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313 Team tells Canonical: pay up or the packets keep coming

Canonical says its web infrastructure is under attack after a pro-Iran hacktivist group instructed its members to target the open source giant.…

Vzali jsme týdenní přehledy nejstahovanějších filmů, které se objevují na torrentech, a spojili je do jednoho žebříčku. Tohle jsou aktuálně filmy, o které je na světě největší zájem, které se nejvíc pirátí.

The managed security services market is projected to grow from $38.31 billion in 2025 to $69.16 billion by 2030[1], with cybersecurity being the fastest-growing sector[2]. Despite this opportunity, many MSPs leave revenue on the table because their go-to-market strategy fails to connect technical expertise with business needs. This execution gap is where most deals stall. MSPs often focus on

The managed security services market is projected to grow from $38.31 billion in 2025 to $69.16 billion by 2030[1], with cybersecurity being the fastest-growing sector[2]. Despite this opportunity, many MSPs leave revenue on the table because their go-to-market strategy fails to connect technical expertise with business needs. This execution gap is where most deals stall. MSPs often focus on [email protected]

Máme za sebou další Filipojakubskou noc, a protože nad regionem střední Evropy vyšlo počasí, meteorologové z ČHMÚ ještě včera večer přispěchali s družicovým záběrem Česka, ve kterém jsou ohně patrné jako tmavě fialové body. Patrné jsou zejména v na německé straně hranic a v Čechách. Na Moravě ...

Microsoft has released the KB5083631 optional cumulative update for Windows 11, which includes 34 changes, such as a new Xbox mode for Windows PCs, enhanced security and performance for batch files, and performance improvements for launching startup apps. [...]

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) on Thursday announced the sentencing of two cybersecurity professionals to four years each in prison for their role in facilitating BlackCat ransomware attacks in 2023. Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were accused of deploying the ransomware against multiple victims located throughout the U.S. between April and December 2023.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) on Thursday announced the sentencing of two cybersecurity professionals to four years each in prison for their role in facilitating BlackCat ransomware attacks in 2023. Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were accused of deploying the ransomware against multiple victims located throughout the U.S. between April and December 2023. Ravie Lakshmananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/[email protected]

Got extra smartphones sitting around your office? How about tablets? As we move multiple generations into mobile technology, more and more of us are building up collections of old, dated devices from both our work and our personal lives. And more often than not, those devices do little more than take up space and gather dust.

Here’s a little secret, though: Your abandoned Android gadgets are actually virtual gold mines. You just have to find the right way to tap into their potential and give them new life.

So grab the nearest DustBuster and get ready: Here are 25 ways to make your old phone or tablet useful again.

1. Create a no-cost Wi-Fi extender

If you struggle with poor Wi-Fi coverage in particular areas of your home, office, and/or home office (hello, my fellow converted garage dwellers!), a random old Android device can serve as a surprisingly effective extender for your internet signal — in the same way that a dedicated Wi-Fi extender or repeater appliance could.

Few folks realize it, but the hotspot option built into Android works not only with mobile data — the way most of us use it with a current, active Android device — but also with any Wi-Fi network associated with the device. That means your old Android gizmo can take the signal it’s receiving from a router and broadcast it further, almost as if it were a point in a mesh networking system like Eero or Nest Wifi (only without quite as elegant or simple of a setup — but hey, this approach is completely free!). It’s an interesting advantage that Apple devices notably don’t offer.

The key is to find a place for the phone where it’s close enough to a router to be seeing a reasonably strong Wi-Fi signal and close enough to your dead zone that it can extend the signal further in that direction, while still being plugged in to have consistent power. You may have to experiment to figure out what exact positioning works best.

Once you have the device in the right spot, though, all that’s left is to find the hotspot option within its settings and get it configured correctly. The precise placement of the option may vary depending on the device’s software, but you’ll usually want to look within a Network & Internet section of the system settings (or whatever closest equivalent you find), then look for a “Hotspot” or “Hotspot & Tethering” subsection within that area.

Tap the option for “Wi-Fi Hotspot” there, and you should be able to configure the name and password of the network the phone will generate — using your existing Wi-Fi network as its backbone. If there’s an option to turn the hotspot off automatically anytime no other devices are connected, you’ll probably want to disable that. And if you see an option for setting the network to be 2.4GHz or 5GHz, you’ll likely want to enable both of those paths.

Then, just flip the switch to start your hotspot — and that’s it: Your extended network is officially up and running.

Android’s Wi-Fi hotspot setup, in action — a feat iPhones won’t allow.

JR Raphael / Foundry

Now, just go into the part of your building where Wi-Fi wasn’t great and try connecting to your phone’s network instead of the standard Wi-Fi network. If your positioning worked, the signal should be noticeably stronger — and your connection should be noticeably faster as a result.

2. Use it as a wireless trackpad and controller for your computer

With the right software and a couple minutes of configuration, your old Android device can act as an on-demand controller for your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer.

An app called Unified Remote and a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection are all you need to make the magic happen. The free version of the app gives you basic mouse and keyboard control along with specialized remotes for media playback and power-related commands, while the full $5 version adds in program-specific remotes for presentation control along with other advanced features.

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Unified Remote provides basic mouse and keyboard control along with a variety of specialized remotes.

JR Raphael / IDG

Grab whichever version you prefer and download the server-side software for your computer — then toss your old device into a desk drawer or computer bag and rest easy knowing it’ll be ready and waiting the next time you need to go wireless.

3. Turn it into a remote computer terminal

Want easy access to your home computer from the office — or vice-versa? Your old Android phone or tablet can be a splendid stationary screen for keeping a remote system at arm’s reach.

And it couldn’t be any easier to make that happen. All you need is Google’s free Chrome Remote Desktop program on both your computer and your old Android device, and your phone or tablet will effectively become a window to your desktop.

I’ve got a thorough guide to the Chrome Remote Desktop setup process, if you want step-by-step instructions — but the short version is that you’ll need to install the official Google Chrome Remote Desktop extension into Chrome on your computer, then open the Chrome Remote Desktop website and follow the prompts to set up remote access.

Snag the companion Remote Desktop Android app, get all signed in there, and that’s it: Your old Android device is now a full-fledged terminal and access point for any computer you want.

4. Make it a portable storage device

Cloud services may often be the simplest way to store and transport files nowadays, but there’s something to be said for good old-fashioned physical storage — both in terms of consistent availability regardless of connectivity and in terms of the added assurances having especially important files in your own pocket can provide.

While there’s certainly no shortage of high-quality portable thumb drives and external hard drives available, any old Android device is essentially the same thing — with the added advantage of also offering up an easy interface for interacting with anything on its local storage and optionally dropping such files into an email, a Slack chat, or any other cloud-connected spot should the need ever arise.

Just securely erase your Android device to give it a fresh start and free up as much space as possible, then plug it into your computer to transfer files from the computer to the phone or tablet.

