Last night I surprised myself by working an extra hour at my desk. I occasionally work late, but what surprised me is that it happened by accident. I believe the blame falls on GUNNAR and a pair of glasses the company sent me to try out.

Like many people, I sit at a desk for the majority of my workday and stare at a screen for hours on end. I often get headaches or eye strain after working for too long without a break. I've spent years building up an ergonomic workstation to help my back, knees, and wrists, but I've neglected my eyes.

GUNNAR glasses are designed to block blue light. I've been aware of the company for years, in part due to their various gaming partnerships, but I had never used a pair myself. Gunnar and I got in touch to let me try a pair.

The Novato pair of glasses I was sent has the amber tint that's available in many frames from GUNNAR. This particular pair has a slight magnification as well, though it's available with a neutral focus.

When I slipped on the glasses, I felt my face relax almost instantly. I then continued to work throughout the afternoon.

Later in the evening, I noticed that I had worked an hour later than usual.

I got to the end of my normal day and just kept working because I didn't realize how late it was. I usually need breaks every once in a while to rest my eyes, but since my eyes didn't hurt I lost track of time.

GUNNAR glasses vs. f.lux and Windows 11's Night Light

I've used apps like f.lux and Windows 11 features such as Night Light to filter out blue light from my PC screen. I still recommend those apps to anyone who wants to reduce eye strain or who works late at night.

I was, however, surprised how much the GUNNAR glasses felt different than using software to reduce blue light.

I'm not an eye doctor or any type of medical professional, so please take my experience as simply a hands-on with the GUNNAR glasses. When I put them on, it felt like the entirety of my eyes could relax rather than just having a specific screen filtered.

While apps like f.lux are great, they don't do anything to filter out blue light from overhead lighting or any other light sources in your room. Slipping on a pair of GUNNAR glasses came much closer to filtering blue light out of the entire room.

This particular model of GUNNAR glasses rests quite close to my face, though they have models that wrap around even more.

I'm sure that part of the improved experience is mental. My mind feels like it can relax my eyes, so my face follows. With the glasses on, I caught myself squinting or flexing my face less.

I'm not sure if accidentally working an extra hour is a good thing or a bad thing, but if I can harness the experience for my normal working hours, I'll be very excited. I plan to use these GUNNAR glasses and some other frames over the coming weeks and will follow up with how things go.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

One thing we haven't had so much of with the Xbox Series X|S compared to previous generations is limited edition consoles. There have been some, like the Halo Xbox Series X and some competition specials, but compared to the Xbox 360 and Xbox One especially, it's been a pretty dry time.

Some of the older limited editions command a pretty penny on the used market these days, and obviously there's a finite supply of them. Later this year we'll also see the Xbox Series X25, with its classic translucent green shell. Though unfortunately, a vastly increased price, now.

But over on the Xbox subreddit there's a thread rolling right now where folks are talking about these consoles, so I thought I'd bring it on over here, too. So what's your favorite limited edition Xbox console of all time?

What’s your favorite limited edition console(s)? from r/xbox

There are some incredible choices on the Reddit thread, from the classic Crystal Green OG Xbox through the Halo 4 Xbox 360, the Titanfall Xbox One, and some others that folks like myself based in the UK might not even have known existed.

I didn't know there was a Taco Bell Xbox One X, for example, nor a green Mountain Dew OG Xbox. Granted, neither of these were actually sold, but they still exist, and I'd definitely go for a Mountain Dew Xbox if I could get my hands on one without selling a kidney.

I've never actually owned a limited edition console myself. The closest I've come so far is the Project Scorpio launch edition Xbox One X, which I still have in my office looking pretty.

DEAL: Get Surfshark VPN 86% OFF with Windows Central 🦈

If I had to pick, it'd be between two. The Xbox console I always coveted the most was the Crystal Green first-generation. I wish I'd chopped in my standard black console to get one, but given I'd already spent a whole paycheck from a part-time job on one at the age of 17, I decided against it lest I risk the wrath of the parents.

The other might be one most wouldn't pick given some of the wild designs, but as a massive fan of the franchise, I always wanted the blue Forza Edition Xbox One. It didn't help that a friend of mine actually had one, taunting me every time I went over.

