WW 976: Full Thurrottle - Microsoft's Plan To Save Windows in 2026

About this episode

The episode discusses Microsoft's plans to improve Windows by 2026, highlighting recent changes and user feedback.

In 2015, Satya Nadella said that he wanted users to love Windows. But Microsoft has only enshittified Windows more aggressively since then. Paul wrote a book. And now Microsoft says it's changed, baby, and it's serious this time. Here's what was said ... and what was not said. A Timeline Early signs of positive change: Rust in the Windows kernel, numerous new security features in Windows 11 - "two sides" of Windows, the engineering side and the "let's push AI at all costs/UX" side - more recently, Baseline Security Mode and User Transparency and Consent announcement Last September, Pavan Davuluri took over Windows and reorganized the business immediately, bringing Server/Core back in-house In December, Paul saw the first signs of positive changes in OneDrive, while not perfect, a major step back from the enshittification there. It took a few months to understand exactly what changed. In January, there are over one billion Windows 11 users. Davuluri first mentions a push for quality in 2026 - "pain points" In February, Nadella announced leadership changes that included people directly in charge of security and engineering quality Now, Microsoft has…

Topics covered

• Microsoft Windows
• Windows 11
• technology updates
• user experience
• security features
• leadership changes

Keywords

• Windows
• Microsoft
• Satya Nadella
• Pavan Davuluri
• OneDrive
• Windows 11
• security features
• user experience

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Microsoft, OneDrive

More episodes of Windows Weekly (Audio)

• WW 987: SelfLoathing.md - Will AI-Driven Vibe Coding Replace Traditional Developers? · June 10, 2026 · 2h 40m
• WW 986: Liminal AI - RTX Spark, Project Solara, Scout, & Much More! · June 3, 2026 · 2h 32m
• WW 985: Putting the Mental in Experimental - Some Linux Learnings for the Windows User · May 27, 2026 · 2h 36m
• WW 984: For Entertainment Purposes Only - Price Shock With Surface Laptops?! · May 21, 2026 · 2h 44m
• WW 983: Puts the Buh in Benelux - Can Googlebooks Challenge Existing Laptops? · May 13, 2026 · 2h 17m
• WW 982: Don't Lick the Manta Rays - Breaking Down Microsoft's Earnings · May 7, 2026 · 2h 47m