Windows 11 widgets finally get a streamlined redesign that ditches the frustrating news feeds and random notifications, making them genuinely useful for the first time. Find out how the new setup quietly transforms your desktop experience. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

Windows 11's upcoming Start menu revamp gives you more power to personalize than ever, ditching old limitations and letting you decide exactly what shows up when you hit Start. Discover what's changing behind the scenes and how it could reshape your daily workflow. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT threatlocker.com/twit

What happens when you strip Windows 11 to the bone and dodge Microsoft's usual bloat? Paul Thurrott reveals how far you can actually go in building a lean, privacy-focused Windows experience—without third-party debloating tools. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT

What happens when you strip Windows 11 down to the bare essentials and kick most Microsoft services to the curb? Paul Thurrott reveals how going minimal can transform your PC into a cleaner, faster machine. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

Xbox Mode is finally rolling out to Windows 11, giving your PC a full-screen, controller-focused gaming experience that feels more like a console than ever. Dive into how this long-awaited feature changes the way you play and manage games on your desktop. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: bitwarden.com/twit

Windows 11 finally answers persistent user requests with updates that let you shrink the oversized taskbar and pause updates almost indefinitely. Find out why these long-denied features matter now. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

Microsoft is overhauling the Windows Insider program, streamlining its confusing channels and finally letting you enable new features on demand. Find out why this long-awaited change could get veteran enthusiasts—and frustrated dropouts—back in the game. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: threatlocker.com/twit

Next-gen Snapdragon X2 Copilot Plus PCs are finally here, delivering real gaming performance and major CPU/NPU upgrades that could shake up your expectations for ARM laptops. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

Are Copilot Plus PCs truly delivering the local AI power Microsoft promised, or are buyers still ending up with hardware that can't keep pace? Paul breaks down the latest specs, features, and what the next wave of chips means for your next upgrade. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsors: outsystems.com/twit bitwarden.com/twit

What if powerful AI tools could run entirely on your Windows PC, with no internet required? This episode puts local small language models to the test and reveals just how close they are to their cloud-based rivals. Host: Paul Thurrott Download or subscribe to Hands-On Windows at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-windows Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: threatlocker.com/twit