• Microsoft is actively working to improve Windows 11's performance, via project 'K2'
• Project K2 is an effort to reduce bloatware, use of AI, and optimize game performance
• Microsoft is reportedly looking at Valve's SteamOS as the benchmark for gaming

Valve's SteamOS continues to show significant advantages over Windows 11 for gamers, with better memory utilization and improved in-game performance, but Microsoft has a plan to combat that.

As reported by Windows Central, Microsoft is working on a new project labeled Windows 'K2', intent on removing bloatware, reducing AI, and optimizing Windows 11 for gaming, with three focuses of 'performance, craft, and reliability'.

Rather than a dedicated release (or update) for Windows 11, project K2 is Microsoft's effort to maintain high quality across current and future versions of the OS, prioritizing consistency, and ultimately win back the trust of users.

Windows Central explains that Microsoft has clarified that Windows 11's performance has effectively been lacklustre, particularly within applications like File Explorer and games. Valve's SteamOS is also reportedly viewed as the benchmark specifically for gaming, and that's no surprise considering the performance comparisons made over the last year.

SteamOS has provided a seamless and simple experience for both handheld and now, desktop gamers, with a console-like user interface without any bloatware hogging memory or the use of AI. Microsoft has tried to match up to this with the Windows Full Screen Experience (FSE), which does reduce RAM consumption, allocating more for games, but Windows K2's existence makes it clear that FSE has not done enough to compete.

Fortunately, it's not just gaming that Microsoft wants to optimize, but also minimizing memory usage when systems are idle, which, in theory, should improve overall RAM consumption when multitasking or simply using a browser.

Users like myself have had to rely on third-party tools and applications to reduce bloat and ensure Windows 11 isn't using more memory than it needs — and my main hope is that Microsoft can eventually take Windows to a stage where I no longer feel compelled to install an entirely different operating system, out of frustration. I just don't know if it will achieve that, at least with Windows 11.

• Apple’s Vision Pro headset was used in a world-first surgery
• It’s since been used in hundreds of similar operations
• It could help transform operating theaters, one surgeon believes

If you’re due for surgery, the next time you go under the knife, your operation could be performed by a surgeon using an Apple Vision Pro headset. That’s because the world’s first successful procedure to remove optical cataracts has been completed with the assistance of one of Apple’s headsets — and it’s gone on to help in scores of other medical operations in the past year alone.

The surgery actually first took place in October 2025, but the surgeon in question — Dr. Eric Rosenberg, DO, MSE — has since performed “hundreds” of subsequent procedures, according to a press release.

It all happened at the SightMD practice in New England, which is owned by Dr. Rosenberg. Using a Vision Pro app called ScopeXR (also developed by Dr. Rosenberg), the surgeons were able to visualize the operation “in immersive stereoscopic 3D while simultaneously accessing real-time surgical overlays and comprehensive preoperative diagnostic data, all without breaking sterile technique".

Dr. Rosenberg had plenty of praise for the Vision Pro: “This isn’t just about a new device, it’s about reimagining what the operating room of the future looks like.” Speaking of ScopeXR, he said: “We’ve created a platform that makes surgeons safer, smarter, and more connected.”

Fulfilling the Vision Pro’s potential

One way that ScopeXR was able to tap into the Vision Pro was by enabling collaboration between surgeons and consultants, even if they weren’t all in the same room together. Assistants and mentors could remotely join the feed provided by the Vision Pro and communicate in real time.

As Dr. Rosenberg put it, “We are now able to bring the world’s best surgeon into any operating room, at any hour, from anywhere on the planet.” That has a range of uses, from training surgeons to providing help with unexpected complications.

Apple’s Vision Pro is often held up as an expensive flop, with its future existence frequently called into question, and it’s true that the device seems to have struggled to gain traction in the consumer world. But flip over to the other side of the coin and it appears that the product is doing well in industrial, medical and similar environments.

Perhaps that’s where the Vision Pro is best placed to fulfill its potential. Apple is said to be working on lightweight smart glasses, and those would probably be a more consumer-friendly device. But for more demanding users like operating theaters around the world, the Vision Pro’s incredibly high-end specs could be just what’s needed.

• There's a hidden Screen Tint feature in a new Windows 11 preview build
• It offers a choice of six preset modes designed to deal with various issues
• You can also set your own color tint, and its strength, giving you plenty of customization options

Windows 11 is apparently set to get a new accessibility feature, one that can tint the display to make it more suitable and easier on the eyes for reading, or even help guard against a migraine developing.

Windows Latest flagged up a post on X from regular leaker PhantomOfEarth, who uncovered the new Screen Tint feature in a recent preview build of Windows 11, where it's present in the accessibility settings for the OS.

It's essentially a supercharged version of the current Night Light feature, offering a range of six preset colors, and the ability to set your own custom color tint. There's also a slider to adjust the strength of the effect, so you can have a deeper, more intense tint should you wish.

The provided presets include a 'calm amber' tint, which is designed to be helpful for long periods of using your Windows 11 PC to defend against eye strain. (This is the closest tint to the existing Night Light feature, it's worth noting). There's also a 'rose tint', which is the color that aims to reduce migraine triggers as mentioned at the outset, and another warm tint, 'soft yellow', is for helping to mitigate any discomfort when reading text.

At the colder side of the color temperature range, there's 'cool blue' to combat glare sensitivity, while 'gentle green' is for relief from photophobia (light sensitivity). Finally, the 'natural grey' tint is for those who dislike the starker contrast levels of the standard black-and-white look of Windows 11.

Analysis: commendably customizable

Remember, this new feature is not even in testing yet, so the usual rule applies — it could be an idea that Microsoft is toying with, but might abandon. Or at least the implementation could end up different to what we see here, which is a feature hidden in the background that's been enabled by poking around under the hood of Windows 11.

As noted by Windows Latest, which experimented with the Screen Tint ability, it doesn't work properly yet. The results can include screen flickering or the colors being wrongly applied, but that's only to be expected considering the feature isn't official yet.

I don't see any reason why Microsoft wouldn't want to roll this out into testing, though, as it's a handy accessibility feature – and this is an area the company has been very keen on developing ever since Windows 11 was first launched. I particularly like the customization available here, including the option to adjust the intensity of the effect, and the fact that you can mix your own tint using a color picker.

I'm not alone in liking the idea, as you might guess, with one Redditor observing that: "Neat — I'll use this for sure. I fly a lot of 12+ hour overseas flights and I'd very much like to have more control over the overall colour palette when the lights go out. I used f.lux for this for a long time but it hasn't been updated in years and it's too temperamental."

