Windows News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

EA has announced that it will be ending service for Battlefield 1, Battlefield 5 and Star Wars: Battlefront 2 for players on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. The announcement was made through the official Battlefield 1 forums.

Microsoft is all in on AI after a recent push for “AI PCs,” is a joint venture with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. One of the specs for the upcoming “AI PCs” lists Neural Processing Unit (NPU) performance of at least 45 TOPS. This could be bad news for Steam Deck and the gang. Here’s why.

While the Metro UI wasn’t the best way of interacting with your desktop or laptop computer, it could be the best way to interact with Windows on your handheld PC. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, Microsoft should unretire Metro and unleash it on handheld PCs, here’s why.

Minecraft is still one of the most popular games on the planet, but it's far from perfect. Sometimes the game will crash with the "Exit Code 1" error, leaving it in an unplayable state. Fortunately, it's a common issue, and we will show you how to fix it in no time.

Asus has officially provided new details on the ROG Ally X, the successor to its popular handheld gaming PC. The updated Asus handheld is more akin to a revision than an outright ROG Ally 2, and focuses on addressing feedback and improving the overall user experience over the current model.

Sony's DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5 can also work with Windows 10 and Steam, as long as you don't mind losing a few features (such as the adaptive triggers). You can also have the DualSense work with non-Steam games if you're willing to try out some third-party apps to help the controller connect.

Ubisoft opens up about new content for Assassin's Creed Mirage, confirming that it won't get any DLC, but the devs may not be done exploring Basim's story. This latest title in the franchise received considerable recognition from new and long-term fans of the hooded protagonists. With Assassin's Creed Mirage, the franchise went back to its roots by offering a compelling and story-driven narrative that die-hard AC fans were waiting for.

Apple fans have long yearned to call Mac their gaming platform of choice, but the number of games only available on Windows continues to be a problem. There's a way to bridge that gap, though, with an open source and user-friendly app called Whisky.

Developer KingsIsle Entertainment has announced an upcoming single-player visual novel prequel to the popular Wizard101 MMORPG, titled Ravenwood Academy: A Wizard101 Story. While Wizard101 is a perfect introduction to MMORPGs, Ravenwood Academy will shift focus to a solo gaming experience, offering fans a brand-new way to enjoy the world of the Spiral.

NVIDIA recently launched a new app called the NVIDIA app that, once it exits beta, should replace GeForce Experience and the NVIDIA Control Panel. I’ve been using the app for the past month and I love it. Let's take a look at what’s new and how the new app compares to GeForce Experience.

A Starfield player's unique ship design is quickly making the rounds on the internet, as it's made to look just like Halo's famous Energy Sword. The interplanetary vessel, modeled after arguably one of the most iconic and recognizable video game weapons of all time, is proving to be quite popular among Starfield and Halo fans alike.

Three years ago, Android app support was touted as a major selling point for Windows 11. But Microsoft is making a complete heel-turn. It's officially ending support for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), and it will completely shutter the PC-based Amazon Appstore on March 5th, 2025.

NVIDIA's GeForce Experience and Control Panel are merging into a single, unified app. Available today in beta, the new NVIDIA app provides driver updates, per-game settings, a reworked gaming overlay, new AI-powered filters, and more.

A brand new year means brand new tech being showcased at CES 2024. We were on the ground in Las Vegas, scouring the show floors for cool gadgets and impressive innovations. We've highlighted some of our favorite products from the event, giving you a taste of what to look forward to this year.

Microsoft ended extended support for Windows 7 and Windows 8 in 2023, and many applications that still worked on those releases have made the same move over the past year. Now, the game store and launcher Steam has officially ended support for Windows 7 and 8.

Microsoft's latest update for Windows 11 marks another key development with the announcement of USB 4 Version 2.0 support. This upgrade echoes Microsoft's continuous pursuit of enhanced data transfer speeds, in addition to previous developments like letting Windows 11 users control their RGB lights without a secondary app to establish a unified RGB management platform.

According to the official requirements, Microsoft says you should have 64GB of storage space on hand as a minimum before you install Windows 11, with the average install size ranging around the 20-27 GB mark. However, this hasn't stopped developer NTDEV from pushing the OS to its limits with the release of the first beta of Tiny11 core, a miniature version of Windows 11 contained within a 2GB ISO that creates a miniscule 3.3GB install.

Most tech users are vehemently loyal when it comes to their platform choices. But I suspect there are open-minded people on both sides of the macOS vs. Windows operating system debate who aren’t aware of what the other side has to offer—or maybe you're just curious. So here I compare the standard operating system features from Microsoft and Apple one by one. Each category has a winner or is declared a tie, and at the end I tally up the points to declare an overall winner. Note that this is a different exercise than how PCMag reviews products, which involves rating each product as a whole in its category rather than as the sum of its parts, as I do here.