So, those are my picks, but I'm more interested in yours. There's no shortage to choose from, so hit the comments below and share your own favorite limited edition Xbox console design from the last 25 years!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Digital Sun (the indie developer behind the cult-favorite Moonlighter series) and 11 Bit Studios (the publisher of several hit indie titles like The Thaumaturge, Indika, Frostpunk 2, and Creatures of Ava) have announced that Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is finally leaving early access.

Version 1.0 of Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault will be launching on September 2, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

To celebrate the occasion, Digital Sun and 11 Bit Studios are giving away the first Moonlighter game for free to keep forever via Steam between August 5, 2026, and August 9, 2026.

For those unaware, the Moonlighter series is a top-down, action-RPG with roguelite elements where you live the life of an adventurer-shopkeeper named Will.

DEAL: Get Surfshark VPN 86% OFF with Windows Central 🦈

The gameplay loop of this series revolves around exploring dangerous dungeons filled to the brim with ancient treasure guarded by deadly monsters.

You then sell whatever loot you find to help maintain your shop's profits while investing in other businesses to help the struggling town of Tresna thrive again and give you access to better equipment to help you survive more challenging dungeons.

Windows Central's take

We actually covered the Moonlighter series a couple of times at Windows Central. One of my colleagues, Brendan Lowry, reviewed the first Moonlighter, and while he praised it for having a unique premise, excellent presentation, and decent action-RPG gameplay, he felt there was much room for improvement in the story and combat department.

One of my other colleagues, Michael Hoglund, previewed Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault's early access build and mentioned that it was already a massive upgrade from its predecessor.

Dungeon crawling was more rewarding, combat was more varied and intense, and its merchant simulation gameplay has somehow made inventory management, which is usually a tedious task in most games, a fun activity in its own right.

I never played the Moonlighter series before, but with the first game now being free on Steam for a short time, I may give it a shot because the art style looks cute, and the gameplay looks fun while giving me nostalgic memories of classic top-down action-RPGs like The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

It would certainly be a good time to kill before the sequel leaves early access, while giving me much better appreciation for all the improvements it's made from the first game.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft Outlook has a handful of changes in the works that will make it easier to stay on top of emails and events. Some of the upgrades, such as drag and drop support for rescheduling events, will change how you interact with Outlook, while others are smaller upgrades.

All of the improvements are detailed on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap. I've taken five of the most exciting entries from that roadmap and gathered them in the chart below.

Being able to filter messages to only show those with calendar invitations will save me a lot of time. I get a lot of calendar invites from my wife to coordinate our schedules, but I also get a lot of emails from my wife about other things.

After finding those events, I'll be able to move them around in Outlook by dragging and dropping them. Since we have a young child, we often need to move things to different times of the day to align with naptime. I wish drag and drop support was on the way to the web version of Outlook as well, but the roadmap entry only mentions iOS and Android.

Which features would you like to see added to Outlook? Are there any improvements on the way that you're especially excited about? Let us know in the comments!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it was moving to address Windows 11's biggest issues and criticisms from users in an effort to win back trust from customers and reposition Windows once more as a viable alternative to macOS and Linux, something people actually want to use over the competition.

It was nice to see Microsoft outline its roadmap and plan for Windows 11, but I wasn't prepared for just how fast the company would start delivering on the promises it was making. Since March, Microsoft has previewed and even shipped many improvements to Windows 11 that are the direct result of its Windows K2 initiative, all designed to fix Windows 11.

I've been testing these new Windows 11 builds over the last few months, and there are 5 big changes and improvements that stand out as super exciting. Some of these improvements are already shipping, whereas others are still in preview.

A new and improved Windows Update

Updates on Windows have always been frustrating, so much so Microsoft made it a point of focus for its Windows K2 effort. In the last few months, Microsoft has shipped multiple changes and improvements to Windows Update which are designed to make it more reliable, and more importantly, less annoying.

The first big change is ensuring driver, framework, and security updates are now all timed to install at the same time. Previously, any update could require the user to restart at any time. Now, Windows Update will only ask you to restart once a month, as the update system now installs those driver and framework updates alongside security patches.

