Last month, Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows 10, forcing users to either upgrade to Windows 11 or enroll in the company's Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. However, critics have referred to the program as a last-minute snooze button to an already bleeding system since it only postpones the issue by 12 months.

Despite bold statements by the company claiming that "Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCs," and the use of full-screen multi-page pop-up ads, users are seemingly reluctant to make the transition. This could be partly due to Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements and design flaws consistent across the OS.

Some users have even claimed that Microsoft's decision to pull the plug on Windows 10 is programmed obsolescence, which has left approximately 400 million Windows PCs without support, and could lead to the single most significant jump in dumped computers ever.

Our senior editor, Ben Wilson, recently asked our audience to share their sentiments about Windows 11 and why they don't like the OS. Going by the comments, Microsoft's heavy integration of AI into Windows 11, the Start menu, and the mandatory use of a Microsoft Account when installing the operating system seemed like the most consistent complaints among users.

As highlighted by one of our readers in our relatively new and shiny comment section:

Even former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer (famously known as Dave's Garage) seemingly shares the same sentiments, blatantly indicating that "Windows sucks" in his latest YouTube video.

The Snipping Tool has had an optical character recognition (OCR) feature for a while now, which you can use to extract text from screenshots. It even has some AI-powered options, but it's kind of funny that you couldn't add text to an image until now. It's such a basic feature.

Anyway, the feature was spotted by PhantomOfEarth, a reliable Windows insider, who also uploaded a video to demo the new options. The Snipping Tool has a new T button, aka a Text icon on the toolbar, clicking on which opens a secondary toolbar in the image editor.

(Image courtesy: PhantomofEarth)

While it can be used to watermarking images, that's not its primary purpose. The text tool is used to annotate images, to highlight something.

Users will be able to select the font type and size of the text, and choose from basic formatting options such as Bold, Italics and Underline. You can customize the color for the text. Once you have made your selection, just draw a box where you want the text to appear, and type in what you want it to say. That's pretty simple. There is also an option to add a highlight/marker pen effect to the text.

It is unclear which build of Windows 11 the Add Text feature is being tested in, but given that PhantomofEarth usually tests the latest builds to spot new features and changes, it is likely being tested in the newest Dev Channel version. Microsoft had released Windows 11 26220.7070 to the Dev and Beta Channels a few days ago for participants in the Windows Insider Program

Want a more powerful screenshot utility? Take a look at ShareX or Flameshot

Which screen capturing tool do you use?

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Posted Tuesday 11 November 2025 at 1:53 am AEST (my time).

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The Start menu is now scrollable, so you can move through your apps in one place.

This means the “All” section sits on the main screen, and you do not need to jump to a separate page.

Right now, when you open Start, you need to click on All apps to find the list of installed apps.

Now, you've the “All" section on the homepage.

The Start menu has two UIs for the All apps list

By default, Microsoft has categorised view enabled by default, which groups by app type. It moves your most used ones to the top of each group.

The categories are created locally and maintained using a local JSON file. 

A category is created when it has at least three apps. If a group is smaller, those apps stay in “Other.”

Finally, we have a grid view, which keeps the classic A to Z order, but it has a wider layout so you can scan more apps at once.

Windows remembers the view you last used, but after the update, it will default to the categories view unless you change it.

The new Start menu UI is adaptive

The menu also grows or shrinks to fit your screen. On bigger screens, you see a larger Start menu by default. That can show eight columns of pinned apps, six recommendations, and four columns in the “All” categories.

On smaller screens, you will see six columns of pinned apps, four recommendations, and three columns in the “All” categories.

If you only pin a few apps, the Pinned area collapses to one row, and other parts move up.

You can now remove the Recommended feed

If you do not want recommendations, open Settings, then Personalization, then Start, and turn off the toggles for recently added apps, recommended files, websites from your history, and tips.

When there are no recommendations, that section hides itself, so you see more of your installed apps.

The new Start menu is better, but it needs these two fixes

The new Start menu is a much-needed upgrade, but at the same time, it covers almost 60-70% of the screen on PCs with low resolution.

If you run into Start menu UI issues, I recommend lowering the scale settings from Settings > System > Display.

Second, Microsoft should allow you to create your own categories.

Most of my apps are grouped under the "Other" category because I do not have three similar apps that qualify Microsoft's criteria.

However, it's likely the customisation controls will eventually improve.

How to get the new Start menu

As mentioned at the outset, this new Start menu UI begins rolling out with the November 2025 Patch Tuesday, and the rollout is expected to be completed in a few years.

This new Start UI is included in Build 26200.7019 and 26100.7019 or newer, but it won't be turned on by default.

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Posted Monday 10 November 2025 at 12:45 pm AEST (my time).

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Not just Windows, but several products have turned into a sales channel for Microsoft to promote its apps or services. Bing, which is the default search engine on Windows 11 and Edge, has experienced a barrage of ads recently. For example, if you search Chrome on Bing, you might have seen an ad that wants you to use Edge because it’s more secure.

More recently, Windows Latest spotted a new ad on Bing that tells you to stop trying to download Chrome because using Microsoft Edge actually pays you. Microsoft is not saying it’ll deposit money into your bank account, but it says you can earn up to 1,300 Microsoft Rewards points.

You can’t cash in Rewards points, but you can use the points to buy an Amazon Gift Card, which is another form of money.

Based on my location, Bing pitched me several gift cards, including a gift card to buy items in Roblox and even access to Spotify Premium for three months.

You will get all of these if you keep using Microsoft Edge over Chrome.

“Redeem your points for gift cards or donate to one of over 2 million nonprofits,” Microsoft noted in an ad that shows up only when you search Chrome on Bing. “Earn 1,300 Microsoft Rewards points by trying Edge,” the ad, which cannot be dismissed, has a small note at the top that says ‘Promoted by Microsoft.’

