Windows 11 Archives

Winsage

April 29, 2026

Microsoft stopped protecting Windows 10 — The fix is only $10

Windows 10 support ended in October 2024, leaving systems vulnerable to security threats. A lifetime license for Windows 11 Pro is currently available for .97, regularly priced at 9, with the offer expiring on May 3 at 11:59 PM. Windows 11 Pro includes features such as Microsoft Copilot, TPM 2.0, BitLocker encryption, Smart App Control, biometric recognition, Snap Layouts, improved memory management, DirectX 12 Ultimate, Windows Sandbox, and Hyper-V.

Winsage

April 29, 2026

The latest PowerToys update brings a useful Linux-like feature to Windows 11

The latest version of PowerToys, 0.99.0, introduces several new features: - "Grab and Move" functionality allows users to drag windows with ALT+left-click and resize them with ALT+click. - The Power Display System Tray Tool enables brightness, contrast, and color-profile adjustments, though compatibility with some external monitors may vary. - Enhancements include a persistent calculator and pinning options in the Command Palette, manual remaps in the Keyboard Manager, scrolling capture in ZoomIt, and a WinUI3 update for Image Resizer.

Winsage

April 29, 2026

AI may be coming to Windows 11’s Clock app as Microsoft turns it into a focus tool

The upcoming Focus feature in the Windows Clock app includes enhancements aimed at improving user productivity, such as integration with Tasks, a visually appealing interface, analytics on focus sessions, and customization options. It will leverage the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in newer Windows PCs, particularly enhancing the Insights feature, although the NPU page in the test version is mainly for debugging. The current test version lacks traditional elements like the clock and timer, featuring a modernized aesthetic with rounded corners. Users can customize their experience with music playback, volume adjustments, and background images. The redesigned tasks pane allows sorting by various criteria and includes options for AI-generated suggestions. Integration with Microsoft To Do is seamless, and a feature called Reflection prompts users to evaluate their focus sessions. An Insights page for focus sessions is under development, and initial tests show the new app consumes nearly double the RAM of its predecessor. The Settings page offers extensive customization options, including focus and break durations, and hints at future integration with e-learning platforms. Users can enable Focus insights to monitor concentration levels and pause sessions when needed. The timeline for the rollout of the new features remains unclear.

Winsage

April 28, 2026

I investigated Windows 11’s massive 5GB monthly .msu updates. AI is only part of the problem.

Windows 11 updates have significantly increased in size, with monthly cumulative updates often exceeding 4GB and some approaching 5GB. One update can expand to nearly 9GB when extracted. Microsoft has shifted to delivering Latest Cumulative Updates (LCUs), which include all previous fixes, leading to larger update sizes over time. The introduction of Checkpoint Cumulative Updates aims to reduce this growth by establishing periodic baselines, but the effectiveness has been mixed. The May 2025 cumulative update saw a size increase from approximately 6.5GB to nearly 9GB, with new MSIX files related to semantic search and on-device AI contributing to this growth. Windows Update uses applicability logic to minimize download sizes for users, but enterprises must download full packages, resulting in increased storage costs. The average yearly storage cost for enterprises rose from about 11 GB in 2024 to 52 GB by 2026. Users can check their actual download sizes through the Windows Update settings and Event Viewer logs.

AppWizard

April 28, 2026

Valve’s new Steam Controller has a major problem for PC games not on Steam

The new Steam Controller lacks native Windows drivers, making it dependent on the Steam application for functionality. This means it cannot be used effectively with games from other platforms like the Epic Games Store or Xbox Game Pass, as it cannot interface with locked files on Windows 11. Gamers wanting to play titles like Forza Horizon 6 via Game Pass must purchase them directly from Steam to use the controller. While Valve could release standard Windows drivers to address this issue, there is skepticism about their willingness to do so. The gaming community previously developed a tool called GlosSI to enable the original Steam Controller to work with non-Steam applications, and a similar solution may emerge for the new model.