That's in addition to being able to pause updates indefinitely now, so even when the one time a month that Windows asks you to restart finally rolls around, users have the option to say no and postpone the restart for as long as they need. Even when an update is pending restart, the option to shut down or restart without installing said update is now present.

Microsoft has even made it so users can skip installing updates when setting up a PC for the first time, meaning it now takes just a few minutes to get right into using your new PC instead of the 20+ minutes it used to take when installing the latest update was a requirement before reaching the desktop.

All of these Windows Update improvements are already shipping to all Windows 11 users, which is a crazy quick turn around.

Less ads and AI across the OS

People didn't believe they'd do it, but they actually have reduced the ads and AI buttons that are present across the OS. The Widgets board has been updated to replace the MSN feed with the local widgets feature by default, meaning you won't ever see any MSN stories or sponsored content unless you manually go into that section of the OS.

Microsoft is also removing Bing and MSN ads from Windows Search, in preview now. The search pane itself is now a long list or recent search queries and items, with nonsense like the Bing wallpaper of the day and other sponsored content no longer appearing at all. Even search results that reach out to the web no longer include sponsored content.

The Start menu now also has more granular controls over the kind of content that appears in there. The "Recommended" feed has been renamed to the "Recents" feed and no longer shows recommended apps and websites that came across as more advertising. Users even have the option to remove the Recents feed entirely now, which is great.

Copilot used to plague every inbox app and UI surface you could think of on Windows 11, but today it only appears in a few very specific areas. It still exists as a standalone app on Windows 11, but the Copilot button no longer exists in apps like Photos and Notepad. Microsoft has even removed the "Ask Copilot" option in File Explorer.

Better performance and reliability

One big area of focus for Microsoft is the overall performance and reliability of Windows 11, which many agree has slipped over the last few years. The good news is Microsoft has already delivered several improvements on this front, with more to come in the following weeks.

The first big change is the new "Low Latency Profile" feature that shipped just a few weeks ago. It's an invisible change that makes opening apps, context menus, and flyouts from the Taskbar much more responsive by silently increasing CPU frequency when these common actions take place.

This is something other OS platforms do which allows them to remain feeling snappy, even under heavy load, and now Windows 11 has the same behavior. This has outright fixed the issue users sometimes have where things like the Start menu don't always appear immediately when clicked. That's a thing of the past now.

Microsoft is also improving the performance of WinUI interfaces across the system via a new System Compositor which reduces latency and memory overhead across the OS so that these modern interfaces are consistently responsive. There's even a new Run dialog built with WinUI that is faster than the old Win32 version.

Opening and navigating through file trees in File Explorer is faster too, and searching for files and apps on Windows 11 is now more consistent. Two character search is already shipping, which makes finding content a little bit easier.

Customizable Taskbar and Start menu

One of the biggest issues people have with Windows 11 is how it took away customizable options for areas of the system like the Start menu or Taskbar. Microsoft has heard that feedback, and is already publicly testing a new Taskbar and Start menu that can be user customized.

The Taskbar can now be repositioned just like on Windows 10, allowing the user to move it to the left, right and top of the display if that's where they want it. There's also a new resize option letting users make it smaller like the Windows 10 one could.

The Start menu is also getting more customization options. Users can hide entire segments of Start, such as the Recents feed, Pinned apps, or All Apps area. They can toggle on or off the Phone Link companion, and disable Start entirely if they don't ever use it.

And there's more to come

Above are all the new improvements that I've tested and are either shipping or in public testing via the Windows Insider Program. These are the real changes and features that can be tried and tested as we speak, not just empty promises or ideas. It's all available to download and try out right now.

There's still more to come too, stuff that isn't yet in public preview testing. Microsoft has confirmed it's working to move more parts of the OS to WinUI for faster performance, such as the Start menu and areas of File Explorer. There's an effort to reduce the footprint of the OS in the works too, which should make the OS less resource intensive at idle.

Other improvements in the works are a redesigned context menu system that is faster and more customizable, more integration across the OS with your smartphone, and dark mode in even more places.

For the features that are yet to ship outside of preview, I understand that Microsoft is aiming to get the bulk of these improvements out of the door before the end of 2026, with some expected in 2027.

