A familiar question was recently posted in the Reddit community: What feature(s) do you consider Windows should already have? Looking at the community response, the answer isn't more features. It's about bringing back to the basics that should have been solved a decade ago.

The discussion around Windows 11 quickly revealed something deeper than feature wishlists. What many users want is not more innovation. They want a system that's simpler, faster, and fully under their control.

A call for a leaner operating system

One of the most repeated themes was the desire for a stripped-down version of the operating system. A true minimal install without having to resort to a debloat script or a modified ISO file.

On Reddit, user jdavid captured the frustration clearly: "With the hardware crunch of 2026, Windows should prioritize DEBLOATING." He went further, imagining a version lean enough to run on 2 or 4GB of RAM again. That sentiment was echoed by 1stUserEver, who summarized the mood bluntly: "Stripped down mode with bare minimum. no bs."

Performance came up repeatedly, especially around system search. Several users called for what should be a basic expectation in a modern operating system, including fast and reliable file discovery. Mr-TotalAwesome put it plainly: "A fast working search in file explorer." Meanwhile, ManolitoMystiq compared it to macOS, arguing that Spotlight "works amazingly well—especially compared to Windows Search."

The "AI Killswitch" and the battle for control

Customization is another fracture point. It's 2026, and we're still arguing over the Taskbar. It sounds trivial until you realize it represents a decade of Microsoft stripping away basic control over your own workflow. ROIDUMZ immediately answered the original question with "movable taskbar," and others chimed in with reminders that this used to exist years ago. It's a clear example of the operating system reducing user freedom in favor of a locked-down experience.

For power users, the frustration runs even deeper. One of the most detailed responses came from joeysundotcom, who described a "no-guardrail mode." He envisioned "Mandatory local login," "No telemetry whatsoever," "Manual updates," "No Azure components," and "Everything just shuts the F up, gets out of your way and lets you cook." It reads extreme, but it reflects a persistent sentiment that the operating system increasingly feels like a managed service instead of a locally owned machine.

Compatibility and everyday usability

The demand for proper app isolation also surfaced. User getabath described the current installation model as a "wild west," pointing out how apps scatter files across Program Files, AppData, and the Registry. The real complaint is not about technical implementation. It's about the system slowly getting heavier over time, and people want apps they can fully remove and features they can completely turn off.

Gaming compatibility sparked another layer of frustration. JoseLunaArts shared a striking example, noting that a modern Windows 11 struggles with older titles that ran flawlessly on a 2016 under Windows 10. Whether the root cause is drivers or configuration changes, the perception matters. Backward compatibility has historically been one of Windows' strongest pillars.

And then there is the theme of simplicity. anything_taken asked, almost innocently, "Windows 11 already helps me run games i want, watch youtube and post on reddit. What else should it have?" That comment might seem blunt, but it shows a clear divide. Some people are fine with how things work now. Others feel the operating system has become too complicated for simple tasks.

Even seemingly small interface decisions sparked irritation. Thin scrollbars drew criticism from ltcomdatared, who described them as "extremely difficult to get a hold of," especially with aging eyesight. These details may appear minor in isolation, but collectively, they shape daily usability.

The takeaway here isn't complicated

All these comments are not random. They show a clear pattern. Users keep asking for fewer forced features, better performance, and more control.

There is no overwhelming demand for radical new features. There is no clear cry for more services or tighter cloud bundling. Instead, the loudest message is to make the operating system fast, make it optional, and stop getting in the way.

Microsoft has already announced that in 2026, it'll focus on pain points from feedback to restore the reputation of Windows 11. However, whether the company will respond to every request is another question. But the conversation shows something important. The community is not asking for the impossible. They are asking for Windows to feel like their system again.

What Windows 11 users are really saying

Windows 11 has been evolving for years, but the community is getting louder about the features they believe should already be part of the OS. These aren’t wild wishlist items or niche power‑user demands. They’re practical, obvious improvements that many feel Microsoft has overlooked for too long. The feedback is sharp, honest, and coming from people who use Windows every day and want it to be better.

If you’ve been living with Windows 11 and feel like some basic functionality is still missing, you’re not alone. The community has spoken, and their most‑requested features paint a clear picture of where Windows 11 still falls short.

Now we want to hear from you. Which missing features drive you up the wall, and what do you think Microsoft needs to prioritize next?

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Sunday 8 March 2026 at 4:31 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Files, one of our favorite file managers for Windows, recently received an update with improved context menus and other changes. Now, several days later, another update arrived under version 4.0.34. This time, it brings promised performance improvements for thumbnails and other meaningful updates.

Starting with the main change, Files 4.0.34 is now better at loading thumbnails. They should now appear quicker for a more responsive experience. In the changelog, developers say they are looking for additional improvements, so future updates may bring additional changes in this area. In addition to that, developers shrunk the package size by over 30 MB, making the app smaller than before.

Other improvements in Files 4.0.34 include the following:

• Fixed an issue where the item count was sometimes incorrect in the Details Pane.
• Fixed a crash that would occur when typing quickly in the Filter header.
• Fixed a crash that would sometimes occur when using the Preview Pane.

You can download Files for free from the official website. If you want to support the developer, you can purchase the app in the Microsoft Store using this link.

