As spotted by @PhantomOfEarth on X (Twitter), Windows 11 build 26002 contains a hidden feature called DisableWin10Taskbar. As the name implies, it makes it impossible to fall back to the Windows 10-era taskbar. Moreover, enabling the ID breaks third-party apps, such as StartAllBack or ExplorerPatcher.

Windows 11 build 26002 ships with DisableWin10Taskbar turned off by default, so you need to enable it manually with the ViVeTool app. Therefore, it is hard to tell if Microsoft indeed plans to block Windows 11 users from restoring the old taskbar. Future Windows 11 preview updates will most likely give more insights into the matter.

Another taskbar-related change in the latest preview builds is a new location for the Copilot icon. Not so long ago, users noticed new feature IDs that allowed moving Copilot to the bottom-right corner next to the notification button. In Dev build 23595, that change is now official. The idea behind it is to place the Copilot icon closer to where the pane appears on the screen. However, as a result, the "show the desktop" option is now turned off by default.

You can learn more about Windows 11 build 26002 here and build 23595 here.

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This is a major update and includes a lot of improvements and new features. One new feature is that WinFindr can now search for epub format ebooks based on their content.

WinFindr can also now search for files based on their metadata. For example, you can find songs from your MP3 music collection based on the album name, assuming you have that data within the file's metadata.

The new WinFindr also includes a more modern UI that allows easier sorting and filtering of the results. This is how it looks like:

You can download WinFindr version 1.6 from its official website at: https://winfindr.com/

The full Change Log is available at: https://winfindr.com/#changelog

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Here is the changelog:

Changes and Improvements

 

[Copilot in Windows]

 

• We are making a change where the Copilot icon is shown on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar to make the entry point to Copilot more clear and easily accessible by being closer to where the Copilot pane opens. As part of this change, we have defaulted the “show the desktop” behavior for the far-right corner of the taskbar to off and this can be re-enabled in the taskbar behaviors section under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar (you can simply right-click on the taskbar to get to this).

The Copilot on the right side of the system tray on the taskbar.

 

• We are beginning to re-rollout the change previously documented with Build 23570 that introduces support for Copilot in Windows to be used across multiple monitors. Simply press the Copilot button on the taskbar on whichever monitor you want Copilot to show on or use the WIN + C shortcut to show Copilot on the last monitor that it was visible on. If you are using a keyboard, you can use the WIN + T keyboard shortcut to put the keyboard focus on the taskbar and navigate to the Copilot taskbar button to show Copilot on any monitor.

 

[Windows Share]

 

• If you’re signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, in addition to being able to share to your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts, you can also now share directly to specific Microsoft Teams Channels and groups chats as well directly within the Windows share window.

 

[Windows Ink]

 

• We are expanding the ability to use digital handwriting (inking) in some edit boxes for Windows Ink to the following languages and locales: Chinese Simplified (People’s Republic of China), English (Australia), English (Canada), English (India), English (United Kingdom), French (Canada), French (France), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Japanese (Japan), Korean (Korea)Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Mexico), and Spanish (Spain). This also includes more accurate recognition technology, gestures to delete, select, join, and split words and also gesture to insert a new line.

 

[Nearby Sharing]

 

• We’re beginning to roll out a change where you will be able to able to discover and share files with their Android devices in discoverable mode through Bluetooth under Nearby Share in the Windows share window.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• We improved process grouping in the processes page for Task Manager.

 

[Settings]

 

• This update starts the roll out of account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts on the Settings homepage. A Microsoft account connects Windows to your Microsoft apps. The account backs up all your data and helps you manage your subscriptions. You can also add extra security steps to keep you from being locked out of your account. This feature displays notifications across the Start menu and Settings. You can manage Settings notifications in Settings > Privacy & security > General.
• Xbox Game Bar is now Game Bar under Settings > Gaming.
• We’re beginning to update references to Azure Active Directory (AAD) to Microsoft Entra ID in Settings.

 

Fixes

 

[Desktops]

 

• Fixed an issue that was causing custom wallpapers to shift when switching desktops.
• NOTE: Some fixes noted here in Insider Preview builds from the Dev Channel may make their way into the servicing updates for the released version of Windows 11.

 

Known issues

 

[Start menu]

 

• [NEW] We’re working on the fix for an issue causing the recommended section to be blank for some Insiders.

 

[Copilot in Windows]

 

• When first launching or after refreshing Copilot in Windows while using voice access, you’ll need to use “Show grid” commands to click in the “Ask me anything” box for the first time.

You can check out the full blog post here.

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Here is the changelog:

What’s new in Build 26002

 

Energy Saver

 

Starting with this build (Build 26002), we are introducing energy saver, which extends and enhances battery saver. It is an easy way to extend battery life and reduce energy use by trading off some system performance. It can be toggled on and off via Quick Settings in the system tray or configured to run automatically whenever the device reaches a certain battery percentage. While optimized to extend battery life, energy saver will be available when PCs are plugged in (this includes desktop PCs) for those aiming to conserve energy all the time.

 

Energy saver in Settings.

 

Energy saver in Quick Settings.

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Power & Battery > Energy saver.

 

Changes and Improvements

 

[Taskbar & System Tray]

 

• We’re trying out a change that improves the overall performance and responsiveness of Quick Settings in the system tray.
• We’re making it easier to manage VPN in Quick Settings. If you have a single VPN, a new split toggle lets you turn it on and off with a single click. If you have multiple VPNs, we’ve made some changes to the list to reduce the time it takes to start a connection.
• We are beginning to roll out a new refresh button on the Wi-Fi Quick Settings flyout so you can now refresh the list of wireless networks available. There is also indication of scan progress to help you find nearby networks if the first scan does not reveal the one you are looking for.

