News: Software News

"Sorry, Bill": Android co-founder says Bill Gates is responsible for "the greatest mistake of all time," costing Microsoft $400 billion

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 02:27:13 +0000

Android co-founder blames Bill Gates for Microsoft's $400 billion loss and missed opportunity in the mobile landscape.

During an interview with Eventbrite CEO Julia Hartz, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates revealed his greatest mistake while running the software giant, indicating:

“The greatest mistake of all time is the mismanagement I engaged in that caused Microsoft not to be what Android is.”

As a result, Google ended up developing Android before Microsoft, arguably the most popular operating system, majorly due to its versatility and high level of customization. While the billionaire claims developing a similar operating system would be "a natural thing for Microsoft to win," he admits mismanagement on his part and an array of antitrust-related issues prevented the company from seizing the opportunity,

Following Microsoft's missed opportunity, Google moved to acquire Android in 2005, prompting the launch of its first device in September 2008. On the other hand, Apple had a significant lead over Google in the mobile landscape for over one year and had already launched its first iPhone in 2007.

You know, in the software world, in particular for platforms, these are winner-take-all markets. So, you know, the greatest mistake ever is the whatever mismanagement I engaged in that caused Microsoft not to be what Android is, [meaning] Android is the standard non-Apple phone form platform. It really is a winner-take-all. If you’re there with half as many apps or 90% as many apps, you’re on your way to complete doom. There’s room for exactly one non-Apple operating system, and what’s that worth? $400 billion that would be transferred from company G [Google] to company M [Microsoft].

Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates

Interestingly, Android co-founder Rich Miner shares a different account on Bill Gates and Microsoft's missed opportunity with Android. According to Miner:

"I literally helped create Android to prevent Microsoft from controlling the phone the way they did the PC - stifling innovation. So it's always funny for me to hear Gates whine about losing mobile to Android."

Miner further disclosed that he was part of the team that helped Orange launch the first Windows Mobile phone in 2002. Speaking of Windows Phone, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella admits pulling the plug on It was a "strategic mistake."

The Android co-founder further indicated that he was worried Microsoft would end up controlling mobile like PCs. "So, sorry, Bill, you're more responsible for losing the $400B than you realize," Miner concluded.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates added that if he had seized the opportunity when it presented itself, Microsoft would be the company.

However, Microsoft is fairing quite well and is among the world's top three most valuable companies, battling for the top spot against Apple and NVIDIA. Last year, Microsoft briefly held the crown ahead of Apple and NVIDIA with over $3 trillion in market valuation, predominantly due to its early investment and adoption of generative AI across its tech stack. Bill Gates says the tech giant continues to enjoy considerable success through its wide array of products, including Windows and Office.

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15 Essential PowerShell commands every Windows 11 users should know

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:10:46 +0000

Check out and learn the most essential 'cmdlets' you should know when using PowerShell on Windows 11.

On Windows 11, PowerShell is a command-line interface (CLI) developed by Microsoft to execute commands and run scripts. In a way, it's similar to Command Prompt, but this CLI offers more tools and flexibility, and it's available beyond Windows, including on Linux and macOS.

Although PowerShell contains countless commands to perform actions and manipulate objects (also referred to as "cmdlets"), there are some essential ones you should know regardless of your technical level, as you'll find yourself typing them many times, especially when creating PowerShell scripts.

In this how-to guide, I'll outline the basic PowerShell cmdlets I believe everyone should know. If you're a beginner, these commands will be new to you. If you're a tech-savvy user, you may learn something new, but it can also be a reminder of commands you probably forgot.

PowerShell essential cmdlets for Windows 11

This list includes the most basic commands I believe every user should know. (The list is not arranged in any particular order.)

To use these commands, open Start, search for and launch the Windows Terminal, and launch a PowerShell console (if applicable).

1. Get-help

The "Get-Help" cmdlet provides assistance and information about various aspects of the PowerShell environment. For example, it retrieves details for a specific command, function, and script.

Usage:

Get-Help CMDLET-NAME
Example 1: Get-Help Get-Process – Gets basic help for the specified cmdlet, but you can also specify a function or script.
Example 2: Get-Help Get-Process -Full – Gets more details for the Get-Process cmdlet.
Example 3: Get-Help Get-Process - Parameter Name – Retrieves details about the "Name" option for the "Get-Process" cmdlet.
Example 4: Get-Help Get-Process -Online – Opens the Microsoft support pages with information about a specified cmdlet, function, or script.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

2. Get-Command

The "Get-Command" cmdlet allows you to discover and explore the available commands within the PowerShell environment.

Usage:

Get-Command
Example 1: Get-Command Get-* – Lists all commands that start with "Get-".
Example 2: Get-Command -CommandType Cmdlet – Lists all cmdlets available. You can change the cmdlet for "Alias" or "Function."
Example 3: Get-Command -Name "Copy-Item" -Module Microsoft.PowerShell.Management – Finds the "Copy-Item" cmdlet within the module source "Microsoft.PowerShell.Management."

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Name: Specifies the name of the command you're looking for, and you can even use wildcards like "*".
-CommandType: The option filters results based on the command type (for example, cmdlet, function, and alias).
-Module: Restricts the search to a specific module.

3. Get-ChildItem (dir, ls, gci)

The "Get-ChildItem" command is equivalent to "dir" in PowerShell, and it allows you to list and manage items within various locations, such as file system directories, registry hives, or certificate stores.

Usage:

Get-ChildItem
Example 1: Get-ChildItem -Path C:\ – Lists all files and directories in the root of the main installation drive.
Example 2: Get-ChildItem -Path C:\Windows\ -Filter *.exe – Retrieves a list of all executable files inside the "Windows" directory.
Example 3: Get-ChildItem -Path C:\Users\ -Recurse – Retrieves a list of all the files inside the "Users" directory and subdirectories.
Example 4: Get-ChildItem -Path C:\ -Include *.txt,*.docx– Retrieves a list of all files with the ".txt" and ".docx" extensions from the specified location.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Path: Specifies the location where items can be retrieved.
-Filter: This option filters items based on their names (for example, "*.txt" for all files with the ".txt" extension).
-Include: Specifies patterns to include (for example, "*.txt" and "*.docx").
-Exclude: Specifies patterns to exclude (for example, "*.txt").
-Recurse: Retrieves items from all subdirectories within the specified location.
-Depth: Limits the depth of recursion.
-Force: Includes hidden and system items.

4. Get-Process (gps, ps)

The "Get-Process" command retrieves information about the processes running on the computer. Similar to , the command can retrieve process name, ID (PID), handles, memory and CPU usage, start time, and user account.

Usage:

Get-Process
Example 1: Get-Process -Name notepad – Retrieves the process for the Notepad app.
Example 2: Get-Process -Id 13616 – Retrieves the process with the "13616" identification number.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Name: Specifies the name of the process to retrieve, and it even supports wildcards like "*."
-Id: Specifies the process's "Process ID" (PID) to retrieve.

Related cmdlets:

Stop-Process: Terminates running processes by specifying their name or process ID, aiding in managing unresponsive applications. For example, Stop-Process -Name 'notepad'
Start-Process: Starts processes by specifying their name or process ID. For example, Start-Process -Name 'notepad'

5. Copy-Item (cp, copy, cpi)

The "Copy-Item" command allows you to copy files and directories from one location to another with different options.

Usage:

Copy-Item -Path SOURCE -Destination DESTINATION
Example 1: Copy-Item -Path "C:\Users\UserDemo\Documents\myFile.txt" -Destination "D:\Backup" – Copies the "myFile.txt" as a single file to the "Backup" folder.
Example 2: Copy-Item -Path "C:\Users\UserDemo\Documents" -Destination "D:\Backup\Files" -Recurse – Copies the directory and its contents to the "Files" folder.
Example 3: Copy-Item -Path "C:\Logs" -Destination "D:\Backups\Files" -Recurse -Filter "*.log" – Copies only files with a specific extension to the "Files" directory.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Path: Specifies the source path of the items to be copied.
-Destination: Specifies the destination path for the copied items.
-Recurse: Copies all subdirectories within the source directory.
-Force: Overwrites existing files at the destination (if necessary).
-Filter: Specifies a filter to include or exclude specific files based on their names (for example, "*.txt").