Can Google, OpenAI or other companies use similar media-rich ads on Bing for their products? Apparently not, as these so-called ads are only designed to promote Microsoft products.

We’re not seeing ads for other browsers, such as Opera, Firefox or Brave, so it looks like Microsoft is only going after Google Chrome.

Microsoft has another ad that compares Chrome against Edge with features like VPN.

Microsoft runs a new ad for the Edge browser on Bing.com almost every two weeks now. Previously, Windows Latest spotted an ad that tries to sell you Edge as a superior option that runs on the same technology as Chrome when you try to download Chrome using Edge.

These are not my words. Microsoft literally says you don’t have to download Chrome because Edge already runs on the same technology as Google’s browser, which is Chromium.

In the above case, Microsoft has created a Bing ad that shows up when you search for “Chrome” and says, “All you need is right here.” It tells you Edge uses the same tech as Chrome, so you won’t lose sites or features, and then it shows a simple checklist to make Edge look better.

This is a scoreboard that declares Edge browser a winner with a full score. 

For example, Bing ad says using Edge can earn you Microsoft Rewards points. You can’t do that in Google Chrome. Then, it says you will also get access to VPN by staying on Edge, but it doesn’t tell you that Edge VPN is powered by Cloudflare, and it does not let you choose a location.

Microsoft also says you will get “AI personalization” with Edge, which is true, but is it really special? I don’t think. The AI personlization in Edge allows you to generate themes using prompts, but the theme only changes a few parts of the browser.

At this point, Microsoft wants you to believe that the Edge browser is all you need and is on par with Chrome, but what do you prefer? Let me know in the comments below.

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On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Microsoft is scheduled to begin the rollout of a new Patch Tuesday update for the eleventh month of the year for , which introduces various significant features, several improvements, and bug fixes.

In this update, the company is making available the Start menu layout that uses a new unified interface. In addition, this release brings the new Administrator Protection security feature and the option to show the battery percentage next to the new battery icon.

Also, there's an updated version of File Explorer with a new "Recommended" section that replaces "Quick Access." Voice Access gets a new fluid dictation feature, and Click to Do for Copilot+ PCs is gaining a slew of improvements.

In this guide, I'll highlight the most significant changes coming with the November 2025 Security Update for Windows 11 version 25H2 and 24H2, since both versions are identical.

Windows 11 new features coming in November 2025

Microsoft uses the Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) technology to gradually push new features and changes, so it may take some time before you see them.

1. Start menu overhaul

Starting with the November 2025 Security Update, Microsoft is finally rolling out the new Start menu design.

The new menu still retains most of the aesthetics of the preview version, but the interface is now larger with a responsive layout that adapts to the screen size automatically. (However, you cannot resize it manually.)

In this overhaul, the Start menu combines the "Pinned" and "All" menus into a single interface, making apps easier to find.

If you’re one of the millions of Windows 10 users looking to bypass Microsoft’s strict Windows 11 hardware requirements, beware: cybercriminals are exploiting that desperation. A fake version of the popular Flyoobe tool — used to install Windows 11 on unsupported PCs — is making the rounds, and it may contain malware or tampered code. The tool’s developer has issued a public warning, urging users to avoid unofficial mirrors and download only from the official GitHub page

While it's apparent that Microsoft would prefer these users to upgrade to Windows 11, it seems highly unlikely, especially for users with relatively new devices that have essentially been rendered obsolete following Windows 10's death. Some users have even branded Microsoft's decision to end support for the OS as programmed obsolescence.

Of course, alternative platforms like Linux and ChromeOS are seemingly gaining popularity among users who refuse to upgrade to Windows 11, citing Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements and flawed design elements. A lack of ads and telemetry tracking is also among the main incentives that could trigger the huge jump.

There's also been an increase in popularity for third-party tools that make the transition to Windows 11 a little bit less hectic. For instance, Flyoobe (formerly Flyby11) lets Windows 10 users bypass Microsoft's stringent hardware requirements, including 4GB of RAM, TPM 2.0 chips, UEFI with Secure Boot, and more, making it easier to install Windows 11 in outdated PCs.

While the software allows you to strip Windows 11 down to the basics by removing unwanted AI features and apps, bad actors are seemingly capitalizing on its growing popularity, following Windows 10's end of support, to trick unsuspecting Windows 10 users trying to upgrade to Windows 11.

As spotted by Tom's Hardware, the bad actors have availed a malicious update for the software via an official-looking domain. However, Flyoobe's developer has issued a warning about the suspicious website and update for the tool, further indicating that it is not affiliated with the project.

According to the security warning on Flyoobe's official GitHub page:

Additionally, the developer has urged users to only download the tool directly from the official GitHub page. But these are among the critical issues that you are bound to encounter when interacting with third-party tools, which might even end up "bricking" your device. It's always important to tread carefully.

Windows 11 includes a wide range of traditional and AI-powered features with plenty of customization options. However, one capability has been notably missing, which is the option to switch between light and dark modes automatically. Microsoft is finally addressing this limitation, though not as a built-in feature.

Alongside long-requested additions like the ability to move the Taskbar to the top of the screen, users have also been asking for a way to change the system color mode automatically.

If you're one of those users, you can now do it using the new "Light Switch" feature available in the PowerToys app.

PowerToys is a free collection of advanced utilities from Microsoft designed to help power users enhance productivity and customize the operating system experience. Among its many tools, the Light Switch utility lets you automatically toggle between Light Mode and Dark Mode on Windows 11.

You can schedule the switch for specific times or sync it with your local sunrise and sunset. The feature also gives you control over whether the mode change applies to the entire system, supported apps, or both.

In this how-to guide, I'll outline the steps to leverage the PowerToys app to bring auto color switching to Windows 11.

