Disable the rounded address bar in Microsoft Edge

The following guide applies to Microsoft Edge version 115.0.1901.203. It may change in future updates. Also, you might need to redo the steps below after installing a future update.

1. Begin with turning off Startup Boost. Head to Menu > Settings > System (you can also use the edge://settings/system link) and toggle off the Startup Boost option. The old address bar will not persist without disabling Startup Boost first.
2. Close Microsoft Edge and unpin it from the taskbar. Delete the desktop shortcut if you use it to launch the browser.
3. Open the Start menu, right-click Microsoft Edge in the All Apps list, and select More > Open File Location. Windows will open a File Explorer window with a list of all apps.
4. Right-click Microsoft Edge and select Properties. Tip: Press Alt + Enter to open the properties window without right-clicking an object.

    

   
5. Click the Target box in the properties window, place one space, and type --disable-features=msOmniboxFocusRingRoundEmphasize. Do not place a period at the end of the command.
6. Click Ok to save the changes.
7. Open the Start menu and pin Microsoft Edge to the taskbar. Alternatively, create a shortcut on the desktop.
8. Run Microsoft Edge and watch it use the proper-looking squared address bar. Note: You need to keep Startup Boost off. Turning the feature back on will result in Microsoft Edge reverting to the new rounded address bar upon the next launch.

Which address bar variant do you prefer? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: u/RedditUser_2020 on Reddit

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Since last week, users have reportedly received repeated notifications about chats and new features. For example, one user tweeted that they received an hourly notification about Skype's video chat feature. Some users have also reported receiving a flood of notifications, sometimes up to 10 times for a single new message.

In a statement today, Skype apologized for the problem and said, "We are aware of this issue and are actively working to resolve it as soon as possible. We will update you on the progress and when the fix is in place." However, it is not clear what platforms or versions are affected by this issue.

In the meantime, affected users can minimize notifications by going into the app's settings. You can also go to the Notifications panel to turn off notifications completely. In there, notifications for messages, features (Tips and Tricks), reactions, and more can be turned off. This will disable notifications until a permanent fix is implemented.

While we are on the topic of Skype, in case you missed it,, last week, Microsoft pushed Skype Preview version 8.103.76.101. It brought drag-and-drop enhancements, performance uplifts for the GIF picker, and general stability improvements to the app. The Preview version is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

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The Code Block tool will allow users to format code snippets with monospaced fonts and colour syntax highlighting to improve readability. The Quote feature will let users easily reference and reply to specific messages, while the Bulleted Lists tool will enable creating numbered or bulleted lists within a chat.

Screenshots of the features in the beta version show the new formatting options alongside Bold, Italics, Strikethrough, and Monospace, which are already available.

To format text, users need to use special characters. And it will depend on the formatting you want to apply. For example, to format a code block, the text must be enclosed in single quotes.

This update caters specifically to developers and coders who regularly need to share and discuss code on WhatsApp for work. The formatting improvements will help avoid errors and miscommunication around technical content.

The news comes after WhatsApp recently launched HD photo sharing for all users, enabling high-resolution images to be sent without compression. Support for sharing HD videos is also expected soon. The option to share in HD cannot be set as default and needs to be selected each time that an image is sent to ensure that users still have "quick and reliable access" to image sharing.

These features follow other recent additions to WhatsApp, like emoji reactions and larger file sharing.

The features are expected to roll out to WhatsApp Desktop before coming to Android and iOS. Once launched, the new text formatting choices will give WhatsApp users more ways to communicate and personalize chats.

Source and image: WABetaInfo

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Kicking things off, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 23.8.1 brings support for Immortals of Aveum, the single-player first-person shooter entry from Ascendant Studios. The magic-focused title launches on August 22, and AMD recommends this driver for those who are jumping in. Unfortunately, no specific improvements have been listed in the release notes. The game's official PC system requirements were shared earlier this week.

The fixes this time have some interesting additions. First off, the high idle power draw problem that has been plaguing some RX 7000 series GPUs is listed on the Fixed Issues list again. While this was deemed fixed in a previous driver version, it was shown later that the bug had remained an issue.

AMD says this latest driver has improvements regarding the high idle power usage when using multi-display setups, and that further optimizations "are being investigated" as well. The Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart ray tracing fixes that were featured in a hot-fix driver of its own recently is included in this release too.

Here are the full list of bug fixes in Adrenalin Edition 23.8.1:

• Improvements to high idle power when using select multi-display setups with mixed high-resolution and high refresh rate displays on Radeon™ RX 7000 series GPUs with variable refresh rate enabled. Further optimizations are being investigated to improve idle power on additional display configurations.
• Performance drop may be experienced for DirectX® 11 games on AMD Radeon™ RX 5600 XT when AMD SmartAccess Memory is Enabled.
• Application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Ratchet & Clank™: Rift Apart with Ray-Tracing and Dynamic Resolution Scaling enabled on some AMD Graphics Products, such as the Radeon™ RX 7900 XTX.
• Application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Starcraft II™ on Radeon™ RX 7000 series GPUs.
• Intermittent corruption may be observed playing Rocket League™ with Bloom set to Off on some AMD Graphics Products, such as the Radeon™ RX 6900 XT.
• Performance drop may be experienced for various games on AMD Ryzen™ processors with Radeon™ 700M series GPUS.

The Known issues list is smaller than usual thanks to all the fixes:

• Performance Metrics Overlay may report N/A for FPS on various games.
• Audio may intermittently become out of sync with video when recording from AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition with AV1 codec.
• Display may not reach correct brightness with certain games on some SAMSUNG™ FreeSync Premium Pro displays and TVs when local dimming is enabled.
• Application crash or driver timeout may be observed while playing Baldur's Gate 3 with DirectX® 11 API set on certain systems with Radeon™ RX 7000 series GPUs.

The WHQL-certified AMD Adrenalin Edition 23.8.1 driver can now be upgraded to via the Radeon Settings app on Windows. A standalone download link can be found on the release notes page here.

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In addition to letting you use Windows 11 Enterprise for free for 90 days, WDE contains everything one may need to start making apps for Windows 11:

• Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition with UWP, .NET Desktop, Azure, and Windows App SDK for C# workloads enabled.

• Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 enabled with Ubuntu installed.

• Windows Terminal installed.

• Developer mode enabled (still no signs of the Dev Home app).

   

You can download and run Windows Development Environment using VMware (Workstation Player and Workstation Pro), VirtualBox, Parallels, or Hyper-V. The virtual machine will be available for free for 90 days, after which it will start nagging you with typical things an inactivated Windows copy does (a black desktop background, notifications, and periodic shutdowns). Still, Microsoft stresses that you cannot activate a copy of WDE since it is evaluation-only.

Windows Development Environment version 2308 is valid until November 7, 2023. As usual, expect another update with a new expiry date in the second half of the next month (version 2307 was released on July 25, 2023).

To get your copy of Windows Development Environment, head to the official website and select the format you need. Note that downloading WDE requires a minimum of 70GB of free space and 8GB of RAM. Also, ensure your computer supports virtualization and the technology is enabled in the optional features section. If you are not a developer and everything you need is just to check out what the latest Windows 11 release has to offer, check out the official evaluation images without extra software here.

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In its upcoming 23H2 release slated for fall, one of the standout features that has caught the eye of many is the 'never combine mode' for the taskbar.

Previously, Windows 10 users will recall the ability to keep icons on the taskbar separate, which can be especially helpful when juggling multiple windows from the same app. The 'never combine' option ensures each window has its representation on the taskbar without grouping them.

Microsoft removed the 'never combine mode' for the taskbar' with Windows 11, but it's finally coming back with version 23H2.

Additionally, enabling this mode has been streamlined for user convenience. The steps are straightforward:

1. Access Taskbar Settings: Simply right-click on the taskbar. A menu will pop up.
2. Navigate to Taskbar Behaviors: Select “Taskbar settings” from the pop-up menu.

