Microsoft Outlook team members discussed plans for the new Windows version in an extended video posted on the Microsoft 365 YouTube channel.

The video featured Robert Navitsky, the Partner Director of Engineering for the Outlook team along with Margie Clinton, who is Microsoft's Principal Group Product Manager for that same team.

One of the goals of the new Outlook for Windows, according to Clinton, is to develop one code base that can be used to cover different platforms, rather than a separate code base for the "classic" Windows 32-bit app, the web version, and the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows 10. Clinton stated:

And that is what an illustration and example of what we envision is a single Outlook that is scalable, flexible and customizable to be one offering that can work for every Windows user and it is consistent across all the different kinds of use cases that we would have.

The new Outlook for Windows will have a number of new features, along with some features that were available in Outlook on the web but were not included in the classic Windows app or the Windows 10 Mail and Calendar apps. Clinton stated:

So things like being able to add all of your account types, being able to have the ribbon customization that I was showing you, being able to use categories and other things like calendar layouts to be able to tune how it looks for you as well as productivity. Things that people really love,

For example, schedule, send e-mail, or one of the favorite ones that is called out as people really loving and I personally love it as well. It's being able to pin important items to the top of your mailbox. So it sits up there until you go and get it taken care of.

The feedback from people who have used the public preview of Outlook for Windows is very important, according to Clinton. Much of that feedback will be added to the new app, including features like third-party account support, offline use, and much more.

Navitsky went over exactly when the new Outlook will replace the "classic" Windows 32-bit app. He stated:

We like to give at least one year's notice between the notification and the actual disruptive change.

Right now the Outlook team is getting close to sending out that notification but they are still taking feedback from users. Also, the timeline for replacing the classic Windows Outlook with the new Outlook will be different than the timeline for replacing the Mail and Calendar Windows 10 apps with the new Outlook for Windows.

There's a lot more information in the video so you should check it out to get the full skinny on Microsoft's plans to deploy the new Outlook for Windows app.

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On his YouTube channel, NTDEV decided to see if he could run multiple versions of Windows inside each other, like a virtual version of a Russian nesting doll.

You can check out the final result in the clip above. On his X (formerly Twitter) feed, NTDEV says he used VMWare Workstation for this particular "Winception" and an AMD CPU that supported the nested virtualization.

Ultimately, he was able to get Windows 10 to run in Windows 11, Windows 8.1 to run in Windows 10, Windows 8 to run inside Windows 8.1 and finally, he managed to get Windows 7 running inside Windows 8.

He also showed that while the CPU usage at that point wasn't terribly high, he mentioned that it was still getting sluggish after he started running the Windows 7 virtual version. That's the main reason why he didn't go further with, say, running Windows Vista inside of Windows 7.

While this kind of demo is ultimately just for fun, it also shows how virtual desktops and virtualization in general has advanced along with powerful CPUs that can support this kind of cool nesting OS experiment.

Of course, NTDEV is still best known for his "Tiny" OS mods. Just a couple of weeks ago he launched his latest Tiny10 release, version 23H2. Among other things, the new version added some improvements to make it compatible with more Windows components.

Users can now install a number of standard Windows features in the new build, including Media Player, while also restoring support for NET Framework 3.5 NET Framework 3.5. You can download the latest Tiny10 version right now from the Internet Archive site.

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Petri reports, via a post on the private Microsoft 365 admin center site, that the public preview of the Mac client for the new Teams will be available sometime later in early September 2023. Admins who are a part of Microsoft 365's public preview and/or its targeted release programs should see the toggle to switch from the current Teams Mac client to the new Teams Mac app in the near future.

Once the public preview for the new Teams Mac client begins, users can access it, and then switch back to the current Teams client at any time, according to Microsoft.

The main improvements in the new Microsoft Teams 2.0 come on the back end. Microsoft claims that users should see the app launch up to twice as fast compared to the current version, and also join meetings up to twice as fast as well. At the same time, the app should use up to 50 percent less memory on their Mac PC and use up to 70 percent less storage than the current edition.

Besides the performance upgrades, the new Teams will also offer other features including simplified actions to reduce the amount of clutter for things like notifications, messages, and more. Users will also be able to remain signed into the new Teams app, even if they switch to different organizations and accounts. Recently, Microsoft announced the new Teams will make it easier for users to switch between chats with different groups in the same organization.

Microsoft has stated that the new Microsoft Teams app should become generally available sometime in October 2023. Also, Anupam Pattnaik, Microsoft's Product Lead for the revamped Teams version, stated earlier this year in a podcast interview that the new Teams will become the default version by late 2023.

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The most notable additions include the option to categorize your passwords and add notes. When saving or creating a password, Microsoft Edge will let you select a category: business, email, entertainment, finance, games, news, shopping, social media, sports, tech, travel, utilities, and others. Sadly, the current Wallet version in Microsoft Edge Canary does not support custom categories, so users must pick one from 14 prebuilt variants (via).

In addition to categorizing passwords, Microsoft Edge will allow adding notes, like Google Chrome and various free and premium password managers.

You can try the updated password manager in Microsoft Edge by doing the following:

1. Update Microsoft Edge Canary to the latest build. Head to edge://settings/help to check for updates. You can download Microsoft Edge Canary from the official Edge Insider website and run it alongside other channels, including Stable.
2. Open edge://flags, find the "Edge Password Manager V2" flag and enable it. Alternatively, use the edge://flags/#edge-password-manager-v2 link. Restart the browser.
3. Go to edge://wallet/passwords or click your profile icon and press the password button with a key icon.

Microsoft is rolling out new features for Edge insiders gradually. If the latest password manager improvements are not there, try again in a few days. Also, password notes are not fully implemented—you can add notes, but the browser will not save them.

In case you missed it, Microsoft recently deprecated several Edge niche features to simplify the browser. Kids Mode, Citation, Math Solver, Picture Dictionary, and Grammar Tools are no longer in active development, and Microsoft will remove them from Edge in future updates. You can learn more about it in our dedicated article.

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The developer of the software likes to define WinPaletter as the "Advanced Windows Appearance Editor" and offers features that help to modify Windows metrics and fonts, alter wallpaper tones, and add classic colours and themes, and more.

The new version gets multiple new features and improvements. These include a new WinPaletter store, Startup sounds, a help (wiki) section, reduced memory footprint, and many more changes. And there are bug fixes as well, which include an app crash fix, among many others. The full changelog for WinPaletter version 1.0.8.0 (stable) is given below:

New Features:

1. WinPaletter Store:

• You can now apply themes from the Store either online or offline from local folder
• You can also upload your themes
• Read this to know more about WinPaletter Store
• WinPaletter Store is redesigned from latest beta versions

2. Help (Wiki)

• This will help you use WinPaletter, making it simpler than before
• Visit it
• Help buttons are added to most forms to redirect you to related wiki page

3. Sounds #138:

• Now you can modify most Windows sounds events entries, including Windows Vista to 11 startup

4. Screen Saver #138:

• You might not know it, it was an animated full-screen window to save\preserve CRT monitors in the past
• You can select a file that you can get online or from an old Windows, its extension is .scr
• You can find some screen savers in %windir%\System32

5. Wallpaper #137:

• Now you can select an image or a colour to be set as your wallpaper, and you can also change its style
• Wallpaper tone feature has been moved here to Wallpaper

6. WinPaletter application theme:

• Now you can change the colours/style of WinPaletter itself, to make it consistent with a theme you design
• You can prevent or block its actions by going to Settings > Appearance and uncheck (Make WinPaletter appearance is managed by the loaded theme ......)