This all plays into Microsoft's current drive to give Windows 11 users more choice and control over the OS, and to generally fix everything that's wrong with the desktop operating system. More broadly, it's good to see deeper options to tailor the nature of a display more to your tastes or needs, beyond a simple reading mode, or the blue light reduction facility, that may be provided with your monitor.

Of course, this kind of tech, while clearly useful, should not be a substitute for keeping healthy screen habits — try not to be stuck staring at any display for too long if you can at all avoid it, and practice the 20/20/20 rule.

• Leaked renders show what the Samsung Galaxy Glasses might look like
• They don't have a screen and they look a lot like Ray-Ban Meta glasses
• However, they reportedly run Android XR with access to Gemini

Meta is probably the biggest name in smart glasses right now, but it might not be for much longer, because Samsung has a pair of its own smart specs on the way. And based on a new leak, they look very similar to the Meta Ray-Bans — but with at least one clear advantage.

Android Headlines has shared renders of what it claims are the Samsung Galaxy Glasses, and for the most part, they look like an ordinary pair of specs — the only real sign that they’re not is the camera lenses at the edges of the frame.

But this is a design that’s also very similar to a lot of Meta’s smart glasses, which likewise have a camera at each side and, in some cases, similarly shaped lenses.

Their capabilities also sound similar, with Android Headlines explaining that this first pair of Samsung smart glasses likewise lacks a screen, but that, as they run Android XR, you’ll be able to talk to Gemini to do things like translate signs and take pictures, while Google Maps will be able to give you directions through them.

It’s a similar idea to the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, but with those specs, you’re stuck with Meta’s AI, which isn’t as capable or popular as Google’s, so Samsung could have a big advantage there.

Of course, Meta has Ray-Ban and Oakley branding for its glasses, which is probably more appealing than the Samsung branding here, but we already know that future Samsung frames will be made in collaboration with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, so Meta’s branding advantage might not last for long either.

And if you’re disappointed that there’s no screen on these glasses, you shouldn’t have too much longer to wait for a model with a display, with those coming in 2027, according to Android Headlines.

But this first screenless pair will probably land before the end of 2026, and they're rumored to cost between $379 and $499 (roughly between £280 / AU$525 and £370 / AU$695), which puts them roughly in line with Meta’s pricing.

So, will you buy a pair of Samsung Galaxy Glasses based on what we know so far? Take part in our poll below to let us know.

If you do want to buy these Samsung glasses, you might be able to do so in July, as that's when the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8, and Galaxy Watch 9 will likely launch. Though Android Headlines speculates that the Galaxy Glasses could get teased then and go on sale later.

Personally, I think they look promising, but I'll probably hold out for the model with a screen next year, even though those are sure to cost even more — with leaks currently putting the display-toting model at between $600 and $900 (around £440 / AU$835 to £665 / AU$1,250).

• Microsoft is giving us much more control over Windows 11 updates
• In testing you can now delay updates indefinitely
• Forced updates are a thing of the past, too, and there'll be fewer disruptions with more updates bundled together

Microsoft already told us it was planning substantial changes to Windows 11 updates, and some major moves are now in place.

This is happening in testing currently, as announced by Microsoft in a lengthy blog post, with three main pieces of work highlighted.

The big change that many have wished for is functionality that allows for pausing a Windows 11 update for as long as you want. And as 'long as you want' means just that, with the ability to hold off any given update until a specific date of up to 35 days in the future – but you can initiate another pause after that, and keep going.

Microsoft explains: "This means you can now re-pause for up to 35 days at a time, with no limits on how many times you can reset the pause end date."

Another important refinement of the update process is the end of forced updates, with Microsoft ensuring that the Power menu (button) always has the option to simply 'Shut down' and 'Restart' alongside 'Update and shut down' and 'Update and restart' (the latter two only being present if there is a pending update, of course).

So, you always have the choice to just switch off your PC or restart, avoiding an update, with a guarantee that "Windows will perform exactly that action, without unexpectedly starting an update". You have to explicitly choose one of the update options to apply the pending patch.

The third main change is that you can elect to miss out on downloading and applying updates when you're installing Windows 11, to make setting up a PC a lot quicker. We already heard about this, with the rollout flagged by a tester previously, but Microsoft is now widely delivering this option to Windows Insiders.

It's worth noting that the choice to skip updates during installation is not available for commercial devices (where setup is managed), and also doesn't apply to cases where a device may require updates to even work with Windows 11 (as obviously it wouldn't be possible to skip in these scenarios).

Microsoft further explains that Windows 11 users will see fewer disruptions in terms of having to restart for updates, as more of them – the likes of .NET or driver updates – will be bundled together with the monthly cumulative update.

In other words, you can get them all out of the way at once (albeit with a lengthier overall update process). Driver updates will also be given more meaningful titles, so you can better understand what they're for.

Analysis: 'cup of coffee' updates, begone

Remember that all of this is in testing right now – and therefore subject to change, potentially – but I wouldn't be surprised to see these features arrive for all Windows 11 users before long.

Microsoft has indicated that it isn't hanging about with implementing the project to fix Windows 11 in 2026, and we're seeing the evidence already, so I'd imagine this will be piped through with some speed (before the 26H2 update later this year, certainly).

These are without doubt some very useful introductions, and particularly the ability to delay updates indefinitely, which is something I've been very keen to see brought in. I wasn't expecting it to actually allow users to pause for as long as they want, although technically, you are still going to be forced to update when the version of Windows 11 you're on runs out of support. But that's a whole lot of road with which to dodge an update, if you're really worried about, say, reports of a nasty bug that apply to a hardware configuration you have with your PC.

The change to avoid forced updates is great to see, as well, although really, the system should have always worked like this. Hopefully this will mean an end to 'shower' or 'cup of coffee' updates, whereby a user leaves their PC for 10 or 15 minutes or so for a break, and comes back to find their device is partway through an update it has kicked off all by itself.

Overall, this is impressive and Microsoft definitely gets some credit here, albeit we've had to wait a good long while for this to happen.

• NASA has released an enjoyable free tool for Earth Day
• It lets you spell your name using landscape features in satellite photos
• You can share your creations or download them and print them later

You’ve heard of writing your name in the stars, but what about writing your name on Planet Earth? That’s what's NASA’s latest tool is offering up, and it’s a fun way to celebrate Earth Day and demonstrates the variety of landscapes and features found on our blue planet.

Specifically, you’ll need to head over to NASA’s ‘Your Name in Landsat’ website and enter your name — or whatever word you want — into the box near the top of the page. Click the Enter button and you’ll see it spelled out, with each letter being represented by a letter hidden in a satellite photo.