New refresh button on the Wi-Fi Quick Settings flyout.

 

[Settings]

 

• This update starts the roll out of account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts on the Settings homepage. A Microsoft account connects Windows to your Microsoft apps. The account backs up all your data and helps you manage your subscriptions. You can also add extra security steps to keep you from being locked out of your account. This feature displays notifications across the Start menu and Settings. You can manage Settings notifications in Settings > Privacy & security > General.

 

[Settings]

 

• Removed coloured backplates from app icons in Settings > Apps > Installed apps, as well as Settings > System > Notifications. This is an early implementation with more fixes on the way in future flights.

 

Fixes for known issues

 

• Fixed an issue which was causing installation of some apps, including Phone Link, to fail with error 0x87AF0813 in the previous flight.
• Fixed an underlying issue in recent Canary Channel builds where the Microsoft Store was getting stuck when trying to check for and install app updates.
• Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash when navigating to Bluetooth & Devices > Touchpad.
• Fixed an issue which was causing File Explorer to crash on launch for people using a non-default regional sorting option.

 

Known issues

 

• [REMINDER] Some popular games may not work correctly on the most recent Insider Preview builds in the Canary Channel. Please be sure to submit feedback in Feedback Hub on any issues you see with playing games on these builds.
• [NEW] After Build 26002 is done downloading and is ready to restart to finish the installation, the restart button is missing from the Windows Update Settings page. You can reboot by clicking the Windows Update icon in the system tray or open Start and reboot from the power button there. After installing Build 26002, Windows Update settings page may not load correctly, but if you close Settings and re-open (or reboot) and navigate to the Windows Update settings page it should load again.
• We’re working on a fix for an issue where attempting to reboot into safe mode hangs on the boot logo.

You can check out the full blog post here.

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Although there are several methods to ensure your new Windows installation is free from bloat (you can use a clever region trick or a more radical approach with a modified Windows image), you may still find a few uninvited apps on your system. That is happening to some Windows users, according to Windows Latest.

The blog claims their PCs and virtual machines suddenly installed HP Smart, the app for managing HP printers and other peripherals. The head-scratching part is that none of those devices is connected or was connected to any HP accessory or account.

Check your system for software intruders. Image by Windows Latest.

A Microsoft spokesperson said that the company is aware of complaints and it is looking into the situation. Meanwhile, if you suddenly discovered the HP Smart app on your Windows 10 or 11 PC, feel free to purge it without remorse. Right-click the invader and select Uninstall.

It is also worth noting that the program appears to be coming from a legitimate source, so its presence should not mean your computer is infected with malware or adware. However, the latter is quite a topic for debate.

Interestingly, this is not the first time we see a Microsoft product doing weird things. A few months ago, Microsoft Edge users discovered that the browser installed the Google Docs extension without a warning or asking for permission. Whether intentional or not, such practices always spark outrage among consumers, and they will surely give Microsoft a hard time for the uninvited HP Smart app.

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This new feature is currently available to Insiders in the Canary Channel who have installed Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26002 and it introduces enhanced battery-saving capabilities that make it easy to lengthen battery lifespan by reducing energy usage and some system performance.

While available through the Quick Settings menu within the system tray, users can also configure it to toggle on automatically as soon as the device's battery level hits a predetermined threshold.

This energy-conserving mode can also be configured to run when the device is connected to a power source, meaning desktop users can also use it to lower their energy bill.

"It is an easy way to extend battery life and reduce energy use by trading off some system performance," said Microsoft's Amanda Langowski and Brandon LeBlanc.

"While optimized to extend battery life, energy saver will be available when PCs are plugged in (this includes desktop PCs) for those aiming to conserve energy all the time.

Users not yet enrolled in the Windows 11 Insider program can use the built-in battery-saver feature to extend their computer's battery life.

Activating the battery-saver mode will temporarily disable power-intensive processes such as automatic email and calendar synchronization, live tile updates, and inactive applications.

To toggle on the battery saver feature, go to Start > Settings > System > Power & battery. From there, you can configure it to automatically activate when the battery reaches a specific level by choosing a custom level next to "Turn battery saver on automatically at."

Additionally, Microsoft suggests setting a shorter duration for active displays, reducing the displays' brightness, changing your apps' background activity settings, choosing a more efficient power mode, or turning on airplane mode if you don't need Internet, Bluetooth, or other wireless connections.

Last week, the company also started rolling out the Copilot AI assistant to Windows 10 Insiders with eligible non-managed systems running Windows 10 22H2 Home and Pro editions.

However, as the company revealed when it confirmed the Copilot's Windows 10 rollout, the end of support date for Windows 10, October 14, 2025, remains unchanged.

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In 2022, the app got an update that changed its name to Phone Link while the Android companion app got a name change to Link to Windows. In 2023, Phone Link finally added support for Apple's iPhones as well.

Now, a new report claims it has found code strings in the Link to Windows Android app, which shows that a future update could allow Android devices to connect to the Phone Link app on Windows so the phone could serve as a streaming webcam for Windows PCs.

The article by Android Authority, based on an APK teardown of the Link to Windows app, states:

These strings indicate that once Microsoft’s Phone Link app is working on both connected devices, users would be able to start a camera stream that lets their phone’s camera be available to their Windows PC. The strings do not explicitly mention “webcam,” but other clues indicate that the feature would be related to video calls in some ways.

