For more than 13 years, Surface has been shaped by the people who use it. Architects sketch buildings, developers train models, students build startups and field engineers solve problems that rarely make headlines. We didn't intend to design for one audience, but the people who’ve chosen Surface have defined it through their work. They build, shape, solve and ship, often before anyone else sees what’s coming. That pattern is now the platform: new devices, new features and a continued commitment to the makers who show us what Surface means by how they use it.

Expanding Surface for the work ahead

2026 has brought important updates for Surface. We delivered our broadest Surface for Business lineup to date, with new enterprise features including an integrated privacy screen. Later this year, we’ll deliver Surface Laptop Ultra, our most powerful Surface Laptop ever, built for developers and creative professionals pushing their work further. We’ll also deliver Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, an entirely new category of Surface hardware purpose-built for AI developers who need sustained local compute. Surface is investing everywhere: from entry points to ultra-premium performance, from the enterprise to the individual maker. Today, we’re introducing the next Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, powered by Snapdragon X2 processors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsles7xMMFA

New: Surface Pro and Surface Laptop with Snapdragon X2

The next Surface Pro and Surface Laptop ship with Snapdragon X2 processors, delivering more performance for the work people do every day. These new PCs are available starting June 16, with Surface for Business availability beginning July 14.

Surface Pro 13-inch: The most versatile 2-in-1 PC

Available in Platinum, Black and Dune [1], the new Surface Pro combines the flexibility of a tablet with the capability of full Windows, so you can move from sketching and notetaking to real desktop work on one device. Starting at $1,499 (MSRP), the new Surface Pro 13-inch with Snapdragon X2 delivers up to 53% faster graphic performance than the previous generation [2], up to 15.5 hours of battery life [3] and a 1440p Quad HD camera with ultrawide field of view for clear video and natural framing on screen. With a stunning optional OLED display, it delivers deeper blacks, higher contrast and greater color accuracy, so you can trust what you’re seeing without second guessing. Paired with the optional Surface Pro Flex Keyboard, now available in Dune, this is the 2-in-1 for the makers who want a lightweight tablet without stepping down from the power and flexibility of Windows. No tradeoffs required.

Surface Laptop 13.8-inch and 15-inch: All-day performance

Starting at $1,599 (MSRP), the Surface Laptop pairs the premium build quality Surface is known for with the power of Snapdragon X2 with up to 58% more graphics performance than the previous generation [4]. The new Laptop delivers up to 20 hours of battery life on the 13.8-inch and up to 19 hours on the 15-inch [5]. Whether you're running local models, collaborating across time zones or deep in a creative workflow, it keeps up when the work stacks up. That focus carries through to the display. Both models feature bright, color-accurate LCD screens, and the new Surface Laptop 15-inch display gets sharper, jumping from 201 PPI to 262 PPI for greater detail and clarity. In addition to Platinum, Black and Dune, the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop comes in a beautiful new color: Jade. Round it out with the No.1 ranked laptop camera by DXOMARK [6], and Surface Laptop holds its place as the everyday workhorse of the lineup.

Making AI work for real work

We don't believe AI should be confined to one place. Some workloads belong on device: processed locally, fast always available. Others need the scale of the cloud. Most real work moves between both, sometimes in the same session. Surface is built for that reality. With dedicated NPU silicon, optimized Windows integration and full cloud connectivity, every new Surface device is designed to run AI workloads wherever they make the most sense. On-device inference. Cloud-scale processing. Create hybrid workflows that can move seamlessly between both. Wherever the work moves, Surface is built to move with it.

Feedback you can feel

A good interface gives back more than you put in. Across the touchpad on the new Surface Laptop and Slim Pen with Surface Pro, feel subtle haptic feedback across Windows and the apps you use every day. Snap a window into place. Scrub through a video. Create in Affinity. Every move lands. This isn't a feature for the spec sheet. It's clarity, so actions feel certain. Inclusion, so feedback reaches past what you can see and hear. Delight, so the small moments feel made for you. Learn more at Microsoft Design about how advanced haptics in Windows 11 bring clarity, inclusion and delight to everyday interactions. Our partnership with Affinity runs deeper than a touchpad gesture. Surface Pro and Surface Laptop ship with Affinity pinned to the Start menu [7], ready the moment you sign in with professional-grade design, photo and publishing tools, tuned to take full advantage of Surface hardware for a smooth and responsive experience.

Designed with sustainability and repair in mind

Surface devices are built with sustainability in mind. Surface Laptop 13.8-inch and 15-inch and Surface Pro 13-inch are made with a durable 100% recycled aluminum enclosure, reducing reliance on virgin materials [8]. These devices are also built for high performance and energy efficiency. Each device is certified by ENERGY STAR, all outperforming the efficiency baseline by at least 50% [9]. The new Surface Repair Tool gives you guided repair workflows designed by Microsoft. From one screen, you can see your device’s model and key device information, run tests on supported components (including the battery, display, or camera) and walk through guided repairs for eligible parts like the battery, display, touchpad or motherboard.

Find your next Surface on Microsoft.com

Discover the new Surface lineup and find the one that’s right for you at Microsoft.com. For a limited time, customers in the U.S. can take advantage of our exclusive hero offer from June 16 through June 30, including a free Surface Pro 13-inch Keyboard when purchasing a Surface Pro 13-inch or a free Surface Arc Mouse when purchasing a Surface Laptop 13.8-inch or Surface Laptop 15-inch, plus 50% off Microsoft Complete for added protection. When you shop at Microsoft Store, you’ll also benefit from added value. Our trade-in plus-up offer can save you up to $900 when you trade in your old device. Our 60-day return policy provides additional peace of mind and a one-year manufacturer warranty included with every device makes it easier than ever to upgrade with confidence.

What you make next

Thirteen years in, we’re driven by the same goal we’ve always been: empowering people to realize their vision and create new worlds. We’ll keep building. The rest is yours. Visit Surface.com to explore the new lineup. [1] Colors available on selected models only. Available colors, sizes, finishes and processors may vary by store, market and configuration. [2] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark comparing Surface Pro, 13-inch (12th Edition) with Snapdragon X2 Elite to Surface Pro 13-inch (11th Edition) with Snapdragon X Elite devices. [3] Based on local video playback test. Battery life varies significantly based on usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. See aka.ms/SurfaceBatteryPerformance for details. [4] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using 3DMark Steel Nomad Lite benchmark comparing Surface Laptop, 13.8 -inch and 15-inch (8^th Edition) with Snapdragon to Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch and 15-inch (7^th Edition) with Snapdragon. [5] Based on local video playback test. Battery life varies significantly based on usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. See aka.ms/SurfaceBatteryPerformance for details. [6] Based on commissioned testing by DXOMARK in April 2026 of Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch with Snapdragon X2 M10 16GB/256GB and the DXOMARK laptop camera ranking as ofJune 16. 2026. Claim applies only to devices with the same camera hardware, firmware and settings as tested. Rankings may change. More information: Laptop Ranking - DXOMARK [7] On Surface for Business devices, Affinity app requires installation. [8] Surface Pro, 13-inch enclosure includes bucket, kickstand. 86% recycled content in the enclosure, consisting of 100% recycled aluminum alloy in bucket, and 100% recycled rare earth metals in the magnets. Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch and 15-inch, enclosure includes A Cover and C Bucket. 64% recycled content in the enclosure, consisting of 100% recycled aluminum alloy in A Cover and C Bucket, and 100% recycled rare earth metals in the magnets. Based on validation performed by Underwriter Laboratories, Inc. using Environmental Claim Validation Procedure (ECVP) for Recycled Content, UL ECVP 2809-2, Second Edition, dated June 2024. [9] Comparison based on product energy consumption vs. ENERGY STAR certification limits for personal computers. Actual performance varies by configuration and usage.

Making Windows the trustworthy OS for agents

AI agents are no longer just answering questions, they are taking actions across systems with increasing autonomy. As they become persistent participants in how software runs, they introduce new risk to control and trust, challenging the security assumptions that have defined computing for decades. Developers are building agents that read files, invoke services, modify environments and chain operations together at increasing speed. That capability is powerful, but it raises a critical question: how do you ensure these systems remain trustworthy when they operate autonomously, at scale, on real data? This shift changes what developers, IT and security teams need from the platform. Security for agents must be built into the foundation by design so they can be developed, deployed and governed with confidence. When that foundation is in place, organizations can scale agent adoption while maintaining control and trust. Containment, identity and manageability are built as foundational primitives in Windows, extending security beyond the app and model into the OS. We’ve previously shared the principles guiding how we secure agent workflows on Windows. Then in May we announced how Microsoft Agent 365 was expanding its capabilities, including the ability to discover and manage local agents on Windows, starting with OpenClaw agents and expanding soon to other widely used agents like GitHub Copilot CLI and Claude Code.  We also announced that "beyond monitoring, organizations will be able to apply policy-based controls to set guardrails for what agents are allowed to do."  At Build 2026 we are sharing an update on how Agent 365 and Windows are working together to provide those capabilities with the introduction of Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) SDK. For developers, Windows will provide the building blocks needed to implement agents that are more secure on both consumer and enterprise systems. For IT teams looking to balance deploying agents at scale while managing risks, Agent 365 and Windows provide the observability, governance and security capabilities that are critically needed.

