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I'm a big fan of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) not least because I like Linux, and it means I can run it from the same PC as Windows 11 without the need for virtual machines or dual-booting.
It's been around for quite a while now and is a pretty powerful tool for developers, especially, and it's come to light that for Canonical, at least, WSL might soon be the biggest source of users of Ubuntu.
It comes to light from comments made by Canonical's VP of Engineering, Jon Seagar, actually back in April to The Pragmatic Engineer‘s Gergely Orosz spotted by the team over at Windows Latest.
Not only is Ubuntu growth on WSL continuing to increase, it's actually starting to outpace the desktop. So much so that it's expected that Ubuntu on WSL will soon be bigger than native Ubuntu use.
“In a year, the growth in our WSL numbers is significantly higher than the growth in Desktop usage numbers. I expect to see more Ubuntu WSL users than ‘native’ Ubuntu users over the coming months.”
Jon Seagar, VP of Engineering at Canonical
Obviously Linux is more than just Ubuntu, and its overall use is still dwarfed by Windows 11. But Ubuntu is one of the biggest distros, and this is pretty interesting to hear.
WSL does have GUI support for apps, but it's not the same as running a full desktop, but in most cases, developers and system admins don't need a full desktop. The terminal is just fine, and WSL has seamless integration into Microsoft's VS Code as well.
I've written in the past that WSL is a great tool to use to learn about Linux as a beginner since you can fire it up within the comfortable surroundings of your existing Windows 11 PC. But that same principle can apply for professionals who need access to both.
It's convenient and gives access to the Linux tools needed, including nowadays for AI, and some tools are built specifically for or work best on Linux. But with WSL you have integration with your existing Windows 11 file system.
I use probably 5% of the potential of WSL on my own PC, but it's still one of the first things I set up whenever I'm moving on to a new machine. You're not limited to Ubuntu, either, with Fedora my own distro of preference. But there's plenty to choose from.
Microsoft keeps improving it, too. The most recent development is WSL Containers, and it even has its own version of Linux now for users to deploy in Azure Linux. There are still plenty of cases for having a bare-metal Linux machine, but with Windows 11 and WSL working together, you've got a hybrid that's good enough for many.
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Ollama running in PowerShell and Ubuntu on WSL
Being able to run Ubuntu on a Windows PC seamlessly is resulting in significantly growth.
Microsoft is finally paying more attention to some of the oldest parts of Windows 11, and I hope it doesn't stop with the obvious ones.
For years, the operating system has had a strange split personality. Some parts of the system look and feel as if they were designed specifically for Windows 11, while others still feel like they were carried over from much older versions. But that's slowly starting to change.
Microsoft has been modernizing parts of Windows 11 for years, gradually updating interfaces that have remained largely unchanged. We've seen this work arriving in the Run dialog, Task Manager, shell controls, parts of File Explorer, and many other areas. Recently, however, Microsoft has been talking more openly about the challenges of modernizing deeply embedded components and developing the tools and frameworks needed to make that work easier without breaking the functionality people still depend on.
That's encouraging because I don't think the operating system needs another redesign just for a new coat of paint. There are much more important parts that deserve Microsoft's attention.
In particular, there are three classic tools I would like to see Microsoft modernize next, including Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services.
And when the company eventually gets to work on these tools, I don't want "cheap" replacements that hide the advanced options. I want modern designs that preserve everything the existing tools can do while making them considerably easier to use.
In this guide, I'll highlight the legacy tools I want the company to update with a design that aligns with the style of Windows 11.
Device Manager is probably the most obvious place for Microsoft to continue.
It remains one of the first places I go when troubleshooting hardware or driver problems. Yet the experience has barely evolved compared with the rest of the system.
The basic workflow still revolves around expanding a tree of hardware categories, right-clicking a device, opening properties, and digging through a collection of tabs.
It works, but it doesn't feel like a modern tool a regular user would use. Microsoft could turn Device Manager into a much more useful hardware management experience without removing any of its existing capabilities.
I would like to see a modern hardware manager with a proper search box, better filtering, and a more useful device overview.
For example, selecting a graphics card could immediately show the device name and manufacturer, the current driver version and date, and the device state, in addition to options to roll back, uninstall the device, and enable controls.
The important part is that Microsoft shouldn't simply move the existing tree into a prettier WinUI 3 window.
It should rethink how the information is presented. If the system knows a device isn't working correctly, I shouldn't have to hunt through several tabs to find out. The interface should tell me.
Something as simple as a clear status indicator saying "This device is working normally" or "Windows detected a problem with this device" would make the tool considerably more approachable.
At the same time, the company should retain the advanced information that administrators and enthusiasts rely on.
Event Viewer is one of those tools that has plenty of useful information, but finding the information you actually need can be difficult, especially for someone who doesn't use the tool every day.
The bigger problem is that Microsoft already has a better way to understand system problems. Reliability Monitor. It gives you a timeline of crashes, warnings, and other problems, making it much easier to see when something went wrong. However, when you need more details, you're sent back to Event Viewer.
That's where I think Microsoft could do better. Instead of maintaining separate experiences, the company could combine the best parts of Reliability Monitor and Event Viewer into one modern troubleshooting tool.
For example, I should be able to see a timeline of Windows 11 and app problems, search and filter events, group related events, and quickly identify crashes, driver problems, and service failures.
The Services console is another tool I'd like the company to modernize, but not because it lacks information. The existing tool already gives you a lot.
In the Extended view, I can select a service and see its description, while the main list shows its status and startup type. Opening the properties gives me even more options, including dependencies, recovery settings, and the account used to run the service.
The problem is that the overall experience still feels like a management console from another era. For example, search could be one of the new features that should make it possible to search for Windows Update, Bluetooth, networking, or even an executable name and quickly find the related services.
Dependencies could also be easier to understand. The information is already there, but I have to open the properties and look through another tab to see it. A modern interface could show those relationships more clearly.
That would be especially useful when troubleshooting. If one service isn't working because another isn't running, Windows 11 could make that relationship clear instead of leaving me to figure it out myself.
I don't want the company to simplify Services by removing its advanced options. I want it to keep everything that's already there and make the tool easier to search, navigate, and understand.
Task Scheduler is another example in which Microsoft already has many of the pieces I would want in a modern tool.
The Create Basic Task wizard makes creating a simple task relatively straightforward. It walks you through the task's name and description, when it should run, what triggers it, and what action it should perform. The problem comes when you need to go beyond the basics.
The full Task Scheduler interface offers a large number of options across multiple tabs, making it difficult to understand how everything fits together. Triggers, actions, conditions, settings, history, and security options are all there, but the experience hasn't evolved much. And that's where I think Microsoft could make a difference.
In this case, I wouldn't want the company to change those advanced options. Instead, it could build a modern interface around them, making it easier to understand what a task does, why it runs, what it launches, and whether it's working correctly. All, while keeping the existing advanced configuration available when needed.
Again, the functionality isn't necessarily the problem. The experience is.
If Microsoft isn't sure where to start, there's already an open-source project called FluentTaskScheduler, which I recently covered, that offers a modern take on the Task Scheduler experience.
I'm fine with Microsoft moving Disk Management into the Settings app because it's already heading in that direction with Disks & volumes.
The same applies to Computer Management. I don't think the company needs to create a modern version of the entire console. A lot of the tools inside it already exist separately, including Device Manager, Services, Event Viewer, and Task Scheduler.
The parts that remain particularly useful, such as Shared Folders and Local Users and Groups, could eventually receive their own modern experiences. Or these could become part of the "Accounts" settings.
I don't expect the software giant to rebuild every classic utility from scratch. I also don't think every legacy tool needs to disappear.
Some of these tools exist because the operating system has accumulated decades of functionality, compatibility requirements, and enterprise dependencies. Microsoft has already acknowledged that replacing deeply integrated components isn't as simple as building a new interface and deleting the old one because of functionality and compatibility.
That's why I like the direction Microsoft appears to be taking. The company recently indicated that it is looking to modernize the Registry Editor, one of the oldest and most recognizable administrative tools in the operating system. At the same time, the company has already been experimenting with a new Print Management app inside Windows 11 Insider builds, showing that some of these long-standing management experiences can be replaced with dedicated modern apps rather than simply being given a new coat of paint.
Microsoft doesn't need to modernize the operating system by throwing away everything that came before it. It can take the functionality people already depend on, put it behind a better interface, and gradually roll these experiences into Windows 11.
Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services would be a very good place to start.
If the company can modernize those tools while preserving the advanced functionality that makes them useful, I'll take that over another visual refresh any day.
Which classic tool do you think Microsoft should modernize next, and what would you change about it? Let me know in the comments.
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Windows 11 desktop with legacy tools opened, including Services, Event Viewer, and Device Manager.
Windows 11 desktop with legacy tools opened, including Services, Event Viewer, and Device Manager.
Windows 11 has a major update on the way, and that update promises to address some of the loudest complaints about the operating system. August is traditionally a slow month for Windows news, but thanks to some previews of what’s on the way next month, we have a lot to talk about.
Microsoft’s refreshed taskbar, customizable Start menu, and other improvements are all in the final stages of testing. Microsoft confirmed that a major Windows update is on the way very soon. But my question is, should that major update have been Windows 12?
It’s worth asking what a new operating system even is in 2026. As opposed to historical upgrades, the kernel and underlying code base of Windows stays largely the same when jumping between major version numbers. We’re well past the days of major architectural changes or code based swaps that make old software incompatible, at least when it comes to computers.
Is a new Start menu or a revamped taskbar set of options enough to justify calling a new OS Windows 12? Perhaps a revamped Settings app or an upgraded core experience for connecting your phone to your PC is enough to do it. There’s a fine line between a UI overhaul and a fresh coat of paint when it comes to making a new operating system.
The core question about keeping the Windows 11 name or upgrading to Windows 12 is if the damage has already been done or, in other words, is it even possible to save Windows 11 in the eyes of the public?
Windows 11 launched in controversy. The minimum requirements of the operating system made millions of PCs ineligible for an upgrade. Other decisions from Microsoft, such as rebuilding the taskbar without all of the options available in previous versions of Windows, also drew criticism.
I’m among the critics of Windows 11. I’ve pointed out several of the flaws in the operating system and mistakes I feel Microsoft has made. But I’m also a newswriter for a niche website that focuses on Windows. The general public may not be so passionate.
If Windows 11 is a lost cause, Microsoft should gather together a bunch of the changes from the Windows K2 initiative and package them into Windows 12.
If there ever is a Windows 12, I’m worried that Microsoft would have it focused on the wrong things. One of my favorite podcasts often says Hollywood learns the wrong lessons when a movie makes money. I think that could be the case with Windows 12.
Microsoft is trying to be better with Windows 11 and its K2 initiative shows promising signs, but part of me still worries that the higher-ups of Microsoft will think AI PCs are the future and use the sales of Copilot+ PCs to justify a Windows 12 centered around artificial intelligence.
But it’s not that Copilot+ PCs are must-have devices and that consumers are running into stores to find PCs capable of running AI. If you make the models of the best-selling PCs Copilot+ PCs and then those computers continue to sell, that’s not a sign that people want Copilot+ PCs. If you cram AI into every computer on the market, you can’t then justify making Windows 12 AI-focused by saying every PC is AI capable.
A hypothetical Windows 12 should be about moving past the stains that cover Windows 11. It will have been long enough since people bought new PCs that the TPM 2.0 requirement will not be as big of a deal. Additionally, Microsoft will have fixed the major user interface issues that have drawn so many complaints over the years.
My top pick for shoppers this week is the XPS 14 (2025). That laptop is still on sale and is still one of the best bargains available. I love the XPS 14's design and a $1,150 discount on a PC with 32GB of RAM is rare these days.
XPS 14 (Core Ultra 7 255H, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Intel Arc): was $2899.99 now $1749.99
This premium laptop has a 3.2K OLED touch display, 32GB of RAM, and a gorgeous design that takes advantage of every millimeter available. It's one year old, but it's still an excellent laptop in 2026.
Note that the review of this laptop was from before the Dell 14 Premium was rebranded to the Dell XPS 14.
Tom's Guide review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐View Deal
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Windows 11 Dan Lowres Iphone
Windows 11 Dan Lowres Iphone
Last month, I revealed that Microsoft was hard at work on a redesigned context menu system for Windows 11 that's designed to make them faster and more customizable. Now, we've got our first look at the new context menu customization features, discovered hidden in the latest Windows 11 preview builds, and I've been trying them out!
Soon, you'll see a new customize menu option appear at the bottom of the context menu. When selected, you'll be taken into the Windows Settings app where you'll see a wide array of new options that allow you to configure the layout and actions that appear within the context menu.
The toggleable actions presented to the user are:
These options allow users to hide certain actions that they might not often use, speeding up the context menu in the process. Additionally, Microsoft is adding an option that lets you change how actions like cut, copy, and paste appear within the menu.
By default, these primary actions appear at the top of the menu in a horizontal layout. This new option will let users restore how they used to appear on Windows 10 and older, where they are listed vertically alongside the other actions within the menu.
It's also worth noting that by default, the context menu has most actions disabled automatically. That means the context menu will be fast for users automatically when these changes roll out, and you'll have to head into the customization options to add back any actions you find useful.
These new customization options are really great to see, and show that Microsoft is finally listening to feedback when it comes to common UI surface such as the context menu.
The legacy Windows context menu is also still present, and while it no longer appears as an option in the context menu by default, you can still go in and enable that action if that's something you find yourself using. Notably, there's still no option to set the legacy context menu to be the default experience.
In the meantime, we know the new customizable context menu options are imminent, with an announcement from Microsoft expected in the next week or two.
Thanks to phantomofearth for discovering and helping me enable the feature to try out!
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Windows 11 context menu
Windows 11 context menu
When Microsoft made the launch of Windows 11 back in October 2021, the company touted it as the biggest visual redesign of the operating system in years. The centered Start menu, redesigned Taskbar, rounded corners, and refreshed interface gave the system a cleaner, more modern look while introducing new productivity features like Snap Layouts and a redesigned Microsoft Store.