6. Remove-Item (rm, del, erase, ri, rmdir)

In PowerShell, the "Remove-Item" command has been designed to delete files, directories, and other items within your system from other providers, such as the Registry, certificate store, and environment variables. This is the equivalent of the "del" command in Command Prompt.

Usage:

Remove-Item -Path SOURCE-FILE
Example 1: Remove-Item -Path "C:\Users\UserDemo\Documents\myFile.txt" – Deletes only the "myFile.txt" from the "Documents" folder.
Example 2: Remove-Item -Path "C:\MyFiles" -Recurse – Deletes a directory and all its content.
Example 3: Remove-Item -Path "C:\Users\UserDemo\Documents" -Recurse -Include "*.docx" – Removes the files with the ".docx" extension from the "Documents" folder.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Path: Specifies the path of the items to be deleted.
-Recurse: Deletes all subdirectories within the specified directory.
-Force: Overwrites read-only attributes and deletes hidden or system files.
-Confirm: Prompts for confirmation before deleting each item.
-WhatIf: Simulates the deletion operation without deleting any of the items.

7. New-Item (ni)

The "New-Item" cmdlet helps you to create new items within your system, such as files, directories, registry keys, and more.

Usage:

New-Item -Path PATH\FOLDER-NAME -ItemType Directory
Example 1: New-Item -Path "C:\Random\FileBackup" -ItemType Directory – Creates a new directory (or folder) as indicated in the path of the specified location.
Example 2: New-Item -Path "C:\Random\myFile.txt" -ItemType File -Value "This text will be printed inside the text file." – Creates a text file on the specified location and adds the "This text will be printed inside the text file" content into the file.
Example 3: New-Item -Path "C:\Random\myFile.txt" -ItemType File – Creates an empty text file on the specified location.
Example 4: New-Item -Path "HKCU:\Software\MyApp" -ItemType RegistryKey – Creates a new Registry entry in the specified location.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Path: Specifies the location where the new item will be created.
-ItemType: Specifies the type of item to create (for example, "File," "Directory," or "RegistryKey").
-Name: Specifies the name of the new item that the command will create.
-Value: Specifies the initial content of the file.
-Force: Overwrites existing items (if necessary).

8. Get-Service (gsv)

The "Get-Service" cmdlet lets you retrieve details about the services running on your computer. Some of the information includes service and display names, status, start type, and dependencies.

Usage:

Get-Service
Example 1: Get-Service -Name "Spooler" – Retrieves the "Spooler" service.
Example 2: Get-Service -DisplayName "Windows Audio" – Retrieves the "Windows Audio" service.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Name: Specifies the name of the service to retrieve (supports wildcards).
-DisplayName: Specifies the display name of the service.
-ComputerName: Specifies the remote computer from which to retrieve services.
-Include: Specifies patterns to include (for example, "Win*").
-Exclude: Specifies patterns to exclude (for example, "SQL*").

Related cmdlets:

Start-Service: Starts a stopped service, enabling the activation of necessary system services. For example, Start-Service -Name 'wuauserv'
Stop-Service: Stops a running service, allowing for the cessation of unnecessary or problematic services. For example, Stop-Service -Name 'wuauserv'

9. Clear-Host (cls, clear)

The "Clear-Host" cmdlet clears the contents of the current console window, similar to the "cls" command from the Command prompt.

Usually, you would use this command to clean the clutter and improve the readability of the console, especially after executing multiple commands or viewing lengthy output.

Usage:

Clear-Host

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

10. Set-Location (cd, chdir)

The "Set-Location" cmdlet lets you change the current working directory, similar to the "cd" command from Command Prompt.

Usage:

Set-Location PATH
Example 1: Set-Location C:\ – Navigates to the root of the "C" drive.
Example 2: Set-Location .. – Moves one level up in the directory hierarchy (equivalent to "cd ..").

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

11. Get-History (ghy, h)

The "Get-History" command retrieves a list of the commands you have previously entered in the current session. In other words, this cmdlet allows you to easily re-execute previous commands without having to retype them.

Usage:

Get-History
Example 1: Get-History -Count 10 – Displays the last 10 commands entered.
Example 2: Get-History -Id 123 – Displays the command with the ID 123.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

You can also use the "$MaximumHistoryCount" option to control the maximum number of commands PowerShell stores in its command history. Starting with PowerShell 3.0, the default value is 4096, meaning the shell will remember the last 4096 commands you typed. However, you can run the $MaximumHistoryCount = 32767 to set it to the maximum number.

12. Get-Content (gc, cat, type)

The "Get-Content" command can read and output the contents of files or other data sources. This cmdlet not only comes in handy to read a text file in the command console, but it's also useful to read the contents of a log file.

Usage:

Get-Content -Path PATH-AND-FILENAME
Example 1: Get-Content -Path "C:\Folder\myFile.txt" – Reads the content of "myFile.txt" and displays each line on a separate line in the console.
Example 2: $fileContent = Get-Content -Path "C:\Folder\myFile.txt" – Reads the content of "myFile.txt" and stores it in the variable $fileContent.
Example 3: Get-Content -Path "C:\Folder\myFile.txt" -Raw – Reads the entire content of "myFile.txt" as a single string.
Example 4: Get-Content -Path "C:\Folder\myFile.txt" -TotalCount 5 – Reads the first five lines of "myFile.txt."
Example 5: Get-Content -Path "C:\Folder\myFile.txt" -Tail 3 – Reads the last three lines of "myFile.txt."

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key parameters:

-Path: Specifies the path to the file or other data source.
-Raw: Reads the entire file content as a single string instead of an array of lines.
-TotalCount: Only the specified number of lines from the beginning of the file are read.
-Tail: Only the specified number of lines from the end of the file are read.

13. Test-Connection (ping, tnc)

The "Test-Connection" cmdlet lets you check network connectivity to a remote computer or server, which is similar to the "ping" command.

This command can send ICMP echo requests (pings) to a target computer to determine if the target computer is reachable on the network and measure round-trip time (RTT) for each ping.

Usage:

Test-Connection -ComputerName DESTINATION-NAME-OR-IP
Example 1: Test-Connection -ComputerName bing.com – Sends four pings to the destination and displays detailed results.
Example 2: Test-Connection -ComputerName 10.1.4.158 -Count 3 – Sends three pings to the IP address 10.1.4.158.
Example 3: Test-Connection -ComputerName bing.com -Quiet – Returns True or False depending on whether the connection to bing.com was successful.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key Parameters:

-ComputerName: Specifies the target computer or IP address.
-Count: Specifies the number of pings to send.
-Interval: Specifies the time interval between pings.
-Quiet: Returns only a boolean value (True/False) indicating success or failure.
-TraceRoute: Displays the hops along the way, including the IP address and response time for each hop.

PowerShell doesn't include an equivalent for the "tracert" command. However, you can use the "Test-NetConnection" command with the "-TraceRoute" switch. For example, Test-NetConnection -ComputerName bing.com -TraceRoute

14. Get-NetIPConfiguration

The "Get-NetIPConfiguration" cmdlet provides a comprehensive overview of your computer's network adapter configurations.

This command can gather detailed information about all network adapters on your system, including interface name, MAC address, IP address, Subnet mask, Default Gateway, and DNS Servers.

Usage:

Get-NetIPConfiguration
Example 1: Get-NetIPConfiguration -Name "Ethernet0" – Shows the network configuration of the adapter. In this case, "Ethernet0," but you can specify the adapter you want.
Example 2: Get-NetIPConfiguration -InterfaceIndex 1 – Displays the network configuration for the adapter with the specified index. In this case, "1," but you can specify the adapter you want.
Example 3: Get-NetIPConfiguration | Select-Object InterfaceName, IPv4Address – Shows only the InterfaceName and IPv4Address properties for all network adapters.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

15. Get-NetIPAddress

The "Get-NetIPAddress" cmdlet retrieves IP address information from network adapters on a local computer.

This command can gather information about IPv4 and IPv6 addresses associated with the network interfaces, including address state, interface index, prefix length, and valid lifetime.

