If you’ve been keeping up with Windows 11 news you’ll know that there’s been a lot of turbulence with the latest optional update – Windows 11 version KB5036980 – and the introduction of ads into the start menu. Happily, Microsoft is finally doing something about it – but it might be too little, too late for some users.
The update is currently available for users running Windows 11 version 23H2 and 22H2 and can be installed manually from the Update Catalog. Besides the annoying pop-ups of ads in your start menu, it seems that users are also getting error messages when trying to change their profile photo.
Spotted by Windows Latest, some users who installed the update are getting an error message when they try to change their account photo. This seems to only be happening on people’s local system accounts and not their actual Microsoft accounts, meaning that it’s definitely a Windows issue rather than something to do with Microsoft’s online account systems.
Playing the waiting game
Microsoft has updated its Feedback Hub to say that it’s aware of the reports and has already started to make changes in the internal builds. So, the May 2024 optional update is expected to fix the current issues.
Windows Latest received comments from Microsoft support staff that it is investigating the error and confirmed that the issue affects the mandatory KB5036893 update and the optional KB5036980 update that put ads in the Start menu. The profile pic bug is expected to be fixed soon, along with some other bugs that have been plaguing Windows 11 as of late.
So if you are currently experiencing this issue, you’ll likely just have to wait for the May patch for Microsoft to issue a fix. Until then, you may be stuck with your profile picture for a while – I hope it’s cute!
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Of all the biggest missed opportunities in Microsoft’s rather long history of squandered chances, Windows on Arm is the one I’m saddest about – but that could soon change.
When Windows 10 on Arm was first being touted (the less said about the earlier Windows RT the better), the promise of a fully-fledged version of Windows running on Arm-based hardware usually found in smartphones and tablets (rather than the more common Intel and AMD hardware) was incredibly exciting.
We were told that Windows 10 on Arm would combine the power and flexibility of the best laptops with some of the best features of smartphones and tablets – particularly speedy boot times, fast resume, always-connected internet, and day-long battery life.
Unfortunately, the reality was quite different from those lofty promises. While battery lives of Windows 10 on Arm devices were certainly impressive for the time, performance was poor, especially considering that Windows 10 on Arm devices were also very expensive.
Worst of all, these devices could only run apps downloaded from the Windows Store (now known as the Microsoft Store), and those apps had to have Arm-compatible versions.
(Image credit: Microsoft / Dell)
Unfortunately, most Windows apps are designed for Intel and AMD hardware (also known as x64 architecture). This makes sense as the vast majority of Windows devices – especially during the Windows 10 years – was built on x64 hardware. So, many app developers didn’t see the point of making Arm-compatible versions, and this meant that not only were Windows 10 on Arm devices more expensive and less powerful than standard Windows 10 laptops, but they also couldn’t run a lot of the most popular applications – a fatal combination.
Poor sales of Windows on Arm devices inevitably followed, and that, in turn, meant app developers were less likely to port their products to Arm.
(Image credit: Yaaaaayy / Shutterstock)
Breaking the vicious cycle
Unfortunately, the lack of both apps and customers set off a vicious cycle that impacted the success of later Windows 11 on Arm devices.
However, there have been some exciting breakthroughs that could positively affect the fortunes of Windows 11 on Arm devices, and might finally allow them to reach their full potential.
The most important development has been the launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus and Elite chips. Qualcomm is one of the biggest companies in the world, and while it might not have the kind of brand recognition that the likes of Intel and AMD have, its Arm-based chips have been powering millions of mobile devices around the world. The company has been a key partner of Microsoft’s when it comes to Windows on Arm devices and has applied its experience of making Arm chips for mobile devices to create more powerful chips for computing devices. While these haven’t always been successful, the latest generation promises some very exciting things.
This struck me as evidence that Qualcomm might have cracked two of the biggest issues with Windows on Arm devices. First, there’s the performance. While Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Snapdragon X Elite-powered device was playable, it won’t trouble the best gaming laptops – but the fact that it even ran at all is impressive. This bodes well for the day-to-day performance of Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops.
There’s also the important fact that there’s no Arm version of Baldur’s Gate 3 for Windows devices. This means that the game is using emulation to allow it to work on Arm hardware. This comes at a performance cost, which makes the playable state of the game on the Snapdragon X Elite even more impressive. It also shows that even demanding non-Arm applications can be made to work on Arm hardware without needing a native Arm version. This could pave the way for more programs coming to Windows on Arm – and it isn’t dependent on the developers making dedicated versions. This could address the issue of a lack of apps on Windows on Arm.