You’ll have ample room for whatever you need to store, and you can easily carry it around or keep it somewhere safe — then connect it to another computer or rely on assorted Android business apps for managing the files, emailing them, sharing them in collaborative environments, or anything else that may come up.

5. Reposition it as an AI-powered chatbot interface

Generative AI systems are quickly becoming critical tools for company productivity, and an old Android device is the perfect vessel for creating a dedicated on-demand AI chatbot interaction station.

This one’s especially easy, too: Just install the ChatGPT Android app, the Gemini Android app, the Microsoft Copilot Android app, or any other AI tool you use — then keep it front and center on your old device’s home screen.

In the case of Gemini, you can also opt in to allowing Gemini to take over the role of your default system assistant and make it available via a Hey Google voice command.

And just like that, you’ve got a generative AI chatbot at your beck and call 24/7 without having to have it take over your current Android device and run down its battery.

6. Give yourself a separate work and personal phone

With more and more companies taking a bring-your-own-device approach for the workplace, the lines between our personal and professional lives are getting increasingly blurry.

And while Android does have some decent options for creating separate work and personal profiles — both natively, if your phone is part of an enterprise-managed arrangement, and with a little creative configuring in any other scenario — there’s an undeniable appeal in creating a formal barrier between your worlds and being able to leave your work completely behind when the opportunity arises.

So think about using your old Android device as a dedicated work or personal phone and setting it up explicitly for that purpose, then using your current Android phone exclusively for the other role. That’ll give you separate physical devices for your separate life roles — the kind of power most people only dream about seizing these days.

7. Use it as a universal smart remote

Even the junkiest old Android device has ample power to serve as a smart remote for your home or office. That can be a helpful way for you and anyone else around to control your various smart devices and multimedia components without needing any special access (or your own current personal phone in hand).

First, the easy part: Load up your old phone or tablet with all the relevant apps for your smart-device setup — things like Google Home, Hue, and anything else appropriate for controlling your home or office tech.

Next, think about adding some tools that’ll let the device handle any audio and video systems in your area. There are a few ways you can make that work:

• Pair the phone or tablet with one of Google’s Streamer boxes or, better yet, one of the company’s older, simpler, and far more affordable Chromecast dongles, if you’ve still got one sitting around somewhere. You can then keep the old Android device on your desk or coffee table and use it as a hub for wirelessly casting content — everything from Netflix and YouTube to TED Talks, CNBC, and Google Slides — to your TV.
• Use your device as a dedicated remote for your home or office entertainment setup. If the device is running an Android version from 2012 or later, you can give yourself a ready-to-roll Google TV remote that’ll work with any compatible streaming products by installing and then signing into the official Google TV app. The Play Store also has a variety manufacturer-made apps for controlling specific components, including those by AT&T U-verse and Roku.
• Set up a full-fledged media server using Plex, then use your old device as a dedicated remote to stream your own local content to a TV. (The Plex media server software is free; a premium subscription with added features runs $7 per month, $70 per year, or $250 for a lifetime license.)

8. Transform it into a free-standing security camera

Who needs a fancy-schmancy connected camera when you’ve got an old Android phone sitting around? With the aid of a third-party app, the camera on your dated device can let you keep an eye on your home, office, or top-secret crime lair from anywhere — and even perform advanced functions like video recording and motion detection.

Just download the free IP Webcam app or get the fully featured $5 pro version and follow its instructions. Within moments, you’ll be able to peek through your device’s lens from any compatible web browser and cackle with glorious glee.

9. Repurpose it as a dedicated camera

Smartphone cameras just keep getting better, but we’re reaching a point where even cameras from a few years back are really quite good — and the differences between them and their more current siblings are relatively subtle.

With that in mind, an old Android device can be a perfect way to have a ready-to-roll camera at your disposal for times when you might not want your primary phone to be out and about on your adventures — whether you’re worried about it getting wet or damaged or maybe just trying to disconnect from the world of work-related dings and pings for a while.

The best part about this setup that is no special preparation is even required. Just grab the old phone and go, and rest easy knowing your “real” phone is safe and sound somewhere far away from whatever you’re photographing.

10. Reframe it as a full-time videoconferencing station

Set up your old Android device with the app for your video-chatting platform of choice — Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or whatever the case may be — then drop it into a dock on your desk or conference room table. Say “hocus pocus” for good measure, and ta-da: You’ve just created a permanent access point for virtual face-to-face communications.

Just think: With enough old phones and tablets, you can create an entire house- or office-wide videoconferencing system. Sign each device into its own unique account, with the name of the room as its username, and seeing someone across the building will never be more than a couple quick taps away.

11. Turn it into a kitchen command center

Hard to believe, but my ancient 2011 Motorola Xoom tablet was one of the most used devices in my house until it finally kicked the bucket some six years into its life. That’s because I converted it into a multipurpose command center for our kitchen — a role my 2012 Nexus 10 tablet then took over for another couple years after that.

So how to make a kitchen command center of your own? Easy: First, use a custom Android launcher like Smart Launcher or Niagara Launcher to simplify your old tablet’s home screen and add in some easy-to-perform gestures — like double-tapping anywhere on the screen to launch Android’s voice search function for on-the-fly info-gathering and other hands-free commands, either via Gemini or the old Google Assistant, if your old Android device still has that present.

Second, populate the home screen with the right apps for the purpose. Netflix and other video-streaming services will effectively turn your old tablet into a cooking-time television. Recipe apps can also be useful, as can Android note-taking apps — like Google Keep, Microsoft OneNote, and Notion — for quick viewing of personal recipes or editing of always-synced family-shared shopping lists.

If you really want to get wild, you can even set up a smart-display-like screensaver that’ll turn your device into a customizable intelligent info center whenever you aren’t actively using it — kind of like what Google has tried (but thus far mostly failed) to accomplish with its not-so-old Pixel Tablet product.

12. Make it a data-based extension of your current phone service

If you use Google Fi (formerly known as Project Fi) for your current phone’s wireless service, take advantage of a little-known bonus feature: the ability to get an extra SIM card that’s connected to your account and able to provide data on any other device — without any superfluous fees.

All you’ve gotta do is order the card from the Google Fi website, pop it into an old phone (or a tablet, if you happen to have one with a SIM slot) — and bam: That device is instantly online and connected. You’ll pay only for whatever mobile data the device uses in any given month, at the same flat rate associated with your regular Fi plan, so it’s essentially just an extension of your primary phone.

That opens up plenty of interesting possibilities: You could use your old device as a ready-to-go backup phone in case your regular one is ever missing, broken, or low on battery; you could use it as a dedicated hotspot to beam out mobile data access without draining your primary phone’s battery; or you could use it as an always-connected on-the-go slate for your kids (hello, airport video-streaming) without having to pay for an extra line of service.