Usage:

Get-NetIPAddress
Example 1: Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 – Displays the IPv4 addresses.
Example 2: Get-NetIPAddress -InterfaceIndex 1 – This command displays the IP information for the adapter with an index of "1." You can change the number to show the information for a specific adapter.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Key Parameters:

-AddressFamily: Specifies the type of addresses you want to retrieve (e.g., IPv4, IPv6).
-InterfaceIndex: Filters results based on the network interface's index.
-AddressState: Filters results based on the address state (for example, Preferred, Obsoleted).

The "Get-NetIPAddress" command is similar to the "Get-NetIPConfiguration" command. However, the "Get-NetIPAddress" command focuses more specifically on the IP address configuration, while the "Get-NetIPConfiguration" command provides a comprehensive overview of network adapters and their configurations.

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Microsoft renders Mail & Calendar apps inoperable as it forces users over to the new Outlook on Windows

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:09:06 +0000

Users are being forced to move to the new Outlook app on Windows PCs, with no option to keep using the older Mail app.

Microsoft announced last year that it would be retiring the Windows Mail & Calendar apps in favor of the new Outlook at the end of 2024. As of January 1, these apps are no longer functional and will refuse to send or receive any more emails. The apps are no longer available to download via the Microsoft Store, and sideloading the app will result in an error when attempting to setup your account.

"Support for Windows Mail, Calendar, and People ended on December 31, 2024. You can no longer send and receive emails or events using Windows Mail and Calendar" reads a Microsoft support document. The company has also announced that it will be automatically installing the new Outlook app on Windows 10 PCs with the upcoming February security updates, if the user doesn't already have it installed.

The new Outlook has been shipping as the default email and calendar experience on Windows 11 for many months, so for a lot of people nothing will have changed here. However, for the many users who opted to keep using the older Mail & Calendar apps, today's news will be frustrating as Microsoft is deliberately making it so these apps are no longer functional.

You can no longer setup a new account in the Mail app.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

I attempted to sideload the most up to date version of the Mail & Calendar app on my Windows 11 PC, and found that the application would error out when signing-in. Other users that already had the app setup prior to today have found that the app now shows a popup that tells the user to switch to the new Outlook, with no way to bypass it.

Microsoft wants all Mail & Calendar users to switch over to the new Outlook app, which I've previously said is not ready for prime time as a default, built-in email client for an operating system like Windows. It's very slow and missing vital features such as consistent offline support and reliable push notifications.

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Microsoft confirms January 2025 Windows updates fail to install on PCs with certain software

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:07:38 +0000

On January 14, 2025, Microsoft released the first Patch Tuesday updates for supported Windows 10 and Windows 11 versions. Your computer should apply the latest patches without any issues; however, if you have certain software installed, you will encounter problems at the offline stage. In the official support document, Microsoft warned users that Citrix software is not going along well with the January updates.

According to Microsoft, users with "certain Citrix components" might have a problem completing the installation process of the January 2025 Windows security updates. In particular, the bug affects PCs with Citrix Session Recording Agent version 2411, which was released last month. Here is what will happen if your system is on the list of affected devices:

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.

The good news is that the issue does not affect regular home users since Citrix Session Recording Agent (it is a component of a software suite for capturing, monitoring, and analyzing user sessions within a Citrix environment) is not common on personal devices. However, if you have a work device with SRA, you might want to apply a temporary workaround to mitigate the issue while Citrix and Microsoft are working on a permanent resolution.

Citrix published a support document describing how to stop the Session Recording Monitor Service and launch it again once the update process is complete. You can do that manually or with the help of PowerShell/Command Prompt commands. All the details are available on the official Citrix Support website here.

The bug affects all supported systems: Windows Server 2019/2022/2025, Windows 11 24H2/23H2/22H2, and Windows 10 22H2. Other issues with the latest Windows updates include problems with launching OpenSSH. You can check out the workaround here.

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Microsoft: Windows 11/10 TPM PCs with BitLocker encryption facing an Admin-related bug

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:05:41 +0000

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs that sport TPM (Trusted Platform Module) or PTT (Platform Trust Technology) in the case of Intel systems are facing an administrator-related bug in the BitLocker control panel.

The issue happens when BitLocker is enabled as it displays the error message: "For your security, some settings are managed by your administrator." The tech giant has added that the message may also be shown elsewhere on the system. It writes:

Summary

After you enable BitLocker on a PC that is an unmanaged device or that uses the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), you might receive the following message:

For your security, some settings are managed by your administrator.

For example, you might unexpectedly see the message in the BitLocker control panel and some other places in Windows.

For those who may not have followed the BitLocker saga on Windows 11 24H2, Microsoft lowered the requirements of enabling automatic device encryption on its newest feature update and explained recently how the system requirements of Windows 11, like TPM and Secure Boot, play a key role in that.

As such, even Windows 11 24H2 Home edition PCs may be BitLocker encrypted by default. Thankfully, the company also shared a handy recovery and backup guide for the BitLocker key, which should be a smart thing to bookmark.

Since this appears to only be an error message, users may not have to worry too much. Microsoft says it is looking into the issue and will provide a fix and more details about it later:

Status

We are working on a resolution and will provide more information when it is available.

You can find the support article here under KB5051141 on Microsoft's official website.

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Microsoft ends support for Office apps on Windows 10 in October

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:03:24 +0000

Microsoft says it will drop support for Office apps in Windows 10 after the operating system reaches its end of support on October 14.

"Microsoft 365 Apps will no longer be supported after October 14, 2025, on Windows 10 devices. To use Microsoft 365 Applications on your device, you will need to upgrade to Windows 11," the company said on Tuesday.

This announcement also applies to standalone versions without a Microsoft 365 subscription, including Office 2024, Office 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016.

In a separate support document first spotted by The Verge, the company says that Office apps will continue to work even after Windows 10 support ends but said customers might encounter issues until they upgrade their PCs to Windows 11.

"After that date, if you're running Microsoft 365 on a Windows 10 device, the applications will continue to function as before. However, we strongly recommend upgrading to Windows 11 to avoid performance and reliability issues over time," Microsoft says.

While the company has continuously pushed users to move to Windows 11 since its October 2021 launch, even naming 2025 "the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh" earlier this month, customers aren't willing to switch due to "non-negotiable" TPM 2.0 support requirements.

Although Windows 10 will reach the end of support in eight months, over 62% of all Windows systems worldwide still run Windows 10, while less than 35% run Windows 11, according to Statcounter Global data.

Windows market share (Statcounter)

Microsoft announced in June 2021 that TPM 2.0 is a mandatory requirement for Windows 11 installs or upgrades, saying it makes systems more resistant to tampering and cyberattacks. However, this hasn't prevented users from creating tools and finding techniques to bypass the TPM requirement.

Although Windows 10's end of support is rapidly approaching, the company announced on October 31 that Windows 10 home users could delay the switch to Windows 11 for another year if they pay $30 for Extended Security Updates (ESU).

Additionally, Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) releases like Windows 10 2016 LTSB and Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) releases like Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 that cater to specialized devices, including industrial and medical systems, will also receive updates beyond October 2025.

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Start11 v2.5 brings vertical taskbars to Windows 11

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:01:25 +0000

Windows 10 is quickly approaching its end of support, which means more users will be moving to Windows 11 as we get closer to October 14. Although Windows 11 is now three years old, some bits and pieces from Windows 10 are still missing. One of them is the ability to move the taskbar to the left or right side of the screen. And while we wait for Microsoft to address this strange omission, Stardock is taking things to its hand with the latest Start11 update.

Start11 v2.5 is now available as a free update for all owners of Start11 v2. The "standout feature" of the release is the long-requested ability to have the taskbar on either side of the screen. Moreover, you can have separate taskbar locations for each monitor; say, the left monitor has its taskbar on the left and the right monitor on the right. Previous Start11 versions only supported the taskbar at the top or bottom.

Personalization is at the heart of Start11 v2.5 and with this release, you now have the option to dock the taskbar on any side of your monitor as the previous versions of Start11 supported taskbars at the top of the display. And of course, you can dock the taskbar at the bottom of the display as that is the default experience in Windows 11.

Note that vertical taskbars are only possible on systems with Windows 11 version 23H2 and newer. According to the changelog, previous versions, such as 22H2 and 21H2, are not supported.

In addition to the main feature of the update, Start11 v2.5 fixes various issues, such as bugs with dragging taskbar buttons, Win + X menu, taskbar flicker when hovering over a custom Start button, alignment issues, and more. You can find the complete changelog here.

Start11 v2.5 is now available on the official website and Steam. Existing customers can get the update in settings; if you are a newcomer, you can also download the entire Object Desktop package, which includes programs such as Fences, Start11, Groupy, SoundPackager, DeskScapes and Multiplicity.

Disclaimer: Neowin's relationship to Stardock

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Bing no longer pretends to be Google, but it still tries hard to make you stay

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:58:55 +0000

Several days ago, users noticed some odd behavior on Microsoft's Bing search engine. Upon typing "Google," Bing would turn itself into a "Google Search from Wish" lookalike to trick inexperienced users into believing they are on Google, while in reality, they were still on Bing. This shameless trick sparked quite a negative response from users and Google executives, claiming "New year, old Microsoft."

Fortunately, after a few days, Microsoft caved in and rolled back that controversial change (via The Verge). However, Bing is still trying hard to stop you from using Google Search. Typing "Google" in Bing now opens a regular list of search results, but at the top, you are presented with another search bar. Bing automatically places focus on it, so anything you type goes through Bing. Interestingly, you can still get the old Google-like Bing UI. All it takes is typing "Google" into that search box.

Fortunately, the updated UI is less shameless than the now-rolled-back version, plus Microsoft lets you dismiss the fake search bar by pressing X in the top-right corner.

Microsoft's attempt to disguise Bing as Google is just another chapter in the ever-going saga of Microsoft doing shady stuff to enforce its services and limit user choice. Google, with its search and browser, is Microsoft's principal target as the company tries to disrupt Google's overwhelming market share.

Sadly, these attempts only prey on inexperienced users and annoy the living thing out of enthusiasts. Bing is alright, and Edge is a good browser, but Microsoft just cannot help but ruin its products' reputation with dark patterns, annoying blocks, and other hostile behaviors.

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Linux Mint 22.1 ISOs approved, here's how to download them now

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:56:35 +0000

Over the weekend, it was reported that the Linux Mint 22.1 "Xia" ISOs were undergoing their final check before their release. According to the Linux Mint website, these ISOs have now all been approved for stable release, which means they'll now propagate to third-party mirrors before an official announcement is put out.

For anyone who wants to grab this latest version before the official announcement is released, head over to this LayerOnline directory and select the version of Linux Mint 22.1 that you wish to; most people pick Cinnamon as it's the most modern but still fast. LayerOnline is one of Linux Mint's worldwide mirror partners, so the download should go fast wherever you are in the world.

Despite the fact that it's only a point release in the Mint 22 series, it is still a substantial update. It comes with new power modes, Night Light integrated into the settings, Cinnamon 6.4, new artwork, and other improvements.

For those not familiar with Linux Mint, versions 22, 22.1, 22.2, and 22.3 will all be based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and receive updates until 2029. Unlike other operating systems, it's not necessary to stay on the latest point release. If you're happy with version 22, you can stay on that until 2029 with no issues or nagging.

If you're wondering when we will get an official announcement from the Mint team, it'll probably be sometime this week or next week. For people on older versions of Mint, we will likely hear more about upgrading as part of the announcement, too.

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ShareX 17.0 is out with improved scrolling capture and more

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:55:45 +0000

ShareX, one of our favorite apps for Windows 11 and 10, has received a big update to version 17.0. It is now available for download from the official website and the app's built-in update mechanism. With version 17.0, ShareX received improvements to scrolling capture, a new notification sound, new hotkeys, and more.

In addition to new features, ShareX 17 removes certain things like Google Photos image uploader (this is due to recent changes to the Google Photos API), adf.ly URL shortener, and backward compatibility with sxcu files generated before version 12.4.0 (files responsible for custom uploaders to various hosting services). Before updating to ShareX 17, make sure to update your sxcu files.

Here is the complete changelog:

Scrolling capture improvements:

Automatically ignores 50px from the bottom during scrolling captures, useful for cases like horizontal scrollbars at the bottom.

Added an "Auto ignore bottom edge" option, which compares two images to identify static parts at the bottom, in addition to the default 50px.

Added a "Copy" button to the scrolling capture window.

Added notification sound to certain actions: ShareX

Screen recording stop/pause/abort actions.

Scrolling capture action.

"Pin to screen" tool.

"Screen color picker" tool.

"Borderless window" tool.

Browser extension action.

Silent OCR action.

"Disable/Enable hotkeys" action.

Added "Play sound after action is completed" option.

Added "Use custom action completed sound" option.

Removed toast notification from silent OCR action.

Removed "Disable notifications" option.

Added Arabic language support.

When "DisableUpload" registry is set, hide upload related items in the main window.

Save tasks to history regardless of failed or stopped upload.

Allow restoring borderless window in "Borderless window" tool.

Added "Make active window borderless" hotkey.

Added "Make active window top most" hotkey.

Added "Pin to screen (Close all)" hotkey.

Removed YouTube icon because Google does not allow us to use a 16x16 size logo.

Removed Google Photos image uploader.

Removed adf.ly URL shortener.

Removed backward compatibility for .sxcu files generated before ShareX 12.4.0.

You can download ShareX 17.0 from the official website or the Microsoft Store via this link.

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Microsoft tells users to upgrade to Windows 11 while its free for a limited time only

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 07:04:16 +0000

Microsoft recently declared 2025 "the year of Windows 11 PC refresh," highlighting the importance of upgrading to its latest operating system as the end of Windows 10 quickly approaches. Now, the company issued another reminder for users, urging them to leave the soon-to-be-ten operating system behind while Windows 11 is available for free "for a limited time only."

In a newly published post on the Tech Community website, Microsoft describes what customers can do to avoid being left behind once the mainstream Windows 10 support is over. If you want to upgrade without buying new hardware, Microsoft suggests checking if your system meets Windows 11's hardware requirements (on which Microsoft does not plan to back down). If you have a device with Windows 10 in S Mode, you will also have to opt out of it first.

Those who cannot upgrade due to incompatibility and cannot buy a new PC can opt for the Extended Security Updates program, which costs $30 for 12 months of additional support. However, it only entitles users to security updates, and they do not include new features, non-security updates (bug fixes, minor changes, and other updates), and design requests.

While the exact details about enrolling in the program are yet to be unveiled, Microsoft has a support document where you can check out some details about the Extended Security Updates program.

What is also interesting about this post is how Microsoft uses its old tricks to create a sense of urgency by calling the path to Windows 11 "free for a limited time." Ten years ago, Microsoft tried the same by offering Windows 10 upgrades "free for one year." However, once the time ran out, Windows 10 remained available for Windows 7 and 8/8.1 years for many years. Only recently did the company close the door, leaving those on pre-Windows 10 versions with no free upgrade path (some of the company's ex-engineers are spreading some radical notions about getting a Windows license, though).

We do not know what will happen to the free upgrade offer on October 15, 2025. That door might indeed close, but considering Windows 11 is pretty far behind Windows 10, one could reasonably assume Microsoft would be willing to allow as many people as possible to update to Windows 11, assuming they have compatible hardware. If not, there is always another way (~~and Linux~~).

Aside from this, Microsoft also announced that Microsoft 365 apps may stop working fully if users don't update to Windows 11.

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Windows 11 (KB5050009, KB5050021) January 2025 Patch Tuesday out

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:17:43 +0000

Microsoft has released Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11 24H2, 23H2, and 22H2. The 24H2 update is provided via KB5050009, while the 23H2 and 22H2 update is delivered via KB5050021. You will be on build versions 26100.2894, 22631.4751, and 22621.4751, respectively, after applying the update.

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 KB5048667 (released December 10, 2024). 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.

[Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.

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 January 2025 Security Updates.

Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5050387)- 26100.2890

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

Applies to	Symptom	Workaround
All users	We’re aware of an issue where players on Arm devices are unable to download and play Roblox via the Microsoft Store on Windows.	Players on Arm devices can play Roblox by downloading the title directly from www.Roblox.com.
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: Open PowerShell as an Administrator. 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 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.
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.

Applies to

Symptom

Workaround

All users

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

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

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:

Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
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
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.

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 KB5048685 (released December 10, 2024). 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.

[Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.

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 January 2025 Security Update.

Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5050113) - 22621.4740 and 22631.4740

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

Applies to	Symptom	Workaround
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: Open PowerShell as an Administrator. 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 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.
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.

Applies to

Symptom

Workaround

All users

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

Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
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
Repeat the above steps for C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs.

IT admins

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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Windows 10 (KB5049981 / KB5050008 / KB5049993 / KB5050013) January 2025 Patch Tuesday out

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:14:33 +0000

It's the second Tuesday of the month, which means it's Patch Tuesday time again. As such, today, Microsoft is rolling out the monthly security update (also called "B release") for January 2025 on Windows Server 20H2 and Windows 10 for the latest supported versions, 20H2, 21H2, and 22H2.

The new updates are being distributed under KB5049981, bumping up the builds to 19044.5371 and 19045.5371. 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:

h2 id="ID0EDF" class="">Known issues in this update

Symptom	Workaround
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: Open PowerShell as an Administrator. 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 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.
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.

Symptom

Workaround

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

Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
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
Repeat the above steps for C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs.

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.

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:

Version	KB	Build	Download	Support
1809	KB5050008	17763.6775	Update Catalog	Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC)
1607	KB5049993	14393.7699	Update Catalog
1507	KB5050013	10240.20890	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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Mozilla fixes Firefox hanging on YouTube and Google Docs, startup crashes, and more

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:12:21 +0000

Mozilla has issued a small bug-fixing update for the recently released Firefox 134. Version 134.0.1 is now available for download with patches for a few bugs affecting popular websites and services.

According to the official changelog, Firefox 134.0.1 patches freezes on some of Google's websites, namely YouTube and Docs. Users reported that in certain scenarios, the UI hangs and stops responding.

Also, Mozilla's engineers fixed a crash on startup that occurs after updating from version 133 and the non-working selection and context menus after reverting to an earlier version of the browser.

Here is the complete changelog for Firefox 134.0.1:

Fixed UI hangs happening on YouTube and Google Docs in some situations (Bug 1939295).

Fixed a startup crash affecting some users upgrading from Firefox 133 (Bug 1941134).

Fixed an issue where search engines selection menus and context menus could be broken if a user had previously reverted to an earlier version (Bug 1940533).

In case you missed it, Mozilla released Firefox 134.0 last week. The first major update of 2025 arrived with a few major changes, such as improved trackpad support on Linux (you can now stop momentum scrolling by placing two fingers on the touchpad), hardware-accelerated playback of HEVC videos on Windows, a refreshed New Tab layout for users in the US and Canada, and more. You can check out the full release notes for Firefox 134.0 in our dedicated coverage.

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Excel-lent news: Excel finally gets proper dark mode with dark cells

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:11:00 +0000

Here is some great news for those who work late hours in Excel. Microsoft's spreadsheet processor has finally adopted a proper dark mode that spans across the entire window, turning to the dark side not only the ribbon but all the cells in your sheet. According to the company, this change has been a highly-requested feature on the feedback portal, and it is finally bringing it to users.

In the announcement post, Microsoft said there are several benefits to the new dark mode in Excel. In addition to reduced eye strain in low-light conditions, you can enjoy better energy efficiency on devices with OLED displays, thanks to a pitch-black cell background. Customers can also enjoy improved accessibility and a visually appealing, consistent look of documents.

If you still prefer having white sheets, Microsoft allows you to keep them that way. You can always toggle between modes on the View tab by pressing the "Switch Modes" button on the ribbon:

Enable Dark Mode by using the Switch Modes button on the View tab.

Open an existing worksheet or create one.

To make sure you are using a supported Office theme, select File > Account > Office Theme and confirm that either Black or Use system setting is selected. NOTE: If you select the Use system settings option, you will also need to make sure that your Windows theme is set to Black.

To turn on Dark Mode, select View, then Switch Modes.

To turn Dark Mode off, simply select View > Switch Modes again.

As of right now, the updated dark mode is rolling out to Microsoft 365 Insiders in the Beta Channel with version 2502 and build number 18508.2000 or later.

Excel is not the only app with a dark mode that affects every part of the user interface. Some time ago, Word received the same treatment, allowing you to work with documents with dark backgrounds when in dark mode. It automatically switches back to light mode when the theme changes or when you print your document.

You can read more about the latest Excel updates in the announcement post on the Tech Community website.

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Amid a flurry of hype, Microsoft reorganizes entire dev team around AI

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:09:56 +0000

Shift ensures the majority of Microsoft's developer resources will focus on AI.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has announced a dramatic restructuring of the company's engineering organization, which is pivoting the company's focus to developing the tools that will underpin agentic AI.

Dubbed "CoreAI - Platform and Tools," the new division rolls the existing AI platform team and the previous developer division (responsible for everything from .NET to Visual Studio) along with some other teams into one big group.

As for what this group will be doing specifically, it's basically everything that's mission-critical to Microsoft in 2025, as Nadella tells it:

This new division will bring together Dev Div, AI Platform, and some key teams from the Office of the CTO (AI Supercomputer, AI Agentic Runtimes, and Engineering Thrive), with the mission to build the end-to-end Copilot & AI stack for both our first-party and third-party customers to build and run AI apps and agents. This group will also build out GitHub Copilot, thus having a tight feedback loop between the leading AI-first product and the AI platform to motivate the stack and its roadmap.

To accomplish all that, "Jay Parikh will lead this group as EVP." Parikh was hired by Microsoft in October; he previously worked as the VP and global head of engineering at Meta.

The fact that the blog post doesn't say anything about .NET or Visual Studio, instead emphasizing GitHub Copilot and anything and everything related to agentic AI, says a lot about how Nadella sees Microsoft's future priorities.

So-called AI agents are applications that are given specified boundaries (action spaces) and a large memory capacity to independently do subsets of the kinds of work that human office workers do today. Some company leaders and AI commentators believe these agents will outright replace jobs, while others are more conservative, suggesting they'll simply be powerful tools to streamline the jobs people already have.

Nadella doesn't sound particularly conservative on this front, though. His blog post opens with this extraordinarily lofty series of statements:

As we begin the new year, it’s clear that we’re entering the next innings of this AI platform shift. 2025 will be about model-forward applications that reshape all application categories. More so than any previous platform shift, every layer of the application stack will be impacted. It’s akin to GUI, internet servers, and cloud-native databases all being introduced into the app stack simultaneously. Thirty years of change is being compressed into three years!

Those are some big promises and expectations. If we take his words at face value, it appears he expects agentic AI to be at the heart of a global transformation and considers it Microsoft's core objective over the next three years to be making sure its software and services are the ones that underpin that.

Agentic AI is imagined as the next big turning point for the tech industry, and for the world of work in general. It's seen as a step forward from general purpose LLM chatbots like ChatGPT—which aren't really specialized in anything and require informed users to work to get the most out of them—and limited-scope, feature-specific applications of deep learning, like Apple has introduced in its platforms and software.

Most observers believe some kind of widespread application of agentic AI is likely, but Nadella's grandiose vision of completely transforming software development, and by extension the entire industry, with this reorganization suggests he's one of the most bullish voices on agentic AI, to say the least.

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Parallels can finally run x86 versions of Windows or Linux on Apple Silicon

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:09:14 +0000

"Early technology preview" is promising but has lots of limitations for now.

Virtualization software like Parallels and VMware Fusion give Mac owners the ability to run Windows and Linux on top of macOS, but for Apple Silicon Macs, that support was limited to the Arm-based versions of those operating systems. And while Windows and Linux both support some level of x86-to-Arm app translation that attempts to maintain compatibility with most software, there are still plenty of things that demand an Intel or AMD processor with the x86 instruction set.

