Windows 8.1 Update 1 To Arrive On March 11

Mark your calendar because the latest rumor suggests that Microsoft is targeting the release of Windows 8.1 Update 1 for March 11, 2014, ZDNet reports from trusted sources familiar to the development. And it’s not an accident that the update will roll out in a Patch Tuesday as the company will make the Update 1 available through the Windows Update and not from the Windows Store like happened with Windows 8....

January 3, 2026 · 2 min · 300 words · Angela Keister

Windows Legacy Control Panel Is Finally Being Deprecated But Won’T Be Removed Anytime Soon

Microsoft confirms the plans to deprecate and remove the Control Panel from Windows. The Settings app is the experience that replaces the legacy Control Panel to change system settings. The company still has a lot of work to do to complete the transfer of the remaining features to the Settings app. UPDATED 8/14/2024: Although Microsoft has been transitioning system settings from the Control Panel to the Settings app for many years, the company has officially confirmed that the legacy experience of changing settings is being deprecated....

January 3, 2026 · 8 min · 1558 words · Michael Ray

Windows Package Manager 1.4 (Winget) Now Supports Zip Installs

Windows Package Manager version 1.4 rolls out to users. The update brings support to install packages in zip files, command aliases, and a new “wait” option. The new version also introduces changes to the upgrade process of already installed applications. Microsoft is now rolling out the Windows Package Manager version 1.4 (winget) with a bunch of improvements and new features like support to install zip-based packages, command aliases, a new “wait” option, and more....

January 3, 2026 · 3 min · 431 words · Otto Jenkins

Windows Recall Faces Further Delays As Microsoft Still Can’T Deliver A Secure And Trusted Experience

Microsoft now plans to start publicly testing Recall on Windows in December. The company says that extra time is needed to implement a secure experience. The feature was supported to launch in June, then in October, and now in December. Microsoft’s Recall, the biggest AI feature that was supposed to roll out exclusively as part of Windows 11 24H2 for Copilot+ PCs, has encountered another delay, marking the third time the company has postponed this feature....

January 3, 2026 · 5 min · 870 words · Bonita Alexander

Windows Subsystem For Android Gets October 2023 Update (Preview)

Windows Subsystem for Android October update preview brings some new improvements. The update makes available changes for graphics and reliability. In addition, you’ll find support for “.cer” files, a newer version of Chromium, and more. This update was previously available as version 2309.40000.2.0. Updated 10/20/2023: Microsoft is now rolling out the update version 2309.40000.8.0 for its Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) on Windows 11 . The update is available through the Windows Insider Program and includes various improvements, additional file support, and more to enhance Android apps on Windows 11....

January 3, 2026 · 1 min · 209 words · Anthony Friedman

Xbox App On Windows 10 Receives Massive Update And Xbox One Gets Miracast Support

Gaming on Xbox is just getting better. Microsoft announces today that a new significant update is coming in April for the Xbox app for Windows 10 and Xbox One console. The new update brings a number of features focus on making the Xbox app more social and adding more control to the console experience. In addition, Microsoft will be making a few new features to Xbox One and SmartGlass, which were highly requested by the community....

January 3, 2026 · 3 min · 569 words · Lorine Pujols

Xbox Full Screen Experience Is Coming To All Pcs Running Windows 11

Microsoft will bring the Xbox Full Screen Experience to all Windows 11 PCs. This console-like interface streamlines gaming, freeing up to 2GB of RAM by skipping the standard desktop. This expansion is a key defensive move against Valve’s upcoming Linux-based Steam Machine, aiming to keep Windows the primary platform for high-performance PC gaming. Microsoft is announcing its plans to bring the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) to a wider range of Windows 11 devices, including all x86 and ARM64 PC form factors....

January 3, 2026 · 3 min · 605 words · Iris Robinson

10 Ways To Avoid Problems Installing Windows 11 24H2

To prevent problems during Windows 11 24H2, you can do several things, including creating a backup, uninstalling conflicting apps, freeing up space, repairing system components, choosing different upgrade methods, and reverting back to the previous version as necessary. If you plan to upgrade to any of the supported versions of Windows 11 , including version 24H2, 23H2, or 22H2, you can use several recommendations for a successful installation without issues (or at least minimizing more problems)....

January 2, 2026 · 11 min · 2230 words · Matthew Messersmith

25 Best Hidden Features Inside The Windows 10 Anniversary Update

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is the next major update that Microsoft is making available for PCs, tablets, phones, Xbox, and pretty much anything that runs on Windows 10 . The new update of the popular operating system ships with a slew of improvements and features, which doesn’t redefine the way we use computers, but they make the experience more complete, secure, and enjoyable. If you’re part of the Windows Insider Program, or if you have followed the development of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update , you probably know many of the new changes that you are getting....

January 2, 2026 · 16 min · 3262 words · Lorine Hall

Build 27813 For Windows 11 Removes Location Tracking Feature In Canary Channel

Microsoft is now rolling out the Windows 11 build 27813 in the Canary Channel of the Windows Insider Program. This is a small update with some improvements and fixes, but it also hides some visual changes in the Settings app. According to the official changes , build 27813 for Windows 11 removes the “Location History” feature that Microsoft used to track your location when using Cortana. As a result, the “Location History” entry in the “Location” settings page is now gone....