Although the operating system now looked fresh and modern, the first release left plenty of room for improvement. A lot of the features that users were familiar with from Windows 10 were either missing or had been scaled back. File Explorer did not have tabs, the Taskbar lost several customization options, and many advanced settings still sent users to the Control Panel.
Furthermore, even the new right-click menu could make simple tasks take an extra step. Also, adding to the mix were some early performance problems and a mix of new and old interfaces, and Windows 11 often felt like an operating system that was still being put together.
Five years later, the operating system has evolved considerably. Microsoft has delivered annual feature updates, dozens of cumulative updates, thousands of bug fixes, and an expanding set of AI-powered capabilities. Along the way, the company has restored requested features, improved performance, modernized more of the interface, and refined many of the areas that drew criticism at launch.
That doesn't necessarily mean every change has been for the better. While the operating system has become faster, more capable, and more polished, Microsoft has also introduced new requirements and experiences that some users view as steps backward, such as a greater emphasis on Microsoft accounts and online services during setup.
So, how different is Windows 11 today compared to the version that debuted in 2021?
In this guide, I'll compare the two side by side to see how much the operating system has really changed over the past five years.
This comparison includes features and changes that Microsoft is still rolling out or developing at the time of this writing. Some features may not yet be available on all devices and could change before they become generally available in future Windows 11 updates.
The desktop is probably the easiest place to see how the operating system has changed. When Microsoft introduced Windows 11, it brought a new visual style with rounded corners, updated icons, a centered Taskbar, and a simpler overall look. It was a noticeable change from its predecessor, but some parts of the experience still felt unfinished behind the new design.
Five years later, the desktop remains instantly recognizable, yet it feels far more polished. The software giant has refined the Taskbar, improved the Start menu, modernized more system components, and added new AI-powered experiences, all while making the operating system faster and more consistent.
The transformation isn't defined by a single feature. Instead, it's the result of hundreds of incremental improvements that have gradually turned Windows 11 into a more complete operating system.
In 2026, at first glance, Windows 11 still retains the familiarity of the version released back in 2021. You can see this in the centered Taskbar, rounded corners, and overall design are still there. However, you can notice the changes once you start using it.
The company has also brought back features that were missing at launch, added new options, and made many everyday tasks feel quicker and easier.
On Windows 11, the Start menu was one of the most controversial redesigns. In this new version, Microsoft replaced the Live Tiles with a simpler launcher focused on pinned apps and recommended content.
Although the cleaner look matched the new design language, it also removed many of the customization options users had relied on.
The original Start menu prioritized simplicity over customization. It introduced a centered layout with pinned apps and recommendations. However, users couldn't resize the menu, hide recommendations completely, or organize the elements as freely as they could on Windows 10.
For many people, it felt more like an app launcher than the central hub users were accustomed to.
Today, the Start menu keeps the same visual identity but offers considerably more control. Microsoft has added Small, Large, and Automatic size options, giving users more control over how much space the menu takes up. The company has also improved the organization of pinned and recent content and added more controls for customizing what appears in the menu.
Although it still doesn't replicate the Start menu from Windows 10, the newer design strikes a better balance between simplicity and flexibility.
The Taskbar quickly became one of the biggest complaints about Windows 11. Although Microsoft modernized its appearance with centered icons and a simplified design, it also removed several long-standing features that many users considered essential.
The first version of the Taskbar focused on a cleaner interface but came with significant compromises. For example, features such as drag and drop, app labels, and the never combine option were removed, the right-click menu was reduced to a single shortcut, and the Taskbar could no longer be moved to other edges of the screen.
While the redesign looked modern, it also disrupted the familiar workflows.
Microsoft spent the following years restoring many of the missing capabilities and adding more control. Also, the drag-and-drop support was added back, app labels and never combine became available again, and the system tray gained additional refinements and customization options. Microsoft has also brought back the ability to change the Taskbar's position, allowing it to be placed at the top, left, or right of the screen.
The Taskbar still follows the same basic visual design introduced in 2021, but it is now far more practical and customizable for everyday use.
File Explorer is one of the examples that shows how the operating system matured over the years. The version of the file manager introduced a modern interface with new icons and a simplified command bar, but many of the productivity features users expected were still missing. It looked modern, yet much of the experience remained familiar.
Since then, Microsoft has expanded File Explorer with features that make everyday file management more useful. The company added tabs, Gallery, better cloud integration, improved thumbnails, and several smaller changes that make browsing and managing files easier.
At launch, File Explorer received one of the first major visual updates in years. Microsoft replaced the traditional Ribbon interface with a cleaner command bar, updated icons, and a simplified design that matched the rest of the operating system.
However, the redesign was mostly cosmetic. A lot of the improvements users had been requesting were still missing. File Explorer launched without tabs, navigation between folders could feel slower than expected, and the redesigned context menu often required an extra step to access older commands. The experience looked more modern, but it still felt like a transition between the old and new versions of Windows.
For many users, File Explorer represented the broader Windows 11 launch experience. It had a refreshed appearance, but it still needed more time to mature.
Five years later, File Explorer has become one of the strongest examples of Microsoft's gradual modernization effort. The company has added tabs, Gallery, a redesigned Home experience, improved thumbnails, better cloud integration, and clearer file-size information. Users can also middle-click to open folders in new tabs, making navigation more convenient.
Performance has also become a major focus. Everyday tasks such as opening folders, switching between tabs, loading previews, and searching through files feel more responsive compared with the original release.
While some legacy elements remain, File Explorer on Windows 11 (2026) feels much closer to the modern file manager Microsoft has been building toward. It keeps the familiar workflow while adding many of the productivity features users had expected for years.
The Settings app has been one of the longest-running modernization projects for the company. When the new version of the operating system launched, Microsoft continued moving options away from the traditional Control Panel and into a redesigned Settings experience. However, the transition was far from complete.
The experience for configuring the system was inconsistent because some settings felt modern and easy to navigate, while others still redirected users to older interfaces. Five years later, Microsoft has continued expanding Settings, adding more controls, improving navigation, and reducing the number of times users need to open legacy tools.
Originally, the Settings app received a refreshed design with a new navigation layout, updated pages, and a cleaner interface that matched the operating system's visual changes.
However, the modernization was far from complete. A lot of advanced options still opened Control Panel or older dialog boxes, creating an inconsistent experience. Finding specific options could also be frustrating because some controls were organized differently compared to Windows 10.
The Settings app represented one of the biggest challenges Microsoft faced with Windows 11. The company wanted to create a modern management experience, but decades of legacy components made a complete transition difficult.
Five years later, the Settings app has become a much more capable replacement for many traditional Control Panel experiences. Microsoft has continued moving features into Settings, improved search, reorganized pages, and added more controls for managing devices, personalization, accounts, and system features.
The experience is more consistent than it was at launch, especially for everyday tasks such as managing displays, Bluetooth devices, power settings, personalization, and Windows Update.
However, the transition is still not fully complete. For instance, some advanced tools and legacy configuration pages still exist, and that shows that modernizing the operating system is a gradual process that must also maintain compatibility with older features and apps.
