Sometimes you just want Windows to shut down. But instead of shutting down quickly, the system seems to ponder, blocked by running processes, background services, or open apps. However, for decades there’s been a simple yet powerful command that can shut down Windows cleanly in no time at all, and that’s shutdown.exe. Whether you want to shut down your PC immediately, schedule a restart in 60 minutes, or automatically send your laptop to sleep after watching a movie, with a few short commands, you can take full control. In this guide, we’ll show you how to reliably shut down Windows 11 and 10 using the command line, PowerShell, or shortcuts, including practical examples, timer tricks, and remote options for professionals. Don’t worry. The commands are easy to remember, work on any computer, and are safe (as long as you use them correctly). Attention: Options with /f close apps without saving. You should therefore only use this parameter if data loss can be ruled out. 1. The basic command The shutdown.exe program has been around since Windows XP and still works reliably and quickly across Windows 10 and Windows 11. Compared to clicking “Shut down” in the user interface, this command gives you full control. You can specify when the PC shuts down, whether it should restart, switch to hibernation mode, or just log off the user. This is useful for scripts, scheduled tasks, or simply when you’re in a hurry. Shut down immediately (without countdown) shutdown /s /t 0 ? This shuts down Windows immediately, without prompting and without waiting. Shut down in 60 seconds (with message) shutdown /s /t 60 /c `Shutdown in 60 seconds - save work!` ? Windows displays a message window with a countdown and a comment. This is useful if you want to give other users on the network (or yourself) a little extra time or important information. Cancel shutdown shutdown /a ? If you change your mind, use /a (for abort) to stop the current shutdown process. Parameter cheat sheet: ParametersEffectExample/Note/sShuts down the PCshutdown /s /t 0/rRestarts the PCshutdown /r /t 0/lLogs off the current userNo admin required/hPuts the PC into hibernation modeSaves battery, saves status/hybridCombines shutdown & quick startQuick start on next boot/t Countdown to action (0-315360000 = 365 days)shutdown /s /t 60/fForces the closing of appsData loss possible/c ““Shows comment in the notification windowMax. 512 characters/pImmediate switch-off without countdownServices may be skipped – higher risk./sgPrepare apps for the next startFor log-in scenarios/fwStarts the UEFI/BIOS on the next bootOnly in combination with /r Tip: For clean shutdowns without the risk of data lost, you generally shouldn’t use /f. This lets Windows close open apps normally, which usually takes only a few seconds longer but helps prevent losing unsaved work. 2. Restart and hybrid shutdown Sometimes you don’t just want to switch off the PC, but restart it straight away or start it up more quickly the next time it boots. There are simple commands for that as well. Restart immediately shutdown /r /t 0 ? The system is shut down immediately and restarted straight away. This is useful after a driver or Windows update. Hybrid shutdown: Actively use quick start shutdown /s /hybrid /t 0 ? With hybrid shutdown, Windows saves specific system states on the hard drive, similar to hibernation. The next time the system starts, it reloads this data and therefore boots much faster. Note: If fast startup is activated in the power options, Windows already uses hybrid mode during a normal shutdown /s. The /hybrid switch simply ensures that this mode is active regardless of the power settings. Although hybrid mode is enabled by default, it can cause issues on dual-boot systems or with certain drivers. In such cases, it is better to use a classic shutdown: shutdown /s /t 0 /full Hibernation: Save energy, keep session shutdown /h ? This causes Windows to save the current memory contents to the hard drive and turn off completely. The next time it’s turned on, it continues directly and seamlessly. Programs, windows, and tabs appear as before. Summary: Which option? TargetCommandInstall updates and restart/rQuick start on next boot/hybridSave battery & keep session (laptop)/h 3. Shortcut and key combination: One-click shutdown Windows can also shut down quickly without using the command line. One way to do this is with a desktop shortcut: Right-click on the desktop. New ? Shortcut. Enter the following as the target: shutdown /s /t 0 Assign a name, for example, “Switch off PC.” Optional: You can change the icon by right-clicking the shortcut. Properties ? Shortcut ? Other Icon ? Select the power icon. Optional: Assign a keyboard shortcut, such as Ctrl + Alt + S. Tip: Use the “Run: Minimized” option so the command starts discreetly in the background without showing a window. 4. Shutdown with a timer Whether you’re streaming, downloading, or working at night, it can be useful for Windows to shut down automatically after a set period. Example: Switch off in one hour shutdown /s /t 3600 /c `PC will switch off in 60 minutes` ? The countdown runs in the background, and a message window informs you of the remaining time. Automatic shutdown via task scheduling Foundry / Ashley Biancuzzo Open the Task Scheduler. Select Action ? Create task ? Tab: Trigger ? New and set a time. Switch to the Actions tab and click on New: Program/Script: shutdown Add arguments: /s /t 0 Save and you’re done. ? This shuts down Windows automatically at fixed times. 5. PowerShell alternatives PowerShell offers its own cmdlets for shutting down, which are neatly integrated, easier to read, and can be used remotely. To do this, start PowerShell with Win R ? “powershell” ? Enter Shut down PC locally Stop-computer Perform a restart Restart-computer Remote shutdown (same domain, remoting enabled) Stop-Computer -ComputerName PC123 -Force Important note: PowerShell remoting must be enabled to run remote commands: Enable-PSRemoting -Force Firewall rules and group policies must also allow the remoting. This is often disabled in home environments but is typically enabled in company networks. 6. Remote shutdown with shutdown.exe You can also use the classic command prompt to shut down other computers in the network, as long as you’ve got the necessary rights and permissions. shutdown /m \\RECHNERNAME /s /t 0 The following prerequisites must be met: Both PCs are in the same LAN or domain The remote registry is active Windows Firewall allows incoming RPC connections The executing user has administrator rights on the target computer Note: In home networks, this function is often blocked or requires additional configuration, so PowerShell remoting is usually simpler and more secure. 7. Typical stumbling blocks & solutions Even the most reliable commands can fail if Windows blocks them. Here are some common problems and their solutions: The message: “Apps are preventing shutdown“Solution: Wait until processes have finished properly. You should only use /f in an emergency. Updates are blocking the shutdownSolution: Complete the Windows update first or use /r /t 0 directly to restart immediately. Hybrid shutdown causes boot problems (e.g. dual boot)Solution: Temporarily disable Fast Startup in the power options to test. The laptop turns on by itselfSolution: Check wake timers or USB devices (Power Management ? Allow this device to wake the computer). Command requires administrator rightsSolution: Run Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator (right-click ? “Run as administrator.”) 8. Switch off the system For quick copying and pasting, you’ll find useful commands for the command line here: EffectCommandSwitch off PC automatically after 2 hours (film night):shutdown /s /t 7200 /c “Automatic shutdown in 2 hours”Safe restart after driver or Windows update:shutdown /r /t 0Cancel countdown if you want to continue working:shutdown /a 9. FAQ: The most important answers How do I shut down Windows immediately by command?? shutdown /s /t 0 How do I restart at a specified time?? shutdown /r /t How do I activate hibernation?? With shutdown /h How do I switch off another PC in the network?? With shutdown /m \\RECHNERNAME /s /t 0 Can I cancel the countdown again?? Yes, with shutdown /a What does /f do?? Forces all programs to close, but be careful because data loss is possible! How do I create a one-click shutdown?? Desktop shortcut to shutdown /s /t 0 Keyboard shortcut (optional). Conclusion Whether using the command line, PowerShell, or a shortcut, you can shut down Windows faster and more reliably than via the Start menu with the right command. Timers and remote options make it easy to control your system automatically or manage multiple devices. For most users, the classic shutdown /s /t 0 command is perfectly adequate. Those who want more control will find a small but powerful toolbox in the parameters of shutdown.exe and PowerShell cmdlets–ideal for technology enthusiasts, administrators, or anyone who prefers not to wait for a slow shutdown. Read...