The article adds that other code strings indicate this feature could allow users to add some kind of effects to that video stream, although details of that string were not revealed. The story does speculate that if this feature is in active development, it may only be used by smartphones that use Link to Windows as a system app.

It's important to note that this kind of APK code examination does not mean Microsoft is, in fact, actively working on such a new feature for the Link to Windows app. Microsoft has yet to confirm or deny it is adding such a feature to the app.

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In a blog post this week, Microsoft revealed a few more Excel-related features that have recently been added. One is that the Workbook Links pane has been added to the Windows version:

The Workbook Links task pane improves the experience and reliability for working with linked files including the long asked for Find feature to help you figure out where the links are used

Microsoft 365 Insiders can now check out the new GROUPBY and PIVOTBY functions in Excel for Windows and Mac:

GROUPBY and PIVOTBY allow you to perform data aggregations using a single formula. All you need is just 3 arguments: i) What to group by, ii) the values to aggregate, and iii) the function you'd like to use for the aggregation

In this separate blog post from earlier this month, Microsoft goes into more detail on how the GROUPBY and PIVOTBY functions can help Excel users:

As functions, GROUPBY and PIVOTBY are lightweight, fully descriptive, automatically update and can depend on the result of other calculations. They also aggregate using lambda functions which unlock new aggregation capabilities.

Finally, the web version of Excel has added more trendline equation formatting controls, including number and font/fill/outline formatting in the chart format task pane.

We are still waiting for word on when Excel will add Copilot generative AI support for Python in the app. The public preview of this new feature is still supposed to launch by the end of 2023.

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The European Commission officially began its investigation into Microsoft for bundling Teams in July, over three years after Slack sent a complaint to the EU, stating that Microsoft was "hiding the true cost" of Teams to its customers by bundling it with Microsoft 365 with no option of offering Teams on its own.

In August, Microsoft announced it would offer Teams as a separate service in the European Economic Area, and Switzerland starting on October 1. The prices for that stand-alone service are €5 per month or €60 per year. Microsoft also announced plans to improve interoperability with Microsoft 365 and Office 365 with other apps and services along with adding support for "third-party solutions to host Office web applications."

However, these moves by Microsoft were reportedly not enough for the European Commission to stop their investigation. In this week's story, Reuters stated:

Regulators asked rivals to provide feedback from potential customers on how their services could operate in tandem with Microsoft's services, the pricing of products with and without Teams and eligibility criteria.

 

The EU enforcer also wanted to know whether it was easy for customers to switch to rivals, if network effects potentially block existing competitors or new ones from entering the market and whether cloud products could replace on-premise solutions.

The European Commission is reportedly planning to send a list of objections to Microsoft sometime in early 2024. Officially, Microsoft repeated previous statements that it was committed to finding solutions to address the needs of the EU regulators.

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While this sound may not be intrusive to everyone, there are certain situations where muting it is preferable, such as in quiet environments or when working late at night or you just don't like the sound itself.

Users of Reddit have created a post about how to turn off Opera startup sound, and they seem to be still searching for answers.

If you are among the ones who wonder how to turn off Opera startup sound, we have good news. You are at the right place!

How to turn off Opera startup sound

The Opera startup sound is a brief melody that plays when the browser is opened. It serves as an auditory cue to indicate that Opera is ready for use.

While some users find this sound to be a pleasant addition, others may find it distracting or unnecessary.

Unfortunately, Opera doesn't provide a built-in setting to disable the splash screen. However, there are a couple of workarounds that you can use to get rid of it.

Here is how to turn off Opera startup sound:

Method 1: Using a Hidden Flag

1. Open Opera and type opera://flags in the address bar
2. In the search bar, type intro
3. Select Disabled from the dropdown menu next to Opera One introduction
4. Click Relaunch now to restart Opera

This method should disable the splash screen and startup sound permanently.

Method 2: Deleting the Splash Screen File

Even tough the first method seems to work for most of the users, some of Opera GX users have reported that this method only temporarily disables the Opera startup sound.

But luckily, there is another answer to how to turn off Opera startup sound:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\[Version Number]
2. Delete the opera_gx_splash.exe file

This method will permanently remove the splash screen file, but you will need to repeat the process each time you update Opera.

The Opera team might be working on a preference to disable or remove the splash screen in future versions of the browser. The preference might be available in Opera 106 and later versions.

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The browser appears to be available on the Store only at the time and not as a separate download. The browser is the default mobile browser on all Samsung devices, but users may also install it on other Android devices.

Now, Samsung is promising the same browsing experience on Windows. The browser is based on Chromium, the core that powers browsers such as Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

The web browser includes major components of Samsung's Android browser. One of the key features is the ad-blocker and anti-tracking component. It is somewhat surprising that the ad blocking functionality is not turned on by default.

Head over to Settings > Privacy Dashboard, or load internet://settings/adBlockers, to change that. Click on the "off" button underneath Ad blocker on the page and change to change the status to basic or aggressive. This turns the content blocker on for all visited pages.

Samsung users may enable synchronization with the Samsung Cloud. The option is located under Sync and account in the Settings. There you may enable "sync with Samsung cloud" to connect to a Samsung account and enable syncing. A basic import option is also available, which imports (limited) data from other installed browsers on the local device.