   

    

3. Adjust Preferences: Under the section labeled “Taskbar behaviors”, find the option that reads “Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels”. From the drop-down menu adjacent to it, select 'never'.

But what if you're a power user with multiple monitors? Microsoft has improved the behaviour and introduced a separate setting dedicated to those who operate in multi-monitor environments. It allows them to choose if they want the 'never combine' feature applied consistently across all taskbars on different screens.

This feature can be particularly useful for those who multitask across various apps ns and prefer an ungrouped view on their taskbars. It offers more direct access to individual windows and can help in enhancing productivity by reducing the number of clicks and the time spent in searching for the desired window among grouped icons.

In conclusion, it is a reflection of listening to feedback and ensuring that users have the tools to customize their experiences.

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The biggest recent example was Assassins' Creed Unity where a driver delivered up to 313% or over four times boost. Another, albeit a more conservative example is F1 23 which saw up to a 33% improvement.

The recent-most driver, version 31.0.101.4644, also brings improvements in DirectX 11 performance. Intel says there is up to around 45% improvement in popular titles like Overwatch 2. Not only that, but the driver also introduces the new Intel PresentMon tool which will help capture and analyze gaming performance. While this was an internal tool in the past, the utility is now available for the general public as well.

Interestingly, and although this was unannounced by Intel, the new driver also brings updated firmware which seems to boost the specs on at least one of the Arc SKUs.

Longtime Neowin forum member Eternal Tempest noticed that their Arc A380 had a +150MHz increase in both the core clock. As such, the texel (texture map unit) and pixel fill rates also go up correspondingly. The driver also has an updated interface (UI) that informs users when the driver is updating the GPU's firmware which was confirmed by CapFrameX on Twitter:

Here's directly quoting Eternal Tempest:

The official, non-beta current driver gave a slight upgrade to my Intel Arc 380 card

It also now properly informs you during the installation of upgrading the firmware of the card, and when it completes the firmware upgrade so you don't accidentally reboot during this process.

Driver 31.0.101.4577

Bios 20.0.1053
Pixel Fillrate 64.0 GPixel/s
Texture Fillrate 128.0 GTexel/s
GPU Clock 2000 MHz
Default Clock 2000 MHz

Driver 31.0.101.4644

Bios 20.0.1053
Pixel Fillrate 68.8 GPixel/s
Texture Fillrate 137.6 GTexel/s
GPU Clock 2150 MHz
Default Clock 2150 MHz

In case you notice other additional changes, you can add them to the topic thread linked here.

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However, so far, the next-gen file system was limited to Windows Server only. In fact, if you recall, Microsoft limited ReFS support to only professional and enterprise-based Windows 10 SKUs back in 2017.

In January, the firm enabled installing of Windows 11 on ReFS volumes meaning the tech giant wants to bring ReFS to a wider customer base.

In-place upgrades were not possible at that time and clean installation was the only way to proceed in case someone wanted to try out Windows on such a file system. That is set to change though as the latest Windows 11 Canary build, 25931, is now beginning to enable in-place upgrades as well.

Twitter user and Windows enthusiast Xeno noticed that they could now run an in-place upgrade on their Windows 11 Canary channel build 25931.

As you can see in the image above, when an in-place upgrade of Windows 11 on a ReFS volume was simulated inside the new Canary build 25931, the setup was able to proceed whereas in previous builds this would fail.

Interestingly, this isn't the only progress Microsoft has made in terms of ReFS support on Windows 11. The company also updated the file system version recently to version 3.10 from the previous version 3.0.9.

However, it will probably be a while before ReFS becomes an installation option for all users, it is more likely that Microsoft will offer both NTFS and ReFS. Microsoft still does not list ReFS as bootable though, which is quite understandable given that this is still not even actively available to Insiders.

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A few months ago, I wrote a quick look back at Bill Gates' "Tidal Wave" email to Microsoft's employees on May 26, 1995. Gates, then CEO of the company, said that Microsoft must turn its attention to releasing products that used the internet.

A few months after that milestone email from Gates, the first version of the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser was released. Microsoft launched the first version of IE on August 16, 1995, or 28 years ago this week (some online sources claim IE1 was launched on August 24, 1995, the same date Windows 95 became generally available, but I've decided to stick with the earlier date).

The truth is that the development of Internet Explorer started several months before Gate's big email. In a post on his personal site, former Microsoft team member Ben Slivka talked a bit about creating the first version of IE, starting in October 1994:

In early October, my manager John Ludwig asked me to assemble a team and build a web browser for “Chicago” (the code name for Windows 95). I quickly grabbed 6 people and we went to work. Thomas Reardon licensed the NCSA Mosaic code base from Spyglass in December, and in early January we mapped out an 8-week development plan for “O’Hare” (the international gateway to the world for the City of Chicago, and our web browser would be the gateway to the World Wide Web for Windows 95).

I've also written about the brief history of the Mosaic web browser, which launched back in April 1993. However, according to former Spyglass team member Eric Sink, there was no code from NCSA's browser in Spyglass Mosaic. He added:

We won the Microsoft deal. I suppose only the higher echelons of Spyglass management really know the gory details of this negotiation. I was asked to be the primary technical contact for Microsoft and their effort to integrate our browser into Windows 95. I went to Redmond and worked there for a couple of weeks as part of the "Chicago" team. It was fun, but weird. They gave me my own office. At dinner time, everyone went to the cafeteria for food and then went back to work. On my first night, I went back to my hotel at 11:30pm. I was one of the first to leave.

Internet Explorer 1 was a pretty bare-bones web browser. It could handle basic HTML code but that was really all it could do. It also only supported Microsoft's new Windows 95 operating system. It was first included in the Microsoft Plus! 95 software product under its Internet Jumpstart Kit.

Microsoft did release IE 1.5 a number of months later. It added support for Windows NT and also could handle HTML table rendering.

When Microsoft made its deal with Spyglass to use its code for the first IE version, Microsoft said it would pay a quarterly fee to Spyglass, along with a percentage of its revenues from the app. However, Microsoft decided to release the browser for free. As a result, Spyglass sued Microsoft, claiming it only received the minimal amount of required quarterly money from the company.

The two companies decided to settle the lawsuit in 1997, with Microsoft paying $8 million to Spyglass. Just three years later, Spyglass got acquired by a company called OpenTV and is officially no more.

Microsoft quickly released Internet Explorer 2 in November 1995 for Windows 95 and Windows NT. That version added many more familiar web browser features, including JavaScript, HTML 3.0, cookies, and more. In 1996, it released versions of the browser for Apple's Mac OS and for Microsoft's older Windows 3.1 OS.

Yes, Internet Explorer is now no more, as Microsoft finally ended support for IE11 in 2022 in favor of its Edge browser. However, if you want to check out some software history there are places where you can download the original IE 1 browser like OldVersion.com and My Internet Explorer.

There are a ton of things I could write about the history of IE, including the federal antitrust lawsuit in 1998 that was filed against Microsoft for bundling IE with Windows, which could have broken the company up. However, I might write about that story some other time.

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Each Linux distro offers users a unique method of installing and maintaining their system, with varying degrees of user-friendliness and usability.

This guide will serve as a short primer on performing basic tasks in each package management system, so you can decide which is right for you.

1. APT

APT is a dependency resolver for Debian-based systems, including Ubuntu. In conjunction with dpkg, the package manager, APT provides an easy way to update, upgrade, install, and remove software. Without APT, maintaining a Debian system would feel like using Linux in the early 1990s, when "dependency hell" was an actual thing.