SI'm so very impressed with how quickly Microsoft has turned Windows 11 around so far. I haven't felt this positive about the features and changes being actively made to Windows in a really long time, to the point where it feels weird to not have anything to really complain about. All of my biggest issues with Windows 11 have either already been addressed, or are in the process of being addressed.

It's a great time to be a Windows user again.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

My favorite Xbox feature is having a bit of a moment in the sun.

The Xbox ecosystem is a lot better than people give it credit for in my view. Xbox Game Pass is still a fantastic deal for those who want to graze a large library of content. Xbox Cloud Gaming is more viable than ever for single-player games, and things like cloud saves remain free, while paid on other platforms.

DEAL: Get Surfshark VPN 86% OFF with Windows Central 🦈

My favorite feature however is Xbox Play Anywhere. The ability to buy once, and take my games across Windows PCs, cloud, my laptop, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Ally X handheld is a cornerstone of how I want to access games now. It's a vastly underrated feature, and something I think Microsoft could do a lot more to promote.

I was over the moon when I saw Larian announce Baldur's Gate 3 for Xbox Play Anywhere this week, in what has been a pretty great sprint for the service.

I sent Larian publishing lead Michael Douse a message and asked for comment on why Baldur's Gate 3 ended up hitting Xbox Play Anywhere, almost three years after its initial launch.

"We just did it because it's a pretty cool part of the Xbox ecosystem and it would mean a lot to the players who enjoy that ecosystem," Douse explained. "We had the resources & time and figured it would make a few folks happy."

Indeed, there's been a huge sprint of fantastic AAA games hitting Xbox Play Anywhere recently, including 007: First Light, Beast of Reincarnation, Hell is Us, Palworld 1.0, Dispatch, Subnautica 2, and many more. Upcoming we also have things like Blood of the Dawnwalker and Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Historically, games only hit Xbox Play Anywhere via Xbox Game Pass, but increasingly, developers are dropping Xbox Play Anywhere on a discretionary basis.

I also asked Sascha Reuter from Fullset about Project Neon, a classic SHMUP that originally launched on the Neo Geo. Project Neon has now been ported to Xbox Series X|S and other platforms, and is launching straight into Xbox Play Anywhere.

"We always love to give players as much bang for for their buck as we can," Reuter explained. "So adding all the versions was pretty much a no-brainer, so was to allow players to switch between their systems however they like."

Reuter told me that developing for Xbox Play Anywhere is as simple as "using a Dropbox folder," as developers can deliver app packages that target multiple platforms via Microsoft's developer back end. Reuter said that Xbox's API for designating a save folder is simple to set up for cross-platform saves, and prevents overwriting and handles syncing via Azure.

Microsoft last year revealed new APIs for cross-platform save syncing for developers who want to take their games even further afield beyond the Xbox ecosystem, as more and more of us go cross-platform.

Increasingly, it feels like developers are actively opting into Xbox Play Anywhere by default, but challenges remain.

The future of Xbox is PC

Microsoft is doing a lot of work to bridge the gap between its Xbox and Windows ecosystems. Xbox Play Anywhere helps developers target Xbox customers regardless of platform, and Microsoft has long suggested games with Xbox Play Anywhere see higher sales and boosted retention.

Still, it's difficult to retroactively set up Xbox Play Anywhere. If codebases diverge too much across separate versions, applying Xbox Play Anywhere can create errors when synchronizing progress. Games like Fallout 76 have never received Xbox Play Anywhere support for that reason — although it's not unheard of. Resident Evil 8 gained Xbox Play Anywhere support several years after launch too, just like Baldur's Gate 3.

Some publishers perhaps simply don't seem to see the value in it. Ubisoft has begun offering free versions of some of its PC games to owners who already own the Xbox version, but Xbox achievements aren't supported on PC. EA doesn't offer any form of synchronicity at all between its Xbox and PC versions either.

Recent data suggests that Xbox Play Anywhere is seeing more organic adoption than ever, consistently hitting a 50% compatibility rate for newly released games. Microsoft's impending Xbox backward compatibility emulator on PC could see even more Xbox games hit PC via Play Anywhere by default, by virtue of the fact they're already Xbox games regardless.

