USB Driver Documentation Updates on UCSI, USB4 Testing
Over the past few months, we've been running a freshness pass across the USB driver documentation on Microsoft Learn and the USB4 design guidelines. The goal is straightforward: make sure the docs match the current Windows 11 driver stack, read clearly, and get you to the answer faster. Here's what changed. USB4 required testing: new Basic Validation Tests The USB4 ecosystem has grown significantly. As the number of USB4 router implementations grows, so does the need for a clear, repeatable validation baseline. We added a new Basic Validation Tests section to the USB4 Required Testing page. The existing page already listed the recommended end-to-end test scenarios: driver verifier, domain power-down, wake replay, interdomain connections, and so on. What was missing was a concise set of smoke tests that OEMs and IHVs could run quickly to catch regressions in incremental USB4 firmware and driver updates without needing a full test pass. The new section fills that gap with nine concrete test scenarios: USB4 HLK Tests: run all System.Fundamentals.SystemUSB.USB4.* and Device.BusController.USB4.* tests. Basic Enumeration: attach a USB4 dock and a Thunderbolt 3 dock, each with a display, USB3 storage, and USB2 input. Verify clean enumeration in Device Manager, functional input, file copy, and display extension. Display: verify two 4K displays at 60 Hz concurrently, both tunneled through a USB4 dock and directly via DisplayPort Alt Mode. Camera (Isochronous) Streaming: stream from a USB3 camera through a USB4 dock for at least one minute with no visible glitches. System Standby: attach a full dock topology, cycle standby five times with 30-second to 2-minute waits, and verify all devices survive each transition. System Reboot: same topology, same verification, but with a full reboot instead of standby. System Hibernate: same again, with hibernate. Minimal Compatibility and Interoperability: test at least 3 display models and at least 10 USB4 dock or device models spanning Intel Thunderbolt 4, Intel Thunderbolt 5, Via USB4, Asmedia USB4, Realtek USB4, Intel Thunderbolt 3 Titan Ridge, and Intel Thunderbolt 3 Alpine Ridge. Basic Plug/Unplug with USB4 Switch: configure the USB4 Switch with a USB4 dock on port 1 and a Thunderbolt 3 dock on port 2, run ConnExUtil.exe /cxstress for a minimum of 15 minutes (24+ hours for long-term stability), then verify the port still enumerates and charges after the test. Each test includes explicit pass criteria: no yellow bangs, no visual glitches, expected resolution and refresh rates confirmed in the Advanced Display settings. The interoperability test (test 8) is particularly important as USB4 matures: it ensures your platform works across the full range of silicon vendors, not just the one on your bench. If you're validating USB4 firmware or driver updates and need a quick confidence check before a broader test pass, this is the list to start with. UCSI driver docs: cleaned up and refocused on Windows 11 The UCSI driver article got a thorough refresh: updated architecture diagram, clearer UCSI 2.0 _DSM backward-compatibility guidance, reformatted UCSIControl.exe test instructions with proper inline code for registry paths, and consistent code-style formatting across the DRP role detection and charger mismatch example flows. We also removed outdated Windows 10 Mobile references so the article now focuses exclusively on Windows 10 desktop and Windows 11. USB generic parent driver (Usbccgp.sys): plain language rewrite The Usbccgp.sys article, the starting point for anyone building composite USB devices, was rewritten for clarity. We simplified jargon-heavy sentences, expanded abbreviations on first use (e.g., "information (INF) file"), updated cross-references to sentence case per the Microsoft Learn style guide, and added customer-intent metadata for better search discoverability. Community fix: interrupt endpoint direction Here's a small one that matters more than it looks. In the How to send a USB interrupt transfer (UWP app) article, the Interrupt IN transfers section incorrectly stated that HID devices like keyboards "support interrupt OUT endpoints." Endpoint direction is fundamental (IN means device-to-host, OUT means host-to-device) and getting that wrong in official documentation can send you down entirely the wrong debugging path. A community contributor spotted the error and submitted the fix. It now correctly reads "interrupt IN endpoints." If you've ever stared at a USB trace wondering why your interrupt transfer wasn't behaving, this might have been part of the confusion. Thank you to everyone who submits pull requests. This is exactly the kind of contribution that makes the docs better for all of us. What's next These updates are part of a broader freshness initiative across the Windows Hardware driver documentation. If you spot something that looks outdated or confusing, our documentation is open source. Submit a PR on the windows-driver-docs GitHub repository. You can also drop a comment below.Microsoft Technical Takeoff 2026: Windows + Intune