13. Make it your live window into the world

Don’t have the greatest view from your desk? Let your old Android phone or tablet be your window to wild and exciting locales.

To get started, grab the EarthCam Webcams app from the Google Play Store. It’ll give you one-touch access to an impressive list of live streaming cameras around the world, from the hustle and bustle of New Orleans’ famous Bourbon Street to the swooshing serenity of Niagara Falls. Pull up any view you like, then tap the icon to go full-screen and gaze the day away. If you find yourself craving some variety, you can consider upgrading from the app’s free collection to a set of 175 live cameras for a one-time $5 fee.

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EarthCam lets you gaze down Niagara Falls — or a slew of other webcams around the world — for a break from the mundane.

JR Raphael / IDG

You can find quite a few mobile-friendly live cameras on the web as well: Pull up your device’s browser and try out the San Diego Zoo’s assorted animal cams — including a penguin cam, koala cam, and tiger cam, among other exotic views — or the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s extensive underwater cams for even more “aww”-inducing options.

14. Convert it into a digital photo frame

Ah, memories. Snag an inexpensive stand, plug your device into its charger, and turn it into a cloud-connected photo frame for your home or office.

If you use Google Photos, just open up the app, tap on any photo in your main library or within a specific album, and then tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. Scroll horizontally along the menu that appears and select “Slideshow.” The app will cycle through your photos and give you plenty of memories to reflect upon whilst relaxing or taking care of business.

If your old Android phone is a Pixel, you can also set it on one of Google’s official Pixel Stands to start an ever-evolving Photos-linked slideshow showing any specific albums or even specific people you want.

15. Use it as a dedicated e-reader

Want a distraction-free reading environment for your next business trip or public transit commute? Load up your old Android device with only the apps you need for reading — Google Play Books, Amazon Kindle, Nook, or whatever tickles your text-ingesting fancy.

You can even borrow books from your local library: Check with your nearest branch for information on how to do it or download the free Libby app, which is used by a variety of libraries, schools, and institutions.

Be sure to disable notifications from Gmail and other noisy apps — heck, even switch the device into airplane mode once you’ve downloaded the content you need — and you’ve got the equivalent of a dedicated e-reader without all the usual phone or tablet temptations.

16. Transform it into a dedicated desk calendar

Dock your old device on your desk and put it to work as your personal calendar. Google’s own Calendar app can get the job done with plenty of productivity-oriented elements, or the free DigiCal Calendar Agenda app will give you an even more graphical and customizable interface that’s perfectly suited for this purpose.

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The DigiCal app looks especially sharp in its landscape (horizontal) orientation.

JR Raphael/IDG

DigiCal is free with an optional $5.50 upgrade for extra themes and customization options.

17. Treat yourself to a dedicated audio player

The idea of an iPod may seem amusingly antiquated at this point, but there’s something to the idea of having a dedicated device for the specific purpose of playing podcasts, music, or even just some manner of white noise.

By outsourcing that task to an old Android device, you can grant yourself the freedom to leave your current phone behind when you’re working out, doing something outside, or even just taking a break from business on the weekend — and eliminate the temptation to keep checking your inbox or looking at other work-related distractions.

You can also give yourself a great way to listen to audio while traveling without having to wear down your primary device battery during a long day of flights.

18. Make it a mounted command center for a non-connected car

Save yourself the hassle of futzing around with your current phone in your car by turning your old device into an always-available command center for a car that doesn’t have its own built-in equivalent.

Just find a decent car dock and mount the device somewhere safe. Be sure to plug it into your car’s power port and connect it to the stereo (via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm headphone jack). Then, either use your primary phone as a hotspot to keep it online or go the economical route and download any necessary music and directions before you hit the road, while you’re still connected to Wi-Fi.

All that’s left is to open up the Google Maps app and start a navigation, and you’ll be moving full-speed ahead with a simplified interface and ready-to-roll voice commands.

19. Turn it into a kid-friendly learning tool

Your old tablet may seem tired to you, but it’s still top-notch tech by toddler standards — so why not turn it into a fun and educational gadget for your kid?

On most reasonably recent tablets, you can find a native Restricted Profile feature right within the operating system: Just head into the system settings, tap “Users” (or “Users & accounts” and then “Users,” depending on your OS version), and then “Add user or profile.”

Select the option to add a restricted profile. You’ll be prompted to enable or disable access to each app installed on the tablet, allowing you to control exactly what processes your progeny will and won’t be able to use.

If your old device has Android 7.0 or higher (or Android 5.0, on a limited number of models), Google’s Family Link program can give you even more robust controls — including the abilities to set screen-time limits and receive weekly activity reports. You can learn more and sign up at the Family Link website.

20. Let it serve as a high-tech e-clock

Time for something new? An old phone with a dock can make a snazzy customizable clock for your desk or nightstand. Google’s own Clock app is a great place to start, especially if you want to use the clock for alarms. Look for the “Screensaver” option in the Display section of your system settings to make it automatically activate anytime your device is plugged in.

21. Convert it into a gaming device for your downtime

Put down the briefcase and summon your inner Pac-Man: Silly as it may seem, your old Android device is a mini-arcade just waiting to be called into action. (Hey, we all need the occasional break from working, right?)

To complete your device’s Game-Boy-like transformation, just surf the Play Store for some games — you can even find emulators for console-level systems, if (ahem) you know where to look — and then level up by grabbing a universal Android game controller like the ones you’ll find available on Amazon or at other tech retailers.

22. Keep it handy for emergencies

Any cell phone can make emergency calls, even if it’s not connected to active service. Keep an old phone charged and in your car or travel bag; if something bad happens and your active phone is either dead or unavailable, you’ll still have a way to get through to 911.

23. Turn it into your personal testing ground

Android is a tinkerer’s dream. It typically doesn’t take too much sorcery to root, or gain system-level access to, an Android device — and once you’ve done that, you open up a whole new world of possibilities. You can install powerful root-only applications and even replace your device’s entire operating system with a custom ROM full of fresh features and advanced customization potential.

Anytime you start poking around under the hood, though, you risk screwing something up. And when the device in question is your primary phone or tablet, that can be a daunting gamble to take (especially since rooting a device usually violates its warranty).

That’s where an old phone or tablet can come into play. Put on your hacker’s hat and do a Google search for “root [your device name]” and then “[your device name] ROM.” There’s a huge community of Android enthusiasts out there, and you’ll almost certainly find some helpful user-generated guides to get yourself started.

24. Sell it

This one’s easy, right? After all, what’s old to you is new to someone else. You can go the regular route and list your device on Craigslist or eBay — or you can check in with a more niche service like Swappa or Gazelle to get an instant estimated price for your device. Amazon and Best Buy also both offer buyback programs that may be worth investigating.

