Microsoft has released Windows 11 version 25H2, and along with it has confirmed a number of issues that users should be aware of should they choose to update to the latest version today. Currently, there are two known issues with Windows 11 version 25H2, one of which might impact your ability to watch movies via DVD or BluRay.

Here are the known issues so far:

• Problems playing protected content in some BluRay/DVD/Digital TV applications: Some apps are unable to display or record live TV or play Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected content.
• Updates installed via WUSA might fail if installed from a shared folder: This issue might occur when installing an update from a network folder containing multiple .msu files.

Microsoft explains that "applications using Enhanced Video Renderer with HDCP enforcement or Digital Rights Management (DRM) for digital audio might experience copyright protection errors, frequent playback interruptions, freezing or black screens" on Windows 11 version 25H2, and the same bug may also impact users on version 24H2 also.

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a workaround or temporary fix that you can apply yourself to get around this issue. The company says that it is "working to provide resolutions in future Windows updates and will provide more information when it is available."

There's better news when it comes to the second known issue relating to WUSA. Microsoft says that the bug impacts Windows updates, and says that updates "installed using the Windows Update Standalone Installer (WUSA) might fail with error ERROR_BAD_PATHNAME, when the update is installed using WUSA or double-clicking a .msu file from a network share that contains multiple .msu files."

This issue is easily mitigated by copying the MSU files to a local directory before installing them. Microsoft has also released a fix that can be downloaded here, though this issue is unlikely to impact any home users to begin with.

Microsoft will likely update the 25H2 known issues list as more bugs and issues become apparent with the increase in 25H2 usage now that the update is rolling out. Be sure to check back as we'll continue to keep this post updated with the latest known issues should they arise!

Windows 11 version 25H2 is based on version 24H2, and it shares its code base and servicing branch, just like Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 23H2. That means that all the new features that Windows 11 version 25H2 will receive will also be available on Windows 11 version 24H2. In fact, if you have already installed this month's non-security update for Windows 11 version 24H2, which was released on Monday, you already have all the good stuff. Same features will be in version 25H2 as well.

Existing users will be able to update to Windows 11 version 25H2 using an enablement package or eKB. This means that updating from version 24H2 to 25H2 will be quick and without major changes (and bugs). However, if you are on Windows 11 version 22H2 or 23H2, you will get a full system upgrade, which will take more time, and also introduce all the nuances of the 24H2/25H2 branch with its known issues and quirks.

Here is what Microsoft says about Windows 11 version 25H2:

Version 25H2 includes significant advancements in build and runtime vulnerability detection, coupled with AI assisted secure coding. We’ve designed version 25H2 to address and mitigate security threats in adherence to a robust security development lifecycle (SDL) policy and requirements.

 

Version 25H2 is also leaner due to removed legacy features such as PowerShell 2.0 and Windows Management Instrumentation command-line (WMIC).

For commercial and educational users, Windows 11 version 25H2 offers Wi-Fi 7 support for enterprise, the ability to remove more pre-installed Store apps via Intune and Group Policy.

Now, the real question is, how do I get Windows 11 version 25H2? It is easy. If you are already on Windows 11 version 24H2, you can head to Settings > Windows Update and toggle on the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" option. After that, if your device is eligible and there are no upgrade blocks, Microsoft will offer you to download Windows 11 version 25H2. You can find more information on upgrading to version 25H2 here. And if your PC does not support Windows 11, but you still want the update, check out this guide.

Note that it might still take a while before you get the new features, as things are rolling out gradually. Still, Microsoft says that "select features and enhancements initially released disabled by default in version 24H2 will be enabled by default in version 25H2." Sadly, as usual, you never know, but stand by for a guide detailing how to enable everything new for Windows 11.

Microsoft says it will expand the rollout in the next few months, and all the information about the release and its cycle will be available in the official documentation. As for the support cycle, Windows 11 version 25H2 will be supported for 24 months for Home and Pro editions and 36 months for Enterprise and Education editions.

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:52 am AEST (my time).

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As of right now, the official Windows 11 Media Creation Tool app downloads (and installs, if you choose to "burn" the image to a USB media) build 26100.6584, which is this month's security or Patch Tuesday update. Before, the MCT would get you to build 26100.4349 or the June 2025 Patch Tuesday updates.

Tip: If you already have the Media Creation Tool downloaded to your PC but you do not know its version, right-click the file, select Properties, switch to the Details tab, and check the File version string.

Note that the latest Media Creation Tool app has problems running on Windows 10. It launches and then helplessly crashes without a reason. If you need to download a Windows 11 image, you can head to the official website and then get a direct link to the ISO instead of using the Media Creation Tool app. After that, "burn" it to your media using apps like Rufus, Ventoy, or similar.

Alternatively, you can proceed straight to Windows 11 version 25H2 images, which are now available on Microsoft's servers, and clean-install the latest feature update as described in our "How to download and install Windows 11 version 25H2" guide.

You can download the updated version of the Media Creation Tool app from the official website.

Credit for the tip goes to spaceship9876!

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:51 am AEST (my time).

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Here is the changelog:

New features that are gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• We are introducing the ability to do a built-in network speed test accessible from the taskbar. You can launch it via the Wi-Fi and Cellular Quick Settings pages or by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. The tool opens in your default browser and supports testing Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Cellular connections. This feature helps assess network performance and supports troubleshooting.

[Get Started/Microsoft 365 Copilot]

• We’re adding a new Microsoft 365 Copilot page to the Get Started experience for managed commercial devices that are managed with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. This experience is designed to help users discover and engage with Microsoft 365 Copilot more easily, providing quick access to key features and helpful guidance directly within the Get Started flow.

Changes and Improvements that are gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[Windows Search]

The following changes and improvements are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs:

• For Insiders with Copilot+ PCs, we’re updating the File Explorer Search Box placeholder text to raise awareness of the improved Windows Search experience introduced earlier this year. Learn more in our January blog post.

[File Explorer]

• New! StorageProvider APIs for cloud providers to integrate with File Explorer Home. Developer documentation available here.

[Emoji]

• We are temporarily turning off Emoji 16.0 and will bring it back in a future release.

[Voice access]

• We are introducing a new ‘Wait time before acting’ setting in voice access, allowing users to configure the delay before a voice command is executed. This provides greater flexibility for users with varying speech patterns, enabling more accurate recognition whether speaking slowly or quickly. To set this up, navigate to voice access settings > Wait time before acting, and choose the option that best fits your preferences.

Here is what was fixed:

Fixes that are gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[General]

• Fixed an underlying issue that was leading to some screen readers no longer being able to read screen content after the latest flights.

