Here is the complete changelog:

Added Features:

 

• Introduced a settings page for Profile Workspaces.

 

Improved Behavior:

 

• Resolved an issue where browser would crash after clicking ‘Fewer stories like this’ several times in the news feed on the new tab page on iOS.
• Resolved an issue where browser would crash when refreshing the wikipedia.org webpage on Android.

 

Changed Behavior:

 

• Resolved an issue where ‘news.naver.com’ would not automatically launch after media playback.
• Fixed an issue where the account switching sheets did not match the design when browser needed to switch to AAD upon opening a link from Outlook.
• Resolved an issue where the refresh icon was not centered within the clickable region in the Game Assist browser.
• Resolved an issue where the shortcut icon was truncated on the ZIP page in portrait mode during a search.
• Fixed an issue where the Overflow Menu would not appear after using the ‘Send to Devices’ feature for the first time.
• Fixed an issue where the focus indicator was not visible on the ‘Home’ control in the Chat Bar when using the Tab key in Copilot.

 

Android:

 

• Resolved an issue where the ‘Undo’ function would not restore a deleted tab in browser on Android and desktop.
• Fixed an issue where two ‘Share’ buttons would appear on the toolbar when visiting any website on Android.
• Resolved an issue where the avatar would display a ‘no-sign’ icon when scrolling up and down the web page on Android.
• Fixed an issue when clicking the ‘Personalize’ button would automatically open a feed on a new NTP page on Android.

 

iOS:

 

• Resolved an issue where Top Sites and feeds would momentarily shift up and then return to their original positions when opening a new tab in landscape mode on iOS.
• Resolved a temporary display issue that occurred when scrolling during page load on iOS.
• Resolved an issue where the ‘Read Aloud’ feature could not be paused from the text selection menu on iOS.

Microsoft Edge Dev will update itself automatically, but you can speed things up by heading to edge://settings/help. If you are new to the Edge Insider program and want to participate, head to the official website and download the preferred channel. All three (Canary, Dev, and Beta) can run side-by-side with the Stable release.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

The details:

• A new Dashboard is introduced that users of the browser may customize to display nearly anything they want on the New Tab page of the browser.
• Tabs have a new floating design.
• The Feed Reader gets a much needed upgraded: folders.

How to get the new version: The new Vivaldi is already available for all supported desktop platforms. You can wait for the automatic update feature to install the update or select Vivaldi Menu > Help > Check for updates to download the update immediately.

New users may download the latest version from Vivaldi's official website.

Vivaldi: the new dashboard

Vivaldi has not removed the default New Tab page of the browser. Engineers have added the Dashboard to it instead.

You can switch between Speed Dial and Dashboard; the browser remembers your selection automatically.

Note: Users who do not need the Dashboard may turn it off in the Settings.

What is the Dashboard? The Dashboard is a customizable user space. It displays widgets, which can be internal functions provided by the browser or web services.

Here is a list of widgets that you may add, remove, or delete:

• Date and time.
• Sticky notes.
• Speed Dial.
• Calendar agenda.
• Latest emails.
• Bookmarks.
• Tasks.
• Tip of the day.
• Feeds.
• Top sites.
• Privacy statistics.
• Webpage.

Some of these have dependencies. You need to enable Mail in Vivaldi to use Feeds, Calendar or latest emails. While the Vivaldi-specific functions are fine, it is the webpage option that pushes the feature to the next level.

You can add any URL to the Dashboard of the browser. This means that you may add web services, like a translator, currency converter, YouTube, or whatever you like to the Dashboard area.

Not all sites display well there, as it depends on a responsive design or support for mobile versions.

One thing that you may notice is that you get limited control over the size of a widget. Vivaldi supports the sizes regular and tall only. Websites are displayed in tall mode automatically. There is no option to increase the width of a webpage or modify the appearance in any way.

This would be a welcome addition in future versions of the browser, as some sites may need more width or height to display their content. Scrollbars are displayed when the content does not fit the size of the widget.

With that caveat in mind, it is still opening up plenty of possibilities to display useful content on the New Tab page of the Vivaldi browser.

Other changes in Vivaldi Browser

The new release of the Vivaldi browser launches with additional improvements:

• User interface upgrade with "floating tabs" and new icons.
• Feed Reader supports folders to better manage RSS feeds.
• New "jump to last mail" option in Vivaldi Mail.
• Real-time syn of tabs, bookmarks, and settings.

Closing Words

Dashboard is the main feature of the new Vivaldi browser release. While the other changes are nice, Dashboard may alter how users of the browser interact with the New Tab page. From merely being a vessel to launch a new site quickly to something that users may spend time on.

It all depends on how individual users use the browser, on the other hand. Mail, calendar, and RSS feed users get features that they make like, but there is something for everyone.

Again, this is not for everyone, but if you like to create your own custom startpage on the Internet, this may very well be it.

Have you tried Vivaldi lately? What is your take on the browser, the new Dashboard, and its other features? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Offline mode improvements aren't the only thing the New Outlook is getting. Microsoft clearly seems to understand that users are probably still not as happy with its shiny, new app as they are with Classic Outlook.

Hence, the company is bringing another major change to New Outlook. The app will soon gain support for personal non-Microsoft accounts. This will allow users to access any Microsoft 365 (Office 365) and Copilot Pro subscriptions, that they have linked to their personal email, on the New Outlook for Windows app.

Microsoft says the rollout of the feature should start next month, mid-November, with general availability and rollout completion planned for mid-December 2024 and mid-January 2025 respectively.

In a Microsoft 365 Message Center post, the company has described the upcoming change. It explains:

Coming soon: Support for users to add a new personal Microsoft account type in new Microsoft Outlook for Windows.

 

Adding a personal Microsoft account to Outlook is useful if that personal Microsoft account is linked to Microsoft subscriptions such as Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Copilot Pro. For instance, a user might purchase a subscription for Microsoft 365 Personal with a Microsoft account such as you@gmail.com.