Policy-based controls

Containment bounds what agents can access and do, so non-deterministic behavior doesn’t translate into uncontrollable risk. Unlike traditional applications, agent behavior is dynamic and often generated at runtime. The agent often uses models to generate complex code for each prompt that can read, act and chain multiple operations. Containment ensures agents can do useful work without being granted the full authority of the user’s session.

The Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) SDK

To contain agent impact without limiting productivity gains, we’re introducing an early preview of the Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) SDK, a cross-platform, policy-driven execution layer for agents on Windows and WSL. Developers define what to constrain in their apps and agents, and Windows enforces those constraints consistently at runtime through MXC. MXC provides an abstraction layer across isolation primitives, so developers do not have to manage low-level isolation details.

The composable sandbox and containment spectrum

The composable sandbox is how Windows applies isolation and containment in practice, with MXC as the control surface for developers. The same policy model and SDK can map to different isolation constructs depending on the workload and containment requirements. A coding agent and an enterprise data-processing agent may not need the same guardrails, but they do need one coherent trust story. The composable sandbox delivers the flexibility and control that developers and IT need. Agent 365's policy-based controls with Microsoft Entra and Intune will be used to apply those MXC constraints to a specific agent. Windows supports a range of containment options so that guardrails can match the nature and risk of the workload. Additional functionality and security enhancements will be added to subsequent releases. The following will be released in early preview shortly after Build to meet the needs of the agent ecosystem:

Process isolation

Windows is simplifying how developers enable process isolation for agents. Process isolation provides fast, lightweight containment within the user’s environment for scenarios like running model-generated code within a dedicated process boundary that restricts access to files and network domains outside defined policy. It is ideal for use cases like coding agents where the developer inner loop must stay responsive. GitHub Copilot CLI has adopted MXC process isolation to constrain what dynamically generated and executed code can do. We are excited to share the results of this deep partnership between Windows and GitHub with our shared customers.

Session isolation

Workloads that span across large numbers of long running processes or ones that need their own resources like a desktop to run automation may find process isolation overly limiting. Sessions in Windows separate the agent’s execution from the human user’s environment, such as the interactive desktop, clipboard, UI, input devices and active sessions. This mitigates UI spoofing, input injection and cross-session data leakage, and is suited for sustained workflows that run alongside the user’s own work. Sessions in Windows run with distinct user accounts, which enables isolation. Windows assigns a local ID or a cloud provisioned identity backed by Entra and attributes all activity from the container to that identity, so you can clearly differentiate human from agent. MXC session isolation paired with unique local ID on Windows enables precise control, least-privilege access and full auditability. Access policies can be applied to Windows session isolation so agents run independently with controlled local access and full lifecycle governance managed through Microsoft Entra and Intune in the cloud. Teams can use Intune policies to require MXC isolation with guardrails such as filesystem rules. Our initial release will support non-interactive sessions with additional capabilities targeted for future releases. As agents evolve, we are continuing to expand MXC containment capabilities and invite developers and the broader ecosystem to share feedback, including through engagement with the project on GitHub. Some other MXC containment capabilities currently on our roadmap are:

Micro-VM

Research at the cutting edge of agent security shows how LLMs are developing capabilities around escaping sandboxes. Is there a way to provide the desirable properties of process isolation like low overhead with a stronger isolation boundary? Micro-VMs that use hardware-backed isolation via the hypervisor with lightweight images can be well suited for higher-risk workloads. The micro-VM construct raises the bar against sandbox escapes by using a hypervisor while facilitating higher density than is possible with full VMs. They are desirable for agents processing sensitive data or running untrusted external code.

Linux containers

Will bring the containment model to Linux-first agent toolchains via WSL. This enables compatibility with Linux ML frameworks and package ecosystems with OS-enforced boundaries.

MXC integration for cloud VM Windows 365 for Agents

Windows 365 for Agents, now generally available, extends containment beyond the local device. The agent runs in an Intune-managed Cloud PC, fully separate from the user’s machine. If compromised, impact is contained to a disposable cloud instance. Suited for enterprise-managed agent fleets with centrally provisioned policy and compliance. To learn more, check out our Windows 365 blog. With the future addition of MXC integration, Windows 365 for Agents will scale from lightweight local isolation to stronger hardware-backed boundaries - through a single SDK and policy model. With the combination of these new Windows capabilities and Agent 365, Microsoft is continuing to expand its full stack offering to help enterprises to observe, govern, and secure their agents.

Innovating with partners in the ecosystem

We are partnering with leading innovators in the industry like Hermes, Manus, NVIDIA, OpenAI and OpenClaw, to ensure the containment we are building supports real developer needs. OpenClaw now runs the node and gateway securely on Windows leveraging MXC. You can use the new Windows companion app to easily set up your own claws or connect to existing ones. NVIDIA brings OpenShell to Windows, built on MXC. Integrating MXC via OpenShell provides developers with an easy-to-deploy package for autonomous, always-on agents safely. Hermes Agent will be integrating OpenShell and MXC in their new Windows application. "Continuously running local agents, like Hermes Agent, require intentional isolation. Developers need control over what an agent can access and trust that those controls will hold,” said Dillon Rolnick, CEO of Nous Research. “Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC), integrated with OpenShell, provides a policy-driven foundation for private, on-device agents on Windows.” "Working with Microsoft on the Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) allows us to explore new patterns for AI agents to safely and efficiently generate and execute code. By combining Codex's capabilities with MXC's execution environment, we aim to help developers move from intent to reliable execution faster, while maintaining the security and control enterprises need," said David Wiesen, Member of Technical Staff, OpenAI “Manus is built to help users move from intent to completed work across tools, files, code and workflows,” said Tao Zhang. Chief Product Officer. “With Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC), Windows gives developers a policy-driven way to define what an agent can access and enforce those boundaries at runtime, so more autonomous agents can operate safely in enterprise environments.”

Built on a secure foundation by design

This agentic security model runs on a Windows platform designed to reduce risk by default. Decades of investment in Windows provide the foundation for everything running on top of it including agentic security capabilities. Under the Secure Future Initiative, continuously strengthening this foundation remains a company-wide priority. Windows reduces the attack surface and raises the security baseline by default – so agents inherit that protection without additional work. It shows up in capabilities like passwordless sign-in with passkeys, Hotpatch updates without restarts, production drivers written in Rust to reduce memory-safety vulnerabilities and post-quantum cryptography in Insider builds. Secure Boot enforces a hardware root of trust on every startup. Defender provides real‑time protection against prompt injection and other emerging agent threats. It uses advanced scanning engines and continuously updated intelligence to detect and respond to attacks. These protections are available to all Windows customers - including consumers using Windows Defender as their primary antivirus. Enterprise manageability has been a longstanding platform capability that IT and security teams depend on Windows to provide. Agent 365 now provides native integration of observability, governance and security capabilities for agents running on Windows OS environments, like MXC and Windows 365 for agents, so agents running on Windows can start secure and stay secure. Windows will continue to raise the bar for platform security with capabilities like our recently announced Baseline Security Mode. Together, these investments help provide the secure foundation on which trustworthy agentic computing is built.

Start building secure agents today

The value of an agent is not just what it can do, but whether it can be trusted in production. Windows enables agents that are secure, governable and ready for real-world deployment. Many of these capabilities are available today in Windows Insider builds, with more coming through our developer preview program. Windows continues to evolve so developers and organizations can move fast on AI while maintaining trust and security. We are excited to see what you build. To get started:

• Explore the Microsoft Execution Containers SDK.
• Try process and session isolation in Windows Insider builds when available shortly after Build.

Build is one of our favorite moments each year - a chance to connect with the global developer community and share what we’ve been building. Over the past year, we have connected with many developers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on Windows. What we consistently hear is that you want a platform that meets you where you are, removes friction and gives you the flexibility to choose how and where you build across local and cloud, across platforms, languages and frameworks. That feedback has shaped everything we are announcing today. The foundation of great development starts with strong fundamentals, coupled with a great developer experience. We are continuing to raise the bar on Windows 11 quality and deeply focused on making Windows more secure, more reliable across the shell - from Explorer to Start to Search – with a simple goal to reduce cognitive load. Whether you are building modern applications or experimenting with agent-driven workflows, we are committed to making Windows more adaptable, capable and aligned with how development actually happens today. And as AI continues to reshape how software is built, we are investing deeply in enabling you to run your AI workloads securely where it makes the most sense on-device, in the cloud or across both without trade-offs. Our goal is simply to give you a platform that accelerates your ideas.

