The full changelog is given below:

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

[General]

 

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

 

[Settings]

 

• We are introducing a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The Game Pass recommendation card on Settings Homepage will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC. As a reminder – the Settings homepage will be shown only on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.

New Game Pass recommendation card highlighted in a red box on the Settings homepage.

Fixes for everyone in the Dev Channel

[General]

 

• We believe we fixed the issue causing some Insiders to experience an install error 0x8007371B trying to install Build 26120.461 in the Dev Channel. If you continue to hit issues – please file feedback in Feedback Hub.

[Other]

 

• This update affects Windows Hello for Business. IT admins can now use mobile device management (MDM) to turn off the prompt that appears when users sign in to an Entra-joined machine. To do this, they can turn on the “DisablePostLogonProvisioning” policy setting. After a user signs in, provisioning is off for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
• This update improves the Remote Desktop Session Host. You can now set up its “clipboard redirection” policy to work in a single direction from the local computer to the remote computer. You can also reverse that order.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a network resource. You cannot access it from a Remote Desktop session. This occurs when you turn on the Remote Credential Guard feature and the client is Windows 11, version 22H2 or higher.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). It prevents a stop error that occurs when you apply more than 32 policies.
• This update addresses a deadlock issue in CloudAP. It occurs when different users sign in and sign out at the same time on virtual machines.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Group Policy service. It fails after you use LGPO.exe to apply an audit policy to the system.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Settings app. It stops responding when you use it to remove Bluetooth devices.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Notepad. It fails to print to certain Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) printers when you use a print support app.
• This update addresses an issue that affects dsamain.exe. When the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) runs evaluations, it stops responding.
• This update addresses an issue that stops some apps and features from being available. This occurs after you upgrade to Windows 11.
• This update affects MSIX applications. It helps their UI to localize correctly for all languages when you upgrade your OS.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) PowerShell module. It does not load.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the existing AppLocker rule collection enforcement mode. It is not overwritten when rules merge with a collection that has no rules. This occurs when the enforcement mode is set to “Not Configured.”
• This update addresses an issue that affects Transport Layer Security (TLS), version 1.3. It causes Azure App Services to fail. This occurs when the web server attempts to connect to a third-party Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server.
• This update affects the touch keyboard. It makes the Japanese 106 keyboard layout appear as expected when you sign in.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the touch keyboard and the candidate window for the Japanese and Chinese Input Method Editors (IME). They do not show after you come out of Modern Standby. To learn more, see Microsoft Japanese IME and What is Modern Standby.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain Neural Processing Units (NPU). They do not show in Task Manager.
• This update addresses an issue that affects some wireless earbuds. Bluetooth connections are not stable. This occurs on devices that have firmware from April 2023 and later.
• This update addresses an issue that affects USB audio. It fails on some processors. This occurs after you pause, play, or resume from sleep.
• This update supports DST changes in To learn more, see Interim guidance for Kazakhstan time zone changes 2024.
• This update supports DST changes in To learn more, see Interim guidance for Samoa DST changes 2021.
• This update supports daylight saving time (DST) changes in Greenland. To learn more, see Greenland 2023 time zone update now available.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Secure Launch. It does not run on some processors.
• This update addresses a reliability issue. It affects a Virtual Remote App product when you use a custom shell to open it.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Containers that you create or deploy. Their status does not progress past “ContainerCreating.”
• This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for some mobile operators.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the COM+ component. Some applications that depend on it stop responding.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the time service. You can configure it using mobile device management (MDM) or a Group Policy Object (GPO). But the Windows Settings app does not match what you have configured.
• This update addresses an issue that occurs when you use LoadImage() to load a top-down bitmap. If the bitmap has a negative height, the image does not load, and the function returns NULL.
• This update implements phase three of Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) hardening. See KB5004442. After you install this update, you cannot turn off the changes using the registry key.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain Neural Processing Units (NPU). They do not show in Task Manager.

You can view the official blog post on this page on Microsoft's website.

Source

Here is the changelog:

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

 

[Windows Share]

 

• We are rolling out the ability to copy files from the Windows share window. Just click the new copy button.

New copy button for copying files in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.

 

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

 

[General]

 

• We believe we have fixed the issue causing the sign-in dialog to persistently show in Microsoft Family Safety when trying to sign-in for customers in Europe.

 

[Taskbar & System Tray]

 

• We are beginning to roll out a fix where you will see search box if the taskbar auto-hides when the setting for search on the taskbar is set to “Search box”.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• Made a fix to help address an issue where the address bar dropdown would appear unexpectedly on its own, because focus moved unexpectedly to the address bar.

 

Known issues

 

[General]

 

• We are investigating an issue where Internet Information Services (IIS) and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) may not work after installing this update.

 

[Widgets]

 

Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who have the new position for the Widgets entry-point on left-aligned taskbars may see the following known issues:

 

• Swipe invocation for Widgets may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• Unpinning Widgets from the taskbar may not work if taskbar is center-aligned instead of left-aligned.
• The Widgets board is incorrectly positioned when Copilot is in side-by-side mode.
• Turning on/off Widgets in taskbar settings may refresh the taskbar.

You can check out the full blog post here.

Source

Spotted by Albacore on X, in build 26212, customers can ask Copilot about anything right from the search box in the Settings app. Suppose you wanted to change a specific option or tweak something on your computer but could not find the toggle needed. In that case, the Settings app would allow you to ask Copilot and get some information from the AI assistant. Just click "Ask Copilot in Windows (preview)" and continue from there.

Unlike some of the other recent changes in Windows 11, this one looks like a good idea made for inexperienced customers. Of course, that is assuming Copilot can help those users with their requests and explain how specific parts of the operating system and its settings work. This is similar to Copilot banners Microsoft is testing for its browser.

Here is how to try that:

1. Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files in a convenient and easy-to-find folder.
2. Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin).
3. Switch Windows Terminal to the Command Prompt profile with the Ctrl + Shift + 2 shortcut or by clicking the arrow-down button at the top of the window.

    

   
4. Navigate to the folder containing the ViveTool files with the CD command. For example, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
5. Type vivetool /enable /id:49445394 and press Enter.
6. Restart your computer.