 

Before this rollout, new Outlook for Windows would not support adding this personal Microsoft account to Outlook and the user could not access any subscriptions linked to those accounts. After this rollout, users will be able to enjoy the benefits of their personal Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscription in Outlook.ary 2025. This feature is on by default.

When setting up an account, a new "Additional Microsoft accounts" option is being added under the "Your accounts" section in the New Outlook app.

The Your accounts section essentially helps manage the various email accounts that have been added to the app:

Before this rollout: Outlook supports connecting to personal email accounts like Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo and more, so users can access email from those accounts in Outlook.

 

After this rollout, users will be able to add a new personal Microsoft account that does not use a Microsoft email address (such as outlook.com, hotmail.com, or live.com) at Settings > Accounts > Your accounts > Additional Microsoft accounts for the purpose of accessing any subscriptions linked to that personal Microsoft account.

You can find this post in Microsoft 365 Admin Center dashboard with message ID MC915492.

Via: Joao Ferreira

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

In a post on the Microsoft 365 Insider blog, the company stated:

Handoff is an Apple feature that allows you to continue working on content while switching from one Apple device to another. For example, if you're working on a PowerPoint presentation on your iPhone and want to switch to your Mac, Handoff makes it possible with just a couple clicks. 

The blog post says this feature is enabled for anyone who uses Office apps on supported devices with the same Apple ID account. Also, any document that you want to edit across the Mac, iPhone, and iPad must be stored in the cloud, either in OneDrive or SharePoint.

If that's the case for you, all you have to do is launch Word, Excel, or PowerPoint on one of your supported Apple devices and open a document in the app. Then bring your Mac, iPhone, or iPad near a device where you wish to continue working on the app.

You should see the Dock on a Mac or iPad, or the app switcher on your iPhone. You can then make the switch between those devices by clicking or tapping the selected app to open the same file on the other devices.

The Handoff feature for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel apps on Apple devices is now available on iOS for Version 2.89 (Build 24090210) or later and for the Mac for Version 16.89 (Build 24091630) or later. Microsoft points out this feature is not available on the Apple Watch.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

With the latest update, Surface Pro 9 owners received patches for a problem with their devices unexpectedly shutting down due to inaccurate battery life estimation. Nothing ruins a day more than watching your computer abruptly die with a 30% battery level.

Here is the official changelog:

The following update is available for Surface Pro 9 with Intel Processor devices running Windows 10 October 2022 Update, Version 22H2 or greater.

 

Improvements and fixes:

 

• Addresses security vulnerabilities, securing devices from potential threats.
• Resolves an issue where the device unexpectedly shuts down due to inaccurate estimation of the remaining battery life.

Here is the list of new drivers:

Here is extra information about the release:

Your Surface Pro 9 will download available updates automatically, but you can speed things up by heading to Settings > Windows Update and clicking the "Check for updates" button. Alternatively, go to the official Surface support website and download a manual installation package. As usual, remember to back up important data before updating firmware since Microsoft does not allow undoing Surface firmware updates. Better safe than sorry.

All Surface Pro 9 configurations have a six-year lifecycle, which started on October 25, 2022, and will end on October 25, 2028.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

At the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit, Microsoft announced several improvements coming to Windows PCs to improve the overall experience for musicians and other audio professionals. Microsoft is bringing MIDI 2.0 support with backward compatibility with MIDI 1.0 APIs and devices. Also, Microsoft has partnered with Qualcomm and Yamaha to create a brand new USB Audio Class 2 Driver in Windows.

While these new improvements are currently announced for Windows on Arm PCs, they will also come to Intel and AMD x86-64 devices in the future. Find the full list of new announcements below.

• Musician Software coming to Arm64
  • Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo in preview this week
  • Cockos Reaper in preview today
  • Reason Studios Reason in preview in early 2025
• Audio Hardware coming to Arm64
  • Vendor-specific USB Audio / ASIO driver preview from Focusrite early in 2025
  • Vendor-specific USB Audio / ASIO driver preview from Steinberg/Yamaha in 2025
• In-Box Support coming to Arm64
  • ASIO and low-latency USB Audio Class 2 driver previews mid-2025, in-box in Windows when complete
  • MIDI 2.0 (Windows MIDI Services) previews in Windows Insider builds this November, in-box in retail Windows early next year.

Pete Brown, Principal Software Engineer, Microsoft wrote the following regarding the new music-focused improvements in Windows:

With the new MIDI stack and in-box ASIO, these three killer DAW apps, and two families of audio interfaces with optimized drivers for Arm64, we’re set up to help make the experience of creating music amazing on Windows. I am beyond excited for so many of these efforts to come together at this point in time.

These updates show Microsoft's commitment to the music industry and its desire to compete with Apple in the creative space. With regular updates, Windows may become a more powerful and versatile platform for musicians and audio professionals in the future.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Improvements to Windows 11 version 24H2's servicing stack allowed for a 45.6% faster installation time, 39.7% faster restart time, and over 15% less CPU usage than in Windows 11 version 22H2 (and 23H2 since the two versions share the same servicing stack) when installing cumulative updates on "well-maintained devices."

Neglected systems with much older updates also showed similar performance uplifts. Microsoft tested improvements on a device with a Windows installation that was outdated by 18 months, and the experiment showed a 43.6% faster installation time, 33.5% faster restart time, and 25% less CPU usage. Pretty impressive.

According to Microsoft, all those improvements were made possible with the following changes:

• Parallel processing of component manifests. This complements the parallel hydration of newly serviced components using reverse and forward differentials first introduced in Windows 11, version 22H2.
• Optimized reading and parsing of component manifests. After reading and parsing the first time, we cache the results to use later in the process. This helps efficiency if the same component is referenced across multiple packages.
• Scalable use of available random-access memory (RAM). We use more RAM for storing the manifest cache if available and less if not.