Both options are limited in terms of what users can sync. Currently, only the browsing history, bookmarks and open tabs may be synced. Locally, imports from some browsers may even be limited to just importing the bookmarks. The first release lacks options to sync passwords and other data.

An option to optimize memory is present, but also disabled. You may turn it on under Performance in the Settings.

The browser lacks explanation for the feature though. It may put inactive tabs to sleep, but this is just a guess.

Users of Samsung's Internet browser on Android may notice that the Windows version lacks several features at this point. There is no option to download Translator, which you can do on Android to translate foreign language pages.

Good news is that you may install extensions from the Chrome Web Store to add functionality to the browser. This includes a translate add-on, but also any other extension that you may find useful.

Closing words

Samsung Internet offers a rather bare-bones experience at the time. It lacks some of the features that have made the Android version of the browser popular. Besides missing sync options and integrated add-ons, it is the performance-side that may cause worries for some users. Scrolling especially appears janky at times.

Samsung has to work on the browser to improve it. The Chromium core guarantees good web compatibility and it should also help improve performance. For now, it may be an option for die-hard Samsung users who want to sync data between their Android devices and the Windows version.

Everyone else may want to stay at the sideline for now and see how the browser develops in the next couple of years.

Now You: do you use Samsung Internet? Did you try it?

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Just a reminder: The Beta Channel update members can turn on a toggle that will let them get first access to new features. Turning the toggle off means those features won't be rolled out to them immediately, but they will get some additions that will be rolled out to all Beta Channel members.

Here is the changelog:

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

 

[Windows Share]

 

• If you’re signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID, in addition to being able to share to your Microsoft Teams (work or school) contacts, you can also now share directly to specific Microsoft Teams Channels and groups chats as well directly within the Windows share window.

 

[Windows Ink]

 

• We are expanding the ability to use digital handwriting (inking) in some edit boxes for Windows Ink to the following languages and locales: Chinese Simplified (People’s Republic of China), English (Australia), English (Canada), English (India), English (United Kingdom), French (Canada), French (France), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Japanese (Japan), Korean (Korea)Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Mexico), and Spanish (Spain). This also includes more accurate recognition technology, gestures to delete, select, join, and split words and also gesture to insert a new line.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• We improved process grouping in the processes page for Task Manager.

 

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

 

[Desktops]

 

• Fixed an issue that made the desktop tooltips in Task view hard to read in contrast themes.
• Fixed an issue where when dragging and dropping windows in Task View to different desktops, it might unexpectedly place the window in the background of other windows.

 

[Live captions]

 

• Fixed an issue that was causing live captions to sometimes show the same line of text twice.

 

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Beta Channel

 

[Settings]

 

• This update starts the roll out of account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts on the Settings homepage. A Microsoft account connects Windows to your Microsoft apps. The account backs up all your data and helps you manage your subscriptions. You can also add extra security steps to keep you from being locked out of your account. This feature displays notifications across the Start menu and Settings. You can manage Settings notifications in Settings > Privacy & security > General.

You can check out the full blog post here.

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For most Windows 10 and 11 users, including me, there have been no side effects as a result of November’s updates.

Nonetheless, there appear to be a few potholes in the road. That’s enough to make me cautious — I’m lowering the MS-DEFCON level to only 3.

One thing I did notice was updates taking more time to complete than usual — not a good sign. At the very least, it’s a good reason to take a look at the update history in Settings.

There does seem to be a smattering of problems with File Explorer and Start menus. We continue to examine this and will have a further report soon, but here’s some guidance. For Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, keep KB5032190 in mind. For Windows 10, look for KB5032189. Though these problems are not widespread, anyone using third-party tools for file management or replacement start menus should make sure the tools are completely up to date. If there are still problems, uninstall these two updates. See my recent post Need to uninstall an update? for help, including my advice to pause updates until these matters are resolved.

I’ve mentioned the arrival of Settings | System | For developers in both Windows 10 and 11. For Windows 11, the November update includes the new app Dev Home as a preview. I’m not exactly sure why Microsoft chose to create such a dashboard app, given that For developers seems to do the same things. But see Figure 1.

Figure 1. The Machine configuration panel in the new Dev Home app for Windows 11

Dev Home lets developers quickly set up a customized development environment, install relevant extensions, easily clone repos from GitHub, monitor projects from a personalized dashboard, and even create a dedicated file system for development — the Dev Drive. The obvious target is developers, but it’s a general part of Windows — any type of user can configure the PC for developers on any type of Windows 11 PC. I’ve seen it on my boring accountant workstations.

Developer mode is not for everyone, as Microsoft makes clear in its Enable your device for development post:

If you’re using your computer for ordinary day-to-day activities (such as gaming, web browsing, email, or Office apps), you don’t need to activate Developer Mode, and in fact, you shouldn’t activate it.

However, if you’re writing software with Visual Studio on a computer for the first time, you will need to enable Developer Mode on both the development PC and on any devices you’ll use to test your code. Opening a UWP project when Developer Mode isn’t enabled will either open the For developers settings page, or cause [a warning dialog to appear in Visual Studio.]

It’s easy to disable Developer Mode in Settings, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Disable Developer Mode in Settings.

You can also completely remove the Dev Home app, using the following PowerShell command:

Removing the app won’t impact your system in any way. And note that the above command removes the Dev Home app but does not affect Settings.

Many system administrators are wondering why we are all considered developers now!

