microsoft
Microsoft Entra ID gets passkeys default authentication starting September
Microsoft has announced that passkeys will become the default authentication method for the Entra ID enterprise identity service starting September 2026. Passkeys will be enabled automatically for Entra ID users now using phone-based SMS and voice authentication, which will be retired in February 2027 across all tenants. However, users who are already signing into their […]
Microsoft starts testing cleaner Windows Search without ads
Microsoft is now testing a cleaner and faster version of Windows Search that should prioritize relevant results over ads and promotional content. These changes are part of a broader effort to improve Windows search, announced by Windows president Pavan Davuluri in March and aimed at delivering a more consistent experience across the Start menu, taskbar, File Explorer, […]
Microsoft to retire the OWA Light client in Exchange Server
Microsoft has announced plans to disable Outlook Web Access (OWA) Light, the lightweight version of the Outlook Web App email client, in a future Exchange Server update. “OWA Light was an important compatibility experience when the web needed it. Today, the full Outlook on the web experience is the right place for us to focus,” the […]
Microsoft patches RoguePlanet Defender zero-day vulnerability
Microsoft has released a security patch to address a Defender zero-day vulnerability known as “RoguePlanet,” disclosed after the June 2026 Patch Tuesday. The flaw (tracked as CVE-2026-50656) was disclosed by a security researcher using the “Nightmare Eclipse” handle as part of an ongoing dispute with Microsoft over the company’s bug bounty and vulnerability disclosure practices. They […]
Microsoft to enable Windows settings backup by default for orgs
Microsoft says the Windows settings backup and restore tool will be enabled by default on Microsoft Entra-joined or Microsoft Entra hybrid-joined enterprise systems after upgrading to Windows 11 26H2. Formerly known as Windows Backup for Organizations, this backup tool helps back up and restore enterprise users’ Windows settings after a device is reset, replaced, upgraded, or […]
Microsoft testing new Cloud Rebuild Windows 11 recovery feature
Microsoft has begun testing the Cloud Rebuild recovery feature in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview builds released for users in the Experimental channel. First introduced at the Ignite developer conference in November 2025, Cloud Rebuild is a tool that can remotely trigger a complete system reinstall from the cloud for Windows 11 devices experiencing persistent […]
Microsoft fixes bug that removed Copilot buttons in Outlook
Microsoft has fixed a known issue causing the Copilot Chat or Copilot buttons in Classic Outlook to disappear for Windows users with the Copilot Chat (Basic) license. As the company explains in a recent support document, affected users may no longer see Copilot buttons on the side navigation and above the ribbon. Those affected may also […]
CISA: Microsoft SharePoint RCE flaw now actively exploited
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned on Wednesday that attackers have begun exploiting a high-severity Microsoft SharePoint remote code execution vulnerability. Tracked as CVE-2026-45659, this security flaw stems from a deserialization of untrusted data weakness, and it allows attackers with low privileges to execute arbitrary code on unpatched SharePoint servers in low-complexity attacks […]
Microsoft fixes GIF functionality in the Windows Emoji Panel
Microsoft has fixed the GIF functionality in the Emoji Panel for Windows 11 users after the provider shut down its service. According to Microsoft, the GIF feature stopped working suddenly on June 30 for some users after Google’s Tenor GIF search engine retired its application programming interface (API). “Starting on June 30, 2026, you might […]
Microsoft accelerates quantum-safe roadmap as risks grow
Microsoft announced today that it is accelerating its quantum-safe security roadmap, saying advances in quantum computing are bringing the need to replace today’s encryption standards sooner than previously expected. Although today’s quantum computers cannot crack modern encryption, security researchers have warned about “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks. In these attacks, encrypted data that is stolen today […]