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By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.

Microsoft’s vision for the future of Windows is all about artificial intelligence (AI). Not long ago in New York City, I listened as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella declared, “It’s kind of like the '90s are back,” because of how exciting it was.

A powerful piece of malware has been disguising itself as a trivial cryptocurrency miner to help it evade detection for more than five years, according to antivirus provider Kaspersky. 

As anticipation builds up for the forthcoming major release of the Windows operating system in 2024, Microsoft is dropping intriguing hints about potential innovations. One key focal point is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and this will bring Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI on the Copilot feature to the centre stage. While AI is set to play a more prominent role, it's not just the underlying technology that's poised for transformation. Design changes with AI-driven interactions are also on the horizon, as revealed by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the recent Snapdragon X Elite presentation on October 24.

A nonprofit group has sent a petition to Microsoft, urging it to extend the end-of-support date for Windows 10 beyond 2025 to prevent “the junking” of millions of PCs.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently sat down for an interview with Bloomberg Insider, where he covered topics from family to leadership to AI. But in one of his more surprising admissions, he admitted regret to "exiting mobile phones."

The next major update for Windows 11, dubbed 23H2 update, may roll out soon, as per a report. This is likely to be the final major update before Microsoft begins working on a timeline to introduce Windows 12. The reports come from various sources who have spotted the ISO files of Windows 11 23H2 update on the Microsoft servers. For the unaware, ISO files are an exact copy of an entire optical disk such as a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray archived into a single file. If these reports are to be believed, then users should prepare themselves for new features and an enhanced version of Windows 11 soon.

Intel looks set to get some fresh competition in the personal computer market that's sure to make a few of its shareholders sweat.

The x86 CPU architecture has dominated the PC market since dinosaurs roamed the land but there's been a flurry of rumours concerning efforts by AMD and Nvidia to battle Qualcomm head-on, preparing Arm-powered CPUs for Windows computers in 2025.

Ever since its initial release in 2016, Brave browser has made a name for itself for being privacy-centric and keeping its users' data protected. However, a report has now forced many to question its approach to transparency. The report claims that ever since the start of 2022, the browser has been silently installing two VPN services to users' Windows devices. These downloads would happen in the background and automatically, without the knowledge of users. This new development has raised concerns about the reliability of the Brave browser.

NVIDIA has announced that TensorRT-LLM is coming to Windows soon and will bring a huge AI boost to PCs running RTX GPUs.

In a milestone for personal computing, Nvidia is enabling better AI on PCs by enabling generative AI processing on Windows PCs using RTX-based graphics processing units (GPUs).

The Windows 10-pocalypse is a short two years away. On Oct. 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop issuing security updates for Windows 10 PCs, at which point most of the world’s PCs—about one billion computers—will be running a dead operating system, like Windows XP. And most of those computers can't upgrade to Windows 11.

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NetherRealm Studios has revealed the planned release window for each character in Mortal Kombat 1's first Kombat Pack, confirming the order they'll come out and letting us know how long we'll have to wait for everyone.

Valve has announced that it will be discontinuing Counter-Strike 2support on older hardware and Mac so it can focus on 64-bit Windows and Linux.

It appears that Microsoft has begun blocking Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys from activating Windows 11. The development came less than a month after Microsoft announced that it would be ending the installation path for free Windows 11 upgrades for older OS, particularly Windows 7/8. People have taken advantage of this loophole for years, especially after 2020, when Microsoft ended the extended support for Windows 11, making the older operating systems obsolete. But as per various reports confirming the same, after today, users are unlikely to be able to get a free Windows 11 copy with a digital license by using a Windows 7 activation key.

Players looking forward to enjoying a few rounds of on macOS or an older Windows PC will soon be out of luck, as Valve announces that support for both platforms will be dropped moving forward. The announcement comes just weeks after the launch of Valve’s long-awaited shooter sequel on the developer and publisher’s wildly successful Steam platform.

Valve has released a new statement revealing its plans for Counter-Strike 2 moving forward. The studio has revealed that, owing to the technological needs of the recently-released titles, the game will only support 64-bit Windows and Linux.

It appears that Windows 12 could be on its way to grace our gaming PCs sooner rather than later. While there’s no official word from Microsoft yet, comments by Intel CFO Dave Zinsner point to the imminent arrival of something big for the operating system series.