If you’re currently having trouble logging in to Windows 11 with your password, it’s not your fault. Microsoft has confirmed that the KB5064081 update from August 2025 may cause Windows 11 to hide the password option on the sign-in screen. Not all Windows 11 users are affected by this annoying problem, as apparently several factors have to come together for update KB5064081 to cause this problem. But if you’re affected, you should know that Microsoft hasn’t yet provided a fix for this. Microsoft writes as a known issue for the KB5064081 update: After installing the August 2025 non-security preview update (KB5064081) or later updates, you might notice that the password icon is not visible in the sign-in options on the lock screen. If you hover over the space where the icon should appear, you’ll see that the password button is still available. Select this placeholder to open the password text box and enter your password. After entering your password, you can sign in normally. You can get around the problem by moving your mouse pointer over the position on the sign-in screen where the password option would normally be located. Windows 11 will then display the password login option. However, if you don’t know this, you’ll be at a loss, wondering why Windows doesn’t accept passwords anymore. Windows 11 only displays the password option if multiple login methods are permitted on a computer (i.e., you can log in with a password, but also with a PIN or fingerprint). The KB5064081 patch is an optional preview update that Microsoft released at the end of August 2025. It’s therefore not auto-installed on all computers. This is just the latest problem that can be caused by KB5064081. For example, the update also causes Windows 11 users to suddenly see red and can prevent you from watching videos on your PC. Read...

Phones, tablets, computers and gaming consoles - parents need to start thinking now if they are planning to get their kid tech for Chrissy. Read...

At a glance Top mini PC deal picks Acemagician S3A — $429 (20% off on Amazon, was $539) Kamrui Hyper H2 — $418 (45% off on Amazon, was $760) It’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday season! Some of the best discounts I’m seeing have been for mini PCs, and that’s perfectly fine with me because I absolutely love these tiny computers. They take up very little space on the desk, they offer excellent performance for the price, and they don’t cost too much. Did I mention they’re super easy to upgrade and they usually support at least three 4K displays? Now that’s a fantastic way to increase your workstation productivity without breaking the bank! Finding the right deals can be tricky, however, because there are so many things to consider from the configuration to the price. Fear not! I’ve been covering mini PC deals for a long time — and PCWorld has tested thousands of PCs over four decades — so let me help you out. I select our favorite deals by thoroughly examining the list of specs, overall design, user feedback, and general value. The RAM, SSD, and CPU all matter significantly in mini PCs, and if you’re not careful, you may select a “bare bones” rig that makes you bring your own memory and storage. None of our picks below will leave you in the lurch! Updated November 30, 2025 to reflect the latest deals and prices. Best Black Friday deals on Ryzen mini PCs Acemagician S3A, AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB SSD, Radeon 780M iGPU, triple 4K support — $429 (20% off on Amazon, was $539) Beelink SER5, AMD Ryzen 5 6800U, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, triple 4K support — $369 (20% off on Amazon, was $459) Acemagician Kron K1, AMD Ryzen 5 7430U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, triple 4K support — $256 (20% off on Amazon, was $319) Bosgame P3, AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, triple 4K support — $440 (20% off on Amazon, was $550) Bosgame P3 Lite, AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, 24GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, Radeon 680M, triple 4K support — $386.66 (19% off on Amazon, was $479.95) Geekom A6, AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, quad 4K support — $423.20 (20% off on Amazon, was $529) Geekom A5, AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, quad 4K support — $331 (17% off on Amazon, was $399) GMKtec M7, AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 6850H, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, quad 4K support, Oculink — $395 (29% off on Amazon, was $560) GMKtec M5 Ultra, AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, triple 4K support — $380 (24% of on Amazon) Geekom A9 Max, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 2TB SSD, quad 4K support — $949 (21% off on Amazon, was $1,199) Geekom A9, AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 2TB SSD, Radeon 780M, quad 4K support — $679.20 (20% off on Amazon, was $849) Top pick: These are all amazing discounts for excellent mini PCs at every budget, but if I were to pick a single deal, I’d go for the Acemagician S3A for $399 because that’s a great price for the specs. It’s more than capable of handling your daily workload, browsing, streaming, and even gaming thanks to the Radeon 780M integrated graphics. If you’re willing to spend an extra hundred, the Geekom AX8 Max is even better with twice the memory and storage for greater performance. Best Black Friday deals on Intel mini PCs Acemagic V1, Intel N150, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, dual 4K support — $187.24 (41% off on Amazon, was $319) HP Elite 805, Intel Core i5, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, dual 4K support — $480 (20% off on Amazon, was $600) Acemagic M1, Intel Core i9 11900H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, triple 4K support — $460 (43% off on Amazon, was $800) Kamrui Hyper H2, Intel Core i9-11900H, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD, triple 4K support — $418 (45% off on Amazon, was $760) Geekom GT2 Mega, Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, 32GB DDR5 RAM, 2TB SSD, Intel Arc 140T iGPU, quad 4K support — $949 (27% off on Amazon, was $1,299) Top pick: If you’re looking for a mini PC you’ll use for years to come that can handle all your tasks and then some, the Kamrui Hyper H2 has the absolute best price-performance among these deals with that 45% discount. If you don’t want to spend a ton of money and just need a simple machine for browsing and email, the Acemagic V1 gives you 1TB of storage space and enough RAM to run Windows 11 without choking. Other best Black Friday tech deals Check out our other roundups for the best PC-related Black Friday deals going on in a wide span of categories! LIVE real-time Black Friday deals, picked by PCWorld’s experts Best Amazon Black Friday tech deals Best Buy’s best Black Friday tech deals Best Black Friday laptop deals Best Black Friday Chromebook deals Best Black Friday desktop computer deals Best Black Friday monitor deals Best Black Friday USB flash drive deals Best Black Friday SSD and storage deals Best Black Friday Thunderbolt dock deals Best Black Friday power bank deals Best Black Friday office chair and desk deals Best Black Friday VPN deals FAQ 1. When is Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025? This year, Black Friday lands on November 28th. Cyber Monday is December 1. 2. What are some things you need to consider when getting a mini PC? The first thing you have to check off your list is just what configuration you need to get your job done. Are you going to use your new mini PC for browsing only? Do you want it to be able to juggle a bunch of apps and not choke on 50 browser tabs? Do you want to do some light gaming in your downtime? There are devices for each and every one of these scenarios, and they’re all quite affordable. The best part is that mini PCs are… well, small, and that they support multiple monitors out of the box, so you won’t need to pay for extra hubs. 3. Can a mini PC replace a desktop computer? For most people, the answer is “yes”! Mini PCs are definitely powerful enough to replace desktops for most users, especially if you’re going to use it for work, browsing, or streaming movies. If you want something for photo and video editing, or even gaming, there are models that allow you to do that, but they’ll cost a bit more. If you’re into proper gaming, however, you’re still better off with a gaming PC or laptop. Read...