Mondays in March. Deep dives. AMAs. Windows, Intune, Windows 365, and Azure Virtual Desktop. Join us for Microsoft Technical Takeoff 2026 for Windows + Intune! This virtual technical skilling event takes you deep inside the latest features, capabilities, and scenarios for commercial organizations and the IT professionals that support them. Skill up and get answers to your questions from the engineering and product teams behind the features. How do I participate? Create your own agenda. Select “Add to Calendar” on a session page to save the date, then click the “Attend” button to save your spot, receive event reminders, and participate in the Q&A. If you can’t make the live session, don’t worry. You can post your questions in advance and catch up on the answers and insights later in the week. All sessions for Tech Takeoff will be recorded and available on demand immediately after airing. Don't see the "Attend" button or the ability to post Comments? Make sure to first sign in on the Tech Community! MONDAY MARCH 2 MONDAY MARCH 9 MONDAY MARCH 16 MONDAY MARCH 23 7:00 AM Let's talk Windows and Intune: 2026 edition 7:00 AM The latest in security for Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop 7:00 AM Why smarter Windows management starts with Intune 7:00 AM AMA: The latest in Windows hardware security 7:30 AM The latest in Windows 11 security 7:30 AM Secure Boot certificate updates explained 7:30 AM Reporting at scale with Windows Autopatch update readiness 7:30 AM Zero Trust DNS: Securing Windows one connection at a time 8:00 AM Uplevel business continuity with Windows 365 Reserve 8:00 AM Feedback wanted: App management in the enterprise 8:00 AM User experience updates: Windows 365 Boot and more 8:00 AM AMA: Secure and manage AI and agentic capabilities in Windows 8:30 AM Hotpatch updates demystified: answers to real-world questions 8:30 AM Ready day one: how to get Windows users up and running fast 8:30 AM AI roundup: Intune agents for outcome-oriented innovation 8:30 AM Deploy and manage Windows 365 with Microsoft Intune 9:00 AM Zero Trust in action: securing endpoints with Intune 9:00 AM Making the most of your Intune data 9:00 AM AMA: Getting the most from Security Copilot in Intune 9:00 AM Unpacking Endpoint Management: Live from Tech Takeoff 2026 9:30 AM AMA: Windows Autopilot 9:30 AM Windows 365 reporting and monitoring updates 9:30 AM Manage Apple devices at scale: Intune security best practices 9:30 AM Azure Virtual Desktop for hybrid environments 10:00 AM The AI‑powered admin: emerging trends in endpoint management 10:00 AM Least privilege on Windows with Endpoint Privilege Management 10:00 AM Click less, manage more: simplify app deployment with Intune 10:00 AM Protect users, stop attacks: Passkeys on Windows 10:30 AM Eliminating NTLM in Windows 10:30 AM Windows 365 Frontline expands with Cloud Apps and more 10:30 AM App Control for Business: same roots, new playbook 10:30 AM AMA: AI and agentic features for Windows 365 11:00 AM One platform, many industries: smart Android management with Intune 11:00 AM From panic to productive: point-in-time restore in Windows 11:00 AM Intune timing demystified: what really happens behind the scenes 11:00 AM Transitioning to post-quantum cryptography 11:30 AM Resiliency with Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop 11:30 AM The Intune playbook for iOS management at scale 11:30 AM Migrating from VDI to Windows 365 11:30 AM Resilience for the modern era: Windows quick machine recovery This event will feature AI-generated captions during the live broadcast. Human-generated captions will be available by the end of the week.AI in Windows 11
Access Copilot and agents right from the taskbar; find answers across your files, email, and meetings, and turn ideas into polished content using voice or text. AI is right there where you already work, so you can move faster, stay in your flow, and make better decisions without switching context, opening other apps or moving to the browser. And if you do have a Copilot+ PC, you can use fluid voice dictation across apps, find files with natural language search, take action on anything on your screen, and refine writing anywhere, even offline. Jeremy Chapman, Microsoft 365 Director, shows how whether you’re planning projects, collaborating with teammates, or building solutions, you can move faster, stay focused, and turn context into real outcomes. Stop searching across apps. New Copilot capabilities in Windows Search understand your work context and surfaces answers using data from your Microsoft 365 environment. Get started with Copilot experiences in Windows 11. Run AI tasks without interrupting your workflow. Agents stay visible and trackable in the Windows 11 taskbar. Watch here. Interact with content on your screen using Click to Do. Extract text, send content to Microsoft 365 Copilot, or convert a static table into a usable Excel file. Take a look. QUICK LINKS: 00:00 — Ask Copilot 00:55 — Use voice with Copilot 02:30 — Agents on Windows 11 taskbar 04:19 — Copilot in File Explorer 05:19 — Copilot+ PC capabilities 07:04 — Click to Do 07:52 — Writing Assistance with Copilot 09:15 — Wrap up Link References Check out https://aka.ms/Windows11AI Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics? As Microsoft’s official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft. Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog Watch or listen from anywhere, subscribe to our podcast: https://microsoftmechanics.libsyn.com/podcast Keep getting this insider knowledge, join us on social: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSFTMechanics Share knowledge on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft-mechanics/ Enjoy us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msftmechanics/ Loosen up with us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@msftmechanics Video Transcript: -Windows does a lot more than launch and run apps. Now with built-in AI, it can do much more for you and you don’t need special skills to make that happen. There are capabilities that light up on any hardware that runs Windows 11, and some that go even further on Copilot+ PCs with on‑device AI processing. Let’s go ahead and start with what anyone running Windows 11 can use right now. So to pull up AI experiences with advanced reasoning, you’ll start with the Search box in the Taskbar, where your familiar search still remains the same, but now you can also use it with AI prompts. So here, I’ll type, “When is my performance review due?” And by drawing on information from my Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendar, Copilot identifies my performance review meeting so I can prepare for it. It’s an experience powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot, which uses Work IQ to understand my work context. -Next with AI, it’s often easier just to say what you want and you can now use voice with Microsoft 365 Copilot because of its multi-modal support. You’ll use a long press on the Copilot key or Windows key + C if your device doesn’t have that, to activate voice control. And now I can interact with Copilot to help build a presentation that I’m working on. So for this slide I’ll ask, “Robin sent me a stat about incorporating organic design. I think it was in email, maybe Teams?” And it takes my voice command, it’s using Work IQ with Microsoft 365 Copilot to run intelligent searches, figuring out which Robin I mean while pulling in relevant context and shared information about the meeting from across my Microsoft 365 apps. - [Copilot] Robin mentioned that incorporating organic design has been shown to boost employee creativity by 15%. That’s a pretty cool stat! - Not bad. Can you turn that into a catchy statement on this slide here? - [Copilot] Absolutely. How about this? Creativity matters. Create the space for it. - Love it. I’ll need Amber to sign off on this. So when’s my next meeting with Amber? - [Copilot] Your next one-on-one with Amber is on Thursday at 10:30 in the morning. That should be a great time to review it together. - [Jeremy] Thanks, Copilot. - [Copilot] You got it. Happy to help. Let me know if there’s anything else you want to fine tune before that one on one. -This uses advanced speech‑to‑text and tightly integrates on‑device input with cloud AI, so it works on any connected Windows 11 device. Now let’s try something more challenging. Some AI tasks take longer than a quick prompt‑and‑response, and some need to run in parallel while you keep working. That’s where Agents on the Windows 11 taskbar can help. So I’m going to start by tapping into the new Windows Search box. Now, this uses new Windows shell integration, so that long running agents can be viewed similar to apps. So I just need to start with the @ symbol to pull up my agents Now I can find, open, monitor and work with my agents directly from the taskbar. So in this case, I’m going to choose the Researcher agent. I’ll ask Researcher to compare public sentiment with our design principles. I like the direction it’s thinking, so I’ll go ahead and confirm. And this agent works hard, often for 10 minutes or more to research and generate its content. And you can work on other things or with other agents while each performs their work. -As agents run, there are status indicators directly on the taskbar, similar to when you download large files, where you can track progress and see once it’s complete. So, your agents stay visible and easy to check on as you work, not buried in browser tabs. Now let’s return to our completed Researcher run. The notification tells me that Researcher is finished with this turn and in the taskbar, I can even see a green checkmark on the Researcher icon. When I zoom in, there’s a short summary. And I can tap in to review it. -Now, this actually took around eight or so minutes to process in real time. Everything here was grounded using Work IQ for information that was in my company. And you’ll see its answer is very well-informed and extremely comprehensive using our study for public sentiment vs. core design principles, it’s laying out its reasoning and all of its cited sources. Of course, Windows is also where you can go to find and open your files and now, your SharePoint and OneDrive cloud files will show up right inside the File Explorer. Using File Explorer Home, you can easily get to your recent files, your favorites and files shared with you. -Then the new Copilot control lets you Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot for file insights like summaries, context, or next steps for documents. So for this Design Principles doc here, I’ll ask Copilot to review it and tell me what percentage of employees prefer workspaces that incorporate sustainable materials. And in just a few seconds, based on information deeply nested within that document, it finds that over 70% say they do and even provides supporting context. So, you don’t have to open the file or leave your flow to find the right one, whether that’s local or in the cloud. And everything I’ve shown so far works on any Windows 11 device with a Microsoft 365 work or school account and access to Copilot. -Now let’s look at what’s unique to Copilot+ PCs, where on‑device AI and small language models deliver fast, private processing. So I’ll highlight a few of the capabilities that work on a Copilot + PC even if you don’t have Microsoft 365. First, the new Fluid Dictation works across all apps and uses on-device models for quicker, more natural voice typing as well. You can enable voice access in Settings, which on first run guides you through the experience and what it can do to interact with Windows. -So I’m going to show an experience working across two common text editors, Notepad and Word. You can start it using either the microphone icon in the taskbar, or by saying, “Voice access, wake up. Open Notepad.” It uses powerful AI running on your local device to automatically correct grammar, add punctuation, and, um, even remove filler words that you, uh, speak. Select all. Copy. Open Word. Paste. And that was just scratching the surface for what Voice access with Fluid Dictation can do. And here are some of the common commands that you can use to interact with Windows and your apps. -Second, to help you quickly find your files anywhere, improved Windows search uses semantic understanding across local files and Microsoft 365. You don’t need exact names, just describe what you remember. For example, this broad search here for project updates pulls up relevant files and folders of content using hybrid semantic search, and they might contain the word project or maybe synonyms, or contain related content in context of the files or even images within the files. -Next, Click to Do lets you interact with anything on your screen. You can take actions on content or ask Microsoft 365 Copilot a question about what’s on your screen without needing to switch context. So in this case, I’ll going to pull up this PDF file and you’ll see that it opens the file in the Edge browser. Now, if I scroll down, you can see that I have a stylized table on my screen, which by the way, could be text or an image. So I’ll hit the Windows Key + left mouse click to open Click to Do. And you can also use Windows key + Q. Now you’ll see that it’s recognizing all of the text in the screenshot. I can copy it as a CSV, Save or Share it. I’ll use Convert to table with Excel. And it instantly opens Excel and becomes a usable table and you can work directly with the data. -From here, if you also use Microsoft 365 at work or school with a Copilot+ PC, even more powerful capabilities light up. Writing Assistance with Microsoft 365 Copilot helps you quickly craft content with AI-powered rewriting and proofreading, and because it runs locally, it even works offline. This enables you to use generative AI from any app with text field input. So I’m going to go ahead and use our line-of-business app here for project planning. There’s a description and business justification field, and I’ll add a bit more detail here. -And this works everywhere, kind of like your clipboard, so when I select text, the Writing Assistance button appears. Now with it, I can choose options to rewrite it in different ways. In this case, I’ll choose professional. It rewrites my text entry and then gives me three options. So I’ll go ahead and choose the third option here, I like that one, so I’ll go ahead and replace my previous text with it. And that can be used on any line-of-business or other app without any code changes because it’s just built into Windows. -And finally, if you are a developer, new native support in the Model Context Protocol in Windows gives your agents a standardized way to connect with apps, tools, and files to automate tasks. You can use built-in agent connectors for File Explorer and Windows Settings, allowing your agents to manage local file operations and to modify defined device configurations. -Windows 11’s built-in AI moves the intelligence closer to you right in the flow of your work. To learn more, check out aka.ms/Windows11AI and keep watching Microsoft Mechanics for the latest updates and thanks for watching.
Unable to install the Windows Preview Update
I am unable to install the Windows Insider Preview update for the beta channel and I do not know how to fix it. I have retried around 5 or 6 times and still same error persists, It shows the following error. Windows 11 Insider Preview Quality Update (26220.7872) Install error - 0x80070306 Please help me fix this issue, Thank you.