Once on the desktop, launch the Settings app, type something in the search box, and click "Ask Copilot."

Source

However, the Lenovo manager responded with some surprise as apparently internal tests are showing a 10% gain. This 10% gain is based on Cinebench R23 single-thread test numbers.

The executive's surprise is hardly surprising though. It is no easy task to achieve 40% IPC improvement in a single generation without a massive architectural overhaul. For example, AMD achieved a 52% jump with first-generation Zen versus fourth-gen Bulldozer (Excavator) but we all know how terrible Bulldozer was.

While there is a slim chance that SPEC may indeed see a 40% boost, 10% does seem more realistic and much more likely across various tasks unless AMD manages to a rabbit out of its hat.

Interestingly, the Lenovo manager also revealed that Windows 10 driver support will be ended by AMD with Strix Point APUs. This implies the focus will mostly be on Windows 11 24H2 alone and it also makes sense given that the hype is around NPU and the AI performance of these parts as well as the next-gen Strix Halo, which is rumored to be very powerful.

The Lenovo China manager, with the Weibo user name 思考未来啊 commented (via Wccftech

哪来的40%，我看到的是Zen5相对Zen4 IPC提升10%，在CR23 1T的测试里提升则大于10%。另外，Win10爱好者请注意，从Strix Point开始，AMD将不提供Win10驱动

Google-translated to English, it reads:

Where did you get the 40%? What I saw was that Zen5 increased by 10% compared with Zen4 IPC, while in the CR23 1T test, the increase was more than 10%. In addition, Win10 enthusiasts please note that starting from Strix Point, AMD will not provide Win10 driver

Ryzen 8050 series or Strix Point mobile APU was first unveiled by AMD last year in December. For those wondering, Ryzen 8040 series is codenamed "Hawk Point." According to the company, Strix Point is "on track" for release in the second half (2H) of this year.

Rather bizarrely, AMD may be looking to update the naming for Strix Point from Ryzen 8050 series to "Ryzen AI HX" at least according to Asus' listed laptop parts (via @harukaze5719 on X/formerly Twitter).

Do keep in mind though that AMD's chipset driver, including the latest one, does support the desktop Ryzen 8000 series which is different from the Ryzen 8050 the article is about.

Source

The recently released Windows 11 Canary build 26212 quietly introduced support for so-called "Start Menu Companions"—widget-like apps for the Start menu to show up next to your pins or the All apps list to display glanceable information, such as weather, stocks, etc.

Microsoft has not mentioned Start Menu Companions in the official release notes for build 26212. They were discovered by Albacore (@thebookisclosed on X), and here is a sneak peek of what may soon be available for testing in the Windows Insider Program:

There is not much information about the new Start Menu Companions, considering the feature has not been announced by Microsoft yet. Still, Albacore shared more details about the thing:

Start Menu Companions look and feel like the resurrection of live tiles, which Microsoft killed in late 2021 when announcing Windows 11 and its, let's be honest, lackluster Start menu.

It will be interesting to see if developers will pick the idea up. Meanwhile, we have to wait for Microsoft to announce all the details and let users test Start Menu Companions first.

What do you think about Start Menu Companions in Windows 11?

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In a blog post, Microsoft says the Paint app for Windows 11 has been updated to version 11.2404.42.0. The only major change is the name of its generative AI art maker. Previously known as Paint Cocreator, the feature has now been renamed Image Creator.

Aside from that, Image Creator will work the same way as it did with its former name. It allows users to access the DALLE-E 3 AI model to make art with just a few text prompts.

The Snipping Tool app for Windows 11 is getting a version number boost to 11.2404.35.0. It adds a way for the app to detect any QR codes that might appear in your screenshots so you can access that link on your PC. Microsoft says the QR detection feature will automatically launch when a user enters "Text Actions" from the app's markup canvas.

Another feature that's being added will allow users to add emojis to any screenshots they take with the app. Microsoft says:

To get started, open the Shapes toolbar and find the new Emoji option. Select an emoji and see it drop into the middle of the canvas. You can move or resize it before clicking away and finalizing any changes.

Finally, the new Snipping Tool app update for Insiders has some shape improvements. App users can now change the opacity of a shape's fill and outline colors. The app has also added the ruler tool once again. It's available by accessing the “See more” dropdown menu or you can use the "Ctrl + R" keyboard shortcut,

There's no word on when these new changes and improvements will be included for all Windows 11 users of the Paint and Snipping Tool apps.

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What is new in Nvidia 552.44 WHQL Game-Ready driver?

Game Ready for Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut

 

This new Game Ready Driver provides the best gaming experience for the latest new games supporting DLSS 3 technology including Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut. Further support for new titles leveraging NVIDIA DLSS technology includes the launch of Homeworld 3 which supports DLSS Super Resolution.

 

Fixed gaming bugs:

 

• Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR'S CUT: Resizable BAR profile

 

One-click optimal settings for new games:

 

• Content Warning
• Gray Zone Warfare
• Manor Lords
• No Rest for the Wicked
• Outpost: Infinity Siege

And here is the list of known bugs, which mostly affect notebook users:

• Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition: Lower GPU utilization when Reflex is set to “On + Boost”
• Tekken 8 may randomly crash during gameplay on GeForce GTX 10-series graphics cards.

Nvidia 552.44 WHQL works with computers and laptops running 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 with one of the following graphics cards:

You can download Nvidia's latest driver from the official website or the GeForce Experience app on existing installations. Full release notes are available here (PDF).

Source

Patch Tuesday is only a few days away. As usual, caution is in order.

I’ve therefore raised the MS-DEFCON level to 2. Make sure your system is backed up and you have deferred updates.

In addition, I urge you to take stock of the other software that is installed on your system. Often, it’s this third-party software that may result in side effects.

Sometimes patching and the resulting reboot will expose a condition you weren’t expecting. For example, a post in the forums noted that installing the preview update KB5036979 for Windows 10 22H2 caused systems to be unbootable. It’s always concerning that the code in this update will be rolled into the May updates, so I’ll be keeping a sharp eye on these patches.

However, this time it appears that the side effect may be triggered by third-party software from ManageEngine, a Zoho company that provides tools for business networks. As user EvilWizard notes, “It appears to be a ManageEngine update that, when applied alongside 19045.4353, causes a change in the BCD registry key that then causes the OS to fail to load.”