The issue is thought to affect 6,000 planes, which will need to undergo an urgent software update or have computers replaced. Read...

Debian works itself or in derivatives such as Open Media Vault or Raspberry Pi OS as a stable and lean server system on countless public and private devices. However, anyone looking for a stylish and beginner-friendly desktop will not think of Debian first. This is due to unprocessed software, including the respective user interface, which always comes as an original upstream from the manufacturer (such as Gnome or KDE). In addition, there are Debian peculiarities that irritate Linux beginners, but also those switching from Ubuntu systems. Even the installer wants to know much more from the user than with Ubuntu or Mint. More fundamental, however, is the extremely conservative release model, which does not provide for any kernel updates or functional software updates for two full years. Setup with small but some hurdles Even the search for the Debian installation medium requires a minimum knowledge of Linux terminology. The website debian.org is not difficult to find, but if you simply click on “Download” here, you will receive the Netinstaller without a live system. This is unsuitable for pre-testing with a desired desktop. The subpage debian.org/distrib turns a lot of information into a confusing search game, especially the redirection to the worldwide “Download mirrors”. If newcomers don’t load Debian with the desired desktop here, this is understandable, but can usually still be corrected in the installer. Debian has a number of system peculiarities and delivers desktops unprocessed. The setup therefore requires some adjustments – for Gnome, for example, with the Gnome-shell-extension-manager. Gnome Extension Manager The installer asks significantly more questions than Ubuntu. Most of them are not critical: domain and proxy can simply be skipped; the root account, which is unfamiliar to many, is mandatory here, and with partitioning (with a number of specialties) you can get away with the simple default settings, provided Debian solo is allowed to take over the data carrier. Answering “Yes” to the question “Use network mirror?” can correct any download mishaps, because this then allows another “software selection”. It’s always advisable to select the “Debian desktop environment” option and also a desktop such as Gnome or KDE. Without a desktop, only the substructure is available, but the system is headless. Without the “environment”, the selected desktop is available, but no desktop software (browser, sound, cups, and network manager may also be missing). The release policy Debian prioritizes stability at the expense of up-to-datedness. A new Debian version is released approximately every two years (currently Debian 13) and receives three years of support. During this period, there are only regular security updates—the kernel and software (including the desktop) remain at the same level. Experienced users can circumvent this by including backport sources, but by default Debian software remains fixed for at least two years. This is the opposite of the agile rolling model of Arch Linux, and Ubuntu is also comparatively progressive with its biannual updates (point releases with kernel upgrades). The Debian installer offers this choice in the “Netinst” variant, but also with live installation media, provided the “Network mirror” option is activated. LinuxTechi Release upgrades to the next higher version after two years are technically offered to users, but are not automated. The user must replace the old release name (e.g. “bookworm”) with the new one (e.g. “trixie”) in the “/etc/apt/sources. list” file each time it occurs (at least three times) and then perform an upgrade with sudo apt full-upgrade to request an update. This is not rocket science, but it’s different from the simple click offer in an Ubuntu “update manager”. Debian is in good hands on computers where no new hardware components are expected for years. By “components” we mean critical candidates such as graphics cards or CPUs that may require newer kernels or graphics libraries. Debian desktop users should also be unconcerned about missing out on two years of new features in Gimp, VLC, or Gnome. Debian peculiarities Debian does not recognize “sudo” for simple account changes. For administrative tasks, “su” should be used to switch to root, whose password was defined during installation. If you want Ubuntu conditions, you can install sudo (and visudo) in the root account: apt install sudo The main user can then be added to the sudo group. usermod -aG sudo sepp This leads to the next peculiarity: “usermod” seems to be missing like all typical admin commands. The background to this is a restrictive path specification: directories such as “/sbin” or “/usr/sbin” with the system administration tools are not included in the default path. A command such as “usermod” will therefore only work with the complete path “/sbin/usermod”. In continuous operation, it’ll be easier to add the PATH variable accordingly (“export PATH=[…]:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin”). After a Debian installation, the file “/etc/apt/sources.list” often contains the line “deb cdrom […]” (the installation ISO image) as the package source, which leads to errors with every apt command. The line must therefore be commented out or deleted. Such minor issues are easy to fix, but can initially irritate Ubuntu users considerably. Service configurations are also a little more restrictive under Debian than under Ubuntu distributions. By default, Debian only accepts its own, classic DEB sources as package sources: External PPAs are not permitted, snaps and flatpaks can be optionally retrofitted—as everywhere else—but they are not standard. Desktop, drivers and software As with Arch, the selected desktop comes in the default original version. Debian provides a few of its own background images, but nothing more. Depending on the desktop, you’ll have to make your own improvements here—certainly more with Gnome than with KDE or XFCE, for example. This is not a disadvantage in principle, but assumes that you are familiar with desktop extensions, desktop settings and themes, and are happy to carry out such customizations yourself. Typical for Debian: Firefox ESR, which is only updated (functionally) once a year, is pre-installed as the default browser. Sam Singleton With regard to proprietary drivers and firmware, Debian has relaxed its previously restrictive stance so that “nonfree” sources are now automatically permitted. GPU drivers (such as “nvidia-driver”), graphics libraries (such as “mesa-utils”), or codecs (such as “ffmpeg”) can therefore be installed directly or are already added during installation. Software and kernels are only reasonably up-to-date in brand-new Debian versions and remain at this level. Typical for conservative software is also the use of Firefox ESR as the standard browser, which also receives function updates as an exception, but only once a year. Debian-like alternatives No question: Compared to Ubuntu & co., Debian requires a number of steps to set up the system and desktop. Compared to Arch Linux, however, the effort is limited. If you still want to avoid these steps but want to use the rock-solid Debian, you can switch to derivatives such as MX Linux with XFCE or Q4-OS with KDE. The Debian derivative that guarantees the closest possible proximity to Ubuntu is the Mint variant Linux Mint LMDE. Read...