In other file manager news, Microsoft is improving File Explorer in Windows 11. The latest preview build fix that annoying bug with white flashes when opening new tabs/windows, adds the ability to use voice input when renaming files, and improves performance when working with files downloaded from the internet. You can learn more about that in our dedicated article.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 7 March 2026 at 12:48 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

The Document Foundation (TDF), in a continuation of its near-religious crusade against Microsoft and its OOXML format, has turned its attention to the European Commission (EC), accusing the body of "structural bias" in how it collects public feedback for the new Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

The CRA (officially known as Regulation (EU) 2024/2847) is a massive piece of legislation that mandates strict cybersecurity standards for nearly every digital product sold in the EU(everything from routers and IoT devices to OSes, word processors, and mobile apps). A core goal of the act is to push companies to adopt open standards, reduce vendor lock-in, and eliminate what the law calls "unaccountable technology dependencies."

TDF thinks it is quite contradictory that the very commission drafting these rules has completely failed to follow its own advice. The EC has spent years promoting open source and digital sovereignty while forcing citizens who want to provide feedback on its policies into a corner where they must use Microsoft Excel (.xlsx). In TDF's words:

On March 3rd, 2026, the European Commission published a request for feedback on to the guidances to be provided in relation to the CRA, which must be provided through the linked spreadsheet in .xlsx format, a proprietary format that makes interoperability extremely difficult due to its ever changing and undocumented features.

In a letter to the commission, which TDF wants Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) foundations and advocates to sign in support, the foundation argued that people who use LibreOffice might face compatibility issues with the provided .xlsx template. TDF's letter states:

We ask the European Commission to lead by example by following its own guidances in relation to interoperability and at to least provide, alongside the proprietary format generated by the proprietary software and services they use, also an Open Document Format (ODF) file which is an actual interoperable and internationally recognised standard.

The foundation urged the EC to provide an Open Document Format (.ods) file, noting that:

Feedback templates of this kind should be provided in at minimum two formats: one open format (ODF spreadsheet, .ods, being the obvious choice, as it is a true ISO-standardised format with no proprietary ownership) and one widely-used proprietary format for those whose environments require it. Ideally, a plain-text or web-based form would supplement both, removing the spreadsheet dependency entirely for respondents who prefer it.

The European Commission is the third major target TDF has called out this year. Before this, the foundation had gone for the throat of OnlyOffice, accusing it of being "fake open source" for heavily marketing compatibility and defaulting to Microsoft's popular Office formats (.xlsx, .docx, and .pptx), instead of ODF.

And if you're one of those people who think that Office is superior to LibreOffice because of its ribbon interface, the TDF thinks you're wrong and that you only tolerate that layout due to a psychological normalization effect forced by Microsoft.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 7 March 2026 at 12:47 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Here is the changelog with improvements that are rolling out gradually:

[Sharing]

• Based on feedback, we’re making some refinements to the drag tray, using a smaller peek view to reduce accidental invocation and make it easier to dismiss when interacting near the top of the screen.

[File Explorer]

• You can now use voice typing (Windows key plus H) when renaming files in File Explorer.
• Removed white flash when launching new File Explorer windows or tabs when File Explorer was set to open to This PC. Also removed white flashes when resizing elements of File Explorer.
• Improved reliability of unblocking files downloaded from the internet in order to preview them in File Explorer.

You can find the announcement blog post here (Dev build) and here (Beta build). If you are in the Canary Channel, you can check out details for the latest build here.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 7 March 2026 at 5:18 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Mozilla is working on a huge redesign for Firefox, internally named "Nova," featuring strong curves that aggressively round off the tabs and the address bar, pastel colors, a refreshed new tab page, floating "island" UI elements, and more.

Sören Hentzschel, a web developer and author of several open-source extensions, shared these early mockups, but the final app could end up looking pretty different since actual development has only just started.

From the mockups, it appears Mozilla took some inspiration from Google's Material You (or at least, the dynamic color extraction part of it) because the browser color accent appears influenced by the wallpaper setting. Choosing a mint-green desktop background automatically shifts the top navigation bars to match that exact shade.

Here's what Nova looks like when you activate vertical tabs instead of the traditional horizontal layout (might remind you a bit of The Browser Company's Arc browser).

Below is what several UI elements like Downloads panels, the Site Protections panel, the Extensions Management dialog, and the Site Permissions box look like under the Nova design language.

If you are interested, you can track the development of Nova on Bugzilla. A Figma document is also available, though access appears to be restricted to Mozilla developers at the moment.

Mozilla has a long history of embarking on huge redesign projects for its Firefox browser. Before Nova, there was Firefox Proton, an update focusing on removing visual clutter with simplified menus back in June 2021 alongside Firefox 89. Going back even further, we saw the 2017 "Photon" redesign land with Firefox 57. The Photon interface gave us Square Tabs and a Combined Search and URL Bar.

Not every redesign project ends well for Mozilla, though. You might remember 2012's Firefox Metro, an ambitious attempt to build a custom browser for Windows 8's touch-first interface. The team built it to operate both as a traditional desktop application and as a touch-optimized Metro app.

Firefox could only run in Metro mode if the user manually set the program as the default system browser in the Windows settings. The whole thing was scrapped in 2014 after two years in development due to a dismally low user adoption rate (a preview version of the software had been released a year earlier on the Aurora channel).

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 7 March 2026 at 5:17 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Storage]

• Improved reliability of removing Windows Update files / windows.old files via Settings > System > Storage.

[File Explorer]

• You can now use voice typing (Windows key plus H) when renaming files in File Explorer.

