Microsoft super-charges Windows Update so it can keep all of your apps up to date
Microsoft has launched a preview version of the Windows Update orchestration platform. This is an update to Windows Update itself which opens it up for use by third-party developers.
This means that Windows Update could soon be able to update not only Windows, but also drivers, and third-party apps. So broad is the scope of what Microsoft is working on that it feels as though Windows Update will soon be a misnomer, and a rebranding may be in order.
Microsoft brings new features to older versions of Windows 11 with the KB5058502 update
It's the time of the month when Microsoft releases previews of next month's software updates, and for Windows 11 users there is the KB5058502 update preview.
Interestingly, this particular update is focused on older editions of Windows 11 -- specifically Windows 11 23H2, and the Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 11 22H2. And the update is significant; it brings not only bug fixes, but also a raft of new feature, including the almost inevitable selection of new Copilot-related bits and pieces.
Microsoft releases Defender update to improve the security of your Windows installation images
Having Windows installation images is handy; they can be used to reinstall your operating system, but they are also useful when creating virtual machines. Microsoft is concerned about their safety, however.
Pointing to "a Microsoft Defender protection gap" that exists in the first hours of a freshly installed copy of Windows, the company highlights installation images that contain outdated antimalware software binaries. The solution to this problem? An update to Microsoft Defender for these images.
Windows 11 now has its own built-in color picker tool
Forget installing a random, third-party color picker just to learn the HEX values for a particularly pleasing hue on your screen -- Microsoft is gracing Windows 11 users with a built-in utility.
The Windows 11 color picker is part of the impressive (and increasingly so) Snipping Tool, and it is very similar to the Color Picker module found in PowerToys. While this may seem like a small, niche tool, we'd be very surprised if you don't find a use for it in the future -- but there is at least one disadvantage when compared to the PowerToys utility.
The new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows 11 could be a game-changer
Getting a new PC is something met with excitement and dread in just about equal measure. For all of the positives associated with a shiny, new, faster system, there are the negatives of transferring files, installing apps, and configuring settings.
The process of migrating from one PC to another can be approached in various ways, and for Windows 11 users there is a new option. Microsoft is rolling out its new PC-to-PC migration experience as it implements significant changes to the Windows Backup app.
Only a fool still uses Windows 7
There was a time when Windows 7 was the gold standard. The operating system was fast, stable, and dependable. Quite frankly, it was very beautiful too. But that time is long gone. In 2025, sticking with Windows 7 isn’t just quirky or nostalgic, folks, it’s downright reckless.
Look, Microsoft officially pulled the plug on Windows 7 security updates back in January 2020. That’s like an eternity in the computing world. Since then, the operating system has been vulnerable to known exploits with no patches in sight. Running it today is like leaving your front door wide open for criminals with a sign that says, “Come on in.”
Microsoft's crypto payment gateway, bridging traditional and digital finance
Now that digital currencies are becoming more popular, Microsoft has introduced its Crypto Payment Gateway.
It was created to let merchants use crypto while benefiting from the protection, stability, and ease of use that standard finance offers. The gateway connects decentralized finance with advanced enterprise systems, showing how businesses and consumers are starting to transact online differently.
Best Windows apps this week
Six-hundred-forty-eight in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft has open-sourced the Windows Subsystem for Linux, which, in theory, should improve Linux on Windows in the long run.
Microsoft is finally bringing GIF support to Snipping Tool in Windows 11
The Snipping Tool app has proved itself to be one of the most useful and impressive utilities to be found in Windows 11. Microsoft has slowly worked to create something genuinely impressive; there have been some omissions, however.
One such oversight is the lack of support for creating GIFs, but this is about to change. The option of saving screen recordings as animated GIFs is overdue and extremely welcome.
Signal declares war on Microsoft Recall with screenshot blocking on Windows 11
Signal has officially had enough, folks. You see, the privacy-first messaging app is going on the offensive, declaring war on Microsoft’s invasive Recall feature by enabling a new “Screen security” setting by default on Windows 11. This move is designed to block Microsoft’s AI-powered screenshot tool from capturing your private chats.
If you aren’t aware, Recall was first unveiled a year ago as part of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC push. The feature quietly took screenshots of everything happening on your computer, every few seconds, storing them in a searchable timeline. Microsoft claimed it would help users “remember” what they’ve done. Critics called it creepy. Security experts called it dangerous. The backlash was so fierce that Microsoft pulled the feature before launch.
Windows 7 Reloaded solves Windows 11's biggest problem -- download it now
One of the first things people notice about Windows 11 is its redesigned interface, most obviously, the taskbar and Start menu, which are now centered. It’s a major departure from the classic layout of Windows 10 and earlier, and for long-time users, the change can take some getting used to.
If you’re someone who prefers the familiar feel of earlier versions, particularly Windows 7, there’s now a stylish way to bring that experience back.
Microsoft adds new AI Actions entry to the Windows 11 context menu
Microsoft, Google, Apple, et al -- they are all at it. There is not a big-name tech firm in existence that is not deeply invested in artificial intelligence, and for end users this means having AI tools dangled in front of them at any given opportunity.
Windows 11 has already seen more than its fair share of AI, and this is not something that shows any signs of changing.
Major changes are coming to the Microsoft Store -- including the ability to update Win32 apps
Using an app store to keep installed apps up to date is something that the likes of Apple’s App Store and Google Play brought to the mainstream, and it eventually moved to the desktop. Until now, the Microsoft Store has been limited in its capabilities, but Microsoft has announced some huge changes.
Perhaps the biggest change is support for updating Win32 apps directly in Microsoft Store, which is something users have been asking for for some time. But there are other changes too, including zero onboarding fees for developers, and an expanded set of Health Report insights.
Microsoft is giving Windows 11 power users and developers new Advanced Windows Settings
Everyone likes to feel that they are in control of their computer, but the way the Settings app has been organized can make this hard. Acknowledging this, Microsoft had revealed new Advanced Windows Settings to allow for more configuration options.
The new Advanced section essentially replaces the For Developers section of Settings, but Microsoft says that it is now also aimed at power users. There are many options collected into one place that would otherwise be scattered, hidden or inaccessible.
Microsoft releases emergency patch for Windows 10 BitLocker recovery problems
The release of the KB5058379 update for Windows 10 earlier this month resulted in frustration for many Windows 10 users. People with devices with Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) enabled on 10th generation or later Intel vPro processors were hit with BitLocker recovery problems.
It took Microsoft a little while to acknowledge the issue, but now the company has issued an out-of-band patch in the form of the KB5061768 update.
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