How to switch between system color modes on Windows 11

To schedule when the operating system should switch between the dark and light modes, you have to install PowerToys and configure the feature:

Starting with the new feature, Kristen McWilliam implemented the ability to limit virtual desktops to only the primary screen. For anyone with a multi-monitor setup, this means you can switch workspaces on your main display without everything on your secondary monitors flying away with it.

This feature request has been floating around since way back in the KDE 3 era, first logged on June 12, 2005. For 19 years, users have been asking for this functionality, which was held back by technical limitations in the old X11 windowing system. You can look for this in Plasma 6.6 when it comes out next year.

Other features planned for Plasma 6.6 include a new button in the Network widget for connecting to a network with a QR code.

The DrKonqi crash reporter will now also notice when non-KDE applications crash and prompt you to report them upstream. Hot-corner effects are also getting an update to trigger for all screens by default, though you can turn this off.

You should also expect lower memory usage, with the system dropping over 100MiB by changing how it unloads wallpaper images that are not in use. This change technically removed tiled wallpapers, but a new "Tiled" wallpaper plugin brings the functionality right back.

KDE Plasma 6.5.2 landed this week, with several bug fixes. This release corrected an issue that prevented users from adding a new widget by clicking on it. It also resolved a source of high CPU usage on the SDDM login screen. For those who use the Font Viewer application, a fix was included for an issue that made some toolbar items invisible.

The next bugfix release, 6.5.3, scheduled for 18th November, will bring even more corrections. This release will fix a potential Plasma crash when you remove widgets or panels. It also fixes a regression where inactive windows would become active if you hovered over an element that produced a tooltip.

You can learn more from the official KDE blog post.

Source

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Posted Sunday 9 November 2025 at 4:53 am AEST (my time).

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OPINION I have a habit of ironically referring to Microsoft's various self-induced whoopsies as examples of the company's "legendary approach to quality control." While the robustness of Windows NT in decades past might qualify as "legendary", anybody who has had to use the company's wares in recent years might quibble with the word "quality."

As repeated Azure outages due to configuration errors have shown, "control" is perhaps also inappropriate these days.

It's difficult to pinpoint precisely where it went wrong for Microsoft when it comes to quality. In 2014, the company decided it could do without many of its testers. Mary Jo Foley reported that "a good chunk" were being laid off. Microsoft didn't need to bother with traditional methods of testing code. Waterfall was out. Agile was in.

The consequences have been difficult to avoid. There was the infamous Windows 10 Update Of The Damned (also known as the Windows 10 October 2018 Update), which deleted files, and despite Microsoft slowing down the release cadence after that, quality does not seem to have improved. Every few weeks, the company's "legendary approach to quality control" is evident, whether through a self-inflicted wound resulting from issues with an update or, worse, the company's cloud collapsing due to a faulty configuration change being rolled out.

While allowances can be made for the former – the Windows ecosystem consists of hundreds of millions of devices, and some issues are inevitable (even if others are inexcusable) – the same cannot be said for the latter. Sure, Azure is vast, but it should be a known quantity as far as Microsoft is concerned. Therefore, repeatedly rolling out changes to production that leave customers with inoperative services is more than questionable quality control; it calls into question the company's competence.

As the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me over and over again ... well, I guess that makes me a Microsoft customer."

So perhaps it is time to retire the phrase "legendary approach to quality control" and replace it with something more befitting the situation?

This is where The Register readership comes in, particularly those who have been at the sharp, pointy end of Redmond's antics.

How would you describe the quality of Microsoft's wares these days, and the amount of testing that has been done before the company's latest emission?

Sadly, the word "pisspoor" might confuse the international audience, and naughty words could trip firewall filters.

But things seem to have moved beyond "legendary approach to quality control." ®

Source

As reported before, Windows 11 version 26H1 is not a conventional feature update. As Microsoft says in the release notes, 26H1 only includes platform changes to support specific silicon. Microsoft is not saying what exact silicon is that is supposed to be, and most likely, it is referring to the Snapdragon X2 processor family for the next-generation Copilot+ PCs.

Windows 11 version 25H2 will remain the "primary place" to get new Windows features ahead of their public rollout, and Microsoft adds that Windows 11 will stick to its annual feature update cadence. In other words, it will continue receiving one major feature update every year. Additionally, Microsoft explains that the Canary Channel is primarily made for platform changes. Therefore, new features will continue showing up first in the Dev and Beta Channels.

As for what is exactly new in Windows 11 build 28000, Microsoft says that the update "includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs," plus two additional fixes:

• Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash in the previous flight for some Insiders.
• Fixed an issue which could cause the credentials window to not be accessible when trying to login to Outlook in recent flights.

Additionally, there are some known issues:

• [Start menu]
  • Insiders with the new Start menu may experience it unexpectedly scrolling to the top.
• [Power and Battery]
  • We’re investigating reports that sleep and shutdown aren’t working correctly for some Insiders after the latest Canary builds.

You can find the announcement post here.

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Posted Saturday 8 November 2025 at 1:43 pm AEST (my time).

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Microsoft is releasing some big changes relating to the widgets board with the new build. Widget board settings will now give users more options to to tweak the dashboard and more to their liking. Aside from that, there are other UI related improvements as well.

The company is also improving the recovery functionality as Microsoft adds that "the experience has been streamlined so options are easier to find and use."

The full changelog is given below:

New features gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

Widgets

Choose your default dashboard in an updated Widget Board Settings

• Launching the Widget Board when it’s showing live weather content will now open the first dashboard in your navigation bar instead of your most recently used dashboard for a more predictable Widget Board experience.
• To modify your default dashboard, navigate to the new full-page Widgets Settings experience by clicking the gear icon at the bottom of your Widget navigation bar and re-arrange your desired default dashboard to the top position.

See numbered badges on the Widget Board navigation bar

Badges on the dashboard icons in the Widget navigation bar will now show numbers corresponding to the number of alerts from that dashboard. Navigation bar badges clear automatically when you leave a dashboard, making it easy to track what’s new.

