Windows
SEE WINDOWS STORIES BY CATEGORY
News
Microsoft's new AI-powered Paste is way cooler than it should be
The latest addition to Microsoft's suite of PowerToys adds Advanced Paste, which uses AI to paste a group of data in a format that you specify.
News
Microsoft debuts Phi Silica, AI specifically for Copilot+ PCs
Microsoft is moving from big, powerful AI LLM chatbots to SLMs, or AI that can squeeze into the constraints of a PC. Its first effort is Phi Silica for Copilot+ PCs.
News
The best Windows app you've never heard of gets AI superpowers
Microsoft is finally adding Copilot-like AI flows to Power Automate, the Windows app that can create mega-macros to perform a variety of tasks.
News
Microsoft Edge will dub streamed video with AI-translated audio
Microsoft Edge will dub AI-generated and translated audio over streamed video, Microsoft said, in addition to providing captions. One of the named sites? YouTube.
News
Windows Recall has one big gotcha, and it's not privacy
Windows Recall is Microsoft's intriguing, AI-powered local search. But its hardware demands are somewhat shocking.
Feature
Microsoft Paint's new Cocreator is an unexpected AI art treat
Did you know that there are now two AI art tools in Microsoft Paint: Image Creator and Cocreator? And they're both super cool.
Feature
Windows Recall could solve my biggest problem in tech
Microsoft is promising that its new Recall technology for Windows Copilot+ PCs will be able to find digital detail, no matter the application. If so, I want it.
Updated
Microsoft’s free PC optimizer makes it easy to free up storage space
Adios, CCleaner? Microsoft has added helpful new features to its free PC Manager, but mind those Repair suggestions.
Updated
Firefox 126 is here: More security, less tracking, and faster Facebook
Firefox version 126.0 focuses on the elimination of a number of security vulnerabilities. The update should also make Facebook load faster.
News
Microsoft's PC Manager app pushes Bing Search as a 'repair'
PC Manager is a clever tuning tool from Microsoft for Windows, but it's pushing odd Bing Search defaults as a suggested repair.
News
A new Xbox cloud feature lets work laptops play like gaming PCs
Microsoft has added the ability to play with a mouse and keyboard to select titles on Xbox Cloud Gaming running on a browser, with Xbox app support coming in the near future.
Tip
How to change the color of the Windows taskbar
Looking to customize the look of the Windows taskbar? We'll guide you every step of the way.
News
Microsoft's patch fixes the update that broke VPNs on Windows
Microsoft's May 2024 patch for Windows 10 and Windows 11 fixes the bug that broke VPN connections on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Updated
Microsoft's newest Windows update breaks VPNs, but there's a fix
Microsoft's most recent security update for Windows 10 and Windows 11 may cause VPNs to fail to connect, Microsoft warns. There is no fix.
Tip
How to compare current and older file versions in Microsoft Word
If you repeatedly revise a Word document and save it as a separate file, it is difficult to keep track of the changes. We will show you how to display the changed passages.
News
Finland's 'Windows95man' is taking Eurovision by storm
Eurovision is Europe's delightfully bizarre song contest. The Finnish contestant is a guy named "Windows95man," and his song is, dare we say, great?
News
Microsoft is finally changing Word's annoying default Paste behavior
One of the most annoying functions in Word is finally being revised. Microsoft is responding to feedback on the annoying paste option.
News
This Windows 11 RAM change will make pedantic PC nerds less aggro
Also dude, megahertz is not the preferred nomenclature, megatransfers please.
News
More workers are using AI, but they're ashamed to admit it
Microsoft's 2024 Work Trend Index focuses heavily on AI and Copilot, but the results seem to show a workforce struggling with how to come to grips with AI and use it effectively.
News
Microsoft's Copilot AI is stealing one of Midjourney's best features
Microsoft is adding several features to Copilot, including a rewrite feature, autocompleted prompts, and Catch Up, to take AI novices and turn them into prompt engineers.
News
Sick of ads in Windows? This ingenious program eradicates them all
This clever free tool removes all the ads that Microsoft keeps stuffing into Windows 10 and 11.
How-To
Windows is full of mysterious processes and files. What's behind them?
Windows is full of files whose purpose is baffling to you. Some of these files take up an enormous amount of space. But only a few can be deleted safely. We can help.
News
Microsoft says it's pausing Windows Copilot UI tests
Microsoft says that it's putting a temporary hold on testing new looks for Copilot within Windows, refining what it already has.
News
Upgrading to Windows 11 is a whole lot faster and easier now
Microsoft has removed a hurdle for some Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 as quickly as possible.
How-To
13 important Windows settings to change immediately
Immediately after installing Windows 11, there are various settings that you should adjust to operate the operating system more securely and effectively.
