Windows 11 can’t do basic tasks right, but at least it has AI nobody wants 😡

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A few years ago, Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 as a revolution. A fresh start. A smoother, more modern, more intelligent experience. But here we are in 2026, and the reality couldn’t be more different. Windows 11 is going through one of the worst periods in its history, and ironically, it’s not a design or vision problem—it’s a problem of priorities that are completely disconnected from what users actually want.

Instead of refining the fundamentals, fixing persistent bugs, and optimizing performance, Microsoft launched into a frenzied AI race. The result? An operating system that struggles to accomplish its basic functions while getting bloated with AI features nobody really asked for. And this strategy is starting to cost Microsoft dearly—not just in reputation, but in market share.

Brand new machines running slow? Welcome to Windows 11 💻

Let’s start with the most absurd part: Windows 11 is slow. Not on ancient, outdated machines—on brand-new PCs equipped with the latest processors and plenty of RAM. File Explorer, that ultra-basic component that’s existed since Windows 95, sometimes takes several seconds to respond. Opening a folder becomes an exercise in patience.

Microsoft even admitted this in July 2025, launching an initiative to collect data on these performance issues. But let’s be honest: when the world’s most-used operating system has to publicly acknowledge that its core features have been broken for months, there’s a serious quality control problem.

And that’s not all. In November 2025, Microsoft had to confess that essential components—the Start Menu, Taskbar, File Explorer, and Settings—have been malfunctioning since July. Five months. Five months during which millions of users struggled with an unstable system, while Microsoft kept adding… even more AI features.

Recall and the AI slop festival 🤖

Now let’s talk about Recall, the AI feature that was supposed to revolutionize how we use Windows. The concept? Take screenshots of everything you do every few seconds, analyze them with AI, and let you retrieve anything instantly. On paper, it sounds great. In reality? It’s a security and privacy nightmare.

Cybersecurity experts were unanimous: Recall is « one of the most ridiculous security failings ever seen. » Why? Because initially, all those screenshots were stored in plain text, unencrypted. Passwords, banking information, private messages—everything was accessible to anyone who hacked your PC. One researcher even created a tool in just hours to scrape all that data.

Faced with the backlash, Microsoft delayed the launch—first to October, then to December 2024, before finally offering an « improved » version with encryption and biometric authentication. But the damage was done. Trust, shattered. And today, third-party apps like Signal, Brave, and AdGuard offer options to block Recall by default. Developers have even created GitHub scripts to remove all AI features from Windows 11 in seconds.

« Windows is evolving into an agentic OS »—and nobody’s happy 😤

In November 2025, Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s head of Windows and Devices, posted a tweet that ignited a firestorm. His message? « Windows is evolving into an agentic OS, connecting devices, cloud, and AI to unlock intelligent productivity. »

The reaction? A flood of criticism. Hundreds of negative comments, ratio numbers worthy of a political PR disaster, and finally… Davuluri disabled replies. But it was too late. The message was out, and it was crystal clear: nobody wants this.

Users were blunt: « No one wants this, » « We want an OS that works, not AI everywhere, » « Linux is seriously starting to look good. » And they weren’t wrong. While Microsoft churns out PowerPoints about « the agentic OS of the future, » people just want their File Explorer to open in under three seconds.

The situation became so toxic that even developers—historically Windows fans—are now openly saying Windows is no longer their OS of choice. That’s a powerful signal.

The backlash grows, destination Linux 🐧

And that’s where the story gets really interesting. Because while Microsoft stubbornly pursues its AI strategy, a quiet alternative is gaining ground: Linux.

For years, Linux was perceived as an OS for bearded developers and hardcore hackers. Too complicated, not enough games, nonexistent drivers—the excuses were plentiful. But in 2025, something changed. According to the Steam Hardware Survey, Linux crossed the symbolic 3% user threshold in October 2025, even reaching 3.2% in November—an all-time record.

What explains this rise? One word: Steam Deck.

Valve’s handheld console, running SteamOS (based on Linux), demonstrated that a Linux OS could deliver a smooth gaming experience without compromises. And users took notice. Today, nearly 27% of Linux gamers use SteamOS, and gaming-friendly distributions like Bazzite are exploding in popularity.

Linux for gamers? It’s become reality 🎮

Five years ago, recommending Linux to a gamer would have been absurd. Today, it’s legitimate advice. Thanks to Proton—the compatibility layer developed by Valve—the majority of Windows games now run natively on Linux, often with equivalent or even superior performance.

The numbers speak for themselves: Linux now represents over 3% of Steam players, and this growth is driven by users frustrated with Windows 11. The end of Windows 10 support in October 2025 was a major catalyst. Rather than migrate to Windows 11 with its strict hardware requirements and unwanted AI features, many chose to make the leap to Linux.

Distributions like Bazzite, Nobara, or even SteamOS on PC now offer a turnkey experience: simple installation, preinstalled drivers, maximum gaming compatibility. Gone are the days when you had to compile your kernel by hand to run a game. Today, it’s plug-and-play.

Microsoft at a crossroads 🛤️

Microsoft’s fundamental problem is that they’ve forgotten what an operating system is. An OS isn’t an advertising platform. It’s not an experimentation ground for AI startups. It’s a tool—a tool that needs to be reliable, fast, and get out of the way of what users actually want to do.

Windows 11 does exactly the opposite. It imposes itself, slows things down, crashes, collects data. And meanwhile, Microsoft piles on AI features nobody asked for, instead of fixing bugs that have been lingering for months.

The real question now is: how far can this strategy go? Because users have limited patience. Developers too. And when Linux becomes a credible alternative for gaming—Windows’s last stronghold—there’s reason for Redmond to worry.

So here’s a question for you: has Windows 11 made you want to try Linux? Or do you think Microsoft will eventually course-correct? Share your experience in the comments—I’m genuinely curious where you stand with Windows today.