For me, the biggest piece of news was learning that Windows Copilot would be dribbling out to Windows 10! It will be a staged release, coming first to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview channel and later to unmanaged systems. By “unmanaged,” Microsoft means any system that uses Windows Update. If your systems are patched through the auspices of some sort of third-party patching tool, Copilot will not automatically be pushed.

AI is top of mind again, with the chaos caused by the ousting of Sam Altman from OpenAI, his apparent move to Microsoft, and then his reinstatement at OpenAI. It’s hard to know how disruptive this might be for Copilot, but I’d rather wait for Copilot to move out of preview mode before taking it seriously. After all, the very fact that the icon for Copilot contains the letters “PRE” tells me Microsoft is beta testing, using us as its unwilling test subjects.

If you’d rather not be a participant in the AI revolution and want to wait for any bugs and issues to be resolved, remove Copilot from Windows (10 or 11) by downloading our Registry file to block Windows Copilot or by using our Group Policy files:

To use the local Group Policy editor to block Windows Copilot:

Figure 3. Disabling Windows Copilot in Local Group Policy Editor

InControl, from Gibson Research, is my recommended tool for controlling Windows features. I particularly recommend it for keeping Windows 11 on 22H2. However, it’s important to keep in mind that InControl does not block security updates —  it controls only the feature releases.

If you want to push off and control updates, you will need to use one of the tools on the BlockAPatch page or merely choose the option to defer updates for several weeks. I mention this because I’ve seen some confusion about it in the forums.

For those of you with Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 who are not licensed for the Extended Security updates and who attempt to download and install any of the Server updates, you will note that they fail to install. Even though the updates may still be published to the Microsoft catalog, you will need ESU licensing to use them. I recommend that you review your options to isolate or migrate as soon as you can.

If you’ve begun the rollout of Windows 11 23H2 in your firm, you’ll note that Microsoft has included “Chat is now Microsoft Teams (free!) and is pinned by default to the taskbar.”

If you want to keep track of what Microsoft has dribbled out over the past few months in Windows 11 22H2, the best way to do so is to bookmark and follow the Microsoft page Features added to Windows 11 since version 22H2. Once you have installed the 23H2 release, the Touch-optimized taskbar for 2-in-1 devices, Copilot in Windows, the Dev Home app, and Dev Drive are immediately available.

The other day, a friend complained that she couldn’t stream a yoga class from her iPad. She had recently moved from the East Coast, where high-speed fibre-optic services are readily available, to the “snowless” west, where we are a bit behind in rolling out fast Internet. As a result, she was finding it necessary to fiddle with video quality settings to make the streaming work better.

Like many of you, she relies on streaming for her entertainment needs and found that, whereas her Fire TV Stick worked relatively well, her iPad was causing her grief. She also has a newer iPhone, so I asked whether she had attempted to stream the video from it. Sure enough, the newer iPhone worked flawlessly.

Why wasn’t her iPad doing as well? It turns out that hers was an older model. It is still getting security updates (the latest came in October) and has plenty of storage, but it’s clearly starting to fall behind. Inevitably, she will need to use her new iPhone or more recent MacBook instead.

Although younger folks tend to use their phones for everything, many of us prefer larger displays for entertainment. So remember: You can obtain cables to connect your iPhone to a big TV so you don’t need to squint or use a magnifying glass to watch videos.

If something you want to watch doesn’t stream well (or at all) on one device, check your other devices to see whether they have the same kinds of problems. If so, the problem is not with your device but rather with the particular streaming service you are using or with your connection speed. Run a speed test from the problematic device to rule out any issues with the wireless or network connection. If the speed test is fine, and if streaming is good on other devices, you’re in my friend’s shoes — planned obsolescence.

Plan accordingly. Or just use another device.

Resources

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Today, Microsoft announced a number of new features to the Updates apps that it claims will help streamline workers' reports and more.

In a blog post, Microsoft stated:

To help customers better understand the Updates app's value and streamline the team reporting process, we have upgraded the product's appearance and user experience. This makes it easier to convey the product's value and applicable scenarios, while simplifying the process of creating requests and submitting reports.

The Updates app in Teams has also added a new export feature, which will allow users to send all of their update submissions to be collected into an Excel spreadsheet. Microsoft says this should make it easier for users to analyze that data and also to share it with others via Excel.

In addition, The Updates app includes a feature that allows employee-submitted data to be organized by questions. For example, one of the questions might be, "How many projects are you working on?", with the numbered answer displayed. Employers can use data collected and organized in this way to better view what their employees are working on and if they need help in that area.

Teams also allows workers to "like" info on the Updates app submitted by others as well as leave comments. The blog states these specific features were put in " to boost teamwork and make work more efficient."

Microsoft launched the new "Teams 2.0" app for Windows and Mac in early October. The old "classic" version of the Teams app is scheduled to auto update to the new Teams app after March 31, 2024.

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Microsoft Stream - Copilot is coming and more

The Microsoft Stream business-based video streaming service had a couple of upcoming features added to the roadmap this week. That includes the latest Copilot generative AI assistant for the web version in February 2024:

Copilot in Stream leverages LLM (Large Language Model) AI technology to help you quickly get the insights you need from Stream (on SharePoint) videos. With Copilot in Stream you can quickly and effectively summarize any video with a transcript, or ask deep dive questions for topics you need to understand. This feature is only available for customers who have purchased the Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

Another feature that will roll out in March 2024 for the web and mobile versions of Microsoft Stream will add some new editing functions:

Microsoft Stream (on SharePoint) will soon introduce a video trimming feature which will allow users with edit permissions to trim the start, end and any parts in the middle of a video. When you trim a video, Stream won’t change the original video file itself. Instead, it just hides the trimmed parts from your viewers. When you're done trimming you can toggle to the preview mode to see the trimmed video just like your viewers will see. When a video is trimmed the transcript and chapters will be adjusted automatically to reflect only what is shown in the video. People with edit permission will be able to see full original content and edit or delete those trimmed parts. When available this feature can be accessed by opening a video in the Stream web app and taping the edit button.