Generative “AI” data centers are gobbling up trillions of dollars in capital, not to mention heating up the planet like a microwave. As a result there’s a capacity crunch on memory production, shooting the prices for RAM sky high, over 100 percent in the last few months alone. Multiple stores are tired of adjusting the prices day to day, and won’t even display them. You find out how much it costs at checkout. That’s according to BlueSky user Steve Lin, who snapped a photo at Central Computers, a retail chain in central California. The store cites a global shortage in memory chips causing prices to change drastically every day. “Because of this, we can’t display fixed prices on certain products at this time,” reads the sign posted in front of a case full of Corsair RAM. “If you have questions or want current pricing on any item, our team is happy to help.” A Reddit poster saw similar signs at a MicroCenter store, citing “market volatility” (via Tom’s Hardware). Another user in the BlueSky thread showed a photo that appears to be a Best Buy case of RAM, showing a 32GB set of two DDR5 DIMMs going for over $400 USD, a 64GB kit for over $900. A look at Best Buy’s online shop shows that as of today, that pricing is accurate. For the sake of comparison, I bought a pair of Patriot DIMMs at the same capacity and 6,000MHz speed a year and a half ago for $155. This is, in a word, insane. Best Buy There are a lot of moving parts here, between a higher demand for DDR5 as DDR4-standard processors and motherboards finally exit the market, and prices in the United States in particular being stressed by a year of wildly fluctuating tariffs and exceptions. But the biggest driving factor is the booming construction of “AI” data centers, feeding a massive and growing industry with an unquenchable hunger for memory and storage. Data centers aren’t gobbling up the same consumer-grade memory that goes into new laptops and gaming desktops, but there is a limited amount of production capacity popping out memory modules from factories. If a memory producer like Samsung, Micron, or SK Hynix can max out its capacity with gigantic, profitable orders from companies producing memory and storage for data centers, it will. That leaves little room for the production of new consumer-grade memory, and even less for the memory sold in its own packaging as RAM DIMMs and solid-state drives, since the lion’s share will go to PC manufacturers like Dell and Lenovo. As prices climb higher, it’s possible we could be seeing other exacerbating factors, such as scalpers buying up what scant supply is available, or retailers getting in a cheeky little bump hoping it’ll go unnoticed in the chaos. That’s what happened to graphics cards a few years ago, between the cryptocurrency boom and higher demand for gaming PCs during the pandemic. While prices for completed laptops and pre-built desktops are slower to change as their long manufacturing times lock in rates from weeks or months before, it seems inevitable that the cost of completed consumer electronics will rise, too. Memory prices may get a much-needed correction before too long, either from the market adjusting itself around a new reality, or as demand for new and as-yet-unproven “AI” capacity goes down. Economists are in dread of the “AI” bubble collapsing so quickly and catastrophically that it takes the rest of the U.S. economy (and large chunks of the global economy) with it, in a mirror of the dot-com boom and bust of 2000. At that point, memory should become more affordable…though we might have a lot more to worry about than our Counter-Strike frame rate. Read...

When downloading programs to your computer, the most convenient way is to use the Microsoft Store. This platform allows you to search for and install applications, similar to the Google Play Store and the App Store on your phone. However, the Microsoft Store has a limit of 10 connected devices. If you have more than 10 computers and other devices connected, you won’t be able to download additional programs. This prevent you from “sharing” your login with others, thus saving money on paid apps and subscriptions. Since most of us don’t use more than 10 computers, this isn’t a practical issue. If you reach the limit, all you have to do is unlink old computers (and other devices). You can do this without having access to the device in question. You can also remove devices directly from the alert list that pops up when you hit the limit. Simply select a device you no longer use and click Unlink. We’d recommend occasionally going in to clean this list as a precaution. Foundry / Ashley Biancuzzo Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft account (usually your Outlook, Live, or Hotmail address). Click on Devices in the left-hand menu to see all your connected devices and click on Info and Support to find out more about them. You can also completely unlink a device from your Microsoft account by tapping Remove device. To get the list of devices linked to Microsoft Store, scroll down to Device Management for Microsoft Store, and select Manage. You’ll now see a list of all the devices you’ve downloaded apps to, and as you may notice, it’s not always identical to the list in step two. To remove a device here, tap Unlink and then confirm with Unlink. Read...

On November 20th, 1985, a then not-so-big company called Microsoft announced that Windows was commercially available. Read the full story of the Microsoft operating system below. Windows 1 to 11: The history of Windows, blue screens, and Easter eggs We’re taking a look back at the history of the most widely used operating system. Why? Because Windows is full of surprises. When Bill Gates demonstrated the beta version of Windows 98, he ran into a blue screen. Windows 10 users fared only slightly better in fall 2018 with the Windows Fall Creators Update version 1809. It’s been a journey, to say the least. I present to you a floppy disc containing the VERY FIRST demo of what would become @Microsoft @Windows! It was coded by the little-known father of Windows, Rao Remala. I will have much more to share on this, but for now, I thought you might like to see this historical treasure! pic.twitter.com/lyWKFMYn2M-BetaCollector (@beta_collector) March 9, 2022 Timeline, curious: Microsoft forgets Windows Me in its own compilation.©Microsoft Windows 1.0: DOS gets a graphical add-on On November 21st, 1985, Microsoft officially presented Windows 1.0 (which also contained an Easter egg that named the developers and employees of the Windows team). One day earlier, on November 20th, 1985, Microsoft had announced the delivery of the retail version: “BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON—November 20, 1985—Microsoft Corporation announced today the retail shipment of the Microsoft Windows operating environment to dealers and distributors.” The Windows 1.0 desktop. On 20 November 1985, more than 35 years ago, Microsoft introduced the first graphical user interface for its MS-DOS environment under the name Microsoft Windows 1.0.©Microsoft This is how Windows 1 looked on the shelf in 1985©Microsoft Until then, MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) had been Microsoft’s operating system for IBM PCs. Windows 1.0 required a graphics card and 256KB of memory, the equivalent of 66 typewritten pages. For comparison, Windows 10 required a good 8GB of space on the hard drive. And by the way, Microsoft Word had already been around for a while by this time! Which version of @Windows is the first to include Easter eggs? Windows 3.0? Nope. What if I tell you there is an Easter egg in Windows 1.0 RTM? This is what I have recently discovered: pic.twitter.com/dbfcv4r7jj-Lucas Brooks (@mswin_bat) March 18, 2022 Images from Microsoft show the beginnings of more than just Windows The triggerThis is where it all begins: Microsoft’s co-founder Paul Allen discovers the Altair 8800 on the cover of “Popular Science” magazine in January 1975. The device is minimally equipped and has 256 bytes of RAM. Gates and Allen then worked day and night and developed the computer language “Altair BASIC” in just a few weeks.