Visual Studio Code has been updated to version 1.109.5, bringing three practical upgrades to users' day-to-day workflow with background agents. The update introduces slash commands, which allow users to invoke built-in actions directly from prompt files by prepending a "/" character, streamlining interactions and eliminating the need for extra mouse clicks. Additionally, the update adds a rename option for background agent sessions, enabling users to organize past discussions in the sidebar and improve search filters. Meanwhile, Kitty keyboard support has been enabled in VS Code 1.109.5, allowing for smoother navigation between editor panes and faster snippet insertion.
The TypeScript 6.0 beta has been released, allowing developers to try out new features and defaults without breaking their projects. The update is a bridge to the upcoming native Go-based compiler in 7.0, which means many changes have been made to future-proof projects, but may cause issues for those not already using modern practices. To get started with the beta, developers can install it as a dev dependency and adjust three default settings: strict mode, module type, and target ECMAScript version, before running the compiler and addressing any resulting errors. While the upgrade path is mostly painless for projects already using modern practices, those who rely on older bundlers or custom scripts may want to wait until these tools are upgraded.
Microsoft has released Visual Studio Code 1.109.2, which focuses on fixing bugs and improving the chat experience within the IDE. This update addresses the long-standing Alt-buffer bug that caused duplicate terminals to open when users pressed Alt-keys, making it easier to navigate the terminal. Additionally, the Chat panel now filters options more reliably, reducing accidental selections and making it easier for developers to manage multiple conversations. The patch also includes several minor tweaks, such as renaming background agent display names and updating search terminology, which aim to improve overall performance and user experience in VS Code.
.NET 11 Preview 1 has arrived, bringing a bundle of runtime, SDK, library, and language tweaks that aim to squeeze out performance and add missing conveniences. The libraries now ship Zstandard compression, BFloat16 support, Rune handling across string APIs, FrozenDictionary literals, and native hard‑link creation. On the runtime side Microsoft reduced async overhead, enabled CoreCLR on WebAssembly, tightened GC limits for 32‑bit processes, and added RISC‑V and s390x architecture support. The SDK gains interactive framework selection, positional test arguments, configurable hot‑reload ports, new analyzers, while C# adds collection expression arguments and F# enables parallel compilation by default.
Microsoft’s Windows Package Manager 1.28 release candidate finally lets you flip a source between explicit and implicit with winget source edit, and the new --details switch turns the cramped table view of winget list into a full‑blown package report. The “source edit” subcommand rewrites the local settings file so winget can ignore an unavailable custom feed, which is handy after driver updates that break custom sources.
Visual Studio Code 1.109.1 finally blocks the terminal auto‑replies bug that let commands replay themselves across trusted folders, a flaw that showed up as phantom “npm install” prompts when switching projects. The fix works only after restarting the window, so the safest interim measure is to disable terminal.integrated.autoReplies in Settings. After updating, confirming the version number and launching a terminal in an untouched folder should reveal no lingering auto‑executed commands. For long‑term stability, keep the option off unless a specific extension explicitly needs it, and re‑enable it on a per‑workspace basis.
Microsoft has released PowerToys 0.97.2, which addressed several crashes in its latest patch. The update fixes issues with Advanced Paste, Image Resizer, Explorer-related crashes, and more, which should improve everyday use for users. Additionally, the Color Picker now has better contrast on low-brightness displays, while the Command Palette respects localization strings for extensions.
Visual Studio Code 1.109 introduces several AI-driven features that aim to improve productivity and workflow efficiency. The update includes improved chat UX, allowing users to see each token appear as it's generated, and agent session management, enabling users to jump into running agents when they hit roadblocks. Additionally, the new orchestration editor lets users build custom workflows without writing JSON code by hand, while built-in support for Claude and Anthropic models provides more options for AI-powered tasks. The update also includes various minor features such as improved search functionality, terminal enhancements, and coding and editing improvements that aim to shave seconds off the daily routine.
The latest pre-release version of Windows Package Manager (winget) v1.12.470 offers various improvements and fixes, including font handling and a WinUI 3 makeover for the App Installer that should resolve "missing runtime" issues on older Windows builds. The MCP server wizard has been introduced to simplify managing sources, setting policies, and tweaking authentication, reducing manual editing of configuration files. This release also resolves several bugs, such as preventing the removal of PATH entries when dev mode is disabled and fixing progress bars in the App Installer. Additionally, winget now supports font installation, uninstallation, and searching, with experimental features available for auditing installed fonts.
Microsoft has announced its January 2026 update for the Azure SDK, which brings new AI features and expands services available to developers. The update includes a major step forward in supporting Foundry Agents Service through AI Foundry 1.2.0-beta.1 for .NET, offering improved evaluation, insights, and scheduling options, among other tools. Additionally, Azure AI Search has been updated with version 11.8.0-beta.1 for .NET, incorporating new features such as facet aggregations, expanded knowledge source options, and integration with Azure OpenAI models like GPT-5. However, the update also includes some breaking changes, including a name change from Knowledge Agent to Knowledge Base.
