service changes Archives

Winsage

February 17, 2026

I’m stuck with Windows for gaming in 2026, but here’s how I’m optimizing it

In early 2026, Windows 11 posed challenges for users, leading to multiple reinstallations. To optimize gaming performance, users can create a restore point, activate Game Mode, adjust power settings to High Performance or Ultimate Performance, enable "Optimizations for windowed games," and activate Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling. Managing startup apps through Windows Settings or Task Manager, disabling the Virtual Machine Platform and Hyper-V, and using the Win11Debloat PowerShell script can improve system performance. Adjustments in the NVIDIA Control Panel, such as setting the Shader Cache Size to 10 GB and Power management mode to "Prefer maximum performance," enhance gaming experience. Registry edits like changing Scheduling Category to High and modifying NetworkThrottlingIndex can further optimize performance.

Winsage

December 17, 2025

Microsoft now runs resource-hogging AppX Deployment Service at Windows 11 startup

Microsoft released a cumulative update for Windows 11, designated as KB5072033, which included a change to the AppX Deployment Service (Appxsvc), setting it to automatic startup to improve reliability. This change was not initially mentioned in the release notes but was later added, noting that it aims to enhance reliability in isolated scenarios. Users have expressed concerns about high resource consumption linked to this service, particularly on lower-spec machines. The update also introduced a standardized format for Windows Update titles to improve readability, announced that there will be no non-security preview update in the latter half of December 2025, and noted that Secure Boot certificates for most Windows devices will expire starting in June 2026. Additionally, Windows Updates will not include updates for Microsoft Store applications, with enterprise users advised to consult Configuration Manager for updates.

AppWizard

October 21, 2025

Google Wallet Gets Android 16 Live Updates Support

Google Wallet is introducing support for Live Updates powered by Android 16, allowing users to access real-time information about flight times, train boarding details, and event ticket statuses directly from their lock screens. This feature was noted in the release notes for Google Play Services v25.41. Live Updates provide continuous status updates at the top of the screen, similar to persistent notifications, and are applicable across various apps. Google Wallet will utilize Live Updates to display dynamic statuses for supported passes related to flights, trains, and events, such as gate changes and entry windows. The rollout of this feature is underway, and users can expect to receive Live Updates for Wallet passes as partners provide the necessary data feeds.

AppWizard

September 3, 2024

New Xbox Game Pass titles for console, PC and Cloud have been revealed | VGC

Microsoft has announced new titles for Xbox Game Pass, including: - Star Trucker (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 3 - Age of Mythology: Retold (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – September 4 - Expeditions: A MudRunner Game (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 5 - Riders Republic (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 11 - Train Sim World 5 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 17 Titles leaving Game Pass on September 15 include: - Ashes of Singularity: Escalation (PC) - FIFA 23 (Cloud, Console, and PC) EA Play - Payday 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC) - Slime Rancher 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) - SpiderHeck (Cloud, Console, and PC) - You Suck At Parking (Cloud, Console, and PC) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, and Game Pass Console subscribers can participate in the open beta for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which is set to launch on October 25, 2024. Modern Warfare 3 was added to Game Pass in July, marking the first title from the franchise on the service. Microsoft has adjusted Xbox Game Pass pricing and plans to introduce a new Standard subscription tier that will exclude day-one releases, with discussions about additional tiers, including a cloud-only option.