What’s new for Windows platform at Build?

• Developer-optimized Windows 11 experience to build and ship faster.
  • Coreutils for Windows - a set of Linux-like command line utilities that run natively on Windows, now generally available.
  • WSL containers - a built-in way to create, run and interact with Linux containers using familiar CLI & API, coming soon to public preview.
  • Windows Development Skills - gives agents structured knowledge to build great native Windows apps end-to-end using WinUI3 skills and WinApp CLI, now generally available.
  • Intelligent Terminal – intentionally brings context-aware intelligence to your favorite agents directly into a terminal based experience to help debug errors, run multi-step tasks so you can stay in your flow, available in experimental preview.
  • Windows Developer Configurations - powered by WinGet, sets up a distraction-free dev environment with VS Code, GitHub Copilot, WSL, PowerShell 7 and developer-optimized settings with one command on any Windows 11 device, now generally available.
  • Windows 365 with Developer configuration – Windows 365 comes pre-configured with the same Windows developer configuration, available in public preview.
• Secure Windows platform to build and run agents with OS-enforced agent identity, containment and enterprise-grade manageability.
  • Introducing Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) SDK– A policy-driven execution layer that lets developers declare what an agent can access (e.g., files, network) with containment boundaries enforced at runtime. MXC offers a spectrum of isolation semantics that are dynamically composable based on intent and risk, available in early preview.
  • Agent 365 native integration with MXC enables agents running on Windows to start secure and stay secure. Integration will deliver Defender, Entra, Intune and Purview protections so security and IT teams can constrain and secure local agents to prevent enterprise risk, available in preview in July.
  • OpenClaw runs natively on Windows leveraging MXC - The Windows node and gateway run contained, so your system stays secure. You can easily install and use OpenClaw in Windows with its own companion app and set up your own claws or connect to existing ones, available in open-source. We are invested in continuing to make OpenClaw run securely on Windows.
  • NVIDIA is bringing OpenShell to Windows built on MXC - Integrating MXC via OpenShell provides developers with an easy-to-deploy package for autonomous, always-on agents safely.
  • Windows 365 for Agents - provides computer-using agents with secure, managed Cloud PCs to execute enterprise workflows, now generally available.
• Unmetered intelligence on Windows powered by on-device AI
  • Introducing new on-device SLMs - Aion 1.0 Instruct, a smaller, faster and smarter on-device SLM, and Aion 1.0 Plan, a reasoning and tool-calling model that enables fully local agentic capabilities, available in the coming months.
  • Expanding Windows AI APIs to more Windows 11 PCs across CPU and GPU Speech-to-text recognition API available on NPUs and CPUs. On-device SLM expands to capable dGPUs enabling text-intelligence capabilities locally and Video Super Resolution available on CPUs so developers can deliver richer experiences without a cloud round trip.
• Introducing Surface RTX Spark Dev Box – purpose-built for developers powered by NVIDIA RTX Spark silicon, delivering up to 1 petaflop of AI compute paired with 128 GB of unified memory shared across the CPU and GPU. Comes with all of the above developer optimized Windows 11 experience so developers can build, test and run AI and agent workloads locally without setup friction or unpredictable cloud costs.
• Introducing DGX Station for Windows — the world’s most powerful deskside AI supercomputer for developing and running agents on Windows — powered by the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip. It is purpose-built to develop and run up to 1 trillion-parameter frontier AI models locally, as well as connect always-on, frontier AI agents to enterprise applications and workflows, coming in Q4 this year.
• New capabilities in Microsoft Store – We are committed to making Microsoft Store a trusted platform for app distribution, delivering free and faster company onboarding with Entra ID support, accelerated app certification times, and new near real-time analytics and subscription insights for developers.

Introducing Project Solara

We're introducing Project Solara, a new platform built from the ground up to power agent-driven experiences, including two new concept devices that reimagine how this comes to life. With agents becoming a both a new unit of programming and an emerging new unit of human-to-machine interaction, the mission of Project Solara is to pioneer agent-first experiences that are shaped around you: your agents, your tasks, your environment, under your control.

Developer-optimized Windows 11 experience to build and ship faster

We have optimized the Windows 11 experience for developers, bringing frequently used command line utilities, a familiar comfort shell, faster setup experience, a built-in way to create and interact with Linux containers on Windows and a new experimental Intelligent Terminal.

Announcing general availability of Coreutils for Windows

Developers constantly move between platforms, but familiar commands don't work consistently, forcing workarounds, lost speed and context switching. To address this, we've built Coreutils for Windows from the uutils open-source project, a cross-platform reimplementation of GNU Coreutils in Rust. These are Linux-like command-line utilities that run natively on Windows. Whether you're moving between Linux, macOS, WSL, containers or cloud environments, the commands and workflows you've built over years just work in your Windows environment. Explore and get started with Coreutils for Windows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bcFOTI35gI

Announcing WSL containers, coming soon to public preview

Containers and Linux are core to modern development workflows. Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) has become foundational for running Linux workloads on Windows. Last year at Build 2025, we open-sourced WSL, and community contributions have grown to over 200 PRs per month. We're building on this momentum by integrating WSL more deeply into Windows with WSL containers. Modern container workflows on Windows often depend on third‑party tooling, adding setup overhead, licensing cost and limited enterprise control. IT teams also lack consistent visibility into what’s running and how containers interact with the underlying host. WSL containers provide a built-in way to create, run and interact with Linux containers on Windows. Whether you are working on local development, AI/ML workflows or containerized testing, Linux containers run out of the box. To enable you to build WSL containers, we are offering WSL containers CLI & API.

• WSL containers CLI: Use the new exe binary to directly build, run and deploy Linux containers on Windows, out of the box.
• WSL containers API: Access functions to run Linux containers programmatically in your native Windows apps - unlocking scenarios like running local AI workloads, testing pipelines, and Linux based processing.

For enterprises, WSL containers provide policy‑based enablement and management using familiar Windows controls. IT admins gain visibility into what Linux containers are running on developer machines, can control where images are sourced from, and can govern how containers interact with the host. WSL containers will be available in public preview in the coming months as a regular update to WSL. Since WSL is open source, you can view the team’s progress at our WSL GitHub. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c78ZMB7SgHM

Announcing general availability of Windows Developer Configurations

We understand that getting to a code-ready state quickly matters, regardless of your development workflow. Windows Developer Configurations enables you to go from a fresh machine to a ready-to-code environment in minutes. It includes:

• dev-config.winget - a WinGet configuration file, to get an optimized, distraction free development environment with the right versions of essential developer tools installed – WSL, PowerShell 7, Git, GitHub CLI, Visual Studio Code, Python and more. It also applies developer-optimized settings — like Git version control in File Explorer, file extensions visible and hidden files shown. It’s fully customizable, so you can adapt it to your needs and add your favorite third‑party tools.
• Workload-specific scripts for container, cloud and infrastructure development - make it easy to install the exact tools, libraries and dependencies you need for your specific use case.
• WSL comfort setup scripts - enable you to bring your preferred tools and workflows to Windows - like homebrew, zsh, starship, and more.