January 2, 2026 · 2 min · 331 words · Julie Buchanan

Complete List Of Environment Variables On Windows 10, 11

UPDATED 8/1/2023: On Windows 11 (and 10), environment variables are predefined names representing the path to certain locations within the operating system, such as a drive or a particular file or folder. Environment variables can be helpful in many scenarios, but they’re particularly useful if you’re a network administrator or troubleshooting a device, as you can quickly navigate to certain locations without even knowing the username or full path to a system folder....

January 2, 2026 · 4 min · 657 words · Eloise Groome

Cumulative Update Kb4016635 Rolls Out For Windows 10 Version 1607

Microsoft is patching the Windows 10 Anniversary Update yet again. This time around, the company is rolling out update KB4016635 for version 1607. The new release doesn’t bring new features or improvements, instead it addresses two known issues with KB4013429 . KB4016635 bumps the version number of Windows to build 14393.670, and delivers fixes for a problem with CRM on IE11, and resolves error 0x80070216 that prevented users from updating Windows Store apps....

January 2, 2026 · 2 min · 322 words · Elaine Dahnke

Enable Color Filters (Accessibility) On Windows 11

To enable color filters on Windows 11, open Settings > Accessibility > Color filters , turn on “Color filters,” and choose a filter that best suits your situation. Color filters available include “Red-green (green weak, deuteranopia),” “Red-green (red weak, protanopia),” “Blue-yellow (tritanopia),” “Grayscale,” “Grayscale inverted,” and “Inverted.” On Windows 11 , you can choose to use different color filters on the screen, and in this guide, you will learn how....

January 2, 2026 · 2 min · 355 words · James Chojnacki

Firefox Is Becoming An Ai Browser And Not Everyone Is Happy

Mozilla plans to evolve Firefox into an AI browser over the next three years, but features will be optional, with settings to disable them. Long-time users are pushing back, citing trust and usability concerns, and critics argue Mozilla risks alienating its core audience by following industry AI trends. The move reflects a broader industry shift as AI spreads across browsers and operating systems. Mozilla has officially announced that Firefox will evolve into an AI browser over the next three years, following in the footsteps of other browsers....

January 2, 2026 · 3 min · 631 words · Constance Shapiro

Google Chrome 115 Rolls Out With Mica Support And Reading Mode For Windows 11

Google Chrome 115 now features mica material to match the design of Windows 11. The update also includes a preview of the new Reading mode feature in the sidebar. In addition, the sidebar is getting a new search experience in the sidebar. Google is rolling out Chrome version 115 in the stable channel, and among the new changes and improvements, the latest release of the browser also brings support for the mica material to match the design language of Windows 11 and a new Reading Mode in the sidebar....

January 2, 2026 · 2 min · 401 words · Walter Kantrowitz

Hands

Windows 10 build 15055 is now available for PC and Mobile devices enrolled in the Fast ring. The new test preview doesn’t include new features as Microsoft is currently focused on finalizing the Creators Update for the April roll out. However, build 15055 includes a lot of bug fixes and confirms Microsoft will be referring it as “Windows 10 version 1703”, which combined with previous updates ( Windows 10 build 15048 , 15046, 15042, 15031, and 15025), add up to a significant amount of changes....

January 2, 2026 · 1 min · 183 words · Bryan Custer

How To Access Uefi (Bios) Without Restarting Windows 11, 10

Accessing your computer’s Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), commonly known as BIOS, typically requires a system restart. However, you can use the hibernate feature on Windows 11 (or Windows 10) to enter the UEFI without fully restarting your active session. I recently started noticing weird noises from the computer’s fans. Since the motherboard controls the fans, I needed to boot into the UEFI. However, I was in the middle of work with numerous applications open on my screen, so restarting the devices wasn’t an option....

January 2, 2026 · 2 min · 348 words · Kenneth Shackelford

How To Always Open Favorites Links In New Tabs On Microsoft Edge

You can now configure the browser on Microsoft Edge to open links saved in the Favorites list on new tabs. Although this seems like a lesser feature, up until now, favorites open in the current tab, which could take you away from an important page. Starting with version 110, instead of opening a new tab and then opening your favorite link, you can now enable the option to create a new tab to load a link from your Favorites list....

January 2, 2026 · 2 min · 221 words · Gloria Alvarez

How To Block Website From Tracking Your Location On Microsoft Edge

When browsing the web using Microsoft Edge Chromium, some websites, especially e-commerce, travel, restaurants, and search engines, may ask to track your current location to show relevant products and information nearby like deals only available in your area, availability of a product, and more. Although sharing your location with a website may be useful, it can also be a privacy concern for many people, and even though, you will receive a consent prompt to allow or deny the action, it’s easy to make a mistake....

January 2, 2026 · 2 min · 288 words · Mark Ott

How To Cancel Amazon Music Subscription

Open Amazon Music Settings ( web) . Sign in to your Amazon account credential (if applicable). Click the Cancel subscription option. Click the Cancel subscription option again. Click the Continue to cancel button. Click the Confirm cancellation button. Once you complete the steps, the subscription will be canceled, but you will continue to have access to the service for any remaining time.

January 2, 2026 · 1 min · 62 words · Joyce Mcdonald