GoKawiilMicrosoft's new Windows Insider wallpapers were made on a Mac, metadata shows
Developer Rafael Rivera found that wallpapers Microsoft emailed to Windows Insiders in mid-October, marking the program's 12th anniversary, carried file metadata showing they were saved using Photoshop on a Mac. Rivera said the ten wallpapers came from Microsoft's in-house design team, and the company has since replaced the files on its design site without comment.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The disclosure is awkward timing given Microsoft is marketing its $2,600 Surface Laptop Ultra as a MacBook Pro alternative and offering MacBook owners up to $1,000 extra trade-in credit to switch. It suggests, though does not prove, that even Microsoft's own creative staff may still prefer Apple hardware for design work, undercutting the company's pitch to creators.
- File metadata indicated Microsoft's Windows Insider wallpapers were saved using Photoshop on a Mac.
- The wallpapers were sent to mark 12 years of the Windows Insider Program and were reportedly made by Microsoft's in-house design team.
- Microsoft quietly replaced the files after the finding went public, while promoting its Surface Laptop Ultra as a MacBook Pro alternative.
Microsoft Surface Laptop — If you're intrigued by Microsoft's push toward its new Surface lineup, the Surface Laptop is a sleek Windows machine worth checking out. It's a great way to experience the design aesthetic Microsoft is promoting, ironically, without needing a Mac to do it.
See Microsoft Surface Laptop on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techspot.com — Zo Ahmed, 2026-10-25
Published there as: “Microsoft's Windows Insider wallpapers were apparently made on a Mac”
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