One of the goals with the release of Windows 11 was to make everyday tasks easier, whether users were looking for files, managing multiple apps, or getting information without opening additional apps. At launch, the operating system introduced features such as Snap Layouts and Widgets, while Windows Search continued the experience users already knew on Windows 10.
However, many of these features were still in their early stages. Search relied mostly on keywords, Snap Layouts offered useful but limited window management, and Widgets focused heavily on news and Microsoft services.
Today, these experiences have improved considerably. Microsoft has expanded Search, refined multitasking tools, and added more controls to Widgets. Together, these changes show how Windows 11 has developed beyond its original desktop redesign.
In the original release, Microsoft introduced several features designed to improve productivity, but many were still in their early stages.
Windows Search provided a familiar way to find apps, settings, and files, but it relied mainly on traditional keyword matching and could sometimes struggle to return useful results quickly.
Snap Layouts was one of the more useful additions, giving users predefined window arrangements that made multitasking easier. However, the feature offered fewer layout options and less flexibility than the experience available today.
Widgets introduced a new way to access information from the desktop, but the original implementation focused heavily on news, weather, and Microsoft services. For many users, it felt more like an information panel than a productivity tool.
Today, Microsoft has expanded these features and added more ways to get things done.
Windows Search now includes improvements such as better indexing, typo correction, improved local results, and AI-powered capabilities on supported devices. Recent updates have also improved how Search handles short queries and understands what users are looking for.
Microsoft has also introduced AI-powered capabilities for finding and changing settings on supported devices, allowing some configurations to be located and applied more easily.
The company is also working on a new search experience that replaces Windows Search with Ask Copilot in the Taskbar, using AI and natural language to search for files, settings, apps, and virtually anything else.
Snap Layouts has matured with better layout suggestions and improved support for larger displays and multiple monitors, making it easier to arrange several applications.
Widgets have also gained more personalization options and additional integrations. While news and information remain part of the experience, users have more control over what appears in the panel.
Microsoft's decision to integrate AI into Windows 11 is perhaps the biggest difference between the 2026 and 2021 versions. When the company introduced the operating system, AI was not part of the desktop experience. The focus was on a redesigned interface, productivity improvements, and a more modern foundation.
Over the following years, the software giant shifted the operating system into a platform powered by AI. Copilot became part of the operating system, new AI features arrived on Copilot+ PCs, and Microsoft began integrating AI into areas such as search, accessibility, creativity, and system interactions.
The change has been significant, but it has also created a new debate around Windows 11. While some users see AI as the next major step for personal computing, many others question whether these features improve everyday tasks or add more complexity.
The comparison below shows how Windows 11 evolved from an operating system without built-in AI experiences into one designed around the company's vision of intelligent computing.
Originally, AI was not a central part of the operating system. The experience focused on traditional desktop features.
Windows Search remained a conventional tool based mostly on keywords and indexing. Voice features, accessibility tools, and system assistance existed, but they were not powered by the newer AI capabilities Microsoft would introduce later.
The original Windows 11 experience also lacked dedicated AI hardware features. There were no Copilot+ PCs, no built-in AI assistant integrated into the desktop, and no local AI models designed to run directly on compatible devices.
At the time, Windows 11 represented a visual and usability redesign. AI would become the next major chapter in its evolution.
Several years later, AI has become one of the defining parts of Windows 11. Microsoft introduced Copilot as an integrated assistant and expanded AI capabilities across the operating system, especially on newer Copilot+ PCs with dedicated neural processing units (NPUs).
Modern Windows 11 includes AI-powered experiences such as improved Search, Recall, Click to Do, enhanced voice features, and creative tools designed to help users complete tasks faster. Accessibility has also benefited from AI through improved voice interaction, captions, and other assistive features.
The biggest change is that the operating system is no longer only reacting to commands. Microsoft is building toward an operating system that can understand context and help users complete tasks more naturally.
However, AI has also become one of the most debated parts of Windows 11. Features like Recall and increased integration with Microsoft services have raised questions about privacy, control, and whether every user wants AI built into their everyday computing experience.
Performance was one of the biggest concerns surrounding Windows 11 in its early days. The operating system looked modern, but some users encountered sluggish animations, slow File Explorer responses, high memory usage, and inconsistent responsiveness. For an operating system built on the same Windows 10 foundation, those problems made the visual redesign feel less convincing.
Microsoft has spent the years since launch improving responsiveness, resource management, and overall reliability. The company has also made performance a major focus of its broader Windows K2 work, with improvements designed to make everyday interactions feel faster without requiring more powerful hardware.
The difference is not always something that can be captured in a screenshot. Unlike the Start menu or File Explorer, performance is something users experience through hundreds of small interactions throughout the day.
The original release could feel less responsive than Windows 10 on some systems, particularly during everyday tasks such as opening File Explorer, switching between windows, or interacting with the Taskbar and Start menu.
Some of these problems were related to animations and transitions that could feel sluggish. File Explorer also experienced performance issues in early releases, while memory management and background processes could cause responsiveness issues on systems with limited resources.
The result was an operating system that sometimes looked faster and more modern than it actually felt.
Half a decade of updates have made Windows 11 a more responsive operating system. Microsoft has optimized core components, improved File Explorer performance, refined animations, and continued to reduce the delays users experienced in earlier releases.
Recent work under the Windows K2 initiative has placed an even greater emphasis on responsiveness, resource management, reliability, and reducing unnecessary overhead. Microsoft has also introduced improvements designed to make interactive tasks feel faster without simply relying on more powerful hardware.
Windows 11 is not universally faster on every piece of hardware, but the overall experience is considerably more mature than it was at launch. A lot of the small delays that made the 2021 release feel unfinished have either been reduced or eliminated. However, a lot of work still needs to be done.
Security and accessibility have both evolved significantly since the first release of the operating system. In 2021, the company made hardware-backed security a bigger part of the operating system by requiring features such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.
Also, accessibility tools such as Narrator, Magnifier, and Voice Access provided the foundation for a more inclusive experience. Now, in 2026, Windows 11 offers stronger security protections and more accessibility features.
For example, Microsoft has expanded Windows Hello, introduced Enhanced Sign-in Security, improved voice and captioning experiences, added Administrator Protection, and added AI-powered capabilities that can make the operating system easier to use for people with different needs.
Security was one of the defining changes in the original Windows 11 release. Microsoft required TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on supported systems and continued promoting Windows Hello as a more secure alternative to traditional passwords.
The operating system also included a strong foundation for accessibility, with tools such as Narrator, Magnifier, and high-contrast options. Voice Access was available in a more limited form, while features such as Live Captions were still relatively new.
At launch, the focus was largely on establishing stronger hardware-backed security and improving the accessibility features already available in the system.
Security has become more deeply integrated into the experience. Microsoft has expanded protections such as Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security, improved support for passkeys, added Administrator Protection, and strengthened defenses against malicious applications and other threats.
Accessibility has also become more capable. Voice Access provides more natural ways to control the desktop experience, Live Captions have become more useful, and newer AI-powered capabilities can help users interact with the operating system in ways that were not possible in 2021.
The biggest change is that security and accessibility are no longer just collections of separate tools. They are increasingly built into the way Windows 11 works, from how users sign in and protect their devices to how they interact with the desktop.