1. Update Software Repositories

APT allows you to update the existing repositories within your OS to ensure proper system functioning. A simple update command does the trick in this regard:

sudo apt-get update

2. Upgrade Software Repositories

Like the update command, you need to upgrade your existing software repositories to keep your system's functionality top-notch.

sudo apt-get upgrade

For a more thorough upgrade, which attempts to upgrade conflicting package dependencies to the newest version and removes older or unused dependencies, use the upgrade command differently:

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

These commands can be combined to perform an update and upgrade in succession like so:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

3. Install Applications With APT

To install software with APT, you can use the following command:

sudo apt-get install packageName

For example, to install the VLC Media Player on Ubuntu, run:

sudo apt-get install vlc

4. Remove Applications With APT

To remove a package with APT, you can use the remove command within the Ubuntu/Debian terminal window:

sudo apt-get remove packageName

For example, to remove VLC, use the remove command:

sudo apt-get remove vlc

You can remove software on Ubuntu using various methods; the apt-get remove command is just one of these methods. However, some straggler dependencies may remain on your system during software removal or an upgrade.

To avoid system bloating, you should remove these packages from your system. You can use the autoremove command effectively to perform this task.

sudo apt-get autoremove

5. Search for Installable Packages

To search for installable packages using APT, use the search command:

sudo apt-cache search packageName

APT does not currently offer the ability to install a package from a URL, meaning the user must find and download the package to be installed on their own. Ubuntu and some of its derivatives have managed to combat this with single-click apturl links found on some websites.

You can remove the get keyword and still use the apt commands successfully.

2. YUM

Like APT, YUM is a dependency resolver for the underlying package manager, RPM. YUM is the default package management system in several Red Hat-based derivatives. The syntax for YUM is simple, and APT users should have no problem making the switch.

You can use YUM commands on CentOS 7 and below only.

1. Update Software Repositories With YUM

Updating and upgrading through YUM is very simple, where the following command handles both tasks:

sudo yum update

2. Install Applications With YUM

To install a package, use:

sudo yum install packageName

To install the Rhythmbox application, use the install command:

sudo yum install rhythmbox

3. Remove Applications With YUM

Likewise, to remove a package, you can use the remove command as follows:

sudo yum remove packageName

4. Search for Installable Applications With YUM

To search for an installable package using YUM, use:

sudo yum search packageName

YUM does not include an autoremove command for finding and removing unused dependencies. However, it does include a great feature for installing a package from a URL, which APT does not include:

sudo yum install url

3. Zypper

Zypper is another dependency resolver for the RPM package management system and is the default package manager for openSUSE and SUSE Linux Enterprise.

Zypper utilizes RPM binaries, just like YUM, but is a bit faster as it's written in C++, whereas YUM is written in Python. Zypper is extremely easy to use, including command shortcuts that can replace the full command.

1. Update Packages With Zypper

Like YUM, Zypper both updates and upgrades all packages using the following command:

sudo zypper update

Or:

sudo zypper up

2. Install Applications with Zypper

To install applications on openSUSE, use the install command as follows:

sudo zypper install packageName

Or:

sudo zypper in packageName

For example, if you want to install VLC on openSUSE, you can use the install command followed by the application name, as shown below:

sudo zypper install vlc

Follow the on-screen prompts to install the application successfully.

3. Remove Packages With Zypper

To remove a package, use the remove command:

sudo zypper remove packageName

Or:

sudo zypper rm packageName

For example, to remove VLC, use the remove command as follows:

sudo zypper remove vlc

4. Search for Installable Packages

When you are not sure which applications are available for installation, you can list them with the search command:

sudo zypper search packageName

Like YUM, there is no autoremove command included in Zypper. Like Ubuntu, openSUSE has one-click install links for web-based package installation.

4. DNF, or Dandified YUM

DNF is a rewrite of YUM that utilizes features from Zypper, most notably the dependency-resolving capabilities. DNF is the default package manager for Fedora 22 and higher versions and is the default system in CentOS 8 and above. You can easily manage packages with DNF on RPM-based Linux distros.

1. Update and Upgrade Packages With DNF

To update and upgrade all available software:

sudo dnf update

2. Install Applications With DNF

To install a package on Fedora or CentOS, use the install command as follows:

sudo dnf install packageName

For example, if you want to install gVim, use the install command:

sudo dnf install gvim

3. Remove Applications With DNF

To remove an installed package, use the remove command, followed by the application name:

sudo dnf remove packageName

To remove an application like gVim, use:

sudo dnf remove gvim

4. Search for an Installable Package

To search for a specific application, use the search command:

sudo dnf search packageName

5. Remove Application Dependencies

Unlike YUM and Zypper, DNF provides the autoremove command to search your system and remove unused dependencies:

sudo dnf autoremove

6. Install Applications via URL

DNF also allows for package installation from a URL:

sudo dnf install url

There are different Linux package managers like APT, DNF, and YUM. Each package manager brings its own features, making their respective OSes a delight to work with.

5. Pacman

Pacman is the default package management system for Arch Linux and other Arch-based Linux distros. Pacman is a complete package manager, as it doesn't rely on any underlying systems or frontends to resolve dependencies.

Pacman utilizes a simple compressed ".pkg.tar.xz" file system, which contains all information needed to build source code into a working program.

Think of Pacman as a system to automate manual software building using the source code. Pacman utilizes a "helper" program, Yay, to install unofficial software found in the Arch User Repository, and when doing so, the command "pacman" is replaced by "yay."

While there are a series of Pacman commands to familiarize yourself with, you must remember some of the most basic ones to make your work seamless.

1. Update Your Arch Packages

When working with packages, you will mostly utilize the "sync" flag (-S), which compares your system with the remote software repository. To refresh your software repos, use the -y command:

sudo pacman -Sy

2. Upgrade Your Arch Packages

To upgrade your system, you need to modify your previous sync command with the sysupgrade flag (-u):

sudo pacman -Syu

3. Install New Applications With Pacman

To install a package with Pacman, you must sync the package:

sudo pacman -S packageName

4. Remove Installed Applications With Pacman

To remove a package, Pacman has a native remove flag. To remove a package (-R), its configuration files (-n), and all unused dependencies, recursively, not installed explicitly by the user (-s).

The -s flag is different from the -s flag used in the sync command.

sudo pacman -Rns

5. Search for Installable Packages

To search for an installable package, sync and search (-s) with:

sudo pacman -Ss packageName

Pacman does not include an autoremove command. However, using the query command, you can search and remove any unused dependencies.

This command will query the database (-Q), check for orphaned dependencies (-t), restrict the search to dependencies (-d), and will not print the process out verbosely (-q, meaning "quiet").

sudo pacman -Rns $(pacman -Qtdq)

The Evolution of Linux Package Managers

Linux has come a long way in allowing new users to manage their systems easily. Package managers automatically find required dependencies and provide easy-to-remember commands for installing and maintaining software. Users are no longer stuck in dependency hell, as when Linux was in its infancy.

By testing out the different package managers available, you can find your home in whichever distro you feel most comfortable in.

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Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.2191 and Build 22631.2191 (KB5029352) to the Beta Channel.

• Build 22631.2199 = New features rolling out.
• Build 22621.2199 = New features off by default.

The new build includes the recently announced support for reading a number of archive file formats, along with a number of other improvements, and a lot of bug fixes.

Here is the changelog:

What’s new in Build 22631.2199

Native support for reading additional archive file formats

As announced at the Build conference back in May, this build adds native support for reading additional archive file formats using the libarchive open-source project such as:

• .tar
• .tar.gz
• .tar.bz2
• .tar.zst
• .tar.xz
• .tgz
• .tbz2
• .tzst
• .txz
• .rar
• .7z
• And more!

Please note that encrypted archives are currently not supported.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Files, Folders, and Online Storage > File Explorer.

Changes and Improvements in Build 22631.2199

[Start menu]

For files that do not have rich thumbnail previews that can be provided, it will no longer show a blank preview area. This is part of the work for rich thumbnail previews (tooltips) for cloud files on Start that began rolling out with Build 22631.2129.

Updated tooltip on the Start menu for files that do not have rich thumbnail previews that can be provided.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

You can now turn on never combined mode on the taskbar by right-clicking on the taskbar, choosing “Taskbar settings” and under “Taskbar behaviors” simply adjusting “Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels” to never. And we provide a separate setting for turning this on for other taskbars (multiple monitor scenarios for example).