[Click to Do (Preview)]

The following fixes are rolling out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs:

• Fixed an issue where Click to Do may unexpectedly invoke sometimes when pressing WIN + P.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Fixed an issue in the latest builds where the battery icon could get out of sync with the actual charging state (for example, it would show that you weren’t plugged in when you were).

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an issue where, when you customized a folder’s view (for example, sorting files by name or changing the icon size), those settings only applied to the specific navigation path. If you opened the same folder from another app (like a browser), the settings wouldn’t carry over, leading you to need to manually reapply them every time. This was particularly noticeable with the Downloads folder if you had turned off Group By Date.

[Lock and Login screens]

• Fixed an issue in the latest build where the media controls might not be displayed on the lock screen, although media was playing in an app that supports these controls.

[Windows Update]

• Fixed an underlying issue that could lead to “Update and shutdown” not actually shutting down your PC after.

[Settings]

• Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash for some Insiders when accessing drive information under Settings > System > Storage. This also impacted accessing the drive information from the properties when you right-clicked a drive in File Explorer.
• Fixed an issue causing the placeholder text in the Settings search box to potentially appear vertically misaligned.
• Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

[Networking]

• Fixed an issue where you might not be able to connect to shared files and folders if you were using the Server Message Block (SMB) v1 protocol on NetBIOS over TCP/IP NetBIOS (NetBT) after the latest updates.

[For Developers]

• There was an issue where PIX on Windows was unable to playback GPU captures on the latest OS versions. This was addressed by a new PIX release late last week.

[Video Playback]

• Fixed an issue that affected pthe layback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps that used Enhanced Video Renderer with HDCP

And here is the list of known issues:

[Click to Do]

• Launching Click to Do on your primary display via right-edge gesture will result in the swipe visuals appearing on the incorrect display. The issue is being investigated.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Our new animations on taskbar previews have been turned off temporarily because they were interfering with the ability to share a window from its preview. We will note when they’re brought back.
• We have a few issues that need ironing out with the changes in the previous flight when “automatically hide the taskbar” is enabled, including that the system tray may unexpectedly peek up – thanks to Insiders who have shared feedback about it. We’re working on it.

[Search]

• Certain searches may show unexpected text instead of the expected results and images.

[Windows Studio Effects]

• For some classes of external webcams, turning on “Use Windows Studio Effects” in the advanced camera settings may result in a camera preview failure. This is due to a compatibility issue with the camera firmware and is being addressed with a future update. In the meantime, if you are impacted by this issue, turn off Windows Studio Effects inside the camera settings.

[Xbox Controllers]

• Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on “View” and then “Devices by Driver”. Find the driver named “oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)” where the “XXX” will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click “Uninstall”.

You can find the announcement blog posts here and here.

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:49 am AEST (my time).

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The Wi-Fi 7 for enterprise features required WPA-3 Enterprise authentication for greater security. Enforcing WPA3-Enterprise helps eliminate legacy vulnerabilities and sets a new baseline for secure connectivity. The move will help to ensure stronger encryption protocols, resistance to brute-force attacks, and enhanced protection for sensitive data in transit.

Wi-Fi 7 has benefits over previous versions such as support for multi-link operation (MLO), which lets devices use multiple bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz) concurrently to avoid congestion and maintain connectivity. It also adds 320 MHz ultra-wide bandwidth in 6 GHz, which doubles the speed of devices and supports high-bandwidth/low-latency applications like AR/VR. Additionally, 4096-QAM modulation helps increase data transmission by 20% and improves the quality of video streaming and conferencing.

Organizations need to meet four key prerequisites to take advantage of the update. Devices must be on a Wi-Fi 7-capable release (Windows 11 24H2 + September 2025 preview update or later), devices must be equipped with a Wi-Fi 7-capable chipset, organizations need to deploy Wi-Fi 7 Enterprise access points, and certified Windows Wi-Fi 7 drivers must be updated and validated for functionality. Microsoft said these drivers will be ready soon from OEMs and IHVs.

Source: Microsoft

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:49 am AEST (my time).

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Here is the changelog:

• Adjusted the timing of the new drag-to-pin interaction cue for better reliability. (Bug 1989344)
• Fixed an issue that prevented some extensions from updating via the Add-ons Manager. (Bug 1984724)
• Fixed a regression that prevented Firefox View sections from collapsing/expanding as expected. (Bug 1989200)
• Addressed a WebExtensions storage issue that could cause Firefox to crash on startup with certain extensions installed. (Bug 1989840)
• Fixed an issue where opening an add-on's "Extension settings" from the post-install prompt could break the Customize tab and some keyboard shortcuts until restart. (Bug 1983869)
• Reduced long delays when loading certain websites while connected to networks that block UDP connections. (Bug 1980812)
• Various stability fixes.

As for security fixes, Mozilla patched two high-severity vulnerabilities. One is CVE-2025-11152, "Sandbox escape due to integer overflow in the Graphics: Canvas2D component," and another is CVE-2025-11153, "JIT miscompilation in the JavaScript Engine: JIT component."

You can download Firefox 143.0.3 by heading to Menu > Help > About Firefox. Alternatively, get the browser from the Microsoft Store (Windows 10 and 11), its official website, or Neowin's software page. For reference, here is the link to Firefox 143.0, which was released at the beginning of September. It introduced several interesting changes, such as the ability to run websites as apps, improvements to tab pinning, camera preview for webcams, and more. Shortly after release, Mozilla pushed Firefox 143.0.1, a small bug-fixing update.

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:47 am AEST (my time).

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Here are the release notes from the iOS 26.0.1 update:

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth may occasionally disconnect on iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro Models
• A small number of iPhone users may be unable to connect to a cellular network after updating to iOS 26
• Photos taken under certain lighting conditions with iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro models may include unexpected artifacts
• App icons may appear blank after adding a custom tint
• VoiceOver may become disabled for some users after updating to iOS 26

It's insane that basic features weren't working. But, there are quite a few bugs in iOS.

As for what's new in macOS 26.0.1 release (25A362)

• This update provides important bug fixes, security updates, and resolves an issue that prevented some users from upgrading to macOS Tahoe on Mac Studio (M3 Ultra, 2025).

This is the change log for iPadOS 26.0.1 release (23A355). This update provides important bug fixes and security updates for your iPad, including fixes for the following issues:

• Floating keyboard may change positions unexpectedly
• VoiceOver may become disabled for some users after updating to iPadOS 26

In addition to the above, the updates also patch a security vulnerability. The issue is tracked under CVE-2025-43400. It is a FontParser bug. Processing a malicious font could lead to an app terminating unexpectedly or corrupt process memory. Apple's Security page says it addressed an out-of-bounds write issue with improved bounds checking.