It is not just cumulative updates, though. Microsoft says that feature updates are also more efficient now, thanks to improvements to how the operating system handles its inbox apps. This change was first introduced in Windows 11 version 22H2, but now, it also includes Microsoft Edge, which shaves an extra 200MB off the overall feature update size.

If you want to try all those improvements and benefit from improved Windows Update performance, check out our guide describing how to update to Windows 11 version 24H2, including on unsupported devices.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Here is the changelog:

Highlights

 

Note: 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.

 

[Start menu] New! This update starts the roll out of the new account manager on the Start menu. The new design makes it easy to view your account and access account settings. To change to a different user, select the ellipses (...) next to Sign out. The Lock command is now on the power menu. Note This change might not be available to all users because it will roll out gradually.

 

[ Multi-Function Printer (MFP) ]

 

• Fixed: When you use a USB cable to connect to it, it prints specific network command text when you do want it to.
• Fixed: A scanner driver fails to install when you use a USB cable to connect to an MFP.

 

Improvements

 

Important: Use EKB KB5015684 to update to Windows 10, version 22H2.

 

This non-security update includes quality improvements. 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.

 

• [vmswitch] Fixed: A vmswitch triggers a stop error. This occurs when you use Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) teaming with two virtual switches on a virtual machine (VM). In this case, one virtual switch uses single root Input/Output virtualization (SR-IOV).
• [Upgrade to Windows 11] Fixed: A race condition causes stop error 0x3B. This might occur when you upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
• [Product activation phone numbers] Fixed: This adds new phone numbers for several regions.
• [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• [WebView2 apps] Fixed: They do not detect input from Xbox 360 and Bluetooth controllers.
• [Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) (known issue)] Fixed: You might see a black screen when you sign in to AVD. You might also notice that you cannot sign out of your account. The black screen persists even after you disconnect and reconnect to AVD. The application event log displays Event ID:1000, which indicates a fault in svchost.exe_AppXSvc.

 

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

 

Windows 10 servicing stack update (KB5046823) - 19045.5071

 

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.

 

Known issues in this update

 

Microsoft is not currently aware of any issues with this update.

You can check out the full details at this support page:

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

In order to get the update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. The link to get the update is available in the Optional updates available area.

Here is the changelog

Highlights:

 

Gradual rollout

 

These might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually.

 

• [Gamepad keyboard]New! This update starts the roll out of a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard. With it, you can use your Xbox controller to move around the screen and type. Button accelerators are also available; these include the X button for backspace and the Y button for the spacebar. For better movement patterns, the keyboard keys are aligned vertically.
• [Notifications] New! You can now stop the suggestions to turn off notifications from certain apps. Select the ellipses (…) in the notification and turn it off. You can also go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn it off from there. Look for “Notification Suggestions” in the senders list. An entry will only appear in the list after you receive a notification.
• [Start menu] New! “All apps” has the new name, “All.”

 

[Narrator]

 

• New! This update adds a new Narrator shortcut. Press the Narrator key + Ctrl + X to copy what Narrator last spoke to the clipboard. This shortcut is useful when you want to quickly copy some content, like codes or numbers for use.
• New! It will now auto read the contents of an email message in the new Outlook. This is like the behavior in Outlook classic.

 

Normal rollout

 

• [Copilot key settings] New! You can configure the Copilot key on the keyboard. On new devices, the key opens the Copilot app. If you sign in to your account using a Microsoft Entra ID, the key opens the M365 app. You can make the key open a different app or open Search. To do this, go to Settings > Personalization > Text input. To make the key open a different app, the app must be in a signed MSIX package. This ensures that the app meets security and privacy standards to keep you safe. If your PC’s keyboard does not have a Copilot key, changing this setting will do nothing.
• [Battery use] Fixed: A device uses too much battery power while the device is in Modern Standby.
• [Microsoft Teams] Fixed: The issue stops you from joining Teams meetings when you select an Outlook meeting reminder.
• [Product activation phone numbers] Fixed: This adds new phone numbers for several regions.
• [Multi-Function Printer (MFP)] Fixed: When you use a USB cable to connect to it, it prints specific network command text when you do want it to.

 

Improvements:

 

Windows 11, version 23H2

 

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

 

This non-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: Enterprise and Education editions

 

This non-security update includes quality improvements. 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.

 

• [vmswitch] Fixed: A vmswitch triggers a stop error. This occurs when you use Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) teaming with two virtual switches on a virtual machine (VM). In this case, one virtual switch uses single root Input/Output virtualization (SR-IOV).
• [Collector sets] Fixed: They do not close properly when an exception occurs during startup or while the set is active. Because of this, the command to stop a collector set stops responding.
• [Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA)] Fixed: This update brings profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• [Windows Hello for Business] Fixed: PIN reset does not work when you select the “I forgot my PIN’ link on the credentials screen.
• [Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist file (DriverSiPolicy.p7b)] Fixed: This update adds to the list of drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
• [WebView2 apps] Fixed: They do not detect input from Xbox 360 and Bluetooth controllers.
• [Bluetooth] Fixed: An app stops responding because of a memory leak in a device.

 

Windows 11 servicing stack update (KB5044620) - 22621.4383 and 22631.4383

 

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.

 

Known issues in this update

 

Microsoft is not currently aware of any issues with this update.

You can check out the full release notes on this support page.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Every month, I look back at the issues and oddities I’ve been tracking to see whether they are merely corner cases or something more widespread.

One thing is certain: I am not recommending the installation of Windows 11 24H2 now, especially for consumers and small businesses. I am testing and evaluating the release, and I will continue to keep you informed about bugs and problems. For everything else, I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4.

You may have noticed in the Master Patch List that I recommend applying patches to Windows 11 24H2. But that’s only if you have already made the leap to Windows 11 and it’s already being used for productive purposes, such as being your “daily driver.”