Updated settings for never combined mode.

[Narrator]

We have made the following improvements for Narrator:

• Changed default verbosity level from 2 to 3 which will now announce “Immediate Context Name and Type”. The Control context type like “list” or “toolbar” will allow users to better understand the focused control – same default as JAWS and NVDA.
• Narrator users are unblocked for typing Traditional Chinese characters in Windows by addition of Traditional Chinese dictionary for detailed reading.

We have made the following improvements for Narrator with Braille:

• When navigating to any attachment in Outlook with scan mode, narrator announces the & of the attachment, the same is now reflected on braille display.
• Navigate to different headings in Scan Mode using down arrow, or ‘Space + 4’ key in Braille device, now navigating to heading is reflected in Braille.
• When navigating a list with items , whenever Narrator announces index with the menu item name, Braille display also reflects the same index values as “1 of 4”.

[Settings]

• The end task feature under System > For Developers no longer requires Developer Mode to be enabled first before it can be used.

Fixes in Build 22631.2199

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Fixed an issue causing app icons in the taskbar to not be able to move, and start overlapping once you tried to do this, in the previous flight.
• Fixed an issue causing the safely remove hardware icon to not appear when expected in the system tray.
• Fixed an issue where the End Task feature wasn’t working if you tried it when there were multiple windows open of that app.
• Fixed an issue where using End Task on certain apps would cause other unrelated apps to close.

[File Explorer]

• We’ve done some work to improve the performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows.

[Input]

• Fixed an issue causing typing with the Japanese and Chinese IMEs to not work correctly after the latest flights for some Insiders.

[Narrator]

• Fixed an issue where Narrator was not reading various list items in a combo box on various web pages when navigating with up and down arrow.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly announcing combo boxes as read-only even when users could actually select different values from the combo box list items.
• Addressed the issue where Narrator was not announcing the checked and unchecked status of radio buttons but was announcing selected for every item.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator was announcing older information while navigating in date/time picker using arrow keys.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading contents of previous cell and the current cell when navigating in a table using right and left arrow keys.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator is incorrectly reading older Window title even after navigating to inner control.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator is reading entire paragraph when up arrow is invoked in online word document.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading out last word of previous paragraph when a new paragraph started with a punctuation mark.
• Fixed a bug where Narrator was not announcing the character being deleted when using backspace key in some text fields on the web.
• Fixed an issue in narrator where while entering any number in CVV edit field, Narrator should only announce as “hidden”, instead of “CVV edit, hidden new line selected”.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator is not able to detect different headings on some web pages in scan mode while using “h” key to navigate.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator scan mode arrow navigation skipped first item in container.
• Fixed an issue, where Narrator is skipping the first item after navigating via landmark using “d” key in scan mode.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator focus did not move past the first check box if there was a list of check boxes when using up and down arrow key in scan mode.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator was not activating combo box when navigating using up and down arrow and using enter/spacebar to activate it in scan mode.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator would collapse the combo boxes in scan mode when navigating with up and down arrows.
• Fixed an issue where navigation commands are not executed as expected in a dialog box when you enter the dialog the second time.
• Fixed an issue where Narrator find was not working consistently on web pages when using Narrator key + Ctrl + F key combination.

[HDR Wallpaper]

• Fixed an issue where your HDR wallpaper might appear washed out although HDR was enabled.
• Fixed an issue where it wasn’t possible to select .JXL files for your wallpaper slideshow.

[Task Manager]

• Updated the summary view for the Performance page (that you see when double clicking the graphs in the navigation pane) to make the window smaller.

Fixes for BOTH Build 22621.2199 & Build 22631.2199

• New! This update adds new functionality that affects app defaults. To learn more, see A principled approach to app pinning and app defaults in Windows.
• This update addresses an issue that causes Windows to fail. This occurs when you use BitLocker on a storage medium that has a large sector size.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Remote Desktop sessions. Sometimes you receive a wrong error message when you try to sign in to a session.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the search icon. When you select it, the Search app does not open. This occurs after a machine has been asleep.
• This update addresses an issue that affects It does not correctly identify the search box on the taskbar and search highlights within the search box.
• This update adds a new API for D3D12 Independent Devices. You can use it to create multiple D3D12 devices on the same adapter. To learn more, see D3D12 Independent Devices.
• This update addresses an issue that affects disk partitions. The system might stop working. This occurs after you delete a disk partition and add the space from the deleted partition to an existing BitLocker partition.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Start menu icons. They are missing after you sign in for the first time.
• This update supports daylight saving time (DST) changes in Israel.
• This update improves the reliability of the Search app.
• This update addresses an issue that affects print jobs that are sent to a virtual print queue. They fail without an error.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the search box size. Its size is reduced in tablet posture mode on Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface Book devices.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the TAB key. Using it to browse search results requires additional actions.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Group Policy Service. It will not wait for 30 seconds, which is the default wait time, for the network to be available. Because of this, policies are not correctly processed.
• This update addresses an issue that affects settings. They do not sync even if you turn on the toggle on the Windows Backup page in the Settings app.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP). The Windows LAPS “BackupDirectory” policy setting was not being reported. This occurs when the setting is set to 1, which is “Back up to AAD.”
• This update addresses an issue that causes high CPU use. This occurs when you enable the “fBlockNonDomain policy.”
• The update addresses an issue that affects those who use Windows Update for Business. After you are asked to change your password at sign in, the change operation fails. Then you cannot sign in. The error code is 0xc000006d.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a WS_EX_LAYERED window. The window might render with the wrong dimensions or at the wrong position. This occurs when you scale the display screen.

Known issues

[General]

• [NEW] After updating to this build, the “Check for updates” does not appear as expected under Settings > Windows Update. To manually check for updates, you can open Windows Terminal (or the Run dialog)and enter the USOClient StartInteractiveScan command which will perform the same function as clicking the “Check for updates” button in Windows Update. Note that running the command will not display any output. To confirm that the operation was successful, you can run the command while the Windows Update settings page is open. You should see your device checking for updates.
• We’re working on the fix for an issue causing explorer.exe to crash on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode.

[File Explorer]

• In some cases, the context menu background in File Explorer may appear transparent.
• Investigating an issue where the icons on your desktop may all go blank. Right-click and refresh on the desktop will bypass the issue if it occurs.

[Narrator]

• You may see some of the strings are NOT localized to the selected language. This will be fixed in a future flight.

Snipping Tool Update

We are beginning to roll out an update to Snipping Tool (version 11.2306.43.0 and higher) to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. This update introduces new buttons to edit in Paint for screenshots and edit in Clipchamp for screen recordings.

New buttons in Snipping Tool for editing screen clips in Paint and screen recordings in Clipchamp

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub by clicking here.

You can check out the full blog post here.

Source

First up are the Changes and Improvements

[General]

• Insider Preview Build Expiration: The expiration date for Insider Preview builds flighted to the Dev Channel has been updated to 9/15/2024 starting with Build 23526. Please make sure you are updated to the latest build in the Dev Channel.

   

[Start menu]

• For files that do not have rich thumbnail previews that can be provided, it will no longer show a blank preview area. This is part of the work for rich thumbnail previews (tooltips) for cloud files on Start that began rolling out with Build 23511.

   

[Cast]

• Building off the Cast improvements introduced with Build 23516, we have updated the Cast flyout in Quick Settings with additional support for you in case you face any trouble discovering nearby displays, fixing connections, and more.

   

[Narrator]

We have made the following improvements for Narrator:

• Changed default verbosity level from 2 to 3 which will now announce “Immediate Context Name and Type”. The Control context type like “list” or “toolbar” will allow users to better understand the focused control – same default as JAWS and NVDA.

   

• Narrator users are unblocked for typing Traditional Chinese characters in Windows by addition of Traditional Chinese dictionary for detailed reading.

