Over time, Microsoft moved away from Windows XP's green hills to more abstract wallpapers in Windows Vista and Windows 7. While Windows 10's wallpaper was a unique project (did you know that that image is a photo, not a render?), Windows 11 went back to abstract wallpapers. We have already seen plenty of alterations of the stock Bloom wallpaper (even Microsoft has quite a few takes on it), but what about a mix with Windows XP's Bliss?

A Reddit user u/Left_Hovercraft451 published two images of Bloom fused together with Bliss. Windows XP's iconic green hills and blue skies blend into creases of Windows 11's flower (or fabric, depending on how you look at it), creating quite an interesting wallpaper. Of course, it does look like AI-made, but the result still looks pretty and unique, preserving the spirit and feel of both operating systems and their stock wallpapers. Additionally, there is a light and dark variant:

Unfortunately, the OP has not published higher-resolution originals of their creation, so the images above are upscaled to a better resolution. If you want to get the original, head to this Reddit thread, where people are already nagging the OP to publish high-resolution originals (to no avail so far).

Do you link this remix of Windows XP's Bliss and Windows 11's Bloom? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Posted Monday 2 March 2026 at 5:43 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft now lets you customize volume for each device so that each listener can have their own comfortable volume level without affecting the other party. Previously, Windows 11 would adjust the volume for both devices simultaneously. With the latest update, you can access dedicated volume sliders in the control center by selecting Shared Audio (Preview). However, it is still possible to adjust the volume for both devices with the main volume control in the system tray.

In addition to separate volume sliders, Microsoft is adding a dedicated tray indicator so that you can see when shared audio is enabled. Look out for a speaker icon with two people next to the Wi-Fi indicator, which is also a quick way to access the feature without opening Action Center first.

Finally, Microsoft is adding support for more headsets and earbuds that can work with shared audio in Windows 11. The latest additions include the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro, the Sony WF-1000XM6, and the Xbox Wireless Headset. Unfortunately, shared audio remains a Copilot+ PC-exclusive feature, so users with "traditional" processors still cannot use it.

If you have an eligible device and you want to try the latest shared audio improvements, download build 26300.7939 (Dev Channel) or 26220.7934 (Beta). Keep in mind that these features are rolling out gradually, so getting them could take a few days or weeks. In other audio news, Microsoft recently added MIDI 2.0 support to Windows 11, making the operating system more capable for musicians.

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Posted Monday 2 March 2026 at 5:41 am AEST (my time).

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Instead of juggling separate windows or constantly switching tabs, Split View creates a tiled layout inside Chrome itself, displaying two pages in equal horizontal halves.

What Chrome Split View Does?

Split View allows users to open two tabs in a single window using a side-by-side layout. Each half behaves like an independent tab, but both remain grouped together for easier multitasking.

The feature works with things like web pages, images, videos, PDFs, and any content viewable in Chrome

Split View appears in the tab bar as a paired tab grouping, keeping both pages visually linked so you always know which tabs belong together.

How to Open Split View Inside Chrome

There are multiple ways to start using Split View:

Option 1: Right-click a link Right-click on a link Select “Open link in Split View” This opens the new page alongside the current one instantly.

Option 2: Right-click an existing tab Select “Add tab to new split view” Choose a second tab to pair with it.

Option 3: Drag a tab Drag a tab to the left or right side of the window. Drop it to enter Split View.

Users Can Manage and Resize The Space Between Pages

By default, Chrome divides the space evenly between both pages. Users can:

• Drag the center divider to resize each pane • Double-click the divider to swap sides • Close either half individually • Exit Split View via the toolbar icon

Each pane remains scrollable independently, and keyboard navigation continues to work as expected, so you can browse and interact with both pages without limitations.

How Split View Helps Google Chrome Users?

For users who frequently compare documents, browse search results, reference guides while working, or monitor dashboards, Split View significantly reduces friction. Because it operates within a single window, it avoids the overhead of managing multiple browser windows or relying on operating-system-level tiling features.

The integration into Chrome’s tab system makes it especially convenient compared to traditional OS split-screen tools, particularly on macOS and Windows.

Chrome Split View is now available on desktop for users running Chrome 145 or later.

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Posted Monday 2 March 2026 at 5:40 am AEST (my time).

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

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Discord has been busy performing damage control in response to the backlash it received after announcing a global rollout of age verification measures. You know, the same measures with ties to a vendor funded by Peter Thiel. Implemented by the same company that saw the age ID information of 70,000 users get leaked last year.

Fearing unnecessary monitoring and data harvesting, many of Discord's users have expressed that they're ready to leave the platform, and that includes a majority of Windows Central readers we polled.

Just one day after the official announcement from Discord on February 9, searches for "Discord alternatives" spiked by 10,000% in Google overnight. It seemed like Stoat (which you might recognize by its old name, Revolt) had the most to gain, with search gains of its own topping 9,900%.

It's clear that many Discord users are searching for proper alternatives where they can not only communicate over voice chat but also create a community of like-minded friends and acquaintances. I'm in the same boat; although I'd never be considered a Discord power user, it's the app I've been using for years when gaming with friends.

I decided to back up my words with actions, and I spent a chunk of my weekend searching for the perfect Discord alternative for not only myself but also the friends with whom I regularly game.

Why is it so hard to find a real Discord alternative?

Well, the balance may have recently tilted to the "love" side of the equation, because of a very simple feature that Microsoft recently introduced in Teams that was sorely needed. Without further suspense, this is the network strength indicator that began rolling out in the last couple of weeks.

Although it may be self-explanatory, the network strength indicator displays the connectivity status of people in a meeting. This is similar to the signal strength bar that you see on the status bar at the top of your phone screen, which is good because it means that it is intuitive and doesn't require separate training for its use.