For instance, try entering ‘TechRadar’ and you’ll get nine images lined up next to each other. The first could be a rocky formation that resembles the letter T, the second a swirling oceanic current that looks like an E, and so on.

The result is an entertaining little digital toy that is an enjoyable way to brighten someone’s day. You can share a link to your creation or download it, ready to be sent over email or maybe printed out as a postcard.

And if you mouse over any of the images used to spell your chosen word, you’ll see the location it was sourced from, as well as its longitude and latitude. That enables you to check it out on a site like Google Maps if you want to see the landscape in more detail.

An enjoyable distraction

NASA’s latest plaything is designed to coincide with Earth Day, which landed on April 22 this year. The event, which has been running since 1970, is dedicated to supporting environmental protection efforts around the world — you can read our series of articles celebrating it during Sustainability Week 2026.

It therefore makes sense for NASA to time its Your Name in Landsat tool to line up with this annual event. Its images show the vast variety of environments found across the globe and might help to inspire a touch of activism in those who use it.

According to NASA, “The satellite images used in this interactive [tool] are part of Landsat's extensive record, spanning more than 50 years.” They were sourced from NASA Earth Observatory, NASA Worldview, USGS EarthExplorer, and ESA Sentinel Hub, and you can download them individually if you like. Landsat is the longest-running satellite imagery program in the world and has been going strong since 1972.

Unfortunately, the downloaded images are not particularly large, so aren’t ideal for using as a poster or similarly-sized object. But they’re still a good way to explore the world and have a little fun while doing it.

• Tim Cook said he regretted the shaky launch of Apple Maps in 2012
• The Apple CEO said the company learned from its mistakes
• Yet it comes as Apple’s Siri revamp looks to be delayed by over two years

Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO after 15 years at the helm, and after all that time you’d imagine there might be a moment or two that he looks back on with regret. As it turns out, there is, as he recently revealed to Apple employees in a leaked town hall meeting — but I’m wondering if he might have made a different choice.

Speaking to Apple employees, Cook picked the disastrous Apple Maps launch in 2012 as his “first really big mistake,” according to reporting from Bloomberg. And it’s not without good reason: in many places around the world, Apple Maps’ initial release was so bad — with incorrect directions, mislabeled places, inaccurate satellite imagery, and much more — that Cook was forced into a contrite and very rare public apology. Scott Forstall, the Apple exec in charge of Maps, was pushed out of the company entirely.

According to Bloomberg, Cook summed up Maps’ calamitous opening salvo this way: “The product wasn’t ready, and we thought it was because we were testing more of local kind of stuff.” In other words, it seems as though Apple couldn’t see the forest for the trees — it was so focused on getting details right in areas local to the company that it neglected to see the bigger picture and the broader problems that affected the service.

That said, like any good mistake, Cook said that the Apple Maps roll-out proved to be a “valuable experience” for the company. “We apologized for it, and we said, ‘Go use these other [mapping] apps. They’re better than ours.’ And that was some humble pie,” he added, before continuing: “But it was the right thing for our users. And so it’s an example of keeping the user at the center of the decisions that we made… Now we’ve got the best map app on the planet. We learned about persistence, and we did exactly the right thing having made the mistake.”

Cook said that other missteps, like the abandoned AirPower charger and the scrapped self-driving car project, were on his list of regrets. Yet he added that Apple had mostly avoided the product recalls and cancelations that have dogged other firms in recent history.

Analysis: Has Apple actually learned it lesson?

While Cook may cite Maps’ bumpy start when the product “wasn’t ready” as being a “valuable experience,” it’s not the case that Apple has managed to avoid repeating the same error. In fact, we got a reminder of that just this week when Google revealed that the revamped version of Siri — powered at least in part by Google Gemini — would be arriving later in 2026.

Why is that a problem? Well, Apple initially revealed the new version of Siri in June 2024, whereupon the company promised that Apple Intelligence would enable Siri to understand your personal context, work within apps, and more. Yet we won’t be getting any of that for many more months. Even when those features do arrive, they’ll be over two years later than promised.

If you say that releasing a product too early was a serious mistake but claim that it taught you valuable lessons, you have to actually prove that in practice. The Siri debacle — where Apple was clearly caught flat-footed by the emergence of ChatGPT and panicked, passing off something that was evidently nothing more than a set of flashy mockups as the real deal — suggests that Apple hasn’t entirely taken the Maps fiasco on board.

Of course, that’s not to say that this is a common problem for Apple. The company has been remarkably consistent when it comes to announcing a product or feature and then actually following through with it. But it’s frustrating to see Tim Cook discuss a clear example of a half-baked product that was rushed out of the door during the exact same week that we get a timely reminder about an overhyped Siri overhaul that was nowhere near ready when it was shunted out into the world.

No tech leader is perfect, and compared to some of his ghoulish contemporaries, Tim Cook looks close to angelic. But as both Apple Maps and Siri go to show, if you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk too.

• Microsoft has made it clear that it's "really directly influenced" by feedback from Windows 11 users
• Pavan Davuluri, head of Windows, said: "I'm really excited for what's ahead. This year you're going to see us really double down on it [listening to feedback]."
• The skeptics out there are going to need to see the results of this new attitude before they're convinced, though

Microsoft has again underlined how it's listening to Windows 11 users, and specifically testers, in terms of taking on board feedback to improve the operating system.

Windows Latest reports that in a meeting with Windows Insiders in Seattle, Microsoft made it clear that it's been very involved with analyzing feedback from these testers over the past couple of months, saying it was "really directly influenced" by what it's hearing.

Pavan Davuluri, who is head of Windows at Microsoft, reportedly shared a message summing up the company's new attitude: "I also want you to know this is the start. I'm really excited for what's ahead. This year you're going to see us really double down on it [listening to feedback]. Navjot [presumably Navjot Virk, CVP of Windows Experiences] and I have this frame of customer love equals performance; is it fast? Reliability: is easy to use, does it do all the things I think of from a quality perspective? And then craft, how do I feel? Does it make me happy? Do I feel connected to the product?"

Davuluri added: "Our goal as we go forward is to be more open as we build Windows, make sure you feel like you are included in the entire lifecycle of our product making process."

Analysis: walking the walk

The report also observes that Davuluri said 'when people at Microsoft are passionate about a product, they can deliver amazing things', and that this now applies to Windows. Which is an odd way of framing things – so, the people who've been crafting Windows 11 for the past five years weren't passionate about it?

I should note that this isn't a direct quote from the Windows boss, rather it's just a sentiment expressed by Windows Latest itself in the site's report, but it's come from somewhere (presumably), and it struck me as oddly jarring.