I love this feature, so it's great to see more developers opt-in. Hopefully, we're starting to see

Baldur's Gate 3 and Project Neon are available to buy now on Xbox Play Anywhere, across Xbox PC and Xbox Series X|S.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows Insiders need to update their PCs to be on a recent build of Windows within the next week. The latest Windows Insider builds contain a renewed flight certificate, which is important because the current flight certificate is set to expire on August 11, 2026.

Flight certificates are used to encourage people to keep devices up to date and on supported versions of Windows. Microsoft ships renewed certificates on a routine basis.

Microsoft emphasized the importance of a renewed flight certificate because in the past renewal mainly affected those in the Canary Channel. Now, those certificates apply across all Insider channels, including Experimental and Beta.

A brief reminder about the flight certificate appears at the top of the change log for the most recent Insider build:

"Today’s Experimental (Future Platforms) build contains a renewed Windows Insider flight certificate. Windows Insider Preview builds use flight certificates that are renewed periodically to help ensure Insider devices remain on supported builds and continue receiving future Insider Preview updates. The current flight certificate expires on August 11, 2026, so please update your device to a build containing the renewed flight certificate before that date."

A separate document dives into more detail, though the main takeaway is that Insiders should simply update their PCs to a recent build. Microsoft shared the chart below to help Insiders stay up to date.

Once you've performed this one-time larger update, your PC will go back to receiving regular updates.

If you don't update your PC to a build with a fresh flight certificate, you'll start seeing a warning that says, "This build will expire soon" on your desktop. You will also stop receiving automatic background updates once the flight certificate expires.

You should update your PC to a build with a fresh flight certificate, but if you don't, you can fix the issue by going to Settings > Windows Update and letting your PC install the latest build.

Test builds of Windows 11 are designed to expire relatively quickly, so you should update your PC regularly if you're a Windows Insider. Doing so will ensure your system is running a supported version of Windows.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down with Marcus Ash, Corporate Vice President of Design and Research for Windows at Microsoft. The discussion centers on the user experience vision for Windows 11, balancing modernization with legacy app compatibility, and optimizing system efficiency across diverse hardware configurations.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast is sponsored by Surfshark VPN. Unlimited devices, access your content from anywhere, and auto-block malware on Windows, Edge, and other platforms from $2.50/mo, with 4 months extra FREE. Sign up today!

• Design Philosophy in Windows 11: Marcus Ash discusses how design decisions are shaped by user feedback, telemetry, and modern workflow requirements.
• Optimizing Performance for Low-RAM Devices (8GB): A deep dive into full-stack optimizations—ranging from kernel memory scheduling to UI process management—to ensure smooth performance on 8GB RAM hardware.
• Modernizing Legacy Tools vs. Backward Compatibility: Discussion on how Microsoft approaches updating older OS utilities (e.g., Control Panel, Registry Editor) while protecting enterprise compatibility and muscle memory.
• Web Tech, WebView2, and Modern UI: Exploring the role of web-based interface components in Windows 11, including trade-offs between agility, feature delivery, and resource utilization.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at [email protected]

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Pocket Casts
• Subscribe via RSS
• Download the Windows Central Podcast

If you like the show, please let us know by give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps us!

LIVE Video Podcast

You can watch the live, uncut version of the Windows Central Podcast on our YouTube channel!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Players of Dovetail Games' popular train simulator, Train Sim World 6, on Xbox One and PS4 have unfortunate bad news to endure.

Currently the game and all DLC content have been made available on last-gen hardware, but that is now coming to an end.

The announcement was made on the developer's blog, alongside information on exactly what it means for players on Xbox One and PS4.

"Train Sim World titles and new TSW Add-on releases developed from this date onwards will only be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms (Steam, Xbox for PC and Epic Games).

This change is essential for allowing the teams that create TSW content freedom to take advantage of current-gen hardware, prioritising the best performance possible, and improving the visual quality as much as they can."

The good news is that this change doesn't affect content you've already bought up to now. It's still there, it's still playable, and it's still supported. The cancellation only applies to any further DLC content for Train Sim World 6 and for future games in the franchise. To play any of that, you'll need to be on PC, Xbox Series X|S, or PS5.

It's sad news for players still on the last-gen consoles, for sure, but credit to Dovetail Games for holding out as long as it has.