Get started or tailor it to your needs by exploring Windows Developer Configurations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaR-JpaWFqw

Announcing Intelligent Terminal, available as experimental version

Developers spend a significant part of their workflow in the terminal, but today that experience lacks integration with agentic tools and context they rely on. They must leave the terminal to look up fixes, and copy suggestions from multiple sources, which leads to increased context switching. To address this, Intelligent Terminal provides context to your favorite agents via ACP (Agent Communication Protocol) so you can stay in the terminal and query, debug or complete any task on hand. It is based on the existing Windows Terminal experience, so you get everything it offers (tabs, profiles, themes, settings, shells) plus native agent CLI integration in the agent pane. If no agent is installed, GitHub Copilot is available for you to get started. In a typical scenario, when a command fails, Intelligent Terminal automatically surfaces the context and suggests fixes you can run immediately in the dedicated agent pane. Instead of debugging step-by-step across multiple tools, you can resolve issues, iterate and move forward quickly while staying in your flow. To learn more, check out the Intelligent Terminal blog. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1DmM6_z4zk

Announcing general availability of Windows Development Skills

We are introducing Windows Development Skills to enable agents to directly leverage structured knowledge to execute across the full lifecycle of building a native Windows app using WinUI3 skills and winapp CLI. By powering agents with Windows specific application development knowledge, these skills help achieve token efficiency. To add Windows Development Skills to your favorite agents visit https://aka.ms/winui-skills. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OK30hI5h-I

Announcing Windows 365 with Developer configuration, available in public preview

Alongside local development, enterprises often increasingly need a cloud-based option to standardize development environments across teams, scale on demand and to be ready to code from any device - without managing local infrastructure or setup. To address these needs, we are bringing new developer capabilities to Windows 365, a cloud-based service that securely streams a full Windows desktop experience to any device. Windows 365 with Developer configuration offers ready‑to‑code environments in the cloud. This image provides a consistent, preconfigured Windows 11 development experience from first sign‑in, with commonly used tools such as Visual Studio Code, Git, GitHub CLI and WSL already set up.  The environment can also be extended with additional SDKs, CLIs, packages and build tools based on project requirements, while remaining aligned with organization policies and controls. With flexible performance configurations and seamless access from any device, Windows 365 helps streamline development workflows, whether working on-site or remotely, across Windows and Linux (via WSL) environments, running AI models or moving between local and cloud setups. To learn more, check out the Windows 365 blog. All these improvements share a common goal: giving developers an environment they can rely on, one that stays out of the way and keeps them in the flow. And as AI becomes integral to how software is built and shipped, the platform must evolve too. That's why we're taking the next step: making Windows the best place to build and run agents.

Windows is the secure platform to build and run agents with OS-enforced containment, agent identity and enterprise-grade manageability

As agents become more capable and autonomous, they're delivering material productivity gains. But they're also introducing new risk, and the issue isn't just the agent. It's the entire system the agent operates across. Every interaction — between agents and humans, tools, apps, models and even other agents — exposes new attack surface and introduces different failure modes. This is a multi-layer systems problem. That's why we've built containment, identity and manageability as foundational primitives in the operating system — making Windows the most trusted platform to build and run agents.

Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) — now available in early preview

It's critical to contain agent impact without limiting productivity gains. That’s why we are introducing Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC), a cross-platform, policy-driven execution layer for agents across Windows and WSL. Developers declare what an agent can access, like files and networking related policies configured in Intune, and MXC enforces those boundaries at runtime. Windows delivers a composable sandbox spectrum through MXC — a single SDK and policy model that maps to the right isolation construct for any agent workload.

• Fast process isolation (adopted by GitHub Copilot CLI) and session isolation separates the agent's execution from the user's desktop, clipboard, UI and input devices, and critically, binds the agent to a strong user identity — mitigating UI spoofing, input injection and cross-session data leakage. Process isolation and session isolation will be available to Windows Insiders shortly after Build.
• Windows 365 for Agents, now generally available, extends containment beyond the local device and agents run in an Intune-managed Cloud PC, fully separate from the user's machine.
• Micro-VMs, Linux containers and MXC integration for Windows 365 for Agents are currently on our roadmap as additional MXC containment capabilities.
• Agent 365 layers Entra and Intune policy on top so IT can govern containment centrally while developers choose the guardrail weight their workload demands.

OS-enforced Agent Identity and enterprise manageability on Windows

Beyond containment, every agent activity must be attributable and governed. Windows assigns agents a local ID or a cloud provisioned identity backed by Entra and attributes all activity from the container to that identity, so you can clearly differentiate human from agent. Native Windows integration with Agent 365 provides a common foundation for observability, security and governance, including native Intune integration to set policies that gate the agent runtime execution and control how agents run. Defender, Entra, Intune and Purview will provide runtime protections for evolving threats across access, sensitive data, malicious prompts and risky behavior so security and IT teams can prevent enterprise risk. Get started at: Microsoft Execution Containers. Learn more at: Windows Platform Security for AI Agents and aka.ms/BUILD_SecurityBlog.

Innovating with partners in the ecosystem

We are partnering with leading innovators in the industry like Hermes, Manus, NVIDIA, OpenAI and OpenClaw, to ensure the containment we are building supports real developer needs. OpenClaw now runs the node and gateway securely on Windows leveraging MXC. You can use the new Windows companion app to easily set up your own claws or connect to existing ones. NVIDIA brings OpenShell to Windows, built on MXC. Integrating MXC via OpenShell provides developers with an easy-to-deploy package for autonomous, always-on agents safely. Hermes Agent will be integrating OpenShell and MXC in their new Windows application. "Continuously-running local agents, like Hermes Agent, require intentional isolation. Developers need control over what an agent can access and trust that those controls will hold,” said Dillon Rolnick, CEO of Nous Research. “Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC), integrated with OpenShell, provides a policy-driven foundation for private, on-device agents on Windows.” "Working with Microsoft on the Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC) allows us to explore new patterns for AI agents to safely and efficiently generate and execute code. By combining Codex's capabilities with MXC's execution environment, we aim to help developers move from intent to reliable execution faster, while maintaining the security and control enterprises need." said David Wiesen, Member of Technical Staff, OpenAI. “Manus is built to help users move from intent to completed work across tools, files, code and workflows,” said Tao Zhang, Chief Product Officer.  “With Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC), Windows gives developers a policy-driven way to define what an agent can access and enforce those boundaries at runtime, so more autonomous agents can operate safely in enterprise environments.” Get started here: OpenClaw Windows Node.

Announcing Windows 365 for Agents generally available within Agent 365

Windows 365 for Agents provides Cloud PCs that enable AI agents to execute multi-step workflows across software, including opening apps, navigating interfaces, entering inputs and processing data. Today, we are making Windows 365 for Agents generally available within Agent 365, enabling Agent builders to build computer-using agents for a variety of enterprise use cases. To learn more, check out Windows 365 for Agents documentation | Microsoft Learn.

Unmetered intelligence delivered on Windows

We're entering a new era of software development. As AI models grow more powerful, agentic workflows demand continuous compute, escalating cloud costs. By shifting some of that intelligence to the edge, we are transforming the developer experience: frontier models tackle frontier problems, while everything else runs locally at scale. A new generation of on-device small language models (SLMs) on Windows is making this easier. Windows ML is the platform that unlocks unmetered intelligence on Windows, enabling developers to build, optimize and deploy AI at scale, across all silicon. Today we are bringing new capabilities to accelerate your local AI development.

A new generation of on-device models - Aion 1.0 Instruct and Aion 1.0 Plan in preview

We are introducing a new generation of models purpose-built for local execution, each designed for a specific tier of device capability. Together, they represent a clear progression: from efficiency at scale to local agentic reasoning, all running without cloud dependency or per-token cost.

• Aion 1.0 Instruct: efficiency at scale. Aion 1.0 Instruct is our next-generation small language model, smaller, faster and more efficient than our current Windows OS SLM. Designed from the ground up for on-device workloads, Aion 1.0 Instruct powers everyday text intelligence (summarization, rewrite, intents, accessibility) and extends beyond Windows APIs with integration into the Edge browser and availability as open weights. Developers can start experimenting with Aion 1.0 Instruct in preview today in Edge Insider channels and as an open source model in July on Hugging Face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkHWGFYNlLI

• Aion 1.0 Plan: local agentic reasoning. Aion 1.0 Plan is a 14-billion parameter reasoning and tool-calling model with 32K context length that ships in-box as part of Windows on capable devices. It enables applications to reason over user intent, invoke tools, manage files and orchestrate sub-agents, bringing fully agentic workflows onto the device.

Announcing new Speech Recognition API

Last year at Build, we introduced Windows AI APIs powered by local on-device models. Today we are adding Speech Recognition API to this list. Speech Recognition API enables real-time or batch, on-device speech-to-text from live audio. Developers can enable their apps to produce transcripts from recordings or embed captions anywhere audio plays, using microphone, streamed or audio file inputs, with hardware-accelerated execution where available. By running locally, transcriptions can still be generated without network connectivity, saving on cloud costs. This unlocks new possibilities for modern text entry, audio-video applications, dictation-enabled workflows and accessibility tools that need reliable, low-latency transcription regardless of connectivity. The Speech Recognition API will enter public preview. The API will initially be limited to English-language speech recognition and will expand as it gradually roll outs across global markets. Learn more about the new Speech Recognition API when it becomes available this week at: aka.ms/speech-recognition-api.