7. Theme file (*.wpth) reading/writing mechanism is rewritten:

• Now, theme file contents will be written as JSON that is better in coding, this new theme file format is valid for WinPaletter 1.0.7.7 and higher not lower
• You can convert themes made by old versions of WinPaletter to make them compatible with new WinPaletter versions
• New format can be compressed to save space especially for WinPaletter Store, to make loading themes from servers quick
• New format can have an external theme resources pack file that contains images. sounds, screen savers,... that is loaded each time you load its theme. And this is useful for sharing themes especially through WinPaletter Store
• External theme resources pack can be made by pressing edit button in main window (Pencil icon) and go to 'Theme resources pack' and check its choice

8. Theme file info:

• New options are added in WinPaletter theme info, including info for Store that is useful for uploading themes, options related to external themes resources pack and theme credits\licenses
• Edit these info by pressing edit button in main window (Pencil icon), open all tabs and then edit the info

9. Windows Effects new features:

• colours Filter (Accessibility feature) #136
• Hide scrollbar in modern Windows 10/11 apps #135
• Full Screen start menu for Windows 10
• Enable Windows 7 taskbar volume mixer for Windows 10 only

10. Metrics and Fonts new features:

• You can change Shell Icon and Shell Small Icon for Windows XP #133
• In Miscellaneous, you can make the fonts "Single bit per pixel" to give your fonts the look of old versions of Windows

11. WinPaletter settings read/write mechanism is re-written

And this is to make it more organized (each section is in a separate key (folder)) and export/import mechanisms changed to be with JSON format. Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WinPaletter\Settings after opening WinPaletter to know the changed mechanism if you are curious

Improvements:

• colour item info:

  • It was formely named nerd colour info
  • There will be a dot inside colour info rectangle to indicate that the choosen colour is not as the default colour
  • colour picker control is now condensed, the previous one was extremely big compared to its contents
  • New settings section:
    • Make colour label more transparent
    • Use default Windows monospaced font instead of JetBrains Mono
    • Use classic colour picker instead of WinPaletter's default one on pressing on a colour palette item

• Extensive reduction in memory (RAM) ussage:

   

  1. Removed fonts lists in consoles\terminals, being replaced by native Windows Fonts picker (to reduce large memory allocation while loading list of fonts)
  2. Improvements in loading language file (less memory usage and quick application loading time)
  3. Fix memory leak on palette extraction from image
  4. Improvements in loading wallpaper thumbnail, with fixing its bug #166

• Updated JetbrainMono font to v2.304

• Patching imageres.dll is blocked by defaults in settings, read this for more info

• Save theme confirmation dialog redesigned, with new applying options (first theme and default Windows)

• Bug reporting (Exceptions errors handling) improvements

• Now WinPaletter will always start elevated (start as administrator) to make applying themes quicker as much as possible, and to avoid patching imageres.dll error (on changing Windows startup sound)

• Drag and drop preview is removed (as this feature is not supported in any Windows application started as administrator)

• Language items/texts of What's new labels will be neither loaded nor exported in/from it to avoid confusion between newly added labels' texts and old language translation

• Embedded assemblies (references) are now compressed (to try to make WinPaletter with a small file size as much as possible)

Bugs fixes:

• OS detection method changed to avoid bug #164
• Application startup crash #153
• Fix no wallpaper preview with wallpaper sideshow or windows spotlight is enabled
• WinPaletter update error #154
• Fix wrong preview of colour on Windows 11/10 taskbar
• Fix wallpaper preview is not synchronized in Windows XP
• Fix application crash on starting WinPaletter with classic theme enabled
• Windows Terminal:
  • Fixed edit button sets wrong text on pressing cancel
  • Fix error occuring during loading Windows Terminal preferences that inhibits the application from opening #147
• Fix bug of Windows 8.1 Start screen black rectangles if designing theme from another version of Windows (not 8.1)
• Fix Windows 7 and 8.1 logonUI/lock screen applying error
• Fix applying fonts size trouble with high DPI #157 #160
• Metrics and fonts form error #155
• Fix error on pressing 'Logoff' button on main form #141 #167
• Fix theme apply error on applying Windows Effects #163
• Windows switcher crash #149
• Fix bug of dark/light mode loading in 'Language add snippet' form
• UI #134
• Spelling correction #140

To download WinPaletter version 1.0.8.0, head over to its GitHub page. Keep in mind though that this is a third-party software not affiliated with Microsoft in any way. The utility is also unsigned so Defender or web browsers like Mozilla Firefox will block its download or installation.

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Linux Lite 6.6

Jerry Bezencon announced today the release and general availability of the Ubuntu-based Linux Lite 6.6 distribution as a major update to this lightweight OS leveraging the Xfce desktop environment.

Coming five months after Linux Lite 6.4, the Linux Lite 6.6 release is derived from Canonical’s recently released Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) operating system and it’s powered by the long-term supported Linux 5.15 LTS kernel series. However, users will also be able to upgrade to the latest Linux 6.5 kernel series.

The biggest change in this release is support for 22 new languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Croatian, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese Brazilian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Sweden, and Ukrainian.

These new languages are now supported across various areas of Linux Lite’s interface, including the applications menu, right-click menu, folder names, Linux Lite application names, desktop icons, as well as My Computer menu names.

Having completed a fresh install of Linux Lite 6.6, once you have restarted after the first login, full language support will be available across the entire menu and sub-menu system. If there are still menu entries that are not in your language, then consider contributing a translation to that developer’s software,” said Jerry Bezencon.

Another interesting feature of the Linux Lite 6.6 release is the implementation of an interactive AI Helper utility that will give you instant support in real-time. The AI helper tool was added to the Lite Welcome app under the Support section.

In addition, the Lite Welcome app received a new functionality that will display an “Install Now” button if Linux Lite is running in live mode from a bootable USB flash drive. When Linux Lite is installed on your computer, the “Install Now” button will no longer be accessible in Lite Welcome.

Other than that, this new Linux Lite release comes with the latest Papirus icon theme, the latest stable versions for some of the pre-installed apps and packages, new wallpapers, as well as various other tweaks and changes to make your Linux Lite experience better.

Linux Lite 6.6 is available for download right now from the forum announcement page or by clicking on the direct download link below. Existing Linux Lite users will be able to upgrade their installations by following the instructions from the announcement page linked above.

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Noted Microsoft leaker "WalkingCat" has posted a brief video clip of what appears to be a promotional video from Microsoft on his X (formerly Twitter) account. The clip shows some icons floating about, and a search bar with the words "Help me get organized" The clip then shows the OneDrive logo and finally a message: "See What's Next for OneDrive on Oct. 3".

It's possible that the October 3 day could refer to Microsoft's Power Platform Conference, which is being held in Las Vegas from October 3-5. We have contacted Microsoft to see if it can confirm plans to make a OneDrive announcement on that date and at that event.

There hasn't been a lot of news concerning updates to OneDrive for some time. It's possible Microsoft could be working on some generative AI features for the service, similar to its Microsoft 365 Copilot and Windows Copilot updates.

Some of the more recent OneDrive-related updates from Microsoft include the company removing access to unlimited cloud storage for its business customers.

In May, OneDrive got a refreshed look on its web for its education and business customers and added features like a “For you” area, which uses AI-powered file recommendations in order to bring up files that should be available specifically for each user.