©Poptronix Nerds as they are written in the bookin 1978, shortly before the company moved to Albuquerque, one of the most famous photos of the Microsoft team was taken. The colourful bunch of long-bearded nerds hardly gives any indication that the team is about to establish a company worth billions.©Microsoft Microsoft Word for DOSthe first version of Microsoft Word was released in 1983, back then for the MS-DOS 1.0 operating system. The programme made use of the computer mouse for the first time. The peripheral device, which was not very ergonomic at the time, also came from Microsoft – it was the company’s first hardware product.©Microsoft The most important productin 1985, Windows 1.0 is released. Developed under the code name “Interface Manager”, the operating system offers a graphical user interface, unlike MS-DOS, and allows various applications to be run simultaneously. The Windows series is still one of the most important sales centres for Microsoft today.©Microsoft The new headquarters: Microsoft Campusin 1986, the rapidly growing company moves to a new headquarters in Redmond, Washington State. The picture shows the Microsoft campus after numerous extensions and expansions. Today, over 30,000 employees work on the 750,000 square metre site.©Microsoft Separate operating system for IBMMicrosoft develops the OS/2 operating system for IBM, which is released almost simultaneously with Windows 2.0. Although the operating systems compete with each other, Microsoft earns money from both products. microsoft ended its co-operation with IBM in 1991, but despite further development, OS/2 was ultimately unable to prevail against Windows.©IBM Clever acquisitionIn 1987, Microsoft bought the company Forethought, which had developed promising presentation software. A short time later, this would become Microsoft PowerPoint. The software is still a key component of the Office package today.©Microsoft Office 1.0 goes on saleMicrosoft Office version 1.0 is launched on the market in 1989. The software bundle includes Word 4.0, Excel 2.2, PowerPoint 2.01 and Microsoft Mail 1.37. To this day, Microsoft Office is one of the most successful and best-selling products from the Redmond-based corporation.©Microsoft Bill Gates presents Windows 3.0Bill Gates, who still lives up to the image of a nerd, presents Windows 3.0. The operating system is launched on the market in 1990, sells very well and now also conquers domestic computers. It contains games such as Minesweeper, Solitaire and Hearts for the first time.©Microsoft Microsoft EncartaThe first version of Microsoft Encarta is launched in 1993. The encyclopaedia, initially developed under the code name “Gandalf”, was published in a new version every year. The picture shows the 1998 edition, which also supported updates via the Internet. microsoft discontinued all Encarta offerings in 2009.©Microsoft More power, more freedom, more fun…More power, more freedom, more fun…… the release of the operating system was accompanied by the biggest advertising campaign that Microsoft had ever launched up to that point. It was a great success, with Windows 95 selling more than seven million copies in the first few weeks. This is also because Microsoft has recognised the signs of the times: Internet support and plug-and-play functions are included for the first time.©Microsoft Microsoft buys FrontPage with development studioin 1996, Microsoft bought the company Vermeer Technologies together with its HTML editor FrontPage 1.0 for 133 million dollars. A short time later, the programme was distributed by Microsoft in version 1.1 and was consistently developed further in the following years and added to the Office suite. Since the release of Office 2007, FrontPage is no longer part of the package and has been replaced by Microsoft Expression Web. ©Microsoft The strategic purchases continuein 1997, Microsoft paid 400 million dollars for the Hotmail e-mail service; at the time of the takeover, the webmail provider already had twelve million users. After the takeover, the service was repeatedly the victim of hacker attacks due to numerous security vulnerabilities. Hotmail was completely replaced by Outlook.com in mid-2012.©Microsoft Flagship for the browser warmicrosoft starts the browser war in 1995. Internet Explorer was to take market share away from the previously successful Netscape Navigator. The strategy worked, partly because Microsoft was able to spread its own browser quickly by linking it to Windows. Netscape loses out and is swallowed up by AOL in 1998. Internet Explorer is therefore mockingly dubbed the “Internet Destroyer”. The picture shows version 10.©Microsoft Another acquisitionIn 2000, Microsoft bought the Visio Corporation and the software of the same name for 1.3 billion dollars. The visualisation program can be used to create graphical representations using simple tools and templates. Visio is one of a long series of software acquisitions with which Microsoft earns a lot of money. The programme is not part of the Office package and must be purchased separately.©Microsoft Steve Ballmer becomes the new Microsoft bossAlso in 2000, Bill Gates appoints Steve Ballmer (pictured right), who has been President of the company since 1998, as the new CEO. The hot-tempered Ballmer repeatedly attracted attention with his eccentric appearances, earning him the nickname “Monkey Boy”.©Microsoft Proud of the new operating systemin 2001, Bill Gates can hardly wait for the release of the new Windows XP, which goes on sale at the end of the year. Microsoft now undeniably dominates the market for home computer operating systems. Windows XP, like other versions before it, is criticised because it again contains program types that cannot be uninstalled and were previously distributed by other providers.©Microsoft Windows VistaWindows Vista hits the shops in 2007. With the new Aero user interface, a new search function, the Flip 3D view and, for the first time, control functions for parents, Vista brings many new features. In 2006, the European Union threatened to force Microsoft to stop selling the operating system if EU requirements (such as the disclosure of communication interfaces) were not finally implemented.©Microsoft Windows 7 enters the race quicklyWindows 7 is coming onto the market just two years after Vista. On board are new options for working with windows, such as docking or peek and shake, as well as an improved user interface and taskbar. With Windows Touch, touchscreen PCs are also supported for the first time. ©Microsoft Courage for the new user interfaceIn the competition with Apple and Google for share of the mobile market, Microsoft is focussing on the new “Metro” user interface. The typography-based “tile design” is intended to satisfy PC, smartphone and tablet users alike. The reception is mixed. Microsoft later renamed the design “Modern UI”.©Microsoft Microsoft prevailsBill Gates, who still lives up to the image of a nerd, introduces Windows 3.0. The operating system is launched in 1990, sells very well and now also conquers domestic computers. It contains games such as Minesweeper, Solitaire and Hearts for the first time.©Skype The first tablet from Microsoft2012 sees the launch of the “Surface”, Microsoft’s first tablet. The device, which was manufactured entirely in-house, received mixed reviews with its powerful computing power, high-quality workmanship, but also high weight and short battery life. The third generation of the tablet is now available.©Microsoft The new Windows 8in 2012, Julie Larson-Green, a Vice President at Microsoft, presents the new Windows 8. It contains both the Windows 8 Modern UI (formerly “Metro”) for touchscreen PCs and a classic desktop view. With the Windows RT operating system for tablets and Windows Phone 8 for smartphones, Microsoft is thus offering a standardised design for all devices.©Microsoft The evolution of Microsoft logosThe logo of the software pioneer from Redmond has changed several times in the company’s almost 40-year history. After 25 years with the same logo, a symbol in a tile design was added for the first time in 2012. It underlines the company’s efforts to standardise its products.©Microsoft Third generation of the games consoleThe Xbox One, the third generation of Microsoft’s successful games console, goes on sale in 2013. The device competes with Sony’s high-performance Playstation 4 console, and the “Kinect” add-on module allows players to control the console using body movements or voice commands. Three million Xbox One units will be sold worldwide by the end of 2013.