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• Microsoft Teams is bringing badges to your profile card
• Badges will include a user's particular awards and certifications
• Microsoft says this will make the experience more consistent across Teams and Outlook

If you're really looking to show off your skills at work, then Microsoft Teams might have the perfect answer for you - however it might not be for everyone.

The online collaboration platform has announced it is working on bringing "Badges" to your Microsoft Teams profile card, allowing users to display all their achievements to anyone who cares to look.

The addition will show Awards and Certifications on a user's profile card, where they will show up as badges, giving you an easy way to show off exactly what you can do.

Badge of honor

"You can now see Awards and Certifications as badges on a user’s profile card, bringing a more consistent experience across Teams and Outlook," a Microsoft 365 roadmap post outlining the feature explained.

The feature is listed as being "in development" right now, with an expected release date of September 2026. Upon release, it will be available to users across Windows and Mac around the world.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Badges have been available to Microsoft 365 users since 2023, designed as a way for users to display their expertise and qualifications (see above example) on specific cards.

The cards are currently available in several programs, including Outlook and the Copilot app, with their expansion to Teams clearly part of Microsoft's push to make the platform more informative.

This includes a recent upgrade to block bad bots with "smarter protection" which will let humans check all participants in a call are who they say they are, including bots in a call lobby, much like a nightclub bouncer.

Microsoft Teams is also working on a feature which will automatically update a user's work location when they connect to an office Wi-Fi network - hopefully meaning less confusion about where workers actually are situated, but bad news for those looking for a quiet day in the office tucked into a corner.

From Nobel Prize-winning research to the Laffer Curve, Scabby the Rat, Veblen's peacock, and more — the economic ideas and inside jokes hiding throughout Planet Money's new board game.

UK organizations are racing to modernize customer experience. AI-powered chatbots, agent assistants, workflow automation, and self-service tools are rapidly becoming standard across customer operations as businesses look to improve responsiveness, reduce pressure on frontline teams, and meet rising customer expectations.

But many organizations are discovering that deploying new technology is the easy part. The harder challenge is making those systems work reliably in the real world.

Too often, businesses are layering AI tools onto disconnected data, siloed systems, and infrastructure that was never designed for real-time customer engagement. On paper, the technology stack looks modern. In practice, customer experience still feels fragmented.

Customers are passed between channels without context. They repeat information multiple times.

Automated systems provide inconsistent answers. Human agents lack visibility into previous interactions. The result is a more complicated customer journey. This is becoming one of the defining challenges of enterprise AI adoption. For years, organizations focused on adding more digital capabilities to customer operations. Now, AI is exposing the operational weaknesses those businesses already had underneath.

The conversation around customer experience transformation has largely focused on speed and innovation. But the more important question is whether organizations can deliver AI-enhanced experiences consistently, accurately, and responsibly at scale. This is where trust becomes critical.

Customers are less forgiving of AI mistakes

In customer experience environments, trust is fragile. A delayed response may frustrate a customer. An inaccurate response can damage confidence entirely. This becomes especially important as generative AI moves into customer-facing interactions.

Unlike traditional automation, generative AI introduces unpredictability. Responses can vary. Outputs may be inaccurate. Systems can generate information that sounds convincing but is completely wrong. In highly regulated or customer-critical sectors such as financial services, healthcare, or public services, the consequences can be significant.

Customers are also often less forgiving of mistakes made by automated systems than those made by human employees. When AI gets something wrong, customers do not simply blame the technology. They blame the organization behind it. This is why many businesses are realizing that deploying AI is not simply a technology decision. It is an operational and governance challenge as well.

The organizations seeing the strongest long-term results are not necessarily the ones deploying the most AI tools. Instead, they are the ones creating environments where those technologies can operate safely, transparently, and with clear oversight. That requires far more than experimentation.

It means understanding where customer data comes from, how decisions are being made, when human intervention is needed, and how systems are monitored over time. Automation still requires accountability.

