This week"s news recap is here, with Microsoft adding some useful stuff to Windows 11, deprecating more stock Windows apps, killing some OneDrive plans and releasing new preview builds for Windows Insiders to try.
Quick links:
- Windows 10 and 11
- Windows Insider Program
- Updates are available
- Reviews are in
- Gaming news
- Great deals to check
Windows 11 and Windows 10
Here, we talk about everything happening around Microsoft"s latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And, of course, you may find a word or two about older versions.
In case you missed it, the January 2026 non-security update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 introduced various useful changes, some of which were a bit unexpected. For example, Windows now has an extra security layer for system storage settings, so get ready for a UAC prompt when navigating there.
Additionally, Microsoft changed how Smart App Control works. With KB5074105, toggling Smart App Control back no longer requires reinstalling Windows from scratch. Plus, there is an important fix for the bug where the taskbar and other parts of the shell won"t load.
Some known bugs remain standing, though. Microsoft confirmed that more computers cannot properly shut down after the recent Patch Tuesday updates. The company is investigating the issue and plans to release a fix soon. Also, NVIDIA is pointing fingers at Microsoft for poor gaming performance on PCs with NVIDIA graphics cards, saying that uninstalling the January 2026 Patch Tuesday update could fix poor performance and graphical glitches.
Moving from bugs, we have some interesting stats. Valve reports that Windows 11 is now installed on over 66% systems that participated in the survey, while Windows 10 is still doing strong.
Finally, Microsoft announced that a certain developer-related Windows component is becoming an optional feature, namely, .NET Framework 3.5. What is not optional anymore is the 3D Viewer app. This relic from the bygone era is now deprecated, and Microsoft will delist the app from the Microsoft Store in July. Now, if you want to preview 3D files on your PC, the company recommends using third-party apps.
We are not done with discontinued things. Recently, Microsoft announced that standalone SharePoint Online and OneDrive plans are going away. Microsoft is now steering users to Microsoft 365, as it can no longer maintain standalone plans due to increasing costs and abuse.
We are finishing this week"s Windows section with an odd one: as it turned out, the former Windows chief shared internal secrets with Jeffrey Epstein (of all people), discussing with him the Surface failure, and more.
Windows Insider Program
Here is what Microsoft released for Windows Insiders this week:
| Builds | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Canary Channel | A small build with fixes for cloud-based storage and a little more. | ||
| Dev Channel | This build brought built-in sysmon for Windows and a few bug fixes. | ||
| Beta Channel | This build is identical to the one in the Dev Channel. | ||
| Release Preview Channel | Nothing in Release Preview this week | ||
Updates are available
This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.
On the browser side, we have some positive changes coming soon to Firefox. This week, Mozilla announced that Firefox would get a single AI kill switch, allowing you to get rid of AI features in a single click. Right now, this kill switch is available in Firefox Beta, Dev, and Nightly, and it is coming soon to the stable release. Additionally, Firefox 147.0.3 arrived with fixes for broken UI on Windows and other patches.
Here are other updates and releases you may find interesting:
- Microsoft brings Viva Engage communities directly into Teams.
- Microsoft has made a "crucial" accessibility improvement to Word for Windows.
-
Microsoft ends Azure Blob Storage support for legacy TLS versions.
-
Microsoft is focusing on making AI more reliable in Visual Studio 2026 this month.
-
Microsoft Defender XDR now automatically tunes low-severity alerts.
-
IT admins can now check the status of Secure Boot in Windows devices across their firm.
Reviews are in
Here is the hardware and software we reviewed this week
Steven Parker reviewed the REDMAGIC 11 Pro, a seriously powerful gaming smartphone with wireless charging, a unique design, hefty specs, and a quite reasonable price tag.
Pradeep Viswanathan reviewed the Status Audio Pro X, a pair of premium earbuds with a big focus on audio quality and unique looks.
On the gaming side
Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts, and more.
Microsoft announced a new wave of games coming to Game Pass. The first batch of games in February consists of High on Life 2, Avatar, Pirate Yakuza, Madden NFL 26, Relooted, Starand Island, and more. Some of Microsoft"s games will soon be available on the Nintendo Switch 2 as well, as Microsoft confirmed three major titles coming to the Japanese handheld.
Additionally, Microsoft published its annual Xbox Transparency Report, which detailed how AI helps the company keep the platform safe, combat harmful content, reduce hate speech, and more.
New games are available for GeForce NOW as well. The service recently turned six, and to celebrate, NVIDIA added 24 new titles for owners to play in the cloud.
AMD, Microsoft"s long-term hardware partner for making consoles, spilled some beans on the next-gen Xbox release. Lisa Su openly confirmed that the development of the next-generation Xbox is "progressing well to support a launch in 2027."
If you are waiting for the new Steam Machine, Valve has some bad news: the device is delayed, as hardware shortages hit the gaming company. It is still on track for the first half of the year, but the exact release date is not known yet.
The Epic Games Store is giving away the puzzle game Botany Manor; you can add it to your collection for free until next Thursday. As usual, more deals and specials are available in this week"s Weekend PC Game Deals.
Other gaming news includes the following:
-
Obsidian plans faster game development under Xbox using some old tricks.
-
Epic Games is rebuilding its launcher to make it "feel good to use."
-
Overwatch 2 overhaul sees 10 new heroes coming in, and even dropping the "2" from its name.
Great deals to check
Every week, we cover many deals on different hardware and software. The following discounts are still available, so check them out. You might find something you want or need.
- Lenovo 800 Self-Charging Bluetooth Keyboard - $60.99 | 33% off
- LG QNED85A Series 65-inch 4K Smart TV - $696.99 | 7% off
- Acer Nitro XC272U F3 - $199.99 | 33% off
- Razer Basilisk Pro V3 Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse - $89 |44% off
- ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 - $129.99 | 38% off
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 - $259.99 | 26% off
This link will take you to other issues of the Microsoft Weekly series. You can also support Neowin by registering for a free member account or subscribing for extra member benefits, along with an ad-free tier option.