Microsoft Teams - In-app Teams devices store is coming

Microsoft Teams users on the web and desktop will see a new way to purchase Teams devices from within the app in February 2024.

With the Teams device store experience inside the Teams app, customers can easily discover and purchase certified Teams devices for personal or shared use cases – headsets, web cameras, desk phones, Teams Rooms, and more. Explore devices in categories, use search or filters to find desired device, and purchase all through the familiar Microsoft Teams interface. We are introducing a new experience for small businesses to purchase devices directly within Teams, businesses in the US and Canada will now be able to complete their purchase without leaving the app.

That's all for this week's Microsoft 365 Roadmap weekly roundup. We will be back in seven days with another look at upcoming features.

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In a tweet, Mikhail Parakhin, President of Search and Advertising at Microsoft, acknowledged the Firefox compatibility issues and stated that the company is working on resolving them. Firefox is not a Chromium-based browser, which is why the compatibility issues exist.

Firefox has been in the news again this week in relation to a controversial decision by YouTube to intentionally slow down the loading of videos on Firefox. This move is believed to be an attempt by YouTube to prevent ad-blocking, as many Firefox users rely on its built-in ad-blocker. However, this decision has faced criticism from Firefox users, who view it as an unfair move by YouTube.

The controversy has sparked a wider debate about the role of ad-blockers and how much control tech companies like YouTube have over users’ online experience.

Back to the story, Microsoft has not yet provided a timeline for when the plugins and no search rollout will be available on Firefox. However, the company is committed to resolving the issues as soon as possible.

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Since tiny11 2311 is based on the latest Windows 11 release, version 23H2, it contains all the new features Microsoft introduced, including Copilot (this requires downloading Microsoft Edge via winget since there are no preinstalled browsers), native RAR support, the redesigned volume slider, RGB controls in the Settings app, and more.

Compared to the previous tiny11 release, version 2311 is 20% smaller, allowing you to reclaim even more storage on your system drive. In addition, it is fully serviceable, which means you can download and install cumulative updates to keep your computer safe and receive future improvements. If you want an even smaller image, check out tiny11 core—it only requires 3GB of disk space.

It is also worth noting that making a Windows image more than two times smaller than the original requires removing a log of components, including Xbox-related features. However, according to the developers, downloading an Xbox title from the Microsoft Store should restore removed gaming features. You can also add .NET 3.5 and additional languages if necessary.

You can download tiny11 2311 using this link (direct link to Internet Archive shared by the developer on their X account), but you must sign up with an Internet Archive beforehand.

Important: tiny11 2311 is not activated. Like the standard Windows 11 image, it requires a genuine Windows 11 or 10 key. As a reminder, Microsoft recently retired old Windows 7 and 8/8.1 keys, and you can no longer use them to activate modern Windows versions. That might be why some Windows 10 and 11 users are experiencing issues with their system activations.

Do not download tiny11 2311 if you do not trust the developer. Using modified Windows images always involves risks, so beware.

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The developer released Notepad++ 8.6 to celebrate the anniversary. The announcement of the new release reveals information about the past 20 years of the project.

It is an interested read. Even Notepad++, which many consider the best plain text editor for Windows, had to gain popularity in the beginning. The developer admits that he had to sign-up for various forums to promote the new text editor.

This changed soon thereafter as the popularity of the text editor increased.

Fun fact: our first mention of Notepad++ here on this site was in 2006, just months after the official launch of the site.

Notepad++ 8.6 features

Notepad++ 8.6 is a smaller release that includes bug fixes for the most part. However, it also includes new multi-edit capabilities that allow users to add or remove characters from multiple positions in a text document.

Notepad++'s multi-column edit feature allows users to select multiple entries that are adjacent to each other in the document. Multi-edit drops that limitation, so that any matching string can be selected, regardless of position in the document.

The text editor highlights all matching strings in the document automatically when you make a selection.

The online help suggests to use Ctlr-click to select others. This did not work during tests and the preference Enable Multi-Editing was not present in Editing either.

In any event, the feature makes editing multiple entries in a Notepad document easier. You may use it to adjust multiple strings quickly, e.g., variables, or remove certain items quicker.

Multi-select background and care colours are now also customizable. Great if you don't like the default colour scheme for the functionality.

The second new feature in the release is the ability to remember inaccessible files from past sessions. The option is found under Backup in the preferences.

The remaining changes are bug fixes, which you find listed when you first start the text editor after installation or update.

Closing Words

Notepad++ continues to be an excellent plain text editor for Windows. It will be interesting to see where it stands in 20 years from today.

Now You: do you use Notepad++ or another plain text editor on Windows?

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Narrator is a key accessibility feature of the Windows operating system. It may read aloud text that the operating system displays on the screen. It is commonly started with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Windows-Enter. Other options include opening the Start Menu, typing Narrator and selecting the result, or by typing Narrator in a command prompt window or the run box (Windows-R). Narrator is also baked into the setup process of the operating system to assist users who want to use it or require it.

Tip: you can stop Narrator from reading aloud with the shortcut CapsLock-Esc.

