<p>During machining processes, cutting tools suffer severe tool wear, due to the friction generated at the tool-chip and tool-workpiece interfaces that produce a considerable amount of abrasion and heat in the cutting zone. Surface texturing has the ability to improve the cutting performance of cutting tools by providing enhanced lubricant availability to the inaccessible area of the tool-chip interface, increasing load carrying capacity, enhancing wetting properties and heat transfer coefficient and reducing the tool-chip contact area and chip on tool contact length, thus reducing friction, tool wear and cutting temperature and forces. This study presents a novel surface modification approach for fabricating cross-hatched micropatterns on the rake face of WC–Co cutting inserts, consisting in performing the laser surface texturing process in the green body of the inserts. The addition of micropatterns to WC–Co cutting tools decreased tool wear by 33%, when compared to a commercial cutting tool during turning of AISI 316L stainless steel, due to the improved ability to extract more heat in the cutting zone and nearer to the cutting edge, increased lubrication effect and reduced tool-chip contact area and length. Therefore, the findings obtained in this study are crucial for future developments of cutting tools with novel designs and features.</p>