The Windows 11 setup experience has changed in an important way since 2021. The original release already encouraged users to connect their devices to the internet and use a Microsoft account. However, it was still possible to find ways around the requirement and create a local account. The option was not always obvious, but users had more control over how they configured a new installation.
By 2026, Microsoft has pushed the setup process further toward a connected experience. Internet access and a Microsoft account have become more central to the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE). In contrast, local account setup has become increasingly difficult to access through the normal setup process.
This makes the setup experience one of the areas where Windows 11 has not simply evolved, but has also changed how people should use the operating system.
The original setup process introduced a stronger push toward Microsoft accounts and online connectivity, particularly on Windows 11 Home. However, users could still create a local account by finding the appropriate setup option or using workarounds when the option was not immediately presented.
That gave users more flexibility when setting up a computer without wanting to connect their installation to Microsoft's cloud services.
The setup experience was also relatively straightforward once the initial account and network requirements were handled. The emphasis was on getting the system ready to use rather than introducing users to a growing collection of online services.
The setup experience is now much more tightly connected to Microsoft's online ecosystem. The company has continued to make a Microsoft account and an internet connection central requirements for setting up Windows 11, while eliminating the local account option for home consumers.
This approach makes it easier to connect services such as OneDrive, Windows Backup, Microsoft Store, and other account-based features from the beginning. However, it also gives users less choice during setup, particularly those who want a traditional local offline account.
The change is significant because it reflects a different perspective from Windows 11, which launched in 2021. Microsoft is no longer treating the computer as an isolated device. It increasingly sees the operating system as part of a connected Microsoft account and cloud ecosystem.
Five years of updates have transformed Windows 11, but the operating system is still not completely consistent. Microsoft has modernized many of the areas that felt outdated at launch, yet some of the same problems that frustrated users in 2021 remain in one form or another.
The difference is that these issues are no longer spread across the entire operating system. They are increasingly concentrated in specific parts of Windows 11, particularly areas where Microsoft has to maintain compatibility with decades-old components and applications.
The original release exposed many of these inconsistencies. Windows 11 introduced a modern Settings app, but many advanced options still opened in the older Control Panel experience and legacy dialogs. Different parts of the operating system often followed different design rules, making the experience feel like a mix of new and old.
Microsoft also faced criticism over limited customization, aggressive Microsoft account integration, and the reduction of familiar features.
Windows 11 is considerably more polished, but some of those issues remain.
Legacy components are still visible in parts of the operating system, particularly advanced configuration tools and older dialogs.
Control Panel has not completely disappeared. Microsoft has moved many settings into the Settings app, but some functionality still depends on legacy interfaces.
Microsoft account integration is stronger. This makes services such as OneDrive, Windows Backup, and Microsoft Store easier to connect, but users who prefer a local account have fewer obvious choices during setup.
AI remains controversial. Microsoft has added AI to more parts of the operating system, but not everyone wants an assistant, AI search, or AI-powered features built in.
Promotions and recommendations remain part of the experience. Start menu recommendations, account prompts, Microsoft service integrations, and other promotional elements can sometimes make Windows 11 feel more like a platform for Microsoft's services.
Updates can still cause problems. Microsoft has improved the update and recovery experience, but system updates can still introduce bugs or compatibility issues.
The important difference is that these problems no longer define the entire Windows 11 experience. In 2021, inconsistencies and missing features were difficult to ignore. In 2026, they are increasingly the remaining pieces of an operating system that has otherwise matured considerably.
The question isn't whether Windows 11 changed. It clearly did.
The better question is whether Microsoft fixed enough of the problems that made the original release feel unfinished.
In my opinion, Windows 11 is a much better operating system than the one shipped in 2021, but that improvement also says a lot about how rough the original release was. A lot of the familiar features were removed in the name of a cleaner design, and Microsoft ultimately spent years putting much of that functionality back.
What I appreciate more now is that Windows 11 feels less like a redesign layered over Windows 10 and more like its own operating system. File Explorer, the Taskbar, Start menu, Settings, and overall responsiveness have all moved in the right direction. The changes aren't always dramatic, but after using this experience for years, those small improvements add up.
My bigger concern is the direction Microsoft is taking the operating system rather than how it looks. The stronger push toward Microsoft accounts, cloud services, and AI gives Windows 11 capabilities that didn't exist in 2021, but it also makes the experience feel less user-controlled in some areas. I don't think every computer needs to be treated like a gateway to Microsoft's services. Users should have direct control of what they want.
For someone using Windows 11 today, I wouldn't recommend avoiding the operating system because of the problems it had at launch. Five years of updates have made a real difference. At the same time, I wouldn't pretend Microsoft has finished the job. The remaining legacy components, account push, and inconsistent experiences show that Windows 11 is still being rebuilt while millions of people are using it.
However, important to note that through its new Windows K2 initiative, Microsoft has been working to address many of the pain points in the operating system.
What do you think about how much Windows 11 has changed since 2021? Let me know in the comments.
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:
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Windows 11 desktop showing the Start menu from 2021 and 2026.
Windows 11 desktop showing the Start menu from 2021 and 2026.
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced big updates for the Start menu and Taskbar on Windows 11 that would address users biggest complaints and bring highly requested features and functionality to the OS. Those changes include the ability to move and resize the Taskbar, as well as customize the size and different sections that appear within the Start menu.
Those features have been in public preview ever since, but those outside of the Windows Insider Program are yet to experience these new features. Now however, Microsoft has confirmed that it's now gearing up to ship the updated Taskbar and Start menu to everyone next month, as the features are now in the final Windows Preview Channel before public rollout.
As of yesterday, the movable and resizable Taskbar, along with the customizable Start menu, and other polish and quality of life improvements, made their way to the Windows 11 Release Preview Channel. This is the last stop before features begin shipping in public, non-Insider updates.
Usually, when a feature lands in the Release Preview Channel, it's no more than two or three weeks away from appearing in a public update. Usually, that's with the non-security feature preview update that drops at the end of every month, followed by the security-focused Patch Tuesday which is released on the second Tuesday of every month.
That means if everything goes according to plan, the new Taskbar and Start menu updates will begin rolling out later this month for users with the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" toggle in Windows Update switched on, and next month for everyone else.
This is the big user experience update people have been waiting for on Windows 11 this year. The ability to move and resize the Taskbar made headlines when it was announced that it was coming to Windows 11 earlier this year, with a lot of Windows 10 holdouts claiming that the lack of this feature was one reason why they hadn't yet moved to Windows 11.
Microsoft is slowly but surely ensuring that Windows 10 users feel comfortable with the move to Windows 11, and ensuring that functionality that Windows 10 already has is also available on Windows 11 is one way of doing that. Being able to turn off entire sections of Start, as well as resize the menu itself, will be useful for those who enjoyed tweaking the Windows 10 Start menu too.
If you don't want to wait any longer, you can join the Windows Insider Release Preview Channel today to get access to the new features as soon as possible. The quality of code in the Release Preview Channel is usually representative of the final product, meaning the code being previewed in the Release Preview channel now is what will begin shipping in the next handful of weeks.
