Surface Duo gets new Windows drivers with Miracast support and multiple fixes

The future of the Surface Duo lineup is grim. Software support is extremely lackluster, and reports about Microsoft canceling the third-generation Duo do not spark much hope among fans. However, you can give your first-generation Surface Duo a new life by replacing its stock Android with Windows 10 and 11. And the steady flow of new drivers from the developer provides quality-of-life improvements and new features with every release. Version 2308.12 is now available on GitHub with Miracast support and multiple fixes. Here is what is new:

• Updates Qualcomm Drivers to version 1.0.1980.0000, this includes updates to:
  • Qualcomm Adreno 640
  • Qualcomm Aqstic Audio Miniport
  • Qualcomm Atheros Wi-Fi
  • Qualcomm Atheros Bluetooth
  • Qualcomm Hexagon Subsystem Manager
  • Qualcomm Hexagon FastRPC Bus
• Updates SSDE to remove the workaround blocking Secure Boot Signature Exclusion Database (DBX)
• Updates Adaptation kit scripts to remove the workaround preventing the provisioning of Secure Boot variable on first use
• Addresses an issue where the OS would unexpectedly bugcheck while installing Windows Updates containing DBX updates, or BlackLotus mitigations
• Addresses an issue where Windows Core OS based products would bug check on first run
• Mitigates an issue temporarily with Gallium Semester Windows Insider Builds
• Addresses an issue where Miracast was not functional in the past driver releases
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.

Although the project has come a long way since its first release, it remains a quirky experiment for those daring to replace the stock OS with one made for desktop PCs. Also, you should mind a few notable limitations and bugs before proceeding. For example, on-device speakers do not work, brightness control is glitchy, charging is unstable (and unavailable when using Windows), and more. You can find the list of known issues on GitHub.

It is also worth noting that version 2308.12 is only available for the first-generation Surface Duo. Although it is technically possible to run Windows 11 on the Surface Duo 2, the project is still just a proof of concept in a barely working state. Sadly, the latest release brings nothing new for this smartphone.

Those not ready for such a radical operating system transplantation on their Surface Duo can try the recently released unofficial Android 13 port. Microsoft's smartphone duo is unlikely to get an official upgrade, so third-party fan-made ports seem like the only available option.