   

We have made the following improvements for Narrator with Braille:

• When navigating to any attachment in Outlook with scan mode, narrator announces the & of the attachment, the same is now reflected on braille display.
• Navigate to different headings in Scan Mode using down arrow, or ‘Space + 4’ key in Braille device, now navigating to heading is reflected in Braille.
• When navigating a list with items , whenever Narrator announces index with the menu item name, Braille display also reflects the same index values as “1 of 4”.

Next are the Fixes included with this build.

[Start menu]

• Fixed an issue that was making the System label in Start’s all apps list the wrong colour in high contrast themes.

   

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Fixed an issue where the taskbar wasn’t loading for some Insiders when logging into their PC after installing the previous build.

• Disabled the setting for uncombining taskbar buttons on other screens by default when no secondary monitors are connected.

• Fixed an issue where if the taskbar was set to uncombined it would still show animations even if they’d been turned off.

• Fixed an issue where app icons on the taskbar would become empty (with no icon) in recent Insider builds after switching between desktops.

• Fixed an issue where the hidden icons flyout might close unexpectedly when using keyboard navigation to move focus between icons.

• Fixed an issue where using drag to rearrange icons in the overflow area wasn’t working well when the taskbar was set to uncombined.

• Fixed an issue where the new bell icon might be very difficult to see in some cases because it was using a dark outline when your taskbar was dark.

• Fixed an issue where if you had enabled the End Task option in the taskbar, the setting wouldn’t persist across upgrades.

• Fixed an issue where after upgrading the Bluetooth icon in the system tray might not display in the system tray after upgrade even though your PC supported Bluetooth and the Bluetooth options were shown in Settings.

   

[Start menu]

• Fixed an issue where if you attempt to uninstall certain apps, it would just open Settings and not navigate to the Installed Apps page.

   

[File Explorer]

• Fixed a high hitting explorer.exe crashes when launching or interacting with File Explorer in the last couple flights.

• Fixed an issue where using the Reset Folders button in Folder Options could cause explorer.exe to crash.

• Fixed an issue where the chevrons in the File Explorer address bar were pointing in the wrong direction if your display language was set to Arabic or Hebrew.

• Fixed an issue where saving files to OneDrive locations in File Explorer could take a very long time, making it seem like the app you were saving from had become unresponsive, in the latest Insider builds.

• Fixed an issue where the context menu and dropdown menus in File Explorer weren’t working with touch.

• Made another fix for the issue causing the context menu and dropdown menu backgrounds to be transparent.

• Fixed an issue where the menu shown when doing a right click drag on one of the newly supported archive formats didn’t have an extract option like it does for zip files.

   

[Dev Drive]

• Fixed an issue where Dev Drives might not auto-mount after upgrading to a new build, causing apps that tried to access them to not work.

• Improved error messages if Dev Drives fail to format.

• Fixed an issue related to the use of Dev Drives which could cause a bugcheck with an INVALID DATA TRAP on upgrade (and then the upgrade would roll back).

   

[HDR Backgrounds]

• Fixed an issue which could cause sporadic explorer.exe crashes when using an HDR wallpaper.

   

[Narrator]

• Fixed an issue where Narrator was not reading various list items in a combo box on various web pages when navigating with up and down arrow.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly announcing combo boxes as read-only even when users could actually select different values from the combo box list items.

• Addressed the issue where Narrator was not announcing the checked and unchecked status of radio buttons but was announcing selected for every item.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator was announcing older information while navigating in date/time picker using arrow keys .

• Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading contents of previous cell and the current cell when navigating in a table using right and left arrow keys.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator is incorrectly reading older Window title even after navigating to inner control.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator is reading entire paragraph when up arrow is invoked in online word document.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator was incorrectly reading out last word of previous paragraph when a new paragraph started with a punctuation mark.

• Fixed a bug where Narrator was not announcing the character being deleted when using backspace key in some text fields on the web.

• Fixed an issue in narrator where while entering any number in CVV edit field, Narrator should only announce as “hidden”, instead of “CVV edit, hidden new line selected”.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator is not able to detect different headings on some web pages in scan mode while using “h” key to navigate.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator scan mode arrow navigation skipped first item in container.

• Fixed an issue, where Narrator is skipping the first item after navigating via landmark using “d” key in scan mode.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator focus did not move past the first check box if there was a list of check boxes when using up and down arrow key in scan mode.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator was not activating combo box when navigating using up and down arrow and using enter/spacebar to activate it in scan mode.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator would collapse the combo boxes in scan mode when navigating with up and down arrows.

• Fixed an issue where navigation commands are not executed as expected in a dialog box when you enter the dialog the second time.

• Fixed an issue where Narrator find was not working consistently on web pages when using Narrator key + Ctrl + F key combination.

   

[Input]

• Fixed an issue where typing with the Japanese and Chinese IMEs may not have performed as expected in certain apps in the last few flights when you had selected the option to use the previous version of the IME. If you are continuing to experience issues with this build installed, please file feedback.

• Fixed an issue where when inking into a text field, if you were writing in Chinese, certain characters were being perceived as taps and not working.

• Fixed an issue where inking into a text field while magnifier was running was not working well as the ink was offset.

   

[Other]

• Fixed an issue where removing a monitor while connected to a Cloud PC could result in a black screen with only a mouse visible in recent builds.

• Made some fixes to improve how the Share dialog worked with screen readers, as well as addressing some other accessibility issues.

   

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.

And frinally, here are the Known issues in build 23526

[General]

• We’re working on the fix for an issue causing explorer.exe to crash on the login screen when attempting to enter safe mode.

   

[Start menu]

• Some apps under All apps on the Start menu, such as PWA apps installed via Microsoft Edge, may incorrectly be labeled as a system component.

   

[Search on the Taskbar]

• Sometimes the tooltip when mousing over the search box does not match the current search highlight.

   

[Windows Copilot]

• You can use Alt + Tab to switch out of Windows Copilot, but not back into it. Windows + C will move focus back to Windows Copilot

• When first launching or after refreshing Copilot 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 find the official blog post here.

Source

These are the top Windows 11 apps available right now. We’ve covered everything from productivity and entertainment tools to customization apps. Let’s get started!

1. Fortect – Registry cleaning and Windows optimization

Fortect is a newly-developed software that provides users with Windows 11 optimization and registry cleaning. This tool works by removing any clutter and unused registry entries.

This app will enhance your Windows 11 OS speed, thus making the entire experience more enjoyable. Fortect also provides several optimization tools to speed up startup times, effectively manage system resources, and improve overall system stability.

Pros

• Great registry cleaning features
• OS optimization tools for startup and system resources
• User-friendly interface

Cons

• Updates are not released very frequently

2. Bitdefender Total Security – Comprehensive antivirus protection

BitDefender Total Security is a fantastic antivirus software that offers users an all-in-one tool that ensures privacy and protection from third-party attacks.

This tool protects your system from various threats, like malware, ransomware, etc. The app was designed to be easily used by experienced and beginner users, so all options are easily accessible.

Pros

• Proactive security with excellent identification scores
• Real-time scanning
• Offers web protection for safe browsing and online payments

Cons

• Some features might be limited to the higher-tier versions
• Full system scans take a long time and affect system performance

3. Opera Browser –  Speed and versatility combined

Opera provides an effortless browsing experience that combines speed, security, and many built-in features. Opera is made to preserve your privacy while boosting your online productivity with a clutter-free layout, an integrated ad blocker, and a free VPN.

It is the perfect option for Windows 11 users thanks to its distinctive sidebar feature, which gives rapid access to necessary functions.

Pros

• Fast browsing with a built-in ad blocker
• Free VPN service to ensure privacy and security
• Customizable sidebar with quick access to bookmarks
• Discord integration
• Social media control tab

Cons

• The extensions library is limited compared to other options
• Some websites might find issues while rendering

4. Microsoft Office 365 – Unleash your productivity

No introduction is necessary for Microsoft Office 365. It continues to be a crucial productivity suite for professionals and students alike because of its well-known tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

With its cloud integration, you may collaborate easily while accessing and editing your documents from any location.