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

Changes and Improvements for everyone

[Recovery]

• We’re updating Quick Machine Recovery in Windows – Microsoft Support make getting back to a working PC clearer and faster. The experience in both Windows Settings and the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) has been streamlined so options are easier to find and use. On PCs with the settings “quick machine recovery” and “automatically check for solutions” both enabled, QMR now runs a one‑time scan by default instead of repeating scans in a loop. If a fix isn’t available right away, you won’t be left waiting; QMR will quickly point you to the most appropriate recovery options to get you back up and running.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[Smart App Control]

• We’re updating Smart App Control (SAC) so you will now be able to switch SAC off or on without any clean install requirement. To make changes, go to Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control settings.
• When it’s on, it helps block untrusted or potentially harmful apps. You can learn more about SAC App & Browser Control in the Windows Security App – Microsoft Support.

[File Explorer]

• We are re-enabling people icons under the “Activity” column in File Explorer Home detailed here.

[File Explorer]

• We are temporarily turning off the integration supporting the StorageProvider APIs for cloud providers as detailed here.
• We are temporarily turning off support for frequently used and recently downloaded recommended files in File Explorer as detailed here.

Fixes gradually being rolled out with toggle on*

[General]

• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing interacting with the desktop to unexpectedly open Task View recently for some people.

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an issue where Shift + Click (or middle clicking) on File Explorer in the taskbar wasn’t opening a new File Explorer instance.
• Fixed an issue where the File Explorer active tab title might not display bolded until you hovered your mouse over it.

[Taskbar]

• Fixed an issue which could lead to the “Automatically hide the taskbar” setting unexpectedly turning off, after seeing a message saying “a toolbar is already hidden on this side of your screen”.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue which could lead to Settings hanging when trying to navigate to the Network & Internet section.

Known issues

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• We’re investigating an issue which is causing the Start menu to not open for some Insiders on click, although it will open if you press the Windows key. It’s believed this issue may also potentially impact the notification center (which you can open with WIN + N).
• We’re investigating an issue where for some Insiders apps aren’t showing in the system tray when they should be.

[File Explorer]

• Copy progress might flash when clicking more or less details in dark mode version of the copy dialog.
• Scrollbar and footer are missing and showing a white block instead when text is scaled in dark mode version of the copy dialog.

[Recall]

• [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing some Insiders to see a message saying they don’t have an eligible camera for Recall when they do.

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

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Posted Saturday 8 November 2025 at 1:41 pm AEST (my time).

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On Friday, Microsoft released the first build of Windows 11 26H1—and as suspected, you won’t need to worry about it.

Microsoft released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 28000 to the Canary Channel, the most experimental of the four Windows Insider channels. “With this build today, Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to Windows 11, version 26H1,” the company said in a blog post.

In the announcement, Microsoft was fairly clear that Windows 11 26H1 won’t be something that consumers will have to worry about.

“26H1 is not a feature update for version 25H2 and only includes platform changes to support specific silicon,” the blog post noted. “There is no action required from customers.”

“[Windows 11] 25H2 remains the primary place for new features,” the post added. “Windows 11 continues to have an annual feature update cadence, with releases in the second half of the calendar year.”

Microsoft’s statement is in line with what tipster Phantomofearth revealed little more than a week ago: that the Windows 11 26H1 release was specifically aimed at new silicon. The leaker claimed that the new silicon in question was the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite, which should ship in early 2026. Microsoft basically used the earlier Snapdragon X Elite as a test bed, rolling out new features on that platform first, then adding support for other Copilot+ processors like Intel’s Core Ultra 200 chips and the AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors.

Although Microsoft could adjust course and launch a new feature or two on the Windows 11 26H1 channel, it looks like enthusiasts who want to try out and test new Windows features should remain on Windows 11 25H2 for now. You can double-check which version your PC is on by using the “winget” command within Windows.

Again, the Canary Channel is purely experimental. “The builds we release to the Canary Channel represent the latest platform changes early in the development cycle and should not be seen as matched to any specific release of Windows,” Microsoft noted. “Features and experiences included in these builds may never get released as we try out different concepts and get feedback. Features may change over time, be removed, or replaced and never get released beyond Windows Insiders. Some of these features and experiences could show up in future Windows releases when they’re ready.”

Source

Microsoft is hard at work on the next version of Windows 11, but this time things might be a little bit different. Instead of waiting until the second half of the year like most new version updates, Microsoft looks to be planning to ship the next version of Windows 11 much earlier, likely in the first half of 2026.

This is because the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon X2-based SoC and NVIDIA N1X platform requires platform changes that aren't currently available in version 25H2, and the work required to light up Snapdragon X2 and N1X devices appears to be part of the next Windows platform release, codenamed Bromine.

Unlike 25H2, which is based on the same platform release as version 24H2 (codenamed Germanium,) the next version of Windows 11 looks to be based on the newer Bromine platform release. This means it's a full OS upgrade, but it will likely only be available on Snapdragon X2 devices at launch.

It's unconfirmed if this next release will be denoted as version 26H1, version 26H2, or maintain the version 25H2 moniker. References to a version 26H1 based on the Bromine platform release have been spotted in recent documentation and API calls, so that seems most likely currently.

What we know for sure is that the next version of Windows 11 will be based on a newer version of the Windows platform and includes necessary platform changes to ensure Snapdragon X2 and N1X chips work.

Release date

An update to the Phone Link app on Windows 11 has revealed that Microsoft is removing the built in Photo viewer soon, replacing it with the ability to view photos directly through the File Explorer instead.

Up until now, users have enjoyed being able to view everything about their phone in one place on Windows 11. The Phone Link app is used to view your phone's status and screen, as well as messages, phone calls, and historically photos. It was a great way to view all your recent pictures, and copy them to your PC.