Microsoft notes that Narrator is present on the Windows installation, but that it may launch in an "unresponsive state" when it is started using any available option during setup.

The issue may affect Windows 11 installations only if the operating system is installed using physical media or disc images, e.g., from an USB stick after using Microsoft's official tool or third-party tools such as Rufus or Ventoy. The installation via media or ISO images offers some advantages over installations via Windows Update. Besides the ability to reuse the installation media as often as necessary, it also supports making some configuration changes, e.g., to bypass hardware requirement checks.

Only Windows 11 version 23H2 appears to be affected by the issue. No other client or server version of Windows is affected, at least according to the information that Microsoft provides.

Microsoft notes that Narrator should work fine after setup furthermore saying that the assistive tool "should continue to work as expected once the installation is completed".

A workaround is not available at this stage. Some Windows 11 users may overcome the issue by installing the latest feature update using Windows Update. Others may want to wait with the installation, if possible, until the issue is resolved.

The Narrator issue is the first Windows 11 version 23H2 issue that Microsoft confirmed publicly.

Now You: do you rely on assistive technology in Windows?

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Google has made some improvements to it. Firstly, they have moved the “Performance” entry to the main menu for easier access. Secondly, they have integrated the “Memory Saver” and “Battery Saver” sections into the Performance panel. Hence, users now have a centralized location to manage these important aspects.

I find the Performance panel’s centralized location of tools incredibly helpful as it simplifies performance management. With this feature, I can easily monitor and optimize resource utilization, which makes my work much more efficient and effective.

Moreover, the Performance panel can now be pinned to the toolbar for quick access, allowing users to monitor and manage their browser’s performance without navigating numerous menus.

The pinning feature allows users to keep the Performance panel readily accessible, enabling them to address performance issues and maintain a smooth browsing experience proactively.

I think the enhanced accessibility and functionality of the Performance panel will undoubtedly empower users to optimize their Chrome usage and enjoy a smoother, more responsive browsing experience.

What are your thoughts on it?

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You can now save reels created by public accounts to your camera roll – any reel you download will include a watermark with the creator’s Instagram handle. We rolled this out in the US earlier this year, and now it’s available globally.

To download a Reel on Instagram, you can tap on the Share button and choose Download from the options present at the bottom. You can find the downloaded Instagram Reels in the camera roll or gallery on your phone. The Reels you download from a public account will have the creator's Instagram handle watermarked in the video.

Creators have the ability to stop people from downloading their videos, however, you can still save those Reels to your collections. The feature, which was first introduced in June this year, is already available on Instagram's rival platform TikTok which also lets creators disable the download feature for their account.

In recent news, the Meta-owned company now allows its users to share Reels and Posts with their Close Friends list. It's also testing the ability to turn off "Seen" status, holiday bonuses for creators, creative carousel posts, and multiple audience lists. Meta is bringing paid subscriptions for Instagram and Facebook users in Europe who want to opt out of ads on the social media platforms.

Instagram also added a much-requested feature that lets users delete their Threads profile without saying goodbye to their Instagram account. Mark Zuckerberg revealed last month that the recently launched social media platform had its monthly active user count close to 100 million.

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Luckily, there is a much simpler method that does not require editing the registry or faking your location. As it turned out (via Deskmodder), Windows manages new region policies using a JSON file inside the system32 folder. Modifying that file allows force-enabling specific features in unsupported regions. Here is how to do it.

1. Ensure you are on Windows 10 build 19045.3757 or Windows 11 build 22621/31.2787 or higher. As of November 22, 2023, those updates are only available to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel, but you can expect them soon in the Stable Channel.
2. Download ViVeTool from GitHub. You need this app to enable a hidden feature currently rolling out to Insiders. Extract the app in any folder you like.
3. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and navigate to the ViVeTool folder using the CD command. Here is an example: CD C:\vive.
4. Type vivetool /enable /id:44353396 and press Enter.
5. Restart your computer.
6. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\system32. Find the IntegratedServicesRegionPolicySet file, right-click it, and select Properties.
7. You need to take ownership of the file: go to the Security tab and click Advanced.
8. Click Change next to Owner.

    

   
9. Type Administrators in the "Enter the object name to select" box, then click Check names.

    

   
10. Save the changes and return to the Properties window.
11. Click Edit, select Administrators, and place a checkmark next to Full Control under Allow.
12. Save the changes, then copy the file to another folder as a backup.
13. Open Notepad as Administrator: press Win + R, type notepad, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter.
14. Find the setting you want to enable. The option to uninstall Edge is first in the list.
15. Change defaultState from disabled to enabled (or vice versa).

     

    
16. Press Win + R and type regedit.
17. Go to Computer\HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\International\Geo and check the Name value date. You need to add that value to the list of supported countries in the JSON file.
18. Return to Notepad and add your country name to the list of supported regions as specified in Registry Editor.

     

    
19. Save the changes and restart your computer.

You can now uninstall Edge or apply other EU-exclusive changes, even if you live in the United States or another country. Tip: repair Edge in the Control Panel if you see the uninstall button in the context menu, but the same button is grayed out in the Settings app. After that, Windows should let you delete the browser. In addition, the change should persist when installing updates or running "health-restoring" commands (DISM).

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Last week, Microsoft announced that its long-in-development Loop collaboration app and service was finally launched in general availability for Microsoft 365 commercial users. Today, the company announced a new Loop feature is now live that will let those users export tables made in the app automatically to Excel spreadsheets.

