External Presenters
The latest External Presenters coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Windows Server July 2026 Update Kills RC4 Kerberos Rollback: Inventory Your Service Accounts Now
Microsoft’s July 2026 Windows Server update removes the RC4 Kerberos rollback registry key, making it critical for domain admins to inventory and remediate service account encryption now. This article covers the staged hardening timeline, explains why unset encryption attributes are the biggest risk, and provides a step-by-step inventory plan using KDC audit events.
June 2026 Copilot Update: Free Notebooks Arrive, but Cowork Billing Now Demands a Hard Cap
Microsoft's June 2026 Copilot update makes the Notebooks workspace free for Copilot Chat users while launching Copilot Cowork with consumption-based billing. IT admins must now audit license assignments and set financial controls to avoid unpredictable costs.
Microsoft Purview to Automatically Propose Copilot Data Retention Rules Starting September 2026
Microsoft Purview will begin analyzing Copilot and AI app usage to recommend retention policies, with preview in August 2026 and general availability in September. The feature aims to help organizations govern AI interactions by surfacing actual activity and suggesting controls, but it requires careful human review to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Windows 11 Is Now Taking Silent Snapshots: Here’s How to Keep Your SSD and Sanity Intact
Microsoft’s July KB5101650 update enables Point-in-time Restore by default on eligible Windows 11 Home and Pro PCs. The feature uses up to 2% of the system drive (capped at 50GB) for automatic 72‑hour snapshots that cover the entire Windows volume, making recovery from bad updates or drivers far easier than the old System Restore. While the storage allowance can sound alarming, actual usage is dynamic and rarely approaches the cap, and most users will find the protection worth the small disk‑space trade‑off.
Agent 365 Dashboard Brings Unified AI Agent Reporting to Copilot Analytics in July 2026 Preview
Microsoft plans to release an Agent 365 Dashboard preview in July 2026, embedding agent usage reporting inside Copilot Analytics for organizations that use both Agent 365 and Microsoft 365 Copilot. The dashboard will provide historical activity data across all registered agents, helping IT admins and business leaders track adoption. General availability is slated for September 2026, and admins should start preparing by registering agents and reviewing access to Copilot Analytics.
Google quietly adds new PC controls to Play services, plus tablet-friendly Play Store layout
The July 2026 Google system updates include Play Store v52.3 with a denser layout for tablets and AI image labels in the EU, plus Play services v26.26 which lets you transfer work profiles to Wear OS watches and adds new location-sharing controls for PC users. The updates roll out gradually, but here’s what you need to know.
Microsoft's Record 570-Patch Tuesday Closes Active AD FS, SharePoint Zero-Days — Here's What to Do
Microsoft’s July 14, 2026 Patch Tuesday delivered a record 570 security fixes, including actively exploited elevation-of-privilege vulnerabilities in Active Directory Federation Services and SharePoint Server. It also disclosed a BitLocker security-feature bypass without an available patch, so organizations should prioritize the available updates and review mitigation guidance.
Plex's New Subscription Rules Are Causing a Surge in 'Not Available Outside Your Network' Errors
Since April 2025, Plex requires a subscription for remote video playback, causing many users to mistake a billing block for a network failure. This article explains how to tell the difference and, for genuine connection issues, outlines the key steps to restore remote access on Windows by configuring port forwarding, firewall rules, and eliminating double NAT and CGNAT.
Windows 11 Bluetooth Won’t Connect? The 2026 Fix Is Simpler Than You Think
A newly updated July 2026 guide from Technobezz streamlines Windows 11 Bluetooth troubleshooting, emphasizing quick fixes over outdated Control Panel methods. The most common issue—devices that appear but won’t connect—is resolved by removing and re-pairing, with escalations like the Get Help troubleshooter and driver updates only when needed. Practical steps and Microsoft-backed advice make this the definitive 2026 approach.
Microsoft Edge Still Locks Custom New Tab URLs Behind Extensions, 2026 Guide Confirms
A mid-2026 how-to guide reminds Windows users that Microsoft Edge’s startup, home button, and new tab page are controlled separately. Consumer builds still lack a native field to set a custom new tab URL, forcing reliance on extensions or administrator policies.
Edge’s Collections Are Dead: What Microsoft’s Tab Restoration Overhaul Means for You
Microsoft Edge version 149 removed the Collections feature and redesigned Workspaces for individual use only, reshaping how users save and restore tabs. This analysis explains the changes, impacts on home and business users, and actionable steps to migrate to Favorites and the new Workspaces.
Forget Facebook Phone Support: The 2026 Reality for Windows Users and How to Get Real Help
Facebook still doesn't offer a public phone support line in 2026, leaving users vulnerable to scams. A new guide highlights official recovery tools, in-product reporting, and Meta Verified paid support. Windows users should start from Facebook's Help Center or app and never trust unsolicited recovery offers.
RCS Messaging Is Finally Mainstream on iPhone and Android—Here’s How to Set It Up and Avoid Common Pitfalls
RCS messaging is now available on both Android and iPhone, but outdated tutorials and carrier quirks can make setup confusing. This service-journalism guide explains what changed, how to enable RCS on Google Messages and iOS 18, and how to avoid common pitfalls like the Samsung Messages shutdown and Google's changed web pairing method.