Now, an alert at the top of Phone Link has appeared that says Photos are moving out of the Phone Link app and into File Explorer. Windows Central noticed the popup earlier today, which encourages the user to setup the ability to view their phones files in the File Explorer app instead.

"Photos is moving to File Explorer" reads the alert. "Enjoy a better Photos experience in File Explorer. Now you can view videos and easily manage files with multi-select, copy/paste, and drag and drop."

The Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) is synonymous with Microsoft's Windows operating system. The full-screen error is designed to alert users of a critical system failure related to a specific operation, with the potential to cause a device crash and forced reboot.

Did you know that there are three different types of Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors? The Windows 3.1 Ctrl+Alt+Del screen, aka the screen of unhappiness, the Windows 95 kernel error (which most users consider the blue screen of death), and the Windows NT kernel error, which was authored by John Vert.

Earlier this year, Microsoft decided to change the iconic blue error screen to a simplified black one with the aim of ensuring third-party security software follows the new rules designed to stop bad updates and drivers from taking down the OS. But I digress...

While we've all had our encounters with the dreaded BSoD errors, we wouldn't expect Microsoft to share the same struggle, more so, during an important keynote. But this is precisely what happened while Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was on stage showing off a demo of Windows 98, which was poised to replace Windows 95 a few months later.

One of the ways is to enroll for Extended Security Updates (or ESU in short) wherein Microsoft will provide security updates for one more year till October 13 2026, and there are three fairly simple ways to get it done, both paid and unpaid.

If you have already enrolled in the ESU or are using a still-supported LTSC edition of Windows 10 but are seeing the message that "your version of Windows has reached the end of support" Microsoft has assured that it is not the case and that it is a false alert. The company has shared a fix for it too.

In the case of enterprise systems, specifically for Windows 365 Enterprise Cloud PCs and Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs, Microsoft has reminded that IT admins and sysadmins must ensure that those devices must meet certain prerequisites and requirements so that ESU is offered to them.

Microsoft notes that Windows 365 Enterprise Cloud PCs and Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs in dedicated mode are automatically entitled to ESU for three years given that they meet the criteria. The requirements include that the endpoint device (the local PC that is accessing Windows 365 Cloud) must have an active Windows 365 subscription license, have Windows 10 22H2 with KB5066791 or later installed, and, of course, admins must have valid administrative privileges.

If those conditions are met, admins will need to deploy a custom policy that enables the EnableESUSubscriptionCheck flag, which can be done through the Microsoft Intune admin center or other MDM (mobile device management) providers. Here, the integer value for the corresponding OMA-URI policy path must be set to "1" to enable the ESU check flag.

To verify a device is enrolled in the ESU program, admins can check for the following registry entry on the Windows 10 endpoint PC that would connect to a Windows 365 Cloud PC:

•     Key: HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\ESU
•     Name: EnableESUSubscriptionCheck
•     Type: REG_DWORD
•     Value: 1

Aside from that, Microsoft has also added that users must continue to sign in to their physical Windows 10 devices using their Microsoft Entra ID account they use for Windows 365 Cloud PCs at least once every 22 days to maintain eligibility for ESU.

Besides that, Microsoft has also shared activation IDs for the three years of ESU in case of physical devices too, ie, those which do not access Windows 365 in their enterprise environments:

•     Win10 ESU Year1: f520e45e-7413-4a34-a497-d2765967d094
•     Win10 ESU Year2: 1043add5-23b1-4afb-9a0f-64343c8f3f8d
•     Win10 ESU Year3: 83d49986-add3-41d7-ba33-87c7bfb5c0fb

You can find more details at the source links below on Microsoft's official site.

Source: Microsoft (link1, link2)

Source

•     Linux Mint is my top pick for Windows escapees—stable, familiar, and frequently updated.
•     Cinnamon menu gains moveable search bar and configurable system buttons—more Start-menu freedom.
•     System Reports renamed System Information with USB, GPU, PCI, BIOS pages, and boot-menu tweaker.

When people ask me what the best Linux distro is for Windows escapees, I always point them towards Linux Mint. Sure, there are plenty of distros out there, and the only "wrong choice" is sticking with one you dislike; however, given how Linux Mint was my first introduction to the world of open-source software, I feel it's worth recommending to other people, too.

Well, if you're a little tired of Windows 10 and don't want to update to Windows 11, Linux Mint has something that the older Microsoft OS doesn't: frequent updates. While Windows 10 is sort of in this strange operating system limbo where it's not quite dead, but not quite alive either, Linux distros continue to serve up cool new features and tweaks to try out.

Linux Mint's beloved Cinnamon menu is getting some great tweaks 

Over on the Linux Mint blog, the developers published their monthly news for the month of October. The spotlight features are tweaks to its familiar Cinnamon UI, the desktop environment Linux Mint uses. You can swap out desktop environments and even install Cinnamon on other distros, but the fact it comes pre-installed and set up right out of the box with Linux Mint makes it a great option for people trying to escape Microsoft's ecosystem.

The new changes to Cinnamon allow you to move the Search bar to the bottom of the "Start menu" (which Cinnamon calls the "Application Menu"). You can also move around the system buttons; those are the lock screen, sleep, and power buttons you usually find in a Start menu. It may feel odd editing these elements, given how Microsoft has really locked down the Start menu and its customization options in Windows 11, but that's just one of Linux's fortes.

The Linux Mint developers are also making it easier for people to log and report system errors:

The “System Reports” tool was given a plethora of new features and it was rebranded as “System Information”. In addition to its “System Information”, “System Reports” and “Crash Reports” pages, the tool received 4 new pages to show you more information and help you troubleshoot common issues.

These four pages relate to your USB, GPU, PCI, and BIOS, and lets you take a quick look at each to help you solve problems. The "System Administration" page is getting a boot menu tweaker that lets you adjust stuff like showing the boot menu and adjusting the automatic selection duration in an easy-to-use UI, which is perfect for Windows escapees.

