Articles about Microsoft

After a lengthy period of testing, Microsoft has announced that the Windows App is now generally available for Windows, macOS and iOS. There is also a browser-based version as well as a preview version of the Android app.

What is Windows App? It provides a way to remotely connect to and control a range of Windows devices. It is, in many ways, a modernization and revamp of Remote Desktop clients, and users will be gradually migrated so they can take advantage of the latest improvements and features. So, what is new?

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Microsoft’s insistence on levering ads into Windows 11 in a variety of ways has long been a source of frustration for users. While the company shows no signs of letting up in this department, there is a tiny bit of good news cresting the horizon.

In the latest beta and canary builds of Windows 11, there are new options in the Settings app that make it possible to take control of ads. This is clearly encouraging, but before you get too excited it is important to note that the level of control the new settings afford users is limited, and there remains no way to avoid ads altogether. Predictably, there is even more bad news.

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Microsoft and BlackRock's growing partnership on AI infrastructure may raise a few eyebrows, but should it really spark concern? With the recent announcement of the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP), these corporate titans have aligned with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and MGX to dive headfirst into AI development. They plan to pour billions into massive data centers and new energy infrastructure, with the goal of dominating the future of artificial intelligence.

But this alliance could mean more than just advancements in technology. The partnership initially aims to leverage $30 billion in private equity, with an eye toward unlocking a staggering $100 billion in total investment potential. That’s a massive financial influx designed to consolidate power in the hands of a few major players. And who benefits? Microsoft and BlackRock, alongside their global allies, could soon hold an outsized influence on critical AI infrastructure that the world will come to rely on.

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When used correctly, Virtual Desktops, first introduced in Windows 10 and then refined in Windows 11, offer a handy way to manage multiple workflows. They let you create separate, dedicated workspaces within the OS, keeping things organized and clutter free. This is especially useful for those who juggle work, personal projects, and entertainment, as it allows for smooth switching between different activities without losing track of anything. By assigning specific apps and windows to different desktops, you can stay focused and organized across various tasks.

In Windows 11, Microsoft introduced Snap Layouts, enhancing multitasking by providing predefined grid options for arranging windows. This feature expands on the simpler Snap Assist functionality from Windows 10 and when used with Virtual Desktops can keep each workspace neat and orderly.

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As you likely know, Microsoft is preparing to end support for Windows 10 next year, and while you can continue to use that OS, provided you do so safely, the main options will be to upgrade to Windows 11 or wait for the anticipated release of its successor, likely to be Windows 12.

While Microsoft hasn't officially confirmed the next-generation operating system, there have been numerous hints and rumors about what it might be like.

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The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is like your computer's backstage manager, making sure the hardware and operating system can talk to each other smoothly and keeping everything running behind the scenes.

To access the BIOS, most people restart their computer and hit a specific key -- this can vary depending on the manufacturer and model. Common keys are F1, F2, F10, F12, Delete, or Esc, and a prompt will usually appear on the screen during startup to tell you which one to press. While this method is fairly simple, there's an even easier way to boot directly into the BIOS from Windows.

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As of October 14, 2025, Microsoft will officially stop supporting Windows 10, marking the end of the road for regular security updates and technical support.

This doesn’t mean your Windows 10 machine will suddenly stop working of course, but it does mean that keeping it safe and secure will require more proactive measures. Here’s how you can protect your Windows 10 system after official support ends.

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Six-hundred-twelve 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 built on past Windows 11 taskbar improvements by adding enhanced app pinning to its operating system.

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Because email is the primary source of initial entry in many breaches, many organizations pay for sophisticated, third-party email filtering solutions on top of the protections afforded by Microsoft 365. This is a wise investment; having layers of protection by different vendors helps eliminate blind spots found in any one vendor solution and provides complexity that can foil attack attempts.

Yet, few know that threat actors can easily bypass these third-party filtering products by directing emails to onmicrosoft.com domains that are an inherent part of the Microsoft 365 configuration.

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Microsoft is continuing its efforts to develop quantum computing through its Azure Quantum platform, with the goal of addressing complex scientific and industrial challenges. The company has made progress in qubit technology and hardware integration through collaborations with industry leaders Quantinuum and Atom Computing. These partnerships represent a step toward building a reliable quantum computing infrastructure capable of handling problems that go beyond the scope of classical computers.

In its collaboration with Quantinuum, Microsoft has successfully created and entangled 12 logical qubits using an improved qubit-virtualization system. This achievement sets a record for the largest number of entangled logical qubits, offering higher fidelity for more reliable quantum computations. Microsoft and Quantinuum are focused on advancing quantum capabilities in fields such as chemistry, physics, and life sciences, particularly in simulating complex chemical reactions and predicting molecular interactions.

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The taskbar and Start menu continue to be features of Windows 11 that divide opinion. And, for better or worse, Microsoft is continually changing things up and making evolutionary developments.

A good example of this is when app pinning was updated so it was possible to drag and drop apps pinned to the Start menu onto the taskbar in order to pin them there as well. Now the company has introduced another significant improvement to taskbar/Start menu pinning that helps to make life much easier.

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Data Analytics & Visualization All-in-One For Dummies collects the essential information on mining, organizing, and communicating data, all in one place.

Clocking in at around 850 pages, this tome of a reference delivers eight books in one, so you can build a solid foundation of knowledge in data wrangling. Data analytics professionals are highly sought after these days, and this book will put you on the path to becoming one.

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Six-hundred-eleven 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.

Windows 11 has surpassed Windows 10 on Steam as the most used operating system. It is still close though. On the Recall-front, Microsoft said that users won't b able to uninstall the controversial AI-feature Recall after all.

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Microsoft has announced the release of its latest Surface devices aimed specifically at business customers. The new lineup, which includes the Surface Pro 10 with 5G, Surface Pro 11th Edition, and Surface Laptop 7th Edition, is set to be available later this month. These devices are designed to boost productivity and foster innovation within business environments, using advanced AI technology powered by a Neural Processing Unit (NPU).

To cater to the diverse needs of its business customers, Microsoft is offering a choice between Intel Core Ultra processors and Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors across its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models. This allows businesses the flexibility to select the processing power that best suits their specific requirements.

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The time has come for PowerToys users to celebrate not just the release of a new version of the utility collection, but the addition of a new module. As previewed recently, there is now a new tool called PowerToys Workspaces that can be used to launch multiple apps from a single shortcut.

But more than just making it possible to launch a number of apps simultaneously, PowerToys Workspaces allows for these apps to be launched in saved layout and with configurations. Workspaces is by far the highlight of the newly released PowerToys v0.84.0, but there is plenty more in this update as well.

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