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

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 7 March 2026 at 5:16 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Microsoft says that images are a core part of every PowerPoint presentation, and switching between apps "can disrupt your flow." To make sure you stay in the flow, PowerPoint for Windows, Mac, and the web now lets you edit images using its built-in editor, which has some pretty powerful tools. Those include removing backgrounds, erasing unwanted elements, upscaling images, enhancing image quality, and adding text or effects.

If you want to try the new image editor, select the image you want to edit and click Edit Image on the Picture Format tab or in the context menu. Then, PowerPoint will open a new window and present you with available options. Changes appear in real time on the preview window, and once you are happy with the result, you can click Update to apply changes to the picture.

In the announcement post, Microsoft lists the following scenarios where PowerPoint's new image editor can come in handy:

• Clean up screenshots, photos, or online images.
• Remove distracting backgrounds from photos before placing them into layouts.
• Add text annotations with cool text effects.
• Improve low-resolution images copied from the web or scanned documents.
• Auto‑enhance lighting and contrast to make images presentation‑ready.
• Remove objects or artifacts that don’t belong with Erase.
• Improve clarity for images that look pixelated on large screens with Upscale.

The image editor is now rolling out to PowerPoint on Windows (version 2510, build number 19422.20000), macOS (version 16.104, build number 25121423), and the web. The rollout is gradual, so you might not have it right away. If so, give Microsoft a few more days and check back later.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 7 March 2026 at 5:15 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

The next version of Linux Mint will ship with a Sensors page in the System Reports tool. This new panel lists all detected hardware sensors and lets you monitor things like fan speeds and CPU temperatures as their values refresh automatically. The amount of information shown will depend entirely on what a computer's manufacturer chooses to expose.

As for the new Cinnamon screensaver, Cinnamon itself now handles locking the screen directly, using its own toolkit and widgets instead of firing up a separate program. This change provides full compatibility with Wayland, a modern display protocol that the old screensaver could not support.

cinnamon-screensaver, the program the new screensaver is set to replace, has been around for a long time. It was launched way back in 2013 with Linux Mint 15 "Olivia". The application was created after the GNOME team's crusade to "simplify" (read: strip down) everything on its desktop.

But there were several problems with it. Its biggest flaw was that it did not support Wayland. The transition between the desktop and the lock screen was also a bit janky, and it was a separate process that ran alongside the Cinnamon desktop session, not as a part of it.

The Linux Mint team plans to keep cinnamon-screensaver around for the upcoming release as a fallback before it gets deprecated in the release after that. This architectural change also fixed a bug that has plagued the operating system for a decade.

The old system had so many overlapping timers and processes that developers could never reliably reproduce the "privacy peek" where the desktop was briefly visible before the lock screen engaged. By integrating the lock screen into the window manager, the team finally isolated the bug, which turned out to be an Xorg rendering issue related to power-saving commands.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Saturday 7 March 2026 at 5:14 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Now, Microsoft wants to improve that relationship, hopefully with more success this time. A new entry on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap reveals that the company is actively developing a dedicated screenshot tool directly within the Copilot interface.

The roadmap entry ID 558105 says:

“Give users a fast, built-in way to capture screenshots and include them in Copilot prompts, helping them communicate visual context more easily and receive more accurate, actionable assistance.”

We don’t have too much info on the new screenshot tool besides this short announcement from the roadmap. Still, the roadmap entry can give us a good idea of what the feature might be like.

Users will likely be able to capture their screen and feed the image directly to the AI without having to leave their current workflow. Since the screenshot feature is coming to the Microsoft 365 suite, it should be available in all Copilot interfaces, including major programs like Excel and Teams, alongside Word and PowerPoint. Microsoft will only bring the new screenshot feature to Copilot on desktop for now.

So, for example, if you’re working on a sheet in Excel, you can click a dedicated button, and Copilot will natively take a screenshot of your workspace and automatically move it to chat to analyze it and give you insights. This means you won’t have to take a screenshot using Windows’ native tool and manually upload it to Copilot as a file attachment.

Microsoft announced Windows Recall in 2024, a feature designed to automatically take screenshots of your activity on Windows. This quickly proved to be a privacy disaster. Recall was originally built to capture users’ screens every few seconds, making people feel like they were under constant surveillance.

In response, Microsoft heavily scaled back Recall and transitioned it to an opt-in experience, but still hasn’t removed it entirely. Maybe the new screenshot feature for Copilot will finally replace the need for Recall, or at least serve as a much safer alternative that won’t pose an immediate risk to users’ privacy.

We will keep an eye on the roadmap and provide an update when the feature begins rolling out to the public.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Friday 6 March 2026 at 5:32 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Microsoft is expected to begin the rollout of yet another Patch Tuesday update for in the third month of the year, making available some new features, changes, and security improvements.

In this cumulative update, the company introduces a new network speed test feature through the Taskbar. The Start menu gains a new option for those using a Microsoft account. In the Camera's settings, you can now control pan and tilt, Sysmon becomes a native tool, there are interface changes for the Settings, and more.

In this guide, I'll highlight the most significant changes in the March 2026 Security Update for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, since both are identical.

Windows 11's new features arriving in March

Microsoft uses the Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) technology to gradually roll out new improvements, so it may take some time before you see them.

1. Taskbar with Speed test "feature"

Microsoft is adding a new network speed test, which you can access from the Taskbar. According to the company, it's accessible by right-clicking the network icon in the System Tray or from the Wi-Fi or Cellular pages in the Quick Settings interface.

For once, I don’t anticipate any issues with the forthcoming March updates.

