Google also says that this year's I/O will also have a location at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, where users and developers can experience it firsthand.

The schedule will be packed for visitors with a focus on the company's AI efforts. During last year's I/O, we were shown Gemini AI features and models, Project Astra AI assistant, Veo generative AI video model, and Google Search was significantly overhauled. Additionally, the 2023 edition of the conference also featured announcements for the Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel 7A.

Looking ahead to 2025, attendees can expect to see the unveiling of the next iteration of Android, potentially called as Android 16 Baklava, as well as potential updates to Wear OS 6 and the company's suite of services, including Google Maps, Circle to Search, and Gemini.

Moreover, the conference may provide a preview of the future of Android XR, which is the operating system for XR headsets and glasses. Given the fact that Samsung recently teased its Project Moohan headset in partnership with Google and Qualcomm, the I/O conference may be utilized as a vehicle to unveil the advancements in the new tech.

This year's Google I/O will overlap with Microsoft's Build conference, which has already been set for May 19 to May 22. The Build conference, by tradition, will take place in Seattle, Washington. Microsoft revealed the event was on the horizon with the promise of "a new path forward." But as of now, there aren't many details about what we will see at the conference.

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Here's what's new:

24H2

Highlights

• This update addresses security issues for your Windows operating system.

Improvements

This security update includes improvements that were a part of update KB5050094 (released January 28, 2025). Below is a summary of the key issues that this update addresses when you install this KB. If there are new features, it lists them as well. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

 

• This update makes miscellaneous security improvements to internal OS functionality. No additional issues were documented for this release.

   

If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

 

For more information about security vulnerabilities, please refer to the Security Update Guide website and the February 2025 Security Updates.

Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5052085)- 26100.3189

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates. To learn more about SSUs, see Simplifying on-premises deployment of servicing stack updates.

Known issues in this update

Roblox

 

All users

 

We’re aware of an issue where players on Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox from the Microsoft Store on Windows.

 

Players on Arm devices can play Roblox by downloading the title directly from www.Roblox.com.

 

Open Secure Shell service

 

All users

 

Following the installation of the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) service fails to start, preventing SSH connections. The service fails with no detailed logging, and manual intervention is required to run the sshd.exe process.

 

This issue is affecting both enterprise, IOT, and education customers, with a limited number of devices impacted. Microsoft is investigating whether consumer customers using Home or Pro editions of Windows are affected.

 

Customers can temporarily resolve the issue by updating permissions (ACLs) on the affected directories. Follow these steps:

 

1. Open PowerShell as an Administrator.

    

2. Update the permissions for C:\ProgramData\ssh and C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs to allow full control for SYSTEM and the Administrators group, while allowing read access for Authenticated Users. You can restrict read access to specific users or groups by modifying the permissions string if needed.

    

   Use the following commands to update the permissions:

    

   $directoryPath = "C:\ProgramData\ssh" $acl = Get-Acl -Path $directoryPath $sddlString = "O:BAD:PAI(A;OICI;FA;;;SY)(A;OICI;FA;;;BA)(A;OICI;0x1200a9;;;AU)" $securityDescriptor = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.RawSecurityDescriptor $sddlString $acl.SetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm($securityDescriptor.GetSddlForm("All")) Set-Acl -Path $directoryPath -AclObject $acl

    

3. Repeat the above steps for C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs.

    

Microsoft is actively investigating the issue and will provide a resolution in an upcoming Windows update. Further communications will be provided when a resolution or additional workarounds are available.

 

Citrix

 

IT admins

 

Devices that have certain Citrix components installed might be unable to complete installation of the January 2025 Windows security update. This issue was observed on devices with Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411. The 2411 version of this application was released in December 2024.

Affected devices might initially download and apply the January 2025 Windows security update correctly, such as via the Windows Update page in Settings. However, when restarting the device to complete the update installation, an error message with text similar to “Something didn’t go as planned. No need to worry – undoing changes” appears. The device will then revert to the Windows updates previously present on the device.

This issue likely affects a limited number of organizations as version 2411 of the SRA application is a new version. Home users are not expected to be affected by this issue.

 

Citrix has documented this issue, including a workaround, which can be performed prior to installing the January 2025 Windows security update. For details, see Citrix’s documentation.

 

Microsoft is working with Citrix to address this issue and will update this documentation once a resolution is available.

23H2 and 22H2

Highlights

• This update addresses security issues for your Windows operating system.

Improvements

Note: To view the list of addressed issues, click or tap the OS name to expand the collapsible section.

 

Windows 11, version 23H2

 

Important: Use EKB KB5027397 to update to Windows 11, version 23H2.

 

This security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:

 

• This build includes all the improvements in Windows 11, version 22H2.

• No additional issues are documented for this release.

   

Windows 11, version 22H2

 

This security update includes improvements that were a part of update KB5050092 (released January 28, 2025). Below is a summary of the key issues that this update addresses when you install this KB. If there are new features, it lists them as well. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

 

• [Hyper-V] Fixed: In backup scenarios, there is a delay. This might stop backups from running smoothly.

   

If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

 

For more information about security vulnerabilities, please refer to the Security Update Guide website and the February 2025 Security Update.

Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5053488) - 22621.4890 and 22631.4890

This update makes quality improvements to the servicing stack, which is the component that installs Windows updates. Servicing stack updates (SSU) ensure that you have a robust and reliable servicing stack so that your devices can receive and install Microsoft updates. To learn more about SSUs, see Simplifying on-premises deployment of servicing stack updates.

Known issues in this update

Open Secure Shell service

 

All users

 

Following the installation of the October 2024 security update, some customers report that the OpenSSH (Open Secure Shell) service fails to start, preventing SSH connections. The service fails with no detailed logging, and manual intervention is required to run the sshd.exe process.

 

This issue is affecting both enterprise, IOT, and education customers, with a limited number of devices impacted. Microsoft is investigating whether consumer customers using Home or Pro editions of Windows are affected.

 

Customers can temporarily resolve the issue by updating permissions (ACLs) on the affected directories. Follow these steps:

 

1. Open PowerShell as an Administrator.

    

2. Update the permissions for C:\ProgramData\ssh and C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs to allow full control for SYSTEM and the Administrators group, while allowing read access for Authenticated Users. You can restrict read access to specific users or groups by modifying the permissions string if needed.

    

   Use the following commands to update the permissions:

    

   $directoryPath = "C:\ProgramData\ssh" $acl = Get-Acl -Path $directoryPath $sddlString = "O:BAD:PAI(A;OICI;FA;;;SY)(A;OICI;FA;;;BA)(A;OICI;0x1200a9;;;AU)" $securityDescriptor = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.RawSecurityDescriptor $sddlString $acl.SetSecurityDescriptorSddlForm($securityDescriptor.GetSddlForm("All")) Set-Acl -Path $directoryPath -AclObject $acl

    

3. Repeat the above steps for C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs.

    

Microsoft is actively investigating the issue and will provide a resolution in an upcoming Windows update. Further communications will be provided when a resolution or additional workarounds are available.

 

Citrix

 

All users

 

Devices that have certain Citrix components installed might be unable to complete installation of the January 2025 Windows security update. This issue was observed on devices with Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411. The 2411 version of this application was released in December 2024.

Affected devices might initially download and apply the January 2025 Windows security update correctly, such as via the Windows Update page in Settings. However, when restarting the device to complete the update installation, an error message with text similar to “Something didn’t go as planned. No need to worry – undoing changes” appears. The device will then revert to the Windows updates previously present on the device.

This issue likely affects a limited number of organizations as version 2411 of the SRA application is a new version. Home users are not expected to be affected by this issue.

 

Citrix has documented this issue, including a workaround, which can be performed prior to installing the January 2025 Windows security update. For details, see Citrix’s documentation.

 

Microsoft is working with Citrix to address this issue and will update this documentation once a resolution is available.

These updates will be available from Windows Update and should install automatically in most cases. If you would like to download these updates for offline installation, you can get them from the Microsoft Catalog website. You can find the update for 24H2 here (but check the install instructions here as it's more complex, go to the Catalog tab at the bottom of the page), and 23H2 and 22H2 here.

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The new updates are being distributed under KB5051974, bumping up the builds to 19044.5487 and 19045.5487. You can find standalone links to download the new update on the Microsoft Update Catalog at this link.

The major highlight of the release is security patches.

Highlights

 

• This update addresses security issues for your Windows operating system.

This release has the following known issues:

Known issues in this update

Some of the older Windows 10 versions have also received updates today, which have been listed below with their respective release notes (KB) linked as well as links to download them at Microsoft's Update Catalog:

It is noteworthy that Windows 10 20H2 and Windows 10 1909 reached the end of servicing. Non-LTSC editions of 21H2 have also reached the end of servicing.

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Here are the update highlights:

New Game Support

 

• Sid Meier's Civilization VII
• Avowed
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

 

Fixed Issues and Improvements

 

• Partial black screen may appear in Main Menu while playing Marvel's Spider-Man 2 with Radeon Anti-Lag 2 and Ray Tracing enabled on AMD Ryzen 7000 and above series processors.
• Unable to set low black values when using MyXrayDose ViewIQ.

Known bugs in this update include the following:

• Intermittent system or application crash may be observed while playing FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH for long periods of time.
• Intermittent driver timeout or crash may be observed while playing Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 on some AMD Graphics Products, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. Users experiencing this issue can enable Variable Graphics Memory in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition as a temporary measure (AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition -> Performance -> Tuning -> Variable Graphics Memory).
• Intermittent stutter may be observed while playing Marvel Rivals when AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 frame generation is enabled. Users experiencing this issue are recommended to disable AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 frame generation in the per-game settings as a temporary workaround.
• After using the AMD Cleanup Utility for Windows, the AMD Bug Report Tool may appear intermittently during a new driver install on AMD Ryzen 7000 and above series processors paired with AMD Graphics Products.
• HEVC encoding may not work as expected while using OBS Studio with Twitch Enhanced Broadcasting.

You can download AMD's latest graphics driver from the official website. Keep in mind that it is an optional release, so it might be less stable than regular updates. It is compatible with 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 systems running one of the following graphics cards: RX 5000, RX 6000, RX 7000, and all Ryzen CPUs with integrated Radeon graphics.

Full release notes for driver 25.2.1 are available here.

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GNOME, despite its many controversies, remains the desktop environment of choice for users who prefer a simpler experience with less control over customization. KDE Plasma, on the other hand, is more suitable for users who enjoy tweaking the look and feel of their desktop.

The KDE team just announced Plasma version 6.3 today, several months after the launch of version 6.2. This update brings improvements across different parts of the Plasma environment, including KRunner, KWin, and more.

One notable improvement in 6.3 is that it is now easier to clone panels. To do this, enter edit mode, click the "Clone Panel" button in the panel settings, select the position of the duplicated panel, and that's it.

Plasma’s window manager, KWin, also gets an improvement that artists and designers will appreciate. It now renders content more precisely by snapping elements to the screen’s pixel grid whenever possible, which the KDE team says will reduce blurriness and produce sharper images.

Screen colors are now more accurate, especially when using Night Light. Additionally, you can adjust screen color accuracy, though this may impact system performance.

Among the smaller changes in 6.3, there's now a "Help" category in the launcher. The "Settings" category has been merged into the "System" category.

The desktop context menu has also been updated. When right-clicking on a symbolic link, there's now a "Show Target" option that allows quick navigation to the original file or directory. This highly requested feature was previously available only in the Dolphin file manager but is now accessible on the desktop.

These are just some of the updates in 6.3. You can check out the announcement or the changelog here.

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Here is the changelog:

Gaming Highlights:

 

Intel Game On Driver support on Intel Arc B-series, A-series Graphics GPUs and Intel Core Ultra with built-in Intel Arc GPUs for:

 

• Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

 

Intel Game On Driver support on Intel Arc B-series, A-series Graphics GPUs for:

 

• Avowed

 

Game performance improvements on Intel® Arc™ B-series Graphics GPUs versus Intel® 32.0.101.6262 software driver for:

 

• Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (DX12)
  • Up to 5.9% average FPS uplift at 1080p with High settings

 

Fixed Issues:

 

Intel Arc A-Series Graphics Products:

 

• Adobe After Effects may exhibit flickering in the preview window during playback.

 

Intel Core Ultra Series 1 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

 

• Adobe After Effects may exhibit flickering in the preview window during playback.

 

Intel Core Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

 

• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered (DX12) may experience crash during gameplay with frame generation enabled.
• Adobe After Effects may exhibit flickering in the preview window during playback.

Intel 32.0.101.6559 is available on PCs with 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11 with the following graphics products from Intel:

You can download the driver from the official website here. Full release notes are available here (PDF).

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Microsoft appears to have taken down a webpage that was supposed to contain a guide on how to uninstall Microsoft Edge. Unfortunately, even if you found an archived version of that page, it would not help you remove the built-in browser on Windows 11. Despite having the title "How to Uninstall Microsoft Edge," the page was actually a site dedicated to comparing Edge and Chrome. According to Windows Latest, TechRadar, and PCWorld, Microsoft's page showed a comparison table breaking down ways Edge is better than Chrome, at least in the eyes of Microsoft. Now, clicking that link redirects you to a general topic page on Edge.

Searching for how to uninstall Edge through Bing shows a webpage that appears to be a guide on the topic from Microsoft. The title and summary of the page suggest steps outlining the process would appear. Notably, that result appears to be different than the page that once appeared for other outlets that reported on this topic previously. But in the case of the previous link and the current link that appears when searching for the topic, clicking the link just takes you to a general page about Edge.

As shown by screenshots from several outlets, the since-removed page used to highlight Edge including Copilot, Designer, Vertical tabs, coupons, Read Aloud, and a VPN. Admittedly, some of those features are useful. I use Read Aloud every day since I have a condition that makes it difficult for me to read large blocks of text. But I imagine most people would be disappointed if they looked up how to uninstall Microsoft Edge, found a page titled "How to uninstall Microsoft Edge, and then were only presented with reasons to keep Microsoft Edge installed.

I'm in the UK, so there's a chance that I see a different page when trying to find a way to remove Edge from my PC. Regardless, Microsoft has not shared steps on how to uninstall Edge from Windows 11.

In our recent "Top 10 features coming soon to Windows 11" article, we covered some big updates for the Start menu, including two new views for the "All apps" list. Microsoft wants to improve the idea further by letting you open the Start menu directly to the list of all apps, not your pins and recommended applications. Microsoft will also allow users to switch back to the standard variant, with the Start menu opening to pins by default.

The code bits for that feature were spotted by @phantomofearth on X:

If you want to get the same behavior right now, you can use third-party tweaks or applications like PowerStartMenu from the Microsoft Store or Windhawk. Of course, it would be much better to have this feature on the system level without relying on tweaks or additional applications.

In case you missed it, Microsoft recently announced improvements to the Phone Link widget in the Start menu. It will soon be enabled by default, asking users to connect their Android or iPhone devices. The biggest change is that the widget now supports iPhones, allowing Apple users to have quick access to notifications and messages, device information, file transfer, and more. You can learn more about that change here.

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The new feature is coming in Brave Browser version 1.75 for the desktop and is very similar to the popular TamperMonkey and GreaseMonkey browser extensions, which allow users to create "user scripts" that modify the functionality of specific websites.

"Starting with desktop version 1.75, advanced Brave users will be able to write and inject their own scriptlets into a page, allowing for better control over their browsing experience," explained Brave in the announcement.

Brave says that the feature was initially created to debug the browser's adblock feature but felt it was too valuable not to share with users.

Brave's custom scriptlets feature can be used to modify webpages for a wide variety of privacy, security, and usability purposes.

For privacy-related changes, users write scripts that block JavaScript-based trackers, randomize fingerprinting APIs, and substitute Google Analytics scripts with a dummy version.

In terms of customization and accessibility, the scriptlets could be used for hiding sidebars, pop-ups, floating ads, or annoying widgets, force dark mode even on sites that don't support it, expand content areas, force infinite scrolling, adjust text colors and font size, and auto-expand hidden content.

For example, the script below will remove sidebars from a particular website.

For performance and usability, the scriptlets can block video autoplay, lazy-load images, auto-fill forms with predefined data, enable custom keyboard shortcuts, bypass right-click restrictions, and automatically click confirmation dialogs.

The possible actions achievable by injected JavaScript snippets are virtually endless. However, caution is advised, as running untrusted custom scriptlets may cause issues or even introduce some risk.

How to use Brave scriptlets

Brave says the scriptlets are powerful tools in the hands of knowledgeable users. At the same time, there's a risk that custom JavaScript can cause website problems.

For this reason, it has placed the new feature behind a Developer mode flag in Shields > Content filtering. 

You can access the new feature by going to "brave://settings/shields/filters," enabling "Developer mode," and then clicking on the "Add new scriptlet" button.

A box will appear warning the user they should not paste code they don't understand as this could result in privacy risks.

Brave's custom scriptlet feature follows filter rule syntax similar to ad-blocking rules in uBlock Origin or AdGuard. For more information on that, check here.

Those interested in experimenting with Brave's new feature should only use their own code or those of people they trust, strictly avoiding anything that hasn't been thoroughly scrutinized.

It is also possible to subscribe to existing adblock filter lists, so that their rules are automatically used in Brave.

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Explorer Tab Utility is a small and lightweight application that runs in the background and enables many missing features in File Explorer, such as the ability to open links in new tabs instead of new windows, switching to the existing tab if the path is already open, virtual desktop switching with a shortcut, and better tab management. It also adds stuff like the ability to re-open closed tabs, tab duplication, and quick navigation for custom paths (useful when you frequently open a certain location).

Another great thing about Explorer Tab Utility is that it consumes very few resources and keeps its head as low as possible in order not to interrupt your workflow. Plus, you can personalize its behavior, create custom hotkeys for quick actions, and more.

While the app greatly improves on what we have in the current Windows 11 release, there are still some limitations, especially in the performance area. Here is what the developer says about it:

While this utility is optimized for best performance, some operations might experience delays due to limitations in Windows File Explorer itself:

 

• The File Explorer's tab interface lacks proper APIs for programmatic control
• Some operations in File Explorer are inherently laggy, especially with multiple simultaneous window operations
• Windows Shell doesn't expose all the necessary functionality for seamless tab management

 

Despite these Windows limitations, the utility implements the best possible solutions using available Windows APIs and COM interfaces.

Explorer Tab Utility is available for free on GitHub. It is compatible with Windows 11 version 22H2 build 22621 and newer (any build with tabbed File Explorer).

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Here is the changelog:

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

 

[General]

 

• This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

 

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

 

[Settings]

 

• Fixed the issue causing the Home page of Settings to crash for some Insiders.

Known issues in the update include the following:

[File Explorer]

 

• We’re investigating an issue causing File Explorer to be very slow to close for some Insiders when closing using the X button. This may also impact the other title bar buttons.

 

[Settings]

 

• There is a known issue where the two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards are showing up on non-managed PCs signed in with Microsoft accounts.

In addition, Microsoft is rolling out a small update for Paint. Version 11.2412.271.0 introduces a new menu for AI-powered features:

We are rolling out an update for Paint (version 11.2412.271.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels. In this update, we are introducing the Copilot menu to Paint where you can access all the intelligent features which help you complete your image generation and editing tasks faster. Clicking on the Copilot icon from the toolbar will expand into a drop-down menu where you can easily access the features Cocreator, Image Creator, Generative erase, and Remove background. Note that Cocreator is only available on Copilot+ PCs. Within the dropdown, each feature will also include a short description to help you choose the right tool.

You can find the official announcement here.

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On Windows 11, searching for files can sometimes feel like finding a needle in a haystack, but it doesn't have to be. Whether you're looking for a specific document, an image buried in folders, or a file hidden deep within your system, File Explorer's search feature can be a powerful tool. That's, of course, if you know how to use it efficiently.

Although you can type a search query in the search box, File Explorer includes some functionalities to make search faster and more accurate with advanced search filters, boolean operators, wildcards, indexing settings, and hidden features.

In this how-to guide, I'll outline the different options you can use to find files effortlessly on File Explorer for Windows 11.

How to search more efficiently on File Explorer

File Explorer provides many options for a more precise search to find that specific document, video, or image.

Open File Explorer (Windows key + E), browse to the location where you want to perform a search, and use these instructions:

Search with filters and operators

File Explorer supports advanced search filters that let you narrow down your results.

Basic filters

Microsoft clarified that the problem does not occur when the installation is done via Windows Update or the Update Catalog website.

To prevent the issue, the company provided a workaround which was simply to avoid the October and November patches. At the time company had said that it was investigating the problem and would offer more details later.

However, Microsoft has now closed the issue as "resolved" even though the root of the problem has seemingly not been addressed by the company. The workaround that was provided has simply been reworked as the resolution of the issue as you can see below:

Workaround: To prevent issues, do not install Windows 11, version 24H2 which installs the October 2024 or November 2024 security updates. Instead, ensure that media used to install Windows 11, version 24H2, includes the December 2024 monthly security update (released December 10, 2024), or later.

And following is the resolution:

Resolution: To prevent this issue, do not install Windows 11, version 24H2 using media that installs the October 2024 or November 2024 security updates. If a device becomes unable to receive further updates as a result of this issue, it can be remediated by re-installing Windows 11, versions 24H2, using media which instead includes the December 2024 monthly security update (released December 10, 2024), or later.

In Microsoft's defence, perhaps the underlying problem is too much of a hassle to dig into and resolve given the time constraint, which is why the company has decided to move on to other open issues.

In related news, the tech giant this week published a new PowerShell script for updated Windows 11/10/Server boot media.

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Now, Microsoft has published an update on the official Windows Health Dashboard documentation to notify users that the bug has been fixed in KB5050094, the latest non-security update for Windows 11 version 24H2:

This issue is addressed starting with Windows updates released January 28, 2025 (KB5050094) and later. This resolution is gradually rolling out and will be fully available in the coming months as part of a monthly Windows update. We recommend you install the latest update for your device as it contains important improvements and issue resolutions, including this one.

You can download KB5050094 by heading to Settings > Windows Update and checking for available updates. Upon detecting KB5050094, click "Download and Install."

If you do not want to install preview updates for Windows 11, you can bypass the bug using one of Microsoft's workarounds:

• Open the start menu and type "control panel", then selecting the top result. Once the Control Panel appears, you can use the search bar in the upper right of the window to enter "change the time zone". Select the top result.
• Open the Date and Time section directly from the Run dialog, by pressing the Windows key and 'R' on your keyboard, then entering the following text: timedate.cpl

It is also worth noting that the bug does not affect customers on Windows 11 version 23H2 and older. Windows 10 is also immune to it.

Microsoft has already resolved plenty of bugs in Windows 11 version 24H2, thus making the update broadly available. Those bugs include audio disruptions, games failing to load, Auto HDR issues, and more. However, there are still several quite old known bugs that wait for their corresponding patches. They include blue screens of death on ASUS devices, compatibility issues with wallpaper apps, anti-cheat software issues, and more.

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Today, the company has published new details about the upcoming change. The tech giant has confirmed that a new Group Policy and MDM (mobile device management) policy will be shared so that administrators will be able to manage the deployment of oncoming Windows 11 quality updates better.

Microsoft writes:

Thanks to your feedback, in mid-2025, we'll be releasing a new policy to manage whether devices in your organization receive quality updates during OOBE. This policy will allow you to choose if new Windows 11 devices on version 22H2 and higher get the latest applicable quality update during setup. You'll be able to configure the setting via Windows Autopilot and Windows Autopilot device preparation, so you can have seamless control over updates in OOBE.

 

..

 

If you don't use Autopilot through Microsoft Intune, you can still disable quality updates during OOBE by setting the Group Policy to disabled. This policy will be available as a mobile device management (MDM) policy and a Group Policy.

The situation is a bit reminiscent of another change Microsoft debuted back in May last year. That was related specifically to the management of the deployment of feature updates.

About the upcoming policy that is said to be available by the middle of this year, Microsoft has reiterated that the idea of pushing the patches right at the initial setup is to protect and secure devices "out of the box." In terms of resource usage, the company notes that it "can take an average of 20 minutes though the download and installation time will depend on the size of the update, the user's network conditions, and the hardware capabilities of the device."

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It also introduces an AI-powered scareware blocker to help protect against scams, along with a revamped Downloads UI for better performance. Admins can now manage new certificate policies, and users get an easier way to track product prices through the updated shopping experience in the address bar.

Here's the full changelog:

Fixes

 

• Fixed an issue which prevented users from selecting 'Report this file as safe' when downloading a file.

 

Feature updates

 

• Extending support for viewing MIP Protected PDF Files to different sovereignties (including GCCH). Sovereign cloud customers (including GCCH) are able to open MIP protected PDF content in Microsoft Edge. This change is available in the Microsoft Edge built-in PDF reader powered by Adobe Acrobat and the legacy Microsoft Edge PDF engine.

• Non-special scheme URL handling. Nonspecial scheme URL handling is updated to become compliant with the URL Standard (https://url.spec.whatwg.org/). This change has site compatibility impacts which might require changes to your web sites. For more information and web developer guidance, see http://bit.ly/url-non-special.

• Deprecate textprediction attribute. Removes support for the textprediction HTML attribute, which is a nonstandard attribute that's used to enable or disable the browser-based Text Prediction feature for long-form text inputs. Instead, use the standardized writingsuggestions attribute, which functions similarly to textprediction, but also applies to other writing-assistance features that browsers may provide. Sites that explicitly set textprediction to true or false can instead set writingsuggestions to the same value. For more information, see Writing suggestions in the HTML specification.

• Scareware blocker. Scareware blocker in Microsoft Edge is your AI powered shield designed to protect you and your users from scareware attacks. Once enabled, scareware blocker uses machine learning (ML) to identify and block these scams, keeping you safe as you browse the web. For more information, see Stand up to scareware with scareware blocker. Note: This experience is in preview and users can opt in via Microsoft Edge Settings, under edge://settings/privacy, Scareware is located under “Security”.

• Remove policy used for legacy same site behavior. In Microsoft Edge version 80, we introduced the LegacySameSiteCookieBehaviorEnabledForDomainList policy to revert the SameSite behavior of cookies to legacy behavior on the specified domains. The LegacySameSiteCookieBehaviorEnabledForDomainList policy is obsolete in Microsoft Edge version 133.

• Updated Downloads UI to Improve Performance. The Downloads UI is rewritten to improve performance. Customer-facing functionality and UX from previous releases remain the same.

• Shopping Product Tracking. Track product prices easily with a new experience in the Edge Address Bar that appears on the product detail page. Users can track prices quickly and will be notified when there is a price drop on that product and save more. Administrators can control the availability of Shopping in Edge using the EdgeShoppingAssistantEnabled policy.

   

Policy updates

 

• New policies

• CACertificateManagementAllowed- Allow users to manage installed CA certificates
• CA Certificates - TLS server certificates that should be trusted by Microsoft Edge
• CACertificatesWithConstraints - TLS certificates that should be trusted by Microsoft Edge for server authentication with constraints
• CADistrustedCertificates - TLS certificates that should be distrusted by Microsoft Edge for server authentication
• CAHintCertificates - TLS certificates that aren't trusted or distrusted but can be used in path-building for server authentication
• CAPlatformIntegrationEnabled - Use user-added TLS certificates from platform trust stores for server authentication
• DataURLWhitespacePreservationEnabled - DataURL Whitespace Preservation for all media types
• EdgeSidebarAppUrlHostForceList - Control which apps are forced to be shown in Microsoft Edge sidebar
• PdfViewerOutOfProcessIframeEnabled - Use out-of-process iframe PDF Viewer
• SeamlessWebToBrowserSignInEnabled - Seamless Web To Browser Sign-in Enabled
• WebToBrowserSignInEnabled - Web To Browser Sign-in Enabled

 

• Obsoleted policies

• CopilotCDPPageContext - Control Copilot with Commercial Data Protection access to page context for Microsoft Entra ID profiles (obsolete)
• CSSCustomStateDeprecatedSyntaxEnabled - Controls whether the deprecated :--foo syntax for CSS custom state is enabled (obsolete)
• LegacySameSiteCookieBehaviorEnabledForDomainList - Revert to legacy SameSite behavior for cookies on specified sites (obsolete)

In other Edge-related news, Microsoft took a jab at Google Chrome by creating a fake "How to uninstall Edge" guide. Instead of actually showing how to remove Edge, the page tries to persuade users to stick with it, highlighting features like Copilot and a built-in VPN.

Edge 133.0.3065.51 is available for download on Windows (ARM | x64 | x86).

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Users noticed that the company has an official "guide" that is literally called "How to uninstall Microsoft Edge." However, unlike some of Microsoft's proper support pages that describe how to do stuff (there are still some oddities, like a support page recommending ancient backup tools for Windows 11), the new webpage is anything but a guide. Instead of telling straight how to uninstall Edge, Microsoft is using the opportunity to throw shade at Chrome in an attempt to prevent users from switching.

The page begins with a big headline asking if you are sure you want to uninstall Microsoft Edge. Then, it proceeds to list all the benefits of Microsoft's browser, like integrated Copilot, Designer, Vertical tabs, shopping assistant, read-aloud, and a built-in VPN. No other third-party browser other than Chrome is mentioned, which makes it clear who this "guide" is for.

Microsoft says Edge is "the only browser with built-in Copilot experience," even though the only benefit is that you can use them in a sidebar without switching to another tab (Copilot and Designer work in other browsers as well). It lists security features like SmartScreen, Password Monitor, now-deprecated Kids Mode, and more. Microsoft also touts better energy efficiency, claiming Edge delivers, on average, 25 extra minutes of battery life compared to Chrome.

All of that is cool and everything, but the page is called "How to uninstall Microsoft Edge." Not a single word on it tells how to remove the browser. Also, it does not mention the fact that Edge is only uninstallable in the European Union, which forced Microsoft to give users more choice and flexibility. If you live outside the EU, your only option is to use third-party apps that can pull Edge out of the operating system.

The discovery of the new page follows the recent drama around Bing disguising itself as Google to trick users into believing they are on Google Search. After user backlash, Microsoft reverted the controversial design, but now, we have fake guides from Microsoft. Big sigh.

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Some people might think it is exclusive to Linux (since it's one of the few decent alternatives to Microsoft Office on Linux), but it's actually available on all major desktop platforms, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, as well as mobile (Android and iOS).

LibreOffice just got a big update, version 25.2, its first major update of the year, bringing multiple bug fixes and new features.

One major improvement in version 25.2 is its ability to read and write Open Document Format for Office Applications (ODF) 1.4. If you work with legal or academic documents, you'll be glad to know that Writer now supports inline headings, something Microsoft Word has supported since Word 97.

Here's the changelog:

Writer

 

• Track Changes in Writer: Enhancement to identify a click on a tracked change in the document by highlighting the corresponding entry in the "Manage Changes" window and sidebar panel. This enhancement greatly improves the ability to manage a large number of changes in long documents. (Jim Raykowski) tdf#161717 tdf#162018
• Fixed handling of line object transformations in the DOCX import of Writer. (blog post). (Miklos Vajna, Collabora)
• Improved font fallback in the DOCX import of Writer (blog post). (Miklos Vajna, Collabora)
• Added Group and Mono controls to the Asian Phonetic Guide dialog. By default, the Asian Phonetic Guide dialog decomposes a selection into words for annotation. The Group button allows annotating the entire selection. The Mono button allows annotating each character individually. (Jonathan Clark, TDF) tdf#107184 tdf#156543
• Improved interactivity for LOK clients in Writer's layout (blog post). (Miklos Vajna, Collabora)
• Added options to set a default zoom level for opening documents, overriding zoom level stored in documents (Oliver Specht, Allotropia) tdf#132274
• Added option to promote a reply comment into a root comment (Jaume Pujantell, Collabora) 98cd8bac
• Writer TextBoxes now handle page captures (blog post). (Miklos Vajna, Collabora)
• Boundaries are now toggled independently of Formatting Marks, are controlled per Tools ▸ Options ▸ Writer ▸ Formatting Aids, and switched on/off with View ▸ Boundaries. (Heiko Tietze, TDF) tdf#74386, tdf#163856

  

   

Calc

 

• Support import and export of connections.xml in OOXML. (Bayram Çiçek, Collabora) tdf#158857

• A statusbar icon will indicate when Data ▸ Calculate ▸ AutoCalculate is switched off. (Heiko Tietze, TDF) tdf#127937

   

 

Icon indicating that AutoCalculate is disabled

 

• A 'Handle Duplicate Records' dialog to select/remove duplicate records in Calc. Place the active cell on some data or select some range, then Data ▸ Duplicates... (Sahil Gautam) tdf#85976

   

 

• Both the Function Wizard dialog and Functions Sidebar deck received improvements to searching and user experience. (Ahmed Hamed) tdf#161534 tdf#161296 tdf#161543
• When selecting all while in a cell with neighbouring data, the selection will cover the neighbouring cells. The next call of Select All will select the full sheet. This behaviour can be disabled by setting the expert option SelectRangeBeforeAll to false. (Heiko Tietze, TDF) tdf#161641
• Solver models can now be saved into spreadsheets and Solver is able to provide a sensitivity analysis report. (Rafael Lima) tdf#160062 tdf#157519

 

Impress

 

• The Interaction dialog (click actions) is now async (Hubert Figuière, Collabora) 25b61215
  • enable the ".uno:AnimationEffects" command in LOKit 729e333c
  • enable the ".uno:ExecuteAnimationEffect" command in LOKit ff3a316f
• Per-paragraph semi-transparent shape text in Impress' SVG export (blog post). (Miklos Vajna, Collabora)
• Automatic repeating of slides can now be activated in windowed mode. (Ariel Darshan) tdf#163858
• Soft edge and glow effects are now allowed in text frame objects (Balázs Varga, allotropia) tdf#135320

Apart from improvements to the core programs in the suite, the help pages, which you can access by pressing F1 or going to Help > LibreOffice Help, are finally available in dark mode. Here’s what they looked like before version 25.2:

And this is what it looks like now:

In terms of accessibility, the latest LibreOffice update brings some much-needed improvements. System settings to disable animations are now more consistently respected, and users get finer control over animations directly within LibreOffice’s settings.

On top of that, user interface elements now report an accessible identifier, making it easier for assistive technologies like the Orca screen reader on Linux and NVDA on Windows to reliably recognize specific elements. Windows users will also benefit from better accessible relations, allowing NVDA to read Writer documents from top to bottom without issues.

Beyond accessibility, proofing tools and language support have also been improved. The spell-check dictionaries for English, Danish, Mongolian, Thai, Korean, Ukrainian, and Slovak have been updated as well.

The Document Foundation states that extensions and features relying on Python will not work with this version on Windows 7, 8, or 8.1. Additionally, LibreOffice will stop functioning on these operating systems when version 25.8 is released. You can view the full changelog on The Document Foundation's wiki.

You can view the full changelog on The Document Foundation's wiki.

Linux users can download it as an RPM or DEB package. On Windows, it's available through our software page or the official website. If you're on a Mac, LibreOffice appears as a paid app on the Mac App Store, but a free version is still available here (Apple Silicon | Intel).

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If your machine is eligible for Windows 11 — meaning it ticks all the boxes for hardware compatibility — Windows 11 24H2 will download in preparation for installation, with no way to stop it.

For right now, the only way to prevent this is to adjust Registry keys accordingly, and the simplest, fastest way to do so is with InControl.

Although it’s time to pause until Patch Tuesday passes, the increased push by Microsoft for 24H2 is the key reason I’m raising the MS-DEFCON level to 1. Pay attention, and exercise caution.

In this regard, let me apologize for something I thought was universal but may not apply to everyone. When I write about how Microsoft is doing this update or pushing that feature, I’m basing my observations and advice on the experience I see using my suite of PCs, both at home and in the office. Due to all the experiments and testing I do, my machines may not match the more general experience of most users, even though I usually test on more than one machine.

In my last MS-DEFCON alert, I wrote about a small link that appeared very low on a screen and offered the ability to opt out of 24H2. It turns out that this is not a universal experience. Instead — and as I mentioned above — 24H2 just downloads, assuming your machine is eligible.

Now here’s the catch: once that download starts, it may move to installation automatically, with no way for you to stop it. If that happens, let it go. Don’t attempt to abort it in the middle or do anything crazy — just go through the process. Then, after 24H2 is up and running, start poking around to determine whether anything is broken. If not, you should be okay. If you find something amiss and it is something you’re having trouble working around, roll back to 23H2 and wait for me to finally say that 24H2 is ready for prime time.

To roll back, go to Settings | System | Recovery | Go back.

You’ll have 10 days to decide whether to roll back. If you do, let the system re-index itself and get back to where it was, your previous “normal.”

This advice does not apply to a new PC purchased with Windows 11 24H2 installed. You would need to perform a setup using a 23H2 ISO downloaded from Microsoft. The result would be that your system would have to be rebuilt and you’d have to find any missing drivers. If you don’t put in the InControl setting, you will once again be offered 24H2. That would be far worse than working through any problems you might have with 24H2. If your new computer came with 24H2, stick with it.

If you use NAS devices that don’t support SMBv2 or v3, you will have file-sharing issues unless you take action to lower the security on your system. If you have networking problems, you may need to use commands to get networking back.

Let me emphasize again that I am not yet recommending Windows 11 24H2. The advice here is based on 24H2 being installed in a way that is out of your control — the “hard push” from Microsoft — and on your dealing with that as best suits your situation. In other words, I’m not saying that you will have problems with 24H2; everything could be fine. Just be prepared, in case there are side effects.

As doom approaches (otherwise known as the end of support for Windows 10), the chatter about ways to get around the hardware requirements for Windows 11 so it can be installed on noncompliant hardware is getting louder. Ignore the noise. Microsoft’s probable efforts to prevent the known workarounds and certain aspects of those workarounds make using one of those methods risky. If you really need to hang on to that old hardware, or at least delay the inevitable, get extended support.

With one of my older Surface devices, I wanted to see whether I could get around the hardware block and install Windows 11. I succeeded. Then there were problems. The main one was that version updates are not easy. I must find methods to get from feature release to feature release. It isn’t too bad for moving from 22H2 to 23H2 (because only the enablement updates are needed), but getting to 24H2 is more difficult. It’s back to an ISO and doing a complete setup. Then you won’t be offered feature updates, just the out-of-date notification.

Can you get around the hardware-requirements block? Yes. Should you do so? No. There are too many uncertainties, including the possibility that Microsoft will get tougher and actively prevent further updates from installing.

Consumers

Adding to my decision to push MS-DEFCON all the way to level 1 is that the February updates will include several annoyances, including the installation of Outlook (new). Defer. Give me some time for my standard due diligence and testing of the updates. Set your phaser on stun; use InControl to hold your location in the galaxy to Windows 11 23H2.

If you subscribe to Microsoft 365, you can still continue to use Outlook (classic). But if you love the Windows Mail client, the end of the road has come and gone. This transition is such a mess, as Peter Deegan has amply described, that I’ve come to the conclusion that you should look into a different email client altogether. There are other options without the foolish limitations Microsoft has created.

If you have a consumer version of Microsoft 365 and have received Copilot in Word, there is now a new button in Options that allows you to disable Copilot from within the application. Note that if you are a Microsoft 365 business user, you don’t have that button. That’s confusing. Some have said that Copilot is almost as annoying as Clippy — but at least if you are nostalgic about Clippy, you can download one from the GitHub site.

It remains to be seen whether we will see a fix for the Windows 10 event-viewer bug. As Microsoft notes in KB5050081: although the Windows updates released January 14, 2025, conflict with the initialization of this service, no impact to performance or functionality should be observed. There is no change to the security level of a device as a result of this issue. This service has already been disabled in other supported versions of Windows, and SgrmBroker.exe presently serves no purpose.

Businesses

Microsoft released a tech note about past patches at its admin portal. It noted that after the September updates are installed, Remote Desktop Services licensing server will experience High CPU utilization in the LSASS process. The resolution feels a tad late, but if you are experiencing high CPU use on your RDS servers, follow the guidance.

Just a reminder: The hardening of Windows networks is coming in February and April. First up is the full enforcement mode noted in KB5014754. As detailed by Richard Hicks, if you need to opt out of these strong certificate-mapping requirements on Active Directory Domain Controllers, you can still do so temporarily.

You can implement this change by opening an elevated PowerShell command window and running the following command:

If you have taken no action to test the impact, look for issues with workloads using certificate-based authentication such as Always On VPN, Wi-Fi, and others.

April brings full enforcement of PAC Validation changes. As noted in KB5037754:

The Windows security updates released in or after April 2025, will remove support for the registry subkeys PacSignatureValidationLevel and CrossDomainFilteringLevel and enforce the new secure behavior. There will be no support for Compatibility mode after installing the April 2025 update.

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Microsoft is seemingly getting more creative with its aggressive tactics designed to flip the odds in Bing and Edge's favor against Google. In the latest episode, the software giant tries to compel users to stick to Microsoft Edge when searching for Google's Web Store using Bing instead of switching over to Chrome (via Windows Report).

Windows Central attempted to replicate the scenario highlighted by the outlet and was greeted by the pop-up message outlined below:

"Enjoy your favorite extensions without switching browsers. Keep using to get world-class performance with more privacy, more productivity, and more value. Try now."

Ubuntu is probably the most used distro on WSL, not least because it can be installed as the default distro. But Canonical has announced some changes underneath to how it installs, which will be music to many ears.

It centers around using Microsoft's recently released feature to install distros to WSL using a tar-based distribution model, rather than relying on appx bundles delivered through the Microsoft Store.

That ultimately means you don't have to rely on the Microsoft Store to deliver Ubuntu, and in enterprise, particularly, that's important news.

From the official blog:

So long as you have the latest version of WSL 2 installed on your PC, running the command wsl --install Ubuntu will now download and install the distro in this new format.

Windows 11 is rolling out the biggest update to MIDI since the musical communication format was first released in 1983. Microsoft announced that its latest Windows 11 Canary test build includes a public preview of Windows MIDI Services, which supports MIDI 2.0 and updates allowing MIDI 1.0 to run on Windows on Arm.

MIDI (which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for transmitting and storing music. It’s integral to modern music production, allowing electronic musical instruments to be connected to computers and other devices for precise control and synchronization. MIDI 2.0 was announced in 2019 and provides improvements in speed, fidelity, instrument control, and more, and this marks the first time that the updated protocol will be available in Microsoft’s operating system.

Experimental Canary versions of Windows like build 27788 aren’t quite ready for public release, but the Windows MIDI Services stack it contains certainly will be once it’s fully tested. Microsoft says the Windows MIDI rewrite aims to provide a “great experience for musicians,” and describes the update as “a strong foundation for future expansion and enhancement.” You can read all the technical details about the improvements MIDI 2.0 is bringing to Windows 11 on Microsoft’s blog.

Aside from music-related updates, the latest Windows 11 Canary build also includes a new one-click OneDrive feature that lets users continue working on files while jumping between Windows 11 PCs and iOS or Android phones. There’s also a Microsoft Store feature that allows users to selectively install individual components for games such as Call of Duty and Halo, and the usual smattering of Windows 11 bug fixes.

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Here is the changelog:

Features:

 

• This version of Windows Terminal comes with Cascadia Code 2407.24; this version fixes a hinting issue in Arabic glyphs
• We're piloting a new color scheme, "Ottosson", which offers well-distributed and consistent hue and chroma based on the Oklab color space
• Settings UI Overhaul (small edition - see 1.23 Preview for more!)
• We've added a new Compatibility page at the top level and a Terminal Emulation page inside Profiles to control application compatibility settings
• You can now configure the translation of paths dropped on or copied into Terminal to use one of four styles: None (Windows, no translation), WSL (/mnt/c), MSYS2 (/c) or Cygwin (/cygdrive/c) via a new profile setting pathTranslationStyle (enum none, wsl, msys2, cygwin; default none except for WSL profiles)

 

Changes:

 

• In cmd and python (and other users of console line input), choosing a command from history will once again duplicate it in your history; this reverts
• On Windows 11 24H2, Terminal will no longer be updated while it is in use (this might look familiar! There was an issue preventing this from working until this change landed)
• The POSIX-style path translation modes will (finally!) properly escape paths containing single quotes
• You can now disallow applications from writing to the Windows Clipboard (profile setting compatibility.allowOSC52, boolean, default true; Terminal Emulation settings)

 

Bug Fixes:

 

• Ctrl+Insert will (finally!) copy selected text in the Command Palette
• The "Close Window" action will no longer bypass the close confirmation dialog
• The schema document has been updated to include the Windows.Terminal.VisualStudio dynamic profile source
• compatibility.textMeasurement is now present in the JSON settings schema document

Windows Terminal 1.23.10353.0 is a more substantial release with a much bigger changelog that includes a new version of the Cascadia Code font that fixes issues with Arabic glyphs, a new color scheme, overhauled settings, a reworked multi-window support, and more:

• Multi-windowing has been rewritten to be much more reliable and robust; the tray icon now works more consistently, actions spanning multiple windows trigger properly, summoning works better, and a whole host of other things are better. If you encounter any issues with windowing or process management, please file a bug!
• This version of Windows Terminal comes with Cascadia Code 2407.24; this version fixes a hinting issue in Arabic glyphs
• We're piloting a new color scheme, "Ottosson", which offers well-distributed and consistent hue and chroma based on the Oklab color space
• You can now turn on the tab bar for full-screen Terminal windows using a new setting (showTabsFullscreen, boolean, default false)
• Settings UI Overhaul!
  • There is a new New Tab Menu customization experience, in a new top-level settings page, that lets you add folders and profile matchers and more to your New Tab menu!
  • We've added a new Compatibility page at the top level and a Terminal Emulation page inside Profiles to control application compatibility settings
  • A handful of simpler settings like "rainbow suggestions", "cell width", "web search URL query", "color selection" and more are finally available as easy toggle
  • You can now easily set up bell sound (or sounds!), play them back to sample them, and remove them
  • Profiles have long been able to override the foreground, background and selection colors from their color schemes, but you haven't been able to set them via the UI. You now can!
  • We've implemented an icon picker that lets you easily input emoji, pick built-in icons, or choose icon files
  • The appearance page sports a new fancy spatial padding editor

 

You can now configure the translation of paths dropped on or copied into Terminal to use one of four styles: None (Windows, no translation), WSL (/mnt/c), MSYS2 (/c) or Cygwin (/cygdrive/c) via a new profile setting pathTranslationStyle (enum none, wsl, msys2, cygwin; default none except for WSL profiles)

 

• You can now copy the contents of the screen with escape sequences! Add a new copy action with "withControlSequences": true to use it
• Applications can now use the S8C1T and S7C1T escape sequences to enable or disable C1 controls; in addition, DOCS will turn on 8-bit control characters on stdin when it is used to enable ISO2022 encoding

You can find the rest of the changelog for the latest Windows Terminal Preview on GitHub. Links for downloading the releases are available on the same page, or you can get the updates from the Microsoft Store.

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Here are quick links for your convenience:

• Windows MIDI Services Public Preview
• Resume OneDrive files on PC
• Changes and improvements
• Fixes
• Known issues

Here is the complete changelog:

Windows MIDI Services Public Preview

 

We’re excited to release the first in-box public preview of Windows MIDI Services, our complete rewrite of MIDI on Windows with a focus on a great experience for musicians and a strong foundation for future expansion and enhancement.

 

MIDI is the standard, first released in 1983, that is used to synchronize synthesizers and drum machines in almost all modern electronic music. It’s used to record and play back note information, control stage lights and effects, keep mixers in a large venue in sync, and so much more. Although it is not itself audio, the MIDI protocol is essential to making music and was heavily used in the rise of hip-hop and other genres. MIDI 2.0 is the first major update to the core MIDI protocol since 1983, offering everything that modern musicians need today, like increased speed and fidelity, better control of instruments, modern bi-directional conversations and negotiation between instruments, discovery, better USB timing, and more.

 

Windows MIDI Services is our new MIDI stack which handles not only MIDI 2.0 but also brings our MIDI 1.0 implementation up to modern expectations. It works on 64-bit operating systems on all supported processors, including Arm64. Windows MIDI Services offers the following benefits:

 

• Full support of the MIDI 2.0 Standard, including high-speed data transmission, higher-fidelity messages, increased resolution for controller values, and full in-service MIDI 2.0 endpoint discovery and protocol negotiation.
• Faster transports, leading to better timing and reduced jitter.
• Faster USB MIDI driver with full support for both MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0.
• Every endpoint is now multi-client, meaning multiple apps can use a device at the same time.
• Better endpoint and port
• In-service scheduling of outgoing timestamped messages, and timestamped incoming messages, for apps using the new Windows MIDI Services App SDK.
• Built-in loopback and app-to-app MIDI
• Automatic translation between MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0 based on API, application, and device needs.
• Much more device metadata available to applications.
• Better device add/update/remove notifications.
• Backwards compatibility with our WinMM (MME) MIDI 1.0 API (and WinRT MIDI 1.0 in the future) enabling applications to light up with new features without any changes, and even access MIDI 2.0 devices at a MIDI 1.0 feature level.
• Open source. The MIDI Service, all its transports, all the tools, the tests, and the SDK are all MIT-licensed open source, and have been developed in concert with hardware and software partners around the world.

 

New USB MIDI 2.0 Class Driver: The new USB MIDI 2.0 Class Driver, graciously provided to Microsoft by AMEI (Association of Musical Electronics Industry of Japan) and written by AmeNote, is a high-speed USB MIDI driver which works with both the new USB MIDI 2.0 devices, as well as with class-compliant USB MIDI 1.0 devices. By default, for compatibility, this is enabled only for USB MIDI 2.0 devices and a handful of USB MIDI 1.0 devices. However, you may manually assign this driver to any class-compliant USB MIDI 1.0 device yourself to gain the better transfer mechanisms. We also have several built-in transports for things that were not previously available without third-party drivers. Learn more about the built-in transports here.

 

Windows MIDI Services App SDK and Tools: Applications using Windows MIDI Services do so through the Windows MIDI Services App SDK, shipped out-of-band. Current preview releases are available on our GitHub repo releases page. Please note that these are unsigned releases and so will give you a warning when you download and install. In addition to installing the required runtime components, the SDK runtime installer includes these tools:

 

• Windows MIDI Services Console (midi.exe): The all-around console tool for sending messages, checking the state of MIDI, monitoring incoming messages, sending System Exclusive, and much more.
• MIDI Diagnostics (mididiag.exe): A tech support tool which provides information about the state of MIDI on the PC.
• MIDI Kernel Streaming Endpoint Info (midiksinfo.exe): A hardware developer-focused tool which provides information about the KS (Kernel Streaming) endpoints.
• MIDI multicast dynamic DNS Info (midimdnsinfo.exe): A tool to support the upcoming Network MIDI 2.0 transport.

 

The Windows MIDI Services App SDK also includes the MIDI Settings app – a desktop application for managing endpoints, renaming endpoints and ports, creating loopback devices, managing your network MIDI 2.0 connections, and more.

 

In addition, we’re currently working on our Network MIDI 2.0 transport, recently demonstrated at the NAMM Show in California, the virtual patch-bay to enable routing between endpoints, and a rewrite of our BLE MIDI 1.0 transport. This will all ship in a future version of Windows MIDI Services.

 

We look forward to having Windows Insiders who dabble in music creation try out the Windows MIDI Services Public Preview and MIDI 2.0. Try out using existing applications that use the WinMM MIDI 1.0 function with the new Windows MIDI Services installed. Additionally, any MIDI 1.0 devices with specific IHV drivers. You can also join the discussion here on Discord if you have questions or are looking to help! You will find a list of known issues documented here.

 

Ability to seamlessly resume OneDrive files in 1-click from your phone to PC

 

We are gradually rolling out the ability to seamlessly resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. With this feature, you will get a notification asking you if you want to pick up where you left off editing a OneDrive file like a Word doc that you last viewed or edited on your phone within a 5-minute time window preceding unlocking your PC.

 

Upon clicking on this notification, the same file that you were viewing or editing previously on your phone will open in your default browser on your PC.

 

Here are some important details about how this feature works:

 

• This feature works only when signing into OneDrive with a Microsoft account. Work and school accounts are not supported. And you need to be using the same Microsoft account signing into OneDrive on your phone and signing into your Windows 11 PC.
• This feature supports Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, OneNote notebooks/pages, and PDFs.
• The OneDrive file must be opened on your phone when your PC is locked. If you then unlock your PC within 5 minutes of accessing the file on your phone, you will receive the resume notification as noted above.
• For the best experience using this feature, you should be logged into OneDrive in your default browser on your PC.

 

This feature can be managed and turned off via Settings > Apps > Resume.

Other changes in this build include the following:

[File Explorer]

 

When “Restore previous folder windows at logon” is enabled in File Explorer, we will also now restore all the extra tabs which you previously had open in each File Explorer window. As part of this work, we have also updated the logic for the “Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in” setting via Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, so that when you enable this, we will automatically enable the File Explorer specific setting for you too.

 

We’re adding a new option to snooze or turn off the “Start backup” reminder in the File Explorer address bar, for those that aren’t already backing up their Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folders. This option is available when you right-click “Start backup”.

 

[Settings]

 

We are starting to roll out the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like “Recommended settings” and “Bluetooth devices” as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work and school and Microsoft account types. We are starting the rollout of this gradually with managed commercial PCs who have both work and school, and Microsoft accounts presently seeing this experience first.

Here is what was fixed:

[General]

 

• Fixed an issue in Build 27783 which was causing multiple surfaces (including the taskbar, search, Settings, and lock screen) to cyclically crash for a small number of Insiders.

 

[Other]

 

• Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to have a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION bugcheck in Build 27783.
• Fixed an issue where the description for virtual NICs wasn’t displayed correctly in ncpa.cpl, it showed garbled characters.
• Fixed an underlying issue which could cause scanning apps to not detect a scanner, although one was connected.
• Improved the colors used in MMC when items are selected, both generally, and when contrast modes are enabled.

Finally, here are the known bugs:

[General]

 

• [IMPORTANT NOTE FOR COPILOT+ PCs] If you are joining the Canary Channel on a new Copilot+ PC from the Dev Channel, Release Preview Channel or retail, you will lose Windows Hello pin and biometrics to sign into your PC with error 0xd0000225 and error message “Something went wrong, and your PIN isn’t available”. You should be able to re-create your PIN by clicking “Set up my PIN”.
• We’re working on the fix for an issue where SFC /scannow is showing errors every time it’s run.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• If you open a File Explorer window and minimize it in this build, it may not be rendered correctly when you restore it.

 

[Settings]

 

• [NEW] The Home page of Settings may crash. If you are impacted by this, you should still be able to open specific Settings pages directly by searching for them from the taskbar.

 

[Hyper-V]

 

• We’re investigating reports where Hyper-V, and other features which rely on Hyper-V (such as WSL) don’t work properly.

You can find the announcement post here.

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The search giant says that it will start enabling the feature for users from Chrome 134, but only gradually; some users will have to wait for even later versions. If you don't want to wait, you can enable and test this feature immediately by enabling the “Auto picture in picture for video playback” flag at chrome://flags/#auto-picture-in-picture-for-video-playback.

For the feature to activate, the following criteria must be met to ensure a more pleasant experience:

• The top frame URL is safe according to the Safe Browsing service.
• The media lives in the top frame.
• The media has been audible within the last two seconds.
• The media has audio focus.
• The media is playing.
• A media session action handler for the “enterpictureinpicture” action has been registered.
• The user's Media Engagement Index threshold has been exceeded, indicating that the user frequently consumes media in this web app. This applies if the user's browser setting is “Can ask to enter picture-in-picture”. If the user explicitly allows the web app to enter picture-in-picture, this condition does not apply.

For end users, they will be asked if they would like to enable this feature on the website they're on every time, only this time, or never. The option can be updated by pressing the settings button to the left of the URL alongside other site permissions.

Google doesn't mention if there will be a check on the user's screen size before enabling this feature, so everyone should have access. That said, people with a larger screen with more room to move the pop-up window will have a better experience.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years.

News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of January): 487

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend