Low Latency Profile early numbers are promising: 40% faster app launches, 70% snappier menus
Cutting corners: Microsoft has a giant Windows problem, but developers are reportedly hard at work to significantly improve the operating system in critical areas, tackling things like overall responsiveness and CPU utilization. New details have emerged about one of those changes.
Microsoft built Windows 11 around web wrappers and Electron apps. Now it's trying to undo that.
TL;DR: Microsoft is trying to repair Windows 11's reputation and overhaul its app ecosystem, and both efforts center on one idea: get back to fundamentals and make the OS feel like a fast, coherent, native-first platform again. That shift runs from Satya Nadella's pledge to "win back fans" to internal engineers publicly declaring that "Native apps are back!" for Windows 11.
Editor's take: Windows Recall continues to raise security concerns. Microsoft has redesigned the feature to improve data and identity protection following public outcry, but a new tool is now reigniting the controversy. I have to suspect that few people in their right mind would choose to enable or use it at this point.
Proton-powered Linux setup delivers higher FPS in several demanding games, though results vary
Looking ahead: For years, Linux gaming has lived in the shadow of Windows. But recent benchmarks suggest that balance may be shifting. In a comparison spanning more than 10 blockbuster titles, the Arch-based Linux distribution CachyOS frequently outperformed Windows, even in games without native Linux support.
First look: Microsoft plans to build 100% native apps for Windows 11 and launch an initiative centered on a new team focused on native experiences instead of web-based wrappers. The company has also created a new team to lead the work, following years in which many core and third-party Windows apps have relied heavily on web technologies.
While Microsoft rethinks where they've failed with Windows 11, many users rely on tools like Open Shell, Start11, StartAllBack, and ExplorerPatcher to take back control of the UI. Open Shell remains a free favorite with a customizable Windows 7-style menu, while Start11 and StartAllBack offer more polished tweaks for modern systems. ExplorerPatcher rounds things out as another powerful free option.
Microsoft outlines a Windows overhaul focused on speed, stability, and user control
Highly anticipated: Microsoft is taking a closer look at Windows 11 after months of criticism over the operating system's uneven performance and intrusive AI features. The company has begun outlining a series of engineering fixes and user experience overhauls aimed at rebuilding confidence in its flagship product, with the first phase arriving in preview builds this spring and broader improvements planned throughout 2026.