loading . . . Windows news you can use: May 2025 Just like this monthly newsletter, Microsoft Build highlighted the latest on Windows, AI, management, security, and more. Sessions from Microsoft Build are now available on demand. For an overview, don't miss An IT pro's guide to Windows at Microsoft Build 2025. If you're a developer, read Advancing Windows for AI development: New platform capabilities and tools introduced at Build 2025. What else is new? Keep reading!
New in Windows update and device management
* [WINDOWS BACKUP FOR ORGANIZATIONS][PREVIEW] Learn more and apply to participate in the limited public preview of Windows Backup for Organizations. Reduce troubleshooting time and enhance productivity as you transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Recover and return to previous settings thanks to saved backups.
* [APP UPDATES][PREVIEW] Enroll in the private preview for the Windows Update orchestration platform. It's a unified, intelligent update platform that can support updates for apps, drivers, and more to be orchestrated alongside Windows updates. Learn about how the platform works, benefits for your organization, and how to join the private preview.
* [HOTPATCH] Find answers to frequently asked questions about hotpatch for client. Browse hotpatch update definitions, availability of hotpatch updates, testing and error information, and a wealth of hotpatch resources.
* [WINDOWS AUTOPATCH] Improve control and consent over data sharing. Use hotpatching to apply immediate security updates without interrupting workflow. Don't miss these updates—and more—about improved reporting and troubleshooting coming to Windows Autopatch in June.
* [RBAC] Find out how to improve security and manage granular access to Windows Autopatch resources with the expanded Role-based access controls (RBAC) for Windows Autopatch. Watch for more information as the feature rolls out over the next four weeks!
* [WINDOWS APP] Discover enhancements for Windows App—including the Remote App Launcher and new printing capabilities—that will increase efficiencies and ease of use.
* [INTUNE] Looking for best practices to set up your Microsoft 365 Business Premium account? Don't miss six new videos that walk through the steps for configuration. These videos are based on the "Enhancing Security with Microsoft 365 Business: A Hands-on, Effective Guide."
* [TECH COMMUNITY LIVE] Join Tech Community Live on June 9, 2025! Engineering teams from Windows and Microsoft Intune will be on hand to answer your questions about Windows Autopilot, Microsoft Connected Cache and Delivery Optimization, Windows update and driver management, and Windows and AI experiences. Learn more about the event and add it to your calendar.
* [OFFICE HOURS] Have you attended Windows Office Hours yet? Join our continuing series of live Q&A for IT professionals. Product experts, servicing experts, and engineers will be on hand to answer your questions. RSVP for the next Windows Office Hours on June 19, 2025.
New in Windows security
* [ADMINISTRATOR PROTECTION] Learn how to better run applications and enhance application security with administrator protection enabled.
* [AI AGENTS] Learn more about AI agents, Frontier Firms, and how Microsoft extends Zero Trust to secure the agentic workforce. Frontier Firms are organizations characterized by on-demand intelligence and a workforce where humans and agents work together.
* [ZERO TRUST] Dive into key learnings from the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative (SFI) and discover how SFI brings Zero Trust to life. Apply practical lessons and key takeaways to improve your organization's security posture.
* [CYBER SECURITY] Deep dive into SFI's expanded goals, which are guided by three security principles: secure by design, secure by default, and secure operations. These principles align with six prioritized pillars and reflect recommendations made by the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) to Microsoft and all cloud service providers (CSPs).
* [PASSKEY] Did you know that May 1, 2025 was the first World Passkey Day? It highlights the industry shift from vulnerable password-based systems to simpler, more secure passkeys.
New in Copilot+ PCs and AI
Copilot and AI
* [MACHINE LEARNING][PREVIEW] Learn about Windows Machine Learning (ML), now in public preview. Windows ML is designed to support developers creating AI-infused applications for the Windows hardware ecosystem. Deep dive into the unified framework, the ONNX Runtime Engine (ORT), and much more about the future of machine learning development on Windows.