More recently, members of the Xbox Insider Program got to try out an upcoming feature for Xbox console owners. Those Insiders can now set up their consoles so their game clips and screenshots that they make are automatically uploaded to their OneDrive storage account. It's likely this feature won't be available for all Xbox owners for a while.

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Sadly, at some point, Microsoft made a wrong turn. Edge from 2023 is a weird browser with questionable features, adware-like practices, and changes that raise privacy concerns.

According to a post on Reddit, Microsoft is working on "improved" copy-paste capabilities in the Edge browser to let you paste "Web preview" links with extra information, such as a headline and thumbnail. The problem with the idea is that it requires sending more information to Microsoft servers as described on its settings page:

Web preview may send data to the URL destination and may call Microsoft services.

Unlike other upcoming features in Microsoft Edge, such as password categories and notes, "Web preview" is not available via flag or controlled feature rollout (CFR). The post author claims Microsoft has been internally testing it "for quite some time," and they do not know why it is not available for public testing.

This feature has been tested (INTERNALLY) for quite some time, I don't know why Microsoft hasn't enabled it by default yet (not even with a flag), maybe there is a serious bug and that's why they haven't enabled it (not even in the Canary version).

Regardless of whether Microsoft will ship "Web preview" to the public, it is not the first (and probably not the last) feature that makes you question Edge's promise to keep you safer and more private. Not so long ago, a scandal emerged after users caught Edge leaking their browsing history and installing extensions without permission. Also, Edge wants to take a screenshot of every webpage you visit and send images you view online to Microsoft for enhancement (encrypted, fortunately). Add to that other annoyances like begging Chrome users to set Bing as their default search engine and injecting ads on other websites.

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Twitter user Vivy found a bug that can significantly speed up Windows File Explorer. They posted that switching File Explorer to full-screen mode (by pressing F11) and then exiting full-screen mode (by pressing F11 again) results in almost instant loading of folder contents and generation of thumbnail previews for files. The search function within File Explorer also becomes more responsive and snappier.

Users on the r/Windows 11 subreddit are reporting that a bug in File Explorer actually improves the loading time. One Redditor said:

I tested it on a music folder with 1800+ subfolders, and 25,000+ files: Everything opens instantly, awesome. This is the performance that we had in the Explorer of Windows 7.

Another wrote:

I just tried it on an i7-7700HQ on 22H2... And it works. I can't believe it. It's so snappy suddenly. Now, I don't know if I should be happy or jaded by this.

This bug is apparently affecting all versions of Windows 11, from the Canary Insider builds to all the way back to the original release (22000, 21H2).

Although the bug makes File Explorer faster, it would be better if we could have this kind of performance by default. Windows 11 was supposed to have better overall performance than previous releases, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

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From a revolutionary AI assistant to a modernized File Explorer and an in-depth energy report, the update promises a myriad of improvements. Here’s a breakdown of the top three features that have captured our attention.

Windows Copilot: The AI Assistant Unified in PC

Taking a step forward in the integration of artificial intelligence, Windows 11 is set to debut Windows Copilot, an AI assistant that unifies Bing Chat and additional plugins. Easily accessible via a sidebar on the taskbar, Copilot aims to redefine the way users interact with their PCs.

This assistant is designed to guide users through a variety of tasks, answering queries and even helping with travel plans, all without leaving the desktop.

However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. While the feature is promising, early reviews indicate that Copilot might not be as seamlessly integrated as users would like. Complaints about sluggish performance and occasional misunderstandings in interpreting user intent suggest that Microsoft has some bugs to iron out for this otherwise groundbreaking feature.

A Modernized File Explorer Experience

The update also brings a sleek, modernized File Explorer interface, designed with WinUI and powered by Windows App SDK. This new look aims to make navigating your PC easier and more intuitive than ever before.

A carousel showcases recommended files for Azure Active Directory (AAD) users, and Quick Access folders and Recent sections have received aesthetic upgrades. Sync status and quota flyouts for OneDrive users are now integrated into the address bar, making cloud storage management a breeze.

Microsoft is also adding a revamped details pane that allows for easier collaboration and file information access without even opening the files. This feature aims to enhance productivity while keeping the user experience smooth and efficient.

Comprehensive Energy Report for Efficient Power Use

For those conscious about energy use or battery longevity, the Windows 11 23H2 update includes an in-depth energy report feature. This provides real-time data on your device's energy consumption, breaking it down over periods ranging from the last 24 hours to the past week.

What's even more intriguing is its "battery usage per app" feature, which enables users to monitor energy consumption on an app-by-app basis.

Users can choose to see 'Total usage' for a complete picture or 'In use' and 'Background' to differentiate between active and passive consumption. This new addition could be invaluable for those wanting to maximize their device's performance while minimizing energy use.

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I’ve been using Windows operating systems (amongst others) since Windows 3.1, and while there have been highs (Windows 95, Windows 7), there’s also been quite a few lows (Windows 8, Windows ME) – I’ve never truly hated a version… until now.

Windows 11, the latest version, started off pretty well. OK, so I wasn’t entirely sure why we needed Windows 11 when Windows 10 seemed perfectly fine (and Microsoft had kept saying it would be the last version of Windows you need), but it was reasonably solid, and a few tweaks, such as the centralized taskbar, grew on me.

Microsoft had also gotten into a bit of a habit of pushing out bug-riddled updates with Windows 10, so when the opportunity to upgrade to Windows 11 for free came about – I gladly jumped ship.

Of course, that free upgrade should have been the first red flag. Nothing is ever free, especially with big corporations like Microsoft.

However, over time, Microsoft has made me regret upgrading to Windows 11.

(Image credit: Sergey Zaykov / Shutterstock / Microsoft)

Thanks, I hate it

The first seeds of discontent were sown when I saw the new Start menu – and the amount of pre-installed apps Windows 11 now comes with. If you’ve ever bought a new laptop or PC, you’ll probably be aware of bloatware – unwanted software that comes preinstalled and ends up clogging up your hard drive (OK, that was more of an issue when we had smaller hard drives).

Device manufacturers get paid to include those apps, which then allows them to sell their products at lower prices without cutting into their margins. Annoying, but understandable. However, as I usually build my own PCs, I’m used to doing fresh installs of Windows, which should usually mean my devices are free from unwanted apps.

However, Microsoft has included several apps when you first install Windows 11, and is likely to make a bit of cash considering it's offering Windows 11 for ‘free’. It’s not the end of the world, and doesn’t take up the kind of resources that might have been an issue when our PCs were more modest, but it’ll tick off people (like me) who want control over what’s installed on their devices. It was also a hint at how even if it gives you Windows 11 for free, Microsoft will make you pay for it.

The Start menu experience in Windows 11 has also deteriorated, with Microsoft managing to annoy almost every one by putting in adverts for its services amongst the apps you’ve installed. It even bugged me to use OneDrive, though I already use it!

To make matters worse, while Microsoft was adding more pushy ads for its products in the Windows 11 Start menu, it wasn’t as keen to add features that users have been crying out for – many of which were present in older versions, but dropped for Windows 11.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Installation blues

To be fair, I probably got further than some people before the Windows 11 doubts kicked in. Microsoft also updated the setup screens that appear when Windows 11 is installed, and it’s there that the heavy selling begins – though this time for Microsoft’s other devices and services.

This didn’t initially bother me that much, as I use Microsoft Office and subscribe to OneDrive for cloud storage, so setting up those as part of the installation made sense – but I can totally understand how they could frustrate other people.

