Microsoft stream to announce Windows 11 crashes before company unveils OS
Microsoft chose to not use YouTube to stream its own event, and it didn't go well.
What you need to know
- Microsoft's stream to announce Windows 11 buffered and crashed for many.
- The Twitter stream for the event still seems to work.
- Microsoft did not stream the event on YouTube.
Microsoft's stream to announce Windows 11 crashed before it got rolling. Panos Panay's face buffered and went away entirely for many trying to watch the stream. Notably, Microsoft decided to stream the event on its own platform and decided to not use YouTube.
While Microsoft's stream on its website stopped working, the Twitter stream still works.
Microsoft teased Windows 11 for weeks, sending out tweets and videos to get people excited. The livestream crashing is an embarrassing mistake that happened when Windows 11 was at center stage. At the time of publication, almost 42,000 people are watching the livestream on Twitter, but it's not known how many people are aware it's being streamed on that platform.
This is a developing story, and we'll add more details as they come in.
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Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.
Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.
