May 13, 2026

Windows Weekly 983: Puts the Buh in Benelux

2 hours 17 minutes

It's not just Recall: Security vulnerabilities that require you to sign into an account on your PC are not necessarily vulnerabilities. Also, Windows 11 gets its first big feature updates in this week's Patch Tuesday releases. Snapseed 4.0 comes to Android/iOS, and Claude FM is great for relaxing or getting coding/work done. Plus, the Helium browser has emerged as a favorite with 2 notable caveats: No online settings sync and no mobile client.

Windows

25H2/24H2: Xbox Mode, Agents on the Taskbar, more

26H1: Smart App Control improvements, other things we saw previously (26H1 is like the stable version of Canary, it seems)

Microsoft used a new Mythos-like model called MDASH to find vulnerabilities this month, so expect the numbers of fixed bugs to jump in coming months

A low-latency profile for Windows will let it optimize for app/UI launch performance just like mobile platforms already do

New builds across most channels with two major changes: Touchpad improvements in Experimental and free upgrade path to Pro for education users in Experimental Beta.

A new threat emerges

Google announces Googlebook, an Android-based laptop platform with Google Intelligence

Some morning-after thoughts, including Microsoft promising AI and that Copilot will be the new Start, while Google delivers AI and is remaking the laptop as an intelligent device

Microsoft Edge gets big AI and productivity updates on desktop and mobile

An Anthropic engineer argues that AI should use HTML for output, not Markdown. He's right.

About that 4 GB Gemini Nano model that Chrome secretly downloads

OpenAI brings Codex to Google Chrome

Security

A Bitlocker concern emerges

Microsoft Edge loads all saved passwords into plain text when it launches, Microsoft says this is as intended

Mozilla patched 423 vulnerabilities in Firefox during April, most courtesy of Anthropic Mythos

465 million Amazon customers have enrolled in passkeys

Xbox & gaming

Xbox Insider Program: New build for console with previously announced new boot animation, tiered Gamerscore badges, new filters in Game Library

Forza Horizon 6 leaks on Steam, those who play it early will be banned until the sun swallows the earth

Discord Nitro now has an Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition perk

Mojang will host a special MINECRAFT LIVE event on May 30

Sony sold just 1.5 million PS5s in most recent quarter, its lowest number yet

Nintendo sold just 2.49 million Switch 2s in quarter, lowers annual estimates

Supreme Court gives Apple the 🖕 so Epic v. Apple will head to remedy phase

Tips & picks

Tip of the week: A web browser is the 1st step for anyone looking to escape Big Tech

App pick of the week: Helium

RunAs Radio this week: Production LLMs with Vaishnavi Gudur

Brown liquor pick of the week: Gouden Carolus Port Oak

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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