©Microsoft Net profits since 2002In the last calendar year alone, Microsoft generated a net profit of 21.86 billion dollars. A look at the past few years reveals fluctuations and shows the company’s difficulties in gaining a foothold in the mobile market.©en.statista.com This man should fix itSatya Nadella, Steve Ballmer’s successor as head of Microsoft since this year, has to make up for the botched entry into the mobile device market. With personnel changes and a new motto focussing more on cloud services and mobile technologies, he wants to make Microsoft a pioneer in the IT industry again.©Microsoft Windows was initially only intended to make DOS easier to use The first Windows was sold as a graphical add-on for the MS-DOS operating system. The aim of the still-young company Microsoft with its boss and founder Bill Gates was to make DOS PCs easier to use: users no longer had to type in command-line commands to get things done. The “Interface Manager”—as Windows was originally called—brought a small word processor, a drawing program, a card index box, a calendar, a clock, and some service programs in addition to file management. The Windows 2.0 desktop©Microsoft Windows 2.0 arrives in 1987 On December 9th, 1987, Microsoft released Windows 2.0 with desktop icons and expansion memory. Thanks to improved graphics support, users could now arrange windows to overlap, control the screen layout, and use keyboard shortcuts to get their work done faster. Windows 2.0 was developed for the Intel 286 processor. Bill Gates presents the newly released Windows 3.0©Microsoft Windows 3.0/3.1: A legendary operating system with 16 colors Windows 3.0©Microsoft Windows 3.0 was launched on May 22nd, 1990 together with Microsoft Solitaire. Windows 3.1 followed in 1992. Windows 3.1 computers are still in operation at Paris Orly Airport today. Microsoft announced that a total of 10 million copies of both systems were sold in the first two years. Windows 3.1: Before Windows Explorer, there was the Programme Manager, in which applications could be grouped and collected in every conceivable way.©Microsoft Windows 3.x offered better performance, extended graphics options with 16 colors, and visually improved icons. Users enjoyed a modern interface with 3D-looking icons and new programs. The cult games Solitaire, Hearts, and Minesweeper, which are still popular today, now also made Windows a favorite at home. From a technical point of view, however, Windows was still an add-on for DOS. Spent the entire day today reverse engineering early Windows binaries to hunt for Easter eggs. Here is a list of the Easter eggs in various builds of Windows 1.0 – 3.0 and the keystrokes required to trigger them. https://t.co/ecqLN1NoDg. Try them yourself! pic.twitter.com/lr5Cfd5XLu-Lucas Brooks (@mswin_bat) March 19, 2022 Windows 95: Bringing the PC into the living room©Microsoft Windows 95: Bringing the PC into the living room Windows 95©Microsoft When Windows 95 was officially launched at a major event in Redmond in the summer of 1995, the world’s press was there. The launch was accompanied by the Rolling Stones hit “Start Me Up,” the most important topic at the time was the internet, and the most urgent task that an operating system had to fulfill was communication: “More than half of all new features in Windows 95 revolve around communication, for example electronic messaging (electronic mail), Internet access, and the ability to dial into your system decentrally,” said Bill Gates at CeBIT 1995. Bill Gates presents Windows 95microsoft Windows 95 allowed several programs to run simultaneously. Internet Explorer for surfing the web also appeared during the lifetime of Windows 95. In addition, longer file names were possible and 32-bit became available. Settings were no longer set via INI files but in the Registry. Windows 95 introduced the Start menu, the taskbar, and buttons for “minimize”, “maximize,” and “close.” Also new were the Plug & Play functions, which simplified the installation of hardware and software. The 32-bit operating system also offered enhanced multimedia functions. The following images show screenshots of early Windows versions Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1985: Windows 1.01With the very first version of Windows, Microsoft still had to be careful not to come into legal conflict with Apple’s MacOS. For example, a recycle bin icon was omitted and windows were not allowed to overlap. But the very first version of Windows also had a taskbar.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1987: Windows 2.0With Windows 2.0, Microsoft slightly improved the graphics and, for the first time, windows could overlap. The taskbar from Windows 1.0 was removed again. A number of useful helpers were included for the first time. These included a clock, Paint and Terminal and the file manager, which was still called MS-DOS Executive. Shortly after the release of Windows 2.0, Microsoft also brought out Word and Excel for Windows.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1990: Windows 3.0Windows 3.0 included Solitaire, which is still popular today, for the first time. It also included the Program Manager, support for VGA and virtual memory. Visually, Windows 3.0 came in a 3D look. More and more software and hardware manufacturers began to support Windows from Windows 3.0 onwards.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1992: Windows 3.1Windows 3.1 was significantly improved compared to its predecessor Windows 3.1. For example, scalable fonts with TrueType fonts were included for the first time. Drag-and-drop functionality and multimedia support have also been improved and OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) has been integrated. And – oh yes: Minesweeper celebrated its premiere.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1992: Windows for Workgroups 3.1This version of Windows was based on Windows 3.1 and added native network support, particularly for LAN networks. Various network tools were also added.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1993: Windows NT 3.1The work that had previously been done for OS/2 was channelled into Windows NT. It was a completely new 32-bit operating system. All previous versions of Windows had been graphical user interfaces for MS-DOS. Windows NT 3.1 was aimed at workstations and servers. Although Windows NT 3.1 resembled Windows 3.1 in appearance, it was ultimately a completely new operating system.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1995: Windows 95For end users, Microsoft continued to rely on a DOS-based operating system and developed Windows 3.1 into Windows 95. For the first time, no separate DOS installation was necessary. The new taskbar and the Start menu celebrated their première. Many other improvements were also made. Windows 95 was a success and heralded the triumph of the Windows platform.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1996: Windows NT 4.0With Windows NT 4.0, the stable server Windows was given the interface of the consumer Windows 95. The very stable Windows kernel was further improved. The NT operating system became a success with Microsoft’s corporate customers.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1996: Windows CE 1.0Windows CE 1.0 was the first version of Windows for small devices. It was an operating system that was completely independent of other Windows versions that had previously been released and was used for handheld devices in the mid to late 1990s. Windows CE 1.0 ultimately formed the basis for the later Windows Mobile.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows1998: Windows 98With Windows 98, the Internet Explorer browser became part of the operating system for the first time, along with support for USB and the quick launch bar.