The security patch has also been released in macOS Sonoma 14.8.1, macOS Sequoia 15.7.1, iOS 18.7.1 for the iPhone XS and later, and iPadOS 18.7.1 for iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later.

I wanted to write an article pointing out the various flaws in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26. But I wasn't sure whether the issues were widespread.

Here are some of the bugs I encountered on iOS 26 since release

1. App folders flashing - Happened during the first few days after installing, haven't encountered it after reducing transparency.
2. Slow unlock experience Face Lock / PINs.
3. Unresponsive buttons in apps / unresponsive home bar
4. Slower app switching.
5. Slower network connectivity.
6. Faster battery drain - Likely due to the new animations. But it also drains when idle.

Yes, I did restart the iPhone, but it didn't seem to make a difference. I wonder whether all of this is because of Liquid Glass? Perhaps the CPU is being taxed with additional compute cycles, which causes lags and consumes more battery.

And the macOS 26 bugs

1. Apps are not fully maximized due to rounded corners - E.g. If you have Safari, Finder, etc., open and any other maximized window, you will see the edges of the other apps in the 4 corners when you switch to Safari, Finder. It's kinda distracting and breaks immersion.
2. Not a bug, but Launchpad is dead, and its replacement is slow, clunky, takes longer to scroll, can't be resized or maximized.
3. Sometimes Spotlight button on my Mac's menu bar fails to render the window, I could see it stuck right at the top of the screen, and even click on it, the animation probably failed.

Hopefully the latest updates fix these bugs.

This is the first time I've had a poor software experience with Apple devices. I'm using an iPhone 13 and a MacBook Air M1, they are a few generations behind, but they are not that old. I'm curious, have people encountered such issues with newer devices?

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:45 am AEST (my time).

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As usual, the update introduces several gaming fixes:

• Battlefield 2042: Increased GPU Crashing when calling CDXGISwapChain::Present()
• Forza Horizon 4: light flickering on RTX 50 series
• Planet Coaster 2: crashes after driver update
• FPS significantly drops when using Smooth Motion with RivaTuner FPS cap
• R580 drivers are causing stuttering in games using the GODOT engine

And here is the list of general fixes:

• Adobe After Effects / Premiere Pro: crash on launch when Smooth Motion is enabled globally
• Adobe Premiere Pro: Some system configurations can freeze during export using hardware encoding
• When Video Noise Reduction is enabled, the chroma is grayscale

If you want to upgrade your graphics driver to the latest version, beware of the following known bugs:

• Counter-Strike 2: Text may appear slightly distorted when in-game resolution is lower than the native resolution of the display
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth: Light flickering after driver update on some system configurations

Nvidia 581.42 WHQL is available on 64-bit systems with Windows 10 and 11 and the following graphics cards:

You can download driver 581.42 WHQL from the official Nvidia website or the Nvidia app. Release notes are available here (PDF).

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:42 am AEST (my time).

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In addition to traditional browsing capabilities like those of Chrome, Edge, Opera, or any other browser, Opera Neon offers agentic AI, which can act on your behalf and work on complex projects and tasks. These days, we usually have a bunch of tabs open when working on a single topic, and Opera Neon wants to simplify this flow by introducing Tasks. In a nutshell, Tasks are self-contained workspaces (like small browsers within a browser) where AI can understand the context and help you by analyzing, comparing, and acting across multiple pages at once.

Additionally, Opera Neon features cards, a set of reusable prompts that you can use whenever you like. Opera compares cards to a deck of your favorite and most useful AI behaviors and actions that you use most often. You can create your custom cards, use built-in, or access community-made collections in the store.

Finally, Opera Neon features the Neon Do feature, the biggest upgrade in the browser. Neon Do is your browser robot that uses AI to perform actions on your behalf: open tabs, close tabs, navigate the web, compare information, fill out forms, gather data, and more. Opera claims that Neon Do works only inside the actual browser and not in the cloud, which means it uses your local data, skipping the need to share passwords or authenticate with cloud services. All actions also happen on-screen and in real time, so that you can see what AI does for you.

You can tell the browser to do something, leave it be, and then return once everything is done. Should it need your intervention, Neon Do will pause and wait for your action. Additionally, you can pause, guide, or take control of Neon Do at any moment. Opera promises not to use your data for model training, not to share it with anyone, and to delete everything after 30 days.

From the announcement post:

Opera Neon represents Opera's next leap - combining the proven foundation of a fully functional browser with advanced yet useful AI to serve professionals who live and work online.

Neon's AI-powered capabilities are not free, though. Opera Neon is a premium, subscription-based browser that aims at power users first. The number of invitations is limited, but Opera promises to expand the rollout shortly. As for the price, Opera Neon will set you back $19.90 per month.

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Posted Wednesday 1 October 2025 at 6:40 am AEST (my time).

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of August): 4,048

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Windows is coming back together. Microsoft is bringing its key Windows engineering teams under a single organization again, as part of a reorg being announced today. Windows chief Pavan Davuluri, who was just promoted to president of Windows and devices earlier this month, shared the changes to Microsoft’s Windows teams in an internal memo.

“This change unifies Windows engineering work under a single organization,” Davuluri wrote in the memo, which was seen by The Verge. “Moving the teams working on Windows client and server together into one organization brings focus to delivering against our priorities.”

This the first major Windows reorg since Davuluri was promoted to Windows and Surface chief more than a year ago. The changes mean the leaders of the Windows teams for Core OS, Data Intelligence and Fundamentals, Security, and Engineering Systems all now report up to Davuluri. It also means that most of the engineering work for Windows is now under a single division leader, rather than shared with Microsoft’s Azure teams.

In 2018, when former Windows chief Terry Myerson left Microsoft, the company split up Windows into two teams, with the core of the Windows platform team moving to the Azure side and the client parts of Windows moving to a new Experiences & Devices team. While former Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay clawed back some of the Windows fundamentals and developer experience teams in 2020, the core engineering teams of Windows were still separate from the employees shipping software like Windows 11 until today.

Some low level parts of Windows will still be maintained by Microsoft’s Azure teams, but the bulk of Windows is now under a single leader. “There are clear areas where we know we will continue to work with and support the Azure organization, such as in Storage and Networking and Security,” Davuluri wrote. “Likewise, we will continue to have dependencies from the core kernel and virtualization and Linux teams, now part of Azure Core, to provide the foundational support for client scenarios, silicon enablement, and WSL.”

