Microsoft

An outage affecting critical Microsoft server infrastructure appears to be disrupting rail operations in countries like Germany. Deutsche Bahn reports that Microsoft Outlook is "running extremely slowly", preventing it from sending timetables for diverted services. Other rail operators are also affected.

Shift Up CTO DongKi Lee asked Microsoft for early Project Helix dev kits in Korea at the 2026 Console Game Developers Conference, with alpha hardware set for 2027.

Adobe and Microsoft are bringing generative AI image editing and Adobe Express integration to Windows 11 Photos, with a preview scheduled for Windows Insiders in December 2026. The partnership also introduces performance optimizations for Adobe products on Nvidia RTX Spark-powered Windows PCs.

Microsoft has spread AI features across Windows 11, from Paint and Notepad to File Explorer. There is no single switch to turn them all off. We checked where the settings are on Windows 11 Home 26H2, what they turn off and which guides are out of date.

Microsoft's November Patch Tuesday fixes 1,093 vulnerabilities, according to Tenable. One of them is an Outlook flaw that attackers are already exploiting to steal NTLMv2 hashes. Microsoft credits a researcher who used Anthropic's Claude. Here is how to install the fix.

GTA 6 has been confirmed to get support for PSSR on the PS5 Pro, though the exact version is unclear. A new report has suggested that the game could come with some upscaling technology on the Xbox Series consoles as well.

Windows 11’s KB5132061 update is rolling out now, and it finally lets you trim the File Explorer right-click menu. Microsoft is also rethinking app update pop-ups.

A retail packaging leak indicates GTA 6 supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on Xbox consoles. Dolby Vision can produce more accurate colors than the PS5’s HDR10. PlayStation systems output Atmos signals over HDMI, but rely on Tempest 3D for spatial audio.

Rockstar’s upcoming crime epic may become the next obsession for dedicated gamers. A new leak lists 55 single-player GTA 6 trophies and Xbox achievements to strive for. PS5 users could earn a platinum trophy, while Series X and S loyalists would eye a rare mythic achievement.

Microsoft releases Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26320.9876 to Beta, moving Insiders to version 26H2 with a faster WinUI 3 Search and Xbox mode Quick settings.

The Xbox Store has posted the GTA 6 file size as 209.86 GB, but the download could be larger. Microsoft’s backend lists 225.34 GB, which may include additional files or a day-one patch. Pre-loads for Xbox and PS5 consoles begin on November 9th/10th ahead of the November 19th release date.

Back in March, Microsoft promised to optimize Windows 11 for PCs with just 8GB of RAM. Now, the company is delivering on that promise with a new update. Microsoft has made numerous improvements to memory management and key system components. According to the company, responsiveness and multitasking performance are set to see significant gains.

Starting June 19, 2027, Windows PCs without Microsoft's new certificates will no longer receive updates. Up-to-date machines are already covered. Windows 10 without ESU and Windows 11 23H2 and 24H2 in Home and Pro are affected. Here is how to check your PC with winver and the update history. Secure Boot is a separate issue.

Need for Speed: Underground 2 Revived brings the 2004 street racer to web browsers, offering multiplayer support for up to 6,000 players alongside modern graphics and control options. The fan project revives Bayview’s open-world racing but requires a substantial game data download and raises unresolved questions about asset distribution and licensing.

Xbox constantly updates its list of Game Pass titles, and this month, there will be two waves of departures. The first has been revealed, and some long-standing titles will be leaving to make room for new ones.

Microsoft has introduced a massive update to DirectX Raytracing, enabling Clustered Geometry and Partitioned TLAS to slash VRAM usage on AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs.

Microsoft equips its Surface Laptop Ultra with a Mini-LED display, but it does not support local dimming and suffers from slow response times. The XMG NEO 16 shows how to do it much better.

Thanks to its efficient Snapdragon X2 Plus processor, the new Surface Laptop 13 is virtually always silent in everyday use, making it the best Windows alternative to the passively cooled MacBook Air.

Microsoft's AI assistant is leaving the living room almost as quickly as it arrived. An LG notification has revealed that Copilot support is ending on smart TVs, following complaints about its unwanted appearance on some models. Microsoft has now confirmed the shutdown date, leaving another short-lived AI experiment behind.

A developer has got iOS running on Microsoft’s discontinued Surface Duo 2, the original Duo. He does not plan on stopping here, as bringing Surface Pen support and a newer build is up next on his list.

Microsoft's first Surface Laptop Ultra firmware update has quietly patched the display and power management issues that dogged its launch. But the bigger complaints about its Mini-LED screen can't be addressed with software fixes.

The Surface Laptop Ultra is Microsoft's new high-end laptop. In some areas, however, it gives the impression of copying Apple's MacBook Pro, particularly with its Mini-LED display and magnetic USB-C charging port.

Nvidia’s 621.01 Game Ready Driver adds support for Advanced Shader Delivery, which users report reduces memory consumption. However, some detractors say performance in Gears of War was notably worse after a recent Windows update and a game patch.

Helen Chiang, named Xbox's first chief operating officer in July 2026, left Microsoft on October 23 after 21 years at the company, according to an internal memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. No reason was given.