Alongside the Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm also has Snapdragon X Plus, a more affordable chip that lowers the CPU core count (10 cores compared to the Elite’s 12) and lower speed (3.4GHz vs 3.8GHz). If the performance remains competitive (and early benchmark leaks suggest that it does), and the price is low enough, we could see Windows on Arm devices that aren’t overpriced and offer much better value for money – addressing yet another common criticism of Windows on Arm devices.
(Image credit: Apple)
The Apple effect
Before the launch of the Snapdragon X series, Windows on Arm was in a bad place. Things looked particularly grim as Microsoft’s old rival, Apple, was enjoying huge success and critical acclaim with its lineup of Macs powered by its M1 (and later M2 and M3) chips – which are built on Arm architecture.
While Windows on Arm struggled, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and co were proving that Arm-powered laptops weren’t just viable, they could be the future of computing. Offering the long battery lives and quick startups we’d been promised, Apple’s first generation of Mac and MacBooks that ran on the company’s Arm-based chips, rather than the Intel hardware of older models, were a hit. And, while the MacBook Air’s launch price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,599 wasn’t exactly cheap, it was a competitive price point. And with the M1 providing an excellent level of performance, the high price tag is far more justified.
The best thing about the M1 Apple Macs was a tool by Apple called Rosetta 2. This was an emulation layer that allowed almost all existing Mac apps to run on the new M1 hardware. This meant Mac users switching to an M1 device would be able to use pretty much all of their important apps and programs, even if M1 native apps were thin on the ground.
This was a canny move by Apple, as it meant that M1 products were a big success, and because of that, app developers started making versions of their products that could run on M1 hardware without the need for emulation – and could take full advantage of Apple’s chip.
When the M2 series of Macs and MacBooks came out, Rosetta 2 was still in use – but the number of times I’ve had to use it when using an M2 MacBook dropped significantly, as there was a growing library of M2 apps.
By the time the M3 chips rolled around late last year, the number of times I (and other users) had to rely on Rosetta 2 was even rarer. Very few bits of software can be considered a success if fewer people need to use it, but that’s exactly what happened here. Rosetta 2 allowed Mac owners to switch to Arm-based Macs with ease, while also giving app developers the time to develop native apps. And the more people that switched to Arm Macs, the more attractive it became for app developers to port their apps to the platform.
(Image credit: Accogliente Design / Shutterstock)
It’s now up to Microsoft
So, Apple proved that Arm-based laptops can be successful, and Qualcomm looks like it could have addressed many of the hardware issues. Does this mean the next generation of Windows on Arm devices will be a slam dunk?
Sadly, that’s not a guarantee just yet as there’s one company that needs to pull its weight to give Windows on Arm devices their best chance of success: Microsoft.
While it’s obvious that Microsoft would want Windows on Arm to succeed, the way it’s handled previous generations has been frustrating. The fact that there’s never been a tool similar to Rosetta 2 that would make running non-Arm apps run easily is particularly annoying.
Now, I’m sure this is due to it being a very complex job. After all, Windows devices are made by various manufacturers that use components from different companies, which leads to a potentially limitless range of Windows PC configurations. Macs, on the other hand, have much more limited configurations, with the hardware mainly being built by Apple.
However, the lack of apps is perhaps the biggest hurdle still standing for Windows on Arm, especially when there are Macs out there that can run a much wider range of apps. And, this is a problem that should be in Microsoft’s powers to do something about.
Microsoft does have tools for getting non-Arm software running on Arm hardware using emulation, but it hasn’t taken off in the same way, mainly because it’s not as easy to use and doesn’t work quite as well, with some apps still refusing to run.
If Microsoft can’t come up with a Rosetta 2-beating solution, then it needs to do more work convincing app developers to port their software to Arm. This might be a difficult feat, especially when the user base is so low, but Microsoft is a very successful company with plenty of resources. It could provide financial incentives, or offer developers and tools to help port the biggest apps.
Microsoft is also a hardware company, and its past attempts to create Windows on Arm devices suffered from the problems that have become all too familiar. The Surface Pro X, for example, came with Microsoft’s SQ1 Arm-based chip, made in conjunction with Qualcomm. It was also overpriced and didn’t perform well.