However, Microsoft has been pushing its luck here as well. Since I’ve installed Windows 11, Microsoft has made it increasingly difficult to set up a fresh Windows 11 install without having a Microsoft account.

The setup screens also now appear after some major Windows 11 updates, and I’ve found that they’ve added in a sly option that changes your default web browser to Edge, which you have to untick if you want to keep your choice of browser.

(Image credit: Stokkete / Shutterstock)

Eff off Edge

Microsoft’s ambition to get more people to use its Edge web browser is well known by now – but it's recently been crossing a line. As well as trying to get people to set it as the default web browser after major updates have been installed, it’ll bug you with messages and pop-ups if you have the temerity to want to use a different web browser, such as Google Chrome.

Like many people, the first and last time I use Edge is to go to Google’s website and download Chrome – and Microsoft knows this, throwing up begging messages to give Edge a chance. It’s a bit unedifying.

Even when choosing a different web browser as your default, Microsoft just doesn’t take no for an answer. If you use the Search bar in Windows 11 (which I have issues with anyway, as I don’t think it works well) and click on a web link, it’ll open up in Edge, regardless of the web browser you’ve set as default. 

This happens throughout Windows 11, and it’s extremely annoying. If I want to use Chrome for viewing websites, then that’s what I want to open up – no exceptions. It feels like Microsoft thinks it knows better by opening some links in Edge.

There’s been a bit of reprieve for some people from this behavior, with the European Economic Area (EEA) forcing Microsoft to accept its users’ browser preferences. ‘Forced’ is the operative word here, as it’s clear that Microsoft hasn’t done this because it’s the user-friendly thing to do.

Instead, users in the EEA will have links from within Windows 11 open in their actual default browser, but people in the rest of the world will likely still have Edge pushed on them.

Even worse, Microsoft recently started pushing out large pop-up adverts to people using Chrome, asking them to switch the default search engine within Chrome from Google to Microsoft’s rival Bing search engine.

This happened to me, and, frankly, that was the last straw. It was invasive, taking up a large part of my screen, and downright creepy, as it showed Microsoft was keeping tabs on what I was using in various apps.

It felt like a huge overreach – and I wasn’t alone in reacting like that, as many users took to the internet to complain about these pop-ups, with some experiencing them while playing games or watching full-screen movies. The backlash was large enough to make Microsoft pause the adverts, but the damage had been done.

Windows 11, to me, no longer feels like an operating system that I have control over. Instead, it seems like I’m renting it from Microsoft, which gives the company the right to bombard me with adverts.

Lost cause

So, where can I go? Reinstalling Windows 10 is an option, but there’s plenty of evidence out there that suggests Microsoft will continue to bug me – especially when it comes to upgrading (again) to Windows 11.

Linux is looking increasingly attractive. I’ve used plenty of distros in the past (in a former life I was deputy editor of Linux Format, after all), and thanks to the Steam Deck (which runs a version of Linux), and a clever bit of software called Proton, I can run Windows games in Linux with minimal impact to performance.

It’s not perfect, but as a PC gamer, the main reason I’ve stuck with Windows 11 is because of the PC games – and if Linux will allow me to play those games, it looks like Microsoft may have finally pushed its luck too far.

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For those unfamiliar with Steam Hardware & Software Survey, here is how Valve describes it:

Steam conducts a monthly survey to collect data about what kinds of computer hardware and software our customers are using. Participation in the survey is optional, and anonymous. The information gathered is incredibly helpful to us as we make decisions about what kinds of technology investments to make and products to offer.

According to Valve, in August 2023, Windows 11 experienced a notable spike in its user base. The operating system that will turn two next month is now at 39.22%, 2.55 points up compared to the previous month. It is now dangerously close to Windows 10 with its steadily declining market share, currently at 55.98%, a -1.89 point decrease.

Windows 10 is not the only operating system losing customers on Steam. 64-bit Windows 7 is down to 1.02 (-0.19), 64-bit Windows 8.1 to 0.22 (-0.03), and 32-bit Windows 7 is at 0.08% (-0.02).

1. Windows 10 - 55.98% (-1.89)
2. Windows 11 - 39.22% (+2.55)
3. Windows 7 64-bit - 1.02% (-0.19)
4. Windows 8.1 64-bit - 0.22% (-0.03)
5. Windows 7 - 0.08% (-0.02)

Overall, the Windows family has an overwhelming Steam market share of 96.61% (+0.4). macOS has 1.57% (-0.27), and Linux 1.82% (-0.14).

And here are the most popular hardware picks among those using Steam to play PC games:

You can find more information on the official survey page.

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If you are thinking about updating from Windows 10 to 11 or you just want to know what is new in Microsoft's latest OS update, here is your comprehensive Windows 11 23H2 review with all the details.

For reference, here are quick links to our reviews detailing every feature update Microsoft released for Windows 11 during the last two years:

Windows 11 22H2 | Moment 1 | Moment 2 | Moment 3

What is new in Windows 11 23H2?

Quick Links:

1. Windows Copilot
2. Taskbar upgrades
3. A redesigned File Explorer
4. Native RAR, TAR, 7Z, and other archive types support
5. A redesigned Volume Mixer
6. Windows Backup
7. Windows Dev Home and Dev Drive
8. Settings Improvements
9. Other changes
10. Accessibility Improvements
11. Bonus: Wallpaper

Windows Copilot

Microsoft killed Cortana earlier this year (you can now uninstall the app with only two clicks) and replaced it with Windows Copilot—the new assistant powered by Bing, which, in turn, powered by OpenAI.

You can invoke Windows Copilot using the new Win + C shortcut or its dedicated icon on the taskbar. In a nutshell, Windows Copilot is Bing Chat with extra skills to perform various actions within Windows 11. You can use it to change system settings, open apps, take screenshots, change themes, etc.

The idea behind Windows Copilot is fantastic, and the assistant is much more capable than the now-abandoned Cortana (rest in peace, friend). Still, its implementation is slightly undercooked, so you will have to deal with some rough surfaces, slow performance, strange quirks, no offline support, and missing features.

We published a hands-on article when Microsoft released the first Windows 11 preview build with Windows Copilot inside it, and as you can guess, all our complaints and head-scratching moments are still relevant and not fixed. Although there is no doubt that Windows Copilot will become better with time (will it, Microsoft?), its initial version is mediocre at best.

Taskbar Upgrades

"Never combine" mode and "Show labels" are back!

Two years after releasing Windows 11, 23H2 finally restores one of the most requested taskbar features: ungrouping and the "show labels" option. Microsoft initially removed those from Windows 11, and now they are back with a neat upgrade allowing you to display labels on all pinned apps, not only the running ones. Besides, if you use two or more monitors, you can customize the taskbar grouping per screen if that is your cup of tea.

To enable taskbar labels in Windows 11, head to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors.

A redesigned notification center button

Another taskbar change is a redesigned notification center button. Windows 11 no longer displays the number of unread notifications; instead, there is now a permanently fixed bell-shaped button that fills with your accent colour when you get an alert. One of the best things about it is that it no longer disappears when you dismiss all notifications—the button is always there, showing where users should click or tap.

A redesigned File Explorer

Redesigned toolbar and address bar

Windows 11's File Explorer now features more modern UI elements, such as a better toolbar and a reworked address bar with improved fonts and drop-down menus. Besides looking better, those changes improve accessibility and make the app more convenient in touch mode.