My general recommendations:

Currently, Microsoft is blocking the update on systems with certain models of Western Digital or SanDisk solid-state drives (SSDs). First noted in the Western Digital forums, the installation of 24H2 triggers a blue screen of death. Western Digital and SanDisk documented the issue. The trigger is “an issue with the HMB (Host Memory Buffer) for certain models of Western Digital and SanDisk SSDs, where the drive may cause a BSOD on Windows 11 24H2.”

Look for the following units:

How can you determine whether you have these drives? Launch Device Manager and expand the Disk drives section. The make and model of SSDs will be displayed. Alternatively, you can open a command prompt and use the following command to get the details:

If you have one of the SSD models listed above, ensure you get the firmware update you need.

This is not the only issue. On  Microsoft’s Learn page Windows 11, version 24H2 known issues and notifications, you’ll find a list of ten (as of this writing) issues. But take a closer look at the problems. For example, Disk Cleanup might incorrectly report space available for cleanup suggests that Microsoft can’t handle first-grade arithmetic. How could such a simple calculation be wrong? Does Microsoft test or conduct code reviews? And if simple things can be wrong, should we expect problems in more complex areas of Windows 11?

Ask me why I do not yet recommend 24H2.

I have not recommended iOS 18 on my Master Patch List because of the many complaints about the changes to the photo app. Though many of us dislike change for change’s sake, the redesign for many is a step back. Specifically, recent (Camera Roll) photos as an album was removed. For an alternative, scroll to the bottom of the Library view, and you’ll see a section called “Recent Days.” It is the same as the recent album, but broken into day views. You can even reorder these items so that Recent Days is the first you reach, and when you quit the app it reopens at the same point. In addition, battery life may be reduced.

After installing the October updates on a Windows 10 PC on which News and Interests has been disabled, the service will still be running. As noted in the Microsoft forums, many are reporting this side effect. Be aware that if you disable News and Interests, it will remain a side effect until it’s fixed.

I’m not tracking any major issues for Windows 11 23H2 at this time. Installing updates for it is recommended.

I am tracking an issue with Classic Outlook and Gmail with POP or IMAP. This is the result of improper configuration. In its support note Unable to add a Gmail account to classic Outlook, Microsoft explains the problem and provides a workaround, which consists of removing the Gmail account and adding it again, paying particular attention to one specific check-box option.

If you are a fan of POP mail, I strongly recommend that you start investigating alternative email platforms, such as Thunderbird.

Just as with Consumers, I don’t yet recommend rolling out 24H2. In addition to the above-noted issues on the consumer platforms, I’m also tracking an issue that might cause problems if you use Intune or Defender for Endpoint (the business version of Microsoft Defender). Those who use Enterprise and Education versions of Windows 11 won’t need to worry about deploying Intune. But if you use the Professional edition or upgrade from Home edition to Professional edition, the code needed to deploy Intune may not be installed. Microsoft documents this as KB5043950: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint known issue. The post offers a DISM command to correct the problem:

If you are in the process of testing the deployment of 24H2 and see that used space is not freed up, be aware that this is a reporting bug and not a physical issue. Microsoft has acknowledged the problem. There is also a known issue where Direct Access is broken with 24H2. Microsoft recommends that Enterprise customers requiring Direct Access evaluate Always On VPN (AOVPN) until a fix becomes available.

Outlook (new) may flip to a different language if you have the editor set for more than one language. Microsoft is investigating the issue.

Resources

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Like with many modern releases, Nvidia's DLSS 3 frame generation and super resolution technologies are all included in each and every one of these upcoming games and the final Alan Wake 2 expansion. A GeForce RTX 40 series card is required to enjoy them though. Even still, this driver is a recommended install for anyone with an Nvidia GPU planning to jump in.

This driver release also has support for 32 more G-SYNC Compatible monitors from companies like Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, and others. At the same time, DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, NBA 2K5, and Silent Hill 2 remake have received Nvidia's one-click optimal settings configuration capability.

Unfortunately, this driver does not seem to come with any gaming-related bug fixes, with only a single general issue being resolved:

• Digital Vibrance custom setting does not persist on reboot or wake from sleep [4801216]

As for open issues, there's quite a few bugs Nvidia's driver team is still tackling:

• [Bluestacks/Corsair iCUE] May display higher than normal CPU usage [4895184][4893446]
• [Maxwell] MSI GT72 2QD notebook may bugcheck upon installing R560+ drivers [4798073]
• DSR/DLDSR custom resolutions may not appear in certain games [4839770]
• When "Shader Cache size" is set to "disabled", cache files may still be created [4895217]
• [SteamVR] Changing refresh rate may cause PC to bugcheck [4910686]
• Houdini XPU rendering shows green tint [4917245]

 

Non-NVIDIA Open Issues:

 

• After updating to Windows 11 24H2, screen will go black for a few seconds when alt-tabbing from a game to the desktop -> Fixed in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2122 (Dev Channel): https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2024/10/11/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26120-2122-dev-channel/ "[Windowing] Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the screen to go black for a few seconds for some people when using ALT + Tab"

The Nvidia 566.03 driver is now available for install via the GeForce Experience app and the new Nvidia app beta. Standalone links can be found here. Lastly, here are the official release notes (PDF).

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

For those who may not be familiar with it, Microsoft introduced CETCOMPAT to indicate compatibility with CET. It essentially brings hardware-enforced stack protection to protect against control flow hijacking and it was on Windows 10 20H1 when it was first debuted.

CET introduces Shadow Stack and Indirect Branch Targeting (IBT) features. 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.

AMD Ryzen CPUs since Zen 3 or Ryzen 5000 series have supported the Shadow Stack feature. Thus, newer Ryzen 6000 (Zen 3+), Ryzen 7000 (Zen 4) and Ryzen 9000 (Zen 5) are also compatible.

