All articles tagged with #windows 11
Microsoft’s September 2026 Windows 11 update introduces three customization options—move the Taskbar to the top, resize and personalize the Start menu, and disable web results from Windows Search—along with broader Search and indexing tweaks, with features rolling out gradually to devices.
Microsoft says a Windows 11 update causes crashes and freezes due to interactions between games and RGB peripherals, linked to drivers like inpoutx64. The current workaround is to disable the inpoutx64 driver via the Windows Registry, which can disrupt RGB functionality, and a proper fix is still being developed.
Microsoft released a standalone tool called MicrosoftSettings.exe (Microsoft Recommended Search Settings) that prompts users to set Bing as the default search across Edge, Chrome, and Firefox and then installs a Chrome extension to enforce Bing, followed by a redirect to the Microsoft Rewards page after setup; the app isn’t distributed via Windows Update or the Microsoft Store and uses a WinUI shell with WebView2 to push the extension. Chrome and Brave warn about the extension, and prompts to revert can appear, illustrating Microsoft’s ongoing effort to push Bing across browsers—even allowing sign-in to Bing with Google or Apple accounts.
Microsoft is investigating reports that the Windows 11 August 2026 update (KB5121003) breaks certain games, causing crashes and reboots. Embark Studios linked the issue to a compatibility problem with the inpoutx64.sys driver and provided a temporary workaround to remove the driver, while Microsoft asks affected users to submit Feedback Hub and cautions against removing security updates unless necessary. The investigation continues to determine if the bug lies with Microsoft or third-party components.
Microsoft is investigating reports that the August 2026 Windows updates (KB5121003) can prevent some games on Windows 11 (versions 25H2 and 24H2) from launching or cause freezes, crashes, EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION errors, or restarts. Embark Studios says the issue stems from changes to the inpoutx64.sys kernel driver and has issued a temporary workaround to remove the file; Microsoft is asking affected users to file diagnostics via Feedback Hub while a fix is developed.
Microsoft’s August Windows 11 Insider builds introduce a fully customizable context menu with an App extensions submenu, plus personalization tweaks (better background handling and wallpaper reliability), a refreshed Magnifier, easier Camera Roll backup to OneDrive, Windows Recovery Environment networking improvements, and the removal of WMIC and the Drag Tray—marking a move toward giving users more control while continuing to modernize core OS components like File Explorer.
Microsoft admits Windows 11’s context menu became cluttered and sluggish and is rolling out a redesigned, faster, and highly customizable context menu via Windows Insider Experimental Build 26340.9212. The update reduces top‑level clutter, adds a “Customize menu” page to toggle built‑in actions and app extensions, lets you arrange primary actions (including a Windows 10‑style vertical layout), and retains a legacy Show more options path for compatibility. The changes aim to boost performance and control in File Explorer; rollout is gradual to Insiders before general release.
A minor change to how Windows 11's File Explorer displays file sizes has sparked a broader debate about UI updates: readers are split between embracing a more modern look and clinging to legacy behavior, underscoring the challenge Microsoft faces in pleasing billions of users. Observers suggest giving users toggle options to keep or switch off new UI elements as Windows continues to evolve.
Microsoft announced a major overhaul of Windows 11’s context menus, delivering a faster, less cluttered right-click experience with new customization options. The update is rolling out in preview to Windows Insiders, allowing users to hide third‑party actions, restore the Windows 10 layout, and control which items appear via a redesigned Settings experience, all aimed at improving performance and user control before a broader fall rollout.
Canonical says Ubuntu usage inside Windows 11 through Windows Subsystem for Linux is growing much faster than Ubuntu's native desktop installations, with developers using WSL for AI and ML work on employer-issued Windows laptops. If trends continue, Ubuntu via WSL could overtake native Ubuntu in the coming months. The rise is driven by WSL’s tighter integration, improved file access and containers, and Microsoft and Canonical aligning around developer needs, though native Ubuntu remains preferred for full hardware control and certain corporate constraints.
Microsoft's August 2026 Windows 11 update KB5121003, a mandatory patch that fixes hundreds of security issues, is causing game crashes on some PCs—most notably ARC Raiders and The Finals—due to a compatibility break with the inpoutx64.sys driver; Embark says a fix is in the works and provides a workaround to safely remove the driver, though users should uninstall the update only if problems are severe, as the patch is otherwise important and there are other reported issues like reboots during install and Windows Hello PIN problems.
About 400 million PCs are ineligible for Windows 11 due to TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and processor requirements, risking a large e-waste surge (up to 1.6 billion pounds). Microsoft defends the changes as security and performance upgrades and offers Windows 10 Extended Security Updates free through Oct 2027 (or paid) plus options like Windows 10 IoT LTSC, Linux, or ChromeOS Flex; some users may continue with Windows 10 or switch to alternatives, while others recycle or repurpose devices.
Windows 11 is getting a more configurable context menu. In upcoming preview builds, a new Customize option lets you open Settings to pick which actions appear, adjust layout by placing primary actions vertically (Windows 10 style) or horizontally, and group certain actions (like cloud storage) in their own sections. The legacy context menu remains available but not as the default, and Microsoft plans to officially announce the changes soon.
Microsoft confirms major Windows 11 Taskbar and Start Menu updates—movable/resizable Taskbar and a configurable Start menu—are in the final Release Preview phase and expected to roll out publicly later this month (to users who enable Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available) and to everyone else next month, with a phased, wave-based rollout and ongoing quality-of-life improvements planned.
Microsoft’s August 2026 Patch Tuesday delivers a Windows 11 update with 400+ fixes (421 across Edge, Teams, and other products), including several critical remote code execution and privilege-elevation fixes. The company warns users to install within three days and to verify they’re on Build 26200.9168 (25H2) or 26100.9168 (24H2) before updating; KB5121003 may require up to two reboots due to Secure Boot.