The new PC-to-PC migration experience in Windows 11 could be a game-changer
Getting a new PC is something met with excitement and dread in just about equal measure. For all of the positives associated with a shiny, new, faster system, there are the negatives of transferring files, installing apps, and configuring settings.
The process of migrating from one PC to another can be approached in various ways, and for Windows 11 users there is a new option. Microsoft is rolling out its new PC-to-PC migration experience as it implements significant changes to the Windows Backup app.
Only a fool still uses Windows 7
There was a time when Windows 7 was the gold standard. The operating system was fast, stable, and dependable. Quite frankly, it was very beautiful too. But that time is long gone. In 2025, sticking with Windows 7 isn’t just quirky or nostalgic, folks, it’s downright reckless.
Look, Microsoft officially pulled the plug on Windows 7 security updates back in January 2020. That’s like an eternity in the computing world. Since then, the operating system has been vulnerable to known exploits with no patches in sight. Running it today is like leaving your front door wide open for criminals with a sign that says, “Come on in.”
Microsoft's crypto payment gateway, bridging traditional and digital finance
Now that digital currencies are becoming more popular, Microsoft has introduced its Crypto Payment Gateway.
It was created to let merchants use crypto while benefiting from the protection, stability, and ease of use that standard finance offers. The gateway connects decentralized finance with advanced enterprise systems, showing how businesses and consumers are starting to transact online differently.
Best Windows apps this week
Six-hundred-forty-eight in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft has open-sourced the Windows Subsystem for Linux, which, in theory, should improve Linux on Windows in the long run.
Microsoft is finally bringing GIF support to Snipping Tool in Windows 11
The Snipping Tool app has proved itself to be one of the most useful and impressive utilities to be found in Windows 11. Microsoft has slowly worked to create something genuinely impressive; there have been some omissions, however.
One such oversight is the lack of support for creating GIFs, but this is about to change. The option of saving screen recordings as animated GIFs is overdue and extremely welcome.
Signal declares war on Microsoft Recall with screenshot blocking on Windows 11
Signal has officially had enough, folks. You see, the privacy-first messaging app is going on the offensive, declaring war on Microsoft’s invasive Recall feature by enabling a new “Screen security” setting by default on Windows 11. This move is designed to block Microsoft’s AI-powered screenshot tool from capturing your private chats.
If you aren’t aware, Recall was first unveiled a year ago as part of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC push. The feature quietly took screenshots of everything happening on your computer, every few seconds, storing them in a searchable timeline. Microsoft claimed it would help users “remember” what they’ve done. Critics called it creepy. Security experts called it dangerous. The backlash was so fierce that Microsoft pulled the feature before launch.
Windows 7 Reloaded solves Windows 11's biggest problem -- download it now
One of the first things people notice about Windows 11 is its redesigned interface, most obviously, the taskbar and Start menu, which are now centered. It’s a major departure from the classic layout of Windows 10 and earlier, and for long-time users, the change can take some getting used to.
If you’re someone who prefers the familiar feel of earlier versions, particularly Windows 7, there’s now a stylish way to bring that experience back.
Microsoft adds new AI Actions entry to the Windows 11 context menu
Microsoft, Google, Apple, et al -- they are all at it. There is not a big-name tech firm in existence that is not deeply invested in artificial intelligence, and for end users this means having AI tools dangled in front of them at any given opportunity.
Windows 11 has already seen more than its fair share of AI, and this is not something that shows any signs of changing.
Major changes are coming to the Microsoft Store -- including the ability to update Win32 apps
Using an app store to keep installed apps up to date is something that the likes of Apple’s App Store and Google Play brought to the mainstream, and it eventually moved to the desktop. Until now, the Microsoft Store has been limited in its capabilities, but Microsoft has announced some huge changes.
Perhaps the biggest change is support for updating Win32 apps directly in Microsoft Store, which is something users have been asking for for some time. But there are other changes too, including zero onboarding fees for developers, and an expanded set of Health Report insights.
Microsoft is giving Windows 11 power users and developers new Advanced Windows Settings
Everyone likes to feel that they are in control of their computer, but the way the Settings app has been organized can make this hard. Acknowledging this, Microsoft had revealed new Advanced Windows Settings to allow for more configuration options.
The new Advanced section essentially replaces the For Developers section of Settings, but Microsoft says that it is now also aimed at power users. There are many options collected into one place that would otherwise be scattered, hidden or inaccessible.
Microsoft releases emergency patch for Windows 10 BitLocker recovery problems
The release of the KB5058379 update for Windows 10 earlier this month resulted in frustration for many Windows 10 users. People with devices with Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) enabled on 10th generation or later Intel vPro processors were hit with BitLocker recovery problems.
It took Microsoft a little while to acknowledge the issue, but now the company has issued an out-of-band patch in the form of the KB5061768 update.
Microsoft launches Edit, its new open-source command line text editor
Microsoft Build is usually about cutting edge development, but sometimes there are nods to the past. And this is precisely what is happening with the company’s new text editor.
Named -- uninspiringly -- Edit, this text editor is not only open-source, but it is a command line tool. While clearly not something that will be of interest to the majority of Windows 11 users, it is something that has strong developer appeal.
Microsoft open-sources WSL to give developers control over Linux on Windows
Well, it finally happened, folks. Microsoft has open-sourced the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), giving developers full access to its code on GitHub! Yes, after nearly a decade of closed development and repeated requests from the community, the company has handed over the keys -- inviting coders to inspect, improve, and contribute to the very core of how Linux runs on Windows.
This isn’t some half-baked gesture, either. Microsoft has released the core WSL package (the components that power WSL 2) under an open source license. This includes command-line tools like wsl.exe, background services, init processes, networking daemons, and the Plan9-based file sharing system. You can now build WSL from source, fork it, or pitch in directly on GitHub.
Microsoft Magentic-UI is an open source AI tool that lets humans stay in control
In a world full of AI agents seemingly trying to take control away, Microsoft has done something surprisingly refreshing -- it is handing the wheel back to the user.
With the launch of Magentic-UI, a new open source research prototype, Microsoft is inviting developers and researchers to explore a different kind of AI assistant. One that doesn’t just act on its own, but actually collaborates with people in a transparent, controllable way.
Microsoft confirms BitLocker recovery problems after Windows 10 update
Several days after users started to complain that a recent update for Windows 10 was causing them problems, Microsoft has acknowledged that there are issues with the KB5058379 update.
Many people reported the appearance of unexpected BitLocker recovery screens after installing the update on Patch Tuesday, and users were struggling to find commonalities between affected systems. Microsoft has now identified the cause and while it does not yet have a fix, it is “urgently working on a resolution”.
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