Announcing Expansion of Windows AI APIs across GPUs and CPUs, now available

Windows AI APIs offer the fastest and easiest path for developers to integrate local AI into their apps using ready-to-use APIs powered by on-device models specializing in specific tasks. We are thrilled to share that Windows AI APIs are expanding beyond NPUs to CPUs and GPUs, bringing local AI experiences to a much broader set of Windows 11 devices. In addition to existing NPU support, our existing Windows inbox SLM is available on capable GPUs and Video super resolution and Speech Recognition on CPUs, all in public preview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mSUNPLDZNE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWsBdlZsy_w This expansion gives developers a broader audience for their AI-powered applications with OS-optimized performance. Learn more about Windows API support and minimum hardware requirements here: aka.ms/WinAI/APIs The Windows inbox models that power the AI APIs are not automatically downloaded to every device. They are only acquired when an application on the device requests them, keeping storage and bandwidth impact minimal for users who do not need them. Many app developers are leveraging Microsoft Foundry on Windows to enable local AI in their applications. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=she5m9OTT7Q With Microsoft Foundry on Windows, local AI is no longer a compromise - it is a platform for breakthrough developer experiences. From efficient small models to agentic reasoning to frontier coding, this is unmetered intelligence on Windows.

Windows on next-generation hardware purpose-built for developers

We are bringing purpose-built developer devices which are the best expression of the full suite of advancements and new capabilities we are introducing today from developer optimized experience, secure platform to build and run agents to our local AI platform. With the increase in capability of agentic and coding models that run locally on this class of device, we can take the next step for hybrid compute – bringing the best of cloud and client together. In GitHub Copilot CLI we will enable developers to configure selective task delegation to subagents powered by a local model. Using /fleet, the primary agent running in the cloud builds a plan, assesses the complexity of each task, and routes appropriate ones locally based on the models’ size and capability. This approach harnesses available local compute to reduce cost without compromising on quality. With Windows 11 PCs powered by capable silicon from AMD, Intel, NVIDIA and Qualcomm including workstation-class machines powered by AMD Ryzen™ AI MAX+ 395, new NVIDIA RTX Spark, and data-center-class systems like NVIDIA DGX Station for Windows, developers now have access to unmetered, tiered AI capabilities tailored to specific needs, from everyday development to frontier-class tasks.

Announcing Surface RTX Spark Dev Box available later this year

Surface RTX Spark Dev Box delivers GPU-first AI performance with the new NVIDIA RTX Spark silicon, providing 1 petaflop of AI compute[i] and 128GB of unified memory shared dynamically across CPU and GPU in a single memory address space. This hardware foundation is designed for model optimization, fine-tuning and large inference workloads. By making these workloads practical to run locally, it reduces reliance on cloud only workflows, helping avoid recurring token costs and usage spikes while keeping iteration fast and predictable. Surface RTX Spark Dev Box ships with developer optimized Windows 11 experience - preconfigured with all your essential developer tools - Visual Studio Code, GitHub Copilot available inline in Windows Terminal, WSL, PowerShell 7 and Windows settings tuned for development - so you spend less time configuring your machine and more time building from the moment you sign in. To learn more, check out the Devices blog. Surface RTX Spark Dev Box will be available later this year in the U.S. exclusively on Microsoft.com. Learn more at microsoft.com/devbox [ii]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzD4OvMIECM

Introducing DGX Station for Windows, available later this year

For decades, we have partnered with NVIDIA to bring the most powerful computing experiences to the world. DGX Station for Windows is the next step in a multi‑year journey to bring the full power of Windows and unlock breakthrough AI performance on the Windows platform. Building on the NVIDIA DGX Station™ system design, DGX Station for Windows is the ultimate deskside AI supercomputer bringing NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell-class AI infrastructure directly into the Windows ecosystem — providing the compute needed to build, run and connect powerful AI agents to the applications and infrastructure Windows users already harness.  It can run frontier AI models up to 1 trillion parameters locally.

Stronger Windows security, reducing risk by default

Windows is strengthening its security foundation to reduce risk by default. New capabilities strengthen this foundation across key layers by reducing legacy risk, enforcing code trust and advancing cryptography. This raises the security bar at the platform level, protecting earlier in the lifecycle, not just after code runs.

• Prepare your applications for a post-quantum world on Windows. Windows continues to expand post-quantum cryptography (PQC) support across the platform, broadening algorithm coverage and integrating it more deeply into the platform. This includes PQ hybrid key exchange in the Windows TLS stack, support for composite PQC algorithms through Windows cryptography APIs (CNG) and certificate functions, and PQ certificate issuance via Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS). Read more here.
• Move away from legacy authentication to stronger, more secure defaults, reducing exposure to known attack paths. IAKerb and LocalKDC (in WIP Server and Client) are configurable via new registry keys, helping reduce NTLM usage and enable stronger Kerberos-based authentication across more scenarios. Read more here.
• Ensure only trusted drivers run on your device by default. Driver signing now follows a higher security bar with an updated certification process. Windows is moving toward Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) certified drivers as the default, with a staged transition from audit to enforcement and stronger trust requirements over time. Read more here.
• Protect devices from untrusted apps without disrupting users. Smart App Control for consumers and App Control for Business are expanding in coverage across millions of devices, with stronger reputation-based enforcement, new integration APIs and policy-driven control for enterprise environments.

Looking ahead

Build is always a moment to pause, reflect and look forward. As development continues to evolve, Windows will continue to provide developers with the flexibility to choose their tools, shape their workflows and decide how intelligence runs. Whether you’re building applications, deploying AI models or experimenting with agents, our goal is the same: to make Windows the best place to build - today and into the future. We’re excited to see what you create next. Join us throughout Build to learn more, explore the sessions and dive deeper into the updates shaping the Windows developer platform. [i] Source: NVIDIA. Based on 1 Theoretical FP4 TOPS using the sparsity feature. [ii] Microsoft Surface RTX Spark Dev Box and Surface Laptop Ultra are pre-release products. Products and features are subject to regulatory certification/approval; actual sale and delivery is contingent on compliance with applicable requirements.  

The world is full of makers. Only a few make the world. Surface Laptop Ultra is for them. For those building the systems, the breakthroughs and the infrastructure the world runs on and gets changed by. The ones who see limits as flaws and have the vision to push past them. Surface Laptop Ultra is the most powerful Surface Laptop ever built. Engineered with NVIDIA from the silicon up, optimized for RTX Spark, built on Windows. Made for a kind of work that does not fit in a standard laptop. The work from creators, developers and AI builders has a common shape: massive scenes, long compile cycles, local models and datasets that no longer sit politely in the background. We built Surface Laptop Ultra to meet that work without flinching. From the start, we channeled these makers, pushing through thermal and structural challenges, refining every detail from the inside out to create a device where uncompromising craft meets raw power. Surface Laptop Ultra is our first laptop to combine a powerful NVIDIA Blackwell RTX GPU with up to 128GB of unified memory and full CUDA support. Unified memory allows the pool of RAM to be dynamically allocated wherever your workloads need it most across CPU and GPU, so AI creation, 3D rendering and multi-model workflows run simultaneously, with 1 petaflop of AI compute, capable of running up to 120B parameter models locally[i]. No walls. No compromises. And it does all of it quietly. The ultra-efficient CPU architecture gives creators the headroom to push further. And with all-day battery life[ii], Laptop Ultra keeps moving when the work does. The kind of endurance that lets you finish the work. No matter how ambitious. No matter how demanding. Every detail was considered. We designed Surface Laptop Ultra from the inside out. Mechanical, electrical, thermal, acoustic, materials, industrial design and software engineers at the table from day one. The internal architecture and the external form built as one system. Our engineers designed it with the same discipline we know you bring to your craft, where every micron matters and every choice is deliberate. Precise and light. Available in two finishes: Platinum and Nightfall. The 15-inch mini-LED PixelSense Ultra touchscreen runs up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness, 262 pixels per inch and high-precision color accuracy. The brightest display we’ve ever shipped. The haptic touchpad is the largest we’ve ever put on a Surface. Every port you actually use is on the device: HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, SD card, headphone. These are the ports creators need, and they were picked on purpose. This is Surface craft at its most considered. Performance, durability and repairability living together rather than trading against each other. Nothing wasted. Everything intentional. Surface Laptop Ultra was purpose-built for world makers, in a partnership between Windows, Surface and NVIDIA that approached every challenge with the same intention and the same standard. A machine like this should not sit still. It should be pushed. Taken to the edge. Used to make real what others call impossible. It belongs in the hands of world makers. Surface Laptop Ultra will be available later this year[iii]. Learn more at microsoft.com/ultra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1Oj792qc80 [i] Source: NVIDIA. Based on 1 Theoretical FP4 TOPS using the sparsity feature. [ii] Based on internal testing of pre‑release units. Battery life varies significantly based on usage, settings and other factors. [iii] Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra is a pre-release product and features are subject to change and may vary by country/region. Product and features are subject to regulatory certification/approval; actual sale and delivery is contingent on compliance with applicable requirements.