The updates aren't quite ready yet, so we'll have to wait until they're good to go. However, I urge you not to let that stop you from checking out Linux Mint if you're interested.

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Microsoft will actually continue supporting MSDA on Windows 10 for free
But that's only half the story 

Last month, Microsoft clarified in a blog post what would happen to Defender protection on Windows 10 machines after October 14, the official end of support date for Windows 10. The company announced that the Defender antivirus will continue to receive "detection and protection capabilities to the extent possible on Windows 10". It sounds like MSDA will continue to work on Windows 10 machines at least for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) period, which currently ends in October 2028.

If you're living in Europe, paying for extended Windows 10 support, or using Microsoft Rewards to get it, you don't need to worry. However, those planning to stay on Windows 10 as-is (without paying for ESU), Defender updates will still leave your system exposed to security vulnerabilities. While your antivirus protects you against many known security threats, you're lacking comprehensive protection without an up-to-date operating system. Critical security patches for Windows 10 will not make it to your PC if you're simply ignoring its EOL status and planning to wing it. Without ESU, your system would be prone to OS-level exploitation by malicious actors. Millions of unprotected Windows 10 machines will be prime targets for these hackers.

Even switching to a third-party antivirus won't protect your PC if the OS itself isn't receiving security patches from Microsoft.

Without the critical updates meant to patch newly discovered vulnerabilities in Windows 10, you'll be leaving your information exposed to targeted attacks.

The simplest solution for Windows 10 users is to move to Windows 11
That's the unfortunate truth 

You might hate Windows 11 with a passion — I'm guessing you do if you're still using Windows 10 — but upgrading your system is the easiest and surest way to ensure comprehensive protection. Switching to Windows 11 from a legitimate Windows 10 license is free, and you'll get all the latest feature and security updates on your PC automatically via Windows Update. I know the transition can be hard, but I assure you that you'll get used to it, just like we all got used to Windows 10. It was met with criticism at first, especially regarding data collection, ads, and the aggressive upgrade campaign, but people gradually warmed up to it.

This is how basically every Windows transition goes. Windows 11 is in a great place right now compared to what it was at launch, and your current machine is likely new enough to be eligible for the upgrade. Even if it isn't, you can use Rufus to bypass the system requirements hurdle, and install Windows 11 on any "unsupported" machine. Alternatively, you could use Flyoobe to dodge the system requirements and customize your Windows 11 install, essentially debloating it for a clean experience. This might assuage some of your fears about the dreaded upgrade to Microsoft's latest operating system.

Alternatively, you could move to Linux
Many ex-Windows users think it's the endgame 

This can come off as rude, but you could leave the Windows ecosystem entirely, embracing the unfamiliar but evolved world of Linux — at least that's what Linux users around me make it seem. I'm still on Windows 10, and preparing to move to Windows 11 pretty soon. So, I don't know what goes on in the Linux world, but many of my fellow writers at XDA have made the Windows-Linux transition and are happy about it. Linux Mint is a popular distro for Windows 10 users to try, since it's easy to pick up, a lot of familiar programs work without issues, and even the terminal isn't as scary as you might think.

Other Linux distros that might appeal to you as a long-time Windows user are Fedora, Fedora KDE Plasma, and Pop!_OS, with the last one being the best Linux distro for gamers. Each distro is good and bad at one thing or the other, so you'll not know which one's your daily driver before you try a few. You could pick a lightweight Linux distro if your machine has a few years on it, beginner-friendly distros if you'd like a simple transition, or something that combines the best of Windows, macOS, and Linux into one all-powerful distro.

I wish I could stay on Windows 10 forever, but change is inevitable

I've loved my time with Windows 10. I've used it for the last decade, refusing to upgrade to Windows 11 even when I should have. That said, it's now time for me to make the jump, so I don't leave my system exposed to security threats, and also because I want to enjoy a better HDR experience on my new OLED monitor. I recommend you do the same on your Windows 10 PC. Windows 11 might not be all you want from your system, but it's the simplest solution to ensure your machine stays protected against all kinds of security vulnerabilities. 

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The team worked on the Cinnamon menu applet, adding an option that'll let you reposition the search bar to the bottom of the menu. They also added a setting to move the system buttons, like the ones for shutdown and settings, over to the sidebar instead of having them locked at the bottom.

Troubleshooting is also getting improved with some big changes to the old "System Reports" tool. The developers are renaming it to "System Information" to better reflect its expanded capabilities. It now has 4 new pages, namely USB, GPU, PCI, and BIOS.

The USB page gives a detailed view of connected devices, grouping them by controller so you can check connection speeds and power usage against the controller's maximums.

The GPU page shows information on your graphics card and its hardware acceleration support, while the PCI page lists internal components with their PCI IDs and the drivers they use. Finally, the BIOS page provides specifics on your motherboard, BIOS version, and whether you are using secure boot.

The Linux Mint team also announced that Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) 6 will reach its End of Life next year, on January 1st, 2026. After that date, the release will no longer get security or bug-fix updates. For users on the 64-bit version, an upgrade path to LMDE 7 is available.

Unfortunately, there's no upgrade path for those on the 32-bit version, as upstream projects like Debian and Mozilla have dropped support for that architecture. LMDE 6 shipped almost three years ago in late 2023, bringing features like the Linux Kernel 6.1 and Pipewire as the default sound server from its Debian 12 base.

Other changes in the latest report include a new utility called "System Administration". This tool is focused on, well, tasks that require elevated privileges. Its first feature is a "Boot menu" page where you can toggle the visibility of the GRUB menu, set its timeout, or add kernel boot parameters for hardware debugging.

The team also started a project named XSI (XApp Symbolic Icons) to fix a problem where the Adwaita icon theme stopped supporting applications outside of GNOME, which caused missing icons in Cinnamon.

All the core Mint projects have made the switch to XSI.