Even Xbox has finally had to take the plunge with Call of Duty, with Modern Warfare 4 not releasing on Xbox One or PS4, either. It's particularly bad timing for those still holding onto their older consoles given that both Xbox and Sony have recently increased prices on the new consoles, too.

If you are on Xbox One with Train Sim World 6, you do at least have options. It supports Xbox Play Anywhere, for one, so if you can move to PC, you can take all of your existing content with you so long as you use the Xbox App. You can't transfer your content to Steam or Epic Games. Content does transfer between Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S as you would expect, and PS4 players can also carry over to PS5.

Train Sim World 6 is also supported by Xbox Cloud Gaming, so even though your console may not be up to scratch going forward, you can still keep playing through the cloud if you're unable to move natively to supported hardware. PS4 owners don't have that luxury, as cloud streaming on PlayStation is limited to owners of the PS5 version.

While the timing might not be great, it's understandable. Games are more demanding than ever, and ultimately no experience at all is better than paying for something and having a bad experience.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Another month into the scorching summer season, and things have just heated up for Xbox Game Pass as we have a couple of major highlights coming in its latest batch of new games dropping in the first half of August 2026.

Some standout highlights include the cozy Power Wash Simulator 2, the hit open-world survival game Grounded 2, and the chaotic roguelike action game Ball x Pit.

However, the star of the show is the first Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta test, which is scheduled to run from August 6, 2026, at 12:00 pm PT to August 10, 2026, at 10:00 am PT for people who pre-ordered the game on Xbox Series X|S or Steam or people who are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

Here's August's first wave of Xbox games coming to and leaving Xbox Game Pass.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (August 15)

• Menace (Game Preview) (PC)
• Atlas Fallen (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Aliens: Firesteam Elite (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Firewatch (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Windows Central's take

To be frank, this isn't the greatest batch of new Xbox Game Pass titles in the world (unless you're really into Grounded 2 or PowerWash Simulator). It's quite clear that, right now, Xbox is dedicating all its marketing power to hyping Gears of War: E-Day by including its upcoming early-access multiplayer beta test in this line-up.

Which, to be fair, is totally fine with me because Gears of War: E-Day's multiplayer looks insane. It features an epic 12-player PvE mode called "Siege Horde" where you must fight off never-ending waves of Locust grunts while completing objectives, and occasionally content MMORPG-style raid bosses that require every player to take down.

The classic PvP 4v4 Versus mode also makes a comeback, but with new match types, maps, and new weapons to help you rip and tear your enemies apart.

DEAL: Get Surfshark VPN 86% OFF with Windows Central 🦈

So, if you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass, you're in for one heck of a weekend this week. If you want to find out more about how to enter the Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta tests, you can check out our FAQ on the subject.

Additionally, you can also check out my colleague, Jez Corden's preview of Gears of War: E-Day's Siege Horde mode to see if its large-scale carnage and 12-player co-op insanity is up your alley and enticing enough to make you pick up the full game when it launches on October 6, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass (Day One), and PC via Windows and Steam.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

562 researchers across 64 countries were on the receiving end of $20 million of rewards from the Microsoft Bounty Program. That program has researchers work with Microsoft to identify and report vulnerabilities across Microsoft's products and services.

The program has been around for years, but the $20 million in awards is a new record. For context, the Microsoft Bounty Program awarded $17 million to 344 researchers last year.

How much researchers receive depends on the type of vulnerability they report. Cloud programs and Zero Day Quest vulnerabilities are capped at $100,000 per vulnerability. Reporting an Endpoint and On-Premises program vulnerability can be worth up to $250,000.

Of course, those are the maximum payouts per report. Many reported vulnerabilities result in smaller awards.

Microsoft expanded the scope of its researcher awards last year. Now, in addition to flagging traditional bounties, researchers can be rewarded for reporting vulnerabilities in open-source software, third-party components, and Microsoft cloud services.

Microsoft detailed the rewards in a recent blog post.

"Security is a team sport. Every vulnerability reported through our bounty programs represents an opportunity to address risk before it can be exploited against customers," said Microsoft. "The work of the research community plays a critical role in helping Microsoft stay ahead of emerging threats while strengthening the security of cloud services, AI systems, enterprise platforms, and consumer technologies."

