Windows 11 systems Archives

Winsage

February 22, 2026

Opinion: Windows 11 isn’t the disaster some claim – and it’s time to say so

Windows 11 has faced challenges, including a comprehensive list of top issues identified in 2025, but it is not uniquely unstable compared to earlier versions like Windows 95, 98, XP, 7, and 10. Recent headlines have highlighted various problems such as printer malfunctions and performance issues, but these are often exaggerated due to increased visibility. Historically, Windows has experienced similar cycles of instability, and the perception of widespread failure today is amplified by rapid documentation of minor issues. User trust in Windows has eroded, with skepticism about performance stemming from cumulative updates and the personal impact of issues on over a billion users. The focus should shift to improving predictability and transparency regarding updates rather than solely counting bugs. Windows 11's frequency of out-of-band updates is comparable to that of Windows 7 and 10, with improved mechanisms for addressing problems quickly. Gamers continue to adopt Windows 11 due to enhanced CPU scheduling, improved GPU performance, and features like Auto HDR and DirectStorage. Microsoft is committed to further improving the gaming experience. The scale of Windows operations, with over a billion users and multiple concurrent releases, contributes to occasional anomalies. Despite criticisms, most Windows 11 systems operate without significant issues, performing adequately for daily tasks and gaming. Microsoft has announced plans for enhancements, including bug fixes, performance improvements, and security upgrades, indicating that Windows 11 remains a solid choice for users.

Winsage

February 16, 2026

Microsoft changes how it manages MILLIONS of old printers

Microsoft has stopped distributing V3 and V4 printer drivers through Windows Update as of last month, affecting printers up to 12 years old. Support for these drivers will end in January 2026, as they were marked as deprecated in September 2023. Users with printers relying on these drivers may experience functionality issues after support ends. Printer manufacturers are now responsible for providing driver updates via their websites, but existing drivers will remain operational. Microsoft confirmed that vendor-supplied drivers can still be installed using separate packages. Most modern printers do not use V3 and V4 drivers, as they are typically over a decade old. Microsoft aims to enhance system security and streamline the printing process by phasing out outdated drivers. After July 2026, Windows will prioritize built-in printer drivers during installation, and from July 2027, manufacturers will no longer be able to submit driver updates to Windows, although Microsoft will continue to provide critical security updates for existing drivers.

Winsage

February 10, 2026

Microsoft is keeping Secure Boot alive with Windows updates

Microsoft is enhancing the security of Windows devices by replacing boot-level security certificates that are nearing expiration, with this initiative integrated into regular Windows platform updates. The original Secure Boot certificates from 2011 will expire between June and October 2026, prompting Microsoft to issue new certificates in 2023, which are included in many new Windows devices sold since 2024. Older hardware will require updates to remain compliant. Devices with expired certificates will continue to operate but will enter a "degraded security state," potentially hindering future updates and causing compatibility issues. The new Secure Boot certificates rollout began with the Windows 11 KB5074109 update. Most Windows 11 users will have the new certificates installed automatically, while specialized systems may have different update protocols. Windows 10 users must enroll in Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates to receive the new certificates.

Winsage

January 28, 2026

Microsoft is finally fixing Windows 11 under the hood — but new stats suggest it could be too little, too late

Microsoft is introducing significant platform changes with Windows 11, specifically the 26300 series in the Dev channel. Recent statistics from Statcounter indicate a decline in Windows 11's market share from 55.18% in October 2025 to 50.73% in December, a decrease of approximately 4.5%. In contrast, Windows 10's user base has increased by 3%, while Windows 7 has seen a 1.3% uptick. Microsoft is launching the Bromine platform to support Arm-based laptops, separating its development from existing Windows 11 systems. The upcoming Windows 11 26H1 will specifically cater to Arm devices, while non-Arm PCs will receive updates based on the Germanium platform. The company aims to improve stability and rebuild consumer trust amid ongoing concerns about bugs and AI integration.