* [M365 COPILOT] For the latest features and improvements for Microsoft 365 Copilot, see the release notes.
Install the May 2025 non-security update for Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 23H2 to get these capabilities, which are rolling out gradually.
* [COPILOT ON WINDOWS][24H2][23H2] Open Copilot on Windows with Windows key+C. You can personalize your Copilot keyand Windows key+C experience at any time with the existing “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” under Settings > Personalization > Text input. For additional information, see Updated Windows and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat experience.
* [COPILOT ON WINDOWS][24H2][23H2] Start Press to talk with Copilot on Windows by holding the Copilot key—or Windows key+C—for two seconds. Press Esc or stay silent for a few seconds to end the call. Use Alt + Spacebar to talk with Copilot on Windows.
Copilot+ PCs
Install the May 2025 security update for Windows 11, version 24H2 to get these capabilities for Copilot+ PCs.
* [RECALL] Use Recall (preview) to quickly find and get back to any app, website, image, or document just by describing its content on Copilot+ PCs.
* [WINDOWS SEARCH] With improved Windows search, find your documents, photos, and settings across Windows 11 on Copilot+ PCs.
* [CLICK TO DO] Take immediate action on text or images on your screen with Click to Do (preview). Open it with Windows key+mouse click, Windows key+Q, or the Snipping Tool menu.
* [SETTINGS] You can now manage which apps Windows recommends actions for by going to Settings > Apps > Actions on Copilot+ PCs.
Install the May 2025 non-security update for Windows 11, version 24H2 to get these capabilities, which are rolling out gradually for Copilot+ PCs.
* [CLICK TO DO] Use Click to Do (preview) to use Ask Copilot and to perform intelligent text actions such as summarizing, creating a bulleted list, and rewriting text. Click to Do is now available in the European Economic Area (EEA) with new support for Spanish and French.
* [IMPROVED WINDOWS SEARCH] Find settings on Copilot+ PCs easier by typing the setting you're looking for in the Windows search box. No need to remember the exact setting name. In the EEA you can now find cloud photos using improved Windows Search on the taskbar.
* [ACCESSIBILITY] Use Narrator to enhance digital accessibility with AI-powered image descriptions of images, charts, and graphs for blind and low-vision users. To turn on Narrator, pressCtrl+Windows key+Enter or search for “Narrator” in Windows search. Use Narrator key+Ctrl+D for image descriptions.
Learn about additional new capabilities for Copilot+ PCs in the release notes.
New in Windows Server
For the latest features and improvements for Windows Server, see the Windows Server 2025 release notes and Windows Server, version 23H2 release notes.
* [SUMMIT] Interested in the latest Windows Server features and innovations? Get tips to help you strengthen security, build resiliency, improve performance, and simplify management. Don't miss the opportunity to watch sessions from the Windows Server Summit—all now available on demand.
* [NANO SERVER CONTAINERS] Take advantage of Features on Demand (FoD) support for Nano Server containers. FoDs bring improved flexibility and functionality to Nano Server containers, helping to overcome the limitations of the Nano Server minimal footprint. FoDs offer a dynamic approach to container image management and enable broader application compatibility. Learn more about these and other benefits.
New in productivity and collaboration
For the latest features and improvements, which are now broadly available, see the May 2025 security update release notes for Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 23H2.
* [PHONE LINK][24H2][23H2] Use Phone Link to access cross-device features between your mobile device and PC. For example, you can make phone calls, send SMS messages, or access your photos.
* [NARRATOR][24H2][23H2] Use speech recap in Narrator to quickly access spoken content, follow along with live transcription, and copy what Narrator last said—all with simple keyboard shortcuts.
* [FILE EXPLORER][24H2][23H2] Increase productivity with pivot-based curated views on File Explorer Home. Access Microsoft 365 content on Windows with ease.
* [WIDGETS][24H2][23H2] If you're a web developer, use your existing content to create interactive widgets and add them to multiple widgets surfaces.
