Microsoft Weekly Update: New Features for Windows 10 and Enhancements for Windows 11

Welcome to this week’s installment of Microsoft Weekly, where we delve into the recent developments around Windows 10 and Windows 11. This episode highlights the broad availability of Windows 11 version 24H2, exciting new features for Windows 10 users, updates from the latest Windows 11 preview builds, gaming news, app enhancements, insightful reviews, and much more.

Windows 10 and 11 News
Windows Insider Program
Latest Updates
Featured Reviews
Gaming Updates

Windows 10 and 11 News

This section consolidates the latest happenings concerning Microsoft’s premier operating systems, including stable channel updates and preview builds. Expect to see new features, removed functionalities, ongoing issues, bugs, discoveries, and a nod to older, yet supported versions.

Windows 11 version 24H2 has officially rolled out and is now accessible to a wide user base. Microsoft is actively notifying all eligible users—including those on Windows 10 with compatible hardware—about this upgrade. If you’re currently using Windows 10, be on the lookout for a Windows Update alert encouraging you to transition to Windows 11.

Despite Windows 10 nearing the end of its support life, Microsoft continues to roll out new features sporadically. The latest Release Preview build has introduced playful images for the calendar flyout along with a weather widget that enhances the agenda view. While visually appealing, the calendar flyout’s utility remains questionable due to its cumbersome presentation.

This week has also seen reports of a new bug affecting the latest Patch Tuesday updates. Thankfully, Microsoft has reassured users that this issue does not compromise the system’s performance or security, and a resolution is on the way for the errors associated with the System Guard Runtime Monitor broker.

On the Windows 11 side, users can now take advantage of a new Game Bar widget, which simplifies web browsing while gaming. The Edge Game Assist feature is now available outside the Edge Insider and Windows Insider programs, making it more accessible for gamers.

Lastly, Microsoft has indicated that the Windows WSUS driver updates sync feature will cease in under three months.

Windows Insider Program Updates

In this section, we present the latest releases for testing in the Windows Insider Program.

Windows 11	Windows 10
Canary Channel	–	Not Applicable
Dev Channel	26120.3000	Not Applicable
Beta Channel	22635.4805	Not Applicable
Release Preview Channel	26100.3025	–

This week’s preview builds for Windows 11 brought interesting changes such as a refreshed battery indicator in the Dev Channel. Additionally, users can look forward to a new file-sharing method in File Explorer, allowing for intuitive drag-and-drop sharing with various applications.

Latest Updates

This section provides an overview of recent software, firmware, and significant updates that introduce new features, security enhancements, and various patches from Microsoft and other third parties.

Recently, numerous bugs affecting Outlook have come to light. Microsoft confirmed that the classic Outlook application may crash during email composition, replies, or forwards. In response, a workaround has been shared to help users revert to a previous version of Outlook.

In somewhat disappointing news for Microsoft Office users, the Smart Lookup feature within Word has been discontinued. Users will no longer have the ability to right-click words to access definitions or synonyms.

On the horizon, Google is set to release Chrome 133 next month, which will include an innovative battery-saving feature. This mechanism suspends CPU-intensive tabs to extend battery life on laptops and tablets.

Mozilla has also introduced a minor update for Firefox 134, addressing several performance issues and bugs, including crash reports and problems with HTML links.

Vivaldi has rolled out an update to version 7.1, which boasts enhanced customization options and improvements to its speed dial feature.

Files, a third-party file manager for Windows, has also received a preview update that includes a Cards View layout for enhanced file visibility. This layout is anticipated to be available in the stable release version 3.9 soon.

Looking forward, Microsoft is reportedly preparing to launch compact ARM-powered Surface devices, including an 11-inch Surface Pro and a 12-inch Surface Laptop slated for April or May. Furthermore, several business-focused Surface devices are expected to be highlighted during the January 30 event.

Microsoft is transitioning its Windows themes webpage to the Microsoft Store.
Reports suggest that one in four laptops shipped in 2024 will feature Generative AI capabilities.
A recent performance comparison study showed gaming differences between AMD and Nvidia on both Windows and Linux.
The Microsoft 365 admin center will soon mandate multifactor authentication for enhanced security.
Microsoft and OpenAI have announced significant changes in their multi-year partnership.
VirtualBox has received updates to ensure compatibility with Windows 11 version 24H2.
The UniGetUI package manager for Windows has undergone major download and installation improvements.

Featured Reviews

This section showcases the hardware and software we reviewed over the past week.

Robbie Khan shared insights on the Dangbei N2 smart projector, which is affordably priced and user-friendly. While it offers a range of licensed streaming apps, its brightness and software constraints were noted as areas for improvement.

Gaming Updates

Here are the latest developments in the gaming world.

Microsoft has announced an array of new titles for Xbox Game Pass, including popular titles such as Lonely Mountain: Snow Riders, Flock, Tchia, and more. Additionally, a new controller—the Pulse Cipher Special Edition—has become available for preorder, featuring a striking transparent faceplate and bright colors for $74.99.

Xbox Wireless Controller - Pulse Cipher Special Edition

Moreover, improvements are underway for external storage compatibility on Xbox consoles, allowing users to connect drives exceeding 16TB with a new Alpha-Skip Ahead build for Xbox Insiders.

During the first Xbox Developer_Direct 2025, Microsoft unveiled upcoming titles such as Ninja Gaiden 4 and the much-anticipated DOOM: The Dark Ages, which promises to focus on grounded gameplay. The technical requirements for this title, while demanding, remain manageable.

Forza Horizon 5 is gearing up for its final content update, revealing the last two new cars and offering players a chance to revisit past playlists for previously exclusive vehicles.

Similarly, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is reportedly “in a stable place, ”with Bioware confirming that monitoring for any critical bugs will continue.

If you’re gearing up for Ubisoft’s new Assassin’s Creed title, be prepared to meet high hardware requirements for optimal graphics performance—with NVIDIA’s RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 recommended for ultimate settings.

In a notable advancement, Cyberpunk 2077 has become the first PC game to support NVIDIA’s new DLSS 4 technology. With this update, players using RTX 5000 series graphics cards can take full advantage of the multi-frame generation feature.

Lastly, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has received its second seasonal content update, introducing new maps, modes, and additional improvements for multiplayer enthusiasts.

Deals and Freebies:

This week, Epic Games Store is offering free access to “Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery, ”a charming puzzle-solving experience, until next Thursday. Notably, Epic has expanded its mobile offerings by adding 19 third-party games to its store, including the giveaway of “Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee.”

As always, we feature more discounts and offers on PC games in our weekly Weekend PC Game Deals series—be sure to check it out here.

Other notable gaming stories from this week include:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is on its way to GOG Galaxy.
Age of Mythology: Retold has introduced a photo mode and major balance modifications alongside a new year event.
Art of Rally’s developer has unveiled “Over the Hill, ”a cooperative off-road exploration title.
Celeste’s developer has canceled its next platformer after years of development.
Sony’s Horizon Zero Dawn MMO has reportedly been scrapped.