Nonetheless, I’ve raised the MS-DEFCON level to 2. It’s always wise to pause updates until thorough examinations are made and any bugs have been worked out. A little patience goes a long way.

I’m excited by some of the March updates. The frustrating part is that, as usual, updates are gradually rolled out. I can’t say you’ll see them on your devices soon after the March updates; it’s possible that it will take several weeks before you see them on individual PCs.

I find this gradual release process very annoying. Ideally, it would be nice if all machines received exactly the same updates and features at the same time. But in the “dribbled” world we live in, this is not to be.

Those who have subscribed to the Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 will be receiving fixes to Secure Boot. In the KB5077241 preview update, Microsoft notes:

Devices will receive the new certificates only after they show sufficient successful update signals, which helps ensure a safe and phased rollout.

But unlike Windows 11, which receives dribbled or gradual releases, I’m seeing only security and stability fixes — but no dribbled changes — for Windows 10 users who subscribed to the ESU. For example, in February Win10 received fixes for Chinese fonts, sleep mode that had been broken by the January updates, renaming folders using desktop.ini, and stability for graphics. So you won’t get a lot of monthly surprises if you are on the ESU program.

Consumers

For consumers, the preview update gives us a hint about what will be dribbled to consumers.

The battery icon will be updated to help you more easily identify when you are running out of power. In addition, the dribble will continue as more users see the updated start menu.

More devices will receive the necessary fixes for Secure Boot certificates. But for consumers, my recommendation about them is to stop worrying. If your device does not receive the update, your system will still boot. Only businesses at risk of being targeted by attackers need to worry about these updates.

An additional item that will be dribbled out is a new set of emojis. As Microsoft puts it in KB5077241:

The Emoji 16.0 release introduces a small thoughtfully curated set of new emojis, one from each major category. Each emoji carries timeless symbolism and practical versatility. These new emojis now appear in the emoji panel.

Now I’m going to show my age. The use of emojis often leads me to wonder what exactly someone is trying to say. Words do that; emojis can be vague and difficult to interpret. I don’t equate emojis with “timeless symbolism and practical versatility.” Though I can relate to an emoji that is trying to say that someone is tired and has bags under their eyes (especially at this time of year), I would merely say, “I’m tired.” Writing actually helps you rewire your brain, as researchers have found.

Businesses

Even more exciting changes are being dribbled for businesses! Microsoft is now offering its “backup and restore” app, to more easily migrate from one PC to another. It should be called the “migration” app because it’s really not a full backup. As Microsoft notes in KB5077241:

This experience restores user settings and Microsoft Store apps automatically at first sign-in on Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices, Cloud PCs, and multi‑user environments. This capability helps create a consistent setup process during device refreshes, upgrades, or migrations.

Also being rolled out is Quick machine recovery (QMR) for Windows Professional edition systems that are not domain-joined or controlled by Entra (i.e., “unmanaged”). These devices receive the same recovery features available to Windows Home users. For domain-joined or enterprise-managed devices, QMR stays off unless it is enabled by the organization. This is similar to the “repair install” process that I recommend when your computer refuses to install updates and instead throws off cryptic error messages.

Microsoft will also be rolling out a built-in network speed test available from the taskbar. You can open it by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. No more Googling for a speed-testing tool in our future.

The most anticipated rollout is System Monitor (Sysmon), Microsoft’s built-in tool to better track attacks. You can enable this by going into Settings | System | Optional Features | More Windows features and choosing Sysmon (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Enable Sysmon from the Turn Windows features on or off control panel.

Alternatively, you can use PowerShell by running the following command:

Prior to this, you had to download and install it.

I highly recommend downloading, playing around, and getting more educated about Sysmon and the recommended configurations that the community has built — including this highly recommended one. Each line of it is commented and sections are marked with explanations. So it will also function as a tutorial for Sysmon and a guide to critical monitoring areas in Windows systems.

Resources

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Friday 6 March 2026 at 5:29 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Microsoft has described its recent enhancement to GPP as finally closing the "longest‑standing troubleshooting gaps" in Group Policy. Up until now, when something in GPP failed, it would just throw an error with the Event ID 4098 in the Event Viewer, without giving any sort of hint as to what went wrong. IT admins had to resort to Procmon, debugging, and log details to decipher the root cause of the issue, which was a cumbersome process.

With the January 2026 updates for Windows 11 (24H2 and 25H2) and Windows Server 2025, Microsoft has finally resolved this problem by introducing a new Event ID 4117, which explains exactly what's wrong. To be clear, Event ID 4098 is not going away just yet as Microsoft is retaining it for compatibility reasons.

Now, when there is a failure in GPP, Event ID 4117 will contain details about the root cause, allowing IT admins to quickly begin their investigation in a more focused manner. The Redmond firm has described the new error messages and their remediation actions below:

Microsoft believes that this enhancement should make the troubleshooting process more modern and deterministic for IT admins, while also reducing time for resolution. The company has also teased future improvements by playfully noting that "The silence is officially over. This is not the end of the story."

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Friday 6 March 2026 at 5:21 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

WhatsApp Plus Could Add More Customization

The upcoming subscription tier is expected to focus mainly on personalization and convenience. According to early reports, WhatsApp Plus may include:

• Ability to pin up to 20 chats instead of the current limit of three
• Access to exclusive stickers and ringtones
• Expanded message reactions
• Additional interface and chat customization options

These upgrades would be optional perks designed for people who rely on WhatsApp every day and want more control over how their chats look and behave.