On the downside, you now must re-train your muscle memory and get used to the new location of the address bar and toolbar. Also, if you have OneDrive installed, get ready for the address bar to nag you with a pulsing "Start backup" button every time you open your Documents, Pictures, Desktop, and other folders. Interestingly, Windows 10 got the same button, but its implementation is much less annoying.

A modernized "Details" Pane

Microsoft has also updated the "Details" pane, giving users an easier method to invoke it (you can also use the Alt + Shift + P shortcut) and more useful information. It can display contextual information about the file (including its thumbnail), share status, activity history, associated files and emails, and more.

Tab Improvements

Developers did not forget about the tabbing feature. They addressed the biggest complaint from customers unhappy with the initial, critically lackluster implementation: At last, you can move tabs between different File Explorer windows. There is still much room for improvement, but at least such a basic thing as moving tabs between windows now works properly.

Gallery

Finally, we have a new feature called Gallery. It makes browsing all photos stored locally and in the cloud easier—click "Gallery" in the navigation pane, and File Explorer will show you all your pictures sorted by date with a convenient timeline for better navigation.

By default, File Explorer's new Gallery pulls images from OneDrive and the default Pictures folder. However, you can add more folders if you store photos on other drives or directories.

RAR, 7Z, TAR, and more archive types support

One of the most exciting changes in Windows 11 23H2 is support for more archive types. File Explorer now lets you extract RAR, TAR, 7Z, and other previously unsupported archives without installing third-party apps. Before version 23H2, ZIP was the only supported archive format.

It is worth noting that those frequently working with archives may disregard this change. We conducted an experiment to see if there is a performance difference between File Explorer, WinRAR, and NanaZIP when working with large compressed files. Results showed that third-party apps, including free ones, extract files much faster and provide more features.

A redesigned Volume Mixer

Windows 11 was never good at volume management, which led many to third-party apps like EarTrumpet or Volumey. Fortunately, version 23H2 introduces a redesigned Volume Mixer with per-app volume sliders and the ability to quickly change the output device or toggle on/off spatial audio.

To access the new volume slider, press Ctrl + Win + V. Alternatively, open Quick Settings and click the mixer button next to the volume slider. Like the "never combine" option and native RAR support, the new volume mixer will delight many Windows 11 users and significantly improve the user experience.

Windows Backup

Windows 11 now has a new app for backing up important files, data, settings, apps, and credentials. Called "Windows Backup," it lets you store mission-critical info in OneDrive and move it to a new device with ease.

It is worth noting that Windows Backup is not exclusive to Windows 11 version 23H2—it is also available on Windows 10. However, you cannot restore a backup on a Windows 10 machine as that feature is only available during Windows 11's onboarding (OOBE or initial setup) experience.

What makes Windows Backup great is that it tries to make the transition process from one device to another as quick and easy as possible. It can remember your app pins and automatically re-install programs from the Microsoft Store. More importantly, Windows Backup recognizes applications installed outside the Store and can give links to their corresponding websites for downloading installers.

Windows Dev Home and Dev Drive

Windows 11 23H2 also brings important changes for developers. The two most notable additions include Dev Drive and the Dev Home app.

Dev Drive

Dev Drive is a new volume type tailored for developer tasks and workloads. It uses ReFS (Resilient File System) for improved security and performance when hosting source code, working folders, and package caches. Although that may sound tempting to "regular users," Microsoft makes it clear that you should not create dev drives for storing regular files and applications. Also, Dev Drive requires a minimum of 50GB of disk space and 8GB of RAM.

You can create a Dev Drive on your system by heading to Settings > System > Storage > Advanced Storage Settings > Disks & Volumes > Dev Drive.

Dev Home

Dev Home is a new app for developers, as the name implies. Microsoft pitches it as a centralized location for configuring your machine for development-related tasks, integrating your GitHub profile and repositories into Windows, monitoring your system information, and managing various software projects. Besides, the Dev Home app features neat widgets for monitoring CPU, GPU, RAM, and network.

Settings Improvements

New Home Page

Windows 11 23H2 brings a new "Home" page for the Settings app. It features quick access to several frequently accessed settings and options, such as personalization, themes, Bluetooth devices, taskbar settings, your OneDrive storage, and subscriptions. Of course, Microsoft also uses it to nag you to sign in with a Microsoft Account, sign up for Microsoft 365, and more.

Dynamic Lightning

Another big new feature in Windows 11 23H2 is Dynamic Lightning. It sits in Settings > Personalization > Dynamic Lightningand lets you manage your compatible RGB devices without installing additional apps. You can use it to toggle lights on or off and adjust colour, effects, and brightness.

Note that Dynamic Lightning requires a compatible device. As of right now, most peripherals that work with Dynamic Lightning include several mice and keyboards from Razer, Acer, ASUS, HP, HyperX, and Logitech. Microsoft says more devices will join soon.

Easier way to view Wi-Fi passwords

It is now easier to view passwords for your known Wi-Fi networks. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks and click View Wi-Fi security key. No more digging into the old Control Panel interfaces to figure out your network password.

Other changes

And here are other changes and improvements you will find across the operating system after installing Windows 11 23H2:

• Windows Ink. You can now input handwritten text into any text box using your Surface Pen or other supported stylus.
• Virtual Desktops. Windows 11 received a special badge indicating your virtual desktop name when switching between desktops. Also, the transition animation is back.

  

   

• Task Manager. Settings in Task Manager now feature a more modern user interface that matches the rest of Windows 11 and its Settings app.

  

   

• HDR Wallpaper support. Version 23H2 brings support for HDR wallpapers in JXR format on compatible displays.
• Notification improvements. Windows 11 can suggest turning off notifications you never interact with to minimize distraction.

• Reworked Local Sharing UI now features more modern looks, more contacts, and a search box. Also, file transfer between PCs is now faster thanks to Wi-Fi Direct.

   

  

Accessibility Improvements

Windows 11 23H2 makes the previously introduced accessibility features better with a few improvements. For example, you can use Voice Access in more areas, such as the lock screen and login UI. Also, Natural Voices for Narrator now work with French, Portuguese, English (India), German, Japanese, Chinese, and English (UK).

Bonus: Wallpaper

As usual, here is the wallpaper I used in this review (courtesy of the Rectify11 Project😞

What do you think about the Windows 11 23H2 update? What feature is your favorite? Let everyone know in the comments below.

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In case you weren't aware of this upcoming change, Microsoft, almost exactly a month ago, published a guidance about the change. Microsoft noted that currently available Windows versions, which means Windows 11 22H2, 21H2, and Windows 10, will still have TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1, and this means upcoming feature updates like 23H2, and Windows 12, which comes out next year, will have the feature disabled, and the change will be in place starting with the upcoming Insider builds this month. This is a part of the broader effort to make next-gen Windows more secure.

The company however adds that there will be an option to re-enable them in order to maintain compatibility. It writes:

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the most common internet protocol for setting up an encrypted channel of communication between a client and server. Over the past several years, internet standards and regulatory bodies have deprecated or disallowed TLS versions 1.0 and 1.1, due to a variety of security issues. As such, future Windows operating systems will have TLS versions 1.0 and 1.1 disabled by default. This change applies only to future new Windows operating systems, both client and server editions. Windows versions that have already been released will not be affected by this change. Windows 11 Insider Preview builds starting in September 2023 will have TLS versions 1.0 and 1.1 disabled by default. There is an option to re-enable TLS 1.0 or TLS 1.1 for users who need to maintain compatibility.

Home users of Windows are unlikely to experience any issues related to this change. Enterprises will need to test their environment to detect and update or replace any affected apps.