Every IT leader and partner we work with is navigating the same challenges: AI is changing the demands of how teams work, security threats are growing more sophisticated and agents are changing investment decisions for the future. All under greater scrutiny than ever before. The decisions organizations make now about their PC fleet will determine whether they lead through this transformation or spend years trying to catch up. Microsoft builds Surface to meet these demands. From silicon to software, Surface hardware brings security, hybrid AI capability and intentional design into one integrated platform, so customers do not have to compromise to meet their business outcomes. For customers and partners charting a path forward, Surface is the foundation that makes the rest of the strategy possible:

"At Flagstar, we're focused on equipping our teams with technology that's secure, flexible and ready for the next wave of AI. Surface brings together the hardware, security and Microsoft ecosystem in a way that just works, giving our teams the confidence to run AI-powered workflows on device while staying protected and productive wherever they are." — Jason Pope, Chief Technology Officer, Flagstar Bank

We have always believed that the hardware people use enables businesses and teams to achieve more. Surface was created to set the standard for what a premium Windows PC can be, and that standard has never been higher. Today, we are proud to announce the next generation of the Surface for Business portfolio, the new Surface Pro for Business and Surface Laptop for Business powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors are available today in select markets, delivering world-class performance and AI on the edge to accelerate productivity. Powered by Intel's next‑generation Core Ultra Series 3 architecture, the new Surface Laptop for Business and Surface Pro for Business deliver a meaningful leap in graphics performance, delivering up to 35% more graphics performance than MacBook Air with M5[1], and more than 90% faster performance than Laptop 5[2] on select configurations with Intel Core Ultra X7. From analyzing complex information to presenting to customers or creating content on the go, the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 GPU enables work to move in real time, delivering the sustained, fluid performance leaders expect from a premium business PC, without compromising mobility, battery life or security. Whether your teams are in the boardroom, at a customer site or working from anywhere, these AI PCs are built to perform at the speed of business. Later this year, we will extend the Surface for Business portfolio with models featuring the Snapdragon X2 processors, delivering up to 80% faster local AI inferencing than before[3] and uncompromising battery life[4].

The new Surface Laptop for Business 13-inch is the most portable Surface Laptop, available starting today in select markets in 16GB and 24GB configurations starting at $1,499 (MSRP), with an 8GB configuration coming later this year starting at $1,299.99 (MSRP). With on-device AI processing, Wi-Fi 7[5] and a removable Gen 4 SSD designed for enterprise serviceability, it brings the full Surface experience to the entry-premium tier without asking IT or employees to trade off performance and productivity for portability.

The new Surface Laptop for Business, available in 13.8-inch and 15-inch, is designed for knowledge workers who move fast and expect their technology to keep pace, available starting today in select markets, starting at $1,949.99 (MSRP). Featuring an advanced haptic touchpad, stunning high‑resolution touchscreen display and an optional integrated privacy screen with anti‑glare on select configurations, it delivers a premium productivity experience wherever work happens. With up to 23 hours of battery life[4], Surface Laptop provides the performance and mobility professionals need to stay productive across offices, client sites and everywhere in between. The new Surface Pro for Business 13-inch is thin, powerful and engineered to think as flexibly as your people do, available starting today in select markets, starting at $1,949.99 (MSRP). The 2-in-1 form-factor combines touch, voice, pen or keyboard input alongside on-device AI processing and laptop-level performance to meet the needs of users working on the go or at their desks with 5G options to keep them connected.[6] Our team, relentless in building Surface PCs that meet the needs of businesses today and in the future, is driven by these three product-making principles.

• Security and trust are fundamental and should be built into every aspect of a device.
• Innovative devices are the platform that enables organizations to move faster with hybrid AI to accelerate workflows, productivity and end-to-end management.
• Intentional, functional and human centered design is imperative for hardware that supports how businesses work, with PCs that are built with a focus on reliability, sustainability and repairability features designed to keep employees productive and in their flow.

At Surface, security is a design principle baked in from the very first line of firmware code. Every new Surface for Business device ships as a Secured-core PC: enabling chip-to-cloud protection that is current, enforced[7] and aligned with your Microsoft security stack. Firmware updates are delivered through Windows Update without third-party complexity.

For the first time ever on a Surface device, we are introducing an optional integrated privacy screen with anti-glare. Built directly into select configurations of the 13.8-inch display of our Surface Laptop for Business, this software driven visual privacy filter helps protect sensitive information from unintended viewers and can be centrally managed by IT or activated instantly by employees with a single keystroke. Once activated, the privacy screen provides immediate protection from prying eyes without the need of a third-party physical screen protector. Designed from the ground up as part of our security‑by‑design approach, this innovation is made possible only by the tight integration of Surface hardware and software.

Surface is the first PC built on memory-safe firmware through our open-source Project Mu and Open Device Partnership (ODP) Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), Rust-based drivers and secure embedded controller that is rooted in hardware-based protection, a direct response to one of the industry’s most persistent classes of vulnerabilities. When we say security is built in, we mean it at every layer of the stack. Surface for Business devices are built for the future of AI. Whether you are running models in the cloud or on device, Surface devices are built to take advantage of both. That means features like real-time meeting transcription, intelligent writing assistance, select on-device image generation and live translation that work whether your employee is in a server room, on a plane or in a hospital ward.[8] For customers putting AI to work in real-world environments, that flexibility is already proving essential:

Surface allows us to run AI where learning happens, on the device itself. The future of AI is not everything going to the cloud; it's AI at the edge." — Eric Sedore, AVP and Chief Technology Officer, Syracuse University

For organizations building and deploying enterprise AI applications, Surface is also the reference platform for Windows AI APIs and the Foundry platform. Surface is purpose-built for developers who need a trusted, consistent hardware baseline, helping to enable on-device AI processing that can help offload everyday workloads from the cloud and optimize overall AI infrastructure costs at scale. Surface for Business does not just transform the experience for employees, it transforms the experience for IT. From UEFI to browser, it can be managed through Microsoft Intune. Every device in this portfolio is built to support the end-to-end Microsoft stack: Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot and the Surface Management Portal give IT administrators a single, unified plane to provision devices at scale, enforce policies and manage the full device lifecycle including zero-touch deployment that gets people productive from day one.[7] When the hardware, the operating system, the management platform and the productivity suite are all built and optimized by Microsoft, the result is not just operational efficiency, it’s a level of assurance and confidence that benefits the end-customers and businesses. Surface designs PCs for how businesses work. The materials we choose in every Surface for Business device are not for appearance alone; we build PCs with durability in mind. Each is validated through years-worth of reliability testing[9] designed to simulate the real conditions of everyday professional use: the drops, the pressure, the temperature changes, the open-and-close cycles. The result is a device that stays strong, stays functional and stays looking great. The Surface 3:2 display ratio is not an aesthetic choice, it is a productivity one. The vertical screen real estate from the display ratio means you can have two documents side by side without compromise, with multiple windows that give each app room to ensure productivity. Combined with anti-reflective display technology on select configurations. Surface displays are designed to reduce eye strain across long working days[10], because the best display is one that fades into the background, letting you focus on your work. With advanced haptics, Surface Laptop for Business adds subtle, intelligent tactile feedback to the touchpad experience. From window snapping and resizing to dragging, dropping and navigating content, haptics reinforce intent across the operating system and through select third-party apps delivering a more precise, responsive and confidence inspiring experience. Surface for Business devices are built with sustainability in mind. Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch and 15-inch, and Surface Pro 13-inch are made with a durable 100% recycled aluminum enclosure, reducing reliance on virgin materials[11]. These devices are built for high performance and energy efficiency. Each device is certified by ENERGY STAR, all outperforming the efficiency baseline by at least 45%[12]. Automatic Keyboard Backlight, a new setting enabled on Surface Laptop 13-inch, 13.8 and 15-inch, and Surface Pro 13-inch Keyboards, can help reduce power usage[13]. Surface for Business PCs are also designed for repairability, meaning less glue, and more access. Nearly every major device component across the Surface for Business portfolio is replaceable, backed by a robust parts supply chain so IT teams can source what they need quickly and keep devices in service longer. Repairs are designed for simplicity, clear visual wayfinding guides technicians through each step, and the process is engineered to be completed with commonly available tools. When repair is used instead of replacement a device can stay in the field longer, which helps maximize your investment and helps reduce waste. [14] The AI PC cycle has already arrived. Organizations that move now will build the productivity advantage that compounds over time. Those that wait will find themselves closing a gap that only grows. Our team is continuing to innovate with devices designed for businesses to invest in an evolving future of computing. For a deeper dive on the newest Surface for Business PCs, read our Surface IT Pro blog. Surface for Business gives you the clarity to act: a secure, AI-ready, beautifully designed portfolio, available today in select markets with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 and expanding later this year with Snapdragon X2. It is the full Microsoft stack, realized in hardware, ready for what comes next. New Surface Pro for Business and Surface Laptop for Business are available today at Surface for Business and through Microsoft authorized commercial resellers. [1] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using CineBench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8 and 15-inch with Intel Core Ultra X7 to MacBook Air, 13.5-inch, M5 Chip, 10 Core CPU. [2] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using CineBench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark. Up to 95% faster comparing Surface Laptop, 15-inch with Intel Core Ultra X7 to Surface Laptop 5 15-inch with Intel Core i7. Up to 93% faster comparing Surface Laptop for Business 13.8-inch with Intel Core Ultra X7 processors to Surface Laptop 5 13.5-inch with Intel Core i7. [3] Tested by Microsoft April 2026 using Procyon AI benchmark comparing Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch and 15-inch (8th Edition) with Snapdragon to Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch and 15-inch (7th Edition) with Snapdragon. Performance varies by configuration. [4] Based on local video playback test. Battery life varies significantly based on usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. See aka.ms/SurfaceBatteryPerformance for details. [5] 6GHz band not available in all regions. [6] 5G not available in all areas. Compatibility and performance depend on carrier network, plan and other factors. See carrier for details and pricing. [7] Software license required for some features. Sold separately [8] Feature availability and performance may vary by device, configuration and region. Some AI experiences require internet connection, compatible hardware or Microsoft 365 subscription. [9] Reliability testing conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. Testing does not promise or guarantee future performance under the same conditions in the real world. Customer induced damage or use beyond normal use conditions is not covered under Microsoft’s Limited Hardware Warranty. [10] The Surface Laptop for Business with Intel displays has been designed to minimize unwanted reflections and has been certified by TÜV SÜD to meet the requirements of ISO 9241-307. [11] Surface Pro for Business, 13-inch enclosure includes bucket, kickstand. 86% recycled content in the enclosure, consisting of 100% recycled aluminum alloy in bucket, and 100% recycled rare earth metals in the magnets. Surface Laptop for Business, 13.8-inch and 15-inch, enclosure includes A Cover and C Bucket. 64% recycled content in the enclosure, consisting of 100% recycled aluminum alloy in A Cover and C Bucket, and 100% recycled rare earth metals in the magnets. Based on validation performed by Underwriter Laboratories, Inc. using Environmental Claim Validation Procedure (ECVP) for Recycled Content, UL ECVP 2809-2, Second Edition, dated June 2024. [12] Comparison based on product energy consumption vs. ENERGY STAR certification limits for personal computers. Actual performance varies by configuration and usage. [13] Compared to typical use without the feature enabled. Actual power savings vary based on usage, settings, ambient lighting and other factors. Not supported with wireless detach on Surface Pro 13-inch Flex Keyboard. [14] Replacement components available through Surface Commercial authorized device resellers. Components can be replaced on-site by a skilled technician following Microsoft’s Service Guide. Microsoft tools (sold separately) may also be required. Availability of replacement components and service options may vary by product, market and over time. See Surface service options - Surface | Microsoft Learn. Opening and/or repairing your device can present electric shock, fire and personal injury risks and other hazards. Use caution if undertaking do-it-yourself repairs. Unless required by law, device damage caused during repair will not be covered under Microsoft’s Hardware Warranty or protection plans.