The truth, though, is that Microsoft hasn't been listening to people in recent history. If you recall, in the earlier days of Windows 11, the software giant did make good deal of noise about eliciting and acting on user feedback, but that seemed to eventually evaporate into the OS mists. We then had AI come stomping onto the scene, trampling through Windows 11 and leaving its heavy hoofprints everywhere, while users fed back very clearly that they didn't want more AI features, but rather they'd prefer fixes for all the existing fundamental problems with Windows 11.

And here we are, now, with Microsoft having kicked off its grand scheme to fix Windows 11 in 2026. So, when the company talks about listening to feedback, there's inevitably going to be skepticism, and indeed there has been quite a lot of that aired.

Funnily enough, the point about the lack of passion comes back in there. If you scan the comments from skeptics on Reddit, there are some common themes, such as accusations that the people making Windows 11 don't actually use the OS (and that they're sat there working on Macs).

Or sentiments like: "The biggest problem with Windows is, it is directed by [a] bunch of UX [user experience] people who didn't care about the quality of the OS, they only care to push their UX to make them look like they are useful."

Or more general accusations about AI 'slopification' and spyware (or adverts), all of which you'll see in this example Reddit thread.

Microsoft clearly needs to shake off the chains of this entrenched skepticism, which is very deeply ingrained in some folks. And this new push to revamp Windows 11, and do better with testing the OS, does feel like it's a genuine change to me. Granted, I'm still worried that not enough emphasis has been put on bug squashing – and specifically how Microsoft is going to overhaul its internal QA processes, Windows Insiders aside – but I have hope.

Or at least I'm willing to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt, and to see how Windows 11 progresses as the year rolls on. All the right noises being made, however, must translate into all the right changes being made with a successful implementation across a dauntingly broad swathe of different facets of Windows 11.

• Microsoft has a new post on the Windows Learning Center
• It asks: "Do you still need third‑party antivirus in 2026?"
• The conclusion is that Windows 11's built-in protection should be fine for most people, but situationally, you may want to consider an alternative

Ever wondered whether Microsoft Defender can protect your PC from whatever malware might be lurking out there? You're not alone, and Microsoft has just addressed this issue.

Windows Latest noticed that Microsoft has a new post on its Windows Learning Center advising people on the subject of the best antivirus software, and whether the default option in Windows 11 is good enough.

The key question in respect of the latter point comes later in the article, where Microsoft asks: "Do you still need third‑party antivirus in 2026?"

The answer is clear enough: "For many Windows 11 users, Microsoft Defender Antivirus covers everyday risk without requiring additional software. The choice to add third‑party antivirus depends on how you use your PC and which features you value."

Microsoft elaborates that Defender antivirus is "usually sufficient when Windows 11 runs with default protections enabled, updates are installed regularly, and software downloads are deliberate".

The company also notes that SmartScreen plays a part in protecting the average Windows 11 PC, too, and that the coverage given by this feature plus Defender should be fine, bearing in mind the noted caveats.

Situationally, where you might want to consider installing a third-party antivirus or security suite is if you share devices with other family members who may not be as careful as you (or indeed you might want to manage multiple family devices across one dashboard).

Microsoft further notes that you'll need an independent solution if you "want services like identity monitoring or parental controls", which aren't provided by Defender.

Analysis: I don't think Microsoft is wrong here

What Microsoft is essentially saying is that for most people, certainly individual PC owners, Windows 11's built-in antivirus should be just fine. It's mainly family scenarios, where you may want the ability to control internet access for your children, in which you'll need to look for something more extensive in the way of a security suite.

Is Microsoft correct to assert that Defender works well for everyday users? I would say that yes, it is. There was a time in the past where Defender wasn't very highly thought of, but Microsoft has come a long way since then, and relying on Windows 11's default antivirus is not a risky proposition these days.

It covers the basics and keeps you safe from malware, although as Microsoft notes, there are other pieces of the puzzle when it comes to ensuring your PC isn't compromised. That includes applying regular updates (for Windows 11 and other apps), and a sensible dose of caution regarding what you download onto your system (don't underestimate the importance of the latter).

No, Microsoft Defender doesn't offer the best antivirus protection going, but it is good enough. However, it's just the core basics, and other security solutions offer a lot more in the way of features, some of which may be valuable to you.

The other benefit of Defender is that because it's already there in Windows 11, it fits neatly away in the background — updating itself as and when — and the app doesn't require a separate installation (and consumes little in the way of resources).

That said, even if you don't want to pay for an antivirus, there are still relatively lightweight free antivirus apps from major vendors that perform slightly better than Microsoft Defender in terms of malware protection (based on independent tests). The days when Defender was appreciably lagging behind those security top dogs, though, are well and truly in the rearview mirror.

• Windows 11's Start menu is rumored to be getting a bunch of important fixes
• That includes full control over what elements appear in the menu, and the ability to manually switch between the small and larger layouts
• Microsoft is testing changes to make File Explorer perform better, too, and that should arrive with the next Windows 11 update in May

Windows 11's Start menu is going to get the changes many people have been clamoring for, and Microsoft is busy fixing the performance of File Explorer, too, as the company moves to shore up key parts of the operating system's interface.

Windows Central reported the work on the Start menu, although it should be noted that this is just a rumor. That said, we do know that Microsoft intends to revamp the menu as part of the major campaign to fix Windows 11, so something will certainly be done with this part of the UI.

According to sources who spoke to Windows Central, the main change will be a much greater level of control over the customization of the Start menu. Windows 11 users will be able to turn off any section of the menu that they don't want to see.

That means not just the ability to ditch the recommended panel — which you can do now (that was part of the most recent major overhaul for the Start menu — but you can also get rid of pinned apps, or even the list of all apps installed on the PC.

Apparently, you'll also be able to choose to have a small (6-column) or larger (8-column) Start menu layout, which is a decision Windows 11 makes itself right now. For example, if you have a small screen, the OS will automatically elect for the more compact view, which is sensible enough. However, not everyone is happy with the way this works in certain scenarios, so Microsoft is set to let users override this decision should they wish.

Windows Central says Microsoft is trying to make the Start menu "much faster and responsive" on top of this, and we've heard about this before (and that the UI should work snappily even when the system is straining under a heavy workload). The search function in the Start menu is going to be made speedier, too.

As for File Explorer — the app that powers the very folders that contain the files on your desktop — Microsoft just released a new Windows 11 test build in the Release Preview channel which boosts its performance.

