Windows developers Archives

Winsage

May 13, 2026

Microsoft aims to speed Windows with ‘leap forward’ in WinUI 3 perf

Microsoft has announced a 25 percent improvement in the performance of WinUI 3, specifically in File Explorer components. There has been a 41 percent reduction in memory allocations and a 45 percent decrease in function calls. Some optimizations may involve breaking changes, which will initially be optional for developers. The enhancements are intended to become the default in future iterations of WinUI and the Windows App SDK. Despite these improvements, developers have expressed concerns about WinUI 3's performance, noting it is slower than WPF and UWP. The reliance on WinRT interop for component actions is seen as a significant factor hindering speed. Additionally, there are historical tensions regarding the adoption of Microsoft's frameworks within the Windows and Office teams, leading to skepticism about their reliability.

Winsage

April 16, 2026

“We’ve heard your feedback”: Microsoft responds to Windows developers after account suspension caused chaos

Microsoft terminated developer accounts associated with security tools like VeraCrypt, WireGuard, and Windscribe without notice, leading to community backlash. The company clarified that the suspensions were due to non-compliance with the account verification process for the Windows Hardware Program, which begins in October 2025, and committed to reinstating the accounts. Microsoft introduced a fast-track process to help developers regain access, requiring them to open a support case and provide a business justification, while also ensuring compliance checks are met. Jason Donenfeld, creator of WireGuard, noted that the suspensions affected the release of Windows builds and security patches, increasing user vulnerability.

Winsage

April 13, 2026

Microsoft Revives Windows Insider Program with Simplified Channels and In-Person Meetups

Microsoft is transforming its Windows Insider Program to enhance user engagement in Windows 11 development. The program will feature a simplified Beta and Experimental channel structure, replacing the previous four-tier system. Users will be able to perform in-place upgrades between Insider builds and have manual control over hidden features through 'Feature Flags.' Microsoft is reintroducing in-person Insider meetups in five major cities: New York City on April 21, Hyderabad on May 7, Taipei on May 13, San Francisco on June 4, and London on June 23. Marcus Ash leads the design and research for the Windows + Devices team, overseeing the revamped meetups.

Winsage

March 4, 2026

OpenAI’s Codex is now on Windows

OpenAI has launched its Codex agentic coding application for Windows, expanding its reach beyond the Mac platform. The Mac version received over 1 million downloads in its first week and currently has 1.6 million weekly active users, with over 500,000 developers awaiting the Windows version. The Windows version is designed for real-world usage, featuring native sandboxing capabilities and OS-level controls for secure operation. It includes a WinUI skill for Windows application development and mirrors the Mac version in functionality while introducing Windows-specific features. Codex emphasizes managing the agent over just coding, providing a unique interface described as a "command center for agents." It operates on OpenAI’s latest coding model, GPT-5.3-Codex, with options to switch to earlier versions and adjust reasoning levels. Codex for Windows is available to users across various tiers, including ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu.

Winsage

October 27, 2025

Microsoft: New policy removes pre-installed Microsoft Store apps

Microsoft has introduced a new app management policy for IT administrators managing Windows 11 Enterprise and Education devices, allowing the removal of pre-installed Microsoft Store apps (in-box apps). This feature is available for devices running Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 and Windows 11 Education 25H2 through management tools like CSP, GPO, and Microsoft Intune. The policy simplifies app management by eliminating the need for custom installation images and complex scripting, enabling administrators to efficiently select and remove apps from a predefined list. The policy is disabled by default and must be enabled by administrators. It is compatible with both Group Policy and MDM solutions, including Microsoft Intune. Implementation steps for Microsoft Intune include creating a new policy in the admin center, configuring settings to enable the removal of default Microsoft Store packages, and assigning the policy to desired device groups.

Winsage

September 13, 2025

Microsoft Removes Store Registration Fee to Attract More Individual Developers

Microsoft has eliminated the one-time registration fee for individual developers to publish apps on the Microsoft Store, effective globally in nearly 200 markets. The developer onboarding process has been redesigned, removing the credit card requirement and streamlining verification through a personal Microsoft account, government-issued ID, and a selfie. This allows developers to transition from sign-up to app submission readiness in minutes. The fee waiver applies only to individual developers, while company accounts must still pay a registration fee. Microsoft supports various app types without code changes and allows non-game app developers to implement their own payment systems, retaining 100% of the revenue. Developers packaging their apps as MSIX receive free hosting, app signing, and automatic updates. This policy aims to make the Microsoft Store more competitive against rivals like Apple and Google.

Winsage

September 11, 2025

Microsoft waives fees for Windows devs publishing to Microsoft Store

Microsoft has eliminated registration fees for individual Windows developers to publish applications on the Microsoft Store, allowing submissions of various application types without costs. The company will manage the hosting and signing of applications, enabling developers to package apps as MSIX and alleviating the need for their own content delivery networks. Microsoft will also sign apps for free and deliver updates automatically. Developers can implement their own in-app payment systems for non-gaming applications, retaining all revenue. To publish applications, developers must verify their identity with a government-issued ID and a selfie. This change aims to create a more inclusive platform for developers. The Microsoft Store has been redesigned to support a variety of application types and has over 250 million monthly active users.

Winsage

September 10, 2025

Windows developers can now publish apps to Microsoft’s store without fees

Microsoft has eliminated one-time fees for developers to publish apps on its Windows Store, allowing developers from nearly 200 countries to submit applications using a personal Microsoft account. This change follows a gradual reduction of onboarding fees that began in June for select markets and is now extended globally. Microsoft aims to create a more inclusive platform for developers, who can now leverage the store for various types of applications, including Win32, UWP, PWA, .NET, MAUI, and Electron apps. Developers can also use their own in-app commerce systems, retaining 100 percent of their revenues from non-gaming applications. The Microsoft Store currently has over 250 million monthly active users.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

OpenAI’s New Open Models Accelerated Locally on NVIDIA GeForce RTX and RTX PRO GPUs

NVIDIA has partnered with OpenAI to enhance the gpt-oss models for NVIDIA GPUs, enabling rapid inference and supporting millions of users on NVIDIA RTX AI PCs. The gpt-oss-20b and gpt-oss-120b models, trained on NVIDIA H100 GPUs, feature open-weight reasoning and can handle context lengths of up to 131,072 tokens. Users can utilize these models through frameworks like Ollama, which provides a user-friendly interface for experimentation. The models are optimized for RTX GPUs and support applications such as web search and coding assistance. Developers can also access the models via Microsoft AI Foundry Local and other frameworks, with NVIDIA contributing to open-source projects to enhance performance.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

Available today: gpt-oss-20B Model on Windows with GPU Acceleration – further pushing the boundaries on the edge

OpenAI has launched its gpt-oss models for Windows devices, featuring GPU-optimized gpt-oss-20B model variants. These models enable local inference for developers, enhancing application development efficiency. The models can be accessed through platforms like Foundry Local and the AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code (AITK).