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

When you’re collaborating as a team on a project, you may choose to add Loop tables to gather data and perform calculations. You can now export the tables to applications such as Excel so you can leverage its capabilities to perform any needed calculations. To ensure compatibility, Loop’s table data type is mapped to the most relevant format in Excel.

The process is pretty simple. Microsoft 365 commercial users can go to loop.microsoft.com, and then create a new table or open an existing one. Then they can click on the six-dot menu on the table and then select the Export to Excel option. That's all there is to it. Your Loop table and its data are automatically created in an Excel spreadsheet and are available to access in your OneDrive account and also in your SharePoint account.

Again, Loop users with a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 commercial license are able to use this new Excel table feature. There's no word on if this might be expanded to consumer Microsoft 365 users.

While Loop is now generally available, Microsoft has plans to add even more features to the collaborative service in the near future. That includes the ability to create a Loop workspace after a Microsoft Teams meeting, Microsoft is also working to add features like workspace descriptions and status updates on subjects such as upcoming deadlines and more. Those last two changes are current available in private preview form.

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Caution: Mind the risks of using a modern OS on incompatible hardware. Microsoft may refuse to provide support, plus you might encounter reduced performance, bugs, and other nastiness. If you plan to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 23H2 on an unsupported computer, back up important data before pulling the trigger.

It is also worth noting that even though we checked all three methods when writing this guide, Microsoft might change how things work at any moment without a warning.

Here are quick links for your convenience:

• I want to upgrade my unsupported PC to Windows 11 version 23H2
• I want to install Windows 11 version 23H2 on my unsupported PC (clean installation)
  • Without third-party apps
  • Using a third-party app

How to update an unsupported PC from Windows 10 to Windows 11 23H2?

Here is a recently discovered quick and easy method to update your unsupported computer from Windows 10 to Windows 11 version 23H2. It does not require third-party apps or scripts, so it is a great option for those who do not trust unofficial tools or modified images.

1. Download a Windows 11 version 23H2 image from the official website. You can use a direct link or the Media Creation Tool app. Microsoft has finally updated it, and it now properly downloads 23H2 images. A bootable USB drive with Windows 11 23H2 will also work.
2. Mount the downloaded image or connect your bootable USB drive.
3. Launch Command Prompt as Administrator: press Win + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. User mode will also work, but the system will show a UAC prompt upon launching the setup app.
4. Type X:/setup.exe /product server. Replace X with your mounted Windows 11 image or USB letter.

   

    

5. Command Prompt will launch the setup process without checking for TPM or a matching processor. Note that the command cannot change your system edition—it only tricks the setup app into thinking you are trying to install the Server edition. The installation will proceed with the SKU matching your Windows 10 copy.
6. Follow on-screen instructions to complete the process. Once everything is done, you will have Windows 11 version 23H2 running on unsupported hardware with all your files and apps untouched (assuming you picked that option during the initial setup).

How to install Windows 11 version 23H2 on an unsupported PC?

Without third-party apps:

This method does not require third-party applications or scripts. However, you need a registry file with values set to force the setup process to bypass TPM, RAM, and processor checks. These values are easy to read, so you can be sure you are not injecting any unwanted third-party code.

Copy the following text:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

 

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PCHC]
"UpgradeEligibility"=dword:00000001

 

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\LabConfig]
"BypassTPMCheck"=dword:00000001 "BypassSecureBootCheck"=dword:00000001 "BypassRAMCheck"=dword:00000001 "BypassStorageCheck"=dword:00000001 "BypassCPUCheck"=dword:00000001 "BypassDiskCheck"=dword:00000001

Launch Notepad, paste the copied text, and save the file. Enable file extensions in File Explorer and change the file's extension from txt to reg. Now you have the necessary registry file.

1. Create a bootable USB using the Media Creation Tool app from the official website.
2. Copy the registry file to your bootable USB.
3. Boot from the USB and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Once you get the error screen claiming your computer is not eligible, press Ctrl + Shift + F10 and type notepad in the Command Prompt window.
5. In Notepad, click File > Open and go to your bootable drive.

   

    

6. Select All Files from the Files of type dropdown.
7. Find the registry file and right-click it, then select Merge. Confirm the changes and close Notepad and Command Prompt.
8. Go back one step to close the error message and try again. The setup app should prompt you to accept the license terms and proceed with the installation.
9. Continue installing Windows as usual.

Using a third-party app (easier)

A third-party app for creating bootable USB drives can automate the process and give you bootable media ready for installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware without extra steps or registry hacks. It can also equip your Windows image with additional conveniences, like skipping the Microsoft Account requirement, bypassing privacy toggles, etc.

1. Download your Windows 11 version 23H2 image from the official website. You can also use this guide to learn how to download Windows images using Rufus.
2. Download Rufus from the official website. Rufus is a free, open-source app many people use for creating bootable media.
3. Connect your USB stick and launch Rufus. Select the drive from the Device drop-down list.
4. Select Disk or ISO image and click Select.
5. Specify your Windows 11 ISO and leave everything else as is.
6. Click Start.
7. Place a checkmark next to the "Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0." It is necessary to install Windows 11 version 23H2 on an unsupported PC. You can also use additional options for extra convenience.

   

    

8. Wait for the app to finish creating your bootable USB.
9. Now you can boot from your newly made media to install Windows 11 version 23H2 without extra steps or tweaks.

That is how you install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware. You may find other methods, but we prepared the easiest ones in this article.

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