However, if these devices come out with unappealing price tags, poor performance, and a continued lack of app support, then it could be the end of the Windows on Arm dream. After all, if Microsoft itself can’t make a success of it, what hope do other companies have?
Windows 10 has received a new optional update and it comes with some much-needed fixing to cure problems some users have been experiencing with the search function in the OS.
Microsoft tells us that: “This update makes some changes to Windows Search. It is now more reliable, and it is easier to find an app after you install it. This update also gives you a personalized app search experience.”
As Windows Latest describes, for some Windows 10 users, search has become a somewhat hit or miss affair particularly around trying to quickly fire up an app. Such as, for example, searching for the ‘Recycle Bin’ and not getting the icon for that returned, but other functions instead.
On social media, there have been a number of reports about wonky search experiences, too, such as this one on Reddit where Windows 10 refused to find a commonly-used app.
In more extreme cases, search is locking up and crashing, which is the pinnacle of irritation for this part of the UI.
Analysis: Wait a little longer
Hopefully, this kind of behavior should be a thing of the past when this update is applied. However, note that this is just an optional update at this point, so it’s officially still in testing – meaning there’s a slight chance the fix may not be fully working. Or that the KB5036979 update might cause unwelcome side-effects elsewhere in Windows 10 (it wouldn’t be the first time, certainly).
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The safest bet is to wait it out, let early adopters test this preview update, and install the finished cumulative update when it arrives in May (on Patch Tuesday, which will be May 14).
At least we know this piece of smoothing over is now incoming, so those who’ve been frustrated with iffy search results now know that – with any luck – their woes should soon be over. Or at least, they’ll face spanners in the search works with less regularity.
Elsewhere with this update, Microsoft has also improved the reliability of widgets on the lock screen, with a more “customized experience” and more visuals available, so these should be better all-round, too.
The downside with KB5036979? That’s a new initiative to introduce notifications about your Microsoft Account in the Start menu and Settings app, which will doubtless consist of various prompts to sign up for an account, or to finish that process.
Microsoft is going full speed ahead with its upcoming Windows 11 update 24H2, also known as Hudson Valley. It’s bringing more artificial intelligence (AI) features to the operating system, including AI Explorer, and as such Microsoft will be adding a feature that can tell users whether their PC will support it. Or you can look that information up for yourself.
Update 24H2, most likely launching in September or October 2024, will not only require PopCnt but a mandatory SSE4.2 requirement added to the undelaying code. This update will feature some truly great AI tools and enhancements to many Windows apps and programs like Windows Copilot and Cocreator AI-powered assistants for apps like Notepad and Paint.
Of course, the biggest feature is the aforementioned AI Explorer, which will make records of a user’s previous actions and transform them into ‘searchable moments,’ thereby allowing users to search as well as retract them.
Over on X, Albacore found out (and Neowin reported on) that “a cautionary message will be displayed on such systems not meeting the requirements.” It’s a handy system for those who aren’t sure whether their PCs can handle these new AI features. However, instead of waiting until the update drops later in 2024 users can check if their PCs are AI-enabled right now.
Looking at bits present in insider build 26200, AI Explorer indeed checks these requirements and if they aren’t met, a warning will be present in its overlays. You can however skip the check altogether by disabling ID 48486440. This only disables AIX making the check, not the API https://t.co/XmnjzCZqEwApril 22, 2024
Is your PC AI-enabled? Check now
Dell published a support page that instructs users how to accomplish this themselves. A key aspect here is your computer needs to have a built-in neural processing unit (NPU); that’s a specialized processor designed for handling AI-based tasks, doing so more efficiently and using less power in the process that a CPU.
Dedicated NPUs are often found in PCs featuring Intel‘s 14th-Gen processors, AMD‘s Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 or Snapdragon X Elite and newer.
You can see the steps for checking for NPUs in general, as well as how to check for the required drivers for Intel and AMD processors. As for Qualcomm processors, all AI hardware drivers are pre-installed and are updated via Windows Update.
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At first glance, the Maiyunda M1 doesn’t look all that special. It’s a mini PC with a large on/off button on the front, alongside a TF card slot, a USB 3.0 port, and two USB 2.0 ports. On the rear, there are HDMI 2.0 and DP ports to allow the device to drive two screens simultaneously (4K/60Hz). There are also four 2.5GbE RJ45 ports plus two additional USB 2.0 slots.
With dimensions of just 165 x 147.5 x 59mm, not including the 52mm leg pads, the M1 with its all-aluminum shell looks like any mini PC, and even its manufacturer describes it as “unassuming”.
