting up meetings, the incorrect option may get selected. Below, Microsoft describes the problem and its observations:

ISSUE

 

After you select multiple calendars in the Calendar pane, when you click a timeslot on the calendar the wrong time is selected.

 

Observations:

 

• Mouse clicks are being registered 2 - 3 rows above where you click in a calendar.
• The issue occurs when you have at least 3 other calendars open, and a dual monitor set up.
• The issue does not occur in OWA or new Outlook.

 

STATUS: INVESTIGATING

 

The Outlook Team is investigating this issue. We will update this topic when fix status is available.

You can view the official support article here on Microsoft's site.

Aside from the Calendar bugs, Microsoft has also confirmed a newsletter-related problem on Classic Outlook. The tech giant has described the issue and has also provided a workaround for affected users:

ISSUE

 

When you scroll to read Newsletter emails the scrolling may be more jumpy than normal emails. The scrolling might skip some text or pause in an unexpected place in the email. This issue starts occurring in Version 2503 Build 18623.20000.

 

This issue is most often seen with emails created from the new feature Newsletters in Outlook (Preview).

 

STATUS: WORKAROUND

 

The Word Team is working on a fix for this issue. We will update this topic when there are any status updates.

 

To work around the issue, disable Advanced Typography, Typography improvements.

 

1. Select File, Options, Mail, Editor Options, then Advanced.
2. Uncheck Use Advanced Typography.
3. Select OK, and OK again, then restart Outlook.

The support article for the above can be found here on Microsoft's website.

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ISSUE

 

After installing recent updates, you might see one or more of the following errors when you start Outlook, Word, or other Office applications:

 

• “The required file pagelayout.dll cannot be found in your path. Install Microsoft Outlook again.”
• “The required file msls70.dll cannot be found in your path. Install Microsoft Outlook again.”

Microsoft had provided no workaround at the time and had only asked affected users to report the problem. After months of investigation, the company has finally managed to figure out what the problem was. Hence, the issue has now been closed as "fixed."

Microsoft explains:

STATUS: FIXED

 

The Office Team made a change in Version 2504 Build 18730.20000 to help mitigate the issue. Monitor Update History for build availability, Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps (listed by date).

 

This issue can occur when the Office version does not match the Office channel. For example, this issue may occur if you are on the Monthly Enterprise Channel, but the version of the Office application is the Current Channel's version. Make sure that the channel you are on matches the version showing for that channel on Update History, Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps (listed by date). To see the Office version, open Word and select File, Account, under About Word. If there is a version mismatch, then there is a problem with the deployment configuration. If you use Intune, make sure the version, and build of Office on the user’s machine matches the channel and build you are intending the user to have.

 

The immediate solution is to move to the channel that matches the Office build. The issue may be mitigated by uninstalling and reinstalling Office. If you need help working through the issue, please open a support case with the Office Deployment support team.

Microsoft has also added details on how to escalate the problem with corresponding support engineers if the issue pops up again:

Once you are on the fixed build and if you still see issues, please collect the Office Logs and the file information below and share them with your support engineer.

 

1. Close all Office apps and then zip up the logs in this directory and add to your support case:Logs: %temp%/diagnostics.
2. Download the Microsoft 365 Apps Deployment Log Collector from the Official Microsoft Download Center. Once downloaded, extract it to a folder, run it, and then add the zipped-up logs to your support case,
3. Capture a screenshot of the Word version details. Go to this folder: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16. Locate Winword.exe, right-click on it and select Properties, then select Details, and take a screenshot to add to the support case.
4. Capture a screenshot of the msls70.dll and pagelayout.dll version details in the same folder as noted in step 3 and add to the support case. In some cases, the version may not be listed but we still want to see that information. If the files are not present in that folder, that needs to be noted in the case.

You can find the support article for the bug here on Microsoft's official website.

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It'd be interesting if Microsoft had this ideology also - make software what the users want.

Currently it's "make MS software a platform to sell other MS software", like "Windows is no longer an OS, it's an advertisement platform for Office 365 and Copilot".

Coincidentally, a Microsoft employee recently suggested that user feedback was, in fact, a bit on the back seat when the company was designing Windows 8. The comment was made by Harold Gomez, who was likely in the position of a UI designer at that time.

Microsoft held a down-the-memory-lane sort of event recently where it looked back on the evolution of Windows design over the years. It makes sense considering the company is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary with folks like Bill Gates sharing a historical piece of his work.