If you do choose to enroll in the Release Preview channel, be warned that Microsoft is rolling out the new Start menu and Taskbar in waves, so you may not see it right away. This will likely also be the case when the update is released generally, as Microsoft utilized a phased and measured rollout approach to ensure the new features aren't breaking things.
Microsoft has many more quality of life improvements in the works for Windows 11, many of which are expected to begin shipping towards the end of this year and into 2027. Improvements such as better performance and responsiveness in apps and UI surfaces like the Start menu are still to come, as the OS begins adopting WinUI across more areas of the interface.
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Windows 11
Windows 11
After years of waiting, you will finally be able to move your taskbar on Windows 11. But you still have to wait just a bit longer.
The latest Windows 11 Insider Preview builds include the option to move the taskbar to the top or either side of the screen. Assuming all goes well with testing, that change should ship with the September Patch Tuesday update. But Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel can start moving their taskbar right now.
The same update also brings the option to make the taskbar smaller on Windows 11, which maximizes screen space on smaller devices.
These changes should sound familiar to anyone who follows the development of Windows 11. They're among the several improvements that are on the way to Windows 11 this fall.
Other improvements include a more customizable Start menu, improved Windows Search, and a faster File Explorer.
The full change log for the latest Insider builds breaks down everything that's new.
Almost everything new in these builds is rolling out gradually. The normal rollout only includes "Additional quality improvements," according to the change log.
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Taskbar with settings on the Windows 11 desktop in 2026.
Taskbar with settings on the Windows 11 desktop in 2026.
Stardock just announced AltTabby, an alternative to the Alt+Tab experience on Windows 11. The app switcher supports customizable layouts, smart grouping, application pinning, and keyboard shortcuts. The app plays nicely with other utilities from Stardock, such as allowing you to customize how Groupy groups behave.
Stardock reached out to me ahead of the release of the app and sent over a code to let me try AltTabby. I've never thought much about the Alt+Tab experience, so I lacked any ideas on how to improve it. I've always just pressed Alt+Tab to switch between apps without thinking.
AltTabby lets you do that, of course, but it has some nice options for customization that are worth a look.
Of the five views in AltTabby, I prefer the carousel. That view feels natural, and switching between apps flows smoothly. I like that I can customize things like window color as well.
I'm not a fan of the icons view or the classic icons view. I find both too crowded and compact. But I can see why people would like the minimal designs. The Icons view has a search box along the top that's handy.
If you want to use the search box in any of the views that support it, I suggest enabling the option to "Keep AltTabby interface open when hotkeys are released." This keeps the AltTabby view on your screen until you click elsewhere.
If you use multiple monitors, you'll want to take advantage of options like having apps from all displays appear or limiting the view to just your current monitor.
AltTabby can learn your most frequently used windows to show those prominently or be set to just show all of your windows sorted by which has been used most recently.
I've never given the Alt+Tab experience on Windows 11 much thought, but it's nice that Stardock did. AltTabby refreshes a classic Windows interface with new looks, expanded functionality, and several customization options.
This app replaces the Alt+Tab experience on Windows 11 with one that is more customizable. You can choose between five different views, and AltTabby can learn your frequently used apps to keep them close by.View Deal
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Screenshot of Windows 11 desktop showing Stardock's AltTabby application switcher pop-up over web browsers, displaying open windows in a 3D cover-flow style view with Microsoft Edge highlighted.
Screenshot of Windows 11 desktop showing Stardock's AltTabby application switcher pop-up over web browsers, displaying open windows in a 3D cover-flow style view with Microsoft Edge highlighted.
Hé oui, ENCORE LUI !!
Jonathan Blow, le développeur de Braid et de The Witness, a annoncé hier (le 12 août) sur X qu'il laissait tomber VLC... La raison c'est 33 putain de secondes d'attente entre un clic sur un fichier MP3 et le début de la lecture, sous Windows (évidement). C'est vrai qu'une demi-minute pour lancer un son sur une machine récente, c'est abusé ! Du coup, il est repassé au bon vieux lecteur multimédia de Microsoft.
Son point de vue c'est que "tout un secteur du logiciel open source est dans un état franchement embarrassant" dès qu'il s'agit de tourner Windows. Je peux pas lui donner tord, c'est vrai que le ralentissement est réel sous Windows 11, sans qu'on sache vraiment pourquoi...
Mais heureusement, la réponse de VideoLAN ne s'est pas faite attendre et a replacer correctement le débat. Pour l'équipe de VLC, la lenteur vient d'un bug de Microsoft Defender arrivé avec une mise à jour de Windows 11, qui a mis le cache de plugins de VLC en quarantaine. L'antivirus maison de Windows a donc classé comme suspect, puis mis de côté, un fichier que VLC génère lui-même. VideoLAN écrit qu'il s'est retrouvé là "comme par magie".
Pour remettre VLC d'aplomb, VideoLAN propose donc de réinstaller le logiciel ou de régénérer ce cache. Mais pas besoin d'aller jusqu'à la réinstallation, puisque l'installeur Windows officiel dispose déjà d'un raccourci qu'il faut dans le dossier VideoLAN du menu Démarrer, "VLC media player - reset preferences and cache files".
Ce raccourci lance vlc.exe avec les deux options de remise à zéro, la configuration et le cache de plugins, puis referme aussitôt le lecteur. Ça devrait faire le taf même si attention, vos préférences partent aux chiottes avec le reste, donc si vous avez bricolé vos réglages de sortie audio, vos raccourcis clavier ou vos sous-titres, vous les perdrez. Mais ensuite, le cache, lui, se reconstruira au lancement suivant.
Après régénérer le cache n'empêche pas Defender de le rechoper par la suite. L'autre option, c'est donc d'exclure une bonne fois pour toutes vlc.exe de la liste d'analyse de l'antivirus.
Bref, ce genre de faux positif n'est pas nouveau chez Windows Defender, qui y'a pas longtemps a même pris des certificats DigiCert pour un cheval de Troie, sans parler des ISO Linux qui se font flagger régulièrement .
Voilà, hormis la comm de VLC pour le moment, personne n'a encore publié de détails techniques, et Microsoft n'a rien dit.
ShieldBreak est un nouvel exploit qui vise l'antivirus livré avec Windows. Cela permet à un compte utilisateur limité de passer SYSTEM sur un Windows entièrement à jour, grâce notamment à Windows Defender qui lui sert de marchepied.
Le chercheur Nightmare Eclipse a sorti le code de son exploit en public y'a 2 jours, quelques heures après un Patch Tuesday qui corrigeait plus de 400 failles. Mais pas celle-ci évidemment... Une machine parfaitement à jour reste donc exposée.
Kevin Beaumont, ancien de chez Microsoft, a testé l'exploit et confirme qu'il fonctionne sur un Windows 11 à jour. Sa lecture technique, en revanche, diffère de celle du chercheur. Nightmare Eclipse présente ShieldBreak comme un contournement complet du correctif de RoguePlanet, sa faille précédente, alors que Beaumont souligne que les deux reposent sur des mécanismes très différents.