Reuniting the Windows team puts a lot more responsibility on Davuluri as Microsoft increasingly looks towards overhauling the operating system with AI features. Davuluri even says the reorg will help “deliver our vision of Windows as an Agentic OS.”

Microsoft recently created the Windows AI Labs program to trial experimental artificial intelligence features inside Windows 11. The software maker has also been adding a bunch of AI features to Windows 11 in recent months, including a Copilot Vision tool and an AI-powered Settings agent.

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Posted Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 1:31 pm AEST (my time).

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Regardless the tech giant has now released the optional non-security preview update for Windows 11 24H2 as well. The new update under KB5065789 (Build 26100.6725) has several new features and improvements as well as bug fixes. The long list of changes is given below:

First up we have the changes that will be rolled out gradually:

• [Click to Do]

  • New! New and popular action tags in the Click to Do context menu help you discover the latest and most widely used AI-powered actions.

  • New! Click to Do provides more concise summaries with Summarize action. The output for text entities is shorter and more focused. Ongoing improvements continue to enhance clarity and precision.

     

• [Agents in Settings] New! A direct navigation link to the corresponding settings page is available from agent search results. This improvement is currently rolling out to agents in Settings on Copilot+ PCs.

   

• [Desktop] New! You can now move the hardware indicators for brightness, volume, airplane mode, and virtual desktops to different positions on your screen. To change their position, go to Settings > System > Notifications, and then pick from the options in the Position of the onscreen pop-up in the dropdown list.

   

• [Taskbar] New! IT administrators no longer need to restart explorer.exe to apply the pinning policy. After applying the policy, users might see a pin on their taskbar within approximately 8 hours, depending on the refresh interval.

   

• [File Explorer]

   

  • New! Use AI actions in File Explorer to edit images or summarize documents. Just right click (or press Shift+F10) on the file and select AI actions. This experience is not yet available for customers in the EEA (European Economic Area).
    
    Image actions: You can now use four AI-powered image actions with .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files. Visual Search searches the web using an image instead of text. Blur Background opens the Photos app to highlight the subject and blur the background. Erase Objects removes unwanted elements from your photo. Remove Background uses Paint to change any image leaving a smooth cut out of the subject.
    
    AI actions in Microsoft 365 make it easier to work with your documents. With the Summarize action in Copilot, you can quickly generate summaries of files stored in OneDrive and SharePoint—no need to open each one. This AI action requires an active Microsoft 365 subscription and a Copilot license (Microsoft account and Microsoft Entra ID supported).

     

  • Improved: The File Explorer context menu has been updated to remove the accent colored backplate behind packaged app icons in the Open With list when right clicking a file (for example, Snipping Tool). This change makes icons easier to see.

     

  • Improved: Made underlying changes to help improve the performance of launching cloud files from File Explorer and loading context menus.

     

  • Fixed: Icons and text might become overlapping on the desktop when using increased text scaling.

     

  • Fixed: Icons in the details, preview, and navigation panes of File Explorer aren’t properly mirrored when using an Arabic or Hebrew display language.

     

• [Windows Share] New! You can pin your favorite apps in the Windows share window to quickly access them when you need them.

   

• [Advanced Settings] New! The redesigned Advanced settings page (Settings > System > Advanced) is an update of the For Developers page and makes it easier to find key options. Settings include File Explorer + version control, which shows Git details such as branch, diff count, and last commit message directly in File Explorer when you select a repository folder.

   

• [Input]

   

  • New! Insert dashes with new keyboard shortcuts. You can quickly insert an en dash (–) or em dash (—) while typing. Press Windows logo key+Minus (-) to insert an en dash, and Windows logo key+Shift+Minus (-) to insert an em dash. If Magnifier is running, Windows logo key+hyphen (-) will zoom out Magnifier instead of inserting an en dash.

     

  • Fixed: After waking a PC from sleep, touch input might not work to enter your pin on the sign-in screen.

     

• [Narrator]

   

  • New! Narrator now includes Braille Viewer, which shows both on-screen text and its Braille equivalent on a refreshable Braille display. To open Braille viewer and start Narrator, press the Windows logo key+Ctrl+Enter, press Narrator key+Alt+B. A new floating window opens and updates dynamically as you navigate with Narrator. Before using Braille viewer, you must set up Narrator for Braille. To download and install the Braille support package, go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Use a Braille display with Narrator.

     

  • New! Narrator offers a smoother, more natural experience in Word, with improved voice feedback, reliable continuous reading, and better navigation for footnotes, comments, lists, and tables. Enhancements include consistent list announcements, clearer table boundaries, and intuitive selection feedback.

     

• [Administrator Protection Preview] Administrator protection aims to protect free floating admin rights for administrator users allowing them to still perform all admin functions with just-in-time admin privileges. This feature is off by default and needs to be enabled via OMA-URI in Intune or via group policy.

   

• [Passkeys] New! A seamless plugin passkey manager integration in Windows 11. You can now use plugin credential manager for passkeys. To set up a plugin credential manager, install a credential manager application that supports integration then go to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys > Advanced options. Turn on support and complete user verification using Windows Hello (through face recognition, fingerprint, or PIN). Once verified, you can use your existing passkeys saved to the plugin credential manager or save new passkeys.

   

• [Settings]

   

  • New! The Manage or clear your Bing search history entry under Settings > Privacy & security > Search > Search history has been removed. You can now manage your Bing search history directly from the Privacy dashboard, accessible via the Privacy resources link under Related settings on that Settings page.

     

  • New! More time, language, and keyboard settings have moved from Control Panel to Settings. You can now add additional clocks, change your time server, and customize date and time formatting—including AM/PM symbols—directly from Settings > Time & language > Date & time. Number and currency formats, Unicode UTF-8 support, and options to copy language and region settings to other accounts are now under Settings > Time & language > Language & region. Keyboard character repeat and cursor blink rate settings are now easier to find under Settings > Accessibility.

     

  • Improved: Made underlying changes to help improve the performance of loading the apps list in Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

     

  • Fixed: Settings > System > Storage > Disks and Volumes might show a link for BitLocker drive encryption in unsupported cases. Selecting it results in BitLocker opening and displaying error 0x80004005.

     

• [Gaming]

   

  • New! Xbox controller support for gaming on Windows 11 has been improved. Short pressing the Xbox button opens Game Bar. A new change we're introducing is when you long press the Xbox button, it will open Task View. Pressing and holding the Xbox button continues to turn off the game controller.

     

  • Improved: Underlying changes have been made to improve performance when gaming with Game Bar or other overlays active on top of users' game. This update might especially help users with multiple monitors that have different refresh rates.

