Microsoft's response Archives

Winsage

April 22, 2026

“For years, Microsoft’s practices have had real financial impact on both public and private organizations” – Microsoft faces new legal challenge over licensing practices

Microsoft is facing a £2 billion lawsuit in the UK, led by competition lawyer Maria Luisa Stasi, representing nearly 60,000 businesses that claim the company imposes excessive charges for using Windows Server on competing cloud platforms. The allegations focus on higher licensing fees for organizations using services like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Alibaba Cloud compared to those using Microsoft’s Azure. The lawsuit has been allowed to proceed on an opt-out basis by the Tribunal. Microsoft plans to appeal the decision and asserts that its business model promotes competition. The case is part of broader scrutiny of Microsoft's licensing practices, with investigations also initiated by the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the European Commission, as well as inquiries in Brazil, Switzerland, the United States, and Japan.

Winsage

April 22, 2026

‘A performance tool that requires a graduate seminar before breakfast has already lost the room’: Why Windows Task Manager looks like it’s getting CPU usage wrong

Users have expressed frustration with Windows 11's Task Manager CPU usage reporting, believing it relies only on base clock speeds. Dave Plummer, the original architect of Task Manager, indicated that discrepancies may arise from average calculations and inherent compromises in the metrics. In response, Microsoft announced a fix in a recent Preview build, stating that Task Manager will now use standard metrics for CPU utilization across all pages to align with industry standards. Plummer also suggested a distinct Windows mode for power users to enhance flexibility.

Winsage

April 16, 2026

Windows 11’s Recall tool has been cracked open again, and Microsoft doesn’t see that as a problem

Alexander Hagenah has developed a tool called TotalRecall Reloaded that exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft's AI feature, Recall, which manages data. Recall was designed to store AI-generated insights but was found to potentially store sensitive information in plain text, prompting Microsoft to delay its rollout. The vulnerability lies in AIXHost.exe, which lacks essential security measures, allowing unauthorized processes to extract sensitive data, such as decrypted screenshots and metadata, after user authentication via Windows Hello. Microsoft has downplayed the risks, asserting that existing security controls mitigate unauthorized access. TotalRecall Reloaded is available on GitHub for further exploration.

Winsage

April 11, 2026

Microsoft terminated accounts tied to VeraCrypt, WireGuard, and Windscribe

Several prominent security and privacy developers, including those behind VeraCrypt, WireGuard, and Windscribe, had their Microsoft developer accounts terminated, preventing them from accessing essential publishing and verification tools. Microsoft acknowledged the terminations but did not provide a detailed explanation. The lead developer of VeraCrypt, Mounir Idrassi, expressed frustration over the inability to sign drivers and ship updates for WireGuard due to the account suspension. Windscribe reported similar issues and difficulties in reaching Microsoft support. The situation gained attention on social media, prompting Microsoft’s EVP for Windows and Devices, Pavan Davuluri, to assure that the company was working to resolve the issue and had reached out to VeraCrypt and WireGuard to reinstate their accounts. The terminations were attributed to a new mandatory account verification process that took effect on October 16, 2025, requiring partners to verify their identities with government-issued IDs. Microsoft acknowledged the need to improve communication regarding such changes.

Winsage

April 9, 2026

Microsoft Promises Long-Overdue Changes To Windows 11 That You’re Going To Love

Windows 11 has faced criticism from users due to controversial Copilot AI features and changes that have compromised functionality, including a redesigned Start menu, a fragmented settings application, and a slower file explorer. Microsoft is responding to user feedback, with Design Director Diego Baca acknowledging issues with the Start menu's performance and stating that "search performance + predictability" is a focus. Partner Director of Design March Rogers confirmed that they are working on migrating legacy Control Panel features to the modern Settings app while ensuring compatibility with various devices and drivers. Users have mixed reactions, particularly concerned about the potential removal of the Control Panel before the new settings are fully functional. Despite the discontent, Windows remains a reliable experience for many users compared to alternatives like Linux.

Winsage

February 12, 2026

EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft to bring back movable Taskbar on Windows 11 as part of big plan to fix OS

Microsoft is developing features for Windows 11 based on user feedback, including the long-requested ability to reposition the Taskbar, which was removed during its redesign at launch in 2021. After five years of requests, Microsoft plans to reinstate this functionality to improve user experience and show responsiveness to community needs. Users are encouraged to share their thoughts on platforms like Reddit.

Winsage

November 16, 2025

Microsoft: Windows 10 KB5068781 ESU update may fail with 0x800f0922 errors

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue with the installation of the Windows 10 KB5068781 extended security update, which is causing 0x800f0922 errors on devices using corporate licensing. This update, released on November 11, is the first extended security update for Windows 10. Reports indicate that the update fails to apply after installation on some devices, despite users having the necessary ESU licenses. Microsoft is investigating the issue, which appears to affect devices activated through Windows subscription activation via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. There is currently no estimated time for a resolution or any workarounds provided. Additionally, some Windows 10 devices are not recognized as needing the KB5068781 update, even when properly licensed.

Winsage

October 19, 2025

Windows 11’s October update just broke the Windows Recovery Environment — USB keyboards and mice unusable in Windows RE after latest bug hits

The Windows Recovery Environment (RE) has become ineffective for many users due to a bug introduced in the October build of Windows 11 (KB5066835), which disables USB keyboards and mice in the recovery interface. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix. Users with older PS/2-connected peripherals are not affected by this glitch. The bug impacts various versions of Windows 11 and has raised concerns among IT professionals, as it hinders critical system repairs.

Winsage

October 16, 2025

£2B UK cloud licensing claim against Microsoft seeks backers

The ongoing legal challenge against Microsoft seeks £2 billion in damages for alleged overcharging of businesses using its software on competing cloud platforms. The case was filed with the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) and highlights significant cost disparities when running Windows Server on rival clouds compared to Microsoft's own services. Dr. Maria Luisa Stasi is leading the initiative, which was officially filed in December 2024, following a 637-page report from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that found Microsoft's licensing policies disadvantage customers using services from competitors. Key findings from the CMA's investigation include significant price discrepancies, restrictions on product availability through AWS and Google, and limitations on transferring licenses to these platforms. The CAT hearing in December will determine if the case proceeds to trial. Microsoft is also facing additional legal challenges, including a complaint from Google regarding its licensing practices and a ruling from Austria's Data Protection Authority about illegal tracking of students. The CMA has recommended leveraging digital market powers to address these issues, but no official actions have been announced.

Winsage

September 27, 2025

Microsoft agrees to 11th hour Win 10 end of life concessions

Microsoft will provide a no-cost Extended Security Updates (ESU) option for Windows 10 consumer users in the European Economic Area (EEA) in response to feedback from Euroconsumers. Previously, users could obtain a year of extended security updates for a fee after the end-of-life date of October 14, 2025. Euroconsumers expressed concerns that the earlier policy did not align with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) or the EU's sustainability goals. The revised ESU option will not require users to back up settings, apps, or credentials, or use Microsoft Rewards. However, Euroconsumers believe the one-year extension does not fully address broader issues related to the Digital Content Directive and sustainability goals, particularly since many users may face hardware limitations preventing them from upgrading to Windows 11. Over 850 million active devices still rely on Windows 10, with 22 percent of consumers using PCs or laptops from 2017 or earlier that cannot be upgraded. Euroconsumers plans to continue discussions with Microsoft regarding extended device protection for consumers. The implications for Windows 10 users in the UK remain unclear.

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