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2000: Windows 2000The NT Windows family was further developed in 2000 with Windows 2000. Web support from Windows 98 was now added to the server operating system as standard. It was also a relatively secure operating system that Microsoft developed for servers and workstations. Nevertheless, Windows 2000 was also often used on desktop PCs. An important new feature of Windows 2000 was that the reboots that were previously often necessary after installing new software or changing system settings were a thing of the past.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2000: Windows MEWindows users from the early days still remember Windows 2000, which was released in 2000, with nostalgia, but Windows ME, which was released in the same year, still inflames people today. Windows ME aimed to increase multimedia support and user-friendliness. However, the operating system was also very unstable and slow.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2001: Windows XPWith Windows XP, Microsoft combined the stable NT family with the 9x family for end users for the first time. The result was the most successful operating system to date – and Windows XP still has a large following today. A great achievement for software that has been around for over 10 years.There was also criticism when Windows XP was released. For example, the new, colourful Luna interface.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2003: Windows Server 2003The NT family was continued in 2003 with Windows Server 2003, which offered improvements to the interface that Microsoft had already introduced two years earlier with Windows XP.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2007: Windows VistaIn 2007, the visually sophisticated interface of MacOS X stole the show from the ageing Windows XP. Microsoft’s answer to this was Windows Vista, which introduced the Aero interface, gadgets, a new Start menu and more stylish icons. There were also many improvements under the bonnet. However, Windows Vista failed to win over the masses. However, Windows Vista laid an important foundation for the next version of the Windows operating system for desktop PCs: Windows 7.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2008: Windows Server 2008Windows Server 2008 was primarily the server version of Windows Vista. However, the Aero interface was omitted.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2009: Windows 7Criticism of Windows Vista prompted Microsoft to quickly start work on a successor that would address all the criticisms levelled at Windows Vista. The result was Windows 7, which has now been well received by the masses and is becoming increasingly popular.©2014 Windows 1.01 to Windows 8: 25 years of Windows2012: Windows 8Windows8 was released as the successor to Windows 7 on 26 October 2012. With Windows 8, Microsoft built on its highly successful predecessor and increased stability, security and speed. Microsoft developed the new tile interface for use on touch devices. Two major updates followed with Windows 8.1 on 18 October and Windows 8.1 Update 1. With these, Microsoft significantly improved the operation of the operating system, among other things.©2014 Windows 102015: Windows 10 Windows 10 took over the legacy of Windows 8 in 2015. Microsoft justified the version number jump by saying that Windows 10 was not just a successor, but heralded a new era for Windows. Windows 95 becomes a success despite its many crashes Even though Windows 95 was a standalone operating system, it still required some DOS technologies. And Windows 95 was by no means stable—crashes are simply part and parcel for Windows users. However, this did not detract from its sales success, as Microsoft sold around 40 million copies in its first year. The Windows 98 desktop©Microsoft Windows 98: Windows in the age of the first internet cafés Three years after Windows 95, on June 25th, 1998, Microsoft launched Windows 98 (codename Memphis). It was the successor to Windows 95 and had Internet Explorer integrated into the operating system for excursions into the still relatively new World Wide Web. A browser war promptly broke out between Internet Explorer and the then-widely-used Netscape Navigator, which is now defunct. Windows 98©Microsoft Fun fact: When Bill Gates presented a beta version of Windows 98 at the US computer trade fair Comdex on April 20th, 1998, he actually looked at a blue screen. This sight was later shared by many millions of users, as Windows 98 remained susceptible to crashes but always recovered. The blue screen and the associated computer restart were commonplace for Windows 98 users. The Windows 98 SE upgrade, which appeared a year later, did nothing to change this. Windows 98 not only offered simplified access to the internet, but also supported reading and writing DVDs and automatic hardware recognition of many USB devices for the first time. A new feature was the quick launch bar (“taskbar”), which allowed Windows programs to be launched more quickly than via the Start menu. Windows 98 also had native support for USB and FAT32. The breakthrough on the market came with Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), which was the first time Microsoft used the CD-ROM and said goodbye to floppy disks as an installation medium. However, users still needed a boot disc with CD-ROM drivers because the Windows 98 retail CDs themselves were not bootable—and blue screens were still part of everyday life for Windows users. Windows 98 was the last version of the operating system based on MS-DOS. Windows 2000: Standardization of Windows for businesses Back in 1993, Microsoft launched Windows NT, an operating system designed to meet the requirements of companies for business computers. The Windows 2000 Professional operating system offered companies a standardized IT platform. Based on the code of Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 offered greater reliability and improved usability. Microsoft also simplified hardware installation with broad support for USB devices and new network and wireless products. Windows 2000©Microsoft Windows Me: Who asked for this? Windows Me, which was released in 2000, was the first to introduce system recovery, a feature where the configuration of PC software could be reset to a point in time before problems occurred. Movie Maker provided users with tools for digitally editing, saving, and sharing home videos. And with the help of Microsoft Windows Media Player 7 technologies, digital media could be searched, organized, and played back. However, users weren’t very enthusiastic about Windows Me. Technically speaking, Windows Me was the last Microsoft operating system based on the Windows 95 code base. Microsoft announced at the time that all future operating system products would be based on the Windows NT and Windows 2000 kernel. The Windows XP Home Edition desktop©Microsoft Windows XP: Still fondly remembered Windows XP was launched on October 25th, 2001 with a common code base shared between Windows for end users and Windows for servers and businesses (formerly Windows NT). With XP, Windows became significantly more crash-proof and blue screens less common. For Microsoft, Windows XP became the best-selling Windows of all time in the following years, with millions and millions of users loving it. Many users found the navigation in the Start menu, the taskbar, and the Control Panel intuitive—and many years later still didn’t want to give up their Windows XP for later versions like Windows 8. Windows XP: XP wallpaper “Bliss”©Microsoft Microsoft also provided regular security updates online and launched the Trustworthy Computing initiative in 2002. With Windows XP, Microsoft increasingly integrated digital entertainment media in 2001. Later versions of Windows XP, such as the Media Center Edition, could even be controlled using a remote control. Windows XP©Microsoft Windows XP was available in two versions: Home and Professional. Windows XP Home came with Network Installation Wizard, Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, and advanced features for digital photos. Windows XP Professional contained additional features especially for use in companies. Windows XP consisteds of 45 million lines of code. Even 20 years after its launch, a small number of computers still run Windows XP. However, as they no longer receive security updates, they pose a huge security risk as soon as they’re connected to the internet. The Windows Vista