Although Microsoft needs to up its game and prepare better updates, we shouldn’t forget that we don’t run operating systems all by themselves and that there are often interactions. Make sure you always have a backup and can restore, should anything occur. Remember that when you have a backup, you can recover from not only a bad patch but also hard drives that die, malware and viruses, and anything else that may impact your computer.

I recommend that you let your browsers update automatically at the same time you limit patches to your operating systems. In addition, review the search-engine settings in your browsers, on both your computers and your phones.

I have been less than thrilled with the recent behavior of the Google search engine on the Safari browser on an iPhone. The Google search engine is the default on iPhones; lately, it’s been offering to switch to Chrome when providing some (but not all) search results. I’m hoping the behavior I saw was an outlier and a side effect of something I was searching for. Remember, these days you can change the search engine on both iPhones and Android phones to something other than the defaults. Make sure that you’ve chosen the search engine you want on every technology device you have.

For those who used GRC’s InControl app to hold off Windows 11 23H2 and are wondering whether they need to disable the control setting before installing the Windows 11 enablement package, the answer is no. Although you can reset the InControl setting to say 23H2, you do not need to do so ahead of time. Clicking on the enablement link and launching it will easily upgrade you to 23H2.

I’m hoping May will be a much better-behaved month for patches for businesses. We’re still waiting for resolutions from April updates, issues that include additional NTLM traffic and failed business VPN connections. It remains to be seen whether these will be fixed in the May releases. For now, ensure you have deferred updates and working backups — and that you can recover, no matter what the situation.

Resources

Source

Here is what is new in Rufus 4.5 beta:

• Add a new advanced option, that adds runtime UEFI media validation to suitable images (Windows, most Linux)
• Move the Use Rufus MBR advanced option to a cheat mode (Alt-A)
• Fix truncation of VHDX images, as well as a benign error message when writing VHD/VHDX
• Fix support for Linux persistence in some configurations (Mint, Ubuntu 24.04)
• Fix multiple potential vulnerabilities (with thanks to Mansour Gashasbi)
• Update internal GRUB to version 2.12
• Update UEFI:NTFS to latest (now always uses the ntfs-3g driver, rather than the buggy AMI NTFS one)
• Increase buffer size when copying ISO files, in an attempt to minimize the AMI NTFS UEFI driver bug
• Improve partition creation handling
• Don't display the WUE dialog when a conflicting unattend.xml already exists

You can download Rufus 4.5 beta from its GitHub repository on the "Releases" page. Stable versions (installable and portable) are also available on the official website.

While most users may prefer the official Media Creation Tool, Rufus is a great option to have when installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware or fixing the operating system and its quirks, such as automatic drive encryption without any warning during the setup process, hardware requirements, or the need to use a Microsoft Account during the setup.

Just keep in mind that Rufus will not help you run Windows 11 version 24H2 on some very old x86 processors and some Qualcomm Snapdragon ARM chips.

Source

Among other things, this new Canary Channe Windows 11 build adds a way for people to create QR codes for URLs and more. Here is the changelog:

Changes and Improvements

 

[Windows Share]

 

• Users will be able to now generate QR codes for URLs and cloud file links through the Windows share window to seamlessly share webpages and files across their devices. To try this out in Microsoft Edge, just click the share button in the Edge toolbar and choose “Windows share options”.

 

Option to generate a QR code to share a URL through the Windows share window.

 

• To prevent accidentally closing the Windows share window, clicking outside the Windows share window will no longer close it. To close the Windows share window, just press the close button at the top right corner.
• If your Microsoft account uses a Gmail address, you can now send email to yourself from Windows share window and receive it in your Gmail account.
•  

Example Gmail option to email yourself in the Windows share window highlighted in a red box.

 

[Copilot in Windows]

 

• Over the last few months, we’ve been trying out different experiences for Copilot in Windows (Preview) with Windows Insiders across the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels. Some of these experiences include the ability for Copilot in Windows to act like a normal application window and the taskbar icon animating to indicate that Copilot can help when you copy text or images. We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback. Copilot in Windows will continue to work as expected while we continue to evolve new ideas with Windows Insiders.

 

Fixes for known issues

 

[General]

 

• We fixed the issue causing advanced startup options to not work. This also fixes the progress wheel from not showing when booting.
• We believe we fixed the issue causing Features on Demand (FODs) to not install.

 

[Copilot in Windows]

 

• We are rolling out a fix for the issue causing Copilot to auto-launch unexpectedly for Windows Insiders in the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels after restarting their PCs. This issue was unrelated to the auto-launching experience we tried out with Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels in early February which we stopped rolling out in March.

 

[Taskbar & System Tray]

 

• Fixed an issue that caused the taskbar to be partially off the screen on secondary monitors.
• Fixed an issue that caused Narrator to be silent while rearranging your apps on taskbar.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to sporadically crash when using path suggestions in the address bar.
• Fixed an issue which could cause File Explorer to crash sometimes when going from the search box to the body of File Explorer.

 

[Windowing]

 

• Fixed a couple DWM crashes, which could cause the screen to appear to flash.

 

[Other]

 

• Fixed an issue that was causing some people to repeatedly see a message saying live captions were being missed.
• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing Visual Studio to fail to debug x64 .NET framework console applications (the app would crash in ntdll.dll upon load).

 

Known issues

 

[General]

 

• [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

You can check out the full blog post here.

Source

This new build includes support for a new account type, Delegated Managed Service Accounts (dMSA), along with additional Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes. Here is the changelog:

What's New

 

[NEW] Delegated Managed Service Accounts (dMSA)

 

A new account type known as delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) is now available that allows migration from a traditional service account to a machine account with managed and fully randomized keys, while disabling original service account passwords. Authentication for dMSA is linked to the device identity, which means that only specified machine identities mapped in AD can access the account. Using dMSA helps to prevent harvesting credentials using a compromised account (kerberoasting), which is a common issue with traditional service accounts.

 

To learn more about dMSA, visit https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/security/delegated-managed-service-accounts/delegat....

 

[NEW] More Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes.