L'attaque réclame un accès local et l'exécution du programme, elle ne s'attrape pas en visitant une page web. Elle a été testée sur Windows 11 25H2 et Windows Server 2025, Windows 10 étant déclaré vulnérable sans être pris en charge par le code publié. Et il faut que Defender soit activé pour que ça marche.
Cette publication sans préavis n'arrive pas de nulle part. En mai, Microsoft a publié un billet qualifiant d'injustifiables les divulgations non coordonnées qui mettent du code d'exploitation entre les mains d'acteurs malveillants, en rappelant que sa Digital Crimes Unit continuerait à poursuivre ces acteurs. Le texte ne visait pas nommément les chercheurs. Le milieu de la sécurité l'a quand même reçu comme une menace.
Microsoft a fait ensuite machine arrière sur les réseaux sociaux, en assurant ne pas vouloir s'en prendre à ceux qui publient de la recherche. Le billet d'origine, lui, est toujours en ligne et les publications n'ont pas ralenti pour autant : une dizaine de zero-days Windows depuis avril, dont BlueHammer et GreatXML dont je vous ai déjà parlé.
Microsoft dit avoir connaissance de la vulnérabilité signalée et enquêter sur la validité des affirmations mais pour le moment, la faille n'a même pas d'identifiant CVE à elle, et reste rattachée au correctif qu'elle est censée contourner. Bref, si ça vous fait flipper comme faille, désolé, il n'y a rien à installer pour l'instant pour fixer le problème.
En attendant, Beaumont a mis en ligne des requêtes de "chasse" pour Defender for Endpoint qui repèrent quand un processus étranger à Defender charge ses bibliothèques, ou qu'un processus non validé charge celles de l'API Cloud Filter. Tout ça via le même processus.
Mais c'est de la détection, et pas un correctif...
Vous rentrez de soirée à moitié bourré, vous ouvrez Paramètres, Applications, Applications installées, et vous cherchez OneDrive Photos pour le virer... Mais il n'y est pas ! Rassurez-vous, ce n'est pas à cause des effets de l'alcool car l'application est pourtant bien sur la machine, avec son icône moche dans le menu Démarrer et son interface photo qui s'ouvre très bien quand on clique dessus... ALORS POURQUOI NE PEUT ON PAS VIRER CETTE COCHONNERIE ???
Hé bien Microsoft a reconnu avoir distribué cette nouvelle interface "photo" plus largement que prévu sur Windows 11 sans anticiper que des gens auraient envie de le virer. Le déploiement était involontaire, mais le résultat est quand même arrivé sur votre disque et vu la réputation de OneDrive côté dark patterns , l'envie de nettoyer tout de suite se comprend...
Mais rassurez-vous, je vais vous aider !
OneDrive Photos n'est pas une application séparée, c'est le binaire OneDrive.App.exe livré à l'intérieur du client de synchronisation OneDrive.
Voilà pourquoi Windows ne lui donne aucune entrée de désinstallation.
Son emplacement dépend en réalité du mode d'installation du client. En installation par utilisateur, il atterrit dans votre profil. En installation pour toute la machine, il va dans Program Files. Cette commande ci-dessous teste donc les deux et affiche la version trouvée.
Connexion
Get-ChildItem "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\OneDrive","$env:ProgramFiles\Microsoft OneDrive","${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Microsoft OneDrive" -Filter OneDrive.App.exe -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object FullName,@{n='Version';e={$_.VersionInfo.FileVersion}}
Ce que Windows vous laisse supprimer facilement par contre, ce sont les raccourcis. Ils se posent au niveau de la machine et dans votre profil, donc menu Démarrer et bureau. Par contre, ouvrez PowerShell en administrateur sinon, vous ne pourrez pas les virer.
"$env:ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs","$env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs","$env:PUBLIC\Desktop","$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop" | ForEach-Object { Get-ChildItem $_ -Filter "OneDrive Photos.lnk" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } | Remove-Item -Verbose
Le script affiche alors chaque raccourci retiré. Tapez ensuite "OneDrive Photos" dans le menu Démarrer, et vous verrez plus rien ne remonte.
Mais vous l'avez compris, le binaire, lui, n'a pas bougé. Vous avez nettoyé le point d'entrée, mais pas désinstallé l'application. Un double-clic sur OneDrive.App.exe rouvrira l'interface photo comme avant, et une mise à jour du client peut très bien rétablir le raccourci...
Et non, il n'existe aucune clé de registre ni stratégie de groupe pour bloquer proprement cette application, même sur un parc géré. Pas d'interrupteur à débrancher comme avec RemoveWindowsAI face à Copilot . Les scripts qui circulent suppriment des .lnk, rien d'autre.
Alors comment on fait ? Hé bien on passe à l'étape 3 !
Car la seule suppression réelle aujourd'hui, c'est de désinstaller le client OneDrive en entier, ce qui n'a de sens que si vous ne vous en servez pas. Le dossier d'installation part avec, donc le binaire photo aussi. Avant de lancer quoi que ce soit, si vous utilisez les fichiers à la demande, faites donc un clic droit sur les dossiers qui comptent et cochez "Toujours conserver sur cet appareil".
winget uninstall --id Microsoft.OneDrive
Le même résultat s'obtient depuis Paramètres > Applications installées > Microsoft OneDrive > Désinstaller. La synchronisation locale s'arrête là, mais vos données restent en ligne et rien n'est supprimé côté Microsoft.
Pour vérifier le résultat, relancez alors la commande de l'étape 1. Plus aucun chemin affiché, le binaire a quitté les emplacements contrôlés. Si un chemin encore là, c'est qu'un client OneDrive traîne toujours, souvent dans un autre profil utilisateur.
Ensuite, pour revenir en arrière, il faudra réinstaller OneDrive depuis le site officiel de Microsoft. Mais si la synchro de vos fichiers revient, sachez que l'interface photo aussi. Les deux voyagent ensemble comme des bro incels soudés à la vie à la mort.
Alors que faire ?
Car oui, youpi, Microsoft annonce pour septembre 2026 un contrôle qui retirera OneDrive Photos seul, sans couper la synchronisation. Donc si vous tenez à OneDrive, attendre quelques semaines vous coûtera moins cher qu'une désinstallation complète.
The Pixel 11 lineup arrived this week with a genuinely great redesign. The camera bar is 40 percent thinner, the glass runs edge to edge, and for the first time in a while a Pixel actually looks like it evolved instead of just got a new coat of paint. And then there’s HiLight, the one piece of new hardware Google actually wants you to talk about. A small LED cluster tucked into the corner of that same camera bar, ready to glow when Gemini is thinking or when someone you love is calling.
It is, in essence, Google finally admitting it missed the old Nexus notification LED and bringing it back. Five colors, a glow for Gemini, a glow for your favorite caller, and that’s the whole feature list on day one. Nothing to complain about here, except that Nothing exists. The London phone brand has spent years turning its own version of this idea into an actual playground, mini-games, custom widgets, an SDK anyone can build on. Google clearly has the engineering muscle to do something just as ambitious with HiLight down the line. It just chose not to, at least not yet.
