Microsoft to focus on Windows performance, reliability and experience this year

Microsoft says it will focus this year on “improving system performance, reliability, and the overall experience of Windows,” Pavan Davuluri, president of Windows and devices, told The Verge, PC Gamer reports.

PC Gamer highlights a number of persistent pain points the company says it will address, including intrusive OneDrive pop-ups, web search mixed into local search, general poor performance in areas, and bugs such as a Task Manager issue that prevented it from fully closing. The article also recounts an Edge message promoting AI after a reinstall.

The site notes frustration has been amplified by the move away from Windows 10: the previous OS became “kind-of-but-not-quite EOL,” forcing many users to upgrade if they wanted updates, even with an opt-in extension available for a year.

Some users are trying alternatives: PC Gamer’s writer says they have dual-booted into Linux again and that Linux has become more viable for gaming, with a cross-distro collective forming and the Steam Machine soon to launch. The piece also mentions Microsoft’s declining gaming revenue as additional pressure.

Davuluri’s comment set a short-term focus “this year,” but PC Gamer cautions that it remains to be seen whether the promise will translate into concrete fixes and timelines—"assuming it’s not all talk," the article adds.

microsoft, windows performance, windows reliability, windows experience, pavan davuluri, onedrive pop-ups, web search mixed into local, task manager bug, microsoft edge ai message, windows 10 eol, dual-boot linux, linux gaming viability, steam machine launch, declining gaming revenue