 

Starting with Build 26097 and higher, we are introducing the following Server Message Block (SMB) protocol changes for QUIC, signing, and encryption:

 

SMB over QUIC client and server disable: Administrators can now disable the SMB over QUIC client and SMB over QUIC server options with Group Policy and PowerShell.

 

SMB over QUIC client and server connection auditing: Successful SMB over QUIC client and SMB over QUIC server connection events are now written to the event log to include the QUIC transport.

 

SMB signing and encryption auditing: Administrators can now enable auditing of the SMB server and client for support of SMB signing and encryption. This shows if a third-party client or server doesn’t support SMB encryption or signing. You can configure these settings with PowerShell and Group Policy.

 

• For details on configuring these new settings, review https://aka.ms/SMB74MDNP.
• For more information on SMB over QUIC in Windows and Windows Server Insider Preview builds, review https://aka.ms/SMBoverQUICServer and https://aka.ms/SmbOverQuicCAC.
• For more information on SMB signing and encryption in Windows and Windows Server Insider Preview builds, review https://aka.ms/SmbSigningRequired and https://aka.ms/SmbClientEncrypt.

Windows Server Flighting is here!!

If you signed up for Server Flighting, you should receive this new build automatically later today. For more information, see Welcome to Windows Insider flighting on Windows Server - Microsoft Community Hub

 

The new Feedback Hub app is now available for Server Desktop users!

 

The app should automatically update with the latest version, but if it does not, simply Check for updates in the app’s settings tab.

 

 

Known Issues

 

Upgrade does not complete: Some users may experience an issue when upgrading where the download process does not progress beyond 0%. If you encounter this issue, please upgrade to this newer build using the ISO media download option. Download Windows Server Insider Preview (microsoft.com)

 

VMs created using ISO media may not boot: Some users may encounter boot issues when creating Gen 2 VMs using this build (26063) and attempting to set the DVD ISO as boot preference. The new VM is unable to boot through the ISO and skips to subsequent boot options. This will be addressed in a future release.

 

Access denied error when using Diskpart --> Clean Image on Winpe.vhdx VMs created using WinPE: Create bootable media | Microsoft Learn. We are working to resolve this issue and expect to have it fixed in the next preview release.

 

Download Windows Server Insider Preview (microsoft.com)

 

Flighting: The label for this flight may incorrectly reference Windows 11. However, when selected, the package installed is the Windows Server update. Please ignore the label and proceed with installing your flight. This issue will be addressed in a future release.

 

 

Setup: Some users may experience overlapping rectangle voids following mouse clicks during "OOBE" setup. This is a graphics rendering issue and will not prevent setup from completing. This issue will be addressed in a future release.

 

WinPE - Powershell Scripts: Applying the WinPE-Powershell optional component does not properly install Powershell in WinPE. As a result, Powershell cmdlets will fail. Customers who are dependent on Powershell in WinPE should not use this build.

 

If you are validating upgrades from Windows Server 2019 or 2022, we do not recommend that you use this build as intermittent upgrade failures have been identified for this build.

 

This build has an issue where archiving eventlogs with "wevetutil al" command causes the Windows Event Log service to crash, and the archive operation to fail. The service must be restarted by executing "Start-Service EventLog" from an administrative command line prompt.

 

If you have Secure Launch/DRTM code path enabled, we do not recommend that you install this build.

 

Available Downloads

 

Downloads to certain countries may not be available. See Microsoft suspends new sales in Russia - Microsoft On the Issues

 

Windows Server Long-Term Servicing Channel Preview in ISO format in 18 languages, and in VHDX format in English only.

 

Windows Server Datacenter Azure Edition Preview in ISO and VHDX format, English only.

 

Microsoft Server Languages and Optional Features Preview

 

Keys: Keys are valid for preview builds only

 

• Server Standard: MFY9F-XBN2F-TYFMP-CCV49-RMYVH
• Datacenter: 2KNJJ-33Y9H-2GXGX-KMQWH-G6H67
• Azure Edition does not accept a key

 

Symbols: available on the public symbol server – see Using the Microsoft Symbol Server.

 

Expiration: This Windows Server Preview will expire September 15, 2024.

You can download the new Windows Server preview from Microsoft's site and check out the full blog post here.

Source

What you need to know

• Winpilot is a third-party tool that allows you to control settings on your PC.
• A recent update to the app places an emphasis on removing ads from Widows 11 and debloating PCs.
• The tool has a version of Clippy, the iconic assistant from older versions of Windows, to help navigate through the app.

Before the days of Microsoft Copilot, we had Clippy. The sometimes helpful, sometimes annoying assistant fell out of favor years ago but love for the paperclip has resurfaced of late (there's even a version of Clippy with ChatGPT). Now, Clippy is back to save you from ads within Windows 11 and help debloat your PC. Of course, Microsoft isn't behind Clippy fighting against Copilot and the rollout of ads in Windows 11. Instead, Clippy is part of a third-party tool called Winpilot.

Winpilot used to be called BloatyNosy, but its developer Belmin Hasanovic rebranded the tool recently. As spotted by Tom's Hardware, the latest version of Winpilot includes options to block ads in Windows 11 and debloat your PC. That update came shortly after another release that added support for Tiny11Builder. You can catch up on the last three releases and download the tool through Winpilot's GitHub page.

"Winpilots and Clippy (NeoClippy) have shifted their focus towards even stricter debloating and disabling of undesired Microsoft features aligning with the approach found in the Windows 11 OOBE," reads the release notes for Winpilot version 2024.5.7.

Winpilot includes options to disable ads on Windows 11 and tweak privacy settings on your PC. (Image credit: Future)

Many of the options related to turning off ads are already available through Windows 11 and the Settings app, but Winpilot brings them all into one place. Microsoft makes you jump between different settings menus and sections to disable ads throughout different parts of the operating system.

I understand Microsoft's logic in having settings in respective sections, such as taskbar experiences being in the taskbar section of the Settings app. But the fact that we have to have an entire guide on how to disable annoying ads in Windows 11 illustrates how widespread ads are and how tedious it can be to turn them all off. Winpilot's new ad-focused features show a demand for removing ads from Windows 11 as well.