But the Maiyunda M1 has something that sets it apart from the competition – four quick release NVMe SSD slots on the front (behind a fascia) so you can add additional drives without having to open the enclosure. The M1 can also hold an internal 2280 NVMe SSD, bringing the total amount of available storage to 40TB.
Choice of processors
At the heart of the M1 is either an Intel N100 or Core i3-N305 Alder Lake-N processor and the device comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM upgradeable to 32GB.
The manufacturer claims the M1 can handle temperatures of 0°C to +70°C and withstand humidity levels of 5%-85%.
Although it runs Windows, the creators say it supports a variety of other systems, including Linux, Proxmox VE, ESXI, Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Unraid, and OMV (OpenMediaVault).
The M1 is currently only available in China sadly, where it retails for a very reasonable 1380 CNY (about $190) on Taobao. There’s no information yet on the price differences between the various configuration options.
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The sun continues to set on the iconic WindowsControl Panel, as another key part, the Fonts page, makes its way to the Settings app instead. The Control Panel isn’t on the way out just yet, but it’s directing users to the Settings app for an increasing number of functions. And now, reports suggest that later this year, if you try to open the Fonts page from the Control Panel you’ll be automatically redirected to the Settings app.
The Fonts page can currently be found in the following location:
Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Fonts
This is the latest development in an ongoing migration process that Windows Latest has been documenting for several years, which has seen features transition from the Control Panel to the Settings app. Windows Latest reports that Microsoft doesn’t currently seem to have plans to completely remove Control Panel from regular Windows 11 versions.
(Image credit: Future)
The next version of font management in Windows 11
Over in the Settings app, there will be a modern font management interface and it will work similarly to its Control Panel predecessor. At the moment, the legacy version of the Fonts page still exits and can be found in Control Panel, and it can be located using Windows Search.
Here, you can browse the fonts available on your system and use the legacy font management page.
That said, Microsoft wants to guide users to the Settings app for font management and Windows Latest writes that Fonts will be completely removed from the Control Panel in a future Windows update. Instead, users will be redirected to Settings > Personalization > Fonts, which is where the new Fonts page resides.
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This will be a noticeable change, but it shouldn’t be too disruptive as it apparently has all of the functionality and features of the legacy page. Also, the future update probably won’t remove the legacy Control Panel Fonts page right away, and users will still be able to find it in C:\Windows\Fonts within File Explorer.
If you’re particularly annoyed by the change and want to stick to the classic interface, you can create a shortcut link in your Settings page which will open the above location in File Explorer as well.
Again, Microsoft is pretty insistent that it would like users to get used to performing font management through Settings, and when Windows Latest opened the Fonts page in File Explorer, it got this message:
“This page is being decoupled from Fonts Control Panel. For more font settings, go to the Fonts page in the Settings app.”
A lot of users are used to Control Panel, which has been a part of Windows since the very first version in 1985, so Windows Latest thinks it’s here to stay. What will change is that with every new feature that’s migrated to the Settings app from Control Panel, users will be redirected to the new analogous page in Settings.
I think this is a wise decision from Microsoft as it makes sense to have a single place where you can manage all of your computer’s settings, especially as new generations of people are introduced to the operating system. It’s preserving the interface and (it seems like) full functionality of Control Panel, while attaching it to the new architecture that’s being built in a way that isn’t especially disruptive or difficult for existing users.
Microsoft could test its customers’ tolerance for ads in Windows 11 once again, as Windows Insiders have spotted yet another advert in an early version of the operating system that’s currently being tested. This means the feature is still technically in progress with Microsoft monitoring its reception, and it could decide to roll the new ads out to all users in a future Windows update.
Windows 11 Insider Build 22635.3500, which features the advert, was released in the Beta Channel of the Windows Insider Program, and comes shortly after Microsoft started testing ads in the Start Menu of Windows 11 as well. The new ad appears in the Settings app and suggests users sign up for Xbox Game Pass.
The update also includes other new features that will probably be more popular with users such as a new account manager in the Start menu and introducing support for Gmail in Windows Share (which lets Windows devices easily share files and folders with other devices over a network that they’re a part of). However, these new features were overshadowed by the deployment of the ad in Settings.
Microsoft has put out a Windows Insider Blog post detailing the changes and features that make up the new build, and it mentions the ad’s inclusion, which it calls a ‘recommendation,’ on the Settings home page. It suggests that the Game Pass recommendation card will only be shown to users who actively play games on their PCs. It also adds that this advert will only show in the Settings homepage if you’re running the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and you’re signed into your Microsoft account on your device.