News
Microsoft's Edge browser gets a built-in network speed test
You can now check your internet speed directly in your Edge browser's toolbox.
News
You can finally use passkeys to log into your Microsoft account
Microsoft said that it is adding passkeys — logging in with Windows Hello biometrics — to its consumer accounts and apps. It's enormously convenient.
How-To
Save money! How to use your smartphone as a Windows 11 PC webcam
Windows 11 now allows the wireless connection of Android smartphones for use as a webcam. We'll show you how to do this and what you should look out for.
News
Windows end-of-life pop-ups: Watch their long, annoying history
Since Windows XP, Microsoft has been urging users to upgrade to the latest version of Windows with intrusive end-of-support pop-ups. A video shows all these annoyances.
Tip
How to reset Microsoft Edge's browser settings
Sometimes problems occur with the Edge browser, such as annoying cookie settings or blocked downloads. We'll show you how to solve these quickly.
Tip
How to turn off Windows 11's new Start Menu ads
Microsoft is starting to display annoying ads in the Windows 11 start menu. How to switch them off immediately.
News
Microsoft made DOS 4.0 open-source, but not everyone is happy
Releasing old files in a new-er format has caused a lot of headaches for software historians.
News
Controversial Windows 11 Start menu ads begin rolling out
Microsoft has pushed "Promoted" apps from the Store to the Windows 11 wide build just a few weeks after they started appearing to Insiders.
News
Copilot running locally on your PC? Microsoft's new AI could be the key
Microsoft unveils Phi-3-mini, an LLM designed to run specifically on your phone or PC. It's very possible that this could be the basis for Copilot running locally on your PC, within Windows.
Tip
Midnight Commander revives the spirit of Norton's long-dead file manager
Although Norton Commander, once the standard tool among file managers, is long gone, Midnight Commander offers a suitable replacement.
Feature
4 just-added Windows 11 features that make your life easier
With Windows 11 Moment 5, Microsoft is integrating various new functions into Windows 11. In this article, we show you the new features and everything you need to know about them.
Tip
Outlook: How to set up breaks between your meetings
By default, Outlook assumes that appointments in the calendar follow each other directly if you enter them one after the other. We will show you how Outlook automatically schedules breaks between consecutive appointments.
News
Microsoft tests a handy Windows account summary – and another ad
Microsoft is rolling out proposed changes to Windows 11, including a nice little synopsis of your Windows account, but also another (!) ad for a Xbox Game Pass subscription.
News
Windows' AI-powered future could feature 'Qualcomm Inside'
Microsoft's plans for Windows 11 and AI seem increasingly centered around Qualcomm, as a key next-generation Windows feature may be limited to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite Arm chip.
Deal
Grab a copy of Windows 11 Pro for just $20
Woot has both Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro (get Pro, seriously) for more than $100 off the retail price
Feature
AI buttons are being forced into your tech, whether you want it or not
Microsoft and Logitech's new dedicated "AI buttons" have echoes of Cortana and Bixby.![4 free ways to screen record Windows 11 [2024 guide]](https://www.pcworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/easeus_screen_record_windows-1.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=300&h=200&crop=1)
Sponsored
4 free ways to screen record Windows 11 [2024 guide]
We'll show you how to screen record Windows 11 using inbuilt tools (Game Bar, Snipping Tool) and third-party software (EaseUS RecExperts, OBS).
News
Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019 get an execution date (and it's soon)
Support for Office 2016 and 2019 will end soon. After that, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates. This is what users can do.
News
Windows PCs are getting a free upgrade to Windows 11
Since November 2021, Microsoft has denied certain Windows 10 PCs the free upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft is now lifting the ban.
Sponsored
Transfer C drive to new SSD in Windows without reinstalling
If you want to transfer your C drive to an SSD, we have a step-by-step guide to show you how. Read on to find out how to do it.
Sponsored
How to create ISO image of hard drive in Windows 10 for free
Making an ISO image of a hard drive means creating a 1-to-1 backup copy that consists of a .iso file. Here are two ways to do just that.
Updated
It's official: Ads are coming to the Windows Start menu
Microsoft says that "Promoted" apps are coming to the Recommended section, of the Start menu in Windows 11, a piece of software that you paid for.
News
A Windows 11 'free' upgrade pushes users to buy a new PC
Microsoft is launching ads within Windows 10 to get users to upgrade to Windows 11. The problem? The PC can't run it, meaning that they would have to buy a whole new PC.
Tip
How to open the Windows Terminal with the command prompt
With the Terminal, Windows has a common interface for Powershell, Command Prompt, and Azure Cloud Shell. This allows you to start the terminal directly with the command prompt.
News