Ads in Windows 11

Microsoft is testing several new ways to add ads to Windows 11. (Image credit: Future)

Windows has featured some promotional content for several years, but the ad problem has gotten worse lately. Microsoft is becoming increasingly aggressive with its ads, including the addition of ads in the Recommended section of the Start menu. The tech giant is also testing an ad for Game Pass within the Settings app.

There aren't any signs of Microsoft slowing down or stopping its rollout of ads to Windows 11 either. If anything, Microsoft will integrate more ads and promotional content into its operating system, at least based on what's in testing with Insiders.

It's all rather embarrassing, but Microsoft's higher-ups don't seem ashamed to make Windows a billboard. If it makes you feel any better, I know several Microsoft employees are unhappy with the number of ads in Windows 11. Perhaps Hasanovic using the infamous Clippy to highlight the ad issue will turn a few more heads in Redmond.

Source

You're welcome

Windows 11 can be installed without a product key. This leaves the operating system in an unactivated state. While the system works fine for the most part, it does display reminders and a watermark, and does prevent access to certain personalization options, such as setting wallpapers (there is a way around that).

Windows 11 works fine in most areas. You can install programs, use the Microsoft Store, update the operating system, or make administrative changes.

Soon, Microsoft may block access to some Microsoft Edge settings however.

Microsoft Edge Settings blocked

Discovered by our colleagues over at Windows Latest, and verified by us, Microsoft is testing several activation related flags in recent Edge Canary builds. These lock access to settings and may display notifications that Windows 11 is not activated.

The easiest way to test this is to install Windows 11 without providing a product key in a virtual machine. The system is not activated in this case, unless you sign-in with a Microsoft account that has a linked digital Windows-key associated with it.

Once enabled, Edge displays the following message in Settings on systems that are not activated: "We notice your Windows is not activated, some customization has been limited".

This notice is shown on every page of the Settings. Not many settings are blocked at the time of writing. The "When Edge starts" preference is inaccessible, which means that you can't change anymore how Edge opens.

In other words, it is not possible to switch from Edge's new tab page to another start page or resting the previous session.

The test is a work in progress. It is possible that Microsoft is going to add more restrictions to the settings of the browser in future updates.

Why is Microsoft testing the change?

There is no official statement from Microsoft about the change or the motivation behind it. While it may impact consumers, the likelier target seems to be organizations.

After all, it takes just a few seconds to install another browser on Windows 11:

1. Open Start.
2. Type cmd and press the Enter-key.
3. Type winget install Mozilla Firefox and press the Enter-key again.

You can replace Mozilla Firefox with the name of another browser, e.g.,  Google Chrome, Brave, Vivaldi, or Opera.

For organizations, implications may be more severe. Employees may be required to use Edge. When they see the activation message, they might ask their coworkers or superiors about it, or, in case of disgruntled employees, report the incident.

Closing Words

It remains to be seen if Microsoft implements the change in Microsoft Edge stable. If it does, it might even drive some home users to using a different browser.

What is your take on the feature? 

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On Windows 11, getting lost in a sea of open windows and cluttered desktops is easy, and with multiple apps and files open at the same time, it can be frustrating to find what you need quickly. That's why the option to show the desktop is so practical. 

Using a few clicks, you can minimize all your open windows and quickly access your desktop icons and files. In addition, it's a lifesaver feature that allows you to hide everything on the screen quickly when reviewing sensitive information and someone walks on you.

In this how-to guide, I will show you the easy ways to show the desktop on Windows 11 quickly.

Three ways to show the Windows 11 desktop

On Windows 11, there are several ways to show the desktop, including using a keyboard shortcut, the Taskbar option, and the desktop settings.

Keyboard shortcut 

The operating system offers at least two keyboard shortcuts to show the desktop:

• Windows key + D : If you press this key combo, the system will minimize everything on the screen to give you access to the desktop. You can repeat the same shortcut to restore your windows. (The "D" is for desktop.)
• Windows key + M: If you press this key combo, the system will minimize all the windows. Unlike the show desktop shortcut, in this case, you have to use the "Windows key + Shift + M" keyboard shortcut to restore the windows on the screen. (The "M" is for "minimize.")

Taskbar button

On Windows 11, you can also click the button located in the bottom-right corner, next to the Copilot (or notification) icon. 

If the option isn't working, it's probably not enabled, in which case, you have to follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click tone Personalization.
3. Click the Taskbar page on the right side.
4. Click the Taskbar behaviors setting.
5. Check the "Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop" option.

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

6. (Optional) Clear the option to disable the feature.

Once you complete the steps, click the button in the bottom-right corner of the Taskbar, which will show the desktop. 

It's important to note that when Microsoft relocated the Copilot icon to the System Tray, the company disabled the option to show the desktop, but it didn't remove it. However, after feedback, the original behavior is back.

Hide desktop icons 

Alternatively, if you want to show the desktop without the icons, you must hide them. Here's how:

1. Use the "Windows key + D" keyboard shortcut.
2. Right-click the desktop, select "View," and choose the "Show desktop icons" option to turn off the feature (if checked).

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)

After you complete the steps, you will have access to the desktop and a desktop without any icons.

You can show the icons again by right-clicking the desktop, accessing the "View" menu, and choosing the "Show desktop icons" option to turn on the feature.

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You're welcome

Here is what is new in Microsoft Edge Dev 126.0.2566.1:

Added Features:

 

• Introduced functionality for adjusting the Sidebar in Gamer mode.

 

Improved Reliability:

 

iOS:

 

• Fixed an issue that caused the browser to crash during the use of the ‘Clear Browsing Data’ feature.
• Fixed an issue that caused the browser to crash or freeze when the back button was clicked in the top left corner before initiating a screenshot on iOS.
• Android: Fixed an issue when clicking the ‘+’ button at the bottom of the browser New Tab Page (NTP) would cause a crash on android.