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Posted Friday 7 November 2025 at 1:07 pm AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of October): 5,009

RIP Matrix

If you’ve enrolled in the ESU plan, you should see them offered in Windows Update. But that does not mean you should install them now. Nothing has changed from my normal stance of testing, waiting for issues, and reviewing for side effects. As far as I’m concerned, this is patch business as usual. And that means it’s time to raise the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

On October 29, Microsoft published Simplified Windows Update titles in its Windows IT Pro Blog. This post explained that the naming of updates would change. That sounds fine, given the stated goal to deliver “Enhanced clarity and consistency across update titles.” However, IT admins (including me) immediately freaked out over one part of the change — the removal of the date code from the titles.

Up until now, updates included a leading date code in the form YYYY-MM, such as “2025-08 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5064081) (26100.5074).” Such naming makes it easy for folks like me to ask, “Hey, did you have issues with the August updates?” Then the person we’re helping can examine their update history and quickly find those from the eighth month. Now Microsoft wants to simplify.

Figure 1. Enhanced update titles for “clarity”

It’s true that Windows Update history shows the date an update was installed. But that does not necessarily mean the month the update was released. For example, you may be deferring updates, based on my recommendations, and not get around to installing an update in the month it was released. With this new nomenclature, the only way to find the release information is by looking up the KB number on the Web. Of course, that takes extra time. But worse, how many updates were associated with a given month? The only way to tell is by looking up the information for every update until you’ve found every one connected to that given month. That’s nuts.

Comments erupted all over social media that backed me up on this. There was sufficient backlash that Microsoft added a note to the “Simplified” post a mere two days later:

Editor’s note 10.31.2025: We are actively listening to your feedback and planning further improvements. Thank you for helping us create a better user experience.

“Further improvements?” I’ve received other assurances on social media that the YYYY-MM date information will be brought back. We should see the confirmation next week, when the normal security updates will be released. I wish Microsoft would stop shooting itself in the foot like this.

Just ask us in advance the next time.

Consumers

In an upcoming newsletter, I’m going to dive deep into Secure Boot certificates and how they may need updating before June 2026. Needless to say, you may start to see a lot more articles about this issue. But don’t panic — your computer vendors may have already installed the needed update on your computer. More to come later.

The November updates include a new change in File Explorer. As Will pointed out regarding stuff just showing up, this will be gradually rolled out to users. Will may have it (he does), and I may not (I don’t). That’s in spite of the fact that both of us installed the preview update, just to see what it was all about.

As pointed out in the October preview update KB5067036:

The Recommended section in File Explorer now makes it easier to access files you frequently use or recently downloaded. To view this section on the homepage, turn on the Show Recommended section setting in File Explorer | Options. This feature is now available to all users, including those signed in with personal Microsoft accounts.

That’s actually a weak explanation. This is about the Home page in File Explorer, reached by clicking the Home icon in the left navigation pane. Previously, this provided a “Quick Access” file listing. Now, the new “Recommended” section precedes it.

In addition, there is a new Start menu. Again. And those of us who actually use Windows and have all our shortcuts and icons just how we want them will ignore this change and go on with our work. Again. I really hate to sound jaded about the start menu, but I’m at the point where these changes are meaningless to me. I use my own mechanisms and tools to control — or rather, ignore — the start menu,

We’ll be looking to ensure the November updates don’t introduce a bug included in KB5067036 that has to do with Task Manager. Merely clicking the x in the upper-right corner of Task Manager doesn’t close it. Instead, you must use Alt+F4.

If you’ve enrolled in the Windows 10 ESU, remember that it includes only security updates, not feature changes. New features? Available only on Windows 11.

Businesses

The November updates include some much-needed fixes for Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, and Server 2025, as noted in KB5067036.

Reminder: If your Windows 10 PC is on a domain managed by Intune, you will need to purchase a single-year ESU for USD$61. You cannot opt for the consumer ESU when Windows sees your PC as in being use by a business.

Microsoft did fix an issue where Windows 10 business versions incorrectly stated they were in end of support — even though they were subscribed into the Extended updates.

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Posted Friday 7 November 2025 at 3:50 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of October): 5,009

RIP Matrix

Towards the end of October, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, claiming that the company misled approximately 2.7 million users into subscribing to a more expensive Microsoft 365 plan after hiking prices for its personal and family accounts.

The commission indicated that the software giant only presented users with two options: maintaining their subscriptions, which now include a Copilot integration for a higher price, or canceling the plan altogether.

However, the company didn't disclose a third option, which would have allowed users to maintain their Microsoft 365 plan with all classic features, excluding the Copilot AI integration, at a cheaper price.

Consequently, Microsoft responded to the claims, indicating:

More recently, the tech giant started reaching out to affected users about the omission of the third option to its Microsoft 365 plan, which allowed them to retain all the classic features without the Copilot AI integration, referring to it as “a subscription alternative that we could have communicated more clearly”.

According to Microsoft:

“In hindsight, we could have been clearer about the availability of a non-AI-enabled offering with subscribers, not just to those who opted to cancel their subscription.

The good thing is that Microsoft is aware of the mess it created, and it is now scrambling to fix it. During the latest WinUI Community Call, a stream where developers discussed improvements and future plans for Windows' user interface framework, particularly in the context menu area.

The proposed SplitMenuFlyoutItem control is supposed to fix gigantic context menus by allowing developers to create "hybrid submenus." These submenus combine the primary action, for example, Open in Photos," with submenus, all in one item. As such, you can either execute an action or click the arrow button next to it to discover additional features.

Developers will be able to determine the default and secondary actions and make menus context-aware so that they can present relevant features. In File Explorer, for example, this approach can combine the "Open" and "Open with" entries into one.