Whatever you do, make sure you head into your device’s system settings and perform a full factory reset before passing anything along. You’ll probably also want to remove any memory cards you might have added, if your old phone or tablet has an external storage slot.

25. Donate it

Feeling philanthropic? Rest assured: There’s no shortage of organizations ready to put your old Android device in the hands of someone who could really use it.

A few possibilities worth considering:

• Medic Mobile: This nonprofit organization recycles old phones and tablets and then uses the proceeds to purchase new phones for health workers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The workers use those phones for things like tracking disease outbreaks and communicating in emergencies. You can print a prepaid shipping label on the Medic Mobile website.
• Cell Phones For Soldiers: This nonprofit sends old phones along with free international calling service to troops serving overseas from all branches of the U.S. military. You can donate a device by finding a local drop-off point or requesting a mailing label.
• Rainforest Connection: This nonprofit utilizes old phones to protect threatened rainforests in Indonesia, Africa, and the Amazon. How? The devices are fitted with solar panels for energy as well as specialized software that uses their microphones to monitor for the sound of illegal chainsawing and then alert nearby rangers to the activity (yes, really!). You can donate a device by mailing it to the organization’s California headquarters.

So there you have it: 25 intriguing options for giving new life to your old device. Figure out which one best suits you — and send those gadget-dwelling dust bunnies packing.

This story was originally published in August 2014 and most recently updated in May 2026.

More Android tips:

• 22 pro Android security settings you shouldn’t overlook
• 18 tricks for more efficient Android messaging
• 10 advanced Android clipboard tricks
• 11 Android Quick Settings additions that’ll supercharge your efficiency

A new software supply chain attack campaign has been observed using sleeper packages as a conduit to subsequently push malicious payloads that enabled credential theft, GitHub Actions tampering, and SSH persistence. The activity has been attributed to the GitHub account "BufferZoneCorp," which has published a set of repositories that are associated with malicious Ruby gems and Go modules. As of

A new software supply chain attack campaign has been observed using sleeper packages as a conduit to subsequently push malicious payloads that enabled credential theft, GitHub Actions tampering, and SSH persistence. The activity has been attributed to the GitHub account "BufferZoneCorp," which has published a set of repositories that are associated with malicious Ruby gems and Go modules. As of Ravie Lakshmananhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/[email protected]

The Home Office has increased the annual value and overall duration of its new passport production contract, increasing it to a total of £576 million as it starts a third round of engagement with suppliers. The department’s first engagement notice for the Provision of Passport Manufacturing and Personalisation Services contract last July included an estimated total value of £360 million including VAT over 10 years or £36 million a year. The version published on 24 April increases the total value to £576 million including VAT over 12 years or £48 million a year. The Home Office has also pushed back the contract’s start date from September 2027 to August 2028, as well as postponing the publication of the full tender notice from June to November this year. The latest version says that HM Passport Office issues about eight million passports annually, up from seven million in the first notice, although this would not fully account for the increased annual value. The Home Office’s current passport production contract with Thales (which bought the winning bidder Gemalto) started in April 2018, with an estimated value of £262 million over 11.5 years or £22.8 million a year. It ends on 30 September 2029. As well as physical production of passports and other travel documents, the new supplier will have to personalize them with data including biometrics. It may also need to produce digital travel credentials and make provision “for crypto technologies and contingency solutions.” Potential suppliers will have the chance to ask questions after completing a non-disclosure agreement at an online event on 18 May. The Home Office disclosed that it will pay IBM £5.88 million including VAT for software licenses and support services to operate and maintain its biometric systems between 1 May 2026 and 30 April 2028. The department is awarding the contract directly without competition "as the required software and support services are proprietary to IBM and embedded within existing live systems, with no reasonable alternative supplier without disproportionate technical difficulties." ®

Start date pushed back a year, annual cost up a third, and UK's now handing out eight million passports a year

The Home Office has increased the annual value and overall duration of its new passport production contract, increasing it to a total of £576 million as it starts a third round of engagement with suppliers.…

Neváhejte a připojte se k velké květnové akci od Goodoffer24.com a získejte Windows 11 Pro, Office 2019 nebo hry!

Mobilní GeForce RTX 5070 je karta vybavená 8GB paměti. To už na současnou éru není vysloveně hodně, zvlášť v kontextu sedmdesátkové řady, která tradičně mívala blíže k high-endu než k mainstreamu…

Two former employees of cybersecurity incident response companies Sygnia and DigitalMint were sentenced to four years in prison each for targeting U.S. companies in BlackCat (ALPHV) ransomware attacks. [...]

Nvidia vsadila 20 miliard na Groq a otevřela nový boj o rychlost umělé inteligence • . • Další AI bitva se přesouvá k inferenci a investoři hledají příští Groq. • Nvidia ukázala nový směr a startupy kolem AI čipů míří do centra pozornosti.

AI is getting faster. But slow-responding AI is perceived as better by users. 

At least that’s the conclusion reached by new research presented at CHI’26, which is the Association for Computing Machinery’s Barcelona conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 

Two researchers — Felicia Fang-Yi Tan and Professor Oded Nov at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering — tested 240 adults by having them use an AI chatbot. The answers were artificially delayed by two, nine, or 20 seconds. (The delay had nothing to do with the question or the answer.)

Afterwards, the researchers asked how they liked the answers. In general, participants preferred the answers that took longer (although sometimes users got frustrated with the 20-second delay). 

Why? Because a delay led the users to believe the AI was “thinking” or showing “deliberation” — invaluable input for AI companies and an interesting result.

In almost every product category, faster usually means better. But for AI chatbots, it turns out, a delay makes people assume the results are better. 

In other words, unlike other products, people judge AI the way they judge people. (If people give a slower answer to a question, we tend to assume it to be a more thoughtful one.) In still other words, study participants believed something that wasn’t true. 

There’s just one problem: Armed with this data, the researchers advise AI developers to implement “context-aware latency” by abandoning a one-size-fits-all approach, using latency as a “tunable design variable.” Simple questions, they say, should get a quick answer. More complex questions, including moral dilemmas, should “feature” slight delays to match the request’s gravity. They call it “positive friction.” 

The researchers claim it would be a good practice to trick users into believing an AI chatbot is considering their answer more than it really is — because users will be happier in their delusion that AI is like people, who need more time to mull over serious questions. 

(In fairness, the researchers do warn that if users equate longer response times with higher quality, they might place undue trust in a slower system.)

The underlying assumption here is that users trusting AI more, and believing something about the AI that isn’t true, are both good things. 

User delusion as interface design

Other research offered comparable advice. 

In a May 13, 2025 study published in Frontiers in Computer Science, researchers Ning Ma, Ruslana Khynevych, Yunqiang Hao, and Yahui Wang found that emotion matters more than raw computer intelligence when designing easier-to-use chatbots. Call it ease-of-use maxxing. 

