The most popular operating system in the world, Microsoft’s Windows is the software that powers hundreds of millions of PCs. Introduced back in November 1985, Windows has changed and evolved over time to grow as gaming, design, development, and productivity needs have shifted. Whether XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, or, most recently, Windows 11, Microsoft’s OS is one of the most important pieces of software ever made.
If you’ve experienced performance issues in games after installing the latest Windows 11 October 2025 update (KB5066835) then Nvidia now has a hotfix driver to address the problems. It’s not clear what games have been impacted by Microsoft’s latest update, but you can grab the latest hotfix driver here or wait until the next non-beta release.
Microsoft is finally bringing back calendar appointments to the notification center in Windows 11. It was removed at the launch of Windows 11 in 2021, after Microsoft reworked the taskbar. The new “Agenda view” will be available in preview builds of Windows 11 next month, according to Microsoft.
The next generation of BitLocker, Microsoft’s encryption feature in Windows, will require next-generation Windows devices that are built on unannounced chips. “Hardware acceleration of BitLock requires the capability in the silicon platform,” says Windows chief Pavan Davuluri. “As and when those capabilities are available, the OS will be able to unlock them for users.”
Sysmon was first released in 2014 as a utility for security analysis into the Windows Event Log. Built by Microsoft technical fellow Mark Russinovich with assistance from Thomas Garnier, Sysmon is now making its way directly into Windows 11 in early 2026. It will make it easier for security teams to detect and respond to threats.
The feature, part of the Windows November 2025 security update, lets you use Windows Hello to sign in to any app or service with passkeys stored in 1Password. It’s a nice option if you prefer 1Password over Microsoft Password Manager. Microsoft said in a blog post that support for other passkey managers is coming soon.
The Xbox Ally is better with Bazzite.
The feature, seen previously in Microsoft’s Designer and Photos apps on desktop and mobile, will start rolling out today to Windows Insiders members in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. You’ll need Paint version 11.2509.441.0 and a Copilot Plus PC with a Snapdragon processor to try it out.
While you’ll need a Microsoft PowerToy to do it, you can now automatically switch between light and dark modes on Windows 11 based on a schedule or when the sun rises and sets. The latest Light Switch PowerToy is very similar to the Auto Dark Mode app that’s been around for years, and you can also use it to set whether the shell, apps, or both should switch automatically.
Windows 10 reached end of support today, and now Microsoft appears to be teasing what’s next. “Something big is coming Thursday,” says the official Windows account on X, with some vague clues about your hands and fingers getting some rest. Is it gestures? Voice controls? The return of Clippy? I guess we don’t have long to find out.
The latest Dev Channel Windows 11 Insider Preview Build brings dark mode to Run. Why did it take this long?
If you have a Copilot Plus PC, Microsoft is adding summarize, write, and rewrite AI-powered features to Notepad soon. Windows Insiders are testing the changes, which don’t require a Microsoft 365 subscription. Microsoft is using the local models on Copilot Plus PCs to power this Notepad feature.