Microsoft credited the increase in submissions in part to AI. Increasingly, AI is being used to help security researchers.

Microsoft also uses AI to find and fix vulnerabilities as well. Unfortunately, AI can also be used by hackers to quickly leverage discovered vulnerabilities. As a result, there is an AI arms race happening between malicious actors and security researchers.

Microsoft also recalled the success of the Microsoft Zero Day Quest, which had researchers from 20 countries travel to Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington. Over 700 vulnerability reports were filed and over $2.3 million was awarded at that event.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

July has come to an end, and as we start a new month, it's a good time to look at the new features and changes that Microsoft has been working on in the second half of the month for Windows 11.

In the last two weeks of July, the company has delivered several new features, but many of those improvements were features that we have already seen in other builds as Microsoft continues to align each channel more closely together.

As part of the improvements, we have seen new customization options for the Start menu, new gestures for the touchpad, an updated interface for the Account Control menu, and improvements for File Explorer.

In addition, we have seen the company pushing changes to Widgets, Windows Search, and more.

In the Experimental channel, Microsoft released builds 26300.9032, 26300.8935, 28120.2630, and 28120.2546, while the Beta channel introduced builds 26220.9022, 26220.8925, 28020.2623, and 28020.2539 for versions 26H2, 26H1, and 25H2.

In this recap, I'll highlight the latest and most noteworthy changes available through the Windows Insider Program.

Biggest improvements from the Windows Insider Program in July 2026

These are the most significant changes Microsoft has unveiled since my last roundup.

Windows Search automatic locations

Starting with the release of build 26300.9032, the operating system ships with an updated version of Windows Search that can now automatically find and search other folder locations based on your activity.

The new feature uses signals, such as files and frequently accessed locations. According to the company, this helps to make relevant files easy to find without requiring manual indexing.

The feature is known as "Automatically find additional relevant locations," and it's located on Settings > Privacy & security > Search.

In addition, Microsoft didn't mention this, but I've noticed a new "Search the contents of online files" on the same page, which allows you to decide whether Windows Search can search online content.

Phone Link changes

The Phone Link companion flyout that appears in the Start menu is getting an update on build 26300.9032 that allows you to hover over a recent message or notification in the "Recent" section to preview the content without extra steps.

This improvement requires the Phone Link app version 1.26021.3.0 or higher.

Adaptive hibernate policy update

In the Experimental channel, build 26300.9032 (version 25H2) also introduces changes for the adaptive hibernate policy to prevent hibernation when the battery is above 80 percent and to hibernate when the battery falls below 10 percent.

Microsoft accomplishes this by increasing instances of instant-on resumes from Modern Standby and increasing battery preservation at the low end of the battery.

This change is also available on builds 28120.2630 and 28020.2623 for version 26H1.

File Explorer performance boost

On build 26300.8935, File Explorer received three specific improvements. First, the company made file deletion faster when deleting large and fragmented files.

This update also makes the Home page faster, and finally, the "Recommended" section on the Home page now supports touch scrolling to make it easier to browse files from the carousel.

In addition, starting with build 26220.8925 for version 25H2, the "Details" view now shows file sizes with appropriate units, such as KB, MB, and GB, instead of only showing KB.

Furthermore, on the "Home" page, you can now use a middle mouse click to open folder locations in new tabs.

Widgets improvements

The preview build 26300.8935 also updates the animated icons for the Widgets entry point in the Taskbar.

First, the icon now matches the system accent color instead of the red color. Also, the animated icons can now show more dynamic content if notifications are enabled in the Widgets dashboard.

Windows Update changes

On build 28120.2630 (Experimental channel for version 26H1), Microsoft is making system updates less disruptive by reducing the number of restarts users face each month.

This is possible thanks to a new unified update experience that coordinates driver, .NET, and firmware updates with the monthly quality update, consolidating updates into a single monthly reboot instead of multiple interruptions.

The company is also expanding update pause controls, allowing users to extend update pauses as many times as needed.

These improvements are also available for build 28020.2623 in the Beta channel for version 26H1.

Touchpad gestures

Builds 28120.2630 and 28020.2623 for version 26H1 add new gesture controls for Precision Touchpads through the Settings app.

