Your membership journey starts here. Keep exploring and earning more as a member. Latest about Microsoft Updates, launches and rumors. Latest about AI. AI updates, how-tos and comparisons in one place. Explore your membership benefits. Stay Ahead with Windows Central Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox. Windows 11 A new report claims Microsoft has raised the cost of the Windows license by up to 10% for certain OEMs, which is much higher than usual. Gaming Scott Van Vliet, the CTO of Xbox, shared more details on what went wrong during Xbox's recent major outage, what's been done to fix it, and what Microsoft's plans are for what comes next. Windows 11 Microsoft plans to release its OneDrive Photos app that rolled out accidentally, but the tech giant will let you uninstall it and have options for admins to manage the app. Apps A clever indie app turns your Windows desktop into a customizable “notch” hub for notifications, media, and more. Windows 11 You will soon lose the option to set up a picture password in Windows 11. Existing picture passwords still work, but Microsoft now pushes PINs, biometrics, and passwords. Deals A Dell deal on on the XPS 14 discounts the premium laptop by $1,350. That model has an impressive 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 3.2K OLED display. All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards. Accessories I went hands-on with GUNNAR Novato Onyx blue-light glasses and was shocked how quickly they reduced my eye strain. Xbox Xbox is turning 25, and through the years we've been treated to a heap of incredible special edition consoles. But which is your favorite? Podcast Windows design and Insider lead Marcus Ash chats with the Windows Central Podcast about the current state of Windows 11 Windows 11 Microsoft tested new Windows 11 features in July 2026, including Taskbar controls, Start menu customization, improved Search, and File Explorer improvements. Gaming The Xbox App on Windows 11 is a pretty good launcher for all your PC games these days, but you really need this Game Bar widget to make it look pretty. Browsing A dedicated text-to-speech extension brings high-end AI voices to your browser, but Microsoft Edge gives you 80% of the experience for free. From The Windows Central Archives As we look ahead to Windows Central’s 20th anniversary in 2027, we’re taking time to revisit the stories that shaped our community. From Microsoft and Xbox to Windows and PC, these throwbacks remind us how far we’ve come together. As we look ahead to Windows Central’s 20th anniversary in 2027, we’re taking time to revisit the stories that shaped our community. From Microsoft and Xbox to Windows and PC, these throwbacks remind us how far we’ve come together. Flashback A decade later, Microsoft’s unreleased Moonraker smartwatch still feels like a glimpse into an alternate timeline. Flashback Looking back at the 2016 editorial that captured Xbox’s growing pains and predicted the decade ahead. Flashback A look back at the LG Lancet and the era when Windows Phone 8.1 defined Microsoft’s mobile peak. Flashback A 2016 warning about Android apps on Chrome feels newly relevant as Googlebooks pushes Android PCs into the agentic era and challenges Microsoft again. Flashback From our archives: A decade ago Microsoft was already testing a Bing “concierge bot,” an early take on the AI agents Google is only now announcing. Flashback Microsoft’s decision to offer full Windows 10 upgrades to non‑genuine PCs marked a rare moment of outreach — and a major shift in how the company thought about Windows adoption. Apps You will soon have to find an alternative to uBlock Origin on Microsoft Edge. Microsoft just confirmed the cutoff for the MV2, which is essential for certain extensions. Apps Microsoft is rolling out five new features to Outlook in August 2026, including mobile calendar drag-and-drop rescheduling, event message filters, and floating Copilot Chat. Windows 11 Microsoft is warning Windows Insiders to update before an old security certificate expires. Podcast Windows design and Insider lead Marcus Ash chats with the Windows Central Podcast about the current state of Windows 11 Windows 11 Microsoft paid 562 security researchers $20 million for finding vulnerabilities in its software and cloud services, setting a new record for the bounty program. Zac Bowden Senior Editor — Windows Jez Corden Executive Editor Daniel Rubino Editor-in-Chief Richard Devine Managing Editor — Tech, Reviews Sean Endicott Staff Writer — News Ben Wilson Senior Editor — Tech

Mauro Hucalak Windows How-To Expert Cale Hunt Staff Writer — Tech Jennifer Young Contributor — Commerce, Gaming Kevin Okemwa Contributor — News Brendan Lowry Contributor — Tech, Gaming Gaming Creators were able to connect an NVIDIA RTX 4060 to an ASUS Zenbook A16 with a Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme. Is this a glimmer of hope for Windows on Arm gaming or just a clever workaround? Gaming A major texture bug leaves Halo: Campaign Evolved unplayable on Qualcomm’s top-tier chip, proving Windows on Arm gaming remains a work in progress. Review I love the PC's performance and cooling, but at the asking price, HP could be paying more attention to small details. Monitors LG stopped shoving McAfee ads onto Windows 11 PCs after Microsoft stepped in, but its official response proves the company still doesn't get the problem. Apps Microsoft’s default Windows 11 apps often fall short. These six apps are what I install to improve Windows 11 and replace Microsoft's default apps. Laptops It's not the most cost-effective method, but who doesn't want a modernized version of one of the most legendary ThinkPads ever? Deals AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D is one of the best gaming CPUs, and it's on sale for 26% off to counter the pricing crisis. Deals Seagate Xbox Expansion Cards are running out of stock at major retailers, with third-party sellers inflating prices over $300. Here is where you can still find 1TB and 2TB models at MSRP. Deal Razer's discounted Huntsman V3 Pro is built for gaming performance but offers a superb typing feel, making it a standout bargain for student gamers. Deals While the Lenovo Yoga 7i laptop isn't great for art projects, its performance and battery life are excellent for routing work assignments and spreadsheets while on the go, especially while it's 20% off Deals Best Buy is holding a special deal for the ASUS Zenbook 14, equipped with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 CPU, 2K OLED touchscreen, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of space, and more for students. Deals Microsoft’s newest 2-in-1 delivers a performance bump, and back-to-school sales bring its high starting price back down to earth. REVIEW The dbrand Killswitch case for the Xbox Ally isn't bad, but the JSAUX Mod Case absolutely blows it away — better feel, features, and value. News Steam Deck sales are cratering, but this should be absolutely no surprise given the current climate and the aging hardware. There's a better handheld to buy. Handhelds Winhanced's latest update adds a built-in game store with price comparisons, Game Pass support, and personalized recommendations for Windows handheld gamers. Gaming Australia’s updated classification laws now require Xbox players to verify their age, and several games are already being refused classification. Call of Duty The early access beta for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 goes live immediately after the NEXT broadcast. News During an earnings call, Take Two's CEO has commented on the impending death of physical games right as the digital-only GTA 6 prints huge wads of cash. News Why do I never find deals like this where a lucky PC builder managed to snag an NVIDIA RTX graphics card for just $5?! Xbox Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is almost here, and its predecessor is about to leave Xbox Game Pass. If you haven't played it before, you need to change that while you can. Apps Developer Hayden Barnes built an unofficial Linux app for Microsoft Copilot. The native app adds system tray support, dark mode, and desktop notifications. AI Recent analysis showed that Microsoft's AI business, while seemingly booming, still carries a somewhat enormous Sam Altman-shaped risk. AI Copilot and Gemini caught mistakes Word missed, making me switch to AI for proofreading. AI Microsoft is shifting key Copilot features, including Deep Research, behind paid subscriptions. Here is why the free version of Copilot is starting to feel like a glorified demo. Microsoft Analyst Ed Zitron says Microsoft’s AI math is impossible and the whole strategy looks like a scam AI Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says athletes are safe from AI, arguing that no one wants to watch computers playing. Apps Microsoft's July 2026 Teams update introduces a dedicated Recap app for meeting summaries, transcripts, and recordings. LIVE Join Daniel and Zac on August 3 at 2PM ET as they interview Microsoft's lead of design and research on Windows, Marcus Ash. Microsoft Microsoft's FY26 earnings report came in, and it has been taken extremely well on Wall Street, as investors reward $MSFT stock with a 20% bounce in less than a month. QOTD Phil Spencer once envisioned an Xbox on every screen. Here is why new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma had to abandon that multiplatform strategy and double down on dedicated console hardware. Podcast On this week's episode: Daniel Rubino and Jez Corden discuss the recent announcements around Xbox backward compatibility, Windows adware, and Samsung foldables. Apps Google dropped the delisted video fast, but Bing kept the index visible, resulting in more people seeing the video. Review OLED finally wins me over, as the ASUS ROG Strix XG32UQWMS delivers amazing contrast with a glossy 4K panel and intelligent screen-protection features. Accessories I went hands-on with GUNNAR Novato Onyx blue-light glasses and was shocked how quickly they reduced my eye strain. Review Razer’s first Hall Effect Magnetic Huntsman brings true 8KHz polling, adjustable actuation and a suite of movement-focused features — a precision-focused esports keyboard that’s as much about micro‑control as it is about bragging rights. Please login or signup to comment