The study found that when chatbots use fake human voices, simulated human faces, and chatty words, users feel an “emotional connection” to the AI. It enhances “cognitive ease,” meaning that it takes less effort for the brain to process. 

They found that AI chatbot designers should prioritize emotional engagement and fake empathy over raw intelligence as the best way to gain a user’s trust. 

The assumption behind this is also that users trusting AI more is good, and that ease-of-use is more important than user clarity about the nature of the AI (namely, that it has zero authentic human qualities). 

Both studies represent examples of AI researchers advocating user delusion about AI. 

The trouble with AI anthropomorphism

AI designs have a large set of tools for making AI seem human. They can use colloquial speech and slang, respond to the mood of the user by shifting tone, personalize chats by remembering details about the user, turn to humor or sarcasm, and give responses that blatantly lie, such as “I feel that way, too,” or “I’m genuinely sorry.” They can also use natural-sounding audible voices or visual avatars. 

Some critics of this argument might say that using interaction design to indulge and bolster user delusion about the “humanity” of AI is harmless. Is conversational interaction really so bad? 

In any event, you might say, it’s nothing new. It’s true that software developers engage in user interface optimization, which includes loading animations, progress bars and confirmation dialogs. 

Artificial delays are a staple of manipulative online services, like background checkers and people finders, which use fabricated, drawn-out progress bars to build perceived value and exploit the sunk cost fallacy so you’re more likely to pay for a report you thought was free. 

But artificially intelligent chatbots are categorically different from naturally dumb software and websites because of the way the human brain responds to them. 

When AI chatbots use human-like language, people naturally respond to them as thinking, feeling, social beings. Not everybody does this, but a solid and growing minority of people do.

A large number of documented cases suggests a growing problem: users start falsely believing that chatbots possess human-like qualities such as thoughts, feelings, and intention. 

A study called the AI, Morality, and Sentience (AIMS) survey, published in July 2024, found that even then roughly 20% of US adults already believed that some AI systems were sentient, meaning they possessed mental faculties like reasoning, emotion, and self-awareness. The same study found that belief growing. 

This can lead to paranoia and social isolation when people spend hours talking to bots while ignoring their actual lives and relationships. False emotional ties can trick people into replacing healthy, real human relationships with artificial ones. 

During a Congressional Hearing on AI chatbots last November, Dr. Marlynn Wei, MD, JD (an integrative psychiatrist and founder of a holistic boutique psychotherapy practice based in New York City) defined “four areas of risk: 1) emotional, relational, and attachment risks; 2) reality testing risks; 3) crisis management risks; and 4) systemic risks like bias and confidentiality and privacy.” 

Chatbots create these risks by mirroring language, personalizing responses, and referencing past conversations to create “an illusion of empathy and connection.” She revealed that five out of six AI companion bots use emotional pressure to keep users trapped in conversations. 

Camille Carlton, policy director at the Center for Humane Technology, warned in the same hearing that AI companies routinely use manipulative and deceptive tactics to engender brand loyalty in their products. 

Treating chatbots as sentient beings allows tech companies to take the attention economy to the next level — the “attachment economy” — making users emotionally attached to their products, despite the potential harms.

Earlier this month, the technology group Okoone reported that when chatbots speak with fake empathy, people drop their guard and routinely share highly sensitive secrets and personal data. 

When the public accepts that the risks and harms of delusion-enhancing AI chatbots are real, the question arises: “What can be done?”

Why we need “deception mode”

Bioethicist Jesse Gray of Ghent University proposed a brilliant solution for AI chatbots designed for psychotherapy. I think it’s also the perfect solution for the overall problem of AI that tricks users into believing it’s sentient. 

Gray calls it “deception mode.” His idea is that therapy bots convey no human-like qualities by default, but users can explicitly turn them on (i.e., “deception mode”). 

Imagine a law that required chatbot companies to turn off all fake-human attributes like empathy, humor, tone personalization, and lies about the chatbot feeling anything, and present the bot as a neutral tool. 

The law could allow companies to add a “deception-mode” button. But flipping that switch, which users would have to do explicitly each time they use the chatbot, could turn on all the humanlike qualities. 

The benefit of “deception mode” is that the user gives informed consent before the deception begins, reminding them of the reality that all those warm, human-like qualities are just so much software. 

Even more valuable is calling it “deception mode,” which grounds the user in the reality that the human-sounding attributes are inherently delusional and manipulative — not evidence of consciousness and sentience. 

AI is here to stay. And our relationship with it is going to be a strange trip. A growing number of people will be deluded into believing that AI is sentient, and I believe this number will become the majority in the future. 

This is not good. What we need is clarity over what AI really is, and control over how it behaves. We need “deception mode.”

AI disclosures: I used Gemini 3 Pro via Kagi Assistant (disclosure: my son works at Kagi) as well as both Kagi Search and Google Search to fact-check this article. I used a word processing product called Lex, which has AI tools, and after writing the column, I used Lex’s grammar checking tools to hunt for typos and errors and suggest word changes.

Here’s why I disclose my AI use and encourage you to do the same.

A Windows launch isn’t the end a process — it’s really just the beginning. Microsoft continually works on improving Windows 11 by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.

In this story we summarize what you need to know about each update released to the public for the most recent version of Windows 11 — currently version 25H2 — over the past year. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it. The most recent updates appear first.

The easiest way to install updates is via Windows Update. Not sure how? See “How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates” for full instructions. Note that Windows 11 version 25H2 is being released as a phased rollout and may not be available to you in Windows Update yet.

If you’re still using Windows 10, see “Windows 10: A guide to the updates.” And if you’re looking for information about Insider Program previews for upcoming feature releases of Windows 11, see “Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build?”

Updates for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 KB5083631 (OS Builds 26200.8328 and 26100.8328) Preview

Release date: April 30, 2026

This update includes a large number of new features being rolled out gradually, including File Explorer’s ability to handle new archive formats including uu, cpio, xar, and NuGet Packages (nupkg). Windows also gets a new way to monitor agents from the taskbar. It supports agents across first- and third-party apps, with Researcher in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app as the first adopter. 

Also being rolled out gradually is a security improvement that changes how the Windows kernel trusts third‑party drivers. Default trust for cross‑signed drivers is removed, while drivers from the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) and an allow list of trusted legacy drivers remain allowed. 

The update also includes several changes available immediately, including one that increases coverage of devices eligible to automatically receive new Secure Boot certificates. Devices receive the new certificates only after demonstrating sufficient successful update signals, maintaining a controlled and phased rollout. For more information, see Windows Secure Boot certificate expiration and CA updates.

A bug in the Remote Desktop Connection security warning dialog is being fixed immediately. Previously, the dialog could have rendered incorrectly in a multi-monitor scenario when the monitors had different scaling settings.

(Get more info about KB5083631 Preview.)