On the Tech Community blog post, Microsoft has listed the list of affected Windows applications in the Known issues section.

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Like many of its software and hardware products that Microsoft decided to shut down over the decades, the announcement of WordPad's end was not given any amount of fanfare. It just got a brief mention on the company's Depectated features list. That's too bad because the app has been available for nearly three decades. It was included in all copies of Windows 95, which we mentioned celebrated its 28th anniversary just last week.

WordPad was actually a replacement for an earlier free word processor, Microsoft Write. It was first bundled with Windows 1.0 back in 1985. It first used Microsoft's proprietary .wri file format but later was able to read and edit .doc files. Like the future WordPad app, Microsoft Write could handle basic word processor functions.

As The Lunduke Journal of Technology website notes, Microsoft tried to release word processors with the Microsoft Write branding as a paid app for Mac PCs and even the Atari ST. The Mac app was actually a stripped-down version of Word, and the Atari ST was just a modified version of Microsoft Word 1.0 for the Mac. Why Microsoft decided to release these products and put the Write branding on them is lost to history.

In any case, Microsoft decided to finally ditch the Write app and included WordPad in Windows 95. There's no info we were able to find on who decided to launch WordPad or who worked on it at Microsoft. However, it seemed to be designed to offer Windows users simple word-processing features that were not available on the company's NotePad text editor.

You could do things like switch fonts, have the text bolded or turned into italics, create a bullet list, or align the text to the left, right, or center of the page. WordPad even supported inserting images and it had a simple paint function. However, it lacked lots of the more advanced features you could find on Microsoft Word, including a spell checker, the creation of tables, and more.

There's one basic feature that wasn't included in WordPad until the version bundled with Windows 7 launched. Before then, WordPad couldn't justify a paragraph. The odd thing about that is that the discontinued Microsoft Write could perform that task. Once again, the reasoning behind the decision to keep the justify function out of WordPad for over a decade is not available.

Microsoft actually released the source code to WordPad just before the release of Windows 95. It was available to download from the MSDN site until it shut down. We we unable to find it on the Microsoft Learn site that replaced MSDN. However, it appears someone has uploaded that code to GitHub.

Originally, WordPad supported the proprietary .wri file format from the older Microsoft Write app, along with the .txt, .rtf, and .doc formats. Support for the .wri, .rtf, and .doc formats were removed in later versions, but WordPad added support for the newer .docx format, along with the .odt format, with the Windows 7 version. The Windows 10 edition was the first to add support for typing via voice.

However, it was also with the Windows 10 edition that Microsoft decided to make WordPad an optional app for the OS. In 2020, it was revealed that Microsoft was experimenting with including ads with the free WordPad app. However, that rather odd addition was never generally released to the public.

With Friday's quiet announcement of the shutdown of WordPad, Microsoft is likely to make people check out the free edition of Word that's available on the web as a replacement. However, it still feels like the end of an era for this app that slowly became something from an earlier time in Windows history.

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Ubuntu users can now install the latest Linux 6.5 kernel series. Here’s a quick and easy-to-follow tutorial with screenshots on installing Linux 6.5 using the Mainline Kernels Installer tool or via CLI.

Released by Linus Torvalds last Sunday, Linux kernel 6.5 brings new features like Wi-Fi 7 support, MIDI 2.0 support, ACPI support for the RISC-V architecture, Landlock support for UML (User-Mode Linux), better support for AMD “Zen” systems, and much more.

Linux kernel 6.5 is now available for installation on Ubuntu systems from their official Ubuntu Mainline Kernel Archive and it’s supported on amd64 (x86_64), AArch64 (ARM64), ARMhf, PowerPC 64-bit Little Endian (ppc64el), and IBM System z (s390x) architectures.

However, I should warn you that you should install Linux kernel 6.5 only if you need its features or support for specific hardware that wasn’t correctly working with previous Linux kernel versions, or if you know what you’re doing and you’re capable of fixing your installation in case your system won’t boot.

You should also know that these kernels are produced with no warranty by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, who will NOT offer support for these kernels in case you have issues, and they aren’t responsible for any damages they may cause as a result of improper installation or use.

Also, you need to know that these kernels are not signed, which means that you’ll have to disable Secure Boot before following this tutorial.

Method 1: Install Linux kernel 6.4 on Ubuntu with Mainline Kernels Installer

The easiest way to install the latest mainline Linux kernel on your Ubuntu computer is to use a graphical tool called Mainline Kernels Installer, which you can install from this PPA by running the commands below in the Terminal app.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cappelikan/ppa
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade
sudo apt install -y mainline

Once it’s been installed, the Mainline Kernel Installer tool can be found in the applications menu. Open it and you’ll see Linux kernel 6.5 at the top. Click on the entry and then click on the big “Install” button on the right.

There’s currently a problem with the linux-headers package, so after installing Linux 6.5 with the Mainline Kernels Installer, you must run the command below to complete the installation.

sudo apt --fix-broken install

The advantage of using this method is that you’ll receive new kernel versions (e.g. Linux 6.5.1) when they are released upstream. The tool will inform you of new kernel versions that you’ll be able to install with a few mouse clicks.

Method 2: Install Linux kernel 6.4 on Ubuntu via CLI

This method is ONLY recommended for experienced users who know what they’re doing and don’t want to use the Mainline Kernels helper utility from the first method.

This method implies that you will have to manually download and install the kernel packages for your specific architecture from the official Ubuntu mainline kernel PPA archive for Linux 6.5 and then manually install them on your system via the command line.

Once you’ve downloaded the kernel packages in a folder that you’ll create of your choice, you can install all the .deb files from that folder by running the sudo dpkg -i *.deb command in the Terminal app or from a virtual terminal. When the installation is complete, reboot your system.

Going back to Ubuntu’s kernel or another kernel

That’s it! If you experience any issues with Linux kernel 6.5 and you want to go back to Ubuntu’s default kernel or another kernel that’s installed on your system, press the Esc key when your computer boots to view the boot menu, then access the “Advanced options” boot entry, and select a different kernel version from the list of available kernels.

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Microsoft has updated the official documentation with a notification about WordPad deprecation. The company says WordPad is no longer in development, it will not receive new features or updates, and a future Windows update will remove the program from the operating system.

WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of first and third-party WordPad alternatives. You can use Notepad for basic text editing (the app recently received a tabbed interface and session autosave) or switch to more advanced editors, such as Microsoft Word. The latter is available for free on the web or as a standalone app in the Microsoft 365 subscription.

WordPad is not the only component Microsoft is removing from Windows. The company recently turned off Cortana, its neglected voice assistant, and announced the end of Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT). Also, Microsoft will soon disable old Transport Layer Security protocols to make Windows 11 more secure.

You can learn more about deprecated Windows features in the official documentation. Note that deprecation and feature removal are different, which means WordPad will remain accessible for some time before Microsoft removes it from Windows. Also, Windows enthusiasts will most likely find a way to restore WordPad for those not ready to ditch the thirty-year-old application for something more modern.

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WordPad is a basic text-editing application that allows users to create and edit documents with formatted text and include images and links to other files.

It is automatically installed on Windows systems starting in 1995 since Windows 95 was released, providing users with a basic word processor and document editor integrated into the operating system.

The company now suggests the Microsoft Word app as a replacement for WordPad users and Notepad for those who don't need rich text support.

"WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows," Microsoft revealed today.

"We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt."

This doesn't come as a surprise, given that the program has been an optional Windows feature since the Windows 10 Insider Build 19551 release in February 2020.