Meanwhile, to guard against indirect branch target injection attacks, AMD CPUs support Indirect branch prediction barrier (IBPB), Indirect Branch Restricted Speculation (IBRS), and Single Thread Indirect Branch Predictor (STIBP). On Windows, the company typically recommends using IBPB. However, AMD Ryzen CPUs may not support IBT fully.

Aside from CET support, the new chipset update also brings several bug fixes and new device ID additions. Sadly, AMD has not been able to resolve the failed uninstallation bug as it still remains in the known issues section. The Ryzen ppkg (provisioning package) install/upgrade bug persists as well.

The full changelog is given below:

Release Highlights

 

• New program support added.

   

• CETCOMPACT support was added for a few drivers for Windows 11.
• Bug fixes.

 

Known Issues

 

• Some driver names on a non-English OS may appear in English.
• The uninstall summary may incorrectly display the uninstall status as Failed. 
• Occasionally, Ryzen PPKG may not install/upgrade.

The full breakdown of the changes in the various chipset components is given in the table below.

Some of the drivers like Ryzen power plans and PCI device driver, among others, have not seen any change. Others like General Purpose I/O (GPIO), Micro PEP (Platform Extension Plug-in), PMF (Platform Management Framework), I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), and UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter), have all received CETCOMPAT support.

Another noteworthy thing is that the 3D V-cache performance optimizer driver also has no change currently despite the upcoming launch of Ryzen 9000 X3D CPUs.

You can download the driver from here on AMD's official website. Do note that the driver no longer supports Windows 10 on the latest generation of AMD mobile chips.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

This toast popup appears centered at the top underneath the tabs. It confirms actions to you and may also provide you with follow-up options.

Here are a few examples:

1. Chrome displays "link copied" as a popup when you right-click on a link and select the copy link option.
2. When you right-click on a tab and select "add page to reading list", Chrome displays the "page added to reading list" toast popup. This one includes an option to open the page in the reading list.

Here are screenshots of how this looks like

Google says that new toast popups will be introduced at a later point by different teams.

The feature is rolling out currently. There is a chance that it is not activated in your version of Chrome at the time of writing. It may take weeks or even months before it reaches all desktop Chrome users.

Disable the new Chrome Toast popups

Google has not added an option to the Chrome settings to turn off the feature. This may happen in the future, but Google has not commented on this yet.

For now, it is possible to turn the feature on or off using an experimental flag.

Here is how that is done:

1. Load chrome://flags/#top-chrome-toasts in the Chrome address bar.
2. Change the status of Top Chrome Toasts from Default to one of the following options:
   • Enabled -- enables the feature (this may not work for everyone)
   • Enabled with 8s, 10s, 12s -- enables the feature and sets the toast period to 8, 10 or 12 seconds.
   • Disabled -- this turns the Toast feature off.
3. Restart Google Chrome.

To disable the Toast popups, set the value of the flag to Disabled. This turns it off.

Note: Google may remove experimental features without prior notice at any time. The option to disable the Toast notifications may be removed in a future version of the browser.

For now, you can use it to disable Top Chrome Toasts, if you do not need the visible confirmation of certain actions.

Tip: the toasts go away when you switch to another tab. Should Google remove the option to disable the toast notifications without adding the option to the settings, you may use this to make them go away whenever they appear.

Now You: what is your take on the feature? Useful confirmation for some actions? Or something that you have no use for and maybe find distracting? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

However, since it is an official utility, it can not help bypass the system requirements restrictions on unsupported hardware. That is where third-party apps like Rufus step in, and as its developer had promised, the in-place upgrade workaround Registry tweak was integrated into the Rufus setup file in version 4.6 beta.

In case you were waiting for a non-beta, the Rufus 4.6 version has been finalised and it is out today with the bypass. The final version carries the improvements and fixes from the beta but also adds a new change.

As per the release notes, the version has received improved support for ReactOS boot media. The issue details suggest that ReactOS was having some booting-related issues and switching to FreeLdr.SYS has fixed it.

For those who may not be familiar, the ReactOS project is often referred to as "Open source Windows" and FreeLoader (FreeLdr) is the default bootloader for ReactOS.

The release notes for Rufus' final version 4.6 are given below:

• Add a new setup.exe wrapper to bypass Windows 11 24H2 in-place upgrade restrictions (#2568)
• Add TimeZone to regional options replication (#2499)
• Set local account passwords to not expire by default
• Fix an error when trying to write compressed VHD images (#2468)
• Fix an error when invoking Rufus from the PowerShell commandline (#2556)
• Improve revoked UEFI bootloaders check to support Linux SBAT, Windows SVN and cert DBX
• Improve support for ReactOS boot media (#2589)

To download the update, head over to Neowin's software story page, the official website or the GitHub repo.

On a related note, a new Rufus-like utility has been released today called "Flyby11" and it too promises to bypass Windows 11 (24H2) system requirements with just a few clicks.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Using the Fido script, developer Belim, who makes several third-party customization and tweaking apps for Windows, like the recently released one-click Registry editor and tweaker, has now devised a new app that helps bypass Windows 11 (24H2) eligibility criteria with a few clicks.

The app is called Flyby11 and it utilizes the Server setup bypass method that essentially skips checking the requirements like CPU, TPM, Secure Boot, among others. The author writes:

Flyby11 is a simple patcher that removes the annoying restrictions preventing you from installing Windows 11 (24H2) on unsupported hardware. Got an old PC? No TPM, Secure Boot, or your processor isn't supported? Flyby11 lets you install Windows 11 24H2 anyway.

 

Flyby11 leverages a feature of the Windows 11 setup process that uses the Windows Server variant of the installation. This variant, unlike the regular Windows 11 setup, skips most hardware compatibility checks, allowing it to run on unsupported systems.