WhatsApp Will Always Remain Free

Crucially, WhatsApp itself will remain free to use. The Plus subscription is expected to function as an optional upgrade, similar to premium tiers offered by many other online services like telegram.

Over the years, numerous apps that started out completely free have adopted subscription models to fund ongoing development, new features, and infrastructure costs. WhatsApp Plus appears to be Meta’s attempt to follow a similar path without taking away existing free functionality.

Meta’s Ongoing Monetization Efforts Of WhatsApp

Meta has long struggled to monetize WhatsApp compared to Facebook and Instagram.

Because WhatsApp is a private, end-to-end encrypted messaging app, traditional in-feed advertising is far less effective. That makes subscriptions and value-added services a more attractive way to generate revenue.

Meta already offers Meta Verified, a subscription that provides verification and business tools across its platforms. However, that program is mainly targeted at brands, creators, and businesses, not everyday WhatsApp users.

WhatsApp Plus, by contrast, would be one of Meta’s first attempts to sell consumer-focused premium features directly inside the messaging app.

Pricing of WhatsApp Plus Still Unknown

For now, Meta has not revealed how much WhatsApp Plus will cost or when it will officially launch.

More details about pricing, regional availability, and additional features are expected to surface as Meta gets closer to rollout. If executed well, the subscription could appeal to frequent users looking for more powerful tools, deeper personalization, and a richer messaging experience without changing the core free app.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Friday 6 March 2026 at 5:20 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

As part of Apple’s flurry of Mac announcements earlier this week, the company announced the new M5 Pro and M5 Max processors. And those chips are shaking up the way that Apple designs and talks about its processor cores: What would have been called “performance” CPU cores are now “super” cores. “Efficiency” cores are still called efficiency cores. And there’s a new, third type of CPU core in between that is labeled a “performance” core.

Apple said earlier this week that the “super” name change would retroactively apply to the regular-old Apple M5’s performance cores, too. And the macOS Tahoe 26.3.1 update released yesterday officially made the name change, changing the labeling in both the System Information app and the Activity Monitor.

The Activity Monitor in macOS 26.3.1 updates your “performance” cores to “super” cores.

Andrew Cunningham

 

Activity Monitor on the M5 MacBook Pro in macOS 26.3, before the name change was announced.

Andrew Cunningham

 

The System Information app also now refers to M5’s high-performance cores as “super.”

Andrew Cunningham

 

System Information in macOS 26.3, when the big cores were still called “performance” cores.

Andrew Cunningham

 

This “upgrade” should only apply to the M5 MacBook Pro, the sole M5-family Mac released before the name change was announced. It should go without saying that this is just a name change; you shouldn’t actually expect different behavior or performance from your Mac after installing the update. The new MacBook Airs and Pros with M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips will likely already be using the new names out of the box.

Macs with older-generation M-series processors like the M4 also won’t see anything different. On the M1 through the M4 (and on the MacBook Neo’s A18 Pro, a relative of the M4 family), performance cores will stay performance cores, and efficiency cores will stay efficiency cores.

The macOS 26.3.1 update is also required to support Apple’s new Studio Displays. This may be because each of these monitors, like the original, is still a sort of iOS device on the inside. They use Apple’s A19-series chips, up from the A13 in the original Studio Display, and they run iOS-derived software that is updated periodically by the Mac they’re connected to. It’s likely there’s some kind of additional communication between a Mac and the Studio Display beyond just Thunderbolt and DisplayPort signals; the software update is what you need to support it on the Mac side.

Not all Macs support the Studio Displays, and even those that do aren’t always capable of driving the Studio Display XDR at its full 120 Hz refresh rate. The support lists are included on the specs pages for each monitor—note that the last few Intel Macs don’t make the list at all.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Friday 6 March 2026 at 5:19 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

In the article, PCWorld had used the phrase "PCWorld reports that Windows 12, codenamed ‘Hudson Valley Next’, may launch in 2026...." with no backlinks and citations to external sources; as such, other outlets started believing that it was an original breaking story from PCWorld itself.

Although Neowin was also tipped about this by one of our readers, we did not immediately jump on board to publish a story as we felt something was off. Our guess was right as PCWorld has now clarified that it was a big error on its part since it was a mistranslation of an article on its German counterpart site PC-Welt.

An editor's note by Brad Chacos, PCWorld executive editor, has been added that clarifies this: "This article is a translation of a German article by PC-Welt. It does not meet PCWorld’s standards and should not have been published. The first version did not include any source links or attributions and was written in a way that suggested it was original reporting. It is not. We contacted PC-Welt and added sourcing after the initial publication. It still does not meet PCWorld’s publication standards, but we’re keeping the article live for the public record. We’re examining internal processes for PC-Welt and PCWorld alike to ensure a situation like this never happens again. I’m sorry."

The snippet, which caused the confusion about original reporting, has also been updated to reflect this as it now states: "PCWorld analyzes emerging clues about Windows 12, expected to launch in 2026..."

It is always great to see sites come out and clarify when they are wrong, although in our world of tech reporting, these things can and do happen since many of the most interesting stories start off as rumors, and it is always fun to speculate, since at the end of the day, most tech journalists, like their readerships, are also nerds and geeks who love to think of what could be.

Windows 12 rumors are not new as they first started surfacing somewhere around July of 2022, when it was being reported that Microsoft was going back to a three-year release cadence, with a desktop UI design leak later that offered more credibility.