Winsage

April 28, 2026

Microsoft: New Remote Desktop warnings may display incorrectly

Microsoft has identified an issue affecting the display of security warnings when users open Remote Desktop (.rdp) files across all supported versions of Windows, including Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server. The security warning may not render correctly, making the text difficult to read and buttons misaligned, especially when multiple monitors with different display scaling settings are used. This issue often results in overlapping text or obscured buttons in the warning window. The problem is part of Microsoft's security enhancements introduced with the April 2026 cumulative updates, which aim to mitigate risks associated with malicious RDP connection files. Users receive a one-time educational prompt upon opening an RDP file for the first time, followed by a security dialog that provides information about the file's publisher and resource redirections. RDP files are commonly used in enterprise environments, but their exploitation in phishing campaigns has raised security concerns, particularly by groups like the Russian state-sponsored APT29.

Winsage

April 28, 2026

Microsoft starts to remove AI from some of its Windows 11 apps

Microsoft is recalibrating its Copilot AI assistant, which enhances productivity across its applications. In Microsoft Word, Copilot assists with drafting, restructuring, and tone adjustment. Excel users receive help with formulas and data analysis, while PowerPoint users get support for presentations. Notepad has rebranded its Copilot features as "Writing Tools," allowing users to generate text, rewrite content, and adjust tone, but the Snipping Tool has removed all AI functionalities. Microsoft plans to introduce AI agents to the Windows taskbar for answering questions, automating tasks, and interacting with files, although this feature is still in testing.

Winsage

April 28, 2026

Windows 11 Reveals 4 Hidden Features in the Latest Experimental Build

Windows 11 build 26300.8289 has introduced several updates on the Experimental channel, including four undisclosed changes and enhancements to Windows Update. Key features include: - Early support for repositioning the Taskbar, allowing users to place it at the top, left, or right of the screen. - A redesigned Run dialog, which has been updated for the first time in nearly 30 years, featuring a Fluent Design with rounded corners, semi-transparent elements, improved spacing, and support for light and dark themes. The text field is enlarged, and it displays recent commands as users type. This new design is optional and can be enabled through Settings. - A new login animation, replacing animated dots with a solid spinning icon during sign-in, sign-out, shutdown, and restart. - An update in the Settings under Storage, allowing users to toggle between megabytes and gigabytes when resizing volumes. These features are currently not accessible to regular Windows Insiders, indicating ongoing development for future testing.

Winsage

April 28, 2026

Microsoft Releases Enterprise Policy Option to Disable Windows 11 Copilot

Microsoft has introduced a new enterprise policy setting that allows IT administrators to silently uninstall the Microsoft Copilot app from managed Windows 11 devices. The RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp policy became available after the April 2026 Patch Tuesday security updates and is compatible with enterprise management solutions like Microsoft Intune and System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). Administrators can find the policy in the Group Policy Editor under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows AI > Remove Microsoft Copilot App. It specifically targets Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education SKUs, excluding Home edition users. The uninstallation process is triggered when three conditions are met: Microsoft 365 Copilot is installed on the device, it was provisioned (not user-installed), and it has not been launched by the user in the last 28 days. The policy was initially available for Windows Insiders in January 2026 and became generally accessible afterward. However, future updates or user reinstalls from the Microsoft Store may reintroduce the Copilot app, necessitating ongoing policy enforcement for permanent removal. Organizations seeking broader exclusion may need to use PowerShell scripts or additional MDM configurations.

Winsage

April 28, 2026

Microsoft is finally updating a Windows 8 relic that hung on all the way to Windows 11

Windows 11 will replace the dotted spinner from Windows 8 with a new loading wheel in Insider build 26300.8289. The new animation features a sleek solid-line design. The change was discovered by a user named PhantomOfEarth using a tool called Vivetool to enable feature ID 59728252. Microsoft has not yet activated this feature for all users.