 

Changed Behavior:

 

• Resolved an issue where the Narrator would announce extra information upon navigating to the ‘Get Edge Mobile’ button in the Profile pane.
• Fixed an issue that caused incorrect color display in the search hub.
• Resolved a problem with the absence of a background color in the translation bar.
• Resolved a problem where the mouse click functionality for moving the image was malfunctioning.
• Resolved an issue where the ‘Edit’ and ‘Delete’ buttons on the Profile page were missing labels.
• Resolved an issue to include the currently open tab groups in the tab group list.
• Resolved an issue to ensure that the New Tab Page is displayed after the user clicks ‘Finish’ under gamer mode.
• iOS: Resolved an issue where, after a long press on text within a PDF to activate Copilot on iOS, the page would shift upwards, and the back button would become unresponsive.

Those already using Microsoft Edge Dev can update to the latest version by heading to edge://settings/help. New users can join the program on the official website.

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Here is what is new:

• Background Images: you can now create custom themes. Go to Settings > Appearance and click "Background image." Alternatively, right-click any picture and select Set as > Set as app background. The app also lets you adjust the background opacity.

•  

• 

   

• Shortcut customization: a new settings page allows modifying existing key shortcuts.

•  

• 

   

• Real-time filtering: typing into the search box now instantly filters the folder to display only the files that match your search criteria.

•  

• 

   

• Listary: this powerful search app for Windows is now integrated into the Files app. You can turn it on in settings to get instant search results, rich context menus, better folder navigation, and more.

•  

• 

   

• New localization: the Files app now supports Albanian, Khmer, Kurdish, and Lithuanian languages.

Here is the rest of the changelog:

• The Recent Files widget now respects the setting for displaying file extensions
• Improved the display of keyboard shortcuts in the Command Palette
• Added support to the sidebar for multiple SharePoint drives
• Added an integration for the Lucid Link cloud provider
• Added audio bitrate, and video to the list of properties in the Details Pane
• Fixed an issue where pinned items weren’t displayed in the sidebar
• Fixed an issue clicking the header in the details view wouldn’t change the sort direction
• Fixed an issue where the adaptive layout option wasn’t disabled when syncing layout settings
• Fixed an issue where changing the sort preferences didn’t work properly when syncing layout settings
• Fixed an issue where existing tabs would duplicate when opening a folder from outside of Files
• Fixed an issue where the Properties Window wouldn’t navigate between pages after returning from advanced settings
• Fixed an issue where the app would sometimes crash when entering characters into the Address Bar
• Fixed the alignment of the add tab button
• Fixed an issue where the Git submenu was sometimes shown for non-GitHub repos
• Fixed a crash that would sometimes occur when closing the GitHub login modal
• Fixed an issue where Recycle Bin wasn’t pinned to the Sidebar by default
• Fixed an issue where the View More and Open All options where disabled in the Tags widget
• Fixed an issue where the scroll position was sometimes incorrect
• Fixed an issue where “Scroll to previous folder” didn’t work in some folders
• Fixed an issue where HWiNFO64.exe wouldn’t open
• Fixed an issue where changing the focus in columns view caused an extra animation
• Fixed an issue where the app window wasn’t refocused if minimized on launch
• Fixed an issue where the conflicts dialog didn’t append numbers when pasting files
• Fixed an issue where renaming an item in the conflict dialog would leave the copy status in process
• Fixed an issue where the setting control margin was misaligned
• Fixed an issue with exporting tags
• Fixed an issue where certain drive icons didn’t load on the Drive Widget
• Fixed an issue where ftp addresses were not displayed in the Address Bar
• Fixed an issue where coping or moving a folder would cause the contents of the destination folder to be empty
• Fixed an issue where there wasn’t enough space to right click folders in columns view
• Fixed an issue where the wrong item was shown as active in the sidebar
• Fixed an issue where holding the arrow key would cause the Preview Pane to freeze
• Fixed an issue with editing properties of multiple items at the same time
• Fixed a conflict with svg thumbnails generated by PowerToys
• Fixed an issue of overlapping brushes leaving a gap in the columns view

You can download Files from the Microsoft Store or the app's official website.

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For those unfamiliar, Microsoft Purview (do not confuse that with PureView, camera tech from the good old Windows Phone days) is a solution set that lets control and protect data within organizations on-premises or in the cloud. You can find more information about Microsoft Purview in the official documentation.

What is new in Microsoft Edge Beta 125.0.2535.29?

Here is the official changelog published in the documentation:

Version 125.0.2535.29: May 6, 2024

 

Feature updates

 

• Improved user experience for Purview copy/paste controls in Edge. Our Purview cut/copy/paste experience is now more user friendly with self-dismissing dialogs on successful paste. The existing "Paste to supported browsers" setting allows organizations to classify and protect the content that end users can paste – both to specific websites and through supported browsers. You can follow the instructions in Use Endpoint data loss prevention (DLP) to create the DLP policy.

 

Fixed various bugs and performance issues.

If you are updating from older Microsoft Edge versions or you want to join the ranks of Edge Insiders in a safer, less bug-prone channel, you will find a few neat features after updating to Microsoft Edge 125 Beta. For example, the browser now lets you specify how much RAM it is allowed to consume. You can make it respect the limit only when you are gaming or all the time.

Microsoft Edge Beta is available on the official Edge Insider website. Supported platforms include Windows 10 and Windows 11, Apple's macOS, Linux, and Android.

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Starting with Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft's operating system requires ARM v8.1 to run. An attempt to boot it from a device with an ARM v8.0-based processor results in system crashes. For reference, the Snapdragon 835 from 2016 is a chip with Kryo 280 cores, which are derivative of ARM's Cortex-A73 cores.

While Windows 11 never supported the Snapdragon 835 CPU, it was possible (technically, it still is) to install the operating system on computers with that chip, like it is possible to run it on seventh-gen Intel Core CPUs or first-gen Ryzen processors. Because of that, many think Windows 11's hardware requirements are arbitrary—a trick to make customers buy newer hardware. Microsoft denies those accusations and claims the OS does not support a large number of relatively capable chips because of security.

Now, with Windows 11 version 24H2 getting more features and requiring newer instructions, customers should face the fact that their old computers are physically incapable of running the most recent Windows 11 version.

The same will happen to old x86 processors without POPCNT and the SSE 4.2 instruction set. However, those still using computers with 16-year-old processors probably should not complain about Microsoft not supporting their heavily outdated hardware. The Snapdragon 835, on the other hand, is a much more recent processor, so the change will most likely make some users sad, even though, again, they were never supported in the first place.