     

• [Other] New! This feature offers a modern interface that aligns with Windows 11 visuals across several dialogs, including the one shown when an app fails to open.

   

• [Voice access]

   

  • New! Natural language commanding in Voice access provides users with the flexibility to speak commands naturally, using filler words and synonyms, rather than rigid, predefined commands. This feature is now available for Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs.

     

  • Fixed: Voice access might get stuck in a state where it says it’s listening but is stuck and doesn’t respond.

     

• [Dynamic Lighting] Fixed: The Dynamic Lighting Background Controller might occasionally consume excessive CPU after unlocking your PC.

   

• [High Dynamic Range (HDR)] Fixed: HDR might unexpectedly immediately turn off after being enabled in Settings.

   

• [Media (known issue)] Fixed: This update addresses an issue that affects playback of protected content in certain Blu-ray, DVD, and digital TV apps that use Enhanced Video Renderer with HDCP enforcement. This can occur after installing KB5064081.

   

• [Performance] Improved: Added support for Certificate Revocation List (CRL) partitioning in Windows Certificate Authorities.

   

• [Quick Settings]: Fixed: If you had to enter a PIN for your device to cast from Quick Settings, pressing Enter wouldn’t confirm the PIN.

   

• [Windows Hello] Fixed: You might unexpectedly see a message saying “Something happened and your PIN isn’t available” when attempting to enter safe mode.

   

• [Windows Sandbox] Fixed: When Windows Sandbox is enabled, the VmmemCMFirstBoot process might consume large amounts of CPU after sign-in, causing your PC to become unresponsive.

   

Up next, we have the improevements that are available as normal rollout for everyone:

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Posted Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 1:28 pm AEST (my time).

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Prior to starting the recording of 1:1 Teams meetings, those who record typically verbally inform the other that they're about to start recording, requesting them to highlight their concern if they have any objections. However, Microsoft is looking to streamline this operation further by offering a new setting for IT admins which, if enabled, will automatically mute the other participant and turn off their video feed as soon as someone begins recording. The participant will then receive a prompt to explicitly consent for recording purposes. This item is tagged with an ID of 503295 on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap and is scheduled for release in November on Windows and Mac.

There are a couple of other small enhancements coming to Teams too. Roadmap ID 503300 indicates that emoji will be usable in section names for chats and channel lists from November 2025. Prior to that, ID 505791 states that customers will be able to add apps directly to Shared Channels from October 2025.

Finally, Microsoft Edge will gain the ability to automatically detect and revoke permissions for malicious sideloaded extensions under ID 503593. The criteria for what defines a malicious extensions is currently unclear, but we have seen in the past how popular extensions are sometimes altered to distribute spy on you and distribute malware. While this particular feature will only target sideloaded extensions, it may turn out to be useful. We'll find out more when it lands in November 2025.

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Posted Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 1:28 pm AEST (my time).

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For those who may be wondering, Intel SST is an integrated audio digital signal processor (DSP) or controller that is basically responsible for handling and processing audio signals on many modern Intel devices.

Interestingly, the issue haunted Windows 11 24H2 as well and as such Microsoft had placed a compatibility block on devices with 11th Gen Intel Core processors. Henceforth, such systems were not able to upgrade to the 24H2 feature update as Windows Update stopped offering it.

Microsoft noted that IT admins and sysadmins could identify and keep track of the safeguard hold using the ID 51876952.

After a year Microsoft has finally removed this block as the compatibility issue has now been resolved. This is the third block to have been lifted this month following the ones for a Dirac audio issue and another for a buggy Camera app.

To address the Intel SST bug, it is required to update the SST Audio Controller driver to a newer release, namely version 10.29.00.5714 or later, and 10.30.00.5714 or later. For most devices, the tech giant notes that the updated drivers should be available through the Windows Update channel. So users who are likely affected are advised to check for updates manually to ensure the latest drivers are installed.

Once a compatible driver is installed, Microsoft, like usual, notes that the safeguard will lift automatically, though it may take up to 48 hours before Windows 11 24H2 becomes available for installation.

You can find the issue on this page here on Microsoft's official Windows Release Health website.

If the safeguard remains in place 48 hours after updating, it may indicate that no compatible driver has been released for that device’s hardware configuration. In such cases, Microsoft recommends contacting the respective OEM for further support and guidance.

The company has also added that it is continuing to work with Intel and OEMs to ensure updated drivers are distributed through Windows Update as and when they are released, so you could also wait it out.

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Posted Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 4:00 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft Excel already has Copilot integration, which helps users create and understand formulas, analyze data for insights, and more. The new Agent Mode in Microsoft Excel is built on OpenAI’s latest reasoning models and Excel artifacts to democratize data modeling capabilities.

Similar to GitHub Copilot's Agent Mode, Copilot in Excel's Agent Mode can generate outputs, evaluate results, fix issues, and repeat the process until the desired outcome is generated. Agent Mode has native Excel capabilities, including the ability to create new sheets and data visualizations when required.

For example, users can provide a prompt like the one below to Agent Mode to improve their personal budgeting:

Create a monthly household budget tracker with categories like Rent, Groceries, Utilities, Entertainment, Transportation, and Savings. Apply conditional formatting and data bars for % Over/Under Budget. Add a summary section showing planned versus actual spending with a donut chart to visualize spending distribution.

Similar to Agent Mode in Excel, Agent Mode in Word can create documents based on prompts. Agent Mode can work alongside users by drafting content, suggesting refinements, and asking clarifying questions along the way.

Finally, Microsoft is bringing Agent Mode to the Copilot chat experience in the name of Office Agent. The new Office Agent in the Copilot chat is powered by Anthropic's models, which can create PowerPoint presentations and Word documents in a chat-first experience.

Availability:

• Agent Mode in Copilot for Word will be available from today as part of the Frontier program for Microsoft 365 Copilot licensed customers and Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscribers. Initially, Agent Mode will be available only on Word on the web.
• Agent Mode in Copilot for Excel will be available from today as part of the Frontier program for Microsoft 365 Copilot licensed customers and Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscribers. Initially, Agent Mode will be available only on Excel on the web as part of the Excel Labs plugin.
• Office Agent on the web is available today in the Frontier program for Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscribers based in the United States.

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Posted Tuesday 30 September 2025 at 3:59 am AEST (my time).

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PowerToys is finally gaining the ability to automatically switch your Windows theme and apps between light and dark mode based on the time of day on Windows 11, and now we have our first look at what the feature looks like within the PowerToys settings menu. In a GitHub pull request, Microsoft has outlined the features and settings users will be able to configure.