Since then there have been more rumors and speculation including ones related to Intel, a subscription-based OS, among others. One of the most believable stories was published in 2024, which suggested that Microsoft was going to push Windows 12 as an AI-focused OS with dedicated hardware becoming a necessity to run such features.

While technically that did happen, it was just on Windows 11 itself as part of version 24H2, and so Windows 12 did not roll out. Hence, so far, there is no credible evidence to suggest a Windows 12 launch is near, and we are likely going to get a Windows 11 version 26H2.

Source: PCWorld

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Thursday 5 March 2026 at 6:14 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Until now, users had manual access to these automapped calendars but the feature wasn’t enabled by default, now it is. It specifically affects the classic Outlook for Windows desktop and the new Outlook for Windows desktop.

Under message ID MC906502 on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, Microsoft says the feature was supposed to land in early February with the rollout completing by late February as a Targeted Release. The General Availability was then meant to launch in early March and complete by late March. Now it will hit GA in mid-April and complete by the end of April. Before this update, users were not able to see their automapped calendars when toggling from classic Outlook to new Outlook.

To access an automapped calendar, users can go to Microsoft Outlook > Calendar icon on left of screen > My Calendars > Automapped calendar.

Thankfully for admins, this rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no need to take any action. However, some admins may want to tell users about this change and update any relevant documentation.

This seems to be a highly delayed feature from Microsoft as it was first added the Microsoft 365 roadmap with ID 415168 way back in 2024. This is the exact feature we wrote about way back in 2024 and Microsoft still has not rolled it out yet, showing how delayed features can be in Microsoft 365 as the company shifts its focus to artificial intelligence, which is receiving plenty of backlash online.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Thursday 5 March 2026 at 6:14 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Here is the changelog:

• When the graphics card is overclocked, GPU voltage may become capped, preventing it from boosting to expected levels
• [Resident Evil Requiem] White glowing light/dots may appear in the game when Subsurface Scattering is enabled
• Improved path tracing performance in Resident Evil Requiem
• [Star Citizen] Game client crashes when launched
• Intermittent application crash or driver timeout may be observed when playing multi-key DRM content in a browser on HDCP 1.x monitors

As usual, hotfix drivers are optional, so feel free to skip them if you do not need any of those fixes. NVIDIA will include it in the next WHQL update.

Hotfix 595.76 is based on driver 595.71, and it contains all the fixes and optimizations from it. As NVIDIA puts it, "these drivers are basically the same as the previous released version, with a small number of additional targeted fixes." If you are updating from older driver versions, get right to 595.76 instead of 595.71.

You can download NVIDIA 595.76 Hotfix from the official NVIDIA Support website. Supported OS includes 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11. As for graphics cards, everything starting with the GTX 16 Series and up is supported.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Thursday 5 March 2026 at 12:20 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Another such bug wherein a key feature of the OS got borked was when the WinRE became unusable for keyboard and mouse users on Windows 11, prompting the company to release an emergency patch.

The WinRE or Windows Recovery Environment provides various key OS recovery functions like troubleshooting, Reset, Startup Repair, Command Prompt, and more, that can be essential to help troubleshoot and repair unbootable systems, and hence an issue here is a big problem.

While we had reported on that bug in the case of Windows 11, a similar problem had also struck Windows 10, and this happened to be the final recovery update for the latter as it reached end of servicing status then (outside of Extended Security Updates program).

The update was released as KB5068164, and several months later, in February this year, Microsoft finally confirmed that the WinRE on Windows 10 was broken. There was a similar situation where Microsoft acknowledged issues with core Windows 11 UI elements several months after the problems first began.

The issue has now been fixed with the latest Windows 10 recovery update that was released yesterday. The changelog for the new update is given below:

KB5075039: Windows Recovery Environment update for Windows 10, version 21H2 and 22H2: March 3, 2026

This update automatically applies Safe OS Dynamic Update (KB5073933) to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) on a running PC. The update installs improvements to Windows recovery features.

The following is a summary of a known issue that this update addresses when you install this update.

• [Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)] Fixed: WinRE would not start after installing the October 14, 2025 update KB5068164.

As is the case with such WinRE updates on Windows 10, Microsoft notes that the update requires 250 MB of free space for it to be successfully installed; otherwise, the update is not offered to save users from further trouble.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Thursday 5 March 2026 at 4:53 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Microsoft is always working on DirectX behind the scenes, making large and small tweaks to the API. For its latest update, which brings the DirectX Agility SDK up to version 1.619, there are some exciting improvements to ray tracing performance.

I'm talking specifically about Shader Execution Reordering (SER), a feature that's arrived officially for DirectX Raytracing (DXR) 1.2. It had been in preview status since being announced last year at GDC 2025. The big news? Microsoft is seeing up to a 90% framerate increase with SER activated in early demos.

Let me back up for a moment. SER was originally unveiled by NVIDIA alongside its RTX 40-series graphics cards in 2022. It's a tool that reduces the performance cost of ray tracing, and not in a small way. Since its introduction, it has been used by NVIDIA and other developers, and it's a big part of Unreal Engine 5.

With Microsoft's standardized version of SER now available in DirectX, developers should have a much easier time implementingmore efficient ray tracing and path tracing across more than just NVIDIA's cards.

Why is Shader Execution Reordering (SER) in DirectX a big deal?

People are up in arms over a new report that appears to claim that a Windows 12 is likely to launch this year as a modular, AI-powered OS. As you might expect, such news has ruffled a lot of feathers in the tech space, especially when you consider the extreme pushback around Microsoft’s AI efforts on Windows 11 in recent months.