The build notes say that it "improves the speed and performance of File Explorer launch" and cures the remaining bugs where opening a folder in dark mode causes a nasty white flash to light up the screen (a fix that has been progressing through test versions of late).

Windows Latest tried out the preview and found that File Explorer does indeed feel faster, and that it seems especially faster when first launched, so that sounds promising.

Analysis: a mountain to climb

The first time File Explorer is run can often be seriously sluggish with some PCs — I've witnessed this myself, on my Windows 11 Surface device — so it's an important area to fix. These are welcome improvements for File Explorer, and all being well, they should be deployed in the May update for Windows 11. (Don't count on it, though, as whether that goes ahead could depend on what happens in testing, and if last-minute bugs are found).

The proposed work with the Start menu is huge, and pretty much a wish-list of everything you could want fixed with this part of the interface (about the only thing lacking is any mention of ditching the ad-like promos, though you can switch off the recommended panel already, of course). However, before we get carried away with the idea of these changes, we should remember that they are just rumored plans for Microsoft. Even if all this is true as it stands, the company could yet change its mind on some of these points.

I'm really surprised to see the idea of turning off the Start menu's all apps list is seemingly on the table. If so, the thrust of this redesign is handing the user complete control over the look of the Start menu, to the point of making it extremely streamlined. The ability to manually switch to the small layout of the Start menu (previously a selection made by the OS, as noted) plays into this notion, too.

This would appear to be a drive to please those who've been complaining about the Start menu looking too large and cumbersome, and essentially spanning the whole desktop and becoming more like the old 'Start screen' in some cases.

As I've observed in the past, the menu has become such an annoyance for some folks in its newer, wider form, that they've been forced to resort to hacks or third-party tools to get a more compact Start menu. Now, Microsoft is going to offer this choice, and the ability to make the menu really sleek by disabling various elements — which is great, but at the same time, should've been the case in the first place.

Indeed, not everyone is impressed with Microsoft here. As one Redditor observed: "Too little too late. My next build will be... another OS." Others expressed similar sentiments in that thread, albeit more barbed in nature at times, such as: "Too little, too late. We'll believe it when we see it, and even then, we'll be careful because it can go back to being sh*t faster than we can say pumpernickel."

It's probably the software-related understatement of the year to say that there's a lot going on with tweaking and changing Windows 11 right now, across so many fronts. Windows Central points out that the project to fix the major pain points with the OS is called 'Windows K2' and I think that's a more than apt name.

It seems Microsoft realizes it has a mountain to climb here; I just worry that the ascent ahead is a bit too steep, and there are good reasons why Microsoft can't stumble or fall here, as I discussed at length recently. Linux is becoming a more imposing threat, and the MacBook Neo is a challenge to Windows 11 laptops to boot.

• The CEO of Gucci's parent company has said the brand will probably launch smart glasses next year
• These will reportedly be made in partnership with Google, likely meaning they'll run Android XR
• Nothing else is known about them, but they're sure to be extremely expensive

The world might soon be inundated with smart glasses, as not only do companies like Google, Samsung, Xreal, and Meta have some coming fairly soon — along likely with Apple — but now it seems Gucci does too.

This is according to Luca de Meo, the CEO of Gucci-owner Kering, in conversation with Reuters, and saying specifically that they will come out "probably next year, 2027."

The smart glasses will be made in partnership with Google, so will presumably run Android XR — an operating system that so far is only available on the Samsung Galaxy XR headset, but which will also be used by smart glasses including the Xreal Project Aura, the Samsung Galaxy Glasses, and some unnamed Google specs.

Not the first but not far behind

Some of these will probably land this year, so Gucci isn’t going to be first out of the gate, but it probably won’t be far behind, with de Meo explaining that the brand plans to scale up its eyewear division to help rebuild the Gucci brand, which has struggled a bit in recent years.

We don’t really know anything about these smart glasses yet, but they’re sure to be extremely expensive. Even smart specs that aren’t made by luxury brands will probably command a high price tag, so Gucci-branded ones may be essentially unobtainable to many.

Still, it’s unlikely that their specs will be any better than smart glasses bearing Google or Samsung branding — instead you’ll be paying for the name, and perhaps the specific design or materials. So if Gucci is out of your price range, you probably won’t be missing out too much.

• Meta is raising prices for its Quest 3 and Quest 3S virtual reality headsets
• The company blamed "significantly" higher costs for the price rises
• Users are disappointed but say the products are still good value for money

The Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S are phenomenally good virtual reality (VR) headsets — in fact, they’re some of the best VR headsets money can buy. Part of that lies in the strong value for money they represent, but that’s just hit something of a road bump, as Meta has announced it’ll be raising the price of both devices as soon as April 19 — just two days from now.

According to a post on the Meta website, the price increases will affect both the Meta Quest 3 and the Meta Quest 3S in many markets around the world. Meta said the changes have been made because “the cost of building high-performance VR hardware has risen significantly,” with the sky-high cost of memory modules almost certainly the main culprit.

The 128GB model of the Meta Quest 3S will now cost $349.99 / £319.99 / AU$569, while the price of the 256GB edition is rising to $449.99 / £409.99 / AU$729. The 512GB Meta Quest 3, meanwhile, will soon set you back $599.99 / £549.99 / AU$969.

That’s a significant price escalation across the board. For comparison, buy one of the above headsets today and you’ll pay the following:

• Meta Quest 3S 128GB: $299.99 / £289.99 / AU$499.99
• Meta Quest 3S 256GB: $399.99 / £379.99 / AU$669.99
• Meta Quest 3 512GB: $499.99 / £469.99 / AU$799.99

The Meta Quest 3 is more negatively affected than its more budget Quest 3S sibling, with the former’s price rising by as much as 20% in US dollars.

That’ll be an unwelcome change for VR fans, and with Meta barely giving any notice, there’s not long to pull the trigger if you want to avoid the price hike.

Still a good deal?

Unsurprisingly, many people aren’t happy with the news. Over on Reddit, for example, one user lamented: “That’s too bad, price increases make VR harder to get started in. Hopefully things get better but I wouldn’t hold my breath on Quest 4 coming out soon and/or being as good of a deal as the Quest 3 was.”

Meanwhile, another sarcastically added that the move “Will definitely drive VR adoption along with axing their first party studios.” Other readers expressed little surprise over the change, with user Alarikun saying: “this was inevitable. They were heavily subsidizing the costs of the hardware to try to get more people into VR.”

That said, several users argued that even with the price rises, the Meta Quest series still represents a good deal. One Redditor contended that “while the price increase isn’t fun, it’s still the best value headset out.” That was mirrored by another post, which argued that although the Quest 3 series is “still the best value in VR,” its price change could lead Valve to “release the Frame with a higher cost than expected.”