Here, Gomez said Microsoft designers relied more on their own instincts to make something modern like Windows 8 (Metro UI) instead of user and customer feedback:

Part of the design process is trying to balance user feedback with your design instincts. We certainly could not have gotten to what Windows 8 was with the Metro visual style, solely relying on customer feedback. It was something customers would never have asked for because we lived in a very iPhone world at that time.

 

Windows design took a pivot and tried to create something different while rooted in our design ethos and principles. We experimented with information design, typography, layouts, and making motion design an integral part of our systems. We did the work around understanding what our customers’ needs were and coupled those insights with our design instincts, which helped us create something special.

That did not turn out so well for the company since we all know what happened with Windows 8 after its release. The OS was hit with widespread backlash as users hated the fact that the useful and intuitive Start button was removed, and Microsoft was forced to bring it back real soon with Windows 8.1.

Has Microsoft learned its lesson? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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The just-released Windows 11 preview builds from the Dev and Beta Channels contain a big Start menu rework that fixes several complaints about its current implementation. Microsoft is finally ditching a two-section design in favor of a single scrollable view. Your pins and recommendations sit on top, while the All Apps list is right below them—simply start scrolling, and you are good to go browse all installed apps, no more clicking the "All" button.

Another thing that will make a lot of Windows 11 users happy is the ability to turn off the "Recommended" section for good and keep only pinned apps and folders. This has been a big point of criticism during all these years, and Microsoft is finally adhering to customer feedback.

The reworked Start menu was spotted by the eagle-eyed Windows Insider phantomofearth on X:

You can turn on the new Start menu in the latest Dev and Beta builds by doing the following:

1. Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files in a convenient and easy-to-find folder.
2. Run Command Prompt as Administrator and navigate to the folder containing the ViveTool files with the CD command. For example, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
3. Type vivetool /enable /id:49402389,49221331,47205210,48433719 and press Enter.
4. Restart your computer.

Microsoft has not announced it yet, as it is probably not ready for prime time by the company's standards.

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Microsoft published a checklist for those users. The Windows 10 end of support checklist helps customers be prepared when end of support comes, according to Microsoft.

Problem is, Microsoft's main intent makes the checklist less usable than it could be. It is basically a reiteration of the end of support email that Microsoft sent out last month.

First, let us take a look at what Microsoft is suggesting.

The Windows 10 end of support checklist

Microsoft's list has four items:

• Check for Windows updates.
• Backup your data.
• Safely erase your data.
• Recycle your PC responsibly.

Microsoft's first suggestion is to make sure that Windows 10 is up to date. It does not mention the upgrade option to Windows 11 here, which seems like a missed opportunity.

While many Windows 10 PCs cannot be upgraded, some can and that would ensure that they receive security updates after October 2025, albeit on Windows 11.

Also, checking for updates only helps until October 2025, after which update delivery will end officially.

Backups

The second suggestion makes more sense on first glance. Backing up important data should be on every user's agenda regularly, but especially so when migrating to a new system.

Microsoft suggests to copy files manually to an external hard drive. This is a time consuming process. Most users may want to use backup software like Paragon Backup & Recovery Free for that instead.

The second suggestion that Microsoft gives is to move files to OneDrive. Here, Microsoft fails to note that OneDrive has a storage limit and that upgrades cost money. Also, moving certain files to OneDrive may get the account flagged by automatic scanning systems.

Erase data before recycling or giving away

Microsoft recommends that users erase data on their PC before they recycle the device or give it away. This prevents data leaks and unauthorized access.

The way to do that, according to Microsoft, is to go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and activate the Reset this PC option on the page. Users should then pick remove everything, and remove files and clean drive, to erase all data.

Recycling

Last but not least, Microsoft says that users should consider recycling the PC or trading it in for a new device (with Windows 11).

Here is what is missing

Microsoft's main goal with the checklist and the email is to get customers to purchase new Windows 11 PCs. It made the strategic decision to omit certain information to further that goal.

First, Microsoft mentions only in passing that an upgrade to Windows 11 may be a possibility. While the email did include an option to check if an upgrade is available, Microsoft's checklist mentions this only as an afterthought.

Second, Microsoft makes no mention of the Extended Security Updates program. This allows home users to extend support by a year and businesses by three years. Home users pay $39 for that. Another year could extend the life of the PC and give some users enough time to prepare for a new PC or migration.