The feature looks to have been very well thought out, with a nice UI that makes configuring when to switch between the two modes easy and intuitive. The feature is officially dubbed "Light Switch" within PowerToys, and lets you configure a time of day in which Windows will automatically switch between light and dark mode themes across the system.

Light Switch will also let you set a keyboard shortcut for when you want to switch between light and dark mode on the fly. You can even set the schedule to sync up with the sunrise and sunset, based on your current location, and add an offset in minutes if you want your theme to switch a few minutes before or after the sun has risen or set.

A number of new flags have been discovered in Microsoft Edge that suggest that Microsoft is working on allowing Windows 11’s taskbar search to open in your default browser and search engine, instead of defaulting to Edge and Bing. This is behavior that has been available in the European Economic Area (EEA) for quite some time, and now it might be coming to everyone, reports Windows Latest.

First spotted by @Leopeva64 on X, in the latest build of Edge Canary there’s now a number of flags that are designed to configure how Windows behaves when it comes to handing off a taskbar search query to the browser. In non-EEA markets, Windows is set to open Edge and use Bing whenever you type an internet search query into the search box, regardless of what browser you have set as default.

Here are the new flags that were spotted in Edge Canary:

• msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSE
• msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB
• msExplicitLaunchNonEdgeDB
• msWSBLaunchNonBingDSE
• msWSBLaunchNonBingDSEAndNonEdgeDB
• msWSBLaunchNonEdgeDB

It's likely that "WSB" stands for "Windows Search Box" and "DSE" means Default Search Engine.

If these new flags are anything to go by, it looks like Microsoft will give users the choice to switch which browser and search engine is used in the hand-off from the taskbar search box. If you have Firefox set as your default browser, and use Yahoo as your default search engine, Windows will respect that choice and open Firefox with your search query already inserted into Yahoo.

Of course, as these flags are currently only available in Edge Canary, they may never ship and could just be an experiment. Still, it’s interesting to see Microsoft toying with options that would make using Windows 11 less user hostile for people who don’t want to use Microsoft’s defaults.

I suspect there are millions of Windows 11 users in the world that don’t want to use Edge or Bing, and so don’t use Windows 11’s search pane as a result. Having this important system UI finally respect your default browser and search engine choice is a big first step towards finally respecting the users choices.

Windows 10 has been one of Microsoft's biggest successes, powering millions of PCs for nearly a decade, but its time is coming to an end. In the coming days, the company will officially retire the operating system and shift its focus entirely to Windows 11 and future releases.

For those still running Windows 10, the transition may feel uncertain. Will your computer suddenly stop working? How long will apps like Microsoft 365 or Edge continue to be supported? What about ongoing security protections? The answers aren't always straightforward, and Microsoft's policies include some surprising details that many users may not be aware of.

To help you prepare, here are 14 interesting facts about Windows 10 End of Support that explain exactly what's happening now and after support ends.

Facts you probably don't know about the End of Support for Windows 10

These are some of the facts regarding the end of Windows 10.

1. The exact date for Windows 10's End of support

Windows 10 reaches the end of support on October 14, 2025, exactly 10 years after its original release in 2015.

This is an obvious fact, but it is worth mentioning nonetheless.

2. PCs won't stop working after the end of support

On October 15, 2025, Windows 10, apps, and drivers will continue to boot and run normally. The change is about ending free security updates, bug fixes, and feature updates, not shutting down the operating system.

The next PowerToys update, version 0.95, which is expected next month, will bring the new Light Switch module. Its purpose is simple: switch Windows themes depending on a custom schedule or sunrise/sunset.

In PowerToys Light Switch, users will be able to set when Windows should switch from dark mode to light mode and vice versa. You can set custom hours or tie it to sunrise/sunset for your current position. But if that is not enough, Microsoft is giving you the option to offset sunrise/sunset time, so you can have dark mode turn on, say, one hour before sunset. Pretty neat.

Additionally, there will be a keyboard shortcut for toggling dark/light mode and the ability to specify which parts of Windows should change their looks. I, for one, love my taskbar dark, so it is less distracting, and PowerToys will let me only switch apps, leaving the taskbar in always dark mode.

Light Switch looks to be a very handy module, and it will let me make my PC one app lighter, since I use Auto Dark Mode, a separate app to toggle between light and dark themes. While it is still not as good as having such capabilities built into the Settings app, it is a great place to start. Perhaps, in a few years, automatic theme switching will finally make it to the native level.

You can read more about PowerToys Light Switch in a pull request on GitHub.

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Posted Sunday 28 September 2025 at 6:02 pm AEST (my time).

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Microsoft 365 is getting way too expensive. In 2022, it cost me PKR 15,000/year ($65/year on 2022's exchange rates) for the Family package, which was lower than the U.S. price tag of $99.99/year. However, fast-forward to today and the same bundle now costs $129.99/year. I felt the full force of this price hike when I was charged PKR 28,999 ($102) yesterday to renew my Family subscription.

It is important to note that while U.S. customers saw a price increase for the first time, customers in Pakistan, and presumably other countries, see regular hikes due to weak regional economies and fluctuating currency rates. Even though I paid PKR 15,000 for Microsoft 365 Family in 2022, I paid PKR 17,999 in 2023, followed by PKR 21,999 in 2024, and finally, PKR 28,999 this year. I obviously don't blame Microsoft for Pakistan's struggling economy, so I'm not going to complain about the regional price hikes in the past three years.

But the problem here is that Microsoft's justification for the price bump not just for Pakistan, but for the entire world, is quite ludicrous. The company is charging its customers more because it is bundling Copilot and Microsoft Designer into your subscription whether you require it or not. Basically, you now get access to advanced AI features in Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Excel, Outlook, and more.

There is another associated problem, though. You don't get "unlimited" access to AI services governed by fair usage terms. Instead, you just get 60 AI credits per month. Each time you prompt AI in an Office application or Designer, you consume 1 credit. What this means is that you can just issue 60 prompts to AI services per month in Microsoft 365. What's even worse is that unused credits don't roll over into the next month and they can't even be used by members other than the owner of the Family plan. If your family members want their own credits, they should opt out of the Family plan and switch to Personal, whereas if you want more credits, you should purchase the $20/month Copilot Pro add-on. That's insane.

It's one thing if you don't want to use AI services, but it's another matter altogether that the AI credits that you do get are so woefully few that they make the $30/year price hike seem very unjustified. People who actually do use AI services heavily likely won't be covered with just 60 prompts a month. If you do the math, you're basically paying $1 for every 24 prompts you issue to Copilot. That's expensive.