Last week, Parallels released a new update that partially resolves this problem: Users of Parallels Desktop Pro 20.2.0 now have access to x86 operating systems via an "early technology preview" of Parallels' "proprietary emulation engine."

The technology preview is currently limited to certain 64-bit versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2019 and 2022. Parallels also says it has tested several UEFI-compatible Linux distributions, including Ubuntu 22.04.5, Kubuntu 24.04.1, Lubuntu 24.04.1, and Debian versions 12.4 to 12.8. Fedora will install, but it's unstable. 32-bit versions of operating systems, as well as older versions of Windows like Windows 7 or 8, aren't supported.

Parallels running the x86 version of Windows 10 on an M1 MacBook Pro. Parallels' virtual CPU appears to

identify itself as a 5th-generation Intel Core laptop processor.

Credit: Parallels

For Windows 11 and supported Linux distros, you can run existing virtual machines using the technology preview, but you can't set up new ones—useful for anyone migrating from an Intel Mac with virtual machines they'd like to keep. If you're trying to set up a new virtual machine, the only officially supported operating systems are Windows Server 2022 and Windows 10 21H2, though there are workarounds available for Windows 10 22H2 and Windows Server 2019.

You won't be able to set up fresh copies of Windows 11 or some versions of Linux because the technology preview doesn't support SSE4.2, additional CPU instructions that became common in Intel and AMD processors in the early 2010s. This also means that Windows 11 24H2 VMs are entirely unsupported, since the 24H2 update requires these CPU instructions to work at all.

Parallels notes that these operating systems currently run "really slow" due to the overhead required for translation. Windows takes between two and seven minutes to boot, depending on the speed of your Mac, and "the responsiveness of the operating system is low." Rather than attempting to multi-task, Parallels says you should close the app you're using before trying to open another one.

Other limitations include a lack of USB passthrough support, no sound, support for just one virtual CPU core and 8GB of RAM, and a lack of support for nested virtualization (which could affect compatibility with features like the Windows Subsystem for Linux). Parallels also says that the translation overhead requires a lot of system resources—for example, "an Intel-based Windows 10 VM with 4GBs of RAM assigned will take 8GBs of your Mac’s memory."

While Apple's Rosetta 2 generally does a good job of running Intel Mac apps on Apple Silicon Macs, Apple doesn't support running entire x86 operating systems using Rosetta. The Virtualization Framework built into macOS likewise only supports Arm-compatible operating systems. Though limited, Parallels' support for running x86 operating systems is a unique feature that other companies haven't been able to offer yet. It's also a bit of a blast from the past for longtime Mac users—back in the PowerPC days, Mac owners also had to rely on third-party emulation software like Connectix's Virtual PC for running x86-based operating systems and apps.

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A secret UI project resurfaces from the 'Microsoft Graveyard' to spruce up Edge with a modern Windows 11 aesthetic

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:08:42 +0000

Microsoft wants to make Edge match Windows 11's modern look and feel with a major overhaul project, but will it hit prime time?

Even in 2025, browser wars are still a thing. As expected, Google continues to dominate the search and browser landscape, while Microsoft firmly holds the shorter end of the stick with Bing and Microsoft Edge. But as it seems, the tech giant might have a new trick to salvage the situation, potentially attracting new users to its Edge browser.

According to Windows Latest, Microsoft is working on a new project called Phoenix. The project will revamp Microsoft Edge's look and feel to align with Windows 11's modern appeal and aesthetics. Interestingly, the tech outlet details that the project will roll out in waves.

The report further details that some elements of the Phoenix project have already shipped to Microsoft Edge, including the Split screen feature, which lets users drag and drop a tab to open it alongside another webpage. The Phoenix project will also ship with Mica, a new feature designed to add a dynamic and translucent effect to Microsoft Edge's user interface.

Windows Latest attributes its deductions to two flags it uncovered buried in Microsoft Edge Canary's preview builds, including:

msEdgePhoenixColorPaletteGenerator
msUseSnappingPointsForPhoenixPaletteGeneration

As highlighted by our sister site, TechRadar, "What these flags likely refer to is the ability for Edge to run a piece of ‘color palette generator’ code that could detect Windows 11’s accent colors or theme, and change the browser to match that. In other words, Edge would dynamically switch to complement the Windows 11 environment in this respect."

Microsoft is playing it safe with Edge's new updates

Microsoft Edge 'Vertical Tabs.'

(Image credit: Future)

Over the years, Microsoft has shipped many features to Edge to grow its user base while improving its user experience. However, users have blatantly expressed their inclination toward Google Chrome while calling out Microsoft for making Microsoft Edge 'bloated.'

User reception to Microsoft's Phoenix project designed to overhaul Edge remains to be seen. But if the intricate details of the report are anything to go by, Microsoft is seemingly playing it safe by shipping the update in waves. This could give the tech giant time to garner feedback, allowing it to work on areas that need improvement or outrightly pull the plug on the entire enterprise.

Last year, our Zac Bowden reported that Microsoft was scrapping the major UI update for Edge with rounded tabs and blur effects. The report highlighted Microsoft's plan to remove the flag to enable the features via a future update for the browser.

That said, we'll have to wait and see if Microsoft will finally ship the major Edge overhaul this time.

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Microsoft's KB5048239 Windows 10 update won't stop installing, possible workaround available

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:07:11 +0000

Back in November, Microsoft released a stack of new WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment) updates for various Windows 10 versions under KB5048239, KB5046911, KB5046912, KB5046913, KB5046914, KB5047135, and KB5046905.

On the same day, users started reporting the 0x80070643 error when trying to install the update. The issue in particular was related to the KB5048239 update. Microsoft, it seems, is pushing out the update again this January via Windows Update and once more, the troublesome update is causing widespread problems.

A user Surfertm on the Microsoft forum writes:

Re: 2024-11 Security Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5048239)

2024-11 Security Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5048239) keeps installing when I check for Updates after the first download and installation.

After each installation I get a You're up to date message.

2024-11 Security Update for Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5048239) was successfully installed on my computer on Nov 12, 2024.

The query has been upvoted by 252 people at the time of writing.

A similar thread has been opened by Gary Schwerdtfeger there which says:

Windows Update keeps trying to install KB5048239 2024-11 Security update Windows 10 V22H2 for x64 based systems

Windows Update shows 0% installing and then reverts to "Your up to date" screen. I have restarted and powered my machine down but that didn't help.

There are no messages displayed about the update failing to install or installation successful. Every time that Windows Update looks for updates, this scenario plays out again.

This one has been upvoted by 73 people at the time of writing.

Thus, it looks like the KB5048239 update keeps trying to install itself over and over again as it is getting stuck in an installation loop for some reason.

Typically, these failures are a result of insufficient Windows Recovery partition space, as it requires a minimum of 250 MB:

NOTE This update requires 250 MB of free space in the recovery partition to install successfully.

If you would like to make sure your device is offered this update, please follow the  Instructions to manually resize your partition or use a sample script to increase the size of the WinRE recovery partition.

Once your partition has sufficient disk space, click Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates to have the update offered to you and then install it.

We have already covered these workarounds in the past. You can find them here: Instructions for manual Recovery drive resize guide (dated: July 21, 2024) || PowerShell script.

However, we are unsure if this will really fix it given that some users on the threads say they have more than 250 MB of space allocated to the recovery partition already.

Another option would be to entirely delete the recovery partition itself as Microsoft notes that WinRE updates won't be downloaded in that case:

IMPORTANT This update will not be offered if your Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) meets:

If your running PC does not have a WinRE recovery partition. To verify if you have WinRE enabled, run the following command in an elevated command prompt: reagentc /info. If WinRE is enabled, you will see Windows RE status in the output with a value of Enabled. In this scenario, this update might be needed.

However, keep in the mind that Microsoft recently highlighted how WinRE is just as essential a system requirement as TPM and Secure Boot at least for features like encryption.

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Microsoft pulls a Windows as it breaks Linux on Intel CPUs and angers AMD in the process

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:05:32 +0000

Earlier today, we reported about a happy and content Linus Torvalds, who is offering to make a guitar pedal for one of the lucky Linux devs out there since he is pleased with how things have been this holiday season and the progress with the Linux kernel version 6.13.