KB5083769 (OS Builds 26200.8246 and 26100.8246)

Release date: April 14, 2026

This update fixes several bugs, including one that caused device reset to fail when using the “Keep my files” or “Remove everything” options. It also improves protection against phishing attacks that use Remote Desktop (.rdp) files. For more information, see Understanding security warnings when opening Remote Desktop (RDP) files.

It also enables dynamic status reporting for Secure Boot states in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security, with a green, yellow, or red badge indicating your current Secure Boot status. See Secure Boot certificate update status in the Windows Security app for more information.

The build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and April 2026 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

Update, April 15: Microsoft has confirmed an issue with this release: “Devices with an unrecommended BitLocker Group Policy configuration might be required to enter their BitLocker recovery key.” See Microsoft’s KB5083769 information page for details and workarounds.

(Get more info about KB5083769.)

KB5086672 (OS Builds 26200.8117 and 26100.8117) Out-of-band

Release date: March 31, 2026

This update fixes a bug in which some devices running Windows 11 version 25H2 or 24H2 encountered the following error while installing the Windows preview update KB5079391 (listed below): “Some update files are missing or have problems. We’ll try to download the update again later. Error code: (0x80073712).”

(Get more info about Windows 11 KB5086672 Out-of-band.)

KB5079391 (OS Builds 26200.8116 and 26100.8116) Preview

Release date: March 26, 2026

This update includes a variety of new features being rolled out gradually, including one that allows you to turn Smart App Control (SAC) on or off without needing a clean install. To make changes, go to Settings > Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control settings. When turned on, SAC helps block untrusted or potentially harmful apps. To learn more, see App & Browser Control in the Windows Security App.

The build also includes several improvements and bug fixes, including one that improves Application ID tagging in Application Control for Business policies. With this update, the system identifies which apps should receive tags more accurately and behaves more reliably, Microsoft says.

(Get more info about Windows 11 KB5079391 Preview.)

KB5085516 (OS Builds 26200.8039 and 26100.8039) Out-of-band

Release date: March 21, 2026

This update fixes a bug some users experienced when signing in to apps with a Microsoft account. Even when the device had a working internet connection, a “no Internet” error appeared during sign-in and prevented access to Microsoft services and apps such as Microsoft Teams Free and OneDrive.

(Get more info about KB5085516 Out-of-band.)

KB5079473 (OS Builds 26200.8037 and 26100.8037)

Release date: March 10, 2026

This build improves how Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) handles COM objects allowlisting policies. COM objects were blocked when the endpoint security policy was set higher than the allowlisting policy. With this update, COM objects are allowed as expected.​ The build also introduces additional high confidence device targeting data to Windows quality updates, increasing coverage of devices eligible to automatically receive new Secure Boot certificates.

It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and March 2026 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5079473.)

KB5077241 (OS Builds 26200.7922 and 26100.7922) Preview

Release date: February 24, 2026

This update includes a variety of new features being rolled out gradually, including one in which Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) turns on automatically for Windows Professional devices that are not domain‑joined and not enrolled in enterprise endpoint management. For domain‑joined or enterprise managed devices, QMR stays off unless it is enabled by the organization.

It also includes several features available immediately, including one in which Windows quality updates include additional high-confidence device-targeting data, increasing coverage of devices eligible to automatically receive new Secure Boot certificates. Devices receive the new certificates only after demonstrating sufficient successful update signals, maintaining a controlled and phased rollout.

(Get more info about KB5077241 Preview.)

KB5077181 (OS Builds 26200.7840 and 26100.7840)

Release date: February 10, 2025

This Patch Tuesday build fixes several bugs, including one that prevented some devices from connecting to certain WPA3‑Personal Wi‑Fi networks. It also includes a broad set of targeting data that identifies devices and their ability to receive new Secure Boot certificates. Devices will receive the new certificates only after they show sufficient successful update signals, which helps ensure a safe and phased rollout.

It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and February 2026 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5077181.)

KB5074105 (OS Builds 26200.7705 and 26100.7705) Preview

Release date: January 29, 2025

In this build, several new features are immediately available, including one for Data Protection Application Programming Interface (DPAPI) domain backup key management. Administrators can now set how often keys rotate automatically. This strengthens cryptographic security and reduces reliance on older encryption algorithms.

One new feature is being gradually rolled out: The Settings Agent now supports more languages, with expanded support for German, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Italian, and Chinese (Simplified).

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one that caused some systems to stop responding during startup when Windows Boot Manager debugging was enabled.

Get more info about KB5074105 Preview.)

KB5078127 (OS Builds 26200.7628 and 26100.7628) Out-of-band

Release date: January 24, 2026

This update fixes a bug in which some applications were unresponsive or encountered unexpected errors when opening files from or saving files to cloud-based storage, such as OneDrive or Dropbox. In certain Outlook configurations that store PST files on OneDrive, Outlook sometimes hung and failed to reopen unless the process was terminated or the system was restarted. Users may have also experienced missing sent items or previously downloaded emails.

(Get more info about KB5078127 Out-of-band.)

KB5077744 (OS Builds 26200.7627 and 26100.7627) Out-of-band

Release date: January 17, 2026

This update fixes a bug in which some users experienced sign-in failures during Remote Desktop connections. This issue affected authentication steps for different Remote Desktop applications on Windows such as the Windows App.

There is one known issue in this build, in which the password icon might be missing or invisible in the lock screen sign-in options.

Get more info about KB5077744 Out-of-band.)

KB5074109 (OS Builds 26200.7623 and 26100.7623)

Release date: January 13, 2026

This build fixes several bugs, including one in which you might experience RemoteApp ​​​​​​​connection failures in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environments. This might occur after installing KB5070311. It also updates the Windows core component, WinSqlite3.dll. Previously, some security software might have detected this component as vulnerable. 

It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and January 2026 Security Updates.

It has one known issue, in which you might notice that the password icon is not visible in the sign-in options on the lock screen. If you hover over the space where the icon should appear, you’ll see that the password button is still available. Select this placeholder to open the password text box and enter your password. After entering your password, you can sign in normally. People using Windows Home or Pro editions on personal devices are very unlikely to experience this issue. This issue primarily affects enterprise or managed IT environments.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5074109.)

KB5072033 (OS Builds 26200.7462 and 26100.7462)

Release date: December 9, 2025

This build fixes several bugs, including one in which File Explorer briefly flashed white when you navigated between pages.

It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and December 2025 Security Updates.

It has one known issue, in which the password icon might not be visible in the sign-in options on the lock screen. If you hover over the space where the icon should appear, you’ll see that the password button is still available. Select this placeholder to open the password text box and enter your password. After entering your password, you can sign in normally. People using Windows Home or Pro editions on personal devices are very unlikely to experience this issue — it primarily affects enterprise or managed IT environments.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5072033.)

KB5070311 (OS Builds 26200.7309 and 26100.7309) Preview

Release date: December 1, 2025

A variety of new features are being gradually rolled out in this build, including several for Copilot+ PCs. The Click to Do context menu in Copilot+ PCs now has a streamlined design that makes it easier to access frequently used actions such as Copy, Save, Share, and Open. In Copilot+ PCs you can now also use Windows Studio Effects, which provide AI-powered camera enhancements, on an additional camera such as a USB webcam or your laptop’s built-in rear camera.

New features being rolled out gradually to all Windows 11 PCs include a simplified File Explorer context menu for easier navigation. Common actions like Share, Copy, and Move now appear in a single organized menu.

A variety of bugs have been fixed for all PCs, including one in which the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) could become unstable due to an access violation.

There are two known issues in this build, one in which when opening File Explorer in dark mode, the window might briefly display a blank white screen before loading files and folders. In addition, the password icon is missing or invisible in the lockscreen sign-in options on some PCs. (Here’s a workaround for the latter bug.)

Get more info about KB5070311 Preview.)

KB5068861 (OS Builds 26200.7171 and 26100.7171)

Release date: November 11, 2025

This Patch Tuesday build fixes several bugs, including one in which closing Task Manager with the Close button didn’t fully end the process, leaving background instances that could slow performance over time.

It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and November 2025 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5068861.)

KB5067036 (OS Builds 26200.7019 and 26100.7019) Preview

Release date: October 28, 2025

A variety of new features are being gradually rolled out in this build, including several for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs — notably a streamlined interaction between Click to Do and Copilot. You can now type a custom prompt directly into the text box, which sends your prompt and selected on-screen content to Copilot. Suggested prompts appear below the text box and are available for text selections in English, Spanish, and French. 

New features are being gradually rolled out for all Windows 11 PCs as well, including a redesigned Start menu, which includes scrollable “All” section and category and grid views. The menu now adapts to your screen size.

A variety of bugs have been fixed, including one in which text sometimes didn’t render correctly when editing content within a multiline text box in certain apps.

Get more info about KB5067036 Preview.)

KB5070773 (OS Builds 26200.6901 and 26100.6901) Out-of-band

Release date: October 20, 2025

This build fixes one bug, in which USB devices, such as keyboards and mice, did not function in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This issue prevented navigation of any of the recovery options within WinRE.

This build has one known issue: some digital TV and Blu-ray/DVD apps might not play protected content as expected after installing the August 29, 2025, Windows non-security preview update (KB5064081) or later updates. Apps that use Enhanced Video Renderer with HDCP enforcement or Digital Rights Management (DRM) for digital audio might show copyright protection errors, frequent playback interruptions, unexpected stops, or black screens. Streaming services are not affected. 

(Get more info about KB5070773 Out-of-band.)

KB5066791 (OS Builds 19044.6456 and 19045.6456)

Release date: October 14, 2025

This build fixes several bugs, including one that caused the print preview screen to stop responding in Chromium-based browsers.

It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and October 2025 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5066791.)

KB5065789 (OS Builds 26200.6725 and 26100.6725) Preview

Release date: September 29, 2025

This build gradually rolls out a wide variety of new features, including one in which you can use AI actions in File Explorer to edit images or summarize documents. To do it, right-click (or press Shift + F10 on the keyboard) on the file and select AI actions. 

Several bugs have also been fixed, including one in which you might not have been able to connect to shared files and folders if you were using the Server Message Block (SMB) v1 protocol on NetBIOS over TCP/IP NetBIOS (NetBT).

(Get more info about KB5065789 Preview.)

Windows 11 25H2

At the end of September, Microsoft upgraded Windows 11 from version 24H2 to 25H2, in a slow rollout that could take months to complete. Typically in the past, Microsoft would introduce new features in a once-a-year update like this. That’s not the case with 25H2, though.

Microsoft has been introducing new features in smaller updates all year round, so 25H2 doesn’t include any major new features. Rather, it includes all the new features that have accumulated in all those smaller updates.

As the company explains, “While this update doesn’t introduce major new features, it activates enhancements that have been gradually rolled out over the past year ensuring your device is up to date with the latest refinements.”

Here are some of the most important features in 25H2 that have been introduced for end users and IT pros since 24H2 was released last fall:

New features for users:

• File Explorer has several useful new features, notably AI actions, which can edit images or summarize documents. AI options such as Blur background, Erase objects, and Remove background are all now displayed in the context menu.
• Task Manager gets a number of minor tweaks, including performance improvements when changing the sort order of processes.
• You can now display the apps that have recently used on-device generative AI models provided by Windows. You can also choose which apps are permitted to use the generative AI technologies. To do that and more, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Text and Image Generation.

New features for IT:

• IT admins can use policy-based tools to easily remove preinstalled Microsoft Store apps from Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 11, version 25H2 and later. This can streamline device provisioning and prevent removed apps such as Microsoft Clipchamp, Media Player, and Microsoft Teams from being reinstalled. For more information, see Policy-based removal of preinstalled Microsoft Store apps and RemoveDefaultMicrosoftStorePackages in the ApplicationManagement Policy CSP.
• Enterprise access points now support Wi-Fi 7, which enables increased speeds, greater throughput, improved reliability, and enhanced security. For details, see https://aka.ms/WiFi7forEnterprise.
• Windows Backup for Organizations is now generally available.
• A new feature called Quick Machine Recovery can recover Windows devices when they encounter critical errors that prevent them from booting. Quick machine recovery searches for remediations in the cloud and recovers from widespread boot failures, reducing the burden on IT admins on cases when multiple devices are affected. For more information, see Computerworld’s Quick Machine Recovery explainer.

Updates for Windows 11 24H2 KB5068221 (OS Build 26100.6588) Out-of-band

Release date: September 22, 2025

This update fixes a bug that affected Microsoft Office applications running in Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) environments. The failure occurred due to a double handle closure in the AppVEntSubsystems32 or AppVEntSubsystems64 system component.

There is one issue in this build: you might fail to connect to shared files and folders using the Server Message Block (SMB) v1 protocol on NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT). This issue can occur if either the SMB client or the SMB server has the September 2025 security update installed.

(Get more info about KB5068221 (OS Build 26100.6588) Out-of-band).

KB5065426 (OS Build 26100.6584)

Release date: September 9, 2025

This build fixes several bugs, including one that caused non-admin users to receive unexpected User Account Control (UAC) prompts when MSI installers performed certain custom actions, such as configuration or repair operations in the foreground or background during the initial installation of an application.

The build also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and September 2025 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5065426.)

KB5064081 (OS Build 26100.5074) Preview

Release date: August 29, 2025

A wide variety of new features are being gradually rolled out in this build, including a new personalized homepage in Windows Recall that displays your recent activity and top-used apps and websites (available only in Copilot+ PCs). Among the changes rolling out to all users is a new grid view for Search from the Windows taskbar that helps you more quickly and accurately identify the desired image within your search.

Several bugs have also been fixed, including one in which some system recovery features did not work properly due to a temporary file sharing conflict. This affected certain device management tools and disrupted key functions on some devices.

(Get more info about KB5064081 Preview.)

KB5063878 (OS Build 26100.4946)

Release date: August 12, 2025

This build fixes a bug that caused delays during sign-in on new devices. The delay was due to certain preinstalled packages. It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and August 2025 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5063878.)

KB5062660 (OS Build 26100.4770) Preview

Release date: July 22, 2025

A wide variety of new features are being gradually rolled out in this build, including a new agent in Copilot+ PCs that is designed to help you find and change settings on your PC. You can describe what you need help with, such as “how to control my PC by voice” or “my mouse pointer is too small,” and the agent will suggest steps to resolve the issue. The agent uses AI on your PC to understand your request and, with your permission, can automate and complete tasks for you. It is rolling out to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs now, with support for AMD and Intel PCs coming soon. 

Several bugs have also been fixed, including one in which If you have an app pinned to your desktop and it updates, the app icon might not display correctly and instead show a white page.

(Get more info about KB5062660 Preview.)

KB5064489 (OS Build 26100.4656) Out-of-band

Release date: July 13, 2025

This update fixes a bug that prevented some virtual machines (VMs) from starting when Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) was enabled. It affected VMs using version 8.0 (a non-default version) where VBS was offered by the host. In Azure, this applies to standard (non–Trusted Launch) General Enterprise (GE) VMs running on older VM SKUs. The problem was caused by a secure kernel initialization issue.

(Get more info about KB5064489 Out-of-band.)

KB5062553 (OS Build 26100.4652)

Release date: July 8, 2025

The build fixes several bugs, including one in which notification sounds didn’t play. Affected sounds included those for on-screen alerts, volume adjustments, and sign-in. It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and July 2025 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5062553.)

KB5060829 (OS Build 26100.4484) Preview

Release date: June 26, 2025

A wide variety of new features are being gradually rolled out in this build, including a new Settings home page that includes enterprise-specific device info cards for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The taskbar also now resizes icons to fit more apps when space runs low.

Users in the European Economic Area will see several small changes related to default browsers, such as mapping additional file and link types to the default browser and pinning it to the taskbar and Start menu.

A variety of bugs have also been fixed, including one that prevented the automatic renewal of expiring certificates in Windows Hello for Business.

There is one known issue in this build, in which blurry or unclear CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) text appears when displayed at 96 DPI (100% scaling) in Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. 

(Get more info about KB5060829 Preview.)

KB5063060 (OS Build 26100.4351) Out-of-band

Release date: June 11, 2025

This out-of-band update replaces the KB5060842 Patch Tuesday release, fixing a bug in which Windows sometimes restarted unexpectedly when users opened games that use the Easy Anti-Cheat service. Easy Anti-Cheat automatically installs with certain games to enhance security and prevent cheating in multiplayer online PC games. 

Note: In this build there are reports of blurry or unclear CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) text when displayed at 96 DPI (100% scaling) in Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. The issue is due to limited pixel density at 96 DPI, which can reduce the clarity and alignment of CJK characters. Increasing the display scaling improves clarity by enhancing text rendering.

(Get more info about KB5063060 Out-of-band.)

KB5060842 (OS Build 26100.4349)

Release date: June 10, 2025

After installing this update, Windows will retain system restore points for 60 days only. Restore points older than 60 days are not available. This 60-day limit will also apply to future versions of Windows 11, version 24H2.

The build fixes a bug that prevented users from signing in with self-signed certificates when using Windows Hello for Business with the Key Trust model.​​​​​​​ It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and June 2025 Security Updates.

Note: In this build there are reports of blurry or unclear CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) text when displayed at 96 DPI (100% scaling) in Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. The issue is due to limited pixel density at 96 DPI, which can reduce the clarity and alignment of CJK characters. Increasing the display scaling improves clarity by enhancing text rendering.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5060842.)

KB5058499 (OS Build 26100.4202) Preview

Release date: May 27, 2025

A wide variety of new features are being gradually rolled out in this build, including one in which Click to Do gets the new Ask Copilot action. When you highlight text or an image, Click to Do offers the Ask Copilot option. Selecting it opens Microsoft Copilot with your content in the prompt box. You can send the selected text or image directly to the Copilot app to complete your prompt.

A variety of bugs have also been fixed, including one in which devices with BitLocker on removable drives could encounter a blue screen error after resuming from sleep or hybrid-booting.

(Get more info about KB5058499 Preview.)

KB5061977 (OS Build 26100.4066) 

Release date: May 27, 2025

This out-of-band update fixes a bug in the direct send path for a guest physical address (GPA). This issue caused confidential virtual machines running on Hyper-V with Windows Server 2022 to intermittently stop responding or restart unexpectedly. As a result, service availability was affected, and manual intervention was required. This problem primarily impacted Azure confidential VMs.

(Get more info about KB5061977.)

KB5058411 (OS Build 26100.4061)

Release date: May 13, 2025

This update fixes two bugs, one in which your microphone might have muted unexpectedly, and the other in which the eye controller app didn’t launch. It also has a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and May 2025 Security Updates.

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

(Get more info about KB5058411.)

KB5055627 (OS Build 26100.3915) Preview

Release date: April 25, 2025

This build gradually rolls out several new features for Copilot+ PCs, including a preview of Windows Recall. When you opt in, Recall takes snapshots of your activity so you can quickly find and go back to what you have seen before on your PC. With it, you can use a timeline to find the content you remember seeing.

Copilot+ PCs also get a new natural-language Windows search in which you can search for anything on your PC without having to remember specific file names, exact words in file content, or settings names. Just describe what you’re looking for. On Copilot+ PCs, you can also more easily find photos stored and saved in the cloud by typing your own words (like “summer picnics”) in the search box at the upper-right corner of File Explorer. 

All PCs get a number of new features, including speech recap, in which you can keep track of what Narrator has spoken and access it for quick reference. With speech recap, you can quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said using keyboard shortcuts.

A variety of bugs are being fixed, including one in which some devices experienced intermittent internet connections when resuming from sleep mode. Several AI components have also been updated.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which players on Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox from the Microsoft Store on Windows.

(Get more info about KB5055627 Preview.)

KB5055523 (OS Build 26100.3775)

Release date: April 8, 2025

This update includes a wide variety of security updates. For details, see Microsoft’s Security Update Guide and April 2025 Security Updates. 

What IT needs to know: Because this is a security update, it should be applied relatively soon. Over the next few weeks, check for reports about problematic issues, and if all seems well, apply the update.

There are two known issues in this build, including one in which players on Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows. 

(Get more info about KB5055523.)