Disconnected systems create disconnected experiences

Many of the problems businesses face today are architectural rather than technological. For years, organizations approached CX transformation through isolated point solutions - separate tools for chat, analytics, automation, engagement, and workforce management. But disconnected systems inevitably create disconnected customer experiences.

Customers do not care which department, platform, or channel they are interacting with. They expect organizations to remember who they are, understand what has already happened, and resolve issues without forcing them to start again every time they switch touchpoints. That becomes extremely difficult when customer data is fragmented across multiple systems that cannot communicate effectively with one another.

This is why many organizations are now shifting focus away from simply adding more AI capabilities and towards operational consolidation. Businesses are recognizing that customer experience is no longer defined by individual interactions but defined by continuity across the entire journey. Without unified data, integrated orchestration, and consistent visibility across channels, AI risks amplifying operational complexity instead of reducing it.

The next phase of CX transformation will be about maturity, not experimentation

The pressure on organizations to move quickly is understandable. Businesses are dealing with rising service expectations, economic pressure, and ongoing demands to improve efficiency while maintaining customer satisfaction.

AI can absolutely help address those challenges. Used effectively, it can reduce repetitive workload, support frontline employees, improve response times, and deliver more personalized customer experience at scale.

But speed on its own it not a strategy.

The organizations that succeed over the next decade will not necessarily be the ones adopting AI the fastest. They will be the ones building the operational maturity required to make those systems reliable enough for customers to trust every day.

That means investing in integration, governance, data quality, and accountability with the same urgency that businesses are investing in AI itself. Right now, many organizations are still focused on what AI can do. The more important challenge is ensuring customers can trust how it behaves when it matters most.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

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• Report finds 40% of British-based data centres are in London
• Recent analysis shows the UK has 555 data center installations operational, second only to the USA (4,423)
• Energy costs in the UK could slow development of data centres, following an OpenAI project being put on hold

A number of recent studies indicate that the UK has a strong data center industry, with the majority of facilities sitting within the M25. But as internet backbone speeds increase and planning is easier to get approved beyond London, the rest of the country is seeing an uptick in facilities.

Recent studies – including one by Statista – indicate a total of 555 UK data farms, placing it second in the worldwide charts, slightly ahead of Germany but massively behind the USA, which leads with 4,423.

But there are interesting developments, as while 40% of the UK’s data centres are within the M25, the South East ( the area immediately beyond London) and the North West boast the second and third largest collection of data centres.

A data center near you?

With London offering 40% of the UK’s data center capacity (219 are already operational, with 15 expansions planned), decision-makers are feeling the pressure.

While there is growing opposition to data centres in the US, public feeling in the UK is also growing, with a facility planned for London’s historic Brick Lane, amid concerns for water use, noise, huge structures, and electricity bills.

The British government announcement on July 31, 2026 that the development would proceed was met with some consternation.

Some of these concerns may also explain why data centres in the UK are popping up beyond the capital.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s native North West has 39 facilities, with 5 approved and set for completion, making it the most popular spot in England outside of London. In Scotland, 49 facilities are up and running.

Why-I data centres

Demand for AI and cloud processing and hosting is of course driving the development of new data centres, but not all parts of the UK are rushing towards progress.

Slow to add data centres are the largely rural areas of the South West (with 20 locations), and the North East, with just 21 sites. These regions may be slower to approve plans, or may simply have fewer applications to due to proximity to large population centres.

But this may change soon thanks to the Blackstone-backed development near Blyth in Northumberland, one of two approved within the past 18 months.

Challenges to developers and operators in the UK may yet contribute to a slowdown that might placate anti data center protesters. For example, an OpenAI data center intended for Cobalt Park in North Tyneside, was shelved in 2025 following concerns over increased energy costs in the UK, despite being a designated AI growth zone.

Discover the best digital planners for 2025, including top tools like ClickUp, Todoist, and Notion to boost productivity and stay organized.

The post 7 Best Digital Planners to Manage Your Time Better in 2026 appeared first on TechRepublic.

Seeing the red 'limited-time deal' banner on some DDR5 RAM at Amazon should elicit some excitement given the rarity of price cuts lately. But when you click through and see the price for this 32GB Corsair Vengeance kit, you'll wonder if there's genuinely a deal here at all — and other wannabe buyers aren't wholly convinced, either.

"It's 'only' 4x the price it should be," wrote one user named Technikal on HotUKDeals, a community that shares deals from across the web and asks the community to vote whether they think they are hot or cold. "The current average is 5x," he continues, "so, in that sense it's a good deal...I guess."

A muted response, that's for sure. And while it may be true that the deal price of the RAM kit is technically one of the lowest prices available right now, it's so far from the much lower prices we saw before the RAM crisis turned buying memory for your PC into a depressing exercise.

"Blimey, just checked my receipt for mine from 2 years ago - cost £85..." says another HotUKDeals user named Jacko_1975.

The price for this specific RAM kit has increased dramatically over the last 12 months at Amazon. (Image credit: Future / Keepa)

In fact, even just a year ago, this very same RAM kit was available for £99.99 when it wasn't even on sale, according to price history information from Keepa.

Given that, it's no surprise that shoppers have reacted negatively to Amazon's flash deal. Unfortunately, though, it doesn't look like things are getting any better when it comes to RAM prices. A report from Samsung suggests the RAM crisis is just getting started, and it could extend to other components in the near future.

If you're looking at these deals and are trying to convince yourself to purchase any RAM in the near future, we've got a PC gaming expert delivering advice on what to do if you're considering buying memory, a GPU, or other components.

Sadly, the news is grim, and these prices could be with us for a while yet. So, yes, it may be difficult to feel happy about seeing supposed RAM deals like this, but from what I'm seeing and hearing, I don't think they're going to get any better, either.

Amazon has launched a limited-time deal on a set of much-sought-after Corsair Vengeance 32GB DDR5 6000MHz CL36 RAM — the sweet spot for most PC gaming builds. Even though you could technically argue this is a deal, as it's the lowest price we've seen in months, it's still astronomically more expensive than the record-lows of under £100 from last year. However, with the ongoing PC component price crisis showing no signs of ending, this is likely one of the better offers we'll see for some time.View Deal

A Syrian court sentenced Assad along with his brother to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria's 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead.

(Image credit: Remy de la Mauviniere)

Apple is testing CXMT DRAM for iPhones and MacBooks as it considers another memory supplier amid tight supply, higher costs, and U.S. scrutiny.

The post Apple Tests China’s CXMT Memory for iPhones and MacBooks appeared first on TechRepublic.

U.S., according to the latest March of Dimes report.'/>

New research from the March of Dimes says more than half of U.S. counties have no labor and delivery hospitals. One Black midwife tries to make a difference for moms in Alabama. 

(Image credit: Maria Fabrizio)

Aptoide Games becomes the first rival Android app store distributed through Google Play in the US, following court-ordered changes from Epic v. Google.

The post Aptoide Games Becomes First Third-Party App Store on Google Play appeared first on TechRepublic.

The conversation around post-quantum cryptography (PQC) has shifted. Organizations are no longer asking whether they should prepare for quantum computing, but how quickly they can execute a migration that many expect will take years to complete.

As technology providers accelerate their roadmaps, governments introduce new expectations and boards seek greater assurance over cyber resilience, quantum readiness has become a business priority rather than a future technology project.

That urgency is being driven from several directions. Google and Microsoft have both set out roadmaps that point towards 2029 as a significant milestone in the transition to quantum-safe cryptography, while the recent US Executive Order on strengthening national cyber security reinforces the expectation that organizations begin preparing for the post-quantum era.

Together, these developments are shortening the planning horizon and increasing the pressure on CISOs to move from strategy to execution.