Even though it's still being installed by default on all Windows systems, it made it possible to uninstall it using the 'Optional features' control panel.

While not tagged by Redmond as the reason for discontinuing WordPad, earlier this year, the Qbot malware operation also started infecting computers and evading detection by abusing a DLL hijacking flaw in the Windows 10 WordPad app.

Paint moved on the Microsoft Store, Cortana slowly being killed off

Five years ago, Microsoft also announced that the classic Windows Paint application would be deprecated and removed with the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creator's Update in July 2017.

However, following an outpour of love for the app, Redmond decided not to completely kill it, instead making it available through the Microsoft Store.

If enough people ask for it, maybe Microsoft will also move WordPad to its app store so that it remains available as a less feature-rich replacement to Microsoft Office and similar software.

The company also officially began killing off the Cortana voice-based assistant in Windows 11 Canary preview builds released in early August 2023.

The app's spot as a Windows digital assistant has already been filled by the AI-powered Windows Copilot unveiled during this year's Build conference.

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Disclaimer: Third-party analytic companies cannot provide 100% accurate data. Therefore, take Statcounter's findings with a reasonable grain of salt. Head to the official FAQ page to learn how Statcounter prepares monthly reports.

Windows 11 will turn two next month, and Microsoft is already preparing to stop supporting the initial release (those still using version 21H2 should get ready for a forced update). However, its market share remains somewhat uninspiring compared to Windows 10's overwhelming 71.94%. In fact, Windows 10 increased its market share in August 2023—Statcounter claims it gained +0.8 points. The soon-to-be-two-year-old Windows 11 holds 23.17% (-0.49 points), roughly the same as in April and May 2023.

It will be interesting to see if the upcoming Windows 11 version 23H2 will help the operating system gain much-needed momentum. The update will bring several much-requested features, such as taskbar ungrouping, a redesigned volume mixer, File Explorer improvements, and more, giving Windows 10 users more reasons to upgrade. Also, Microsoft will try to tempt customers with a couple of new AI-powered features coming to Windows 11 in future updates.

As for now-unsupported Windows versions, such as 7 and 8/8.1, their market shares remain unchanged. Windows 7 has 3.5% (-0.19 points), and Windows 8.1 is at 0.84%. Even Windows XP refuses to die, still managing to clock 0.32% on Statcounter's gauges. Almost ten years after the end of support, some people continue accessing the internet from machines powered by ye olde Windows XP.

More information about the Statcounter August 2023 report is available on the official website.

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As announced in a blog post about Chrome tips for college students, users can now easily grab high-quality screenshots from videos playing in the Chrome browser. To use the new tool, pause any video, right-click on it, and select "Copy Video Frame" from the menu.

This eliminates the need to utilize third-party tools or screenshot workarounds to grab images from videos on sites like YouTube, Netflix, and more. It provides a quick and seamless way to copy exact frames with just two clicks.

It's easy to copy an image from a website in Chrome — but what if you want to capture an important frame from a recorded lecture for your notes? You could take a screenshot, but you'll likely get a lower-quality image (with the video's progress bar cut across it).

Available starting today, you can pause anywhere in a video that's playing in Chrome and get a clean copy of the exact frame you want. Just right-click on the video and select "Copy Video Frame."

While Google mentioned the feature was available starting today, it does not yet appear to be widely available. Early testing in Chrome version 116.0.5845.141 shows it working on YouTube, but support on many other sites is limited. The captured frames are copied directly to the clipboard rather than saved as image files.

Nonetheless, when fully implemented, the video frame-capturing functionality will be a handy addition for many Chrome users who work with online video and imagery.

It is worth noting that Microsoft already added the "Copy Video Frame" feature in Edge 116 Stable. As its name suggests, it provides a new and better way to capture screenshots from web-based videos, such as those you might find on YouTube.

Chrome remains the most popular browser, with around 61% market share as this new feature feature brings it one step closer to fulfilling the needs of its diverse user base. In addition, Bing Chat launched last week for all Chrome desktop users.

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Functions,  Features & Importance in Gaming:

• Input Device Management: It helps in the management of input from game controllers, making it easier for developers to program how games respond to different buttons, triggers, and analog sticks.
• Versioning: The number at the end (1_4) indicates the version of the XInput API. Different versions may have different features or compatibility levels, and some games or applications may require specific versions to run correctly.
• Cross-Compatibility: One of the advantages of using XInput is that it allows for greater compatibility between different types of controllers and games. This is especially useful for game developers who want to ensure that their games work well with a wide range of hardware.
• User Experience: For the end-user, the presence of this DLL generally means better and more consistent support for their input devices, leading to a better gaming or application-using experience.

In gaming, XINPUT1_4.dll is crucial for translating complex controller inputs into in-game actions. It allows for a more immersive and responsive gaming experience by ensuring that the game software can accurately interpret the inputs from the game controller.

What do if Xinput 1_4 DLL is missing?

The absence or corruption of this DLL file can lead to errors like “XINPUT1_4.dll is missing,” which will prevent games or applications that rely on it from running correctly. This is why it’s often recommended to update DirectX or reinstall the specific program that is causing the error.

1. Reinstall the Affected Software

• Uninstall the Software: Navigate to Control Panel > Programs and Features and uninstall the software that is giving you the error message.
• Download Latest Version: Visit the official website of the software and download the latest version.
• Reinstall: Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall the software. This often installs a fresh copy of missing or corrupted DLL files.

2. Update Windows

• Check for Updates: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click on Check for updates.
• Install Updates: If updates are available, install them. This often resolves DLL issues.
• Restart Your Computer: Once the updates are installed, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

3. Download and Install DirectX

• Visit Microsoft’s Website: Go to the official Microsoft website to download the latest version of DirectX.
• Run the Installer: Once downloaded, run the DirectX installer and follow the prompts.
• Restart Your Computer: After installation, restart your computer to complete the process.

4. Manually Download the DLL File

• Visit Fortect.com: Go to Fortect.com, a trusted source for downloading DLL files.
• Search for xinput1_4.dll: Use the search function to find the DLL file.
• Download and Install: Download the file and place it in the directory where the affected software is installed.
• Note: Always exercise caution when downloading DLL files, even from trusted sources.

5. Run the sfc /scannow Command

• Open Command Prompt as Admin: Search for “Command Prompt” in the Start menu, right-click on it, and select “Run as administrator.”
• Run the Command: Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This will scan and attempt to repair corrupted system files.
• Review Results: Once the scan is complete, follow any on-screen instructions to fix issues.

6. Perform a Clean Boot

• Open System Configuration: Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Disable Startup Items: Go to the Startup tab and disable all startup items.
• Restart: Click OK and restart your computer.
• Identify the Culprit: Enable startup items one by one to identify which software is causing the issue.

7. Run a Malware Scan

• Choose a Reputable Antivirus: Use a reputable antivirus program for scanning.
• Run a Full Scan: Perform a full system scan to identify and remove any malware.
• Quarantine or Delete: Follow the antivirus recommendations to quarantine or delete detected malware.

8. Restore System to a Previous State

• Open System Restore: Search for “System Restore” in the Start menu and open it.
• Choose a Restore Point: Select a restore point from before the issue started occurring.
• Confirm and Restore: Follow the on-screen instructions to restore your system to a previous state.

We also found two nice guides on how to find missing DLL files on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

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Earlier today, the company published a reminder about it while also explaining how it will proceed with the major update. Microsoft says that the October 2023 Patch Tuesday will be the final security update for 21H2. It has also added that the upcoming September non-security release will be its final non-security optional update.