The new options will work across most apps, although apps built with WinUI 3 will require updated WinAppSDK 1.8 or 2.0 support before they can take full advantage of the changes.

The new controls include scroll and zoom speed, which lets you adjust the default speed for scrolling and pinch-to-zoom gestures. Also, accelerated scrolling will allow you to increase scrolling speed the longer you continue scrolling, making it easier to move quickly through long documents and webpages.

These improvements are also available for build 26220.8925 in the Beta channel for version 25H2.

Smart card policy

Starting with build 28120.2546, Microsoft is adding support to remove smart card policies in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 sessions that use Microsoft Entra ID authentication.

As a result of this change, administrators can configure remote sessions to automatically disconnect when a redirected smart card is removed, helping improve security and meet compliance requirements.

This improvement is also available for build 29639 in the Experimental channel for version Future Platforms.

Narrator changes

Microsoft is making refreshable Braille displays easier to use with Narrator in build 28120.2546.

Windows 11 now supports HID-compatible Braille displays, allowing users to connect supported devices instantly over USB with no additional setup, or wirelessly through Bluetooth. The feature also works during the initial Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE), enabling you to configure a new computer independently.

These improvements are also available for build 28020.2539 in the Beta channel for version 26H1, for build 26220.8925 for version 25H2, and for build 29634 for version Future Platforms.

Taskbar positioning

Starting with build 26220.9022 for version 25H2 in the Beta channel, the operating system introduces the ability to change the position of the Taskbar to the top, left, right, and bottom of the screen.

The new setting is known as "Taskbar positions," and it's available from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors.

When using this new functionality, Taskbar tooltips, flyouts, and animations continue to work in any of the positions, while most customization options, including never combining Taskbar icons, remain available.

This flight also introduces the ability to make the Taskbar smaller. The option is available from this page. However, in the Beta channel, the option works when configuring the "Show smaller app icons" option. In future releases, the company will add a dedicated button under the "Taskbar behaviors" setting, as it's currently available in the Experimental channel.

It's worth pointing out that these changes are still under development, and they may not work as intended.

Start menu new customization

On Windows 11 build 26220.8925, Microsoft is rolling out new Start menu customization options, including the ability to choose which sections appear in the menu and adjust its size.

The new customization settings are available on Settings > Personalization > Start. On this page, you can show or hide any of the sections, and you'll also notice that the "Recommended" section has been renamed to "Recent."

In addition, there's a new option to change the Start menu size, which means you can make the menu larger or smaller, or use the automatic option to let the system choose the size based on the configuration.

Finally, at the bottom of the page, under the "Other" section, you can enable the "Hide your name and profile picture on Start" setting to improve your privacy when projecting your screen to other people.

Account Control menu redesign

Microsoft is also refreshing the Account Control flyout in the Start menu with a more modern design and clearer Microsoft account information.

The updated interface adds a subscription badge, making it easier to check your account state, view available benefits, and explore upgrade options.

It also surfaces account benefits and storage details, giving users a centralized place to manage their Microsoft account without opening the Settings app.

This improvement is also available for build 29634 in the Experimental channel for version Future Platforms.

Voice Isolation for Voice Access

On build 29634 in the Experimental channel for version Future Platforms, Windows 11 also introduced Voice Isolation for Voice Access to improve speech recognition in noisy environments and shared spaces.

According to the company, the feature uses on-device processing for filtering background noise and nearby conversations.

In addition, Voice Access now includes three speech recognition models, including "Voice Isolation," "Remove background noise only," and "No filtering."

Windows Central's Take

Looking back at the second half of July, I don't think this was Microsoft's most exciting set of Insider releases. A lot of what landed in the Beta and Experimental channels wasn't entirely new. Instead, it felt like the company was catching those channels up with features that had already appeared in other Insider channels as it continues to align the program.

I don't think that's a bad thing. It suggests Microsoft is getting closer to offering a more consistent experience across the Insider channels while focusing on improvements that people will actually notice.

I'm still waiting to see how quickly these features make it into the stable release. Microsoft has been moving faster recently, but Insider builds are still a preview of what's planned, not a guarantee of what will eventually ship.

What are your thoughts about these latest Windows 11 Insider changes? Let me know in the comments.

More resources

Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.