microsoft

Microsoft Paint and Photos Embed Server-Issued GUIDs as Invisible Watermarks in Locally-Generated Images

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Microsoft Paint and Photos embed a server-issued GUID as an invisible watermark into AI-generated images created locally on Windows devices. These GUIDs, returned by Microsoft's remote prompt moderation service, are embedded pixel-wise via a specialized watermarking DLL and are also included in the image's C2PA metadata for provenance, linking prompt moderation to the final image content. This system ensures AI-generated images carry a unique, machine-readable identifier even when generated locally, combining remote moderation with local watermarking and signed metadata.

https://xusheng.dev/posts/reversing/mspaint_invisible_watermark/main/

Windows 11 Is Quietly Installing OneDrive Photos, and It Wants to Scan Your Photos for Faces if You Allow It

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Windows 11 is now automatically installing a new app called OneDrive Photos, which functions as an additional photo viewer and editor integrated with OneDrive. The app scans local storage for images and can group faces using facial recognition if the user permits, raising privacy concerns since it is installed without explicit user consent and can only be removed by uninstalling OneDrive entirely. While the app offers features like AI-powered search and photo management similar to Microsoft Photos, its silent installation and integration with OneDrive have sparked criticism.

https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/07/29/windows-11-is-quietly-installing-onedrive-photos-another-image-viewer-that-nobody-asked-for/

You Can’t Fully Disable Microsoft’s GDID Windows 11 Tracker, but These Settings Limit What It Captures

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Microsoft has acknowledged that Windows 11 includes a Global Device Identifier (GDID), a persistent, device-level tracker tied to a user’s Microsoft Account with no option to disable it outright. The GDID played a key role in an FBI case by allowing authorities to trace a hacker’s device across VPNs and countries, but its presence raises privacy concerns since it automatically links online activities to a single Windows installation without explicit user consent. While reinstalling Windows generates a new GDID, signing back into the same Microsoft Account allows Microsoft to correlate activity across installations, limiting user control over this identifier.

https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/07/10/you-cant-fully-disable-microsofts-gdid-windows-11-tracker-but-these-settings-limit-what-it-captures/

Microsoft Says New Outlook Is Now Closer to Outlook Classic, Adds .PST Advanced Support and Other Features

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Microsoft has updated New Outlook to bring it closer to the classic version by adding advanced support for .PST files, including improved import and search capabilities, though it still requires Outlook Classic to be installed for now. Additional features nearing release include improved calendar update controls and a fix for sent emails not appearing in delegated mailboxes. Microsoft plans to remove the dependency on Outlook Classic later this year and will end .PST feature development once bulk import capabilities are fully implemented.

https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/07/01/microsoft-says-new-outlook-is-now-closer-to-outlook-classic-adds-pst-advanced-support-and-other-features/

Microsoft’s New Outlook Takes 10 Seconds to Do What Outlook Classic Does Instantly on Windows

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Microsoft’s new Outlook app for Windows, built on the WebView2 web engine, takes about 10 seconds to open an email directly from a Windows 11 notification, while the older Outlook Classic app displays the email almost instantly. Despite improvements in launch times and feature updates, the new Outlook’s reliance on multiple browser-based processes results in higher memory and CPU usage and slower notification handling. Microsoft is working on native WinUI apps to address these performance issues, but for now, Outlook Classic remains faster for notification-driven workflows.

https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/06/15/microsofts-new-outlook-takes-10-seconds-to-do-what-outlook-classic-does-instantly-on-windows/

Microsoft Brings Coreutils to Windows

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At its Build conference, Microsoft announced a preview release of coreutils for Windows, a set of UNIX-style command-line utilities ported from the Rust-based uutils project that run natively on Windows. These tools aim to provide consistent command behavior across Linux, macOS, WSL, and Windows to ease scripting and automation across platforms, though some POSIX-specific commands and Windows conflicts are excluded or limited. The utilities are installable via WinGet and support standard flags and pipelines familiar to developers working in UNIX-like environments.

https://www.osnews.com/story/145206/microsoft-brings-coreutils-to-windows/

How Microsoft Abuses Its Users

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The author recounts helping a non-technical user whose Outlook email stopped working due to Microsoft OneDrive's default setting of syncing personal files, which unexpectedly filled his limited free storage and triggered error messages urging paid upgrades. The issue highlights how Microsoft’s design and dark patterns negatively affect everyday users, pushing them toward paid subscriptions without clear consent or understanding. The author resolved the problem by backing up data, removing files from OneDrive, and completely uninstalling OneDrive to prevent further issues, using this experience to criticize large tech companies for prioritizing profit over user respect.

https://lzon.ca/posts/other/microsoft-user-abuse/

Microsoft’s “Fix” for Windows 11: Flowers After the Beating

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Microsoft's recent announcement of a 7-point plan to “fix” Windows 11 is criticized as an insufficient response to years of user dissatisfaction caused by forced AI integrations, pervasive ads, mandatory Microsoft accounts, invasive data collection, and forced OneDrive syncing that harmed user control and privacy. While Microsoft promises to remove some visible annoyances like unmovable Copilot buttons and ads, it does not address deeper issues such as telemetry that cannot be fully disabled, forced cloud account usage, and aggressive data harvesting, leaving many of the more intrusive and privacy-hostile practices intact.

https://www.sambent.com/microsofts-plan-to-fix-windows-11-is-gaslighting/

Microsoft Quietly Scraps Plans to Bring Copilot to Notifications and Settings on Windows 11 as It Moves to Reduce AI Bloat Across the OS

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Microsoft has quietly scrapped its plans to integrate Copilot AI features into Windows 11's notifications and Settings app, scaling back its original vision of an AI assistant embedded across the OS. Instead, Microsoft is adopting a more measured approach by reducing AI bloat, delivering AI capabilities without the Copilot branding, and focusing on making AI features optional and less intrusive in system apps.

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-quietly-scraps-plans-to-bring-copilot-to-notifications-and-settings-on-windows-11-as-it-moves-to-reduce-ai-bloat-across-the-os

Bogdan’s Blog

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TLDR: The author switched from Windows to Linux after two decades due to frustrations with Microsoft's intrusive updates, ads, and bugs. Key issues included forced updates that caused system instability and unnecessary features. After trying Linux and facing challenges, they found it ultimately more reliable and user-friendly for their needs, especially in software development and content creation, despite some limitations in gaming and 3D modeling. They criticize Microsoft's evolving practices as detrimental to user experience.

https://www.himthe.dev/blog/microsoft-to-linux

Everyone Hates OneDrive, Microsoft’s Cloud App That Steals Then Deletes All Your Files

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OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage, is criticized for stealthily uploading and deleting user files without clear warnings, leading to user panic. When attempting to manage files, users may inadvertently erase data from their own computers. This deceptive design has been likened to a ransomware attack, complicating file management and control. Users are advised to consider alternative operating systems for better data security.

https://boingboing.net/2026/01/05/everyone-hates-onedrive-microsofts-cloud-app-that-steals-then-deletes-all-your-files.html

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