desktop©Microsoft Windows Vista: A huge flop with users In January 2007, Microsoft revealed the secret behind the new operating system codenamed “Longhorn”: Windows Vista with its new Aero design. Microsoft redesigned the Start menu and taskbar, while User Account Control ensured that potential malware didn’t harm the PC. But user enthusiasm was limited with Vista, as it was with Windows Me. Windows Vista©Microsoft The Windows 7 desktop©Microsoft Windows 7: The first step on the way to the cloud Windows 7 was released in 2009, together with Windows Live Services and the “online hard drive” SkyDrive (which would later be known as OneDrive when Microsoft had to change the name of its online storage due to legal problems). Windows 7 was such a huge success that nobody wanted to move on to its successor, Windows 8. Windows 7microsoft Windows 8 – now with apps and tiles©Microsoft Windows 8: Optimized for mobile use In 2012, Microsoft brought tiles out of the bathroom and onto the Windows desktop—with Windows 8 and apps in tile form. Windows could now be operated via touch input. The Windows Store was also integrated, allowing apps to be downloaded. Windows 8©Microsoft Microsoft wanted to bring together desktop PCs, laptops, and tablets (where Windows didn’t play a major role). However, users gave Windows 8 the cold shoulder. With the subsequent release of Windows 8.1, which went on sale on October 17th, 2013, Microsoft tried to correct the worst flaws of Windows 8 and also bring back the Start button. The desktop could now also be used again as standard. Microsoft discontinued support for Windows 8.1 on January 10th, 2023. Windows 10: A new attempt at success On July 29th, 2015, Microsoft released a new generation of its operating system: Windows 10. It offered a uniform software platform for all devices and took into account the specific characteristics of tablets, laptops, phones, and the Xbox through to the Internet of Things and the development of holograms. Developers now just needed to create one app for Windows 10—known as a Universal App—to use on all Windows devices, which could be made available via the Windows Store. Microsoft also released its digital assistant Cortana and the Edge browser, plus the Start menu was also back with Windows 10. Windows 10©Microsoft Windows 10 was made available as a free upgrade for qualified Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices in 190 countries worldwide. Windows 10 users received the first major update automatically and free of charge on their PCs and tablets as part of Windows-as-a-Service. Microsoft followed this up with the Anniversary Update for Windows 10 in August 2016, which was followed by two further updates per year. Major feature updates for Windows 10 were released regularly in spring and fall. The most notorious of these was the Fall Creators Update version 1809 from 2018, which turned into a tour of bankruptcies and mishaps, leading Microsoft to finally end the update. Windows 11: How the story continues Windows 11 review: An unnecessary replacement for Windows 10 Windows 11 2022 Update review: Subtle upgrades in weird places Windows 11 2023 Update review: The rise of the AI PC Windows 11: Over 30 hidden new features you probably missed Read...

Home users who sign in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account can register for Extended Security Updates (ESU) at no cost and continue receiving free updates until October 14th, 2026. The first updates have been available since November 11th, 2025 (i.e. one month after the official end of support). That all sounds promising, but in practice things don’t always work as expected. For many users, the option to register with Windows 10 ESU doesn’t appear in the system. If the option does appear, users receive cryptic error messages. We’ll walk you through how to fix these issues. Prerequisite: All available updates must be installed Before activating the ESU, make sure all updates are installed on the PC and that the message “Your version of Windows is no longer supported” appears in the Windows Update settings. Foundry / Ashley Biancuzzo The option to register for Windows 10 ESU doesn’t appear To register for ESU in Windows 10, you must first ensure that Windows 10 is activated. You can check this in Settings under Update & Security -> Activation. Another requirement is that you’re signed in with a Microsoft account, which you can do under Accounts. If everything is set up correctly, you should not only see the message “Your version of Windows is no longer supported” under Update & Security -> Windows Update, but also a link at the bottom of the window to register for ESU. If the link doesn’t appear, open Microsoft Edge in Windows 10 and enter the following command in the address field: ms-settings:windowsupdate-esu?OCID=WEB_EOS_CY25_ESU&source=WEB Confirm the prompt to open it. The ESU registration wizard should then appear. Foundry / Ashley Biancuzzo The next page of the wizard checks whether your PC meets the requirements. If it does, you can complete the ESU setup. If it fails, additional steps are required. ESU connection: Something did not work Unfortunately, the connection doesn’t always succeed, and the message “Something did not work” may show up. This message isn’t very helpful on its own, so you’ll need to try a few different approaches to resolve the issue. The first thing you should do is restart the PC and run the command in Edge again. If that doesn’t work, sign in to account.microsoft.com with your Microsoft account and go to Devices. It’s possible that too many devices are associated with your account, including ones you no longer use. In some cases, you may also see a message during the ESU registration stating that you’ve reached your device limit. Remove all devices that you don’t recognize or need. If you accidentally remove a device that you’re still using, simply log back in to this device with your account. Ashampoo Windows 10 ESU Login helps with these issues The small Windows 10 ESU Login program from Ashampoo can also help with these issues. You can use the tool free of charge to connect to Windows 10 ESU. Foundry / Ashley Biancuzzo However, the tool doesn’t work reliably in our tests. Still, it’s worth a try. Clean up incorrect region settings If the free ESU registration option is still missing, or only paid options appear, Windows may have assigned your device to the wrong region. Microsoft only offers the free ESU program in the European Economic Area (EEA). Under Time & Language -> Region, make sure that your system is set to an EEA country (such as Germany). Then delete the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\DeviceRegion (if present) in the registry. This will be recreated with the correct region code after the next restart. Windows 10 Enterprise and Education do not receive a free ESU If the error message “Something didn’t work” continues to appear in the ESU wizard, there may be a mix-up with a company device. Windows 10 Enterprise and Education editions are excluded from the free ESU program. Windows 10 is incorrectly recognized as a company device However, even a Windows 10 Home or Pro system can be blocked if it was linked to a work or school account. In this situation, Windows incorrectly categorizes the device as a company PC and denies private ESU login. Open Accounts -> Access to work or school area in the settings and disconnect any work or school accounts you see there. Also note that private ESUs are only available for domain-independent computers. Domain- or MDM-managed devices only receive ESUs via company accounts. After removing any corporate account links, restart the PC and try the enrollment again. Last resort: Inplace upgrade If none of the previous steps work, you can try a repair in-place upgrade of Windows 10. Download the latest Windows 10 installation (via Media Creation Tool or ISO) and run an upgrade from the active system. Programs and data will be retained, while Windows itself is refreshed. In our tests, this resolved all ESU problems, allowing the registration to complete successfully. After completing the ESU registration, you’ll receive a message in the Windows update display that your PC is now registered for Extended Security Updates. Read...