Microsoft writes:

On October 10, 2023, Home and Pro editions of Windows 11, version 21H2 will reach end of servicing. The upcoming October 2023 security update, to be released on October 10, 2023, will be the last update available for this version. After this date, devices running this version will no longer receive monthly security and preview updates containing protections from the latest security threats.

[..]

IMPORTANT The September 2023 non-security preview update will be the last optional release and the October 2023 security update will be the last security release for Windows 11, version 21H2. Windows 11, version 22H2 will continue to receive security and optional releases.

As is usually the case with such announcements, be it for Windows 10 or 11, the Redmond firm has said that user PCs still running Windows 11 21H2 will automatically be updated to a more recent supported version, which likely means 22H2 will be offered on such devices.

There is also a slight possibility of it being Windows 11 23H2 depending on the release date (we know it's Q4), and also because 23H2 is going to a minor bump via an enablement package (EKB).

It says:

To help keep you protected and productive, Windows Update will automatically initiate a feature update for Windows 11 consumer devices and non-managed business devices that are at, or within several months of reaching, end of servicing. This keeps your device supported and receiving monthly updates that are critical to security and ecosystem health.

As always, we recommend that you update your devices to the latest version of Windows 11.

You can find the announcement on Microsoft's health dashboard website in the message center section.

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Here is the changelog for the app updates:

Snipping Tool (version 11.2307.44.0)

With this update to Snipping Tool, we are introducing the combined capture bar, making it easier to switch between capturing screenshots and screen recordings without having to open the app. Use the Print Screen or Win + Shift + S keyboard shortcuts to open the capture bar for snipping, where you will continue to find the familiar snipping modes or try the new Win + Shift + R keyboard shortcut to open the capture bar for recording.

Snipping Tool combined capture bar showing screenshot capture options.

We are also improving the screen recording experience based on your feedback by introducing support for optionally recording your PC audio and voice overs using a microphone. New app settings let you configure the default audio recording settings for new screen recordings, and if you have multiple recording devices, you can select your preferred recording device before you start recording.

Snipping Tool capture bar while recording showing new audio options.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

Notepad (version 11.2307.22.0)

With this update, Notepad will start automatically saving your session state allowing you to close Notepad without any interrupting dialogs and then pick up where you left off when you return. Notepad will automatically restore previously open tabs as well as unsaved content and edits across those open tabs. Saved session state does not impact any of your files, though, and it is still your choice whether to save or discard unsaved changes to files anytime you close a tab. You can turn this feature off in app settings if you would prefer to have a fresh start every time you open Notepad.

Notepad with one open tab.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad.

[PLEASE NOTE: We are beginning to roll these experiences out, so they may not be available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

You can check out the full blog post here:

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Here are the highlights of the update:

• Keyboard manager now supports Numpad. Note, with previously bound hotkeys stored in settings.json would only react to non-Numpad keys now. If a user wishes to restore the previous behavior, it could be done by manually adding another binding for the Numpad variant.
• New utility: Crop And Lock allows you to crop a current application into a smaller window or just create a thumbnail. Focus the target window and press the shortcut to start cropping.
• FancyZones code improvements and refactor.
• Modernized ImageResizer UX.
• PowerRename advanced counter functionality.

And the full changelog is below:

General

• Added missing CoUninitialize call in elevation logic. Thanks @sredna!

• New utility: Crop And Lock. Thanks @robmikh! and @kevinguo305!

• Added new /helped fabric bot command to GitHub repo. Thanks @Aaron-Junker!

• Fixed crashes caused by invalid settings. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

   

Always On Top

• Added border transparency.

   

FancyZones

• Fixed issue causing canvas zones being drawn only when dragging in zone area.

• Fixed user-defined default layout highlighting issue.

• Refactored and improved code quality.

• Fixed issue causing wrong layout to be applied when duplicating non-selected layout.

   

File Locksmith

• Icon update. Thanks @jmaraujouy!

   

File Explorer add-ons

• Fixed issue causing thumbnail previewers to lock files.

• Open URIs from developer files in default browser. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

   

Installer

• Fixed PowerToys autorun after installing as SYSTEM user.

• Removed CreateScheduledTask custom action to handle task creation only from runner code.

   

Image Resizer

• Moved from ModernWPF to WpfUI to refresh and modernize UI/UX. Thanks @niels9001!

   

Keyboard Manager

• Rephrased labels to enhance clarity. Thanks @Jay-o-Way!

• Keyboard manager now supports Numpad. Note, with previously bound hotkeys stored in settings.json would only react to non-Numpad keys now. If a user wishes to restore the previous behavior, it could be done by manually adding another binding for the Numpad variant.

   

Mouse Highlighter

• Fixed highlighter being invisible issue for Always on Top windows.

• Added settings for automatic activation on startup. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

   

Mouse Pointer Crosshairs

• Added settings for automatic activation on startup. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

   

Peek

• Show correct file type for shortcuts. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Fixed issue causing wrong file size to be displayed. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Show 1 byte instead of 1 bytes file size. Thanks @Deepak-Sangle!

• Open URIs from developer files in default browser. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Show thumbnail and fallback to icon for unsupported files. Thanks @pedrolamas!

   

PowerRename

• Updated OOBE gif. Thanks @ChaseKnowlden!

• Localized renamed parts combo box.

• Introduced advanced counter functionality.

• Added remember last window size logic and optimized items sorting.

• Enable "Enumerate items" option by default.

   

PowerToys Run

• Fixed issue causing original search to be abandoned when cycling through results.

• Updated device and bluetooth results for Settings plugin. Thanks @htcfreek!

• Fixed InvalidOperationException exception thrown. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Add Base64 Decoding function to the Value Generator plugin. Thanks @LeagueOfPoro!

• Added Keep shell open option for Shell plugin.

• Added Crop And Lock to PowerToys plugin. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

   

Registry Preview

• Updated AppBarButtons to use an explicit AppBarButton.Icon. Thanks @randyrants!

• Fixed crash on clicking Save As button.

   

Runner

• Removed unneeded RegisterWindowMessage from tray icon logic. Thanks @sredna!

• Fixed startup looping issue.

• Improved old logs and installers cleanup logic. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

   

Screen Ruler

• Use proper resources file.

   

Settings

• Fixed issue causing problems with modifier keys and ShortcutControl. Thanks @sh0ckj0ckey!

• Fixed crash when clicking "Windows colour settings" link.

• Added support for launching Settings app directly.

• Fixed issue causing DisplayDescription not showing for PowerToys Run PluginAdditionalOption.

• Fixed issue causing FileLocksmith 'Show File Locksmith in' setting not showing correct value.

• Fixed issue causing Awake on/off toggle in Settings flyout not to work when Settings Awake page is opened.

   

Documentation

• Added documentation for PowerToys Run third-party plugins. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Fixed broken links in keyboardmanagerui.md. Thanks @shubhsardana29!

• Updated core team in COMMUNITY.md.

• Fixed broken links in ui-architecture.md. Thanks @SamB!

• Updated community.valuegenerator.md with Base64DecodeRequest description.

   

Development

• Updated test packages and StyleCop. Thanks @davidegiacometti!

• Condense NuGet Restore into MSBuild Tasks. Thanks @snickler!

   

You can download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store, winget (Command Prompt as Administrator and enter the command: winget install --id Microsoft.PowerToys, or its repository on GitHub.

Source