Granted, there were whispers of a "Classic" plan for Personal and Family subscribers when Microsoft announced the price hike earlier this year, which served as a way to stay on the existing rate by disabling all AI features. You'll find vague mentions of it in Microsoft's documentation, the company won't highlight it as an option in your price hike email, the Microsoft 365 portal doesn't present it as a clear option, and people on forums have been complaining about Redmond giving them the run around when they try to "downgrade" to the Classic plan. It's a limited time offer anyway, and is just available for existing customers apparently.

All in all, there's no doubt that Microsoft 365 is still an excellent service that offers something for everyone, but it's unfortunate that Microsoft has hiked the price so steeply without giving consumers a clear path to a reduced price if they don't want to use the AI features that are being shoved down their throats. This is an inherent risk of subscription-based "managed" services where you can't really control how you want to use a piece of software. That's fine in most cases, but in this scenario, the features on offer just don't make the price hike seem worth it. At times like these, customers like myself are against the wall because we have entrenched ourselves so deeply into the ecosystem that it's impossible to consider canceling a service without risk of devastating effects. Perhaps I should have paid heed to The Document Foundation's repeated warnings about vendor lock-in.

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Posted Sunday 28 September 2025 at 2:11 am AEST (my time).

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Microsoft typically highlights the shiniest and seemingly groundbreaking features when it is advertising Windows. Recent examples of such capabilities are the controversial Windows Recall and Copilot integration, but as I have said in the past, it's often the smaller features that you never think or know about that really make a difference to your productivity workflows.

One such feature in Windows 10 and 11 is Clipboard History, which I think Microsoft doesn't do a particularly good job of advertising, even though it was previewed in Windows 10 over seven years ago and officially released through the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. We even wrote a short guide in 2022 about how you can use Clipboard History, but if you don't have the time to read that, use the Win + V shortcut instead, and you'll figure it out.

Copy-paste operations are typically performed using the Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V shortcuts, but a problem with this approach is that it's one-shot. You can only keep one item "in memory," and if you use the copy operation on another item of text, it will overwrite the previous content. This is where Clipboard History comes into play, as it's a supercharged version of the copy-paste operations.

Clipboard History can save up to 25 items, which include rich content like images and emoji. You can pin items that you suspect you'll use frequently and manually delete those that you don't need anymore. It's very easy to insert/paste copied items in your desired location as well; simply place the cursor on the destination, press Win + V, and click on the item that you want inserted.

Another major selling point of Clipboard History for those who use their Microsoft account across multiple devices is that their history will sync across those machines. You can enable this capability through Windows Settings, and it can be very handy if you regularly shift your workflows across devices. A bonus capability in Clipboard History is that it integrates quite well with Microsoft PowerToys through the Advanced Paste utility, which also opens up even more opportunities if you enable dedicated OpenAI-powered AI capabilities in that toy. Similarly, a third-party tool that we covered recently, WindowSill, integrates with Clipboard History too.

Clipboard History is something that I use regularly, both on my personal and work machines, as I regularly need to backlink to our older articles multiple places within the piece that I am writing up at the time. If I were restricted to the standard Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V shortcuts, my productivity would have been severely hampered. I have talked to some of my work colleagues as well, and many who are aware of the feature consider it a crucial piece of their workflows, while those who don't are fairly impressed when they do try it out for the first time.

Clipboard History is an essential weapon in my arsenal of Windows-based productivity, and while I understand that it likely doesn't seem ground-breaking enough for Microsoft to continue advertising it, I do think it's much better than most of the AI slop that the company has been trying to shove down our throats in the name of productivity.

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Posted Saturday 27 September 2025 at 1:08 pm AEST (my time).

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As we usually do with major Windows 11 releases, here is how to install Windows 11 version 25H2 on an unsupported PC.

Reminder: There is no way to bypass hardware requirements on PCs whose processors do not support SSE4.2 instructions. If your computer is this old, the only Windows 11 version you can run is Windows 11 23H2 or older. Windows 11 version 24H2, 25H2, and older cannot physically work on such computers.

How to update an unsupported PC to Windows 11 version 25H2?

If you have a computer that already runs Windows 11 version 24H2, you do not have to do anything. Version 25H2 will arrive as a regular cumulative update via an enablement package. Additionally, all new features will be available on version 24H2 as well. Therefore, there is no point in doing anything right now. However, if you still want "25H2" in your Settings > System > About, you can use the enablement package from this guide.

However, if your computer runs Windows 10, and you want to get to version 25H2, you have to do a bit more to make it work because a regular ISO or clicking a single button is not enough. Note: Methods described in this guide for Windows 11 24H2 remain mostly relevant.

1. Download the Windows 11 version 25H2 image and mount it in your system.
2. Open the mounted ISO and go to the sources folder.
3. Press and hold the Shift key and right-click an empty space. Select Open PowerShell here.
4. Type cmd in the PowerShell window and press Enter.
5. Type setupprep.exe /product server and press Enter.

   

   Explainer: This command tricks Windows into thinking you are installing Windows Server, and it skips the hardware requirements. Don't fret, you are still getting a regular Home or Pro edition, depending on your current installation. The command is only necessary to bypass the requirements.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions and select the necessary option on the "Choose what to keep" page. If you want to continue using your computer as is, select the first option.

   

7. Confirm the action and then sit back and wait for Windows 11 to install itself.

   

Done, you are now on vanilla Windows 11 version 25H2. This is the easiest option that does not require fiddling with the system registry or using third-party apps. However, there is a small app that lets you do the same with a more user-friendly interface, so that there is no need to open PowerShell or type various commands.

1. Click this link to download the Flyoobe app from its GitHub repository. Get the latest release and extract it to a convenient folder.
2. Run the Flyo file and click Get Windows 11.

   

3. Download Windows 11 25H2 ISO and drag it into the Patch ISO area.

   

4. Flyoobe will run all the necessary scripts for you and skip the hardware requirements. The installation wizard will open automatically and let you proceed with upgrading to Windows 11 version 25H2.

   

How to install Windows 11 25H2 on an unsupported PC?

If you want to clean-install Windows 11 version 25H2 on a computer that does not support the operating system officially, you need a handy tool called Rufus. It is a popular drive-making utility that lets you create a bootable USB and remove Windows 11's hardware requirements and some of its annoyances, such as the mandatory Microsoft Account.

