All articles tagged with #windows 11
Microsoft is pulling back Copilot from Windows 11’s core apps, removing the Copilot icon from Notepad and Snipping Tool and rebranding AI features as “Writing tools,” after strong backlash from enthusiasts. The company has paused forced Copilot prompts across apps while continuing other Windows 11 improvements, and it still maintains a sizeable Copilot ecosystem (around 80 apps/services).
Microsoft is simplifying the Windows 11 Insider experience by adding an Experimental Channel with a built-in Feature Flags page to enable announced features without third-party tools, while keeping CFR controls and a refreshed Beta channel; a new Future Platforms option and in-place upgrade make moving between testing rings easier, though some unannounced changes may still require ViVeTool.
Microsoft told Windows Latest that Copilot is for all use cases, not just entertainment, calling the 'entertainment-only' language in an old terms-of-use page legacy and saying it will be updated as Copilot shifts toward productivity features (such as turning documents into engaging outputs, creating podcasts from long texts, and controlling Windows 11). The piece notes Copilot isn’t perfect and that market-share data is incomplete as the AI race continues.
Microsoft is removing “unnecessary” Copilot buttons from Windows 11 apps like Notepad and Snipping Tool (with similar changes planned for Photos and Widgets), replacing Copilot with a writing-tools menu in Notepad, while the AI features themselves remain available as part of a broader Windows 11 fix.
Microsoft is rolling out a Windows 11 Insider Notepad update that removes the Copilot branding and renames the AI features to a generic “writing tools,” while preserving the same functionality. References to AI in Notepad’s Settings have been moved under Advanced features. This rebranding is part of a broader effort to reduce Copilot branding across Windows 11, with other apps like Paint and File Explorer expected to follow.
Tom Warren argues that Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo is pressuring Microsoft to overhaul Windows 11, with planned memory-efficiency gains, faster Start/search, and a lighter, less distracting UX for low‑RAM devices, driven by a new Windows leadership team aiming to counter the Neo and keep Windows competitive.
Microsoft has outlined an 18-feature plan to overhaul Windows 11 in 2026, spanning UI, performance, reliability, and developer tools. Highlights include a customizable taskbar, native Start menu with WinUI, trimmed Copilot usage, redesigned update flow, faster OOBE, faster File Explorer, improved dark mode consistency, Settings app redesign, broader hardware/driver reliability fixes, enhanced Bluetooth/audio, more reliable Windows Hello, better haptic/touchpad support, major WSL developer upgrades, a move to 100% native first‑party apps, a new in-OS Feature Flags system, and upgraded Feedback Hub/Insider experience, with phased rollout starting with Windows Insiders and continuing monthly throughout 2026.
Microsoft is bringing Windows Terminal-style improvements to the native Windows Command Prompt in Windows 11. The console host gains graphics support (including sixel), bold font rendering, faster scrolling, and more reliable paste, with an optional Direct3D rendering path behind a registry key (UseDx). Other updates include regex search, accessibility improvements, and better WSL/PowerShell behavior. Tabs remain a Windows Terminal feature, and these changes are designed to help systems without Terminal installed (including recovery environments) and are rolling out via Windows Insider previews.
Microsoft is forming a new team led by Rudy Huyn to develop Windows 11 apps that are 100% native, moving away from web-based wrappers and PWAs. The shift aims to improve performance and UI consistency as part of a broader Windows 11 update focused on faster File Explorer launches, quicker context menus, and a redesigned Start menu and taskbar. Details on which apps will be rebuilt and how strictly “100% native” will be enforced remain forthcoming.
Microsoft has paused the Windows 11 non-security preview KB5079391 rollout after users reported installation errors (0x80073712); the update for 24H2/25H2 included 29 changes (Smart App Control, Display improvements, Windows Hello fingerprint reliability, Windows RE stability on ARM64) but Microsoft has not yet provided a fix timeline, likely before the April Patch Tuesday. The move follows an emergency update addressing sign-in problems and other out-of-band patches for Bluetooth visibility and RRAS security, plus guidance to fix C:\ drive access issues on Samsung Galaxy Connect-enabled devices.
Microsoft pulled the Windows 11 non-security preview update KB5079391 after user reports of installation failures (error 0x80073712); the removal is temporary since it was an optional update, and many users may not have installed it. The update supposedly included improvements like more reliable File Explorer handling of unsafe downloads, higher display refresh support, and Windows Hello tweaks. It’s unclear when KB5079391 will return, with possibilities including a revised build or a wait until April Patch Tuesday.
Microsoft has pulled the Windows 11 KB5079391 preview after reports that it caused installation errors on 25H2 and 24H2 (error 0x80073712, indicating missing WinSxS assembly files). Rollout is paused while Microsoft investigates the root cause, with no clear timeline for re-release. The piece also references ongoing plans to improve Windows Update and introduce faster/safer update management and UI enhancements in Windows 11.
Windows 11's early-2026 updates focus on quality-of-life improvements rather than flashy redesigns, adding nine practical features such as cross-device resume for Android apps, built-in MIDI 2.0 support, external Windows Hello sensors, a new Device info card in Settings, Quick Machine Recovery enabled by default on Pro, a built-in network speed test, enhanced camera controls, native Sysmon, and WebP wallpaper support to make everyday use feel more polished.
Tom’s Guide tests running Windows 11 on Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo via Parallels Desktop. Using 4GB of vRAM and 2 CPU cores, Windows runs but feels slow—benchmarked with Geekbench (2770 single, 4090 multi) and a 4K-to-1080p HandBrake test (~23:24), notably slower than macOS. 3DMark tests freeze in the VM, and storage constraints (split 256GB into 128GB per OS) and the need to buy Parallels ($119/year) plus Windows Home license ($139) push total costs toward roughly $857. Given the compromises, it’s not worth the effort for a budget MacBook; a native Windows laptop is a better buy.
Microsoft says Windows 11 will get 100% native apps and is forming a dedicated team to build them, potentially using WinUI and moving away from web-based components. The update rollout will also include OS improvements like faster context menus, quicker File Explorer, and a WinUI-based Start menu with a movable/resizeable taskbar. It’s unclear whether all future apps will be fully WinUI-native or if existing web apps will be migrated, and some developers question the 100% native claim as current apps often mix WebView components.