Microsoft’s continuing dedication to ‘recommendations’
This development isn’t completely out of the blue as Microsoft has been experimenting with where it can get away with sticking ads for a while now. Alongside testing ads on the Settings page, it’s also trying out placing adverts in the Start menu’s ‘Recommended’ section. Microsoft is really trying to blur the line between what’s an ad and what it claims are just friendly ‘recommendations’, with pinned apps that look like ads for its other products appearing in a clean install of Windows 11.
Some people say that even if these sorts of ads appear, they might be acceptable as it’s often advertising products and services, like OneDrive, that could enhance the Windows 11 user experience. Some users are okay with this as long as the adverts show Microsoft’s products that could improve using their Windows 11 device.
However, many other people aren’t so hot on the idea, even if the products are Microsoft’s own, and are especially opposed to adverts for third-party apps. It can feel like the space that’s supposed to be your own personal or work digital space is turned into something resembling a billboard, as Windows Central describes it. To some, it’s particularly egregious when showing third-party app ads that may not add to the core Windows 11 experience, which feels like a cash grab by Microsoft.
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Those who are annoyed by these ads are probably feeling even more antagonistic because the ads are integrated into key parts of the operating system (OS) that you have to navigate to operate your device, so if you want to use the OS, you don’t have a choice but to see the adverts that appear in these key locations. Also, the Settings home page is kind of a strange place for an advert for Game Pass – generally, the two aren’t directly tied together.
Unfortunately, Microsoft seems set on this strategy, and according to Windows Central’s Senior Editor Zac Bowden, if you’re a Windows 11 user who’s not keen on the persistent flow of new AI features or more ads, you’re “in for a terrible next four months.” Many people are calling the approach straight-up aggressive, and I can’t disagree. We’re already bombarded by advertisements almost everywhere we turn, and it’s frustrating that our devices, which are necessary for many people for work and leisure, are increasingly becoming one more ad-saturated place we can’t entirely escape.
Microsoft has deployed a new preview build of Windows 11 to the Canary channel (which is the earliest testing outlet) and it does some work on the widgets panel that could be divisive.
This is build 26200 and there’s only a handful of changes applied here, two of which pertain to widgets.
The main thrust of innovation here is Microsoft’s new idea to allow developers to send notifications from their widgets to the taskbar button. In other words, when something happens with a widget that you might want to see, it’ll be waving at you from the taskbar to let you know.
Of course, not everyone will want their widget button in the taskbar to act in this way, and fortunately, Microsoft has included an option to turn off this behavior.
It’s also worth noting that this is a limited rollout to begin with, and indeed, most people won’t see these widget notifications yet – only those in the European Economic Area (EEA) are getting this feature in testing. Of course, that rollout could be made broader down the line, depending on feedback.
Another tweak related to this in build 26200 is that Microsoft is changing said widgets button to make the icons on the taskbar clearer.
Elsewhere on the taskbar, another icon is changing, this time the energy saver icon which resides in the system tray (on the far right). A few months back this was changed in testing to look different for desktop PCs plugged into a power socket, but now Microsoft has decided to revert it to the old look (a leaf icon).
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Finally, Microsoft notes that there is an odd known issue with this preview build – and others, in the Dev and Beta channels, too – whereby Copilot is auto-launching itself after the PC is rebooted.
The software giant explains this is not related to the automatic launch on boot behavior that has been tested in preview builds before, the rollout of which has now stopped, apparently, since March (though we heard it has been restarted elsewhere).
Analysis: A livelier taskbar won’t be everyone’s preferred beverage
Are notifications for widgets intrusive? Well, yes they could certainly be regarded in that way, but as noted, as long as the option is provided to turn them off, it’s not too big a deal. If you want them, you can have them – if not, hit that off switch. Fair enough.
Many people likely won’t want their widgets effectively waving their hands at them from the taskbar, whenever something new pops up with a widget in the panel. This taskbar-based hand-waving appears to be a direction Microsoft is exploring in more depth, though. We’ve also recently seen an idea where the Copilot button runs an animation with its icon to draw your attention to the fact that the AI can help with something you’re doing on the desktop.
This only relates to copying text or image files currently – again, in testing – but in this case, there’s no way to turn it off.