During the call, Microsoft explained the proposed improvements with examples that look similar to what you get in File Explorer. These are just examples, so do not assume that is what context menus in File Explorer will look like in future updates. However, at this point, it is not entirely clear if Microsoft plans to bring these improvements to Windows 11's shell. WinUI is about building apps, so these changes are aimed mostly at third-party developers.

Windows 11's context menus in their current state are slow, cluttered, and filled to the brim with redundant, often completely irrelevant and frankly preposterous entries, like opening a picture in Notepad. Microsoft needs to fix them, and one can only hope we will get some positive changes in future updates.

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Posted Friday 7 November 2025 at 3:38 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of October): 5,009

RIP Matrix

For those that don’t remember, TweetDeck transitioned to a paid subscription model as part of X Premium in mid-2023. OldTweetDeck is a Chrome and Firefox extension developed by dimdenGD on X, a lone developer from Ukraine, to replicate the original and free interaction and functionality.

As can be seen above, the developer took to X to suggest that people "turn off oldtwitter and oldtweetdeck" to possibly avoid the ban. Since around three hours ago, there have been multiple reports on the OldTweetDeck Github with people complaining that their account(s) have been banned.

According to Twisted Voxel, the ban waves seems to be algorithmic and automated, likely triggered by X’s systems detecting irregular API activity associated with the extension. Suspensions have been indiscriminate, affecting accounts of all ages and follower count. A natural reaction to getting suspended might be to create a new account, however, this can lead to more enforcement from X.

If you get suspended, your best course of action is to appeal the suspension through X’s support channels and to stop using third-party extensions that replicate premium features. X has not yet issued an official statement regarding the suspensions or said if users can expect to be reinstated if they appeal.

If you have had your account suspended and are worried about the consequences, rest assured that you have not broken the law, however, you have broken the X terms of service, so now your account has been suspended, but could be reinstated if you appeal.

If you fail to get reinstated, you could still try making a new account and see how far you get. Alternatively, you could try out Bluesky, which feels a lot like Twitter used to feel back in the day, with some of its own unique features.

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Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Friday 7 November 2025 at 3:35 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of October): 5,009

RIP Matrix

The good thing is that Microsoft is aware of the mess it created, and it is now scrambling to fix it. During the latest WinUI Community Call, a stream where developers discussed improvements and future plans for Windows' user interface framework, particularly in the context menu area.

The proposed SplitMenuFlyoutItem control is supposed to fix gigantic context menus by allowing developers to create "hybrid submenus." These submenus combine the primary action, for example, Open in Photos," with submenus, all in one item. As such, you can either execute an action or click the arrow button next to it to discover additional features.

Developers will be able to determine the default and secondary actions and make menus context-aware so that they can present relevant features. In File Explorer, for example, this approach can combine the "Open" and "Open with" entries into one.

During the call, Microsoft explained the proposed improvements with examples that look similar to what you get in File Explorer. These are just examples, so do not assume that is what context menus in File Explorer will look like in future updates. However, at this point, it is not entirely clear if Microsoft plans to bring these improvements to Windows 11's shell. WinUI is about building apps, so these changes are aimed mostly at third-party developers.

Windows 11's context menus in their current state are slow, cluttered, and filled to the brim with redundant, often completely irrelevant and frankly preposterous entries, like opening a picture in Notepad. Microsoft needs to fix them, and one can only hope we will get some positive changes in future updates.

Source

• Windows 10's October patch carried a confusing bug
• Microsoft has now confirmed that some people who had extended support were told they weren't supported
• This wasn't the case, and it worried some of those who saw the warning

Microsoft has admitted that a bug meant some Windows 10 users were wrongly informed that their PC is out of support after a patch for the OS was pushed out last month.

Tom's Hardware reports that Microsoft confirmed the issue, which is mainly affecting business users, but also some consumers, namely those running Windows 10 Pro.

The problem was introduced in the final October update for Windows 10 – or at least it was the final upgrade for those who haven't signed up for the extended support program.

However, the bug meant that even those on Windows 10 Pro who'd signed up for extended updates through to October 2026 were being told their system was now out of support. This was also happening to enterprise and education users on Windows 10, and those running Windows 10 LTSC, which is a special version of the desktop OS that offers long-term servicing for businesses.

Microsoft said in a statement: "The message, 'Your version of Windows has reached the end of support', might incorrectly display in the Windows Update Settings page."

However, there's already been a fix piped through which should remove the errant message, so you shouldn't be seeing it any longer.

If you are still getting this warning, then the problem could be that you haven't connected to the internet since downloading the patch with the bug – you'll also need to reboot your PC after the fix is implemented on your system.

The bug was highlighted on Reddit last month, not long after the October patch was deployed, but Microsoft has only just confirmed the issue. It was seemingly fixed pretty swiftly, at least for enterprise customers going by the feedback provided on Reddit.

Analysis: confused? Plenty of people were…

(Image credit: Asier Romero / Shutterstock)

This has caused some confusion among both enterprise users and consumers alike. If you're running Windows 10 Pro, and you signed up for Extended Security Updates (ESU) last month, to receive a message informing you that your system is no longer supported might make you worry that somehow your PC has been dropped out of the ESU scheme (or the sign-up process failed).

Rest assured this isn't the case, and the IT admins dealing with fleets of PCs which were also producing this message about being unsupported can also breathe a bit easier with this official confirmation from Microsoft that this was a mistake.

That said, some folks still subscribe to the belief that it was some kind of scare tactic from Microsoft, while noting that Windows 10 LTSC versions (from both 2019 and 2021) were actually listed as out of support in Microsoft's official end of service statement previously – but they've now been removed from that list (the correction of another mistake, perhaps).

Anyway, such controversies aside, it's clear enough that Microsoft intends to maintain support as promised, meaning another year of updates for consumers or businesses on the ESU. (And the LTSC IoT Enterprise take on Windows 10 – a very limited installation, it should be noted – actually has support all the way through to 2032, but that's for businesses only, of course).

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