Windows Central

Lately, the Edge vs. Chrome discussions on Reddit have taken a new turn, moving away from brand loyalty and focusing more on performance, battery life, and features that truly improve everyday browsing. After switching between both browsers this week, the difference feels smaller than ever. We're curious about which one people prefer and why. Story at Windows Central🔗👇 windowscentral.com/microsoft/wind…

Hate AI in Windows 11? Nuke it with a tool that Microsoft probably doesn't want you to know about. NTLite lets you strip out features like Copilot and Recall by locally editing live installations to "integrate updates, drivers, and settings into ready-to-deploy ISOs." It's free and sounds quite promising: windowscentral.com/microsoft/wind…

Learn all about the May 2026 Windows 11 update in our all-new feature and deep dive🔗👇(2/2) windowscentral.com/microsoft/wind…

🪟Windows 11 May update on the 12th looks like a GOOD one! The May 2026 Windows 11 update is one of those releases that looks small on the surface but ends up changing how you use the OS every day. We walk through 11 new changes that you'll want to look out for when it starts rolling out. From our Windows expert Mauro: "I walked away from the May 2026 Windows 11 update feeling like Microsoft finally struck the right balance between useful upgrades and everyday polish. Xbox mode is the feature that grabbed me first because it genuinely makes my PC feel like a console when I want it to. File Explorer feels faster, folder views are finally consistent, and the expanded archive support saves me from installing extra tools. Even the small touches, like smarter Taskbar AI and tighter driver rules, make the OS feel more intentional. It is not a flashy update, but as I tested everything, I kept noticing little improvements that add up." (1/2)

The slow decline of outdated Windows versions continues as Microsoft confronts expiring Secure Boot certificates for the first time ever. Read: [2/2] windowscentral.com/microsoft/wind…

Microsoft's original Secure Boot certificates, first issued in 2011, are set to expire in June 2026, effectively leaving your PC in a degraded security state. Here's what you can do to prevent any issues ⤵️ [1/2]

ON THIS DAY: UWP! On this day nine years ago, we covered Microsoft’s push to reposition UWP and modernize Windows app development. It was a moment filled with big ideas and a lot of optimism about what a unified app model could become. Looking back, it is a reminder of how much the Windows ecosystem has changed and how many of those early ambitions shaped the platform we use today. From the Windows Central archives🔗👇 windowscentral.com/microsoft/on-t…

Microsoft confirms that it will hide Windows 11's annoying MSN feed by default as it moves to reduce ads and noise across the OS In the latest Insider preview build, the Widgets Panel no longer opens with the MSN feed by default. That means no more surprise ads, no more clickbait stories, and no more noise the moment you click the weather icon. Instead, the panel now opens straight to your actual widgets, giving you a cleaner, more focused experience. Microsoft says the goal is to make Widgets “less distracting and overwhelming,” and the changes go beyond just hiding the feed. Hover‑to‑open is disabled by default, taskbar badging is turned off, and alerts are limited unless you choose to engage with the panel. It’s all part of the broader Windows K2 effort to reduce ads, bloat, and friction across the OS — a meaningful shift toward a calmer, more intentional Windows 11. windowscentral.com/microsoft/wind…

Pricing error? Nah, just a perfect opportunity to land a high-performance 4TB M.2 drive for $914 less than usual. Don't need that much space? 1TB and 2TB drives are also half price for a limited time. windowscentral.com/hardware/stora…

Remember how much flak NVIDIA took when it revealed DLSS 5's extreme AI makeovers? Well, Roblox is working on its own version of AI-generated photorealistic graphics that won't require every user to have a monster GPU. windowscentral.com/gaming/roblox-…

If you're using a PS5's DualSense controller wirelessly with your gaming PC, you might be doing it wrong 😅 This GitHub project and a $7 Raspberry Pi are all you need to get the full experience, including adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gami…

How long will it be until this investment becomes worth it to the bottom line? [2/2] windowscentral.com/microsoft/is-m…

"The key issue is that Microsoft’s AI story is now too large to be judged only by growth rates." Microsoft beat expectations for the financial quarter again, but investors want proof that rising AI spending will deliver real profit down the road. Companies simply need to find a path to profitability in the long term. We've seen OpenAI struggle to do so. [1/2]

Microsoft just dropped a new quality of life update for Windows 11, KB5083631, which is packing several new changes and features designed to improve the overall performance and reliability of the OS. The headline upgrade is a major boost to explorer.exe reliability, tackling long‑standing issues across sign‑in, Taskbar interactions, Task View, Quick Access, and more. Dark mode users finally get relief from the infamous white flash bug, and File Explorer now supports even more archive formats, including uu, cpio, xar, and NuGet packages. Microsoft is also rolling out Xbox Mode, a console‑style full‑screen experience designed for lean‑back gaming on PCs. Add in the new haptic feedback engine for supported pens and mice, a cleaner voice typing UI, and smarter Drop Tray sharing, and the update starts to feel like a genuine refinement of daily Windows use. One of the most interesting additions: AI agents on the Taskbar. This isn’t “more AI in Windows” — it’s a set of new APIs that lets developers surface progress from their AI tools directly in the Taskbar. windowscentral.com/microsoft/wind…

Naturally, not everyone is going to get it right away, but having promised it in April, it has *just* made it out in April. FULL STORY👇 windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xb…

Microsoft barely made its own deadline, but it's happening, Xbox Mode is now officially rolling out to all Windows 11 PCs 🎉

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has just been given something on PS5 that it simply cannot have on Xbox. And isn't that just a little sad. windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/pl…

They tried to kill Windows Phone, but it'll never truly die! 8Marketplace is a new community-driven effort to provide apps and support to the long-abandoned Windows Phone 8 platform. File this one under things we love to see... windowscentral.com/hardware/windo…

Finally, the Xbox Ally X is getting Auto Super Resolution mode, and the whole Windows 11 PC gaming experience just got a TON better for TV and handheld docking. - Manage display settings in the Game Bar. - AutoSR (Preview) boosts resolution without sacrificing frame rate. - Fixes to controllers on PC, and much more. DETAILS: windowscentral.com/hardware/handh… 🕹️

After the Warcraft 3: Reforged fiasco, Blizzard hasn't entirely given up on the game. Now, a new Warcraft 3: Legacy version has appeared on Battle .net. Is it what everyone was hoping for? Unfortunately, no. But it could be a solid first step in the right direction. windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gami…