All this could possibly point to a taskbar which is considerably livelier and more animated in the future, perhaps – and again, that’s not something everyone will appreciate.
If this is the path we’re going down for the taskbar as we head towards next-gen Windows (which might be Windows 12), hopefully Microsoft will also give Windows users enough granular control over the bar’s highlighting features and animations so they can be dialed back suitably.
If you were among the Windows Server 2022 users who recently spotted a new Microsoft Copilot app added to the list of installed programs, don’t fret – it’s not an actual app, and it doesn’t work.
It’s just a mistake on Microsoft’s part, a tail left behind the tests Microsoft ran for Windows Server 2025, recently.
As reported by BleepingComputer, Microsoft acknowledged the error earlier this week, and added that it affected systems running Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 21H2, or newer.
Shouldn’t be visible
“Updates to Edge browser version 123.0.2420.65, released on March 28, 2024 and later, might incorrectly install a new package (MSIX) called ‘Microsoft chat provider for Copilot in Windows’ on Windows devices. Resulting from this, the Microsoft Copilot app might appear in the Installed apps in Settings menu,” the company said in a statement.
So, it was an update for the Edge browser that triggered the error – and furthermore, Microsoft says the “app” doesn’t collect data, or exfiltrate it to company servers.
“It is important to note that the Microsoft chat provider for Copilot in Windows does not execute any code or process, and does not acquire, analyze, or transmit device or environment data in any capacity,” Microsoft added.
The package will make it to the OS eventually, BleepingComputer added, but so far, it shouldn’t be visible on all Windows devices.
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“As part of the upcoming resolution of this issue, the chat provider for Copilot in Windows component will be removed from devices where Microsoft Copilot is not intended to be enabled or installed. This includes most Windows Server devices,” Microsoft said. “We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release of Microsoft Edge.”
The company started testing Microsoft Copilot in WIndows Server 2025 preview builds earlier this year, but removed it after a backlash from the community.
Currently, work is ongoing with finishing the 24H2 update which lands later this year – most likely it’ll roll out from September – but Microsoft is already looking past that upgrade to the first Moment update it’ll deliver for that release, likely early in 2025. (Assuming the Moment name is kept, and we’ll come back to that).
Windows 11 version 24H2’s first “Moment” is already underway, stumbled upon this internal flight earlierBuild 26120.383, it really is just an EKB on top of 26100 pic.twitter.com/zRVseaW2c4April 15, 2024
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This is according to a respected Microsoft leaker, Albacore on X (formerly Twitter), who as noted in the above post stumbled upon an internal flight – a preview version just being tested within Microsoft currently – which is the first Moment for 24H2. (Add your own scattering of seasoning here, naturally).
Analysis: The bigger update picture – and potential road to Windows 12
As a quick refresher, Moment updates are sizeable feature drops, though not nearly as big as the annual upgrades for Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2 and so on). Essentially, Moments offer a way for Microsoft to continue to drip feed features between the major ‘H2’ annual versions of Windows 11.
With the first Moment update for 24H2 seemingly already under development, this seems a strong indication that Microsoft will continue with this scheme of things for Windows 11 updates going forward.
As Albacore discusses in the thread of the above post on X, it is possible that Microsoft might change the name ‘Moment’ to something else, but the underlying principle of these small-to-medium sized upgrades – outside the cadence of the big annual updates – should remain in place for Windows 11 as we progress down the road with the OS.
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Before too long, though, that road will lead to Windows 12 – or whatever next-gen Windows ends up being called, with it quite possibly turning up in 2025, when Windows 10 exits stage left – and after that, the update delivery philosophy could change again.
Perhaps there’s a heightened chance of this, too, when you consider that Windows is under a new chief – Pavan Davuluri has taken the reins of the OS, as Mikhail Parakhin (who was heading up Windows previously) is off doing other things at Microsoft as of last month.
Traditionally, Microsoft has operated under this kind of scheme of smaller drip-fed updates outside of large feature drops – though not always. Before Windows 11 arrived, you may recall that Microsoft used a twice-yearly update scheme with Windows 10, so no new features were introduced between those upgrades. That left some pretty sizeable gaps of six months or so where nothing happened with the desktop OS feature-wise (except minor tweaks here and there).
We were never keen on that idea, but we don’t think Microsoft will return to that way of working – we’re taking this as a positive sign that Moments, or their equivalent, will be around for a good time yet, and hopefully with Windows 12 going forward, when it eventually rolls into town.