Winsage

January 26, 2026

Xbox App officially launches on ARM-based Windows 11 PCs from Microsoft

Microsoft has launched an ARM-compatible version of its Xbox App, enhancing the gaming ecosystem for ARM-based Windows 11 devices. Over 85% of the current Game Pass library is functional on ARM systems, although full compatibility remains exclusive to x86-based systems. Gamers can access unsupported titles through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft’s Prism emulation layer allows native x86 and x64 applications to run on ARM PCs, with recent updates improving Game Pass compatibility. Popular titles like Gears of War: Reloaded and Fortnite now support ARM. This development encourages innovation from companies like Nvidia and Qualcomm, while the gap in game compatibility between ARM and x86 architectures is closing. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is highlighted as a top choice for building or upgrading gaming PCs.

Winsage

January 17, 2026

Microsoft rolls out tables in Notepad for all Windows 11 users, though I’d feel happier about this if I knew this was the final addition to my favorite little app

Notepad has undergone significant enhancements since 2022, including spell checking, dark mode, tabbed windows, state preservation, basic formatting capabilities, and the introduction of tables. The AI text streaming feature is currently available only on Copilot+ PCs but will eventually be rolled out to all Windows 11 systems. Users appreciate Notepad's simplicity and minimalistic design, though there are concerns that adding too many features may compromise its core functionality.

Winsage

December 23, 2025

Windows 11 rockets SSD performance to new heights with hacked native NVMe driver — up to 85% higher random workload performance in some tests

Microsoft has introduced a native NVMe driver for Windows Server 2025, which has been unlocked by users on standard Windows 11 systems, leading to performance improvements. Early benchmarks show a 13% increase in AS SSD scores after activating the driver, with random write speeds improving by 16% and 22% for 4K and 4K-64Thrd workloads, respectively. In another test, random read speeds for a Crucial T705 SSD increased by 12%, and random write speeds improved by 85%. The new driver reduces processing latency by eliminating legacy SCSI overhead, enhancing storage performance. Native NVMe support for Windows Server has been introduced after 14 years, but mainstream Windows users still face challenges accessing it due to incompatibility with third-party SSD management tools. The benefits are most significant in enterprise environments rather than for average consumers or gaming systems.

Winsage

December 17, 2025

Microsoft Desktop Windows Manager Out-Of-Bounds Vulnerability Let Attackers Escalate Privileges

Microsoft has identified a significant out-of-bounds vulnerability (CVE-2025-55681) in the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) that allows local attackers to escalate privileges to SYSTEM on affected Windows systems. This vulnerability is found in the dwmcore.dll component and affects all versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and various Windows Server editions (2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025). The flaw originates from the CBrushRenderingGraphBuilder::AddEffectBrush function, enabling attackers with local access to exploit improper buffer handling without user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, indicating high severity. Microsoft has released security patches, and organizations are advised to apply them promptly while implementing strict access controls until the patches are installed.

Winsage

December 11, 2025

Microsoft fixes Windows Explorer white flashes in dark mode

Microsoft resolved an issue in Windows 11 where users experienced bright white flashes when launching File Explorer in dark mode after installing the KB5070311 update. This glitch affected various actions within the application. The KB5072033 cumulative update fixed this issue, improving the experience in File Explorer. Additionally, the KB5072033 update addressed network connectivity loss on virtual machines and introduced enhancements to Windows PowerShell, including warnings for potentially harmful scripts. Microsoft also acknowledged a bug affecting system components like File Explorer and the Start Menu during the provisioning of Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 devices. Furthermore, Microsoft is testing a feature to preload File Explorer in the background to enhance performance.

Winsage

December 9, 2025

Windows PowerShell now warns when running Invoke-WebRequest scripts

Microsoft has updated Windows PowerShell to include a security warning for users running scripts with the Invoke-WebRequest cmdlet, addressing a high-severity remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2025-54100). This feature is integrated into Windows PowerShell 5.1, the default version on Windows 10 and 11, aligning its security protocols with PowerShell 7. When executing scripts with Invoke-WebRequest, users will receive an alert about potential script execution from downloaded web pages. They can choose to cancel the operation or proceed with full HTML parsing, accepting the associated risks. The update advises using the -UseBasicParsing parameter for safer processing. IT administrators will see a confirmation prompt after installing the KB5074204 update, highlighting the risks of script execution. Administrators are encouraged to update their scripts to include the -UseBasicParsing parameter to prevent automation scripts from stalling. The curl command in PowerShell is also aliased to Invoke-WebRequest, meaning the new warnings will apply to curl commands as well. Most existing PowerShell scripts using Invoke-WebRequest will continue to function with little or no modification.