If you’ve been on the fence about buying a Meta Quest VR headset, now might be the time to make a move. With the RAM crisis still causing misery, today’s prices might be the cheapest you’ll pay for quite some time.

Following the backlash it received for quietly hiking YouTube Premium prices in the US, Google has unveiled a new deal that gets you 50% off a year of YouTube Premium when you sign up to a Google One Premium or Google AI plan — as long as you meet certain criteria.

Vice President of Google Photos and Google One, Shimrit Ben-Yair, shared the bundle deal to her X account (see below), while the Google Gemini account on X also announced the “special surprise for our Gemini power users”.

When you sign up, the deal will knock 50% off a 12-month YouTube Premium membership, so you'll pay $80 instead of $159.99. As per Google's outline of the offer, your YouTube Premium add-on will remain active for the duration of your membership; however this deal will only be available until April 29, which will be your last day to claim.

Google has been making quite a few changes to its Google One Premium plans recently. Just a few weeks ago it doubled the storage allowance for its AI Pro tier, which also offers the YouTube Premium add-on for a limited time, without increasing the price.

But before you rush to sign up, there are a few things to note.

As mentioned in the X post, the YouTube Premium deal is only available for Google One Premium subscribers who are paying for 2TB of storage or higher. The Google AI Pro plan is also included, as it offers 5TB of storage. This means that those on the Basic, Standard, and Google AI Plus won't be eligible.

There are also some regional restrictions to bear in mind. You can only claim the discount if you’re based in the US, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, or Japan, so UK subscribers will unfortunately miss out.

If you're an existing YouTube Premium subscriber, you'll have to cancel your subscription and sign up to Google AI Pro in order to claim the discount. You can do this by following the steps outlined in the Google One help page.

• Apple's Greg Joswiak has hinted about some potential smart glasses
• He was joined by Apple's John Ternus in a new Tom's Guide interview
• Both also claimed that Apple isn't looking to merge Mac and iPad

Two of Apple's most influential executives have hinted that the tech giant could be working on some smart glasses, as rumors predicted earlier this week.

Greg 'Joz' Joswiak (Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing) was joined by John Ternus (SVP of Hardware engineering) in a wide-ranging interview with Tom's Guide, which covered everything from the MacBook Neo to Apple's recent 50th anniversary.

But it was their comments about a potential Meta Ray-Bans rival, which Bloomberg suggested could appear later in 2026 ahead of a 2027 launch, that were the most illuminating. When asked about smart glasses being the next wave of computing, Greg Joswiak said that "there’s some inevitability to combining digital and physical worlds."

Of course, Apple has already done that to an extent with the Apple Vision Pro, but it was telling that Joswiak's "inevitability" remark came in response to a question about the future of spatial computing.

Naturally, he wasn't willing to elaborate much further. "I can't give you a timeline for when spatial becomes, you know, anything else," he said. "But it's an inevitability of digital and physical worlds coming together."

The timing of the comments is apt because Bloomberg's report earlier this week gave us some more details about its rumored smart glasses. It claimed that Apple is developing its own Meta Ray-Bans rival, internally code-named N50, and that they're being tested in four different styles, including a large rectangular frame (like Ray-Ban Wayfarers) plus some oval or circular options.

Apple talks Mac vs iPad

The interview also covered the age-old Mac vs iPad debate and where the MacBook Neo sits in that divide — and Apple again stressed that it's not looking to merge the two platforms.

When asked about iPadOS becoming more Mac-like recently, Apple's John Ternus (who has been touted as a future CEO) claimed that Apple still thinks of them as separate experiences.

"There’s never been this idea of mashing these two things together," Ternus said. "There's this narrative outside that there is, but that's never been the case," he added. Anyone who's tried iPadOS 26.4 might disagree, but for now, Apple continues to push the narrative that many people want both, which is obviously good news for Apple.

Naturally, neither of the execs would be drawn on the prospect of a touchscreen MacBook Pro, which has also been strongly rumored to be launching by the end of 2026. But one thing's for sure — Apple is going to be asked these questions a lot later this year, particularly if the rumored smart glasses and OLED MacBook Pro are indeed finally made official.

• Microsoft's Windows 11 Recall still has major security flaws, according to cybersecurity expert
• TotalRecall Reloaded's creator states the application can force user authentication prompts, leading to Recall data extractions
• Microsoft has since denied that there are any security flaws

Microsoft's Windows 11 Recall tool hasn't been popular among its users ever since its debut in 2024, due to substantial security flaws when capturing private user data. Ultimately, the backlash forced Microsoft back to the drawing board, but that seemingly hasn't panned out too well, either.

As reported by The Verge, Microsoft's Windows Recall is back, but with new security concerns, unearthed by Alexander Hagenah, the creator of the TotalRecall Reloaded application on GitHub.

The controversy around Recall mainly focused on its prime purpose: to snapshot all PC activity, allowing users to quickly find what they were previously interacting with. This immediately raised red flags for PC users over their personal data potentially being exposed to malicious hackers, and it ultimately led to Microsoft removing the feature in 2024.

Microsoft redesigned Recall, and the feature made its return in 2025 with the Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-In Security feature active, requiring fingerprint or face scans to access data or enable Recall to make snapshots. Microsoft also stated, "this restricts attempts by latent malware trying to ride along with a user authentication to steal data".

However, the return of Recall still has some people, including security professionals, concerned.

The Verge spoke with Hagenah, who stated: "My research shows that the vault is real, but the trust boundary ends too early," and what this means is the TotalRecall Reloaded tool can run in the background, force user authentication prompts, and eventually lead to all data from Recall being extracted.

"TotalRecall Reloaded makes that latent malware ride along," Hagenah said. "That is precisely the scenario Microsoft's architecture is supposed to restrict," and after Hagenah raised these concerns with Microsoft, the company has since denied that there is any security flaw.

In theory, TotalRecall Reloaded replicates the same scenario where malicious hackers would attempt to steal personal data that Recall has captured, including passwords, bank details, and other private information users may have entered while Recall was taking screenshots.

Fortunately, Windows Recall is optional and can be disabled, but for those using the feature, it's certainly a significant concern that might leave Microsoft facing backlash in the near future once again.

• Gemini is now a native macOS app, so you can use Google’s AI chatbot directly from your desktop without opening a browser
• The app lets you share your screen, access local files, and launch instantly with a new Option + Space shortcut
• It also supports AI image generation and video creation, with extra features unlocked via Google’s AI Pro and Ultra plans

Google has just released a native Gemini app for the Mac, so its AI chatbot is now available right on your macOS desktop with no need to launch a browser just to use it.