Intel added fuel to the fire regarding rumors that Microsoft is planning a 2024 release for the next version of Windows.

Windows 12 rumors have started to gain traction in the industry, and now the fire is fueled after the statement of Intel's executive, claiming that the launch may occur in 2024.

Microsoft recently revamped its Teams app for Windows and Mac to improve its functionality. And the company is not stopping at that. Yesterday, October 6, it also launched the new web app store for Windows. This new web app store is not a mere redesign or addition of new functionalities, in fact, the company claims that it was built from scratch using a new user interface (UI) to make it more intuitive and seamless when looking for new Windows apps and Xbox PC games.

Recently Microsoft made available a preview release of the Microsoft Teams app a few months after revealing its efforts to revamp the app's functionality and do it virtually from scratch. This was done with the objective of increasing user productivity and team collaboration. Now, the new Microsoft Teams app has finally been rolled out to the Windows and Mac devices. The company claims that the new app is faster and smarter. Know more about the new Teams app here.

Evidence has appeared that Microsoft is considering releasing Windows 12 as a subscription service.

Transcripts of analyst-facing conferences, held by multi-billion dollar organisations, are usually terminally dull affairs. But a recent Intel chat contains a wee snippet we can add to the rumour fire about when the next version of Windows is due. And in this particular case, Intel is hinting that it's definitely next year.

Sometimes you need that big-screen desktop PC in the kitchen, to look at cooking videos as you go. And other times, it would be nice to have it in the workshop or on the patio. Problem solved: HP today announced a modern rework of a PC concept from the distant past with the launch of the HP Envy Move, a portable Windows all-in-one (AIO) desktop.

If you're picking up a new Microsoft Surface laptop, you could now indulge in a bit of retro gaming while waiting for Windows to finish crawling through the interminable setup and updates process. Here's hoping it comes to the DIY Windows installation, too. It will certainly be something to do while setting up a new office test rig.

Anyone looking to finally upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 7 and 8 is out of luck, as Microsoft has announced that it is ending free upgrades for those still running the old operating systems.

Windows 10 still utterly dominates the desktop PC operating system market, despite Windows 11 having been around for 2 years now. And there's not much sign of this changing any time soon.

Microsoft's Copilot feature is rolling out to users worldwide. You'd expect something like giving an AI assistant to a couple of hundred million users to have a glitch or two, and that's what's happening if you're an AMD user with customized Adrenalin software settings.

Most Windows updates aren't all that exciting, but this is one of the better ones. After rebooting my home PC last night, I noticed a new menu had appeared. It's found in the Personalization menu. The new sub menu is called Dynamic Lighting, and it contains Windows' RGB lighting control.

If you're updating your Windows 11 PC, or setting up a new Surface device, you may be able to pass the time with an updated surf version of Microsoft's SkiFree.

Since its release, Microsoft Office has been the leading office suite for home, student, and business. Microsoft Office features a set of flagship products designed to make your work easier and more professional. There are different versions of the product, depending on your needs, and not all of the versions have the exact same apps and capabilities. Home and Student is designed for individuals who need essential Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for personal use. It is perfect for creating basic documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, and is a great choice for students and home users. For those who need additional functionality, the Home and Business edition of Microsoft Office 2021 includes all the same core programs as Home and Student but adds Outlook for email and contact management. This version is great for small business owners who need to ease their work and keep all their communication in one spot. If you need even more advanced features, the Professional edition of Office 2021 is designed for big businesses and corporations. It includes all the same programs as Home and Business but also adds Access and Publisher for database management and desktop publishing.

A colorful new icon will soon appear on your Windows 11 taskbar, and it leads to a new era in desktop computing in the form of Microsoft Copilot. This AI chat sidebar powered by OpenAI, Bing, and Microsoft technologies can change computer settings or open apps. It can not only generate text and images, but also create either based on the other. In just two days of using Copilot on my Windows 11 PC, I’ve already started to rely on it as a research tool.

The option to upgrade to the latest version of Windows 11 for free using a Windows 7 or Windows 8 key is no longer available.

Windows 11 has just received a fresh update, and it's bringing some cool AI stuff with it. This update adds a new feature called "Copilot" to your laptop. But what exactly is Copilot, and what other cool things are in this update? Let's dive in and find out!

Microsoft starts rolling out Windows 11's biggest update for 2023 today. The Copilot artificial intelligence sidebar gets top billing, but there’s plenty more to pore over in the release.

Your Windows registry is not the sort of place you want game code to be constantly adding a whole bunch of unnecessary data to, but that's exactly what Kerbal Space Program 2 has been doing. Presumably since it launched into Early Access, too.

The latest release is called tiny11 version 23H2, which is based on Windows 11. This version aims to provide a lightweight alternative for users who have already transitioned to Windows 11 but still want a more minimalistic and efficient operating system. Tiny 11 skirts some of Microsoft's minimum requirements. For example, you can easily install it on machines without a TPM, with less than 4 GB of RAM, or without Secure Boot enabled. As its name implies, tiny11 is a lean and mean version of Windows 11, which seeks to cut out the fat without removing any meat. It is worth exploring the new customization options available to those who want to remix tiny11 23H2.

Microsoft Corp. said its AI assistant for Windows will start rolling out Sept. 26 and the Office AI app will be widely available Nov. 1 as the software giant continues to bake generative artificial intelligence into its products.

Next week, Microsoft 11 is launching its next big update for Windows 11, which will feature Windows Copilot. According to Microsoft's blog post, this AI-powered digital assistant (first added to Insider preview builds in June) will «uniquely incorporate the context and intelligence of the web, your work data, and what you are doing at the moment on your PC.» You can activate Copilot via the taskbar or by hitting the Win+C shortcut, and give it text or voice prompts like you would BingAI or Google Bard chatbot. 

Octopath Traveler II is one of the year’s most celebrated RPGs, and now Xbox fans have been invited to join the party. The game is coming to Microsoft’s consoles and Windows PC early next year.

Square Enix and Xbox have announced that the popular RPG Octopath Traveler 2 will be heading to Xbox and Windows early next year. The HD-2D RPG has already sold over four million copies on Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch since February. Our very own Eric Van Allen scored Octopath Traveler 2 a 9 for its lively world, engaging combat, and fluid progression.

Microsoft has gone all-in on artificial intelligence, and its big bet in the space is Copilot, which it describes as "centralized AI assistance to help people easily take action and get things done.” After a summer preview, Copilot is now getting a wider release across Windows 11, Microsoft 365, the Edge browser, and Bing.

Microsoft Surface event 2023: Big news for Windows users! Microsoft is all set to release a major update for Windows 11, called 23H2, on September 26. This Windows 11 update will bring some cool new features and improvements that will make using your computer an even better experience. The announcement was made during the Microsoft Surface event 2023 being held today in New York.

Microsoft Surface event 2023: Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 display and hardware leak

Publisher Square Enix and developer Acquire will release Octopath Traveler II for Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC via Microsoft Store in early 2024, the companies announced.

Octopath Traveler II, the second entry in the retro-inspired RPG series by Square Enix, is finally launching on Xbox consoles in the coming months.

Octopath Traveler 2 is coming to Xbox consoles and Windows PC.

Google blames the failure of its Stadia game-streaming service on a lack of quality games. 

Panos Panay, chief product officer at Microsoft, is leaving after almost 20 years. Executive vice president Rajesh Jha told employees on Monday in an internal memo. «After nearly 20 years at the company, Panos Panay has decided to leave Microsoft. Panos has had an incredible impact on our products and culture and the broader devices ecosystem,»Jha also mentioned that Panos will be helping with the transition as the company will «double down on our strategy» moving forward.

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Microsoft is expanding the recommendations displayed in the Windows 11 Start menu to include websites.

One of the recurring issues every active member of the digital ecosystem faces is to collect information from text-heavy images. It can be a screenshot of your work shift schedule, details about the next project, or just the exam schedule at your school or college, it can be quite frustrating to refer to an image every time you want to check the information out. Even worse is not being able to edit the content of the text and having to make mental notes or manually write down the entire content. However, with this new Windows 11 feature that has added text copying functionality to the Snipping tool, you can say goodbye to these worries.

When it comes to force feeding Windows users with in-house product, let's just say Microsoft has form. But even by Microsoft's standards, the revelation brought to our attention by Rudeism on X that keying up «Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Win+L» takes you straight to Linkedin in your default browser is still incredibly icky.

The Crew Motorfest has now launched and is live across all available platforms.

In a recent update to Windows 11, Microsoft has introduced a new feature to its Paint app that's bound to make creative tasks much easier. The addition of a background removal tool, similar to the functionality found in Adobe Photoshop, allows users to effortlessly remove backgrounds from images with just a single click. This feature promises to streamline graphic editing for Windows users, offering a quick and convenient way to isolate subjects from their backgrounds. Know how you can use this tool. Know how to Use the Background Removal Tool:

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Microsoft is set to make third-party printer drivers and utilities a thing of the past for Windows users.

MSI is finally rolling out a fix for a Blue Screen of Death error that’s been appearing for the company’s motherboard customers after they load a Windows 11 update.