While it is understandable that Microsoft does not mention third-party options, it is important to realize that these exist. Here are three main options:

• Micro-patching service 0Patch promised to deliver critical security updates for Windows 10 until at least 2030. This comes at a cost of about $30 per year and includes only critical or exploited issues. Still, it takes care of major vulnerabilities for years to come.
• Linux is an option to extend the life of a computer. While that requires some testing on the user's side, it is an option and would extend life of the PC for years to come.
• Upgrade an incompatible PC to Windows 11.

Closing Words

There you have it. You can choose to follow Microsoft by giving up on your Windows 10 PC, if it is not compatible with Windows 11, or consider one of the other options to extend the life of the hardware.

Now it is your turn. Do you still run Windows 10 on (some) of your devices? If so, what are your plans going forward? Feel free to leave a comment down below to join the discussion.

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The full changelog is given below:

New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

Taskbar icon scaling

 

We are starting to roll out taskbar icon scaling to Windows Insiders – an improvement to the Windows taskbar that ensures that you have quick access to more of your favorite apps, even when your taskbar is full. With taskbar icon scaling, when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons will automatically scale down to a smaller size. This means you can keep more apps visible and accessible without the need to dive into a secondary menu. It’s all about making your workflow smoother and more efficient.

 

We understand that everyone has their own preferences, so we’ve included settings to tailor this feature to your liking. You can choose when Windows will show smaller taskbar buttons:

 

• When taskbar is full: By default, taskbar icons will automatically turn smaller when the taskbar is full. This helps you maintain access to more apps without any extra effort.
• Never: For users who prefer their icons to remain the same size as before, regardless of how many apps are open, there’s an option to prevent the icons from scaling down.
• Always: If you love the look of smaller icons and want them to stay that way all the time, you can set your taskbar icons to always be small.

 

To customize your taskbar icon scaling settings, simply right-click an empty region of your taskbar and select “Taskbar settings”, expand “Taskbar behaviors” section, and make your selection for the setting “Show smaller taskbar buttons”.

 

As always, we value your feedback, so let us know what you think!

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Taskbar.

 

Making sharing files in Windows easier

 

Sharing files in Windows is getting a lot easier and quicker with our new drag tray feature. When you start dragging a local file with mouse (or touch) from File Explorer or your desktop, a handy tray appears at the very top of your screen allowing you to drop the file into one of the displayed apps or choose “More…” to open the Windows share window.

 

New drag tray UI that appears at the top of your screen when dragging a local file from File Explorer or your desktop.

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Files, Folders, and Online Storage > File sharing.

 

Announcing the availability of the test remediation package for quick machine recovery (QMR)

 

As a follow up to last week’s announcement of quick machine recovery, we are thrilled to announce that the test remediation package is now available for Windows Insiders to experience the full capabilities of QMR in action. We encourage Windows Insiders to test it today. The remediation package “Quick machine recovery update for Windows 11” will be automatically installed by QMR when “test mode” is activated. To verify the quick machine recovery remediation is installed, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history. The remediation should be listed under Quality updates. Please note that the ability to see the remediation package in your Windows Update history is gradually rolling out in the Beta Channel so not everyone will see this listed there right away. To provide feedback, simply open the Feedback Hub app on your Windows device, navigate to Recovery and Uninstall > Quick Machine Recovery, and share your insights. Stay tuned for further updates and enhancements as we continue to improve the resilience and reliability of Windows.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

[General]

 

• The improved battery iconography in Windows 11 may disappear for Windows Insiders in the current flights. We’re beginning to re-roll this change out to Windows Insiders.

 

[Recall (Preview)]

 

Recall is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.

 

• We are trying out a basic search history feature in Recall.

 

[Click to Do (Preview)]

 

Click to Do is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.

 

• Ask Copilot is a new action within Click to Do. When you highlight either text or image with Click to Do, you’re given an option to Ask Copilot. Microsoft Copilot opens with your content in the prompt box. You can send selected text or image within Click to Do Directly to Copilot app. The selected text or image is handed off to the Copilot app where you can complete your prompt. This feature is not available in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can learn more about this Click to Do here..

• You can now swipe using touch from the right of your screen to invoke Click to Do on your Copilot+ PC. You can adjust this experience back to notifications if you want via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touch.