The first version of the app is now out with its initial release on GitHub and thus the developer has not listed any change to the release notes.

As you can see in the image below, the native method, which the author also recommends, bypasses the requirements using the Server Setup method (linked above) to perform an in-place upgrade to Windows 11. The second method uses the Registry tweak introduced by the recent Rufus update.

If you want to try it out, you can download the Flyby11 app from its official GitHub repo here. As always though, the best way to test out unofficial apps may be in a VM. However, Windows 11 24H2, like other bypass methods, will not work with very old CPUs that lack both SSE4.2 and PopCnt instructions.

It is noteworthy that the app has not been signed yet and thus Microsoft Defender is likely to flag it as suspicious.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

"Hmm. I'm not happy with how big this is - it's probably far from the biggest rc4 ever, but it _is_ the biggest rc4 we've had in the 6.x series at least in number of commits.

 

Yeah, yeah, it's quite likely to be due to just random timing of pull requests, where things have just happened to bunch up. Last week, rc3 was on the smaller side, so maybe that's all it is. But still, it doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies. Let's hope next week is calm."

The changelog, when you include authors' names, is 1,018 lines long; that's a lot of new stuff! Instead of attempting to go over everything, here are some notable updates:

• Improved I/O performance thanks to fixes and improvements for io_uring, a subsystem for asynchronous I/O
• Enhanced stability and performance updates for Bcachefs, a next-gen file system
• Security enhancements in BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) and LSM (Linux Security Modules)
• Updates to network drivers and subsystems, including hardware support for the BCM6846 MDIO and Quectel EG916Q-GL USB series device
• Graphics driver updates that should lead to better graphics performance and stability
• XFS file system improvements that lead to better efficiency and data integrity
• Memory management improvements for better stability and efficiency
• There are sound system enhancements, including fixes and new features for ALSA. Some audio routing issues on some HP laptops are fixed, and there is added support for the HP Spectre x360 16-inch model 2024
• Finally, there are updates addressing issues in USB drivers and subsystems, such as one that prevented the reconnection of certain Bluetooth USB devices after suspension.

As there are normally around eight release candidates, we can expect Linux 6.12 to be released in November.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

In a blog post, Microsoft stated the 12 new languages are as follows:

• Bulgarian
• Croatian
• Estonia
• Greek
• Indonesian
• Latvian
• Lithuanian
• Romanian
• Serbian (Latin)
• Slovak
• Slovenian
• Vietnamese

With these new entries, Microsoft 365 Copilot now officially supports 42 languages. In early September the company added support for the Welsh and Catalan languages.

In today's update, Microsoft stated two more additional languages for the service, Indonesian and Serbian, started rolling out to Microsoft 365 in mid-October but won't become fully available for all customers until sometime in early November.

Also, Microsoft stated that in terms of using the Serbian language, users who access it for Teams meeting transcripts will see they show up with the Cyrillic script, rather than Latin script. The company stated they are trying to fix this issue but did not offer a specific date on when this will be resolved.

Of course, you can expect to see even more supported languages to be added to Microsoft 365 Copilot in the future but today, the company didn't offer any additional information on those additional languages.

Microsoft 365 Copilot is the recently branded name change for the service (before mid-September it was known as Copilot for Microsoft 365). As part of the branding change, it also announced new features, including ways for businesses to create Copilot Agents in Copilot Studio. Earlier today, the company confirmed that it will launch that feature in a public preview sometime in November, after its annual Ignite event. It also announced 10 more autonomous agents today for Dynamics 365 users to help with various jobs and tasks.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

This week on the roadmap site, Microsoft stated more advanced mail merge features are coming to the new Outlook Windows app as well as on the web in April 2025.

Mail Merge (Basic) will be improved upon to allow fields to be replaced by values per email address. When Mail Merge (Advanced) is launched, not only will every recipient receive their own email with only their email address in the recipients list, but the emails can further be personalized to include content such as their name.

Outlook for Windows and the web will add another new feature in December which will let users "manually insert a signature into a calendar event" as they currently can in the "classic" Outlook Windows app. Also in December, the iOS and Android mobile Outlook apps will finally allow those versions to sync up the order of their folders so they are the same as the order on the other Outlook apps that they use.

Microsoft Teams will also get some improvements in December for admins across all of its platforms:

We are expanding the existing ‘Meeting chat’ control in Teams Admin Center with two new values, “In-meeting only for everyone” and “In-meeting only except anonymous users.” In Teams Admin Center, admins will see a setting called ‘Meeting chat’ under Meetings > Meeting Policies > Meeting Engagement. Admins can now select from five options in the ‘Meeting chat’ setting: (1) “On for everyone” (2) “On for everyone but anonymous users” (3) “Off” (4) “In-meeting only for everyone” (5) “In-meeting only except anonymous users.” Admins can select the “In-meeting only” values to disable participants’ ability to send messages in the meeting chat before or after the meeting, for meetings organized by specific users in their tenant. When one of these “In-meeting only” values are selected, participants can read past chat history but no one can send messages in the meeting chat unless the meeting is active.

In November, the desktop and Mac versions of Teams will get some Copilot AI bot chat improvements:

Custom engine agents and Teams bots can now stream responses like Microsoft Copilot. They can provide real-time updates on their actions while delivering parts of the response as they generate it, making interactions feel faster and more engaging.

Teams for the desktop and Mac platforms will also get some time clock improvements in November that will include a 'more comprehensive and detailed view of your scheduling data."

That's it for this week's look at the Microsoft 365 roadmap site.

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

According to a notification that Microsoft published in the official documentation, Windows 11 version 24H2 with the Voicemeeter app installed crashes to a blue screen of death with the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT error code. That happens due to compatibility issues between Voicemeeter's driver and the operating system's memory manager.