Designer: Google
Before we get into that though, credit where it’s due. Hold a Pixel 11 next to a Pixel 10 and the difference is immediate, not the kind that only shows up in marketing photos. The bar sits almost flush now, and Google’s claim that it’s basically bumpless with a case on actually checks out in person. Under that glass, Tensor G6 lands on a 2nm node, Google’s first, promising 25 percent faster browsing, 15 percent quicker app launches, and on-device AI running up to 3.5 times faster while using less power. The Pixel 11 gets a new 48MP main sensor with 56 percent more light sensitivity and a telephoto stretching to 30x Super Zoom. This is a very complete phone before you even get to the Pro models.
The Pro and Pro XL push further with a 50MP main sensor, a redesigned 48MP telephoto, Portrait Mode at 5x, and 120x Pro Zoom, sitting under a 3,600-nit display that Google claims is twice as scratch resistant as last year’s. Titan M3 adds quantum-safe boot security on top. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold deserves its own mention here too. It shed almost 10 percent of its weight and a millimeter of thickness, down to 10.1mm closed, while Google claims triple the durability thanks to a redesigned gearless hinge. The crease is genuinely harder to spot than last year’s, and the whole thing folds flat enough to stop feeling like a novelty. If you told me a year ago Google would have the most convincing foldable in its own lineup, I would not have believed you.
Now, the part everyone will bring up regardless of how the rest of this goes: RAM. The Pro and Pro XL start at 12GB in their base 256GB configs, down from 16GB last year, and Google is blaming this on a supplier RAM shortage hitting the entire industry. Memory manufacturers have been shifting production capacity toward AI server chips, and consumer RAM and NAND prices have spiked hard enough this year that people are half-jokingly calling it RAMageddon. It is a real problem, and Google is far from the only phone maker feeling it. Storage doubling to 256GB as a base softens the blow a little, but a $100 price bump alongside a RAM cut is still a hard sell. Fair enough on the supply chain excuse. Less fair asking Pro buyers to pay more for less unless they climb a storage tier.
Back to HiLight, because it deserves the real estate. That LED cluster sits right where the temperature sensor used to live on older Pixels, which is a strange trade to make for something this limited. Google’s official pitch is that HiLight keeps you informed without the distraction of staring at a screen, which is a very polished way of saying there weren’t enough ideas to fill the space. Glowing when Gemini talks and flashing a color for favorite callers is a fine start, not an entire feature. Compare that to what’s happening across the pond. Nothing’s Glyph Matrix on the Phone (3) packs 489 individually lit LEDs into what functions as a tiny secondary screen, complete with an open SDK that lets anyone build their own widgets and games. People made a working ball maze. A tilt-controlled Magic 8 Ball. A contact dialer you can use without touching the main display. None of it is essential, but all of it is fun, and fun counts for something when you’re asking someone to pay a premium for a light.
Google clearly has the horsepower for something bigger here. Tensor G6 alone proves the company isn’t short on engineering muscle, and the camera bar redesign shows the industrial design team knows exactly what it’s doing right now. HiLight feels like the output of a team that had a great idea, then stopped one meeting short of making it good. I want to see where this goes in a year or two, because the foundation Google just built, the hardware, the placement, even the name, is genuinely solid. It just needs an actual reason to exist beyond telling you Gemini is thinking.
The post The Pixel 11’s Coolest New Feature Is Actually 10 Years Old first appeared on Yanko Design.
Yesterday, Microsoft rolled out the latest Windows 11 updates for all users across version 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1. For users running version 24H2 and 25H2, this latest patch includes a number of nice to see quality of life improvements in the way of performance and reliability upgrades in a number of key areas.
According to the changelog, which includes improvements that began rolling out as part of last month's optional feature update, the KB5101684 update includes reliability upgrades for explorer.exe, which will make opening things like Jump Lists and recent files faster. Additionally, Microsoft says this update will also make sharing files and switching between desktops with Task View faster too.
The reliability improvements don't end there, either. This update also includes reliability upgrades for the Windows lock screen and sign-in screen, which will be most noticeable on PCs with low amounts of RAM available. There are also startup reliability upgrades for the Start menu and Taskbar, which should make those interfaces appear quicker when powering up.
Furthermore, Microsoft says that this update also makes the post-update process less resource intensive, meaning your PC will feel faster to use immediately after an update is installed. Previously, Windows Updates required a clean-up phase after install which could be quite resource intensive on certain PCs.
The good news is all of these performance and reliability upgrades apply regardless of the amount of RAM your system has. You should notice a more responsive system if you have 8GB or 128GB of RAM.
Here's a rundown of the reliability-focused improvements in the latest update:
These reliability and performance upgrades are in addition to the many other quality of life improvements shipping as part of the KB5101684 update, including improvements to File Explorer, Windows Hello, Windows Search, system sounds, and more.
Microsoft recently announced a renewed commitment to making Windows 11 better on PCs with 8GB RAM, and it appears we're already seeing the fruits of that labor. While there's plenty of more optimizations to come, it's good to see Microsoft already moving to address this weak point on Windows.
Microsoft has been delivering genuinely nice improvements to Windows 11 over the last few months, all of which have been addressing issues with the OS around performance and reliability. This latest update continues that crusade, meaning your PC will feel better to use as of the latest updates.
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Windows 11 update in Settings app
Windows 11 update in Settings app
According to a new report from Taiwanese publication United Daily News (UDC,) Microsoft is raising the cost of Windows license fees for hardware makers by a much higher amount than normal. According to the report, certain OEMs are seeing licensing price hikes of between 7% and 10%.
Usually, Microsoft raises Windows license fees for OEMs by a low digit percentage, making this 7% to 10% increase much more significant than normal. "A PC brand executive stated that Microsoft increases licensing fees for Windows OEMs (device manufacturers) every year. In the past, licensing fees mostly increased by single digits each year, but starting in July this year, the average increase has reached 7% to 10%, which is a significant increase compared to previous years," UDC says.
Of course, the cost of the Windows license fee is usually (at least partially) passed onto the consumer buying a computer, and UDC claims that their source says laptop pricing is already being impacted by these recent license fee increases. Microsoft charges different OEMs their own fees for Windows, so the exact increase in cost will differ for each hardware maker.
Regardless, with the ongoing memory component shortage, PCs have already seen astronomical price increases over the last year, with experts claiming that we haven't yet seen the worst of it. With Microsoft raising prices higher than usual on Windows licenses, it feels like the Redmond giant is adding extra fuel to the fire.
Windows Central reached out to Microsoft for comment regarding this story, but the company declined to provide one.
To be clear, the Windows license fee price hikes only apply to OEMs building hardware that ships with Windows. The cost of buying a license for Windows 11 as a consumer remains unchanged, being $99 for Windows 11 Home and $199 for Windows 11 Pro.
The ongoing component crisis has made computing unaffordable for many people. PCs that used to target the $600-$800 price bracket now cost close to $1,000. And flagship Windows laptops that used to cost $1,200-1,500 are now closer to $2,000. Even Apple has been hit by the shortage, being forced to raise prices by hundreds of dollars across its Mac lineup. Microsoft's own Surface line was hit especially hard, with the flagship Surface Pro and Surface Laptop being $400-$500 more expensive than the last-gen models.
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Windows 11 Hero Surfaces on a white table
Windows 11 Hero Surfaces on a white table
