Microsoft is going to slow down Windows 11 later this year – but it’s for your own good
With the release of an update to Windows, there are generally a few things that people hope for – problems to be fixed, feature to be added, and performance to be improved. But with Windows 11 25H2, Microsoft is introducing a feature that actually reduces performance.
Strangely enough, this could be a good thing, particularly for laptop users. The reason is that this performance reduction comes as a result of a new feature called User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management – which may or may not be AI-driven.
Best Windows apps this week
Six-hundred-fifty in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft announced big changes coming to Windows 11 for users in the European Union and European Economic Area. Among them the option to remove Microsoft Store without losing access to app updates, less Edge-nagging, more control over web search in Windows and more.
Microsoft's latest campaign to push Windows 10 users to Windows 11 has a sinister feel to it
The end is nigh! By which we mean the end of support for Windows 10 is nearing. Microsoft has reminded us of this time and time and time again as it tries to encourage users to make the move to Windows 11, but now things are taking a slightly darker turn.
It is common knowledge that the end of Windows 10 support means that there will be no more security updates. Microsoft is now using this fact in a slightly more sinister way, telling users they should upgrade to Windows 11 (or buy a new PC) in order to “stay on the right side of risk”.
The Microsoft Store is now faster, more personalized... and injected with AI
Microsoft has unveiled major updates to the Microsoft Store app as the company continues to try to convey an image of being one that listens to feedback. While new additions, such as a personalized home page and faster performance, are likely to be welcomed, other changes are catalysts for ambivalence.
While announcing the update to the Store app, Microsoft says that “we use the feedback you send to ensure we’re focusing on the most important things our customers care about”. It is hard to imagine that there was a lot of feedback from Windows 11 users that begged “oh, please given us more Copilot AI”... and yet this is one of the additions proudly unveiled.
In the latest Windows 11 Canary build, Microsoft introduced major Start menu and Taskbar changes that can't roll out fast enough
The Canary builds of Windows 11 are very much the cutting edge of Microsoft’s operating system development, and the latest release includes numerous welcome changes and additions, as well as fixing problems.
Not only does Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27871 see Phone companion for the Start menu rolling out once again, but it is rolling out in an improved form with new features. There are also tweaks to the Taskbar, and new energy saving options in Microsoft InTune.
Microsoft announces European Security Program to help protect the EU from cyber threats for free
Microsoft is launching a new cybersecurity initiative in the EU and associated regions to help governments bolster their protections. The European Security Program is needed, the company says, because of the growing threat posed by AI, as well as increasingly complex and numerous cyberattacks from the likes of Russia and China.
The new program builds on Microsoft's existing Government Security Program, but is tailored to the specific needs of Europe. In a move that will be well-received by the EU, the European Security Program is free of charge and includes important new components.
Quick Machine Recovery is Microsoft’s latest tool for fixing Windows 11 boot problems
Microsoft is testing a new option within Windows 11 Settings called Quick Machine Recovery. The feature was first revealed at Ignite 2024 as part of the Windows Resiliency Initiative.
When enabled, the feature kicks in should Windows 11 fail to start, automatically attempting various recovery methods to fix the problem. The idea is to make system recovery tools more accessible, with the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) seen as too intimidating for some users.
Microsoft is making huge changes to Windows 10 and 11, cutting out nagging to use Edge... for some
There can be few Windows users who have not been frustrated by notifications suggesting that they use Microsoft Edge as their browser. Microsoft’s heavy-handed promotion of its own web browser has been the source of annoyance, frustration and lawsuits for some time.
Now the company is relenting, making sweeping changes across Windows 10 and Windows 11 that will stop some of the pestering to use Edge, and also make it easier to change default browsers. More than this, it is making changes to Windows Search, the Microsoft Store and many other apps... but not for everyone, and not because it wants to.
Microsoft releases emergency fix for Windows 11 startup problems
Following the release of the KB5058405 update last month, Microsoft acknowledged that it was causing problems for some users. Affected users were left with startup issues and a warning of a 0xc0000098 error in the ACPI.sys file.
Now the company has released an out-of-band fix for the issue in the form of the KB5062170 update. Such is the impact of the original problem that Microsoft recommends installing this update in place of the May 2025 security update for Windows 11.
Free AI video tool from Microsoft lets you create wild videos in seconds with Bing
If you’ve ever wanted to make your own video without picking up a camera, editing anything, or paying a dime, Microsoft just dropped something you absolutely must check out. It’s called Bing Video Creator, and yes, folks, it’s completely free.
This new tool, powered by OpenAI’s Sora model, turns simple text prompts into five-second videos. Just type what you want to see and boom, a video appears. No editing software, no experience, and absolutely no money required.
Microsoft and CrowdStrike finally fix the stupidest problem in cybersecurity
In cybersecurity, every second counts. But when the same hacking group goes by half a dozen different names depending on which company you ask, defenders are left wasting time instead of stopping attacks. Now, Microsoft and CrowdStrike are teaming up to clean up the mess they helped create.
The two companies just announced a joint effort to map their threat actor naming systems to each other. Basically, it’s a cheat sheet for decoding the confusing and conflicting names used across the industry. Midnight Blizzard? That’s Microsoft’s name for what CrowdStrike calls Cozy Bear. Others call it APT29 or UNC2452.
Fences 6.0 is the essential desktop upgrade for Windows 10 and 11 users -- get it today!
Stardock has released Fences 6.0, a major new release of its desktop organization tool for Windows users. The app, which allows users to create windowed 'fences' to keep desktop icons under control, adds two major new features in this latest release.
The biggest update by far is the support for tabbed fences. Like web browsers, each window can now support multiple tabs to provide an additional level of organization for both desktop shortcuts and Folder Portals, which make it possible for users to mirror any folder to the desktop for ease of access.
Microsoft says it is ending USB-C confusion with updated Windows 11 WHCP
USB-C was supposed to be the connection that simplified everything -- but it has ended up doing anything but making things simple. With different USB generations, and within those generations different levels of capability, it is no wonder people are confused about just what their USB ports and cables can do, and what level of capability to expect.
This is something Microsoft is looking to change. Pointing to the “inconsistent implementations of USB-C port capabilities across the PC ecosystem”, the company is seeking to end USB-C port confusion by using the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) to help people know precisely what to expect from certified PCs.
Microsoft is ruining Notepad with pointless formatting in Windows 11
Sigh. Microsoft just can’t leave well enough alone. The company is now injecting formatting features into Notepad, a program that has long been appreciated for one thing -- its simplicity. You see, starting with version 11.2504.50.0, this update is rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels, and it adds bold text, italics, hyperlinks, lists, and even headers.
Sadly, this isn’t a joke. Notepad is actually being turned into a watered-down word processor, complete with a formatting toolbar and Markdown support. Users can even toggle between styled content and raw Markdown syntax. And while Microsoft is giving you the option to disable formatting or strip it all out, it’s clear the direction of the app is changing.
No prizes for guessing what's to blame for the latest problem that stops Windows 11 booting (yep, it's another OS update)
Windows updates that cause problems are far from being uncommon, sadly, but the latest issue is a pretty serious one. Some users who have installed the KB5058405 update from earlier this month have found themselves with an non-booting system.
Those affected will note a 0xc0000098 error in the ACPI.sys file, and a message informing them that their device needs to be repaired. The bad news does not end there. Microsoft does not yet have a fix -- or even a workaround.