Like with other severe issues and bugs, Microsoft placed a compatibility hold on systems with the Voicemeeter app. Therefore, you will not see Windows Update offering version 24H2 when attempting to check for updates. Microsoft also strongly suggests that you do not update your system manually with the Installation Assistant or the Media Creation Tool. However, removing the Voicemeeter app might clear the block after some time (up to 24 hours).

For now, the only workaround is to uninstall Voicemeeter and all of its components. Alternatively, you can wait for VB-Adusio Software to release a newer version with the necessary fixes. Microsoft says it will provide updated info once it is available. Another thing worth noting is that the compatibility issue only affects client systems with Windows 11 version 24H2. Older versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10 are unaffected.

If you plan to update to Windows 11 version 24H2, including unsupported devices, be sure to check out other known issues, such as apps freezing when the integrated camera is in use, problems with Asus devices (some of them are currently blocked from getting version 24H2)

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

However, if you are on an Asus device and aren't getting the update, Microsoft has strictly urged you not to try a forced install, as the upgrade block has been put in place on purpose. That is because the company, along with Asus, has acknowledged certain hardware-related incompatibility issues on some of the Asus devices.

The issue was first flagged when it was noticed that some PCs were unable to complete the update and were running into a blue screen of death (BSOD). So far, two device models, X415KA and X515KA, are known to be affected by this hardware compatibility problem. The former is an Intel Pentium Silver N6000 Vivobook 14, and the latter is a Celeron N4500 Vivobook 15. However, Microsoft has not disclosed exactly which hardware component is responsible for the issue.

It writes:

After attempting to update to Windows 11, version 24H2, some ASUS devices, specifically the X415KA and X515KA models, might encounter an issue where the system is unable to complete the update. During the update process, devices might experience a blue screen with an error message and cannot complete the installation of version 24H2.

 

This issue has been identified in collaboration with ASUS and is linked to compatibility with certain hardware components in these models.

 

To safeguard your update experience, we have applied a compatibility hold on devices using this application. These devices will not be offered to install Windows 11, version 24H2 via the Windows Update release channel. IT administrators using Windows Update for Business reports can check this issue using its safeguard ID: 54157480.

You can find the issue listed here on Microsoft's official Windows health dashboard website.

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

According to a notification published in the official Windows documentation, certain Windows computers with Windows 11 24H2 installed might experience application freezes when using the integrated camera with features like face or object detection, including authenticating with Windows Hello facial recognition.

Unfortunately, at this point, there are no possible workarounds, so affected customers have to either go back to Windows 11 version 23H2 (or older) or sit tight and wait for Microsoft to release a fix. Users with previous Windows 11 and 10 versions will not be offered version 24H2 via Windows Update, and Microsoft recommends not attempting to update to the latest version manually. As for IT Admins, they can check Windows Update for Business reports with the safeguard ID 53340062.

Another bad thing about this issue is that there is no way to tell if your computer is affected by the bug or not. The only thing we know is that the bug applies to client versions of Windows 11 24H2. Therefore, customers with integrated cameras that support face and object detection who want to get to Windows 11 version 24H2 should either risk it all and update manually (click here if you have an unsupported PC) or wait for a fix. Microsoft says it is working on a resolution and provide more information when it is available.

Other known bugs in Windows 11 version 24H2 include incorrect Disk Cleanup reporting, fingerprint issues, compatibility problems with certain wallpaper apps, problems installing the update on certain ASUS devices, and more. You can check out the complete list in the official documentation.

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

A pull request to group items in the navigation pane inside PowerToys is not new—it was first opened almost two years ago when PowerToys had fewer utilities than it does today. It looks like developers are finally addressing the area with a bunch of mockups suggested on GitHub.

In a nutshell, the general idea is to group utilities by categories, such as System Tools, Windowing & Layouts, Input/Output, File Management, and Advanced.

At this point, the proposed variant is just a mockup, so things will likely change as the idea progresses. That is why Microsoft wants to hear your feedback. You can suggest stuff on GitHub or slide into Clint Rutkas' replies on X.

In case you missed it, earlier this month, Microsoft released PowerToys 0.85 with a new utility (New+), the ability to change the app's language, and a lot of fixes for existing modules, such as the recently introduced Workspaces.

What do you think about the proposed utility sorting in PowerToys? Do you believe there is a better way to do it? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

Alongside that, AMD has also fixed some issues with its new driver and expanded HYPR-Tune support to three more titles.

The full changelog for the release is given below:

Highlights

 

• New Game Support

   

  • Unknown 9: Awakening

  • Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6

 

• Expanded HYPR-Tune Support

   

  • HYPR-Tune support allows HYPR-RX to enable in-game technologies like AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution and AMD Radeon™ Anti-Lag 2.

  • Support has been added to automatically configure AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution with frame generation in:
    • Call of Duty®: Black Ops
    • 7 Days to Die
    • Once Human



• Fixed Issues and Improvements

   

  • Intermittent performance impact when entering certain areas while playing DayZ.

  • Intermittent system or application crash may be observed when changing in-game resolution settings while playing Doom Eternal with AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition™ Metrics Overlay enabled.

 

Known Issues

 

• Intermittent driver timeout or crash may be observed while playing Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 on some AMD Graphics Products, such as the AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370. Users experiencing this issue can enable Variable Graphics Memory in AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition as a temporary measure (AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition -> Performance -> Tuning -> Variable Graphics Memory).

• System crash may be observed when first launching SteamVR while using Valve Index® at 144Hz on Radeon™ RX 6000 series graphics products.
• After using the AMD Cleanup Utility for Windows®, the AMD Bug Report Tool may appear intermittently during a new driver install on AMD Ryzen™ 7000 and above series processors paired with AMD Graphics Products.
• Intermittent application freeze may be observed while loading a save file in Monster Hunter: World.

