Windows 11 26H2 extends Microsoft's support timeline without introducing a major OS overhaul. Here's how it compares with 25H2 on performance, compatibility, upgrade requirements, and enterprise deployment readiness.

The post Windows 11 26H2 vs 25H2: What IT Admins Need to Know appeared first on TechRepublic.

Windows 11 26H2 extends Microsoft's support timeline without introducing a major OS overhaul. Here's how it compares with 25H2 on performance, compatibility, upgrade requirements, and enterprise deployment readiness.

The post Windows 11 26H2 vs 25H2: What IT Admins Need to Know appeared first on TechRepublic.

Windows 11 looks considerably more modern than its predecessors, with a redesigned Start menu, rounded corners, and a Settings app that brings many controls together. But spend enough time using it, and the fresh coat of paint starts to give way to familiar bits of older Windows. From legacy Control Panel windows to context menus that feel like they belong to another era, the operating system doesn't always feel like one joined-up experience.

For years, Windows 11 has handled camera and microphone access for desktop apps like a master key—flip the switch and every program gets in, or none do. Microsoft is finally working on a solution for the latest Windows 11 Insider build. The new privacy controls allow you to decide which desktop apps get to use your camera and microphone, one at a time. If you use an Android phone, you'll find the per-app permission settings feel familiar. This matters because camera and microphone access can reveal more than you might expect across varied software.

I'm the last person to defend Windows. There's no doubt in my mind that it's a bloated, slow, and unreliable mess of an operating system. The only thing I use Windows for anymore is as a dedicated gaming PC that never has a single mission-critical job.

Windows 11 can share sound between two Bluetooth headphones, but compatible hardware, drivers, and LE Audio support determine whether it works.

The post Windows 11 Can Play Audio on Two Bluetooth Headphones — But Not Every Laptop Supports It appeared first on TechRepublic.

Windows 11 can share sound between two Bluetooth headphones, but compatible hardware, drivers, and LE Audio support determine whether it works.

The post Windows 11 Can Play Audio on Two Bluetooth Headphones — But Not Every Laptop Supports It appeared first on TechRepublic.

In the open source world we are used to software being compiled from source for our particular distro, so while in a few cases an ancient release may still be in use, it’s just going to run on the latest distro version. But in the Windows world it’s rare for software to come with the source, so you’re left with a binary that will only run if your Windows version has the right APIs for it. Since the more recent versions of Windows dropped 16-bit support a while back, that means there must be a hard date set on the earliest Windows GUI application that can still run today. [Enlyth] decided to investigate.

Given that the earliest API supported in WIndows 11 is the 32-bit version, the hunt led straight to either the first Windows NT release and ancestor of Windows 11, or the Win32s extension for WIndows 3.1. Thus a 1993 Win32S version of Freecell runs happily, but that want’s the end of the trail. Somewhere in the pre-release builds of Windows NT 3.1 would be the requisite binary, but there’s a snag. Early Windows NT 3.1 APIs were incompatible with later ones. This led through a lot of crashing binaries to a November 1992 version of the CD player app, that ran because it called a DLL which happens to still be present. The need for another DLL to emulate a CD drive speaks volumes about the progress of the PC world, back then they were the last word in storage but who’s got one now?

That’s the earliest official binary to run, but the story’s not quite over. Windows 11 may not have a VDM to run 16-bit apps, but there’s a WINE VDM for that. Behold, Reversi from Windows 1.01 in November 1985, in Windows 11. Your ancient software may yet be saved.

While PowerToys is a fantastic open-source tool made by Microsoft, its Windows modding capabilities are fairly limited. When it comes to built-in Windows modding options, you can do stuff like bring back the Windows 10-style right-click menu (via Registry Editor), toggle transparency effects, use a limited selection of custom themes, finally move the taskbar again, and a few other things, which isn’t that bad considering they’re all available right from the get-go.

Windows has a habit of getting in your way just when you're trying to get something done. Whether it's an update at the wrong time or a driver that refuses to cooperate, you might be tempted to disable a security feature and call it a day. Before you do, though, there are six Windows features you should think twice about switching off.

Microsoft's October Windows 11 update left an Always On VPN issue unresolved. Here's the temporary workaround for affected enterprise connections.

The post Windows 11 VPN Issues Persist After October Update — Here’s Microsoft’s Workaround appeared first on TechRepublic.

Windows 11 is testing a browser-free internet speed test in Quick Settings. Here's how to use it, what it measures, and who can try it first.

The post Windows 11’s New Speed Test Skips the Browser — Here’s How It Works appeared first on TechRepublic.

Microsoft's October Windows 11 update left an Always On VPN issue unresolved. Here's the temporary workaround for affected enterprise connections.

The post Windows 11 VPN Issues Persist After October Update — Here’s Microsoft’s Workaround appeared first on TechRepublic.

Windows 11 is testing a browser-free internet speed test in Quick Settings. Here's how to use it, what it measures, and who can try it first.

The post Windows 11’s New Speed Test Skips the Browser — Here’s How It Works appeared first on TechRepublic.

A hidden setting spotted in an experimental Windows 11 build suggests Microsoft is preparing to take advantage of Intel's latest CPU technology. But don't expect your PC to suddenly become faster after an update.

NVIDIA’s RTX Spark could give Windows on Arm the boost it needs, and Qualcomm Snapdragon laptops might be among the biggest winners. Here’s why NVIDIA’s entry could reshape gaming, local AI, and app compatibility.

I follow the straightforward Task Manager route to disable anything I don't plan to use as soon as I log on. It saves some boot time and stops distractions.

Say you want to copy a file to another folder on your Windows PC, but not for backup purposes. If you just want to have the same file appear in multiple folders, you don’t have to copy it the usual way, where each copy takes up the full amount of storage space. What you can do instead is hard link it, which makes the same file show up in another folder, indistinguishable from the original, with the benefit of this “copy” not using any extra storage.

I have a number of Windows computers around my home. Some are media centers, others handle my outdoor cameras and smart home, and some are just for basic office work. I’m also the person in my circle of friends and family who gets the call when there is a technology problem. Basically, this means I’m working on other people’s PCs pretty frequently. I don’t particularly enjoy having to install the same group of apps on every machine I’m working on, especially when the PC isn’t mine. Having portable apps on my thumb drive means I don’t have to.

Although its reputation has taken a hit in recent years, File Explorer is still a decent file manager, especially if you use it as an auxiliary option alongside your main one. In my case, Total Commander has been my Windows file manager of choice for more than two decades, but I’ve been using File Explorer more and more lately since it’s generally better suited for working with images, and I juggle tons of them every day.