Microsoft has released PowerToys 0.97.1, focusing on fixing stability issues reported by users in the previous version, 0.97.0. The update addresses various problems, including crashes associated with Advanced Paste and bugs in the Command Palette, Peek, and PowerRename features. The latest release also improves Cursor Wrap, allowing for better multi-monitor support and automatic adaptation when working across multiple screens or switching between laptop and desktop modes. Additionally, the update fixes issues related to Runner's tray icon and right-click menu.
Microsoft has released a preview version of the Windows Package Manager (version 1.28.110) with several new features aimed at enhancing user experience. The update includes improvements to the winget component, allowing for more control over log files and better management of system resources. Additionally, two experimental features have been introduced: 'sourceEdit', which enables flexible source manipulation through configuration settings, and 'listDetails', which provides detailed information about installed applications directly from their manifest data. This preview release also includes internal clean-up and bug fixes to improve the reliability and usability of the package manager.
Microsoft has released Windows Terminal Preview 1.24.10212, bringing several improvements and bug fixes to the app. The update includes visual tweaks such as dimming caption buttons when the terminal window is out of focus, making navigation feel smoother. Issues with Chinese and Japanese IME systems have also been resolved, allowing users in those regions to resume their activities without problems. Additionally, the update addresses threading issues that previously caused error dialogs and hanging problems, ensuring a more stable user experience.
Windows Terminal has been updated to version 1.23.20211.0, bringing several improvements and bug fixes for users. The update includes an enhanced user experience with backported support for DECSET 2026 Synchronized Output and a UI tweak that dims caption buttons when the terminal window isn't in focus. Other notable changes include restored compatibility for Chinese and Japanese input methods and improved stability to prevent crashes related to background processes. Additionally, error messages have been trimmed, exit handling has been enhanced for portable versions, and potential fixes have been implemented for XAML focus crashes.
A new update, Visual Studio Code version 1.108.2, has been released with several key fixes and improvements. The main focus of this update is on Cloud Agents support, including the addition of a pre-release option for Partner Agent integration that allows early adopters to try out new features without affecting others. Another issue addressed in this update is a macOS display bug where VS Code sometimes failed to load certain parts of the interface properly after waking up from sleep mode. This update should resolve a frustrating experience for some users who rely on smooth performance from VS Code, especially those using Apple machines.
Microsoft has released a new version of the Attack Surface Analyzer (ASA) tool, version 2.3.331, which includes several behind-the-scenes improvements aimed at enhancing its performance and reliability. These changes focus on updating pipeline management and aligning NuGet dependencies with the latest versions to ensure framework compatibility. The update suggests that Microsoft is prioritizing user needs and aiming to provide a robust tool for monitoring OS security posture over time. By refining ASA in this way, users can effectively monitor their system's safety during software installations and updates.
Microsoft has released a new preview build of Winget, version 1.28.100, designed for users who want to actively test upcoming changes. This release includes several notable improvements, such as the ability to control log file sizes and an experimental feature called 'sourceEdit,' which allows users to switch between explicit and implicit source definitions. The update also includes specific bug fixes, such as resolving issues with how portable packages handle directory separators and improving the initial detail output for winget configure test. Users can try out the new preview build by flipping a switch in their settings to enable 'sourceEdit' and adjusting its behavior with commands.
Microsoft has released Windows Package Manager 1.12.46, a servicing release of version v1.12 that brings several updates and bug fixes. New features include the availability of an MCP server to help configure clients, support for font installation and uninstallation, and a new winget-fonts source. The App Installer now uses WinUI 3, and the manifest schema and validation have been updated to v1.12. Bug fixes address issues with manifest validation, package removal, source open failure, and App Installer functionality.
Microsoft has released PowerToys 0.97.0, a significant update that brings several new features, stability improvements, and optimizations to the table. A standout change is the refreshed Command Palette, which now includes a Personalization page for users to customize their interface with background images and custom colors. Other notable additions include a fallback ranking system for search results in the palette, improved CLI integration, and enhanced tools like CursorWrap and Advanced Paste. The update also addresses bugs and improves various aspects of PowerToys, such as Mouse Without Borders, Peek, and Quick Accent, making it more stable and user-friendly overall.
Microsoft has released Visual Studio Code version 1.108.1, which primarily focuses on fixing issues caused by recent changes during development. The team addressed several bugs, including a terminal suggestion problem where incorrect file suggestions would appear when typing commands like "ls ../". Additionally, the update resolves text display problems causing blurry or torn-apart output in terminals and conflicts with the Ctrl+Shift+G key combination that activated an editor action. The new release should provide a more comfortable coding experience for users who encountered these issues.