Pros

• A powerful suite of productivity apps covering a wide range of tasks
• User-friendly interface to simplify usage
• Integrates perfectly with cloud storage for real-time collaboration

Cons

• The subscription-based model can be expensive for some users
• A significant amount of disk space is required to install all apps

5. Tweaking Repair – Optimize and repair your Windows 11 system

Your Windows 11 system will function smoothly and effectively if you use Tweaking Repair, an effective Windows optimization and repair software.

You can perform a variety of fixes and optimizations that ensure your system will run at its total capacity. Tweaking helps you experience Windows 11 without issues by resolving registry issues, creating backups, corrupted files, and a ton of optimizations.

Pros

• Powerful system repair and optimization
• User-friendly interface
• Regular updates
• SFC and CHKDSK commands
• Step-by-step structure to guide to through the repair process

Cons

• Some of the advanced features are not for beginners
• Not using the described fixes correctly can cause issues

6. Slack – Team collaboration made easy

Slack has real-time messaging and file-sharing features that have revolutionized team collaboration, especially during lockdowns when most people worked from home.

You can easily create and manage specialized channels for tasks, groups, or interests to enhance collaboration and reduce email clutter.

Pros

• Real-time messaging
• Can share files, documents, and media
• Seamlessly integrates with various productivity tools

Cons

• Search functionality could be improved
• The free version has limitations on message history and storage

7. Trello – Organize your projects effectively

Project management is made more accessible by using Trello‘s boards, lists, and a card system. This software ensures that everyone on the team is aware of their obligations while also being able to create boards for various projects and fill them with assignments.

Pros

• Provides a visual organization system for clarity
• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop functionality
• Enables collaboration through comments and attachments

Cons

• The analytics and reporting features are limited in the free version
• Integration with third parties will require a paid license

8. Adobe Creative Cloud – Unleash your creativity

Adobe Creative Cloud offers creative professionals a thorough suite filled with applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro.

These tools enable users to create outstanding visuals, edit and modify images, and create excellent-quality videos. The only question remains: Which of the Adobe Creative Cloud options is the app for you?

Pros

• Industry-leading creative tools with a variety of functionalities
• Seamless cloud storage enables quick sharing and remote access
• Features are regularly updated

Cons

• The subscription pricing model could be expensive for some users
• Steeper learning curve than in the case of other software

9. Rainmeter – Personalize your desktop

Rainmeter helps you customize your desktop with widgets, skins, and amazing-looking themes and is one of the best Windows 11 customization apps. Make your PC’s desktop your own and express yourself using this tool.

Pros

• Can display real-time system information
• Shows weather information on the desktop

Cons

• Some skins will require configuration to work properly

10. Stardock Start11 – Bring back the classic Start menu

Stardock Start11 offers users a way to return to the classic Start menu but on Windows 11. This makes the PC experience more familiar and adds functionality if you’re used to that setup.

Pros

• Recovers the classic Start menu
• Layouts and appearance are customizable
• Seamless integration with Windows 11

Cons

• Not all features may perfectly replicate the original Windows 10 Start menu

11. Todoist – Your personal task manager

Todoist is the perfect app to manage your to-do list better and get things done! During our testing, this app won the title of one of the best Windows 11 apps for productivity. The user-friendly interface ensures that you can quickly and efficiently navigate the menus.

To differentiate amongst tasks, users can set varied priority levels, add labels, and even set due dates for specific projects.

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Allows you to synchronize accounts across devices
• It enables you to collaborate and share tasks with friends and colleagues

Cons

• Some of the advanced features require a paid subscription
• The integration with other apps is limited

12. Grammarly – Elevate your writing skills

Grammarly is a handy tool for writers and content creators who want to ensure the best results. This helpful app checks for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors and offers suggestions using its database. Take your writing to the next level with Grammarly today!

Pros

• Integrates perfectly with a variety of apps and browsers
• Offers real-time suggestions to correct your writing
• A word can be reported as being offensive or added to the word list for better suggestions

Cons

• Some of the advanced features are only available in the paid version
• Occasionally false-positive corrections can appear

13. Microsoft PowerToys – Power up your workflow

Microsoft PowerToys comprises a set of utilities that can help you improve productivity and efficiency while working on your PC. Some notable features are FancyZones, PowerRename, and Keyboard Manager ensure that your multitasking capabilities are increased exponentially.

Pros

• A free suite of great productivity tools for Windows 11
• Fully customizable features for advanced users
• Regular updates ensure speedy improvements

Cons

• Some features might be overwhelming for casual users
• Some stability issues have been reported with experimental utilities

14. Xbox App – Access to a vast game library

Xbox App is a small utility that allows you to explore, play, and research the vast array of games on the Xbox platform. If you pay the monthly subscription, you will experience the so-called gamer’s paradise, so don’t hesitate!

Pros

• Wide range of games inside the library with regular additions
• Enables you to download games for offline play
• Exclusive discounts and perks for newly-released games

Cons

• Requires a monthly subscription, which might not be for all gamers

15. Steam – The ultimate gaming platform

Steam is well-known in the gaming community and recognized as a leading gaming platform. A vast selection of games, community features, and excellent sales of newly-released games and content enforces this status. This is what attracted millions of gamers worldwide. Will you also join?

Pros

• Wide range of games with a variety of genres
• Great community with loads of active players
• Regular discounts on games

Cons

• Some games might need external launchers to work
• Refund policies can be very strict for some games

16. Discord – Connect with gamers worldwide

Discord is another fantastic collaboration app that allows gamers to communicate while playing their favorite games. You can chat, share screens, and connect with other gamers around the globe using Discord.

Pros

• Easily keep in touch while playing games
• Servers can be customized to suit your needs
• Integrates with other gaming platforms perfectly

Cons

• Updates have caused some bugs
• The interface might be overwhelming for beginners

17. Spotify – Your personal music library

Spotify users get access to an enormous music library, podcasts, audio programs, and other excellent stuff. You can share your favorite music with other Spotify users and easily find new artists and playlists.

Pros

• Extensive music library
• Personalized recommendations and playlists
• Seamless synchronization across platforms

Cons

• The free version has ads
• You will need to pay a subscription to access content offline

18. VLC Media Player – Play any media format

VLC Media Player is one of the most versatile and well-known media players for Windows 11, as it offers seamless support for various content formats and is easy to use. VLC can open almost any video or audio file, regardless of its required codecs.

Pros

• Plays any media format
• Lightweight build and fast performance
• The interface can be customized with skins

Cons

• The user interface might seem dated to some users
• Library management features are limited

19. Kindle – A world of books at your fingertips

Your Windows 11 tablet becomes the ideal reading tool thanks to Kindle, which gives you quick access to one of the largest libraries of e-books. The database is simple to access while on the road, making reading portable and convenient.

Pros

• Extensive e-books library
• Reading settings are customizable
• Automatically synchronizes reading progress

Cons

• Some e-books may not appear in the Kindle library
• E-book prices vary considerably

20. Netflix – Stream your favorite shows and movies

Netflix needs no introduction, as it is the source of the well-known ‘Netflix and chill’ saying, which became exponentially popular as the platform released some epic shows. This is the go-to platform for watching content for millions worldwide and offers excellent viewing options.

Pros

• Wide range of TV shows, movies, and documentaries
• Automatically recommends content based on your viewing history
• Enables you to download content for offline viewing

Cons

• The available content depends on your region
• A monthly subscription is required to access content
• The lowest-tier subscription doesn’t offer a download feature and has ads

Windows 11’s enhanced functionality and user interface bring users a world of possibilities. Get the top productivity and customization apps to get the most out of this operating system. Opera Browser provides a flawless browsing experience, Fortect improves system performance, Bitdefender Plus offers strong antivirus protection, and Tweaking Repair keeps your system in peak condition.

Explore the extensive selection of work, gaming, and entertainment apps to improve your experience with Windows 11.