The new native app means Gemini now joins both Claude and ChatGPT, which already have macOS apps on the Mac App Store. Gemini is free to use, but while the free limits are quite generous, especially for image generation, you’ll need to subscribe to Google’s AI Pro or Ultra packages if you need more access.

What it can do — more integrated than ever before

Using Gemini as an app offers several key advantages for Mac users over using it in a browser. For a start, you can now share anything on your screen with Gemini, including local files, and get help with exactly what you’re looking at.

For example, if you are reviewing a complex document, you can simply share your window and ask, ‘What are the three biggest takeaways here?’ and it will give you an answer based on what’s on your screen.

There’s also a new keyboard shortcut — Option + Space — that you can use to instantly bring up Gemini. It’s a much faster way to access the chatbot without switching tabs or digging through open windows.

Nano Banana image generation included

Gemini offers strong image creation abilities with Google’s Nano Banana image generation engine, and it can also create AI-generated videos thanks to Google’s Veo 3.1 being built in.

You can download the new Gemini app now from the Mac App Store, where it’s available to all users aged over 13 years, or from Google. A Google account and macOS 15 or greater is required.

Google says this first release of Gemini as an app is just the beginning, adding, “We're building the foundation for a truly personal, proactive, and powerful desktop assistant, with more news to share in the coming months.”

• A Microsoft executive has made a small utility for Windows 11
• The app is called PeekDesktop and lets you minimize all windows by clicking on an empty piece of the desktop
• It's very much the same as a macOS feature, and while there are keyboard shortcuts in Windows 11 to do this already, this is more convenient, and handy for Mac defectors

A Microsoft executive has put together a little utility that brings a neat piece of functionality to Windows 11, and it's something that macOS users will be familiar with.

Windows Latest reports that Scott Hanselman, a VP, member of technical staff at Microsoft – and one of the players behind the fix Windows 11 campaign – has made a tool called PeekDesktop.

It's a very simple app that allows you to "click your desktop to peek at it", working in the same way as the 'click wallpaper to reveal desktop' feature seen with macOS Sonoma.

The point is that it's a quick way to minimize all open windows, especially if you have a lot of them, and get to see the desktop underneath, just by clicking on a blank piece of desktop (the wallpaper, as opposed to any icon). Click again (on a blank spot) and the active windows are reinstated.

While it sounds very simple, almost to the point of being too basic, I can guarantee you that this is one of those neat shortcuts that'll become indispensable once you get used to having it.

And if you're worried about the resource usage involved here, don't be, as PeekDesktop uses less than 2MB when sitting in your system tray (in the taskbar) watching for your clicks.

It's worth noting that there's also a version for Arm-based laptops (Snapdragon X), as well as for PCs with AMD and Intel CPUs.

Analysis: comforting clicks

Of course, this ability is already in Windows 11. You can press the Windows key + D to minimize all windows and get straight to the desktop already. (Or Windows key + M, although that can't be used to restore active windows by pressing it again). Or indeed you can bind this function to one of your spare mouse buttons, if you have a mouse with lots of them, as I have (I use this power a lot).

However, having the ability to click on the desktop is a more convenient way of actioning this than a keyboard shortcut that involves pressing two keys. Indeed, I can't believe this is a feature that hasn't been brought in before now, because it's surely not difficult to implement, and is a useful piece of honing of an already existing power in Windows 11.

As noted, it's something in macOS already, and what's interesting is that when asked about the feature on X – and the way it duplicates Windows 11's existing keyboard shortcuts, as mentioned – Hanselman said that it's intentionally designed to be the same as how it works on macOS "so Mac folks feel comfortable".

I wonder if this ability might be something that makes the cut for Windows 11 in the future, and more to the point, whether Microsoft is looking at the Mac as a more serious rival these days. Mainly because macOS has definitely become a bigger threat to Windows 11, at least in the world of laptops, with the launch of Apple's newest budget-oriented notebook.

That is, of course, the MacBook Neo, which has been very well-received by reviewers and consumers alike, which must worry Microsoft. Particularly when the company has had to hike price tags across its entire Surface range in a big way, making these devices look a whole lot less tempting even compared to Apple's MacBooks outside the much more affordable Neo.

• Meta has been urged to scrap its rumored Name Tag feature
• In an open letter, privacy advocates have said the facial recognition tech is dangerous
• Meta hasn't announced Name Tag yet, but a statement suggests the feature may still be coming to Ray-Ban glasses

Over 70 organizations are asking Meta to cancel its controversial Name Tag AI glasses feature plans — out of fear it could supercharge the threat of stalkers and abusers.

While not yet officially announced, a report came out last year suggesting that the company wants to develop an always-on AI system with the ability to recognize people’s faces and other details from your life, like where you left your keys. The story was amplified earlier this year when The New York Times reaffirmed Meta’s rumored plans.

What’s more, the NYT report included a leaked Reality Labs memo that suggests Meta knows the tool is controversial, as it apparently plans to launch Name Tag “during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.”

The document also highlighted possible plans to launch the tool at a conference for the blind to help promote it as an accessibility tool.

Despite some possible advantages to Name Tag, various organizations, including the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and Electronic Privacy Information Center, have signed an open letter urging Meta to protect the public’s privacy by never releasing Name Tag or a feature like it.

“Facial recognition technology built into inconspicuous consumer eyewear represents a serious threat to privacy and civil liberties for every member of our society, and particularly for historically marginalized and vulnerable groups,” the letter explains.

It added, “People should be able to move through their daily lives without fear that stalkers, scammers, abusers, federal agents, and activists across the political spectrum are silently and invisibly verifying their identities and potentially matching their names to a wealth of readily available data about their habits, hobbies, relationships, health, and behaviors.”

In response, Meta issued a statement saying, “Our competitors offer this type of facial recognition product, we do not. If we were to release such a feature, we would take a very thoughtful approach before rolling anything out.”

The issue some may have with that response is that Meta doesn't promise to never introduce facial recognition to its specs, just that it would do it the right way. However, this comes off the back of reporting that Meta contractors are seeing a lot more of our AI smart glasses’ photos and videos than we might have realized.

This second smart glasses era has so far managed to dodge the major complaints that plagued Google Glass in terms of privacy, but that has changed. If Meta, Google, and even, possibly, Apple want things to go back in a more positive direction, they need to be careful and make stronger guarantees that the public is being taken seriously.

Smart glasses are still something of a novelty — fun but arguably a lot less useful than our phones, smartwatches, and earbuds. If public backlash continues to grow, a second smart glasses decline will likely follow — and I say this as someone who thinks the tech could be awesome and would like to see it flourish.