During a meeting, Teams now displays the network strength of each participant through a three-bar system. If you get one bar, this indicates a weak/bad connection, two bars represent unstable/poor, and three bars highlight a good connection that is ideally having no issues during the call.

If you're getting less than three bars, Microsoft also highlights actions that you can take to mitigate issues and improve your call quality. These include turning off your camera and incoming video, moving closer to the router, and switching to a wired connection.

A good aspect of this implementation is also that the indicator is visible to all participants. So you don't need to spend time wondering during a call if it's because of your own network issue that you can't clearly hear someone or if it's something on the end of the other participants. Goodbye, "Am I audible?"

This works great for me because I work remotely and access Teams through an Amazon Workspaces virtual machine assigned to me by my client. This machine is hosted in Singapore while I am based in Pakistan, so optimizing signal strength and latency is an essential requirement for ensuring a smooth workflow and communication process. Network strength indicator is a godsent in this scenario, I no longer need to play a guessing game regarding call quality issues.

That said, I do believe that there are still some improvements that can be made. For starters, while the indicator is mostly sufficient, I do believe that it would be even more intuitive if it's color coded as red, yellow, and green. Of course, there are accessibility scenarios to keep in mind so I believe that this should only be added as an optional configuration that you can enable if desired.

Lastly, I do hope Microsoft documents this feature a bit better. I understand that it's a bit recent but perhaps if there was some guidance around what upload/download speed and other metrics constitute a bad, poor, and good connection, customers could proactively prepare and ensure that their network connectivity is optimal.

All in all, while the network strength indicator could use some improvements as highlighted above, I believe that this simple feature is an excellent addition, especially for customers who live in regions with unstable internet connections and/or those who actively work in remote conditions. This capability started rolling out a couple of weeks ago and should now be available to everyone. There is no admin control surrounding the network strength indicator and it cannot be disabled.

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Posted Monday 2 March 2026 at 5:38 am AEST (my time).

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With this feature, Copilot can move personal appointments and one-on-one meetings if another meeting lands on the same time slot and takes precedence. It is suitable for situations like recurring check-ins where the meeting doesn’t have to happen at the exact same time every week. Once enabled, users can ask Copilot to manage the meeting, and it will monitor their calendar and adjust the event if users schedule or accept a conflicting meeting.

Here's how users can enable this feature:

• Go to the new Outlook for Windows or Outlook for the web.
• In the New > Event page, or an existing event or series page, there will be a new "If conflicts arise, let Copilot reschedule this event" toggle; enable it.
• Optionally, under Acceptable times, users can configure the day(s) and timeframe(s) they are available to find the best alternatives if Copilot needs to reschedule the event or series. This is an optional step to get better results.

This feature will only work with events with a status of Busy or Out of office. If the conflicting meeting is set to Tentative, Copilot won’t reschedule it.

Users will also receive notifications about rescheduling changes in the Outlook notifications pane. In the future, Copilot will also send emails when a meeting is rescheduled. This new Copilot feature is now rolling out on Teams, Outlook for the web, and the new Outlook for Windows for Microsoft 365 Copilot Enterprise license users. You can learn more about this feature here.

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Posted Sunday 1 March 2026 at 7:21 am AEST (my time).

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

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Here is the changelog:

[Emoji]

• The Emoji 16.0 releaseintroduces 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.

[Backup & Restore]

• The first sign-in restore experience is now part of Windows Backup for Organizations, bringing this restore capability to more device types. 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.

[Quick Machine Recovery]

• Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) now turns on automatically for enterprise managed Windows Professional devices, as well as Windows Professional devices that are not domain-joined. These devices receive the same recovery features available to Windows Home users. For domain-joined devices, QMR stays off unless it is enabled by the organization.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• A built‑in network speed test is now available from the taskbar. You can open it from the Wi‑Fi or Cellular Quick Settings, or by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. The speed test opens in the default browser and measures Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and cellular connections. This feature helps check network performance and troubleshoot issues.

[Accounts]

• The account menu on the Start menu now includes a new option that directs you to the benefits page, making it easier to explore and manage your Microsoft account benefits.

[Camera Settings]

• You can control pan and tilt for supported cameras in the Settings app. The controls appear under Settings> Bluetooth & devices > Cameras, in the “Basic settings” section for your selected camera.

[Widgets]

• Widget Settings now open as a full‑page experience in the Widgets app instead of opening in a dialog.

[Search on Taskbar]

• Group headers now show the number of results, so you can quickly see when more results are available. Select a group header to see all results for that group and hide results from other groups.
• You can preview search results by hovering over a result and selecting Preview to see the content without opening it.

[Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT)]

• This update adds support for Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) on Windows 11 Arm64 devices. IT administrators can now install and use tools such as Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools, Active Directory Certificate Services Tools, Server Manager, Group Policy Management Tools, DNS Server Tools, and DHCP Server Tools. These tools are available as optional features and can be installed through Settings > System > Optional Features or from Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.

[File Explorer]

• We’re continuing to make improvements to the dark mode experience in File Explorer. You will now see a consistent dark mode experience in the Folder Options dialog.

  

   

• Addressed an issue where all File Explorer open windows and tabs might unexpectedly jump to Desktop or Home.

[Settings]

• Improved reliability of configuring options in Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Wheel.

[Nearby Sharing]

• Improved the reliability of sending larger files using nearby sharing.

You can find the announcement post here.

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Posted Saturday 28 February 2026 at 5:06 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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Here is the changelog:

[Enhanced security and performance for batch files]

We are giving administrators and Application Control for Business policy authors additional controls over the processing of batch files and CMD scripts. Starting with this release, administrators may enable a more secure mode for processing batch files that ensures they do not change during execution by adding a value to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor named LockBatchFilesInUse (DWORD, value 0 or 1). Policy authors may also use the LockBatchFilesWhenInUse application manifest control documented here to enable this mode.

This enhances the performance and security of batch file processing when code integrity is enabled, as signature validation will only required to be performed a single time, instead of per statement executed in the batch file.

[Shared audio (preview) gets more control]

Shared audio (preview) was first announced last fall, and allows 2 people to share audio between their two capable Bluetooth LE Audio headphones, speakers, earbuds, or hearing aids. With this update Windows now provides individual sliders for each listener which adjusts their volume without affecting the other. You can continue to adjust volume for both listeners at the same time through the main volume controls available through Quick Settings or on-device and keyboard controls.

You’ll also see a new taskbar indicator while you’re sharing, giving a quick reminder that audio is still being shared. Clicking the indicator is a fast path to open sharing settings to change volume or stop sharing.

The LE Audio accessory ecosystem also continues to grow. In addition to the accessories announced before, we’re excited to share that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro, Sony WF‑1000XM6, and Xbox Wireless Headset all have support for shared audio!

[Narrator]

• Narrator users can now use a new command Narrator key + \ to read contents of status bar in Apps such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. For example, in Microsoft Word, users can use this to read count of pages or words in a document. In Microsoft Excel, users can select a few data cells and hear sum or average of the data in the selected cells without having to change your focus.

[Taskbar]

• We temporarily paused the rollout of the improved animations when your taskbar is set to autohide, and improved reliability of loading taskbar components in safe mode. Thanks, Insiders, for sharing feedback!

[Storage]

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

[Input]

• Improved reliability of typing when using the ADLaM keyboard.

In addition to that, Microsoft released the latest update for Paint in the Beta Channel. Previously, the free rotate tool was only available to insiders in the Dev and Canary Channels, and now, you can try it if your PC is enrolled in the Beta Channel as well.

You can find the announcement post here (Dev) and here (Beta).

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Posted Saturday 28 February 2026 at 5:04 am AEST (my time).

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Over the years, Microsoft has improved ReFS significantly. After the initial release in 2012, Microsoft released an updated version with better performance and stability, tiered storage support, and faster metadata operations in 2013.

With Windows Server 2016, Microsoft announced a major update with support for block cloning (instant file copy for VMs and databases), sparse VDL (Valid Data Length) for faster virtual disk creation, improved Hyper-V integration, and more. With Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022, Microsoft further improved ReFS with performance enhancements, improved repair and integrity performance, and more.

Today, Microsoft announced that ReFS boot support is now available for Windows Server Insiders in Insider Preview builds. With this, users can install and boot Windows Server directly on a ReFS boot volume. This is the first time Microsoft is enabling boot support for ReFS nearly 14 years after its launch.

Microsoft claims that ReFS boot will enable several advantages over existing NTFS boot. For example, ReFS can detect corruption early and handle file-system issues online without requiring chkdsk. Also, its integrity-first design can reduce the risk of crash-induced corruption. While current NTFS systems support large volumes, ReFS can now support volumes up to 35 petabytes (35,000 TB) to eliminate storage capacity issues.

Finally, ReFS uses block cloning and sparse provisioning, allowing enterprises to easily create and expand large fixed-size VHD(X) files and speed up large file copy operations.

Here's how enterprises can try out ReFS boot support on Windows Server:

• Install the recent Windows Server vNext Insider Preview. Builds from 2/11/26 or later (minimum build number 29531.1000.260206-1841) include ReFS boot in setup.

• During the install process, format the system (C:) partition as ReFS in the installation UI. Microsoft highlighted that ReFS boot requires UEFI firmware and does not support legacy BIOS boot.

• Once the installation is completed and the system boots, confirm the ReFS file system by checking the C drive properties.

   

ReFS boot support is a significant step for enterprise deployments, offering organizations a modern file system alternative to NTFS, which has been the standard for decades.

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Posted Saturday 28 February 2026 at 5:02 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft's latest redesign of the Start menu on Windows 11 has landed exactly the way most major interface changes do, with a wave of mixed opinions.

A long Reddit thread titled "Thoughts on the new start menu update?" feels less like simple feedback and more like a vote on Microsoft's overall design direction. While a few people like the changes, most comments share the same message. The new Start menu is too big, too automated, and doesn't offer enough customization.

The size problem: "Why is it so huge?"

The most common complaint has been that the new Start menu is enormous.

Interestingly, laptop users are more forgiving. For example, Reddit user Toti_sk simply said: "kinda nice." That contrast highlights a recurring tension in operating system design, optimizing for touch and smaller screens often alienates desktop users who prioritize density and efficiency.

The visual spacing between icons, oversized tiles, and empty padding is seen as design indulgences rather than functional improvements.

Automatic categories: a feature without control

The headline feature of this update is automatic app categorization. The applications are grouped into folders such as Productivity, Utilities & Tools, or Others, using what appears to be machine-learning classification.

In theory, that sounds smart. In practice, Reddit disagrees. For example, users report that Steam and game launchers are scattered across multiple categories.

Other users noted that Microsoft 365 (Office) apps sorted in strange orders, and the "Others" group swallowed most installed programs. Furthermore, users have no way to rename, delete, or manually reassign categories.

One commenter summed it up bluntly. The concept is fine, but the lack of customization makes it "useless." Several users suggest a hybrid approach where Microsoft provides auto-generated groups but allows manual editing, renaming, or resizing.

The rise of third-party Start menus

If there is a clear winner in this Reddit thread, it's not Microsoft. It is customization software.

Users repeatedly mention tools such as Windhawk, Start11, and Open Shell, suggesting they will modify the operating system if the company does not offer options.

What stands out is not just that these tools exist, but how people talk about them. A lot of users say they install third-party apps to regain control. That says more than simple preference, and it shows a growing feeling that the operating system is giving users fewer choices and making more decisions for them.

List view vs category view: the unexpected divide

Not every comment is negative. Some users argue that switching from category view to "List" view transforms the experience. In list mode, the Start menu feels closer to older versions and integrates pinned apps with the full app list more seamlessly.

A handful even call it a "massive improvement" once configured correctly. However, even supporters admit the menu is larger than it needs to be.

The most positive feedback centers on two specific changes, including the ability to remove the "Recommended" section and the integration of pinned apps with the full app list.

Ironically, those improvements are overshadowed by the design choices around spacing and locked automation.

Performance and bugs add fuel to the fire

Beyond design, some users report functional issues, such as icons not rendering until reopening the menu, flickering when hovering over certain Taskbar areas, laggy animations, and more.

Whether these are just preview glitches or bigger problems, they add to the belief that Microsoft focuses more on changing how things look than on making sure everything works smoothly.

For users running high-end graphics cards and large amounts of memory, complaints about Start menu performance are especially irritating. When enthusiasts mention graphical glitches or lag, it undermines confidence in the interface overhaul.

The nostalgia factor of the old menu is back

As always, nostalgia enters the conversation. Some users argue that Windows 7 was the peak of Start menu design. Others defend Windows 10 as the most balanced implementation. A few go further, claiming the Start menu has been declining since Windows 7.

There is also a sense of fatigue. Some users say they are tired of constant interface changes with no simple way to switch back. As oompaloompa465 put it: "I'm so close to move to another OS because I can't put up anymore with this [...] UI changes they keep enforcing without asking."

One suggested idea came from IncorrectAddress, who argued: “Windows should at this point in time have a system whereby a user can just select a visual profile and vola, updated system without having to change UI context.” In other words, a built-in visual profile system that would let people choose between older styles and newer layouts without relying on third-party tools or workarounds.

Final assessment: conceptually promising, practically constrained

Microsoft just unveiled Copilot Tasks, a new tool that the company says it has been building towards since Copilot first launched. Copilot Tasks is the moment Copilot evolves from a chat app to a "do" app, something you can use to automate and get tasks done.

"Copilot Tasks is a to-do list that does itself. You describe what you need in natural language. Copilot plans and goes to work. You adjust or refine as needed," says Microsoft. "Tasks works in the background, with its own computer and browser, across various apps and services, and reports back when it’s done. Tasks can be recurring, scheduled, or run once based on your needs. "

Here's a breakdown of everything Copilot Tasks can do, with examples:

• Recurring Tasks 
  • Every evening, surface urgent emails with draft replies ready to send, and automatically unsubscribe from promotional mail I never open 
  • Track new apartment rental listings nearby every Friday and book showings 
  • Monday mornings, compile a briefing on key meetings, travel, and analyze how I am spending my time vs. my priorities 
• Document Generation 
  • Turn a syllabus into a complete study plan, with practice tests created and focus time blocked before each exam 
  • Transform emails, attachments, and images from your mailbox into a polished slide deck with charts and talking points 
  • Compile new job listings that match your experience and tailor your resume and cover letter for every role  
• Shopping, Services and Appointments 
  • Plan a birthday party, find and book a venue, send invites, and collect RSVPs
  • Find top-rated plumbers near you, compare quotes, and book the best one
  • Watch used car listings 24/7, contact dealerships, and book a test drive 
• Logistics 
  • Reserve a ride timed to your flight, adjusting if the flight is delayed 
  • Monitor hotel rates and auto-rebook when the price drops 
  • Organize your subscriptions, flag the ones you don’t use, and cancel them 

Microsoft is clear that this isn't an autopilot feature; it still puts you in total control, giving you the chance to sign off on and agree to any changes or commitments it makes on your behalf. "Tasks is designed to ask for consent before taking meaningful actions like spending money or sending a message," and you can pause/cancel any AI task at any time.

Copilot Tasks is able to bring in everything the AI might need to complete an action, based on the information it has access to. "No more bouncing between your calendar, files, browser, and half-finished to-dos. Copilot Tasks pulls everything together so you can go from idea to results without the speed bumps," reads the Copilot Tasks website.

It's not clear how Copilot Tasks differs from Copilot Actions, another AI feature that Microsoft has launched in recent months, which is capable of completing tasks on your behalf. It sounds like Copilot Tasks is able to do more things behind the scenes, whereas Copilot Actions is something that happens in front of you.

Unfortunately, Copilot Tasks is in a limited research preview at this time, meaning it's not yet available to the public, though a public waitlist is available to join, and Microsoft expects to open up access to the program in the coming weeks.

What would you actually use Copilot Tasks for?

Microsoft just rolled out Copilot Tasks, an AI tool that can pull action items from your emails, chats, and meetings and turn them into an organized to‑do list without you lifting a finger. It can even build full task lists from a simple prompt and keep everything updated as new information comes in. The idea is to cut down on the constant sorting, typing, and tracking that usually eats up half the day.

Some people love the idea of an automated task list, others aren’t sure they want AI deciding what belongs on it, and plenty are wondering how well it will work in real workflows. Since this feature is meant to sit right in the middle of how people plan their day, your perspective matters.

How do you feel about an AI that builds and maintains your to‑do list for you?

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Posted Friday 27 February 2026 at 12:06 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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Starting off with improvements to chat and collaboration, we have the ability to forward up to five messages simultaneously, while preserving order. Additionally, the Files tab now has a handy preview-based grid format, which allows you to find your content quickly. Moreover, Microsoft has introduced more Trust Indicators for external collaborators that belong to trusted and familiar domains versus unknown domains.

In terms of meeting enhancements, the Redmond tech giant has unified the Copilot experience in Teams meetings across chats, channels, and meetings, so that the interaction surface is similar to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. In the same vein, meeting recap templates can be customized according to your preferred AI integrations and styling and now include visual indicators too, in the form of thumbnail previews. Other improvements in this area include resizable right and top galleries so you can customize your meeting layout, custom banners for recordings and transcriptions to be leveraged by IT admins, and network strength indicators.

As usual, we also have new devices certified for Microsoft Teams. These include:

• Lenovo ThinkSmart Tiny Kit
• Lenovo ThinkSmart One Pro with ThinkSmart or IP Controller
• Lenovo Wired VoIP Headset 5000
• Biamp Vidi 280
• Biamp Vidi Content Cam 250
• Biamp All-in-One Video Bar Parlé VBC 2800 and Parlé VBC 2800 Teams Rooms system

While these are most of the mainstream improvements, Microsoft also has more features in tow for Teams Phone, Teams Rooms, and IT admins. You can find out more details in the company's blog post here.

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Posted Friday 27 February 2026 at 12:06 pm AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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In addition, the latest release fixes bugs with VM crashes on systems with Hyper-V, performance slowdowns, disappearing mouse cursor, and more. Here is the changelog:

• When running on a Windows host with Hyper-V enabled, VMs might quit unexpectedly
• On Windows hosts, guest operating systems sometimes appear to be slow and unresponsive to input
• When moving the mouse cursor between monitors in full-screen mode, the mouse cursor disappears
• Vulkan presentation mode might cause several bugs in some Windows host hardware configurations
• On Windows hosts, full-screen mode displays a 1-pixel white border around the screen of the guest operating system
• After rebooting a host, virtual machines with Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems that have 3D graphics acceleration enabled display a black screen or a low-resolution screen without full color support
• When attempting USB pass-through on Windows hosts, the USB devices might not be listed, intermittently disconnect, or fail to connect

Also, the update fixed four security vulnerabilities: CVE-2026-22715, CVE-2026-22716, CVE-2026-22717, and CVE-2026-22722.

There is one known issue in the update, which currently lacks a workaround:

• After downgrading the hardware compatibility of an encrypted virtual machine with vTPM from hardware version 22, the virtual machine fails to start
  
  Downgrading the hardware compatibility of an encrypted virtual machine with vTPM, which was created by using VMware Workstation 25H2 and configured with hardware version 22, to any lower version is not supported. A new vTPM version is introduced with hardware version 22 that is incompatible with older hardware versions. If a downgrade is attempted, the virtual machine fails to start.

Full release notes for the update are available here. To update an existing installation, go to Help > Software Updates > Check for updates.

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Posted Friday 27 February 2026 at 6:26 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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AMD hasn't gone into detail on what sort of improvements the driver brings to these titles, but it's a recommended install for both before jumping in. It may be a good idea to install the driver before playing Marathon's server slam beta that's kicking off today too.

The fixed issues of this driver are these:

• Intermittent application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Roblox Player (Car Zone Racing & Drifting) when task switching between media on Radeon™ RX 7000 series products.
• Texture flickering or corruption may appear while using Windows desktop applications with Instant Replay and Record Desktop enabled on Radeon™ RX 7000 series products.

Here are the known issues the driver team is still working on:

• Intermittent application crash or driver timeout may be observed while loading a saved game in Cyberpunk 2077 with Path Tracing enabled. AMD is actively working on a resolution with the developer to be released as soon as possible.
• Intermittent application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Battlefield™ 6 on AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. AMD is actively working on a resolution with the developer to be released as soon as possible.
• Texture flickering or corruption may appear while playing Battlefield™ 6 with AMD Record and Stream on some AMD Graphics Products.
• AMD FSR Upscaling and AMD FSR Frame Generation may show as inactive in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition when playing Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7, and Resident Evil Requiem when enabled on Radeon™ RX 9000 series graphics products.

The new AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 26.2.2 driver is now available for download from the AMD Software app as well as its official changelog page.

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Posted Friday 27 February 2026 at 6:24 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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NVIDIA has updated the announcement article with details about the issue. According to the company, driver 595.59 WHQL caused issues with fan controls, with users reporting not being able to detect any fans in applications. Here is what the company says:

February 26th, 11am PT Update: We have discovered a bug in the Game Ready and Studio 595.59 WHQL drivers and have removed the downloads temporarily while our team investigates. For users that have already installed this driver and are experiencing issues with fan control, please roll back to 591.86 WHQL.

 

NVIDIA app users can reinstall their previous driver by clicking the three dots in the Drivers tab.

If you are already on driver 595.59 WHQL and you cannot control fans in your preferred software, the best course of action is to go back to driver 591.86 WHQL, which you can download here.

NVIDIA's drivers have been mostly pain-free during the last few months. However, at the start of the RTX 5000 Series, NVIDIA experienced a flood of bugs and critical issues, causing massive frustration for affected customers. Fortunately, NVIDIA managed to resolve them and get back to more or less stable releases. This time, however, a bug slipped under NVIDIA's radar and ended up messing with fan control software for affected users.

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Posted Friday 27 February 2026 at 6:21 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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Outside of new games support, the company has also confirmed better frame rates across its product lines for a couple of games.

When running The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on the Intel Core Ultra series 3's built-in Arc GPUs, the game should see performance boosts of up to 35%. Meanwhile, Arc A-series and B-series GPU owners should be seeing performance uplifts of up to 40% and 7%, respectively, on Resident Evil Requiem. All these results are comparing the performance to the 32.0.101.8509 driver from earlier this month.

Fixed Issues:

Intel Core Ultra Series 3 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

• John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (DX12) may experience an application crash during gameplay.
• PUBG: Battlegrounds (DX12) may exhibit intermittent flickers in the game menu.
• Hogwarts Legacy (DX12) may exhibit flickering corruption during cinematics in-game.

Intel Arc B-Series Graphics Products:

• John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (DX12) may experience an application crash during gameplay.

Intel Core Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

• John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (DX12) may experience an application crash during gameplay.

Known Issues:

Intel Core Ultra Series 3 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

• Naraka Bladepoint (DX12) may experience an application crash with Ray Tracing settings enabled.
• The Finals (DX12) may experience an intermittent application crash.
• No Man’s Sky (VK) may exhibit corruptions on certain terrains during gameplay.
• Star Citizen (VK) may experience an application crash on game launch.
• Mafia: The Old Country (DX12) may experience an application crash during gameplay.
• Davinci Resolve Studio may exhibit visual corruption in the viewport while resizing the window with HDR enabled.
• Topaz Video AI may experience visual artifacts when using certain AI models.

Intel Arc B-Series Graphics Products:

• Naraka Bladepoint (DX12) may experience an application crash with Ray Tracing settings enabled.
• Call of Duty Black Ops 6 (DX12) may exhibit intermittent corruptions on certain water surfaces during gameplay.
• Dune: Awakening (DX12) may exhibit flickering corruptions during gameplay.
• Star Citizen (VK) may experience an application crash on game launch.
• PugetBench for Davinci Resolve Studio may experience an intermittent application crash while running the benchmark. Recommendation is to change the timeout slider to 1500 seconds or higher, to wait for each test to complete, in PugetBench benchmark settings.
• Topaz Video AI may experience visual artifacts when using certain AI models.

Intel Arc A-Series Graphics Products:

• PugetBench for Davinci Resolve Studio may experience an intermittent application crash while running the benchmark. Recommendation is to change the timeout slider to 1500 seconds or higher, to wait for each test to complete, in PugetBench benchmark settings.
• Topaz Video AI may experience visual artifacts when using certain AI models.

Intel Core Ultra Series 1 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

• Battlefield 6 (DX12) may exhibit intermittent corruptions on certain maps during gameplay.
• Topaz Video AI may experience visual artifacts when using certain AI models.

Intel Core Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

• Call of Duty Black Ops 6 (DX12) may exhibit intermittent corruptions on certain water surfaces during gameplay.
• Battlefield 6 (DX12) may exhibit intermittent corruptions on certain maps during gameplay on some notebooks with Intel Core Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs.
• No Man’s Sky (VK) may exhibit corruptions on certain terrains during gameplay.
• Topaz Video AI may experience visual artifacts when using certain AI models.

The non-WHQL Intel graphics driver 32.0.101.8531 is now available for download from Intel. Here's the official changelog (PDF).

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Posted Friday 27 February 2026 at 6:20 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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Microsoft issued a new statement to clarify that the initial announcement about the discontinued V3 and V4 printer drivers was inaccurate. As such, the company removed it from the Windows Roadmap website and explained that all printers that currently work with Windows 11 will continue working, and there are no actions required from users. However, each new legacy driver submitted to Hardware Quality Labs and published to Windows Update will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Here is the original announcement:

"January 2026, Windows will no longer support V3 and V4 printer drivers. These older driver models were announced as deprecated in September 2023."

And here is the latest statement from a Microsoft spokesperson:

"Windows has not ended support for legacy printer drivers. If your printer works with Windows today, it will continue to work, and no action is required."

So what is actually going on? For users, nothing. If you have a computer connected to an old printer, it should continue working as is. For manufacturers and driver developers, though, legacy drivers can only be approved as exceptions. Microsoft wants everyone to use the modern printing stack and clean it of legacy drivers (it is ditching V3 and V4 drivers in favor of the Mopria standard that makes it easier for Windows to print on any printer), but that does not mean that the company intends to kill your 15-year-old Brother.

Via Windows Central

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Posted Thursday 26 February 2026 at 11:46 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft continues to push AI onto its users, proving that each Microsoft product can — and often will — serve as a billboard for services from the tech giant. An upcoming feature for Microsoft Edge will open Copilot in the side pane automatically when you click a link in Outlook.

I'm sure that Microsoft would argue the feature is useful, but everyone I've spoken to responded negatively. From jokes asking what Microsoft is doing to playfully cursing at the tech giant.

I don't think those reactions will be exclusive to my friends and colleagues. This feature is genuinely odd given the recent backlash against Microsoft forcing AI into more products and services.

The new feature is detailed on the Microsoft 365 roadmap:

"When users open links from Outlook, Microsoft Edge can automatically open the Copilot side pane to provide contextual insights and actionable suggestion chips based on email and destination content - such as highlighting key points, and recommending next actions - without disrupting the browsing flow. This experience helps users quickly understand content, take action with fewer steps, and get more value from Copilot while extending productive browsing time in Edge."

The roadmap entry does not specify if the feature will be enabled or disabled by default, I would assume the latter. Even if the Microsoft Edge team views this feature as genuinely useful, they should be aware enough to realize many would consider the feature being the default behavior of Edge as invasive.

The side pane mentioned by Microsoft is likely in the same spot as the Edge Sidebar, which is currently set for retirement. The Edge team appears keen to reserve that space for Copilot specifically.

The idea here is to allow users to “get more value from Copilot while extending productive browsing time in Edge.” You get an email with a link, you click it, and instead of just loading the page, Edge opens Copilot alongside it. Copilot then highlights key points and offers actionable suggestions, like scheduling a follow-up or drafting a reply, or just summarizes what’s on that particular page.

The company announced this feature today on the new Microsoft 365 roadmap page. The rollout is scheduled to begin in May and is listed as “General availability,” so it should roll out to most users (personal and business) without special licensing beyond what's needed for Copilot access.

Microsoft already introduced a more primitive Outlook context pane that automatically shows up when you open email links in Edge back in 2023, and has since been expanding Copilot's reach across Office documents and YouTube. Now that section of the browser will get “smarter” with new AI capabilities. At the moment, the Outlook pane isn’t enabled by default. It will be interesting to see whether Microsoft keeps it that way once Copilot arrives, or whether users who don’t want it will have to go out of their way to disable it in Settings.

New Copilot integrations can hardly be considered news anymore, as they happen on a daily basis. Microsoft clearly wants Copilot in front of as many people as possible, whether they asked for it or not. Copilot was recently declared the best productivity app by Microsoft, so this announcement, which mentions productive browsing time, aligns with that. Whether that aligns with how you actually measure productivity is a different topic.

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Posted Thursday 26 February 2026 at 5:09 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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In a statement issued to Windows Central, Microsoft has confirmed that the company is not planning to end support for legacy printer drivers on Windows 11. The correction comes after the Windows Roadmap was updated to incorrectly imply support for V3 and V4 printer drivers were being deprecated in the OS last month.

"Windows has not ended support for legacy printer drivers. If your printer works with Windows today, it will continue to work, and no action is required," a Microsoft spokesperson said. "As of Jan 15, 2026, legacy drivers submitted to Windows Hardware Quality Labs and published to Windows Update will only be approved on a case-by-case basis, as described in the End of Servicing Plan for Third-Party Printer Drivers on Windows on Microsoft Learn"

The company says that "an update to the Windows Roadmap stated that Windows will no longer support V3 and V4 printer drivers—this update was inaccurate and has since been removed." It's clear that Microsoft's original wording around this confused people as it implied that support was being outright removed. That's not the case.

This is good news for Windows users who are still using older printers, as it means your printer should continue to work on the latest versions of Windows 11 with no problems. The only thing that's changing is that hardware makers will no longer be able to submit new legacy drivers for Windows Update certification, with certain exceptions.

Microsoft has been on a deprecation spree with Windows 11 in the last handful of years, so it's no surprise to see that people believed Microsoft when it said that support for legacy printer drivers was being deprecated. Luckily, at least for now, that's not actually the case, and older printer drivers should continue to work just fine for the foreseeable future.

The latest Windows 11 update is actually a good one, with improvements to overall system performance and reliability, UI updates, and new features such as support for Emoji 16, a built-in network speed test tool, and an updated Widgets Panel, which are all beginning to roll out now

For those unaware, App Skills in Excel allowed users to trigger actions via conversational prompts powered by Copilot. This allowed them to play around with data, create charts, formulas, and more in Excel, similar to Agent Mode. This experience could be initiated via the Copilot drop-down in the Excel ribbon, but Microsoft is now getting rid of it.

To be fair, the rationale for this UX change is understandable. Customers had been complaining to Microsoft that multiple Copilot entry points within the same application result in a fragmented experience, which is why the company is now transitioning towards a more unified experience that offers App Skills functionalities directly in Copilot Chat and Agent Mode.

This redesign was communicated to enterprise customers back in November 2025 and began rolling out late last year. Although this change should now have reached all customers, the App Skills option may still be visible to some. However, if they try to trigger it, they will run into an error message that will explain that App Skills are no longer available.

Agent Mode is already a more powerful tool than Excel, so rather than fragmenting functionalities across two separate interfaces, Microsoft is combining the two. This will result in more clarity for end-users while also allowing Microsoft to build new capabilities in a more focused way for a single experience. This still differentiates Copilot Chat from Agent Mode since the former does not allow modification of content and is more suitable for analysis and exploration activities.

That said, Agent Mode is still not a perfect replacement for App Skills. The Advanced Analysis mode, powered by App Skills that uses Python in Excel and advanced text analysis capabilities, is not available in Agent Mode or Copilot Chat yet. Microsoft is working on bringing them to these utilities.

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Posted Thursday 26 February 2026 at 5:07 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of January) 461

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This month's roundup is surprisingly brief, as it appears that Microsoft added just two new features to Excel during the month. The first is just about expanded availability of Agent Mode in Excel, with customers based in the European Union (EU) now able to leverage it too, if they are in the Current Channel or the Monthly Enterprise Channel. As a reminder, Agent Mode in Excel for Windows launched about a month ago. This AI-powered workflow is designed to offer an agentic experience that can do work on your behalf, as long as you offer a decent prompt as an input and possess a commercial Microsoft 365 Copilot license, or are a member of Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Premium plans.

Next, Excel for Windows and Mac gained the ability to query local, "modern" Excel workbooks through Copilot Chat. Previously, this integration was limited to content stored on the cloud but the latest update now offers a consistent experience in terms of AI assistance. Microsoft also believes that this will help users become more productive as they no longer need to have their files stored in an always-connected state and can just get started right away.

That's all there is for this month, which means that this update only excites customers actively involved in AI workflows. Others will just have to wait for the next month.

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Posted Thursday 26 February 2026 at 5:06 am AEST (my time).

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Windows 11 continues to gain new capabilities, and in many ways, that is a positive sign. The operating system is evolving, modernizing, and expanding its reach. However, not every addition improves the experience. Some features feel redundant, intrusive, or simply unnecessary in day-to-day workflows.

To be clear, this is not about AI integration or privacy controls. I have already made my position clear on those topics. AI should always be optional, and no dormant component should exist in the System without explicit user consent. Privacy should include a clear, centralized control mechanism. That discussion is separate.

Specifically, in this case, I'm referring to the Snap Assist flyout that appears when dragging a window to the top of the screen, and the Drag Tray flyout that automatically surfaces suggestions to share files with other apps. These features aim to enhance multitasking, but in practice, they often disrupt the natural flow that long-time users have developed over decades.

Snap Assist and Drag Tray

Snap Assist itself is not the problem. The layout menu that appears when hovering over the maximize button is useful. It's deliberate. You intentionally hover, review layout options, and choose one. Keyboard shortcuts such as "Windows key + Z" are also efficient and precise. These methods feel controlled and predictable.