Source

In a blog post, Microsoft admits that it has been sometimes hard to read and edit characters in the formula bar because some of the formulas could get very complex. Now, a new update for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel has added support for monospaced font in the formula bar,

What is monospaced font? Microsoft says that this is a type of font where every character has the same width, no matter its shape or style. Microsoft says that the use of a monospaced font in the Excel formula bar "means that your formulas will be aligned and spaced evenly, making them easier to read and debug."

The blog post offers an example of the formula bar using a traditional font, and one which is using a monospaced font. The latter version definitely looks easier to read, and we would imagine it's much easier to work with for Excel formula creators.

In addition to just making formulas easier to read in the Excel formula bar, Microsoft points out a number of other advantages of using a monospaced font.

Monospaced fonts offer consistent alignment, making it easier to quickly spot errors, typos, and discrepancies in code. This uniform spacing enhances visual parsing of complex structures, aiding in identifying patterns, nested levels, and relationships within the logic.

Monospaced fonts offer streamlined copy-pasting of code from different sources while maintaining formatting. They also ensure a uniform appearance across various platforms and editors, guaranteeing consistent readability and structure.

The new features is, as we said, available for Windows Insiders in the Canary channel right now. It will be rolled out to the Windows Excel app first, and other platforms will get the monospaced font support for the formula bar at some point in the future.

Source

What is new in Skype Preview version 8.103.76.101?

Here is the changelog Microsoft posted on the official forum:

Drag & Drop Enhancements in Skype!

Have you ever wished you could just drag and drop texts or links directly into Skype's message panel? Well, now you can, because Skype has leveled up!

Now, effortlessly drag and drop texts or links directly into the message panel for quick edits and sending on Skype for Web on the Edge browser. Alternatively, drop them onto a conversation list, and they're saved as a handy draft. Modeled after our Android's direct share function, these items will neatly append at the end of your current draft, optimizing your chat experience. Enjoy!

Performance Improvements for GIF Picker in Skype!

We've heard you, and we're on it! We've focused on enhancing the performance and loading speeds of the GIF picker on Skype for iOS & Android. Our Engineering team has dived deep, employing cutting-edge optimization techniques to ensure a smoother experience for you and even better performance insights in the future.

Users previously experienced some hiccups, especially when searching, but with these updates, those days are in the rearview. Dive in and experience the speed!

Stability improvements & Bug fixes:

• Skype was using excessive CPU while in an idle state, on Mac
• Endless loading when adding a new card for Skype Number purchases on Web
• The "back arrow" delay during call setup to avoid accidental profile menu access on Android

Skype Preview is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. You can sign up for the program on the official website.

Source

What is new in AMD Chipset Driver 5.08.02.027?

Here is the official changelog:

Release Highlights

• New program support and some new drivers added.
• Bug fixes.

Known Issues

• Some driver names may appear in English on a non-English OS.
• Uninstall summary log may incorrectly show the uninstall status as failed.

And here are the new drivers:

AMD's latest chipset driver is available for the following systems:

And here is the list of supported processors:

You can download AMD Chipset Driver 5.08.02.027 from the official AMD website.

In case you missed it, AMD also released a new tool for those using its Radeon graphics cards. Called Radeon GPU Detective (RGD), it aims to analyze GPU crashes (also known as TDR) and help developers resolve them in new drivers.

Source

The new version number is 2307.40000.5.0. This looks to be a fairly small update, with Microsoft stating it has some unnamed "improvements to system and graphics reliability." Here is the full changelog:

What’s New

• Platform stability improvements.

• Updated latest Chromium WebView to version 115.

• Android 13 security updates

Current Windows Insiders who are also developers will want to offer up some feedback on the Windows Subsystem for Android. They can do so in the Feedback Hub under Apps, and then Windows Subsystem for Android.

You can also check out the Troubleshooting and FAQ for mobile apps info on the Microsoft Windows support page.

You can download Windows Subsystem for Android with the Amazon App Store from the Microsoft Store on compatible PCs running Windows 11. Hardware requirements for WSA are available here.

Developers who would like to run Android apps on Windows 11 with this subsystem should check out its Microsoft GitHub page for this very subject.

The same page also lets you report a bug in the subsystem, submit requests for a new feature, or report if something is wrong with the subsystem's documentation. You can also just simply interact with other Android-to-Windows developers on the page as well.

Microsoft has already released a new Canary Channel update for Windows 11 for members of the Insider program earlier this week along with a new Windows Server vNext preview update.

Today, it released a small update for the Windows 11 Paint app that added support for centered canvas for the digital art tool.

Source

Like for example, a driver from October 2021 fixed the black screen issue on Polaris cards in Ubisoft's Assassins' Creed. Another one, almost a year later in September 2022, fixed the Enhanced Sync bug, and a month later, yet another black screen issue, this time on Windows 11 22H2, was resolved.

Besides the black screen issue, another related problem has been plaguing the Radeon cards for quite a while. This bug throws up the "AMD software has detected a driver timeout" TDR (Timeout Detection and Recovery) error pop-up which is extremely annoying for users as it can also lead to black screens, system crashes or hangs and freezes. The issue has been fixed in the recent past but users still report facing it from time to time.

To put an end to these TDR issues once and for all, AMD has devised a new developer tool called Radeon GPU Detective (RGD). Its version 1.0 was released today and it will work with RDNA 2 and RDNA 3 cards (RX 6000 and 7000 series) on DirectX 12 applications. Sadly, games and apps based on older DX11/ DX9 or Vulkan, and older Radeon GPUs based on RDNA 1 (RX 5000), and Polaris (RX 400/500) are not supported. The latest 23.7.2 driver is also required.

On its GPUOpen announcement post, AMD explains what RGD is and its use:

This first version of the tool supports analysis of GPU crashes on Windows (“TDRs”) in Direct3D® 12 applications and requires a RX 6000 series (RDNA™2) or RX 7000 series (RDNA™3) card, in addition to the latest public AMD Radeon Adrenalin Software.

The tool lets developers set the driver into Crash Analysis mode using the Radeon Developer Panel (RDP) before reproducing the crash. Upon crash, an analysis file is generated with details that can help shed light on the crash’s cause:

• Execution marker information indicating which render passes and draw calls were in progress during the crash.

• If the crash was determined to be caused by a page fault:

  • The offending virtual address.

  • Details about any resource (such as heaps, textures, and buffers) that resided in the offending virtual address, including resource names given by the developer.

  • Timeline of memory events (such as Create, Destroy and Evict) filtered only for the relevant resources.

You can find more details about the topic on the GPUOpen website. Developers can refer to this page for guidance on RGD.

Source

Noted Windows enthusiasts PhantomOcean3 posted on his X account that earlier today we were expected to get a new Dev channel Windows 11 update, with the build number 23526. He also stated that ISO files would be included.

However, the usual time for Microsoft to announce a new Insider build on its Windows blog came and went with no such post. PhantomOcean3 posted that the ISO files were actually live and on time.

However, just a few moments later, the ISO files were no longer available to download from Microsoft, according to PhantomOcean3.

What happened? So far, Microsoft has yet to comment on what caused the ISO files for Dev channel build 23526 to be posted and then quickly pulled. We have contacted the company for comment and will update this post when and if we receive a reply from a representative.

While this is pure speculation, it's possible the company found a last-minute issue with the build that was severe enough that it didn't want to subject members of the Dev channel Insider program to deal with it.

Microsoft did release a new and small update to its Paint app for Windows 11 earlier today for members of the Insider Dev and Canary channels. Its main feature was that it had added support for centered canvas. It also included some small UI optimizations in the app's toolbar.

Source

In a blog post, Microsoft added this new Paint Inside update also includes some small UI optimizations in the toolbar. Other than that, there's nothing else mentioned in the post.

This is just the latest update in the popular art creation app for Windows 11. Earlier this year, Insiders were the first to get the much-requested dark mode for the Paint app. It also added some new options for the app's zoom function, along with a way to create a custom zoom and a new "Fit to window" option.