Microsoft is removing eight Copilot actions from the right-click menu for OneDrive files in Windows 11, including Summarize, Compare Files and Extract text. The retirement starts in mid-November and should be complete by early December. Ask Copilot stays in the menu, and the individual actions remain available in the OneDrive activity center.

Microsoft uses a Mini-LED display in the new Surface Laptop Ultra that is extremely bright at up to 2,000 nits, but lacks local dimming and suffers from slow response times.

A group of private equity firms reportedly explored acquiring Microsoft's Xbox gaming division for between $100 billion and $150 billion. However, the discussions never progressed to formal negotiations with Microsoft, which continues to maintain that Xbox is not for sale.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is reportedly planning three more rounds of layoffs in October, November, and January, extending a restructuring that has already affected thousands of employees. Microsoft has yet to confirm the reported plans or disclose how many additional jobs could be cut.

Both the Project Helix price and release date could disappoint gamers. Fortune magazine talked with CEO Asha Sharma about her plans for new Xbox consoles. A handheld may launch first in late 2027, followed a year later by an expensive at-home system.

We are currently testing the updated Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 with an efficient 6-core Snapdragon X2 Plus SoC and a brighter display. Unfortunately, it once again includes a fan, even though the Surface Pro 12 shows that passive cooling would also work.

Microsoft wants gamers to trade in Xbox consoles collecting dust for Best Buy gift cards. The company has raised Series X|S prices several times while struggling to produce enough units. Focusing on refurbished sales can bring budget-conscious customers into its ecosystem.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra with the RTX Spark Superchip is an expensive offering at its top end. At that price point, does it beat out the competition? Tech YouTube channel Hardware Canucks has put it to the test in a variety of workflows.

Windows 11 KB5127648 fixes mouse stutter in some games, adds Copilot key remapping, and is the last update for 24H2 Home and Pro. Read what changed in this update.

With the launch of the newest Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, many people are comparing the laptop to the Apple MacBook Pro 16 with the M5 Pro. This comparison is quite apt, as both machines target the same audience. A poll run by Hardware Canucks has now revealed which laptop users prefer more.

Windows 11 24H2 gets its last update on October 13, 2026, after which Home and Pro receive no more security patches. Here is how to check your version, move to 25H2 or 26H2 and tell whether a safeguard hold is blocking the upgrade. Schools running Windows 11 SE laptops get no newer version at all.

Xbox console prices are rising throughout Europe and Latin America. Amid the shortage, some stores are asking up to double the Series X MSRP. Despite new exclusives like Gears of War: E-Day, it’s unclear whether the hardware will become more readily available.

Hideo Kojima revealed on his KOJI10 radio show that he has been approached for cameos in a major live-action film and a prominent anime title, though neither project has been named. The game creator, whose screen credits include Vivant and the Japanese dub of Zootopia 2, said he prefers playing fictional characters rather than himself.

Microsoft is offering MacBook Pro owners up to $1,000 in extra cash back when they trade in their Apple laptop and preorder the new Surface Laptop Ultra. The bonus is paid in addition to the device’s normal trade-in value, as Microsoft tries to lure Apple users to its $2,599.99 RTX Spark-powered flagship.

Windows 11 Beta build 26220.9606 puts Weather first on the lock screen, adds widget controls, and fixes an msmpeg2ac3dec.dll crash that hit some PC apps and games.

Week 41 was all about local AI, new hardware, and the next generation of smart devices. Microsoft and Asus are pushing AI PCs forward with powerful hardware, while new flagship smartphones and tablets are beginning to emerge. At the same time, Meta and Google are working to integrate AI assistants more deeply into everyday digital life. Here’s our editorial roundup of the week’s most important developments.

The live Microsoft event in San Francisco this week focused on the Surface Ultra powered by the Nvidia Spark platform. However, a good chunk of it was devoted to a feature that both the Surface and MacBook series have had for years.

Microsoft has launched the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, a compact developer workstation built around Nvidia's RTX Spark platform. It packs 128 GB of unified memory and 2 TB of storage.

Microsoft is turning Windows 11 Search into a system control hub, allowing users to perform thousands of actions with simple commands. The redesigned Search also brings deeper Copilot integration, smarter results and a faster interface, with testing now as part of the Windows Insiders.

Microsoft once again offers its Surface Laptop 15 for business customers with Intel processors - including the powerful Core Ultra X chips, which outperform their ARM rivals in graphics performance as well as battery life.

Interest in Gears of War: E-Day built as its release date unfolded. Peak concurrent Steam player counts reached over 31,000, easily beating earlier entries in the series. Sales of the Xbox console exclusive also impress both on Valve’s marketplace and physical storefronts.

Xbox says its major strategic reset is beginning to pay off, with the gaming business returning to growth after a difficult start to the year. CEO Asha Sharma says consoles are once again at the heart of the business, while the next-generation Helix will expand into a family of devices rather than a single Xbox — including a flagship home console and potentially portable hardware.

Microsoft Defender security intelligence update 1.459.576.0 is rolling out under KB2267602. Here is how to check your version and force an update via command line.

The Xbox Elite Series 3 controller appears to be finally nearing launch. Esports gamers will appreciate the upgrade, with more durable TMR or Hall effect thumbsticks. DualSense-inspired advanced haptics and impulse triggers should also be available at different price points.