The end of ARM v8.0 "support" also means the end of the road for enthusiasts still toying around with old Lumias, such as the Lumia 950 XL. Surface Duo, however, is safe since both generations have much more recent Snapdragon chips.

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Bitlocker protects data on the PC against unauthorized access by encrypting partitions and drives.

Microsoft calls this specific BitLocker feature device encryption: "Device encryption is a Windows feature that provides a simple way for some devices to enable BitLocker encryption automatically".

Problem is, since the encryption process happens automatically in this case, users may not be aware of it. This can lead to issues, for instance when reinstalling the operating system without saving the Bitlocker recovery key or using a Microsoft account. Access to files is lost in the worst case.

Thankfully, there are ways to block Windows from enabling the automatic encryption of drives during clean installs.

Option 1: during installation

New PCs come with a preinstallation of Windows. This speeds up the setup process, but it also gives users less control.

Step 1: It begins on the country or region selection screen.

Step 2: Open the Registry Editor

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Shift-F10 to open a command prompt window.
2. Type regedit and press the Enter-key.

This opens the Registry Editor.

Step 3: Disable automatic encryption using BitLocker

1. Use the structure on the left to go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BitLocker
2. Right-click on BitLocker and select New > Dword (32-bit) Value.
3. Name it PreventDeviceEncryption.
4. Double-click on it and change its value to 1.
5. Close the Registry Editor.
6. Close the Command Prompt window.

Continue with the installation.

Option 2: Manipulating an ISO image

It is also possible to modify an ISO image directly. This requires a USB device with at least 16 GB of storage. The Windows installation is copied to the USB device and the PC is booted from the USB device to install Windows.

Here is how this works:

Step 1: Download Rufus

Rufus is a free program to create bootable USB drives. You can download the latest version for Windows from the homepage.

Step 2: Run Rufus

Rufus does not need to be installed. Just double-click on the downloaded executable file to start the app. Make sure you give your okay for online update checks, if you do not have a Windows ISO image already. This allows you to download the ISO using Rufus.

Step 3a: download the ISO using Rufus

Switch from select to download in the upper half of the interface. Activate Download again to start the process.

Select the version of Windows, edition, language and architecture. It may take a while for the download to complete.

Step 3b: select an ISO that is already on your device

Make sure select, and not download, is selected in the Rufus interface. Click on the select button and use the file browser that opens to select the ISO image.

Step 4: Preparing the ISO

Select Device at the top to pick a device that you want to copy the Windows installation files to. Note that you cannot pick fixed hard drives.

Once done, activate the start button at the very bottom. Rufus displays the Windows User Experience window.

Make sure Disable BitLocker automatic device encryption is checked. This prevents the automatic encryption of drives using BitLocker during installation of Windows.

Select OK to continue. The program writes the files to the selected USB device.

Bonus Tip: check the BitLocker status

A simple command reveals the status of all drives and partitions in regards to BitLocker encryption. Here is how that works:

1. Open Start.
2. Type CMD.
3. Select "run as administrator" while Command Prompt is selected.
4. Paste manage-bde -status and press the Enter-key.

Check any of the following parameters: BitLocker version, Conversion status, Percentage encrypted, Encryption method, Lock status, Identification field, or Key protectors.

If you see "none, "fully decrypted", "0.0%", "None", "Protection Off", "Unlocked", "None", and "None Found", then the drive is not encrypted using BitLocker.

You can disable the protection by running the command manage-bde –off DRIVELETTER, e.g., manage-bde –off C : [<-- omit the space between C and colon, damn smilies] from an elevated command prompt.

What about you? Do you use encryption, maybe even BitLocker?  (inspiration from Deskmodder)

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On the other side, there is some good news too as the company finally confirmed it had fixed a "65000" BitLocker reporting error that was affecting mainly Intune. And it looks like we have more BitLocker news to follow up.

German news outlet Deskmodder reports that the next major Windows 11 version, 24H2, also called the 2024 update, may enable BitLocker by default during installation, and this may seemingly be happening across multiple editions of Windows 11, including Home.

The site noticed the change when running a Windows 11 24H2 installation using the new redesigned Setup, that we had a look at back in January. Thankfully, there is the option to disable Device Encryption inside Privacy & security in Settings.

In the report, Deskmodder has penned down its observation (Google-translated to English):

Windows 11 24H2 comes with a revised setup. The new installation does not start with the “blue windows”, but similar to inplace. But what can happen during a new installation is that the drives can be encrypted with Bitlocker in the background.

 

This not only affects Windows 11 24H2 Pro and higher, as some would suspect, but also Windows 11 Home.

Encrypting drives using BitLocker is not new in the Windows 11 PC landscape. Several OEMs already do it on Pro machines, though this time, as the report suggests, the option will apparently be on the Home edition too.

Interestingly, it has been found that the default software-based BitLocker encryption (XTS-AES 128) on Windows, leads to significant performance loss even on some of the fastest data drives, like a PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD.

And worse, an unsuspecting user could completely miss the fact that their device is encrypted and recovery of the encrypted data can prove problematic or potentially impossible in case the key is misplaced, or not saved properly.

Source: Deskmodder

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What’s important to keep in mind with Ubuntu 24.10 is that it’ll only receive updates for nine months before being discontinued. If you’re looking for a more peaceful experience then choosing Ubuntu 24.04 LTS would be a better option as you won’t need to do any upgrades until 2029.

The key dates according to the schedule are as follows:

• August 15 - Feature Freeze
• September 5 - User Interface Freeze
• September 19 - Beta
• September 26 - Kernel Freeze
• October 3 - Final Freeze, Release Candidate
• October 10 - Final Release

If you do have time on your hands and like messing about with operating systems on a test machine, you’ll be able to download daily builds of Ubuntu 24.10 but do note that they can be extremely unstable. The daily release on September 6, for example, should have the desktop exactly as it will look when the final release comes out.

One of the main benefits of Ubuntu 24.10 will be that it’ll have newer software packaged with it. This is ideal if you have brand new hardware that’s not supported in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. It’s not known what kernel will ship with it but Phoronix predicted it’ll include Linux 6.11, GNOME 47, and the GCC 14.1 compiler but we’ll need closer to launch for this to be confirmed.

