Microsoft has confirmed that paying $30 to enroll a Windows 10 PC into the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program will also require a Microsoft Account to complete the transaction. The good news is that one ESU license will cover up to 10 devices signed into the same account, meaning you don’t need to pay $30 per device like originally thought. …
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simpson33/Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways Windows 10 support ends on Oct. 14, 2025. Users have free and paid options for extended updates. Doing nothing is not a safe option. Have you decided what to do with your Windows 10 PCs when they reach their official end-of-support date in two months? I can tell you with absolute certainty that Microsoft is …
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Microsoft started testing its Xbox Copilot on iOS and Android earlier this year, and now it’s bringing the chatbot to the Game Bar feature on Windows 11. Xbox Insiders can start testing a preview of the Gaming Copilot integration in the Game Bar today, and Microsoft is planning “further optimizations” for this new feature on the upcoming Xbox Ally handhelds. …
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To better protect against cheaters, Activision says that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 players on PC will need to use hardware with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and have Windows’ Secure Boot feature turned on when the game is available later this year. Ahead of that, Activision is doing a “phased rollout” of the features alongside the launch of …
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Microsoft is making OpenAI’s new free and open GPT model, gpt-oss-20b, available to Windows 11 users via Windows AI Foundry, the tech giant’s platform that lets users tap AI features, APIs, and popular open-source models on their computers. The company said in a blog post that gpt‑oss-20b is “tool-savvy and lightweight,” adding: “Optimized for agentic tasks like code execution and …
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ControlVault3 firmware vulnerabilities impacting over 100 Dell laptop models can allow attackers to bypass Windows login and install malware that persists across system reinstalls. Dell ControlVault is a hardware-based security solution that stores passwords, biometric data, and security codes within firmware on a dedicated daughterboard, known as the Unified Security Hub (USH). The five vulnerabilities, reported by Cisco’s Talos security division and …
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In news that can only be described as era-defining, Microsoft has revealed that it’s making a pair of Windows XP-themed Crocs. The Crocs are currently only available to Microsoft employees, but The Verge claims that they will eventually be available to buy worldwide. The Crocs feature Windows XP’s iconic Bliss wallpaper, complete with the cloudy blue sky and green grass …
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OpenAI released a new free and open GPT model yesterday that can run on a PC, and now Microsoft is making that easy to do for Windows users. The lightweight gpt-oss-20b model is now available on Windows AI Foundry, and will be coming soon to macOS, too. You’ll need a PC or laptop with at least 16GB of VRAM, so …
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Microsoft isn’t done celebrating its 50th anniversary just yet. Multiple employees told me that Microsoft has created limited edition Windows XP-themed Crocs. They even come with a Clippy shoe charm if the Bliss wallpaper on your feet wasn’t enough nostalgia. The anniversary edition Crocs are currently available for preorder for Microsoft employees, who “get first dibs” ahead of a “worldwide …
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For a productivity-focused operating system, Windows 11 has quite a lot of nags and prompts that often irritate users with their uncalled appearances. One of them is the so-called SCOOBE or Second-chance out-of-box experience. It shows up when you log in and won’t let you get to the desktop until you get through all the extra prompts Microsoft throws at …
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