See the release notes for the May 2025 non-security preview update for Windows 11, version 24H2 and version 23H2. It includes the following improvements, some of which might be rolled out gradually:
* [CROSS DEVICE RESUME][24H2] Resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (Android and iOS) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. Just respond to a notification inside the OneDrive file that you viewed or edited on your phone within the 5 minutes prior to unlocking your PC.
* [ENERGY SAVER][24H2] To configure energy saving settings, go to the Local Group Policy under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On.”
* [VOICE ACCESS][24H2] You can now find Voice Access under Accessibility in Quick Settings. Voice Access also now includes an in-product experience that highlights new features and improvements.
* [TASKBAR][24H2][23H2] Admins can now configure taskbar policies so users can unpin specific apps and ensure they aren't repinned during the next policy refresh. To turn on this feature, use the new PinGeneration option.
* [SETTINGS] [24H2][23H2] Find answers to questions about your PC and Windows 11 in the new FAQs section under Settings > System > About page. Topics include system setup, performance, compatibility, and more. Additional new Settings capabilities are available only for Windows 11, version 24H2.
* [SEARCH][24H2][23H2] Take advantage of improved support for web search providers, including higher discoverability, in Windows Search for the European Economic Area (EEA).
* [SHARE] [24H2][23H2] When you drag a local file from File Explorer or your desktop, a tray will appear at the top of your screen. Drop the file into a suggested app or select More to open the Windows Share window. Additional new Windows Share capabilities are available only for Windows 11, version 24H2.
* [WIDGETS][23H2] Discover updates to the new Widgets on Lock experience for devices in the EEA. There are accessibility and craftsmanship improvements, and the Lock screen weather widget now supports customization.
Lifecycle milestones
Check out our lifecycle documentation for the latest updates on deprecated features in the Windows client and Windows Server 2025.
* [VBScript] Prepare for the next deprecation phase of Virtual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript). Take a look at four scalable, enterprise-ready strategies to detect use and plan mitigation steps across Windows.
* [WIN10 EOS][REMINDER] Windows 10 end of support (EOS) is now five months away. Find resources to help you get ready for Windows 10 end of support coming up on October 14, 2025. This resource hub includes important reminders, guides, interactive assessments, and customer testimonials. Choose among several ways to transition to Windows 11, check if current devices are eligible for the upgrade, purchase new PCs as part of your refresh cycle, and learn more about the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. For extra insights, watch the on-demand Technical Takeoff session to bust myths and misconceptions around Windows 10 EOS.
* [WIN10 EOS][IOT] Some Windows 10 IoT Enterprise versions are impacted by Windows 10 end of support (EOS) on October 14, 2025. To learn more about which devices will and won't be impacted, see Windows 10 EOS for Windows IoT Enterprise tech community blog.
* [WINDOWS APP] Prepare for the Windows App replacement of Remote Desktop app for Windows. As of May 27, 2025, Remote Desktop app for Windows from the Microsoft Store will no longer be supported or available for download. Windows App will ensure continued access to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box. [Note: this does not apply to the Remote Desktop client standalone installer (MSI).]
* [DEVICE METADATA] Device Metadata is being deprecated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. For more information about the replacement for this functionality, see Driver Package Container Metadata.
Windows preview opportunities
Interested to know what's coming to Windows or be the first one to try it?
* Visit the Windows Roadmap! It's a dynamic way to see what Windows features and applications are in preview, which ones are gradually rolling out, and when they become broadly available. Just filter by platform, version, status, and channel or search by feature name!
* Read the Windows Insider Blog for details on what's available in the Canary, Dev, Beta, or Release Preview Channels. Many new features are rolled out gradually and belong to different build versions. If you want to be the first to get features, you can turn On the toggle to get the latest updates as they are available via Settings > Windows Update.
* Check out Windows Server Insider news for preview opportunities.
We're looking to make this monthly summary more helpful to you! Please drop us a note below and let us know what information you most want to hear about.
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