 

[Input]

 

• As part of our ongoing work to improve our settings experiences, we’re starting to make more mouse related settings available directly under Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch without needing to go into Control Panel. This includes the settings for mouse indicator, mouse pointer trails, and further mouse behavior and pointer customization. As part of this work, we have also added the ability to adjust the amount of time needed to hover over a window to activate it, if you have activated on hover enabled. Finally, we updated the icon used for Mouse pointer speed in Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse and added an icon to the Enhance mouse pointer precision option.
• We’re updating the Bluetooth & Devices > Pen and Windows Ink, and Bluetooth & Devices > Touch pages in Settings to have options if you want press and hold for pen or touch to perform a right click action.

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

[Improved Windows Search]

 

The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:

 

• Fixed an issue which was causing semantic search to stop working for some Insiders (until you reboot your PC).

 

[Graphics]

 

• Fixed an issue where external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases.

 

[Hyper-V]

 

• Fixed an issue where Hyper-V Manager may erroneously report 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios.

 

Known issues

 

[General]

 

• After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
• [NEW] Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
• [NEW] Windows Sandbox will not work in this build or is available to be installed. This is fixed in the next flight.

 

[Recall (Preview)]

 

• [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

 

The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:

 

• Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
• Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

 

[Click to Do (Preview)]

 

• [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
• [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

 

The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:

 

• [NEW] In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
• [NEW] There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.

 

[Improved Windows Search]

 

• [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
• The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

 

[Widgets]

 

• Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new Lock screen widgets experience may see the weather widget temporarily unavailable.

You can view the official blog post here on Microsoft's website.

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Here is the changelog:

Taskbar icon scaling

 

We are starting to roll out taskbar icon scaling to Windows Insiders – an improvement to the Windows taskbar that ensures that you have quick access to more of your favorite apps, even when your taskbar is full. With taskbar icon scaling, when your taskbar starts to get crowded with pinned or open apps, the icons will automatically scale down to a smaller size. This means you can keep more apps visible and accessible without the need to dive into a secondary menu. It’s all about making your workflow smoother and more efficient.

 

We understand that everyone has their own preferences, so we’ve included settings to tailor this feature to your liking. You can choose when Windows will show smaller taskbar buttons:

 

• When taskbar is full: By default, taskbar icons will automatically turn smaller when the taskbar is full. This helps you maintain access to more apps without any extra effort.
• Never: For users who prefer their icons to remain the same size as before, regardless of how many apps are open, there’s an option to prevent the icons from scaling down.
• Always: If you love the look of smaller icons and want them to stay that way all the time, you can set your taskbar icons to always be small.

 

To customize your taskbar icon scaling settings, simply right-click an empty region of your taskbar and select “Taskbar settings”, expand “Taskbar behaviors” section, and make your selection for the setting “Show smaller taskbar buttons”.

 

Making sharing files in Windows easier

 

Sharing files in Windows is getting a lot easier and quicker with our new drag tray feature. When you start dragging a local file with mouse (or touch) from File Explorer or your desktop, a handy tray appears at the very top of your screen allowing you to drop the file into one of the displayed apps or choose “More…” to open the Windows share window.

 

New drag tray UI that appears at the top of your screen when dragging a local file from File Explorer or your desktop.

 

Announcing the availability of the test remediation package for quick machine recovery (QMR)

 

As a follow up to last week’s announcement of quick machine recovery, we are thrilled to announce that the test remediation package is now available for Windows Insiders to experience the full capabilities of QMR in action. We encourage Windows Insiders to test it today. The remediation package “Quick machine recovery update for Windows 11” will be automatically installed by QMR when “test mode” is activated. To verify the quick machine recovery remediation is installed, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history. The remediation should be listed under Quality updates. Please note that the ability to see the remediation package in your Windows Update history is gradually rolling out in the Beta Channel so not everyone will see this listed there right away. To provide feedback, simply open the Feedback Hub app on your Windows device, navigate to Recovery and Uninstall > Quick Machine Recovery, and share your insights. Stay tuned for further updates and enhancements as we continue to improve the resilience and reliability of Windows.

 

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on

 

[General]

 

• The improved battery iconography in Windows 11 may disappear for Windows Insiders in the current flights. We’re beginning to re-roll this change out to Windows Insiders.

 

[Recall (Preview)]

 

• We are trying out a basic search history feature in Recall.

 

[Click to Do (Preview)]

 

• Ask Copilot is a new action within Click to Do. When you highlight either text or image with Click to Do, you’re given an option to Ask Copilot. Microsoft Copilot opens with your content in the prompt box. You can send selected text or image within Click to Do Directly to Copilot app. The selected text or image is handed off to the Copilot app where you can complete your prompt. This feature is not available in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can learn more about this Click to Do here.

