Yes, Windows is broken – Microsoft Admits
Microsoft admits that Windows 11 has been broken since July and has only now acknowledged the problem
Let’s face it, Windows 11 is a mess. It was only this month that Microsoft fixed Windows 10/11’s decade-old “Update and Shutdown” bug. This week, Nvidia has been forced to release a driver hotfix to address Windows 11 performance regressions in gaming. Now, Microsoft has confirmed that several core Windows 11 features are broken, and they have been since July.
Microsoft has confirmed that its Windows 11 updates since 24H2’s July 2025 update (KB5062553) have caused issues with provisioned PCs. These issues are related to XAML components, impacting shell components like Explorer.exe, shelhost.exe, StartMenuExperienceHost, and more. While this primarily impacts PCs used in education and business, it’s damning that it’s taken Microsoft four months to acknowledge these issues. What’s worse is that Microsoft has no ETA for a fix.
After provisioning a PC with a Windows 11, version 24H2 monthly cumulative update released on or after July 2025 (KB5062553), various apps such as StartMenuExperiencehost, Search, SystemSettings, Taskbar or Explorer might experience difficulties.
Users of affected PCs will experience Explorer crashes, start menu failures, “Start > Settings > System” failing to launch, missing taskbar windows, and other issues. These are core Windows functions, and they are not working correctly.
Microsoft has detailed some workarounds for these issues (here). It is currently unknown when Microsoft will release an official fix for these XAML package bugs.
Microsoft needs to fix its broken Windows OS, not add more AI junk
Microsoft has faced a major backlash from developers and power users over their plans to make Windows an AI-powered “agentic OS”. The company believes that delivering an AI-powered experience will boost productivity and give users a better user experience. If Microsoft truly believes this, they are delusional.
Today, Windows feels clunky. Updates frequently mess with user settings, and major bugs can often take months, if not years, to fix. Unnecessary background processes and the inclusion of ads make users feel like products, not customers. Power users and developers do not feel like they are in control of their OS.
If Microsoft wants to improve Windows, it needs to cut down on the bloat and make Windows snappier and more controllable. User-selected settings need to be respected, not modified. Furthermore, Microsoft can significantly improve the battery life of all Windows laptops by reducing unnecessary background tasks.
There’s a reason why PC gamers are drawn to SteamOS. There’s a reason why Macs have become increasingly appealing to developers. Microsoft needs to fix Windows, and making it an “agentic OS” will not fix their OS’ core problems.
You can join the discussion on Windows 11 being broken on the OC3D Forums.