That shift from awareness to execution is reflected across the industry. Gartner's 2026 CISO Role-Based Survey: State of the Union found that fewer than one in four organizations have made measurable progress towards quantum readiness and only 8% have a usable cryptographic inventory.

DigiCert’s own Quantum Readiness Outlook research tells a similar story, as most IT and security leaders expect quantum computers to be capable of breaking today's encryption methods within the next three to five years, yet only 7% report that more than half of their digital certificates are already quantum-safe or hybrid.

The greatest challenge organizations face is no longer understanding the risks posed by quantum, but instead about becoming quantum-ready before today's cryptography becomes tomorrow's liability.

Why the risk is already here

Quantum computing has the potential to deliver significant advances across science, medicine and artificial intelligence, but it also threatens the asymmetric cryptography that secures digital identities, software, financial transactions and communications. The concern is no longer confined to the arrival of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer.

Threat actors are widely believed to be adopting a harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL) approach, collecting encrypted data today with the expectation that it can be decrypted once quantum capabilities mature. For organizations protecting information with a long operational life, that changes the timeline completely.

Our data found that 84% of organizations believe at least some of their encrypted data is vulnerable to HNDL attacks. Financial transaction records and banking data were identified as the assets most at risk (58%), followed by cryptocurrency wallets and private keys (53%).

For CISOs, this provides an important starting point because rather than attempting to replace every cryptographic system simultaneously, the priority should be identifying the systems protecting long-lived, high-value information and focusing migration efforts where the business impact would be greatest.

Discovery before deployment

For many organizations, the greatest challenge is not selecting quantum-resistant algorithms, but understanding where vulnerable cryptography exists across the business.

Furthermore, cryptography underpins cloud infrastructure, enterprise applications, connected devices, operational technology, software signing and countless machine identities. Over time, certificates, keys and algorithms become distributed across complex environments, often without a complete inventory of where they are used or which business services depend on them.

This is why discovery should be the first stage of every quantum readiness program. Organizations cannot prioritize risk, assess dependencies or build a realistic migration roadmap without first understanding their existing cryptographic estate. Discovery also enables security teams to identify the systems protecting their most valuable assets, allowing them to focus investment where it will have the greatest impact.

Once that foundation is in place, organizations can begin introducing quantum-resistant algorithms alongside existing infrastructure, testing interoperability, prioritizing critical systems and building the crypto-agility needed to adapt as standards continue to evolve.

Building a practical roadmap

Preparing for post-quantum cryptography is not a single technology upgrade, in fact, it is a long-term business transformation program that requires collaboration across security, infrastructure, application teams and technology partners.

The discovery stage provides the foundation by revealing where cryptography is deployed, exposing hidden dependencies and identifying systems that may otherwise be overlooked. Those unknowns are often the biggest source of delay, making early discovery essential to building a realistic migration roadmap.

With that understanding, organizations can begin prioritizing the systems that present the greatest business risk while assessing whether their wider technology ecosystem is ready for the transition.

That means working with software, hardware and cloud providers to understand their post-quantum roadmaps, identifying platforms that will require upgrades, and reviewing critical infrastructure, including web servers and TLS implementations, to ensure they can support quantum-safe cryptography.

It is important to remember that cryptographic standards will continue to evolve, making automation and crypto-agility essential for managing certificates, keys and algorithms at scale and adapting to future change.

The organizations that succeed will not be those that wait for quantum computing to arrive, but those that begin preparing now. By uncovering the unknowns within their cryptographic estate and building a phased migration strategy based on business risk, CISOs can strengthen resilience today while preparing their organizations for the cryptographic challenges of tomorrow.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

Apple raises trade-in estimates for iPhones, Macs, iPads and watches, with some devices gaining more than $100 and new Android phones now eligible.

The post Apple Sweetens Trade-In Deals for iPhones, Macs and iPads appeared first on TechRepublic.