The report appears to have originated from PCWorld, but has gained mass attention on Reddit with over 12,000 upvotes and thousands of angry comments.

The good news is the report is false. According to contacts that are familiar with the Windows roadmap, there is no plan to ship a Windows 12 this year. In fact, I understand that the Windows roadmap for 2026 is all about fixing Windows 11 and attempting to improve its reputation by addressing top feedback such as reducing AI bloat across the OS, bringing back the movable Taskbar, and more.

The modular OS claims are also misplaced. CorePC, which is the project the report refers to, was an effort from 2023 that attempted to revive the WCOS vision with a version of the Windows desktop that could scale up and down with various levels of app compatibility, along with state separation for faster OS updates and better system security.

Given that CorePC was supposed to launch in 2024, it’s likely the project has since been scrapped. As far as I’m aware, there are no plans to ship a CorePC product this year, and especially not under “Windows 12” branding. Any platform work taking place on Windows this year will be for the shipping versions of Windows 11.

The report also argues that with support for Windows 10 ending, it now makes sense to ship a Windows 12. I’d argue that Microsoft has been pushing to get everyone onto the same version of Windows for years, and now it’s finally almost there with Windows 11. Introducing a Windows 12 so soon would just fragment the market once again.

There's lots of other claims the report makes that are also easy to debunk. The codename Hudson Valley is from 2023 and not tied to a Windows 12, the "radically redesigned" UI claims are just based on a leaked concept from 2022 that was never greenlit to ship, and a subscription-based version of Windows has been rumored to be around the corner since 2012.

Starting off with OneDrive, users who leverage OneDrive sync on Windows or Mac will be pleased to know that Microsoft has implemented more actionable and clear error messages for the desktop client when the path limit exceeds the maximum of 520 characters. Now, rather than guessing what's wrong, users will get details in the error dialog which will point them to problematic folders where they can potentially shorten names to reduce the overall file path. Additionally, if multiple locations have this problem, the action items will be coalesced into a single error message rather than being bombarded with error notifications. This feature is landing in May 2026.

Next, Copilot in Word will gain the ability to edit your document by default through the chat experience. There is no need to worry about rogue edits according to Microsoft though, because edits will be transparent, "reviewable", and reversible. This capability will begin rolling out this month.

Finally, Teams is nabbing a few handy features too. Starting from next month, users will be able to delete content automatically generated from meetings from the meeting chat. This includes transcriptions, AI summaries, recording, and notes through a delete button in the Recap page. However, shared files will be retained. In the same month, Microsoft will also roll out centralized notification settings for channels which will streamline the entire experience as you won't have to manage notification preferences for each channel individually. This is a big improvement especially if your workflow is hampered by tons of channel notifications.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Thursday 5 March 2026 at 4:50 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

The issue was tested by tech YouTuber Bang4BuckPC Gamer, who noticed that their high-end RTX 5090 was suddenly pulling less than 1V and dropping well below 3,000MHz after installing the 595.71 update. Other users quickly chimed in, confirming that the throttling is also affecting other cards in the lineup.

Right now, the throttling seems to mostly happen for users with overclocked graphics cards. We still don’t know how severely the update impacts factory-overclocked cards or those in their default states, but the risk of installing this update, if you haven’t already, is simply not worth taking.

Losing that much of your performance could be the difference between an enjoyable experience and an unplayable game. As someone who’s battled NVIDIA’s drivers for the past couple of years, I can attest that these mishaps are happening more often than they should.

If you already downloaded version 595.71, you can use a tool like MSI Afterburner to check the voltage and clock speed of your graphics card, as well as the FPS in games. If you notice a significant drop in performance, perhaps the best option is to completely roll back your GPU driver to a stable 591 variant, such as version 591.74 or 591.86. However, rolling back GPU drivers isn’t always straightforward, so make sure to do proper research for your particular NVIDIA GPU model before rushing to downgrade.

Via: Sebastian Castellanos (X)

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 11:51 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

With the release of Chrome 153 on September 8, Google will start shipping two new stable versions of the browser every month, breaking the long-standing schedule developers followed since 2021.

The new model applies to both beta and stable releases across Desktop, Android, and iOS. The new development cycle is reflected in the table below:

However, the Dev and Canary channels for early development and testing will continue on the current schedule. Also, the ‘Extended Stable’ branch will remain on its existing eight-week cycle for enterprise customers who need longer update timelines.

Google says the smaller, more frequent releases will reduce disruption and simplify debugging while maintaining stability due to recent process improvements.

“While releases will be more frequent, their smaller scope minimizes disruption and simplifies post-release debugging,” Google says in a press release.

“And thanks to recent process enhancements, we are confident this shift will maintain our high standards for stability.”

For Chrome users, the impact of this change should not be dramatic, but they can expect to see new feature rollouts more frequently. Chrome updates occur silently in the background, but restart prompts may appear more often now.

Although security fixes will still arrive as part of milestone releases, Chrome will receive weekly security updates according to the current model announced in August 2023.

According to it, Chrome receives security fixes every week to reduce the “patch gap,” shortening the opportunity window for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in one of the world's most popular web browsers.

With the latest announcement, Google increases the new release cadence for Chrome, building on the previous change, but with a broader, more structural goal this time.