We just need to make sure privacy protections are taken seriously. Otherwise, I imagine it won’t be long before governments or members of the public start taking action.

• A new app simulates a CRT monitor or TV image for the Mac and iOS
• It's incredibly in-depth and realistic, even simulating the chemistry of the phosphors
• Fans are very impressed and the app has a growing following, complete with calls for Windows and Android versions

Ever miss the days of great, hulking CRT monitors or television sets? If you do, a new iOS and macOS app gives you the chance to relive those bygone images, with a seriously in-depth simulation of the picture quality on offer.

A Redditor has developed the retro Analog TV Simulator, which is a passion project that really tries to capture the authentic look of a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and analog broadcasts, including simulating the physics involved.

The Analog TV Simulator app recreates the "entire analog TV pipeline from first principles", and that includes simulating elements from broadcast picture interference through to CRT phosphor glow.

The developer (Alastair Bor) explains that there are "no post-process filters or shortcuts — every artifact (dot crawl, chroma smear, phosphor persistence, ghosting, etc) emerges naturally from the physics (and chemistry of the phosphors)."

You get a simulation of various standards (like NTSC and PAL, and much more besides), as well as VCR formats (VHS and Betamax, and more), and even historical test cards. (Such as the BBC effort that I'm very familiar with from my childhood here in the UK — yes, TV used to stop at midnight in the early 1980s, and you'd get a test card or pattern on-screen, complete with an annoying constant beep tone to force you to go to bed).

On the Mac, you can route any game or video player through the app to display it in CRT fashion, or indeed any window at all, or input from capture cards, USB webcams, and the like.

It's all very cool, and you can download the app for macOS here (costing $2), and iOS here (for $1), or test builds are free via the app website if you want to give it a whirl without paying.

Magnet mode and much more

This is a really impressive, in-depth project. There are even controls, such as emulated service menu tweaks — featuring geometry settings like pincushion or tilt — along with various easter eggs, too.

One of the latter is "magnet mode", and again, anyone who had an old TV or monitor back in the day will be familiar with what happens if you put a magnet near it (an on-screen psychedelic experience of sorts). The developer has even included a simulated degaussing button to get the screen back to normal.

A fellow denizen of Reddit observes: "Played on the macOS version – loads of fun, and as someone who has made a career of making ugly video for network television, has played with lots of the plug-ins, and also has been known to dump HD footage to tape & beat on the VTR while-re-encoding so I can play it back on a 30-year-old CRT at 24fps... this is VERY cool."

Another Redditor noted: "Geez, that's like a dream come true for me. Insta bought it on my iPhone, and I'm floored already. Can't wait to try it on the bigger iPad screen later when I'm home!"

The idea is to provide both a fun and educational experience here, and it certainly appears to work well on both of those levels.

The app is currently available to download for Macs and iOS devices, as noted. However, there are more than a few requests for the developer to produce Windows and Android versions of the software, and I'd expect that interest to grow. The dev could port it across eventually, saying on Reddit that: "I might be able to use some AI tool like Claude Code to port it to Windows."

I still remember the old CRT I used to play Doom and Quake deathmatch on — ridiculously bulky though it was, that monitor did provide very smooth gameplay for a competitive shooter session. And as for my 32-inch Sony widescreen CRT, I still remember that behemoth of a TV fondly, too (my back remembers it, as well, but not so fondly across several house moves and living room furniture rejigs).

CRT enthusiasts should note that it wasn't so long ago that a retro gamer pushed their ancient Iiyama Vision Master Pro512 CRT monitor to an incredible 700Hz of smoothness. There's still life in the old CRTs yet, it would appear, one way or another.

• Microsoft is rolling out an option to skip updates during Windows 11 installation
• This will speed up the process in a big way for some users
• However, without updates, you won't have the latest security fixes – but this is still a situationally very useful (and much-requested) ability

If you've ever sat drumming your fingers, waiting for Windows 11 to finish installing for what feels like forever, then you'll appreciate a new change Microsoft has made to allow the operating system to complete setup much more swiftly.

Windows Central reports that Microsoft is now introducing an option that lets you skip the part of the installation where Windows 11 pulls in and applies relevant updates, speeding up the process hugely.

This was flagged by Ariaupdated on X who provided a screenshot of the feature which is now actively rolling out.

How does it work? When you get to the part of the Windows 11 installation where it downloads all the updates and security fixes that have been released (on top of the core OS install), this will still get underway, but you can click an option to 'Update later' if you want to skip it.

This makes good on one of the promises Microsoft made to improve Windows updates by allowing them to be bypassed during the OOBE or out-of-box-experience, the initial setup of a Windows 11 PC. Another much bigger move is inbound, too, namely allowing users to pause updates for as long as they want (whereas five weeks is the maximum amount of time you can delay an update currently).

Analysis: options on the installation table

It's always good to have a choice, and the choice in this case is to get through the installation and to the functioning desktop much more quickly than you can now (with updates being automatically applied). This could save you maybe 20 to 30 minutes of waiting for setup to finish, depending on various factors (including the speed of your internet connection, of course). And that might be very handy in certain situations.

For example, you might be on a metered, or very slow, internet connection while performing the installation, so you'd appreciate the ability to defer any chunky downloads until later, when you're on a better connection.

What you must be aware of is that a default Windows 11 installation, minus initial updates, will be short of a whole raft of security fixes, and some features, too. It's the holes in security that represent a danger, though, as if you go start browsing the web for example, you're leaving yourself more open to potentially be exploited by something malicious lurking in a website or downloaded file.

So, taking a shortcut like this with installation is fine – and could be very useful depending on your situation – but I'd be wary of doing much online before you apply all those updates (via Windows Update).

One useful tactic here could be to skip updates during installation, and then get them running as soon as you get to the Windows 11 desktop. This way, you can have those updates ticking away in the background while you begin to configure your preferences for the system, desktop, themes and so on. In other words, you're doing something useful with the time spent waiting for updates to come through, rather than being stuck in the installation screens for an extra half an hour.

At any rate, it's good to have options in this regard, and to see Microsoft realizing some of the promises it's made to improve Windows 11 in a swift manner. That said, there are cynics on Reddit who believe that Microsoft is only now taking these actions due to the threats posed by Linux (mainly driven by SteamOS) and Apple's popular new MacBook Neo, which is definitely a challenge to Windows 11's laptop dominance at the budget end of the market.

As one Redditor put it: "Interesting timing with everyone jumping ship to Linux or MacBook Neo."