• NordVPN's antivirus blocked 99.1% malware in latest West Coast Labs test
• Artifact Security ranked NordVPN first out of five providers for performance
• The tests confirm connection times of just 1.8 seconds and zero data leaks

Users looking for the best VPN want the perfect balance of security and speed. According to two newly released independent evaluations, NordVPN is currently delivering exactly that on a global scale.

Over the summer, testing firm West Coast Labs (WCL) awarded NordVPN's built-in antivirus tool its highest AAA certification. Back in June, London-based Artifact Security crowned the vendor as the fastest and most reliable provider in a comprehensive global performance test, proving NordVPN continues to score all-positive results on independent audits.

For everyday users, these results are incredibly reassuring. It means you don't have to sacrifice your browsing speeds to stay safe online. The evaluations simulated real-world conditions, proving the app can swiftly block malicious sites and high-severity threats and handle high-speed downloads without breaking a sweat or leaking your personal data.

NordVPN – the best VPN overall
NordVPN came out on top in our 2026 round of VPN tests. We think it's the best VPN for most people. We’re confident that virtually anyone can sign up for NordVPN and get what they need from it. It’s easy to use, very secure, fast enough for gaming, and offers flawless streaming service unblocking.

Subscriptions start from $3.49 per month, and you can try it out risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Top-tier malware protection

Under its WCL Validated methodology, West Coast Labs threw 934 malware samples at NordVPN's next-gen antivirus. The software successfully detected 926 of them, achieving an impressive 99.1% detection rate, well above the 95% threshold required for certification.

This latest achievement builds on the tool's previous successes, having already aced independent testing for its high phishing block rate in past assessments.

Crucially, the testing evaluated the product using its default configuration, meaning no custom tuning or vendor-supplied exclusions were used to artificially boost the score. NordVPN passed all 22 Core and 12 Augment lifecycle requirements across six stages, including deployment, functionality, and removal.

Because a single Core failure results in instant disqualification, this sweep earned NordVPN the highest available AAA certification rating.

"These results tell us the product is doing its job where it matters," said Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN. "What we’re most proud of is that this was tested under default configuration with no exclusions applied. That’s how most users actually run it, and that’s the standard we hold ourselves to."

Unmatched speed and reliability

(Image credit: NordVPN)

Security is only half the battle; a VPN must also be fast. Artifact Security's 2026 VPN Performance World Tour evaluated five major VPN providers (NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, and Mullvad) across five origin regions (Germany, Singapore, US West, US East, and the UK) spanning 55 route-pinned highways.

NordVPN dominated the field, finishing first with an overall score of 91 and taking home the test's only Platinum award. On its Windows VPN, the provider led the pack with an average download speed of 271.9 Mbps and a peak download median of 568.4 Mbps. It also proved highly responsive, averaging just 1.8 seconds to establish a working tunnel with a 98% success rate.

Most importantly for privacy advocates, all tested providers, including NordVPN, passed every standard and advanced leak scenario. Across IP, DNS, IPv6, WebRTC, server-switch, and split-tunneling tests, no traffic escaped the encrypted tunnel.

"Performance testing at this scale is a much harder standard to meet than a single-location benchmark," said Briedis. "Coming out first overall and winning three regions outright gives us confidence that the infrastructure improvements we’ve been making are translating into something users can actually feel, regardless of where they connect from."

Apple is reportedly exploring screenless wearables, new Apple Watch designs and more price tiers as competition reshapes the wearable market.

The post Apple Could Reinvent the Apple Watch With Screenless Devices and AI Health Features appeared first on TechRepublic.

After Alabama redrew its congressional maps in May, voters in several districts saw their primaries pushed to August. Now, it's time to vote and there are concerns confusion will dampen voter turnout.

(Image credit: Vasha Hunt)

A week after the Michigan primary, tests of progressive power will play out in the Midwest, raising questions of whether far left candidates can win come November or if the GOP can pick up moderates.

(Image credit: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

As educators in the nation's second-largest district prepare for the new limits on classroom screen time, some teachers say it will be a difficult adjustment.

The deployment is expected to cost in the billions after it was quietly extended until Inauguration Day of 2029.

(Image credit: Kent Nishimura)

Voters in six states head to the polls Tuesday for high-profile primaries, Trump signals his strategy with Iran is shifting, 7.4 magnitude earthquake kills at least 111 people in Colombia.

Every five years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) takes a snapshot of Australia through the Census. The last one was held in 2021, which means households across the country are being contacted again in 2026.

The information collected helps show how Australia's population and households are changing and is used to plan services and infrastructure, from schools and hospitals to transport and housing.

This guide answers the key questions about the 2026 Census, including when to complete it, who needs to be counted, what happens if you're late, fines, privacy and what to do if you're away from home.

The ABS also has a handy guide to doing the Census. It's a useful overview, but we've gone a little further below by answering some of the practical questions it doesn't cover.

If you're unsure how the Census rules apply to your situation, call the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227 for advice.

When is the 2026 Census in Australia?

Census night for the 2026 Census is Tuesday August 11 2026. Think of it as the snapshot date: questions about where you're staying and who's in your household should reflect Tuesday night.

You can complete the form earlier if you've received your instructions and already know where you'll be on August 11. If your plans are still up in the air, it's better to wait until you know where you'll be staying.

Can you complete the Census after Census night?

Census night isn't a hard submission deadline. If you haven't completed the form on Tuesday August 11, you can still submit it on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or later.

The ABS continues collecting forms and following up with households after Census night, so if you're late, complete it as soon as you can.

(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))Is the 2026 Census compulsory in Australia?

Yes. Completing and submitting the 2026 Census is compulsory under the Census and Statistics Act 1905. But being late doesn't automatically mean you'll be fined.

The ABS first follows up with people who haven't completed their form. If someone still doesn't respond, they may be sent a written direction formally requiring them to provide the information. Ignoring that direction can lead to prosecution and a fine.

How much is the fine for not completing the Census?

If you've received a written direction and still don't comply, you can face a fine of up to AU$364 for each day you don't comply.

You can find more detail on the ABS's penalty provisions page.

Who needs to complete the 2026 Census?

The Census is designed to count everyone who's in Australia on Census night. That includes babies and children, international students, visitors and visa holders.

That doesn't mean everyone fills out their own form. In most homes, one person completes the household form for everyone staying there that night.

What if you don't have a fixed address?

You should still be included in the Census. If you're experiencing homelessness, the ABS provides Census field staff and other support to help you take part. If you're staying with someone on Census night, you can be included on their household form.

If you're travelling around Australia without a fixed or return address, such as camping, or in a caravan or boat, you still need to be included in the Census.

You'll generally be counted where you're staying on Census night. A caravan, tent or boat can be counted as your dwelling for the night, including at a caravan park, camping ground or marina.

If you don't have a usual address, the 2026 Census form lets you record that. For the usual-address question, the ABS says to select Elsewhere in Australia, choose Enter address manually and enter None in the suburb/locality box.

How do you complete the 2026 Census?

For most households, the process starts with instructions to complete the Census online. These include a Census number and temporary password you can use to access the form.

The ABS says the average household takes about 30 minutes to complete it.

What if you haven't received or have lost your Census letter?

You can still complete the Census. If you haven't received your instructions or no longer have them, you can get a Census number online or request a paper form.

Can you use a paper Census form?

Yes. Paper forms are available to anyone who wants one. Some households will receive a paper form automatically, while others can request one if they'd rather not complete the Census online.

If you need help completing the Census, the Census website has support options, including language and accessibility support. You can also contact the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227.

What if there are more than six people in your household?

A paper Census form can include up to six people. If more than six people are staying at your address on Census night, you can complete the Census online or request an extra paper form.

Can you complete your Census answers privately?

Yes. If you don't want other people in your household to see your answers, you can request a separate Census form and complete your information privately. The ABS explains how this works in its 2026 Census collection notice.

Can you change your Census answers after submitting the form?

Once a Census form has been submitted, the ABS says it can't be reopened or edited.

We couldn't find specific online guidance for what happens if you complete the Census early and your plans later change, so we called the ABS media line to clarify. The advice was to contact the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227. They'll talk you through the options if your plans have changed or you've realised you made a significant mistake.

Separately, the ABS has processes for dealing with multiple responses. If more than one Census form is submitted for the same person, it keeps the one containing the most complete information about that person.

(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))What if you're away from home on Census night?

If you're away from your usual home on Census night, you'll generally be counted where you actually spend the night. Your usual address can record you as temporarily away.

That can include staying with friends or family or spending the night in a hotel, hospital or aged care home. The ABS also has arrangements for people travelling overnight by plane, train or bus.

If you're temporarily overseas on Census night, you won't be counted in the Census for that night.

What if you're working on Census night?

If you're working overnight but will return to your usual home on Wednesday August 12 and won't be included on a Census form elsewhere, the ABS says you can be included on the form for your usual home.

How are FIFO workers counted in the Census?

Fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers who are staying at a worksite or camp on Census night should generally be counted there. For example, if you normally live in Perth but you're at a mining camp in the Pilbara, you'd be counted at the camp and listed as temporarily away from your usual address in Perth.

Why might a Census field officer visit your home?

Census field officers may visit homes to deliver letters or forms, help people complete the Census or follow up after Census night where a completed form hasn't been received.

So a knock at the door doesn't automatically mean there's a problem. In some areas, field visits are simply part of how the Census is carried out.

How can you check if a Census worker is genuine?

If someone claiming to work for the Census contacts you and you're unsure whether they're genuine, verify them through official ABS channels rather than relying on the contact details they give you. Use the official Census website or call the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227.

How can you tell if a Census text, email or website is genuine?

The same caution applies to texts, emails and websites. The ABS says genuine Census text messages use the sender ID CENSUS, while texts about other ABS surveys use ABSGov. The official Census website uses a .gov.au address.

If a message doesn't look right, don't use the link it contains. Go directly to the official Census website. The ABS also has online safety guidance.

(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))What questions are on the 2026 Census?

The 2026 Census contains 66 questions covering areas such as your household, age, cultural background, education, work and income, housing, religion and people who are away on Census night.

You can see the full breakdown in the ABS's 2026 Census topics and data release plan.

What's changed in the 2026 Census?

One of the biggest changes in 2026 is the addition of questions about gender and sexual orientation. Everyone is asked about their sex as recorded at birth, while people aged 16 and over are also asked about their gender and how they describe their sexual orientation.

The ABS says the change is intended to build a clearer picture of Australia's LGBTQ+ population and help inform health and community services. If you'd prefer not to answer, both the gender and sexual orientation questions include a prefer not to answer option.

People can also report up to four ancestries in the 2026 Census.

Do you have to answer every Census question?

No. The question about religion is explicitly marked as optional on the 2026 Census form.

The gender and sexual orientation questions for people aged 16 and over also include a "prefer not to answer" option. So, while taking part in the Census itself is compulsory, that doesn't mean every question requires you to provide a particular answer.

Is your 2026 Census information private?

Yes. Census information is protected by law, and the ABS says it doesn't share identifiable information from your Census form with other government departments or direct marketing companies.

That means your individual Census answers aren't handed to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to check your tax return or to Centrelink to check your eligibility for a payment.

You can read more in the ABS's 2026 Census Privacy Statement.

Is the Census anonymous?

No. The Census isn't anonymous because it asks for names and addresses. However, the ABS separates names and addresses from other Census information after processing.

When will the 2026 Census results be released?

The first 2026 Census results are due to be released in June 2027, with further data releases continuing into 2028.

Census data will be free to access through ABS tools including QuickStats, TableBuilder and ABS Data Maps.

(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))