Unfortunately for Torvalds, a Microsoft-contributed change nearly ruined it, but Intel and AMD had intervened just in time to save the day.

The change in question was related to a ARCH_HAS_EXECMEM_ROX kernel configuration, which would allow caching of executable memory (EXECMEM) with read-only execute (ROX) permissions. It was being added as a performance improvement feature on Linux 6.13 for x86_64/ AMD64, ie, 64-bit AMD and Intel CPUs.

Unfortunately, this was pushed out without acknowledgement (Ack) from an x86 kernel maintainer, and it has broken the CFI or Control Flow Integrity on such CPUs.

Intel's Peter Zijlstra sent this in today to urgently revert the changes related to EXECMEM_ROX support since there is a lot of work left to be done before it is ready to be pushed out. He wrote:

x86: Disable EXECMEM_ROX support

The whole module_writable_address() nonsense made a giant mess of alternative.c, not to mention it still contains bugs -- notable some of the CFI variants crash and burn.

Mike has been working on patches to clean all this up again, but given the current state of things, this stuff just isn't ready.

Disable for now, lets try again next cycle.

AMD's Borislav Petkov also expressed his annoyance on the matter as he wrote:

I just love it how this went in without a single x86 maintainer Ack, it broke a bunch of things and then it is still there instead of getting reverted. Let's not do this again please.

-- Regards/Gruss, Boris.

For those who may not know, Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET) is an important security feature, and it introduced Shadow Stack and Indirect Branch Targeting (IBT). The former helps defend a system against Return Oriented Programming (ROP) attacks, while the latter protects against Call or Jump Oriented Programming (COP/JOP) attacks.

CET is able to do so by checking the normal program stack against a hardware-stored copy (the Shadow Stack) to ensure that the integrity of return addresses is maintained. In simple words, Shadow Stack stops malware from taking over the process steps of legitimate software as it flags potentially compromised software from executing.

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How to shut your PC down at a specific time on Windows 11 and 10

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 17:26:20 +0000

Here are seven ways to turn off your computer automatically.

Windows 11 (or 10) doesn't include an option to schedule an automatic shutdown of your computer, but it's possible to use different tools to complete this task without having to resort to third-party applications.

If you must turn off the computer after a specific time, you have at least seven ways. You can use commands with PowerShell, Command Prompt, and the Run dialog. It's also possible to trigger a shutdown using a shortcut or a batch file.

You can even use the Settings app, and while the power settings allow you to set a sleep mode timer, it's also an option to save energy and extend battery life.

Finally, you can also create a task with the Task Scheduler to run a specific command that will shut down the computer at a specified time.

In this how-to guide, I will explain the different methods to schedule an automatic shutdown of your computer running Windows 11 (or 10).

How to shut down your computer on schedule

On Windows 11, you have at least seven different methods to shut down your computer at a specific time, and here's how.

1. From Command Prompt

The easiest way to schedule an automatic shutdown is using the "Shutdown" command-line tool.

To shutdown your computer using Command Prompt, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.

Quick note: The "Shutdown" command may also work without elevation, but it depends on the options you use.

Type the following command to schedule a complete shutdown of the computer and press Enter: shutdown /s /f /t SECONDS

In the command, change "SECONDS" for the number of seconds to schedule a shutdown. For example, this command powers off the device after two hours: shutdown /s /f /t 7200

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

(Optional) Type the following command to cancel the command and press Enter: shutdown /a

Once you complete the steps, the computer will power off at the specific time you specify in the command.

Command breakdown:

/s – Instructs the command you want to shut down.
/t – Specifies the schedule in seconds (for example, "/t 60").
/f – Forces to close a running application to complete processing the command.
/a – Aborts the shutdown, but it can only be used during the time-out period.

2. From PowerShell

PowerShell doesn't actually offer a command to schedule an automatic shutdown. However, we can use the "Start-Sleep" command that allows you to put the system into sleep mode, and then we follow up with the "Stop-Computer" command that will shut down the computer immediately after the sleep mode is triggered.

To shutdown the computer automatically using a PowerShell command, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to schedule a complete shutdown of the computer and press Enter: Start-Sleep -Seconds SECONDS; Stop-Computer

In the command, change "SECONDS" for the time the system should wait before shutting down. For example, this command powers off the device after two hours: Start-Sleep -Seconds 7200; Stop-Computer

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

After you complete the steps, the device will shut down automatically at the time you specified in the command.

3. From Run dialog

If you don't want to open a command line console, you can use the "Run" dialog interface to execute the shutdown command.

To schedule an automatic shutdown using the Run dialog, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Run and click the top result to open the app.

Quick tip: You can also use the "Windows key + R" keyboard shortcut or right-click the Start button and choose the "Run" option.

Type the following command to power off a device at a specific time and press Enter: shutdown /s /f /t SECONDS

In the command, change "SECONDS" for the number of seconds to schedule a shutdown. For example, this command powers off the device after two hours: shutdown /s /f /t 7200

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

(Optional) Type the following command to cancel the command and press Enter: shutdown /a

The Task Manager doesn't provide an option to turn off your computer on schedule, but you can

It's also possible to access the "Run" command from the Task Manager and then run the "Shutdown" command, as noted in the above steps.

4. From Shortcut

Alternatively, you can also create a shortcut that you can run to schedule a power-down of the system at a specific time.

To create a shortcut to power off a computer automatically at a specific time, use these steps:

Right-click on the desktop.
Choose the Shortcut option in the New menu.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Type the following command to shutdown a computer on schedule and press Enter: shutdown /s /t SECONDS /f

In the command, change "SECONDS" for the number of seconds to schedule a shutdown. For example, this command powers off the device after two hours: shutdown /s /f /t 7200

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Click the Next button.
Confirm a name for the shortcut.
Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, you can simply double-click the shortcut, and the computer will schedule a shutdown for the time you specified.

The only caveat with this method is that you will have to modify the timer in the shortcut's properties to change the time.

5. From batch file

Instead of a shortcut, you can also create a batch file that you can run to configure the system to shut down at a specific time.

To create a batch file to shutdown your computer automatically, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Notepad and click the top result to open the app.
Type the following command to shut down a computer automatically and press Enter: shutdown /s /f /t SECONDS

In the command, change "SECONDS" for the number of seconds to schedule a shutdown. For example, this command powers off the device after two hours: shutdown /s /f /t 7200

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Click the File menu and choose the Save as option.
Select the folder location.
Confirm the name with the ".bat" file extension. For example, shutdown.bat.
Click the Save button.

After you complete the steps, you can double-click to run the script and configure the computer to shutdown automatically.

6. From sleep settings

Although the power settings don't include an option to turn off a device, you can use the timeout settings to put the computer to a low-power state, which can be helpful if you're looking to conserve energy and extend battery life.

To schedule a computer power-down after some time of inactivity, use these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on System.
Click the Power & Battery page from the left side.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Click the "Screen and sleep" (or "Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts") setting under the "Power" section.
Choose how long the device must wait before going into sleep mode.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Once you complete the steps, the computer will go into the sleep mode of inactivity you specified in the settings.

The above instructions only apply to Windows 11 if you want to change the timeout settings on Windows 10, open Settings > Power & sleep and change the Sleep setting.

7. From Task Scheduler

You can also use the Task Scheduler to create a task that will run the "Shutdown" command on a schedule to turn off the computer.

To schedule an automatic shutdown with the Task Scheduler, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Task Scheduler and click the top result to open the app.
Right-click on the Task Scheduler Library folder and choose the New Folder option.
Confirm the MyTasks name (or any other descriptive name) and press Enter.
Right-click the newly created folder and choose the "Create Basic Task" option.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Confirm the "Auto Shutdown PC" name.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Click the Next button.
Select the recurrence of the task.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Quick note: Choose the recurrence that meets your requirements. I'll choose the "One Time" option.

Click the Next button.
Set the time when you want to the system to power off the computer.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Click the Next button.
Choose the "Start a program" option.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Click the Next button.
Confirm the following path to the Shutdown tool in the "Program/script" text field: C:\Windows\System32\shutdown.exe
Confirm the following switches in the add arguments text field: /s /f /t 0

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

Click the Next button.
Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, the Task Scheduler will run the task at the specified time, triggering the command to shut down your computer.

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I found this intriguing Microsoft Edge feature because of a bug in my X feed

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 17:23:27 +0000

Mobile upload is not a new feature in Edge, but X showed a post from years ago in my timeline highlighting the tool.

This morning as I sat down to check the news, I saw a strange post in my X feed. At first glance, it looked like an interesting Microsoft Edge feature that was in testing. But I quickly realized that the post was from 2023. I'm not sure why X showed me that post within my "Following" feed that's sorted chronologically. I thought there was a chance that a more recent post within a thread may have pushed the original content up, but that does not seem to be the case.

Regardless of why I saw the feature in action, the option intrigued me. First shipped in February 2024, "Mobile upload" allows you to upload images from your phone and use those pictures on your desktop. The feature lets you bring photos you took on your phone or other images you've saved to your PC without having to send them to yourself or wait for OneDrive to back up your files. Leo Varela first spotted the feature and shared screenshots of it in action while it was in testing in 2023.

Microsoft has several ways to connect mobile phones and PCs, including a separate Edge feature called "Drop." The Mobile upload feature saves you a few steps if you need to take an image from your phone and use it on the web on a PC. While it's not difficult to send files to yourself, it can be a bit awkward as you wait for a notification about a message from yourself.

When trying the feature out, I noticed that I had to make sure my smartphone and PC were on the same wireless network. I also had to scan a QR code each time I wanted to send an image from my phone to my PC's browser.

You need to scan a QR code and pair your phone to your PC each time you want to use Edge's Mobile upload feature.

(Image credit: Future)

When using the new tool, you can choose to have OneDrive back up files by default or not have files backed up.

Microsoft has an FAQ page about Mobile upload. That page notes that you can send up to 10 images at a time with a limit of 1 Gigabyte per file.

In its current iteration, Mobile upload does not seem that much more convenient than using Drop, sending a file to yourself, or syncing photos across devices with Phone Link. The fact that I have to scan a QR code from my phone each time I want to upload an image to my PC is too fiddly to integrate the feature into my workflow. Still, the feature is intriguing and I'm glad X showed it in my feed for whatever reason.

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Microsoft MFA outage [now resolved] blocking access to Microsoft 365 apps

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 17:21:31 +0000

Microsoft is investigating an ongoing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) outage that is blocking customers from accessing Microsoft 365 Office apps.

Some affected Microsoft 365 users have also reported that MFA registration and reset are not working.

"Users may be unable to access some Microsoft 365 Apps when authenticating with MFA," Microsoft said in an incident alert published in the admin center. "We're re-directing traffic to alternate healthy infrastructure while we continue to investigate the root cause of impact."

The company added that the incident only impacts users who use MFA for authentication in Microsoft 365 Office apps.

According to another admin center message, the company is also investigating reports that Microsoft 365 applications may unexpectedly crash on Windows Server 2016 devices.

"We're reviewing service monitoring telemetry to isolate the root cause and develop a remediation plan," Redmond says. "Impact is specific to some users who are served through the affected infrastructure."

Last month, Microsoft announced it was investigating a known issue that triggers "Product Deactivated" errors for customers using Microsoft 365 Office apps. One week earlier, another outage took down Office web apps and the Microsoft 365 admin center.

In November, A worldwide Microsoft 365 outage also impacted multiple services and features, including Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Purview, Copilot, and Outlook Web and Desktop.

Update: January 13, 05:51 EST: Microsoft says service availability has been restored, and the issue is resolved.

"We've identified that a section of infrastructure responsible for MFA operations unexpectedly became unresponsive," the company says in the admin center.

"We've completed an extended period of monitoring in which the service health has remained stable and are declaring this incident as resolved. Impact was specific to users are authenticating to our M365 Apps using MFA via infrastructure in Western Europe."

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Microsoft made updating to Windows 11 from Windows 10 easier

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 07:26:07 +0000

Microsoft is on a mission to get people off Windows 10 and onto Windows 11. To entice gamers for example, the company recently listed all the gaming features the newer OS brings and earlier in 2024, it penned an article busing all the "myths and misconceptions" surrounding a Windows 11 upgrade. Additionally, it also plastered end-of-support cautions across its website to steer folks away from Windows 10.

Aside from these, Neowin noticed today that Microsoft also updated a support article on its website about Windows 11 upgrading. Titled "Can I upgrade to Windows 11?," Microsoft made some subtle changes to it to make it easier for folks who are wondering if their PC is eligible for Windows 11. For example, it mentions the system requirements for Windows 11 which is something that needs serious consideration when deciding to upgrade.

The page itself is not new, and neither is any information on it, however, the presentation has been tweaked such that it may be easier to follow and additionally, a shortcut to the Windows Update settings page has also been added that takes users directly there.

While it may seem trivial to enthusiasts, the updated page can certainly be helpful for those who are not tech-savvy and are wondering about updating their systems to Windows 11; such people would likely land on this page if they were googling about it.

Here is the previous version of the page:

Can I upgrade to Windows 11?

If your existing Windows 10 PC is running the current version of Windows 10 and meets the minimum hardware specifications to run Windows 11, it will be able to upgrade.

Specific timing for upgrade rollout will vary by device and certain features will require specific hardware—see https://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-11-specifications for more information.

To see if your PC is eligible to upgrade, you can download and run the PC Health Check app. Or, after the upgrade rollout begins, you can check if it's available for your device by going to Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates.

And here is the updated one:

Can I upgrade to Windows 11?

An existing Windows 10 device can be upgraded to Windows 11 if it meets the following criteria:

The device is running a currently supported version of Windows 10. If the device isn't currently running a supported version of Windows 10, upgrade to a supported version of Windows 10.

The device meets the minimum hardware specifications to run Windows 11.

Specific timing for Windows 11 upgrade rollouts varies by device. Additionally, certain features have specific hardware requirements. For more information, see Windows 11 specs, features, and computer requirements.

To see if a Windows 10 device is eligible to upgrade to Windows 11, follow one of these options:

Download and run the PC Health Check app.

From the Start menu, navigate to Settings > Update & Security and then select the Check for updates button.

Select the following Windows Update shortcut and then select the Check for updates button:

Windows Update

In case your PC turns out to be incompatible with Windows 11, Microsoft's official recommendation is to buy a new one. There is also the option of switching to Linux like ESET says, although for a non-tech-savvy person, this may not really be a feasible solution.

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Free unofficial Windows 11/10 app blocks New Outlook auto-install, adds WinGet support, more

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 16:46:55 +0000

This week, Microsoft made a major announcement related to the rollout of the New Outlook for Windows. The new app will automatically be installed on Windows 10 PCs very soon. Thankfully, though, for those who don't want it, Microsoft has also shared a way to deal with it using a PowerShell and Registry workaround.

A popular third-party utility called Bloatynosy has integrated this ability via a plugin with its latest update. However, it is noteworthy that the software already could remove the New Outlook app previously. Also, WinGet app installations are supported now.

There is also an ad for Flyby11 on its home page.

Besides these functionality improvements, the UI has also seen an update with a new "enhanced" Dark Mode and navigation menu similar to Windows 11. The new version is also said to bring better performance overall.

The full changelog is given below:

The UI is now more functional and modular, featuring an improved dark mode, enhanced debloat capabilities, and a revamped plugin engine.

Fresh, functional, and modular UI with an enhanced Dark Mode and Windows 11-style navigation on the left side

New navigation manager with history support for the back button

Revamped main page with direct switches to various app options

Improved plugin engine for better performance

Added new plugins, including a "Block New Outlook Preinstall" feature for Windows 11 (see Neowin source) and support for Winget app installations

Enhanced filtering on the Dumputer (debloater) and Experience pages

Smoother experience on high DPI devices

New FAQ section on the main page, visible on specific devices

Seamless page transitions with live updates

Numerous core fixes and performance improvements

You can download the latest version of BloatyNosy, 1.0.10, here on its official GitHub repo. As always, though, the best way to test out unofficial apps may be in a VM.

Source

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