There are moments in this industry when you can feel the ecosystem lean in. This week in Taipei was one of them. For two days at WinHEC 2026 (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) — Microsoft’s first WinHEC since 2018 — we had the privilege of spending time alongside our OEM, silicon, IHV and ODM partners, and the engineers who build Windows, to talk honestly about where we are, opportunities to be better connected as an ecosystem and where we're going together. As we shared in March, a fundamental component to raising the bar on quality across areas such as system stability, driver quality and app reliability requires coordinated execution across the entire ecosystem. At WinHEC 2026, we shared how we’re addressing this at the driver level with our partners by introducing the Driver Quality Initiative (DQI), a comprehensive, ecosystem-wide effort designed to fundamentally raise the bar on driver quality, reliability and security across Windows.

“Great platforms aren’t built in isolation. Platform quality depends on early, honest collaboration across OEMs, ODMs, silicon partners and IHVs. WinHEC brings engineers together with Microsoft to align early, solve real problems and deliver higher‑quality solutions for our shared customers” — Syam Poluri, Distinguished Engineer, Dell Technologies

Raising the bar on quality takes all of us.

Drivers sit at the heart of every Windows experience. They connect the OS to the silicon, components and peripherals that make Windows one of the most versatile platforms in the industry. Today, thousands of partners contribute to tens of thousands of active driver families across the Windows install base. When drivers are high quality, customers experience reliable, secure, performant devices. When drivers fail, customers experience it as a device problem, regardless of where the root cause sits. DQI builds on the learnings and infrastructure established through the Windows Resiliency Initiative (WRI) and is organized around four pillars:

• Architecture: We are heavily investing in hardening kernel mode drivers and enabling the third-party kernel mode driver transition to either user mode driver or Microsoft authored class drivers. This is to ensure higher driver security, reliability and resiliency. User-mode driver investments include performance updates to PCIe devices with DMA support as well as Wi-fi stack (coming soon). Class driver investments include Soundwire Device Class for Audio (SDCA), introduction of the I3C class driver, NCM USB ethernet class driver as well as continuous enhancements to existing first-party class drivers on Windows 11.
• Trust: We are raising the bar for trusted partners and trusted drivers, including stronger partner verification, expanded automated analysis and updated Windows Hardware Compatibility Program requirements.
• Lifecycle: We are improving driver lifecycle management through better Windows Update catalog hygiene, including deprecating outdated or low-quality drivers, advancing SBOM alignment and enabling faster issue analysis through driver symbols.
• Quality Measures: We are expanding how driver quality is measured beyond crashes to include stability, functionality, performance, and power and thermal impact, giving partners clearer signals to improve the real customer experience.

DQI is a partnership. Microsoft is building the frameworks, tools and quality signals, and we are working with partners to raise driver quality across the ecosystem so customers can rely on their Windows devices from day one through the full life of the PC.

“Delivering high-quality drivers and resilient platforms isn’t owned by any one company—it’s a shared commitment. Through our close collaboration with Microsoft, AMD is focused on building a culture of joint accountability to ensure security, stability and predictable performance for our customers at scale.” — David Harmon, Director, Software Engineering, AMD

What we did at WinHEC

Day 1 opened with a keynote presentation featuring our Windows leadership team, organized around three themes: navigating the evolving landscape, raising the bar on Windows 11 quality and the future vision for Windows. The keynote set the tone for the days ahead. We were candid about where we are, clear about where we're going and explicit about the partnership required to get there. From there, attendees broke out into workshops, with sessions spanning five tracks:

• End-to-end driver quality — covering the full lifecycle from authoring and validation through publishing, and post-release health
• Platform fundamentals — power, thermal and storage fundamentals that define everyday device experience
• Exceptional device experiences — delivering best-in-class quality across media and display, camera, audio, connectivity and peripherals
• Windows Server — platform direction, reliability and the evolving requirements for modern datacenter and edge deployments
• Ecosystem advancement — end-to-end security, co-engineering tools, manufacturing and AI hardware innovation.

Day 2 shifted from discussion to application. Hands-on labs gave engineers the opportunity to put guidance into practice, from authoring and hardening drivers, executing hardware compatibility tests, and exploring AI-assisted crash analysis. Microsoft engineers worked side by side with partner teams, helping them move from understanding the guidance to applying it directly within their own engineering workflows. Beyond the structured sessions, attendees explored demo booths showcasing the latest tools, diagnostics and technologies coming to the Windows platform. The dedicated Microsoft Experience Room brought hardware and the operating system together to demonstrate how end-to-end experiences come to life across various Windows customers, such as students, developers, creators, information workers and gamers, making the connection between platform engineering decisions and real customer outcomes tangible. Each day concluded at the Connection Corner, an open forum where partners could engage directly with the Microsoft engineers building these tools. It was, for many attendees, the most valuable part of the event: unfiltered access to the people doing the work, with the time and space to dig into the questions that matter most.

“At Acer, we believe that continuous innovation and collaboration are the engines that drive the technology industry forward. On display at WinHEC, Windows stands out as an innovative platform that brings together partners across a broad range of expertise. The Microsoft conference is where innovation, technology and domain experts come together to unlock the true value of platform engineering.”  — Mark Yang, Associate Vice President of Compute Software Technology, Acer Inc.

"The customers ASUS serves — gamers, creators, students and professionals — each demand a different kind of Windows device. WinHEC is where ASUS and Microsoft engineers go deep on the platform fundamentals that make those very different devices share the same quality bar, generation after generation." — Justin Yo, Software Associate VP, ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

What we heard from partners

A few themes came through clearly in our conversations across the two days:

• Quality is a shared priority. Across silicon, OEM and IHV partners, the message was consistent — driver and platform quality is central to the customer experience, and the ecosystem is ready to invest.
• Innovation thrives on a strong foundation. When the fundamentals are solid, partners can invest more confidently in differentiated experiences, AI-powered capabilities and next-generation hardware, knowing the platform will support them. The energy around what becomes possible when quality is a given, not a variable, was one of the most exciting themes of the week.
• There is real appetite for this kind of engagement. Partners told us repeatedly that the combination of roadmap clarity and hands-on technical depth is exactly what the ecosystem needs at this moment and going forward.
• Transparency matters. Partners welcomed the open methodology behind driver quality metrics, the phased rollout of lifecycle states and the commitment to incentive-based distribution as the right model for moving forward together.

"The best customer experiences are built on the foundation of strong partner collaboration. WinHEC is where that work happens — engineers from HP and Microsoft aligning early, solving real problems and ensuring that what we ship together actually works for the people who depend on it every day. That kind of direct, honest partnership across the ecosystem raises the bar for everyone." — Deepak Patil, Senior Vice President, Personal Systems Engineering, HP Inc.

Looking ahead

WinHEC 2026 was an important step, but it's the start of the work, not the end. In the months ahead, we will keep investing in the fundamentals that matter most to customers: reliability, security, performance, compatibility and quality. We’ll also keep collaborating with OEMs, silicon partners, IHVs, ODMs and the broader hardware ecosystem through the Windows Resiliency Initiative, the new Driver Quality Initiative and the work we do together every day. To everyone who joined us in Taipei this week, from our CPU, GPU and silicon partners; display, camera, audio and networking teams; IBVs, ODMs and OEMs; to the peripheral and component engineers who make the breadth of Windows possible — thank you. The depth of engagement, the willingness to work together in the room, and the shared commitment to quality made this week what it was. The work we do together over the coming year will define the Windows experience for more than a billion users. We couldn't be more energized about what we're going to build. — Robin and Ian

Edge just made it easier to go from first tab to final plan, wherever you go. Your favorite Copilot experiences, plus new ones, are now available directly in Edge on desktop and, for the first time, in the Edge mobile app. This includes capabilities now available to everyone on desktop and mobile like reasoning across multiple open tabs so Copilot can compare info, surface key details, and see what matters, more relevant answers from Copilot built on your browsing history and past chats, and hands-free browsing with Voice and Vision. We're also making it easier to jumpstart your day and pick up where you left off with a redesigned new tab page and Journeys, now broadly available across desktop² and mobile³. Plus, new productivity tools on Edge desktop are designed to move you from idea to done without breaking stride. As part of today's update, we're retiring Copilot Mode¹. With helpful features built directly into Edge, it's now simpler to shape how you browse and get more done. To explore what's new, visit aka.ms/CopilotinEdge or download the Edge Mobile app.

New updates to the Edge mobile app

Today, we're bringing the experiences you love on Edge desktop to the Edge mobile app so you can get more done wherever you go. Juggling tabs on your phone used to mean endless swiping and tab hopping. Not anymore. With your permission, Copilot in Edge can reason across your open tabs. Just ask a question and it pulls from your tabs to compare details, surface answers, and help you decide without the back-and-forth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9itnNYyhGc Previously available only on desktop, Journeys is now available on the Edge mobile app³. Journeys makes it easier to pick up where you left off and resume your projects by, with your permission, organizing your browsing history into meaningful topics – with summaries and suggested next steps – so you can quickly get back to planning that dog-friendly camping adventure or that piece of clothing you can't stop thinking about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it6NFi4PO30 Sometimes the fastest way to get help is to just ask. With Vision and Voice, available to everyone on desktop and now in the Edge mobile app, you can, with your permission, share your screen and talk through what you're looking at — hands-free. Ask questions, get explanations, or think through a decision out loud. It's like having a second pair of eyes wherever you are. When Copilot is active, you'll always see clear visual cues so you know when it's taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing. We are also bringing Edge desktop's redesigned new tab page to the Edge mobile app to streamline how you get your day started, making it easier to jump right into what you need to get done. Bringing together chat, searching, and browsing in one clean starting point, Edge keeps you moving forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7CT_HiWFys

Stay in your flow

Life doesn't happen in one tab. Now available to everyone, Copilot can pull context from your open tabs to surface relevant information and help you make decisions with less effort to keep you moving forward— without having to leave the page you're on. No setup required. Just click the Copilot icon in the top right corner and ask Copilot to compare options across tabs, explain what matters, and get clear answers. Take planning your next trip to Napa — comparing wineries, restaurants, and routes across a dozen tabs is the hardest part. Copilot in Edge, with your permission, reads across every tab you have open, so you can compare options, surface what matters, and make decisions with less tab-hopping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6dRaxSL28 With your permission, Copilot can also use your browsing history to deliver more relevant, higher-quality answers — like finishing up your shopping, returning to a thread you were following, or picking up research you started days ago. Copilot builds on what you've already seen so you spend less time switching and more time staying in your flow. Now, with long-term memory on desktop and mobile, Copilot not only builds on what you've seen but also can reference your past chats to provide more relevant help. You're always in control of what Copilot can access.

Built to keep you moving forward

Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. The redesigned new tab page, now available for everyone to try, brings together chat, search, and web navigation in one place so you can effortlessly explore the web. It's also where all your Journeys live, so it's easy to jump back in and keep going. Journeys, now available for free in all English markets², helps pick up where you left off. Ever start trying to learn something new then … life happens? Journeys brings you back to past browsing projects by grouping your browsing history into helpful topic cards on your new tab page so you can resume that cross stitching hobby – without starting from scratch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RdQ9zjMpKM

New tools to boost your productivity

Whether you're cramming for finals, writing a research paper, or understanding a complex topic, Edge has new built-in tools to help you focus, learn faster and get more done without ever leaving your browser. Study and Learn mode helps you get started breaking down topics into guided study sessions, interactive quizzes, and more to supplement your learning. To get started, simply type into Copilot in Edge "Quiz me on this topic" when you have a webpage open or locate the mode dropdown at the bottom left of the input box on the redesigned new tab page and select "Study and Learn mode." Write with confidence, right where you are. Writing assistant⁵ gives you extra help by generating drafts, rewriting for clarity, or adjusting tone right where you're already typing in Edge. Just look for the blue dot the next time you're writing to get help in the moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9__zGC-miQ Turn your browsing into a study session with Copilot quizzes. Easily generate quizzes, flashcards, and guided sessions based on what you're reading so you can test yourself as you go, right in your browser. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j3chZtjQvc Finally, you can now turn your tabs into a podcast⁶. Whether you're catching up on research or exploring something new, now you can listen, learn, and keep moving without missing a beat. Podcasts in Edge is available in English markets.

You choose what you need

We're making it easier to shape your experience on the web. At any time, you can select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don't. Just head to aka.ms/CopilotinEdge or Edge Settings to customize your experience anytime. With Copilot in Edge, your data stays yours. Microsoft only collects what's needed to improve your experience—or what you choose to provide via Personalization settings. Copilot follows Microsoft's trusted privacy standards, meaning your information is never shared without your permission. Your browser data is protected under the Microsoft Privacy Statement.

Tell us what you think

Copilot features are available in all Copilot markets⁴ on Edge for Windows and Mac and the Edge mobile app today. We're excited to bring you these Copilot features directly to your Edge browser⁷ and want to hear from you. To get started, visit aka.ms/CopilotinEdge and give us your feedback. If you're excited to share more ideas and connect with others, consider joining our Discord channel. ¹ Existing Copilot Mode users will continue to receive priority access to new features through Copilot in Edge Preview. Users may change this anytime in Edge Settings. As part of retiring Copilot Mode, Copilot Actions, previously available in Limited Preview, is now available as Browse with Copilot on Edge desktop for Microsoft 365 Premium Subscribers in the U.S. only. Usage limits apply. ² Journeys on Edge desktop is available only in all English markets (en-US, en-GB, en-CA, en-AU, en-NZ, en-IN, en-SG). ³ Journeys on Edge mobile is available in the U.S. only. ⁴ Vision, Voice, multi-tab context, long-term memory, Copilot quizzes, and the redesigned new tab page are available in all Copilot markets across desktop and mobile. ⁵ Writing assistant is available in the U.S. only. ⁶ Podcasts is available in all Copilot markets in English only. Must be signed in with a Microsoft Account to generate a podcast. Subscribers to Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Premium have access to extended usage. Learn more. ⁷ Usage limits apply to certain Copilot features. Availability of Copilot features subject to change.