Here is the changelog with everything that is rolling out gradually:

• [Emoji] New! The Emoji 16.0 release introduces a small, thoughtfully curated set of new emojis, one from each major category. These new emojis now appear in the emoji panel.
• [Backup & Restore] New! The first sign-in restore experience is now part of Windows Backup for Organizations, bringing this restore capability to more device types. 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.
• [Quick Machine Recovery] New! Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) now turns on automatically for Windows Professional devices that are not domain‑joined and not enrolled in enterprise endpoint management. 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.
• [Taskbar & System Tray]
  • New! A built‑in network speed test is now available from the taskbar. Open it from the Wi‑Fi or Cellular Quick Settings, or by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. The speed test opens in the default browser and measures Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and Cellular connections. This feature helps check network performance and troubleshoot issues.
  • Improved: When your taskbar is set to uncombined, if you have an app open with many windows, they will no longer all move as a set to the overflow area when there is not enough space on the taskbar, and instead only the ones specifically within the set that don’t have space. With this change, the overflow area should no longer appear to display with lots of available space.
• [Accounts] New! A new entry point in the account menu on the Start menu now directs you to the benefits page (https://account.microsoft.com/). This update makes it easier to explore and manage the benefits associated with your Microsoft account.
• [Camera Settings] New! You can now control pan and tilt for supported cameras in the Settings app. The controls appear under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Cameras, in the “Basic settings” section for your selected camera.
• [Built-in Sysmon] New! Windows now brings Sysmon functionality natively to Windows. Sysmon functionality allows you to capture system events that can help with threat detection, and you can use custom configuration files to filter the events you want to monitor. The captured events are written on the Windows event log, enabling them to be used with security applications and a wide range of use cases.
  • Built-in Sysmon is disabled by default and must be explicitly enabled. Go to Settings > System > Optional features > More Windows features > checking Sysmon or in PowerShell or command prompt:
  • Dism /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:Sysmon
  • To complete the installation, from PowerShell or the command prompt, run: sysmon -i
  • Note: If you’ve already installed Sysmon from the website, it must be uninstalled before enabling the built-in Sysmon.
• [Widgets] New! Widget Settings now opens as a full‑page experience in the Widgets app instead of opening in a dialog.
• [Desktop Background] New! You can now set .webp image files as your desktop background in Settings > Personalization > Background, as well as when right-clicking the image in File Explorer.
• [Search] Improved: Updated icon for the search process in Task Manager to now show a magnifying glass.

• New! Group headers now show the number of results, so you can quickly see when more results are available. Select a group header to see all results for that group and hide results from other groups.

• New! You can preview search results by hovering over a result and selecting Previewto see the content without opening it.

• [Storage Settings]
  • Improved: Updated some of the dialogs in Storage Settings to have a more modern design.
  • Improved the performance of scanning for temporary files.

• [Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT)] New! This update adds support for Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) on Windows 11 Arm64 devices. IT administrators can now install and use tools such as Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Directory Services Tools, Active Directory Certificate Services Tools, Server Manager, Group Policy Management Tools, DNS Server Tools, and DHCP Server Tools. These tools are available as optional features and can be installed through Settings > System > Optional Features or from Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.

   

• [Windows Update Settings] Improves the responsiveness of the settings page.
• [Login and lock screens] Improves the login screen reliability.
• [Nearby Sharing] Improves the reliability of sending larger files.
• [Projecting] Improves the reliability of displaying the project pane after pressing the Windows key plus P.
• [Printing] Improves the Windows print service (spoolsv.exe) to ensure smoother performance and prevent slowdowns during high‑volume printing.
• [File Explorer]
  • Improved: Added the extract all option to the File Explorer command bar when browsing non-ZIP archive folders.
  • Fixed: Holding Shift and clicking the File Explorer in the taskbar, or middle clicking, might open the current instance of File Explorer rather than another instance.
  • Improved reliability of displaying devices on the Network page of File Explorer.
• [Display]
  • Improved: Made display-related performance improvements to help reduce PC resume-from-sleep time on heavily loaded systems and other scenarios.
  • Improved: For laptops used with a docking station while the lid is closed, improved reliability of resuming from sleep when connecting to AC power, without needing to open the laptop lid.
• [Other] Addressed a few small visual issues, including when the taskbar was set to autohide, with the Windows Security pop-up credentials fields, and with the print dialog.

And here is what is rolling out to all right here and right now:

• [Secure Boot] With this update, Windows quality updates include additional high confidence device targeting data, increasing coverage of devices eligible to automatically receive new Secure Boot certificates. Devices receive the new certificates only after demonstrating sufficient successful update signals, maintaining a controlled and phased rollout.
• [BitLocker] Improved: This update improves BitLocker reliability. Your device no longer stops responding after you enter your recovery key.

You can download the update in Settings > Windows Update or from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Keep in mind that the update is optional and you can skip it if you want.

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Posted Wednesday 25 February 2026 at 12:06 pm AEST (my time).

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Microsoft has confirmed in its Windows IT Pro Blog the end-of-support timeline for three long-servicing Windows 10 releases from 2016 and outlined Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for organizations that need additional time to switch.

End of support for 2026 produces

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB will both reach end of support on October 13, 2026. On that date, devices will receive their final monthly security update. Afterward, the company will stop delivering security patches, non-security updates, bug fixes, technical support, and "online technical content updates" for these editions.

In addition, Windows Server 2016 will also reach the end of support on January 12, 2027. As with the client releases, that date marks the end of security updates and official support.

Microsoft is recommending that customers move to newer Long-Term Servicing Channel releases. For desktop computers and specialized devices, the company recommends upgrading to Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024 on supported hardware, or to Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 if Windows 11 is not an option. Server customers are advised to plan to upgrade to Windows Server 2025.

Extended Security Updates program

Organizations that cannot complete their upgrades before the deadlines will be offered Extended Security Updates as a temporary solution (not a permanent one).

Similar to the original LTSB servicing model, the ESU program does not introduce new features or design changes. It continues to deliver critical security updates for a limited time after support ends.

The company notes that under this program, technical support "is limited to the activation of the ESU licenses, installation of ESU monthly updates, and addressing issues that may have been caused by an update."