1. Go to the official Rufus website and download its installer or the portable version.
2. Run the downloaded file and allow the app to check for updates.
3. If you do not have the ISO file for Windows 11 25H2, you can click the arrow-down button next to the Create button and click Download instead. The app will prompt you to select a version, language, and edition. Select where to save the file and wait for Rufus to finish downloading it.
4. Now grab a USB drive (8GB or more), connect it to your computer and select it from the Device drop-down list.
5. Select "Disk or ISO image" and click Select.
6. Find the downloaded Windows 11 25H2 image and leave everything as is.
7. Click Start.
8. Now, the most important part: Tick the "Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0" option. You can also select additional options, such as turning off mandatory BitLocker, creating a local account, etc.

   

    

9. Wait for Rufus to write the ISO to your USB.
10. Now, you can install Windows 11 25H2 on your unsupported PC as usual. Alternatively, you can open the USB and click setup to perform an in-place upgrade.

And that is it. Now you know how to install Windows 11 version 25H2 on unsupported hardware.

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Posted Saturday 27 September 2025 at 1:02 pm AEST (my time).

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Created categories appear in the left navigation bar in the "Categories" drop-down list. You can also find categorized images using the search bar. The Photos app recognizes images regardless of the language on them, so even if you have receipts from other countries, they will still be properly labeled and categorized.

Of course, AI can make mistakes, so Microsoft allows users to manually change categories and give feedback about the created categories. Speaking of categories, for now, the Photos app can only generate four. Those include screenshots, receipts, identity documents, and notes. Another unfortunate thing is that automatic categorization only works on Copilot+ PCs with powerful Neural Processing Units.

In addition to the ability to create automatic image categories for your photos, the latest update for the Photos app introduces Super Resolution on Copilot+ PCs with Intel, Snapdragon, and AMD processors. Those include Snapdragon X chips, AMD Ryzen AI chips, and Intel Core Ultra 200 Series. There are rumors about Intel bringing Copilot+ PC capabilities to desktop computers with a new desktop lineup, but for now, these features remain available only on laptops, tablets, and a few mini-PCs, one of which we recently reviewed.

You can update the Photos app manually or let the Microsoft Store do its thing in the background (you can no longer disable app updates, so you will get the new version sooner or later). Keep in mind that new features are rolling out gradually, and they may not be available right away.

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Posted Saturday 27 September 2025 at 3:08 am AEST (my time).

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Here is the changelog:

• [SMBv1 protocol connectivity (known issue)] Fixed: An issue where you might not be able to connect to shared files and folders if you're using the Server Message Block (SMB) v1 protocol on NetBIOS over TCP/IP NetBIOS (NetBT). This can happen after installing update KB5065429.
• [Autopilot Enrollment Status Page (ESP) (known issue)] Fixed: An issue when using Windows Autopilot to deploy Windows 10, version 22H2 to devices with the Enrollment Status Page (ESP) configured might find that the ESP doesn't load during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE).

You can download KB5066198 by heading to Settings > Update and Security > Windows Update and checking for available updates. Alternatively, get the update from the Microsoft Update Catalog using this link.

KB5066198 appears to be the final non-security update for Windows 10, which will be out of mainstream support by October 14, 2025. After that day, Microsoft will only release extended security updates for users enrolled in the corresponding program. Regular users can get twelve months of security-only updates essentially for free. At the same time, commercial customers are required to pay for each device, with Microsoft offering additional patches for up to three years. Additionally, there are third-party security options, which can give you a whopping five years of security updates with projects like 0patch.

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Posted Friday 26 September 2025 at 6:06 pm AEST (my time).

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In a blog post, Microsoft has described OneDrive as a "productivity powerhouse" that offers multiple benefits apart from just storing your files on the cloud. These features may not be new to customers who actively use the service, but it seems that Microsoft is intent on proving that OneDrive is much different than its competitors.

Some capabilities offered by OneDrive include real-time collaboration with Office applications and automatic backup of files stored on your PCs, which means that you don't have to worry about damage to your physical hardware. In addition, files stored on OneDrive are accessible across multiple platforms and devices, and offer full version history and recovery capabilities. Finally, Files On-Demand is a nifty feature that allows you to view and manage content directly in File Explorer on Windows, without requiring you to download files.

For those unaware, Microsoft offers 5GB of OneDrive storage (plus 10GB of mailbox storage) for free to all customers, which is slightly less than the 15GB that Google Drive provides. Beyond that, customers have the ability to purchase 100GB of OneDrive storage for $19.99/year through Microsoft 365 Basic. Both the aforementioned plans offer free access to mobile and web versions of certain Office applications.

After that, the cost of OneDrive gets factored into Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family, carrying a price tag of $99.99/year and $129.99/year, respectively. Storage comes in at 1TB per person too, but the deal is sweetened primarily because of access to desktop versions of Office applications, with Copilot included. This is where OneDrive primarily differentiates itself from its competitors, so Microsoft may claim that OneDrive is a productivity powerhouse, but it arguably matters if you can actually access your Office files in desktop apps - and that is where more expensive tiers of Microsoft 365 start to make sense.

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Posted Friday 26 September 2025 at 6:05 pm AEST (my time).

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According to Microsoft, the redesign aims to “enhance productivity across Microsoft 365” by combining familiar calendar functions with AI‑powered features from Copilot. The move marks the latest step in Microsoft’s broader effort to combine (almost) everything in its productivity suite with Copilot and AI.

If you recall, the tech giant first expressed interest in bringing over the calendar experience from the New Outlook for Windows over to Teams back in October last year.

Once deployed, Microsoft stated that the new Calendar will become the default, and the option to switch back to the old version will be removed. The company confirmed that the legacy calendar experience would be phased out and deprecated, and the toggle between old and new views would no longer be available.

The change was likely going to greatly affect users accustomed to the legacy interface. As such, organizations and enterprises that relied on the older layout will need to adapt, as only the new Microsoft 365 calendar would have been accessible going forward since Microsoft had not announced a rollback option.

With the latest update, Microsoft has backtracked on the rollout of this change for some following some potential backlash and negative feedback as it has "apologized for any inconveniences". The new schedule is given below:

• Public Preview: Early November 2025 - Mid-November 2025

• Targeted Release: Early November 2025 - Mid-November 2025

• General Availability (Worldwide): Early November 2025 - Mid-November 2025

• General Availability (Gallatin, GCC, GCC High, DoD, USSec): After further review Microsoft has decided not to proceed with this change at this time. It has apologized for any inconvenience.

• General Availability (USNat): After further review Microsoft decided not to proceed with this change at this time. It has apologized for any inconvenience.

   

Those who have access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center portal can view the message under ID MC1129730.

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Posted Friday 26 September 2025 at 6:04 pm AEST (my time).

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