Earlier this week, both of those new Paint features started rolling out to non-Windows Insider members. The update may still take a few more days to reach all Windows 10 and 11 users.

Meanwhile, the new centered canvas feature will likely be a big hit with artists who simply want to keep everything they are working on in the center of the app and display.

Earlier in 2023, Microsoft updated Paint to include a new Image Properties dialog. That feature lets users see certain file attributes such as the image resolution and more. It also included ways to change an image's colour mode, size, and units. The early 2023 Paint update added Windows 11-like radio buttons to Paint, along with input boxes, improvements in its fonts, and more.

Overall, it's great that Microsoft is still continuing to update its Windows 10/11 Paint app even with small improvements like today's new release. Hopefully non Windows Insiders will be able to get the centered canvas and UI tweaks in the Paint app in the very near future.

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Downgrading your Chrome version can help restore stability and resolve such issues.

How to downgrade Chrome version

Downgrading your Google Chrome version can be necessary when new updates cause compatibility issues or disrupt your browsing experience.

Before heading over to explaining the steps to downgrade Chrome version you might want to use the built-in sync function of Chrome. If you want to ensure that your settings are backed up before downgrading, this feature is really useful.

To back up your settings:

1. Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner to access the menu
2. Choose "Settings" from the dropdown menu
3. In the "People" section, click "Turn on sync" to enable synchronization with your Google account

This will save your bookmarks, history, passwords, and other settings to your Google account.

Once you have done that you may downgrade Chrome version to any version you desire like this:

1. Visit the third-party Chrome download page
2. Identify an older version of Chrome that is compatible with your operating system
3. Download the chosen older version of Chrome
4. Go to the Control Panel on your computer and uninstall the currently installed Chrome browser
5. Locate the downloaded older version and install it on your system

To prevent automatic updates, access Chrome's settings and disable the automatic update feature.

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Whenever you boot up a freshly-installed copy of Windows 11, there's a number of apps preinstalled and quite a few of them can't be uninstalled.

However, that's changing, and Microsoft is going to let us uninstall five apps most of us have probably never opened (other than accidentally or due to some default file association).

As The Verge reports, a beta build of Windows 11 in the Canary Channel includes the option for the first time to uninstall the Camera app, Cortana app, Photos app, People app, and the Remote Desktop client. Of those, the Cortana uninstall makes the most sense for Microsoft seeing as they killed it as a service.

Microsoft calls these pieces of software "inbox apps" and last year claimed they were "essential to the overall Windows experience." Clearly they aren't as essential as 2022 Microsoft thought they were, and I'm sure many users will be happy to have a less cluttered Start menu to deal with once they are removed.

Recently, Microsoft blamed third-party apps for breaking the Windows 11 Start menu and suggested the only solution was to uninstall them. And while apps may be disappearing, more widgets are appearing in the form of CPU, memory, and GPU monitors. The number of Intel chips capable of running Windows 11 has also been reduced, with Microsoft removing 44 processors from the support list. Don't worry, though, they aren't chips you'll find in a home PC.

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Debian is an island of stability and sanity in the constant swirling chaos of Linux and open source. Long may it continue to be.…

Ian Murdock announced the new distro on August 16, 1993. Three decades later, Debian is arguably more important and more pivotal to the modern Linux world than ever before. The project calls the event Debian Day, and there are celebrations around the world this weekend. If you can get to one, you should – real-life FOSS parties are great fun.

It's not the oldest extant distro, although it's only a month behind Slackware, whose 30th birthday we covered last month. Slackware is still maintained by original project founder Patrick Volkderding, while, sadly, the founder of Debian is no longer with us.

Debian, though, has more remixes and respins and derivatives, and via them more users, than any other Linux distro – with the possible exception of ChromeOS, although of course a lot of people don't consider ChromeOS to be a Linux distro. (Android dwarfs both but it's not really in the same playing field.)

It's important to remember that the word "free" in "free software" does have two meanings. No matter how many self-important thinkpieces say it, FOSS isn't just about freedom. The simple fact that you don't have to pay for it matters as much or more.

This is especially true in poorer parts of the world. FOSS OSes also work better on older, slower computers, which drives adoption among the billions who can't afford the latest laptops. The innovative Endless OS distro doesn't rely on always-on internet, but while it uses Red Hat-backed tools such as GNOME, OStree, and Flatpak, it's built on Debian.

Without FOSS operating systems, there would be no "cloud." It's nothing technical: it would all work fine on paid-for OS instances, and they form part of it. What made AWS big was the machine-controlled deployment and control of VMs, but nobody sane would allow an auto-scaler to deploy thousands of instances if they cost a thousand bucks each in licence fees.

It's free Linux distros that made Google possible, and Debian is the most important free distro. While Google puts out ChromeOS to the masses who don't care what their laptop runs on, internally it runs on its own in-house distro called gLinux Rodete – based on Debian.

And, of course, there's Ubuntu. Before it launched in October 2004, its sole web presence was no-name-yet.com, which said:

Response at the time was muted. For instance, the KDE blog said it was "supposed to be Debian made good (shorter release cycles being one of the main features)." As far as we can tell at Vulture Towers, the splash made by Ubuntu was small enough that The Reg didn't cover it until 2006, when the first ever LTS release appeared – two months late.

Ubuntu was and is a direct offshoot of Debian. It's Sid, the DebianUnstable release, integrated, tested, and repackaged.

Nobody really knows how many Linux users there are; there are only estimates. TrueList reckons that Ubuntu has 33.9 percent of the market, followed by Debian at 16 percent. That's half the Linux market for Debian and its higher-profile offspring.

We also suspect that those figures may not adequately represent Chinese usage too. We've looked at the two leading distro families from the People's Republic. Kylin is one, and it's an Ubuntu remix. The other is the Uniontech UOS family, of which Linux Deepin is the international, end-user-facing member. It's based on Debian.

The Chinese "3-5-2 programme" aimed to replace Windows with Linux by the end of last year. We don't know if it's succeeded, but what it's replacing it with is Debian and Debian derivatives.

Red Hat makes the big bucks so gets the big headlines, but according to Truelist survey, Red Hat-based distros only constitute about 10 percent of the market, and of that share, some 95 percent are the free ones. That's why everyone is so upset that Big Purple killed CentOS Linux then killed off the rebuilds too.

Red Hat sold for $34 billion, but that money represents about 1 percent of Linux usage. Debian and its offspring have 50 times as many users as RHEL. Even factoring in CentOS and Fedora, it's just a fifth as many users as Debian.

Although some big businesses make much of the noise, what they're squabbling about is the relatively small paid-for slice. In the meantime, Software in the Public Interest quietly gets on with funding the gentle giant. It's the free stuff that really matters, and there Debian is the "rock in a swirling gyre of 'move fast and break things'." ®

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According to the release notes for build 25931, Windows 11 now allows uninstalling the Photos app (the one coming soon to Windows 10 users), the People app, and the Remote Desktop (MSTSC) client. Note, however, that only the Photos app is available in the Start menu—the Photos app and Remote Desktop are removable within the Settings app. Press Win + I (or launch Settings another way), navigate to Apps > Installed Apps, press the three-dot button next to the program you want to delete, then click Uninstall.

With build 25931, People, Photos, and Remote Desktop joined the ever-growing list of easily removable inbox applications. Previously, Microsoft allowed deleting the Camera app and Cortana without using unconventional methods, such as winget or third-party uninstallers.

In case you missed it, we recently covered a neat trick that lets you install Windows 11 without third-party apps pinned to the Start menu, such as Spotify, Tik Tok, Instagram, Messenger, and more. It does not affect system apps, many of which now feature a special "System" tag, but at least it is now much easier to get rid of things you do not need or want to see.

Other changes in the latest Windows 11 Canary build include improvements for the Details pane in File Explorer, the ability to sync your Windows accent colour with Dynamic Lighting-compatible mice and keyboards, new emoji, changes for the DC locator, and more. You can check out full release notes in our dedicated article.

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