Windows Weekly WW 949: How Do I Get Back to Windows 7? – Microsoft's Patch Tuesday Update Packs Big Windows 11 Changes

Date: September 11, 2025
Hosts: Paul Thurrott (Pennsylvania), Richard Campbell (Copenhagen), Leo Laporte
Podcast: Windows Weekly (TWiT)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on September 2025's substantial Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11, marking a major moment before the 25H2 release. The hosts delve into new features for Windows 11, reflect on ongoing trends in both hardware and software, review Lenovo’s latest IFA unveilings, scrutinize developments in the Microsoft Store, and touch on open-source moves and notable industry shifts. The episode’s throughline is the perpetual evolution—and complication—of Windows, exemplified by the hosts' humorous quest: "How Do I Get Back to Windows 7?"

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Patch Tuesday: Major Windows 11 Update ([02:03]–[18:01])

• Biggest Patch Tuesday of the year; likely the last before Windows 11 25H2.
• Features have rolled out to 23H2 and 24H2 users, and 25H2 soon, due to Microsoft’s new enablement packages’ system.
• Search evolution: Windows 11 taskbar search now features a "grid view" for images.
• Notification Center: Users can now enable the clock in notifications (returning a Windows 10 feature). "It’s only been, what, four and a half years? Baby steps." — Paul ([04:27])
• System Dialogues: All are now modal with a dimmed background for clarity.
• File Explorer Tweak: Minuscule but notable—buttons like "cut," "copy," "rename" have word labels and subtle dividers.
  • "Super exciting." — Paul, tongue-in-cheek ([05:43])
• AI & 'App Actions' Integration: Right-click context menus are getting bloated as AI and third-party app actions are introduced.
  • "One of the points of Windows 11 was to simplify these menus... Here we are four and a half years later and this is getting, you know, that's what happens... It's getting longer and longer." — Paul ([07:43])
• Privacy Controls: Settings > Privacy & Security > Text and Image Generation lets users toggle AI integrations and manage third-party app appearances in “recent activity.”
• Widgets: Lock screen and desktop widgets are now more customizable—you can reorder, resize, and select which appear.
• For Copilot+ PCs (the <1%):
  • Recall has a new interface, offering thumbnail overviews of recent activities.
  • Click to Do and Agent in Settings (AI-enabled features) expanding to non-Snapdragon devices with English set as primary language.
  • "Recall... is like a sort of AI Start Menu." — Paul ([11:57])

2. Recall Privacy, Security, and Windows 10’s Last Days ([15:21]–[19:08])

• Debate about the risks of Recall: Paul pushes back against exaggerated security fears, noting the critique is more about edge cases than real user concerns.
  • "If you’re in a world where someone has taken your computer, held it up to your face and forced you to sign in… Recall is a problem, I guess… but so is every password, every email, everything." — Paul ([17:06])
• Windows 10: Penultimate update, with more security updates coming only if on extended support.

3. Windows Hello & Authentication Evolution ([19:10]–[24:25])

• Improved visibility and selection of passkeys, security keys, or biometric logins at the authentication dialogue.
• Discussion of Linux PAM (authentication modules) and lack of equivalent configuration flexibility in Windows.
• Recognition of moves to integrate third-party passkey managers (similar to mobile platforms).

4. Windows Insider, Canary, Dev/Beta Channels Explained ([25:07]–[29:34])

• Canary Channel mystery: Still unclear what its purpose is or what user group it serves.
  • "Canary doesn’t match to anything…” — Paul ([26:31])
• 25H2 ISOs for Windows 11 (release preview) to be released soon, not final but close.

5. Windows Hardware: The Intel & Lenovo Segments ([34:01]–[58:29])

• Intel management shuffle: Long-tenured Michelle Johnston Holthaus steps out; Jim Johnson (Lunar Lake) steps in.
  • Paul’s IFA anecdote: New chip presentations conflate the strengths and weaknesses of Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake.
  • “He says… ‘and busted the myth that x86 can’t be power efficient.’ And then he paused to silence because everyone in that audience has reviewed these laptops…” — Paul ([38:53])
• Real-world performance pains: Paul shares frustration with unreliable Lunar Lake laptops.
  • "There are things that just work. In our industry, we need to celebrate that… it’s becoming increasingly rare." — Paul ([44:36])
• Lenovo’s boldness at IFA:
  • Concepts: Rotating Vertiflex laptop monitors, blue-light-reducing screens, and evolving peripherals, with a specific focus on innovation usually seen from challengers, not leaders.
  • “It’s fascinating to me that the world’s biggest PC maker… experiments.” — Paul ([48:22])
  • Rollable PCs and laptop stands with built-in tracking/camera features also discussed.

6. Microsoft Store & Developer Ecosystem ([99:07]–[110:54])

• Open Store: Now easier than ever for developers to publish apps—no credit card required, more open to all types, including desktop and UWP.
• Claim of 250 million monthly active users (though the hosts dispute what 'active' means).
  • "Is that just 250 million people who start Windows?… An involuntary user?" — Richard ([106:19])
• Visual Studio 2026 Preview: Insider channel now open to all, bringing a fluent UI and improved performance, better migration from previous versions.
• More AI features natively integrated into VS 2026.

7. AI News Roundup ([122:13]–[134:48])

• Microsoft turns to Nibius (ex-Yandex) for US datacenter GPU capacity due to overwhelming demand from Copilot and AI services—even as Azure is built out.
• Partnering/competing with OpenAI and Anthropic: Microsoft seeks specialized models as Copilot+ demands rise.
• AI copyright litigation: Anthropic faces $1.5B settlement over illicitly using copyrighted books—potential quadrillion-dollar exposure.
• Transparency: Google now clearly lists limits/capabilities of Gemini and how features differ across subscription tiers.
• Notable: Firefox on iPhone now uses Apple Intelligence for "shake to summarize" (showcasing AI integration diffusion).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Menu Bloat and AI Creep
  “One of the points of Windows 11 was to simplify these menus… here we are four and a half years later and this is getting… longer and longer. And because of AI… we've gone off the deep end on this.”
  — Paul Thurrott ([07:43])

• On Recall Skepticism
  "If you’re in a world where someone has taken your computer, held it up to your face… not enabling Recall is not saving you from anything."
  — Paul ([17:06])

• On Hardware Disappointment
  “If this was my computer, I would have snapped it in half over my knee and thrown it in the trash.”
  — Paul ([44:16])

• On Lenovo’s Experiments
  “This is not what we typically see from the market leader, and they’ve been super consistent… for several years.”
  — Paul ([48:22])

• On Bitwarden’s Open-Source Security
  “Frankly, when it comes to crypto… I wouldn’t use anything that isn’t open source!”
  — Leo ([78:00])

• On Technology That “Just Works”
  “Technology… that prevents me from moving forward and just getting stuff done is the most frustrating part of my life.”
  — Paul ([63:14])

Mini-Segment Highlights

• Windows Update Channels Depth–Dive: The Canary channel’s purpose is still uncertain, while Dev and Beta channels are more stable.
• Authentication debate: Windows lags Linux in modular authentication configuration but is incrementally improving.
• Microsoft Store Usage: Store’s automatic updates are useful, but active engagement is questioned; friction persists for some users.
• Open Source Drop: Microsoft releases the 1977 MOS 6502 BASIC source code written by Gates and Allen for the Apple II and Commodore PET—nostalgic deep dive into code history.
• Gadget of the Week: Lenovo’s display glasses—a cheaper, simpler alternative to VR headsets for on-the-go portable screens.
• Giveaway & Deals: US students can get Microsoft 365 Personal free for a year; Proton’s “Emergency Access” gives account succession control.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|----------------| | Patch Tuesday Updates | 02:03–18:01 | | Recall Debate/Security | 15:21–18:01 | | Windows Hello & Auth Dialog Discussion | 19:10–24:25 | | Insider/Canary/Beta Channel Confusion | 25:07–29:34 | | Intel/Lenovo/IFA Hardware Analysis | 34:01–58:29 | | Windows Store & Dev Tools News | 99:07–110:54 | | AI Industry News | 122:13–134:48 | | Gizmo of Week (Glasses), Xbox in Cars | 140:38–149:54 | | Final Tips & Closing Remarks | 152:06–161:13 |

Tone and Style

The hosts blend dry wit, nostalgia, and sharp technical insights. Paul’s characteristic frustration with Windows’ UI/UX complexity and unreliable hardware is balanced by Richard’s practical, enterprise-minded observations. Leo guides (and prods) the conversation from a user-first perspective, adding contextual color.

For Listeners

If you missed the episode, you’ll come away with:

• A clear sense of important Windows 11 changes and AI’s growing (sometimes unwieldy) role in Microsoft’s UI/UX.
• Insights into Windows’ hardware uncertainty—especially the problems plaguing Intel’s Lunar Lake platform.
• A heads-up on developer opportunities in the Microsoft Store and Visual Studio ecosystem.
• A behind-the-scenes look at Lenovo’s role as an innovator, not just a volume leader.
• Key industry stories in AI, “agentic browsers,” and the shifting lines between consumer and enterprise tech.
• Many laugh-out-loud moments and tech nostalgia riffs.

Episode Wrap–Up

Next Week:

• Paul will be in Mexico, Richard in the Netherlands, promising “fine Dutch whiskey and travel stories.”

Notable Final Advice:

• Avoid downloading questionable ISOs (especially from Bing), keep an "emergency access" plan for your online accounts, and don’t expect nostalgia ("How do I get back to Windows 7?") to solve modern computing puzzles—adaptation (or a portable screen in your glasses) is the answer.

For all things Microsoft, insider hardware tidbits, and trenchant takes on AI’s infiltration into your desktop, Windows Weekly has you covered.