Chrome had a relatively calm start to the year so far, with only one zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2026-2441) reported as actively exploited in the wild. In 2025, hackers leveraged eight Chrome zero-days in attacks.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 6:13 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

For those unware, Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc) in Windows is typically used to automate repetitive tasks that are either based on a trigger or follow a time-based schedule. Although it doesn't really have a lot of mainstream use-cases for consumers, it is still leveraged in some enterprise environments for niche scenarios. Now, a Windows enthusiast has modernized Task Scheduler for the modern era.

TRGLUL over on the r/windows subreddit has detailed their initiative to rebuild the Windows Task Scheduler using Fluent Design principles, WinUI3, and .NET 8. We wouldn't call it the prettiest looking interface out there (see screenshot above), but it's at least modernized compared to what we have now.

This "FluentTaskScheduler" acts as a wrapper for the Windows Task Scheduler API that offers several functionalities such as dashboard and monitoring, comprehensive trigger support, a centralized script library, customization options, and more. However, the developer has acknowledged some flaws in the implementation such as inefficient handling of smooth scrolling, small launch window, and close to tray behavior. They have also admitted to utilizing AI to code some of their application, but of course, that's not a flaw by itself.

Task Scheduler might not fit in your daily workflows, but if it does, then FluentTaskScheduler may serve as a nice alternative to the legacy application. The code is open-source under the MIT license and is hosted on GitHub here. However, before you proceed to install it, we would like to recommend caution and due diligence because the software comes from a third-party developer and accesses Windows APIs.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 6:12 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix

Since the demise of Windows Phone nearly a decade ago, I've been bouncing between Android and iOS, attempting to settle into one ecosystem. I'm currently in an iPhone cycle, complete with a set of AirPods Pro that I actually enjoy using.

Well, I enjoy using them most of the time, anyway. You probably already know where this is going. Connecting AirPods to a Windows PC is not always a fun experience. While they seemed to work fairly well on Windows 10, changes to the audio codec in Windows 11 have created some annoying issues. Slow or failed connections, lagging audio, unwanted idling; that sort of thing.

It's not entirely Microsoft's fault, of course. Apple's hardware is designed to work with other Apple hardware, at least if you want the full experience. Many of the perks I enjoy when my AirPods are connected to my iPhone, like immediate pairing, adaptive audio, and noise cancellation control, are missing when I'm using them with my Windows 11 PC.

It's just something I've put up with, but now I feel like an idiot for living like this for so long after learning about a MagicPods app (via XDA). It's an app available via the Microsoft Store, and it costs $1.99 for a one-time purchase. There's also a free trial that I used (and you can use) to test the app, but it's working well enough that a full buy is basically a no-brainer.

The MagicPods app experience on Windows 11

A look at the initial app launch with AirPods Pro animated widget that pops up when connected.

(Image credit: Future)

 

After downloading the MagicPods app from the Microsoft Store, I grabbed the community-signed MagicAAP driver (which doesn't require Windows to be put into test mode) and installed it using the official instructions from the MagicPods website.

 

I then launched the MagicPods app, clicked Connect (my AirPods were already paired to my laptop), and let the app take over. An immediate connection? Yup. A little animated window showing battery status for the AirPods and case? You bet.

 

I was expecting these changes; what I wasn't expecting were the myriad customization options available through the app. Practically every setting I care about is here and can be tweaked, including the press speed of the physical buttons, noise cancellation, ear detection behavior, and low battery warning threshold.

 

Perhaps the most noticeable change is that there's no longer that awful audio delay when you hit play on your music or video, something I've put up with for far too long. My AirPods immediately begin sounding off when I click Play. Awesome.

 

A look at the MagicPod app's primary audio controls.

(Image credit: Future)

 

A look at the rest of the MagicPod app's primary audio controls.

(Image credit: Future)

 

A look at the customizable hotkey options in the MagicPods app.

(Image credit: Future)

 

Putting my AirPods back in the case and pulling them out again saw them reconnect to my PC almost immediately, even with my iPhone at my side. There's still a bit of a delay as my laptop's Bluetooth abilities catch up, but it's better than what I used to experience: failed connections, painfully slow connections, etc.

 

The app has a built-in dark mode, which I love, and there's a long list of customizable hotkeys you can set up for easier control over your wireless audio setup. Whether or not you enable hotkeys, the app's most important controls can all be handled from the tray icon.

Is the MagicPods app worth $1.99?

My AirPods Pro sitting on an HP laptop's palmrest.

(Image credit: Future)

 

The creator of the app, Aleksandr Maslov, says the app works with AirPods, Beats, "fake AirPods with Airoha chips," a handful of Sony models, and some other headphones. I haven't tested anything other than my AirPods, but you might have some luck elsewhere. The app can work on a Steam Deck via the Decky Loader, which I'm sure a lot of people will love.

 

The creator also adds that the app involves "no data collection, no ads, no subscriptions, no paid content. Just a convenient tool that works offline. And yes—no AI."

 

With these promises in mind, and with my own experience coming out quite smoothly, MagicPods is absolutely an app I can recommend to most people who hate how AirPods function with Windows 11.

 

The only qualm I have with the app is its unsigned driver and community-signed alternative. I don't recommend you use the app on a company- or school-managed laptop, nor do I recommend using it on a gaming PC lest your anti-cheat throws up a false positive.

 

Now, excuse me while I go listen to the new Johnny Blue Skies album while further tweaking my audio setup via the MagicPods app.

What do you think about the MagicPods app?

Is the MagicPods app something you can see using with your Windows PC? Are you already using it? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments section!

 

Source

---

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 6:09 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of February) 854

RIP Matrix