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Microsoft released KB5124010, a September 2026 optional preview update for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, containing 46 changes but no security patches. The update adds Emoji 17.0 support, an 'Open apps maximized' accessibility setting, Bluetooth reliability fixes, and a new option to remap the Copilot key to act as Right Ctrl or Context Menu.
Microsoft has resolved a bug that stopped File History from backing up or restoring files to external drives or network locations after the September 2026 security update. The fix ships in the optional cumulative updates KB5124006 and KB5124010 for Windows 11 26H1 and 24H2/25H2 respectively. Affected users had seen crash events referencing FileHistory.exe, false 'Reconnect your drive' prompts, and backups that stopped updating.
Microsoft is releasing an updated Surface Mouse on October 13th, its first refresh since 2016. The new mouse adds haptic feedback for clicks and alignment cues, a customizable action button defaulting to Copilot, Bluetooth 6.0 for pairing with up to three devices, and a redesigned soft-touch body. It will cost $79.99 in black or platinum and launches alongside refreshed Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models.
Microsoft's KB5124010 update, pushed to Windows 11's stable channel this week after appearing in the Release Preview channel, is causing crashes in games protected by the Javelin anti-cheat system, including Battlefield 6 and Wardogs. Players report the games crash within seconds of launch with little or no error information, though Wardogs users see a WD-L020 error code. Uninstalling the update has been the only workaround confirmed by affected players and, for Wardogs, by a Team17 representative.
Microsoft confirmed that its September 8 Patch Tuesday update broke File History backups on Windows 11 (23H2 through 26H1) and Windows 10 ESU devices, causing errors like false 'reconnect drive' prompts and missing previous file versions. The company has released an optional preview update to fix the issue, though it currently does not apply to Windows 11 23H2 or Windows 10.
Microsoft has told IT administrators that the September 2026 security updates for Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2 and 24H2 can cause Always On VPN connections to fail when automatic protocol selection between IKEv2 and SSTP is enabled. Affected connections may get stuck in a 'Connecting' state or throw a 'port already in use' error on retry. Microsoft has not yet issued a permanent fix but recommends administrators manually set the VPN profile to use only SSTP or only IKEv2 as a workaround.
Google offers ChromeOS Flex, a free operating system that can replace Windows on older machines meeting modest specs: an Intel or AMD CPU, 4GB RAM and 16GB storage, though chips from 2012 or earlier aren't supported. Installation involves using Chrome's Chromebook Recovery Utility to create bootable media on an 8GB-plus USB drive, then booting the target PC into its boot menu to install or trial the OS.
Microsoft announced it is retiring its Microsoft 365 companion apps—Calendar, People, and Files—effective December 16, 2026, after which they will stop functioning and lose support. The company is telling IT administrators to uninstall the apps from managed devices before that date. The move comes roughly a year after Microsoft began automatically pushing these taskbar-integrated apps to Windows 11 enterprise devices running Microsoft 365 desktop clients.
Windows 11 includes an Xbox mode feature that replaces the desktop with a full-screen, console-like gaming interface, though it isn't enabled by default. Users can turn it on and access it through Settings, keyboard shortcuts like Win + F11, the Game Bar, or the Xbox app, and can exit back to the desktop just as easily.
Windows 11 includes Microsoft Defender, a free antivirus tool within Windows Security that automatically scans for threats and logs its findings under Virus & threat protection. Users can review allowed threats and protection history, run a deeper Full scan, or use an offline scan via Windows Recovery Environment to catch malware that hides from standard scans. The Firewall & network protection settings should also be checked to ensure all three connection types are protected.
Microsoft has fixed a glitch that made the Windows Security app falsely warn users that Defender Antivirus was disabled, even though it was running normally. The fix arrived in Defender Antivirus update version 4.18.26080.4, released September 17, after the problem had persisted since at least June in Windows Insider builds.
Microsoft confirmed that Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro editions, along with Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016, will stop receiving security and non-security updates on October 13, 2026. Enterprise and Education editions of 24H2 will continue receiving updates until October 2027. Microsoft is urging affected users to move to Windows 11 25H2, which will install automatically on unmanaged devices.