  

• You can now swipe using touch from the right of your screen to invoke Click to Do on your Copilot+ PC. You can adjust this experience back to notifications if you want via Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touch.

   

[Input]

 

• As part of our ongoing work to improve our settings experiences, we’re starting to make more mouse related settings available directly under Settings > Accessibility > Mouse and Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch without needing to go into Control Panel. This includes the settings for mouse indicator, mouse pointer trails, and further mouse behavior and pointer customization. As part of this work, we have also added the ability to adjust the amount of time needed to hover over a window to activate it, if you have activated on hover enabled. Finally, we updated the icon used for Mouse pointer speed in Bluetooth & Devices > Mouse and added an icon to the Enhance mouse pointer precision option.
• We’re updating the Bluetooth & Devices > Pen and Windows Ink, and Bluetooth & Devices > Touch pages in Settings to have options if you want press and hold for pen or touch to perform a right click action.

Here is what was fixed:

[Improved Windows Search]

 

The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:

 

• Fixed an issue which was causing semantic search to stop working for some Insiders (until you reboot your PC).

 

[Graphics]

 

• Fixed an issue where external graphics cards connected over Thunderbolt were unexpectedly not discoverable in some cases.

 

[Hyper-V]

 

• Fixed an issue where Hyper-V Manager may erroneously report 0% CPU usage for VMs in some scenarios.

And here is the list of known bugs:

[General]

 

• After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
• [NEW] Quick Assist will not work for non-administrator users.
• [NEW] Windows Sandbox will not work in this build or is available to be installed. This is fixed in the next flight.

 

[Recall (Preview)]

 

[REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

 

The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:

 

• Some Insiders may experience an issue where Recall is unable to automatically save snapshots, and the setting can’t be turned on in Settings. We’re working on a fix for this issue.
• Recall can be enabled or disabled from “Turn Windows features on or off”. We are caching the Recall binaries on disk while we test add/remove. In a future update we will completely remove the binaries.

 

[Click to Do (Preview)]

 

[REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.

 

[REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

 

The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders:

 

• [NEW] In small cases, Click to Do may fail to launch. Trying again should get Click to Do to launch.
• [NEW] There is an issue where images that are used with Click to Do image actions are stuck in your temp folder on your PC. This issue will be fixed in the next flight. You can manually clear your temp folder under C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp.

 

[Improved Windows Search]

 

[REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• We’re working on the fix for an issue causing File Explorer Home to crash for some Insiders. If you launch File Explorer to a different folder (for example, using search or the Run dialog), you should be able to navigate your folders.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
• The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

 

[Widgets]

 

• Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA) with the new Lock screen widgets experience may see the weather widget temporarily unavailable.

You can find the official announcement post here.

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Did you know that Microsoft is celebrating its 50th birthday this week? The software giant was founded on April 5, 1975, kicking off half a century of software innovation and hardware developments. Now, the company is celebrating the milestone with several announcements. While we wait for the promised event, Microsoft released a new celebratory wallpaper pack, just like it did with the recent Windows Insider Program anniversary.

The new wallpapers are a mix of several iconic Microsoft products, such as Minesweeper, Solitaire, Mahjong, Paint, Internet Explorer, Windows, the tulip wallpaper from Windows XP, and more. As usual, each wallpaper is available in two variants: dark and light. Also, you can have them in a standard 16:9 aspect ratio or 21:9 if you have an ultrawide monitor.

In the announcement post on the official Windows Experience Blog, Microsoft says that these wallpapers were designed by three Microsoft designers and "Windows superfans":

As we look ahead to Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, we’re celebrating the iconic memories and moments you’ve made over the past five decades. What better way to celebrate than with exclusive products like nostalgic Windows wallpapers—channeling the retro colors, pixelated edges and anticipation of new Windows releases across time. Made by three Microsoft designers and Windows superfans, our limited-edition wallpapers reimagine Windows’ most memorable moments.

You can download the Microsoft 50th Anniversary wallpapers from the official Microsoft Design website (there are plenty of other cool wallpapers for you to enjoy). If you would like to learn more about Microsoft celebrating half a decade of innovation, check out the official "Cheers to 50 years" post about multiple iconic moments from the world of Microsoft.

Bill Gates is also celebrating the occasion by sharing the original code for Altair BASIC, which predates Windows, Office, and other products that billions of people use these days.

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Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of March): 1,357

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend