Windows 11 builds Archives

Winsage

January 11, 2026

Microsoft Permits Admins to Uninstall Copilot With Conditions

Microsoft has introduced a policy allowing Windows administrators to remove the Microsoft Copilot app from managed devices running supported Windows 11 builds (Enterprise, Pro, and Education versions). This ability is not available for consumer devices or managed Home PCs. The app can only be uninstalled if it was pre-installed by Microsoft and has not been accessed in the past 28 days. Administrators can find the setting in the Group Policy Editor under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows AI > Remove Microsoft Copilot App. Organizations can reinstall Copilot if needed. The policy aims to provide greater control over AI integration in response to user feedback and compliance considerations.

Winsage

January 1, 2026

Microsoft’s ReFS File System Remains Inaccessible to Windows 11 Users

Microsoft's Resilient File System (ReFS) supports volumes up to 35 petabytes and offers robust data protection through checksums and continuous integrity checks, reducing the risk of data corruption. However, Windows 11 defaults to the NTFS file system, requiring users to use command-line tools to access ReFS features, which may deter average consumers. ReFS is primarily designed for Windows Server environments and has not gained popularity among general users. Testing shows that Windows 11 formats new drives as NTFS, making ReFS less accessible. ReFS can experience performance degradation on single-drive consumer PCs compared to NTFS and lacks features like file system compression, encryption, object IDs, and extended attributes, raising compatibility concerns. Microsoft has introduced the Agent Launchers framework for AI agent registration in Windows, amidst user backlash regarding the evolution of Windows into an "agentic OS." The Windows and Devices segment generated .3 billion in the last fiscal year, remaining flat over three years, while Gaming and LinkedIn generated higher revenues. Users have reported frequent feature changes and declining quality in Windows 11, with Microsoft's Controlled Feature Rollout system causing inconsistencies across devices. ReFS is accessible through the Dev Drive feature in Windows 11, which prioritizes performance over security. Microsoft faces competition from various fronts, including Valve's SteamOS, Apple's upcoming MacBook, and Google's Chrome OS, particularly in the education sector.

Winsage

November 12, 2025

Windows 11 KB5068861 & KB5068865 cumulative updates released

Microsoft has released cumulative updates KB5068861 and KB5068865 for Windows 11 versions 25H2, 24H2, and 23H2, addressing critical security vulnerabilities, bugs, and introducing new features. The updates are mandatory and include the November 2025 Patch Tuesday security patches. Users can install the updates via Start > Settings > Windows Update or download them from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The build number for Windows 11 25H2 will change to Build 26200.7019, and 23H2 will update to 226x1.6050. New features include: - A revamped Start menu UI allowing removal of the Recommended feed. - Updated lock screen battery icons with color indicators and battery percentage. - A dedicated Microsoft 365 Copilot page for commercial devices. - Rebranding of the “Email & accounts” section to “Your accounts.” - Refreshed taskbar battery icons with clearer visual cues. - New Administrator Protection Preview feature for safeguarding admin rights. - API support for NIST post-quantum cryptography algorithms. Fixed issues include: - Taskbar app icon hover behavior. - Display issues in apps and browsers. - Context menu behavior in File Explorer. - Pen and handwriting input responsiveness. - Narrator launch issues during Windows setup. - Performance improvements in taskbar loading after sleep. This update is the final release for Windows 11 23H2, as support for this version ends today, and no optional updates will be released in December.

Winsage

October 18, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6972 (Dev Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6972 (KB5067106) has been released to the Dev Channel, introducing new features, improvements, and fixes. Users can now add and manage mobile devices from their PC under the "Mobile Devices" section in Bluetooth & Devices. A new entry point in the Start menu allows direct access to the benefits page for Microsoft accounts. The build includes updated Game Pass references in Settings, improvements to File Explorer's dark mode, and the ability to enable or disable the Drag Tray feature in Settings. Fixes include resolving a catastrophic error in File Explorer when extracting large files, correcting display issues with videos and games, and fixing update installation errors. Other fixes addressed issues with Outlook, Remote Credential Guard, and print preview in Chromium-based browsers. Known issues include problems with text actions in Click to Do and Recall, disabled taskbar preview animations, and issues with the Start menu and notification center. Users may also experience bugs with Xbox Controller connectivity via Bluetooth. Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 25H2, and features are rolled out gradually with feedback monitoring.

Winsage

October 12, 2025

Tip: Use the New OneDrive App for Windows 11 Today

Microsoft hosted an online event to unveil new features for OneDrive, including a new app for Windows 11 that will officially launch next year. Some users can access the app early if they are on Windows 11 builds 24H2 or 25H2. To access the app, users can navigate to C:Users[username]AppDataLocalMicrosoftOneDrive in File Explorer. The app includes distinct views for Photos and Files, currently supporting only cloud-based content. The Photos view features tabs for Moments, Gallery, Albums, People, and Favorites, with the Gallery tab as the default view. The Files view resembles the OneDrive web interface.

Winsage

September 19, 2025

Firm predicts wildly optimistic view of 2025 PC gaming, then an exodus

A firm has forecasted a 3.9 percent decline in consumer PC sales in the U.S. for 2025, resulting in approximately 25.284 million units sold, with a rebound of 5.4 percent expected in 2026, bringing sales to around 26.651 million units. IDC predicts flat sales in the U.S. but a 6.5 percent increase in the global PC market. Retail sales in August increased by 0.6 percent. The transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11 requires CPU upgrades for over 100 million gamers, leading to unique challenges. Intel's market share in PC graphics has reportedly dropped to nearly zero. JPR projects a 13 percent decrease in entry-level PC gaming over the next five years, with over 10 million people leaving the PC platform entirely, while some gamers are migrating to consoles and mobile devices for better value.

Winsage

September 19, 2025

Think You Need A New PC For Windows 11? Think Again

Windows 11 has no legacy 32-bit support, but a 2005 Sun Workstation with an AMD Opteron processor can run it using a modified version called "Tiny11," which removes unnecessary components and the hardware compatibility checker. The specific version used by Sean from Action Retro is archived on Archive.org. Newer Windows 11 builds include the POPCNT operation, which the workstation's processor does not support. Additionally, Haiku is an alternative operating system that is ready for daily use.

Winsage

August 30, 2025

Microsoft Releases New Builds to All Four Windows Insider Preview Channels

Microsoft has released new Windows 11 builds across all four Windows Insider Preview channels, with version 25H2 debuting in the Release Preview channel. This version can be downloaded as an enablement package, sharing its servicing branch with version 24H2. Users must enroll in the Release Preview channel and check for updates to install it. Windows 11 version 25H2 will not include Windows PowerShell 2.0 or WMIC, and ISOs will be available for download next week. In the Dev channel, build 26220.5770 is being updated with KB5064093, while the Beta channel is receiving build 26120.5770 with KB5064089. New features include a Microsoft 365 text action in Click to Do, Live Persona Cards from Microsoft 365, a Braille viewer in Narrator, and improvements to Windows Share. Various fixes are also included, though there are known issues, such as a recurring audio problem. Additionally, Windows 11 build 27934 has been released to the Canary channel, focusing on general improvements and bug fixes, with several known issues still present.

Winsage

July 14, 2025

Windows 11 update changes critical warning that’s remained unchanged for 40 years

Microsoft has announced the retirement of the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) after nearly forty years, transitioning to a new error screen called the Black Screen of Death. The new screen will feature a black background, replacing the blue, and will provide clearer error messages, such as "Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart." This change is part of a broader initiative to improve user experience during critical failures, including a significant reduction in reboot times to approximately two seconds. The redesign was influenced by the CrowdStrike outage and aims to enhance clarity and efficiency in troubleshooting. The rollout will begin with Windows Insiders and expand to millions of PCs globally.

Winsage

July 12, 2025

This is what a Windows crash looks like now

Microsoft is set to unveil a redesigned Black Screen of Death (BSOD) for Windows 11 users enrolled in the Release Preview, transitioning from the traditional blue screen. This update will roll out to all Windows 11 users in the coming weeks. The new black BSOD is the first major change since the sad face icon was introduced in Windows 8, eliminating the previous frowning face and QR code for a more straightforward interface. It will still provide essential information, including the stop code and identification of the problematic system driver, to assist users and IT administrators in diagnosing system crashes. This change is confirmed as permanent and is part of a broader enhancement to Windows 11, which includes the Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) feature aimed at expediting recovery from boot failures.