If you’re not too familiar with Ubuntu, it’s an alternative operating system to Windows and macOS that’s available for free and supports lots of hardware, even older hardware. It’s the most popular version of Linux and was created in 2004 in a bid to make Linux more accessible to the average user.

Source: Ubuntu Discourse

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We already reported on some new and upcoming Outlook features earlier this week. One of them is that the classic Outlook Windows app now has some Copilot generative AI features including summarizing email threads and writing coaches. Copilot is also coming to the new Outlook for Windows app, and on the web, later in May.

The same Microsoft Copilot experience you can get from the Microsoft Teams app, at copilot.microsoft.com ("Work mode"), and in many other places is now available from within Microsoft Outlook for Windows and web. You can find the Copilot app in the left app bar.

The new Outlook Windows app and the web version will also add some new RSVP settings in July:

Two new settings to improve the user experience when responding to meeting invitations: (1) do not delete invitation email after RSVPing and (2) auto-decline if the attendee's calendar shows as busy.

In June, the new Outlook Windows app and the web version will have a new Meeting Details feature:

When a conversation in Mail is part of a meeting, the Reading Pane will have a new and improved Meeting Details card for a more efficient and modern RSVP flow.

In a related upcoming feature, people who use the Loop collaboration tool will get a new Copilot feature in May.

People with a Copilot License can now leverage Copilot in Loop when they paste Loop components into the Teams app, Outlook, and Meeting Notes.

There were also some new entries on the roadmap site for upcoming Teams features. Teams Rooms users on the desktop will add speaker recognition and attribution features in June:

With Microsoft Teams Rooms, participants can be distinguished automatically regardless of what kind of device is capturing audio in a meeting, and their contributions are attributed in the transcript, making meetings more inclusive and productive. Speaker recognition will be enabled for any in-person meeting participant who has completed the simple face and voice enrollment process, and is included on the meeting invitation. They can also see auto-generated meeting action items assigned to them, important decisions, and meeting highlights by using Copilot.

Teams users on all platforms will get some Workflows improvements in June:

Users will be able to discover which Workflows template was used when they receive a Workflows card in chats and channels. Teams Workflow cards posted from a template will now include a link to the template used. Users will be able to open the workflow template and create their own automated Teams workflows to save them time when completing routine tasks.

That's our look back at the last week on the Microsoft 365 roadmap. Join us next Sunday as we show you the highlights of the roadmap in the next seven days.

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There are no signs of Microsoft backing down on injecting more ads into Windows 11. If the recent changes, like app ads in the Start menu, are getting under your skin and going back to Windows 10 is not an option, third-party apps and tweakers could make your Windows 11 experience less frustrating.

OFGB, which stands for Oh F**k Go Back, is a new app that aims to give its customers a simple, easy-to-use method to turn off ads in Windows 11. OFGB uses Windows Registry to turn off ads across the operating system. Those include the following:

• File Explorer Ads
• Lock Screen Tips and Ads
• Settings Ads
• General Tips and Ads
• "Finish Setup" Ads
• "Welcome Experience" Ads
• Personalized Ads
• "Tailored Experiences"
• Start menu Ads

Ticking all the boxes is all it takes to turn off that nastiness. That is the appeal of the utility with its non-PG-13 name. Interestingly, OFGB was made by an Arch Linux user, and in an interview with Tom's Hardware, she backed the widespread discontent with the ever-increasing number of ads in a premium product.

Windows lost me a long time ago by adding more and more telemetry, ads, and the lack of easily configurable options. As soon as the last few programs that I just can't get away from are running right under Wine or Proton I plan to ditch it completely.

It is worth noting that OFGB is not the only app that can automate Windows Registry edits for ad removal. Wintoys, the app that recently received a big update, can also get rid of some of Windows 11's annoyances. Also, the maker of Tiny11 Builder says future updates will make it possible to build custom Windows 11 images with fewer ads:

However, if you need a simple, basic app to make Windows 11 cleaner, OFGB looks like a good choice. Just keep in mind that the safest option, even when dealing with open-source or harmless apps, is to tweak the Windows Registry manually or use the operating system as is. It looks like plenty of people do not want to deal with Windows 11's current state of affairs as indicated by its decreasing market share.

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For example, Wintoys recently got a slew of updates and the most recent release has some changes related to the SYSTEM account. The other previous updates also had bug fixes related to the UX and UI of the app. You can find all the details in this dedicated article.

Another popular third-party tool which lets users automate debloated Windows images is tiny11 builder. The app's latest update now adds support for ESD files in addition to WIM.

Following this, yesterday, Winpilot has also received a new update and with the latest version, the says the aim is to remove ads on Windows 11 with a few toggles. The latest update also relies on the same principle that Winpilot works on, to make it easy to remove such bloat, similar to how the previous versions have done so for AI-related bloatware.

In the release notes section of the update, the developer explains what prompted them to make the change:

Winpilot 2024.5.5 Adblock

 

Adblock for the Windows 11 UI now integrated into Winpilot. Sounds strange, but it's also unfortunately a strange development on @Microsoft's part.https://t.co/LrKCWINsLl#winpilot #Windows11 #Ads #adblock #clippy pic.twitter.com/0b1cvtSa5F

 

— Belim (@builtbybel) May 3, 2024

 

Seems like we're all getting tired and annoyed by the new advertising on the Windows 11 UI, right? That's why Winpilot is introducing a new feature/plugin called Adblock for Windows. It focuses solely on removing ads from the Windows 11 UI. Special thanks to elevenforum for the inspiration!

 

In the best-case scenario, everything should look like this. All toggles are set to 0/disabled

You can download it from its GitHub page if you want to try it out. As always, do bear in mind that this is a third-party software which may adversely affect your system too.

If you haven't been following, Microsoft started stuffing more ads in the Windows 11 Start menu recently and even seemingly outright admitting later that "ads" are indeed a part of the Start menu development now.

The poor Start menu performance led an ex-Microsoft engineer to criticize it for the "comically bad" performance, and another one, a former Windows UX head, indirectly took a bit of a sarcastic dig at the decision.

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