Aside from these, AMD also published a beta driver yesterday, version 24.10.30.02, which adds Mesh Nodes support. The company clarifies that initial Mesh Node support was added with version 24.9.1 as a preview.

The changelog is given below:

Highlights

 

• Mesh Nodes for GPU Work Graphs in Vulkan®
• Updated VK_AMDX_shader_enqueue extension.
• Adds Mesh Node support to Vulkan GPU Work Graphs. Shaders can now be authored in HLSL using the dedicated node syntax and compiled to SPIR-V. The extension requires a Radeon™ RX 7000 series graphics card. 

AMD does not specifically state whether its latest WHQL driver, Adrenalin edition version 24.10.1, gets Mesh Nodes support. However, typically display drivers are cumulative in nature. If not, it will likely be pushed in a future release soon.

You can download the AMD 24.10.1 driver from this page on AMD's official website.

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

What you need to know

• Windows 11 Build 27729 allows you to configure the Copilot key to launch other applications.
• That build is in testing among Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel.
• Apps need to be MSIX packaged and signed to be opened with the Copilot key due to security requirements.

Windows 11 will soon support setting the Copilot key to open a different application. The change will be welcomed by many who view Copilot as either an unnecessary app or that prefer to bring up the tool with a different keyboard shortcut. The change is in testing in Windows 11 Build 27729, which is now available to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel.

If all this sounds familiar, it's because Microsoft started testing the option with Dev and Beta Channel Insiders last month. Now, the option is available to those in the Canary Channel as well.

All Copilot+ PCs feature a Copilot key, as do many newer keyboards. At the moment, that key is not customizable, making it a waste to those who do not use Copilot. The Salesforce CEO is a likely candidate to remap the Copilot key to another app, since he said that "Copilot is just the new Microsoft Clippy. It doesn't work or deliver value."

Assuming all goes well in testing, the ability to customize the Copilot key will make its way to everyone in the near future. When it does, swapping the Copilot key to open your app of choice will be possible through the Windows 11 Settings app.

There are some limits on the apps that you can open with the Copilot key. Microsoft restricted the feature to MSIX packaged and signed apps to ensure customer security and privacy.

While it doesn't affect the functionality of the Copilot key, it's fun to note that Microsoft did not invent a new key for Copilot. Instead, the teach giant programmed the Copilot key to use the key combination of Left Shift + Windows key + F23 to open Copilot. That combination of keys is unlikely to be bound to a different shortcut because very few computers have an F23 key.

Windows 11 Build 27729: Changes and Improvements

• Settings
  We are adding the ability to configure the Copilot key. You can choose to have the Copilot key launch an app that is MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets security and privacy requirements to keep customers safe. The key will continue to launch Copilot on devices that have the Copilot app installed until a customer selects a different experience. This setting can be found via Settings > Personalization > Text input. If the keyboard connected to your PC does not have a Copilot key, adjusting this setting will not do anything. We are planning further refinements to this experience in a future flight.

Windows 11 Build 27729: Fixes

• General
  We fixed an underlying issue causing some games, including Microsoft Solitaire & Casual Games, to crash on launch after installing Build 27718+.
• Windowing
  Fixed an underlying issue which could cause the screen to go black for a few seconds for some people when using ALT + Tab.
• Other
  We fixed an issue causing BitLocker to not work correctly for a small number of Insiders in the last 2 flights.

The full changelog is given below:

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

[Start menu]

 

• “All apps” is now just “All” on the Start menu.

 

[Input]

 

• We’re beginning to roll out a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that supports the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns.

[Narrator]

 

• We have added a new shortcut “Narrator key + control + X” to copy what Narrator last spoke to clipboard. It follows the pattern of using “Narrator key + X” which repeats the last spoken phrase out loud and is a good way to memorize similar shortcuts. You can use these shortcuts to review and copy what Narrator spoke, useful in cases you want to quickly copy some content or descriptions or codes/numbers for use.
• Narrator will now auto-read contents of a mail in the new Outlook app similar to behavior in Outlook classic.

 

[Networking]

 

• If you use the netsh wlan show networks command, you should be able to read SSIDs that are UTF-8 encoded. This means that Wi-Fi SSIDs with Unicode characters (like emojis) should be properly displayed in netsh output. This change is beginning to roll out so not all Insiders in the Canary Channel will see it right away.

 

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on*

 

[General]

 

• Fixed an issue for a small number of Insiders after the latest builds, where on locking your PC, after waking the PC from sleep the login screen contents wouldn’t load and you couldn’t sign back in.

 

[Input]

 

• Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to clipboard history not displaying items you’d copied.

 

[Taskbar]

 

• Fixed an issue where if you had multiple windows open for an app on your taskbar, pressing WIN + multiple times wasn’t cycling between the windows, for example, pressing WIN + 1.

 

[Narrator]

 

• We have addressed a performance issue where Narrator would slow down after 15 minutes of continuous use with a single application. If you continue to experience any performance delays, do report using Feedback Hub.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator would add an additional announcement “contains style” whenever its focus is on text that has styling attributes such as bullets, numbers across applications such as Microsoft Edge, Teams, Outlook, etc.
• Fixed an issue where few dialogs in Narrator were not adopting the 200% text scaling setting in Windows.

 

[Live captions]

 

• Fixed an issue causing live captions to crash for some people in the previous flight when you tried to use it.

 

[Other]

 

• Fixed an issue causing mica to not work correctly when using a slideshow for your desktop background.

 

Known issues

 

[Taskbar]

 

• [NEW] We’re investigating reports that explorer.exe is crashing for some Insiders when hovering over certain open apps in the taskbar.

 

[Start menu]

 

• If you click or tap on a letter on Start menu’s All apps list, the All apps list may break. If you encounter this issue, please try rebooting or restarting explorer.exe to fix it.

You can find the official blog post here on Microsoft's website.

Source

RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend  

Hope you enjoyed this news post.

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

2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts