As spotted by @XenoPanther, Edge Canary now displays webpages on a rounded canvas. The entire web page area appears slightly lifted above the rest of the UI (the tab strip, toolbar, and sidebar). Rounded corners affect even the scrollbars and videos when in full-screen mode.

Microsoft seems to have a little obsession with rounding everything inside Edge and Windows. The company recently introduced a rounded address bar and tabs in the Edge browser, plus Windows 11 received another batch of redesigned search menu bars with the same design treatment. Not everyone is a fan of such changes, but they surely make Edge and Windows look fresh. Also, they will look nice on computers with rounded display corners, such as the ones found in the Surface Laptop Studio.

It is worth noting that rounded webpages in Microsoft Edge are most likely an experiment the company conducts with a limited set of Edge Insiders. Edge Canary on our machines has yet to receive the unconventional UI change, and your system might not have it yet too.

What do you think about rounded web pages in Microsoft Edge? Let us know in the comments.

Get ready for more rounded corners in Windows 11 in somewhat unexpected places

BlueStacks

BlueStacks is one of the top Android emulators you will find. Apart from games, you can enjoy all your Android apps on your computer. The latest version of this emulator supports Android 9. This will support top games like Genshin Impact.

BlueStacks works with Intel and AMD computers and does not require a graphics card to run. It even works on low-end computers. For those only interested in gaming, you can try out BlueStacks X which supports cloud gaming.

Gameloop

Gameloop specializes in Android gaming and is the perfect emulator for those looking to enjoy these games on a Windows 11 computer. Gameloop was previously known as Tencent Gaming Buddy and was part of a desktop-mobile gaming experiment by Tencent. This platform only supported PUBG mobile previously, however, now it supports other top-end games like Call of Duty.

Android Studio

Android Studio is Google's official Android emulator. It is ideal for developers looking to test their new apps. This emulator contains the Android SDK and you can launch it directly from Android Studio. It may not be the fastest emulator; however it always has the latest Android version to help with your testing.

LDPlayer

LDPlayer has been optimized for gaming and its performance has left users stunned. This emulator runs popular high-end Android games like Epic Seven and Genshin Impact. It also comes with an app store to give you a complete Android experience on your Windows 11 computer.

MEmu Play

MEmu Play comes loaded with prominent features and is one of the most compatible emulators out there. It supports AMD and Intel computers and it is one of the only emulators that can run multiple Android versions and apps at once. Although it doesn't have the latest Android version, it delivers top gaming performance.

Nox Player

Nox Player comes loaded with many features such as controller compatibility, gameplay optimization, and built-in root support. This is another emulator that allows developers to test their apps. It supports multiple Android versions and offers various customization options.

Genymotion

Genymotion is another amazing Android emulator that lets developers test their apps. This emulator has the capability of running offline and even through the cloud. The best part is you can even install Google Play Store on your computer using the Genymotion package. The only drawback is this emulator doesn't support popular games like PUBG.

Emulate Your Android on Windows 11

Now that you know which emulators you can try, make the most of them and enjoy your Android experience on a larger screen. Do give these apps a try and see if they work well for you as well.

7 Best Android Emulators for Windows 11

Changing the Alignment

To change the alignment, go to settings. From there, go to personalization and in the left pane, click on taskbar. On the right, you will see a dropdown under the taskbar alignment. Select left from the dropdown. This will bring your taskbar to the left rather than the center alignment.

Changing the Default View

Click on the start menu, open the run dialog box and type regedit, and press enter. In the window that opens, go to the address bar and type the following address.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Right-click, create a DWORD (32-bit) file and save the name as Start_ShowClassicMode. In the value field, enter 1. Once you restart your system, the changes will be applied.

Changing the Taskbar Size

To change your taskbar size, click on the start menu, open the run dialog, enter regedit, and press enter. In the window that opens, type the following address.

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

Look for the advanced folder, right-click on it, and click on new. Select DWORD (32-bit), name it TaskbarSi, and press enter. Double-click on the new file and change the value field to 2. Restart your computer, and you will see changes in the taskbar size. Zero is for the smallest size, two is for the largest size, and one is for the default size.

Why Switch to the Classic View?

Now that you know how to change the view for your taskbar in Windows 11, make changes as per your preference. Some prefer the new look of Windows 11, while others love the familiar feeling of Windows 10. We hope these hacks helped you get your taskbar the way you want.

How To Change Windows 11 to Classic View?

Following Rufus, which had already added bypass for these requirements in an earlier version, Ventoy, another popular third-party alternative used to create bootable Windows media, also brought system requirements and Microsoft Account (MSA)/internet connectivity bypass with a previous update, version 1.0.86.

With the latest release version 1.0.88, the developers have fixed a bug related to the Windows 11 Bypass check where there was a web page display issue. The new release also fixes a boot issue with VHDX or Virtual Hard Disk v2 file format.

The full changelog is given below:

• Fix the VHD(x) boot issue introduced in 1.0.87.

• Add more options for Windows command line mode. Notes

• VentoyPlguson: Fix VTOY_WIN11_BYPASS_CHECK option web page display issue.

• Fix that workaround #2 not working for Legacy BIOS access limit.

• Fix a syntax error in F4 localboot.

• Show file checksum menu title according to the existence of checksum value.

• Automatically switch to en_US when use text mode.

• Add unsupported tip message for 4k native disk.

• languages.json update

   

You can download Ventoy 1.0.88 from GitHub or from Ventoy's official website.

Rufus alternative Ventoy fixes Windows 11 bypass related bug, VHDX booting issue, and more

For drawing shapes on OneNote, you can rely on the new "Draw and Hold gesture." As the name suggests, all you have to do is draw and then hold to be able to draw neater shapes. For instance, you can create a line, arrow, or shape in a single stroke, hold your pen in place for a few milliseconds, and the shape you just created will get converted to a neater one. Not only that, but you can drag to rotate or resize the shape while still holding the mouse cursor or pen.

Pen & Ink experience improvements are not limited to the ability to create better shapes. Microsoft paid equal attention to improve the creation of straight ink lines in the Microsoft 365 app. OneNote users will now be able to create straight lines with a keyboard shortcut. You will need to press the Shift key on your keyboard before you start drawing your line, and it will automatically draw a straight line between the starting point of your stroke and your cursor. Remember, all of this can happen without the need for a ruler, which you previously needed.

However, Pen & Ink improvements are not available to all OneNote users. You have to be an Office Insider Beta Channel subscriber running Windows 11 to get these improvements for now. For the "Draw and Hold gesture," Version 2212 (Build 15926.10000) or later is required, while the Shift key shortcut is available on Version 2212 (Build 15914.10000) or later.

If you are already running any of the aforementioned builds, here is how you can use the gesture and the keyboard shortcut, as described by Microsoft:

Draw and Hold gesture

1. Using your pen, draw a line, arrow, or shape (circle, ellipse, triangle, square, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid, pentagon, or hexagon) using a single ink stroke and hold it in place for a few milliseconds.
2. After the shape gets converted, you can leave the ink as-is, or drag to resize or rotate the converted shape!

Shift key shortcut

1. To automatically draw a straight line between the starting point of your stroke and your cursor, press the Shift key before you start drawing your line.
2. To adjust the length and angle of your line, continue to move your cursor, finger, or pen. NOTE: Your line will automatically snap to 0, 45, and 90 degrees.
3. If you need a little more flexibility, you can release the Shift key to disable the snapping behavior and adjust your line to anywhere you need it on the screen.  

It is worth noting that these changes are not available on OneNote for Windows 10.

OneNote gets keyboard shortcut for drawing straight lines, Pen & Ink improvements

• Insights
• Activities
• Properties
• Related Files
• Conversations
• Sharing status

Earlier today, Microsoft released another Dev channel build 25276, and the new build reveals more details about the upcoming File Explorer revamp. Although we already had a rough idea (from the early glimpse) of what the redesigned menus will look like, the latest leak sheds more light on what "Insights" is, particularly on the two features "Activities" and "Conversations". While Activities seems to show the modifications, etc., made in a file, the Conversations option is apparently will indicate the mails or messages that the file was a part of.:

Twitter user PhantomOcean3 notes that one can enable the feature with the Insights ID "38613007" using something like the ViVeTool.

How to enable new File Explorer in Build 25276:

Caution: Unannounced features are often raw, unstable, or borderline unusable. Back up important data before enabling them with the ViveTool app. Remember that using stable Windows 11 is the best way to ensure your system remains as bug-free as possible.

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

    

   
4. Navigate to the folder containing the ViveTool files with the CD command. For example, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
5. Type vivetool /enable /id:38613007 and press Enter.
6. (For PowerShell try: .\vivetool /enable /id:38613007)
7. Restart your computer.

Make sure to restore to the original state as the change is known to break File Explorer. To do so, repeat the steps above and replace /enable with /disable in the commands on steps 5 and 6.

New images suggest the upcoming Windows 11 File Explorer is a major redesign from Microsoft

And as usual, there is also a list of open issues that Microsoft is investigating. And while some of the issues are older ones that the company is still looking into, a new issue has been noted by the Redmond firm which indicates that the company is aware of user reports and problems when it comes to the download speeds of recent Windows 11 Insider builds.

The changelog describing the issue states:

[NEW] Some users are experiencing longer than expected update times installing recent builds. We are actively investigating this issue.

Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc, who is the Senior Program Manager on the Windows Insider Program Team, and happens to be a very active social networking person, suggested that the Redmond giant is actively looking into the Insider build upgrade issue.

Aside from the announced changes in the new Dev build, Microsoft is also looking to kill off MSDT in a couple of years time, which is when Windows 12 is expected to be around.

Microsoft actively investigating slow Windows 11 Preview download and install speeds

Earlier today, a similar thing happened when IT and system admins began reporting that after updating Defender definitions, they could no longer access shortcuts for apps in the Taskbar and Start menu. The issue was seemingly caused by the security intelligence update version 1.381.2140.0, as Defender would delete all shortcuts (.lnk) files located inside ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

Users say the issue is happening on Windows 10 though it is possible that Windows 11 might have been affected too. System admins were working around the issue by setting Attack Surface Reduction Rule (ASR) rule "92e97fa1-2edf-4476-bdd6-9dd0b4dddc7b" to Audit only (via Reddit).

A few hours ago the official Microsoft 365 Status Twitter handle confirmed the problem and stated that it was looking into the issue:

An hour later, Microsoft updated its status saying that it had identified the problem and had reverted the rule back:

However, IT admins are still visibly a bit furious as they would now need to restore the deleted shortcuts.

Thanks for the tip majortom1981!

Microsoft reminds all it's Friday the 13th as Defender deletes shortcuts on Windows 10

Disabling Automatic Updates

Pausing Auto Updates

This is one of the easiest ways to stop automatic updates in Windows 11. However, this method will only stop updates temporarily. If you're still looking to pause updates, here are the steps you should follow.

Go to settings and click on update and security. Once there, you can click on pause updates. This will pause it for seven days. If you want to change the pause period, click on advanced options. The next page will have a section named pause updates. Under this section, you will see a dropdown for a date. Click on it and change the date to when you want the updates to be paused.

You can select any date up to 35 days. Pausing updates for longer durations is not advisable because most of the updates are for system improvements. Some of the scenarios where you may want to pause updates are when you want to play a heavy graphic game.

Disabling Updates Permanently via Services

To disable updates permanently, follow the following steps. Type run after clicking the start menu. In the run dialog box, type 'services.msc' and hit enter. This will open the service window box. Search for windows update and double-click it. Under the update settings, you will see startup type. Choose disabled from the dropdown menu. Once you click ok, you will need to restart the system to bring the changes into effect.

Disabling Updates Permanently via Registry

To disable automatic updates through the registry, follow the following steps. Click on the start menu and type regedit. From the search results, click the registry editor. In the registry editor address bar, type the below address.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

Right-click in the sidebar and select new and then key. Name this as WindowsUpdate and then press enter. Right-click on WindowsUpdate and again create another key. Name this AU and again press enter. Now in the right panel, right-click anywhere and click on new and then DWORD (32-bit). Name this key as NoAutoUpdate and hit enter. Double-click on this and edit the value from zero to one. After closing the registry editor, restart your system.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Now that you know how to disable automatic updates in Windows 11, be careful. Make sure your system performance is not affected when you're disabling these updates.

Stop Windows 11 Update Notifications & Automatic Installation

What is new in Microsoft Edge 109

Here are the official release notes for Microsoft Edge 109.0.1518.49:

• Account Linking between a personal Microsoft account (MSA) and Azure Active Directory (AAD) account. Microsoft is enabling users to link a personal Microsoft account (MSA) and Azure Active Directory (AAD) account through work or school. Once linked, users can earn Microsoft Rewards points for Microsoft Bing searches done in their browser or Windows search box while signed in with their work or school account. For more information, see the Account Linking FAQ and the Account Linking IT Admins FAQ. Tenant admins can also control this feature in the Message Center section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center or by using the LinkedAccountEnabled policy.

   

• TLS server certificate verification changes. In Microsoft Edge version 110, the certificate trust list and the certificate verifier will be decoupled from the host operating system’s root store. Instead, the default certificate trust list and the certificate verifier will be provided by and shipped with the browser. The MicrosoftRootStoreEnabled policy is now available for testing to control when the built-in root store and certificate verifier are used. Support for the policy is planned to be removed in Microsoft Edge version 111. For more information, see Changes to Microsoft Edge browser TLS server certificate verification | Microsoft Learn. Note: This is a controlled feature rollout in Microsoft Edge version 109. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.

   

• Text prediction. To help you write faster and with fewer mistakes, Microsoft Edge provides word and sentence predictions for long-form editable text fields on web pages. Administrators can control the availability of text predictions using the TextPredictionEnabled policy. Text prediction is currently only available in English within the US, India, and Australia. We will continue to add new languages and regions in future versions of Microsoft Edge.

   

In addition to three feature changes, Microsoft Edge 109 introduces two security improvements. You can learn more here (CVE-2023-21775) and here (CVE-2023-21796).

Microsoft Edge 109 is now available for download from the official website and within the browser. Edge will update itself automatically, but you can force-install the latest release by navigating to edge://settings/help.

Edge 109 is now available with text prediction, account linking, and TLS changes

Third-party Twitter clients stopped working, and nobody’s sure why

Brave Search is the default search in Brave Browser. It is developed by Brave Software Inc, just like the browser. When you visit a Brave Search result in Brave, you may see an ad unit at the top of default. Shields, Brave's content blocking and privacy protection feature, is enabled by default in the browser, but ads are shown.

This may be confusing to some users. To better understand Brave's content blocking feature, it is important to understand the differences between the three available Brave Shield modes.

Brave uses the standard tracker and ad blocking mode by default. Users may change the mode for individual sites with a click on the Shield icon in the Brave toolbar or for all sites on the brave://settings/shields settings page.

The two other modes, aggressive and disabled, change the functionality significantly.

One of the most important differences between standard and aggressive blocking modes is that the former does not block first-party ads.

Most advertisement on the Internet is third-party based. Sites embed scripts from companies like Google on their websites to display advertisement and earn revenue from the ads. The technology and ads are provided by the third-party. Tracking is a bigger problem when it comes to third-party ads as well.

First-party ads are different, as no third-party connections are involved. A basic example is a text ad with a link displayed on a website. It loads no third-party content and is therefore considered a first-party ad. Brave's standard blocking mode does not remove these from any Internet site.

This means, that Brave handles Brave Search like any other website that displays first-party ads. These are not blocked in the default Shields configuration. Users may switch to the aggressive mode in the Brave settings to block first-party ads as well on all sites.

Closing Words

Many Internet sites rely on advertising revenue, but revenue is falling because of several factors. More and more publishers move towards a subscription-based model for revenue because of that, and there does not seem to be an end in sight.

To put it differently: Brave Browser, and many other products, including Firefox, would probably not exist without Internet advertising.

First-party ads are still ads, but they are not as invasive and often also not as taxing as third-party ads. They load faster, as no third-party connections are made, and there is less or even no tracking involved.

Source

Resizing the Taskbar

Resizing the taskbar in Windows 11 is very straightforward. Search for registry editor in the windows search box. Open the registry editor and type the below address in the address bar.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\

Look for the advanced key, then right-click on it and select new. Click on DWORD (32-bit) value and enter the name as TaskbarSi. Double-click on this key, and enter zero or two in the value data box. Two will expand the taskbar, and zero will reduce its size. Close the registry editor and restart your system. Your taskbar will be resized.

New Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows 11 brings with it new keyboard shortcuts for various functions. Windows+W opens the widgets panel. Windows+N opens the notification center. Windows+A opens quick settings. Windows+C opens team chat. Windows+Z opens snap layouts.

Default Browser

When you select a default browser in Windows, you have various options to strengthen this option. For example, you can choose which programs will be associated with the browser.

Classic File Explorer

Open the registry editor once again using the start menu and type the following address in the address bar.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions

Right-click on shell extensions and select new. Now click on key and name it 'Blocked.' Right-click on the new key and then select string value. Enter {e2bf9676-5f8f-435c-97eb-11607a5bedf7} as the string name. Exit the editor and restart your system. This will revert your file explorer to the classic version.

Organize Open Windows

The new snap layouts feature allows users to organize the open windows better. To do this, hover over the maximize button of an open window. You will see snap layout as one of the options. You can choose from different layout options for open windows. You can open them side-by-side or group or any way you prefer.

Command Terminal

This is the new command app in Windows 11. To open it, right-click on the desktop and select 'open in Windows terminal.' Once opened, you can open multiple tabs by clicking the plus sign at the top right of the window. You can choose one of the different command-line shells displayed after clicking the plus sign.

Virtual Desktop Backgrounds

You can now choose different backgrounds for your virtual desktops. This can be done by hovering the cursor over the taskbar and clicking on new desktop. You can then right-click on the new desktop and click on choose background. In the personalization tab, you can pick any background you want.

Moving Taskbar Icons

By default, the Windows 11 taskbar icons are in the center. You can change them by going into settings, clicking the personalization tab, and then taskbar. You will then see taskbar behaviors as one of the options. Under that, you will see taskbar alignment. Click on left in the dropdown.

Custom Touch Keyboard Theme

You can now select a custom theme for your touch keyboard. This can be done by pressing Windows+I and then clicking the personalization tab. Double-click on the touch keyboard option and then select new color theme. You can now edit this theme as per your preference.

Remove Unnecessary Notifications

To do this, open settings and then click on privacy and security. You will see an option that says allow apps to show you personalized ads. You should switch that off. Also, switch off the button for showing suggested content in settings.

Dark Mode

Open settings and click on personalization to enable dark mode in Windows 11. You then click on the colors tab and choose your mode. You can choose between dark, light, and custom. Select the mode and then click on apply.

Windows 11 Is the Logical Next Step

Despite apprehensions regarding this OS, Microsoft insists that Windows 11 is the right step forward. Yes, there are flaws in the system, but the same goes for Windows 10 as well. You must try out Windows 11 and see what is missing in your virtual life.

Source

A few hours ago, Microsoft released the latest build in the Windows 11 Dev Channel. The new build, 25276 adds some new features in Task Manager, and redesigned dialog boxes, among others. However, as usual, new Insider builds often reveal what Microsoft has up its sleeves and its plans for upcoming Windows updates.

Interestingly, it looks like Microsoft has plans to retire the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT) two years from now in 2025. Twitter user and Stardock engineer Rafael Rivera noticed the change in the latest build 25276.

MSDT, in recent years, has been abused by threat actors as it can be exploited to run remote code executions (RCE). Last year, two vulnerabilities, Follina and DogWalk, were discovered by security researchers, one of which received an unofficial patch.

This is right in time for when Windows 12 is expected to release, which is sometime in 2024 as the company has apparently moved back to the three-year cadence. So it's probably going to be a welcome change from the security aspect of Windows 12 if MSDT departs.

Microsoft confirms it's killing MSDT to perhaps make Windows 12 more secure

The full changelog is given below:

What’s new

Create live kernel memory dumps in Task Manager

We are introducing a set of new developer-focused features in Task Manager to aid the collection of live kernel memory dumps (LKDs). This is in addition to the existing “Memory dump” for user mode processes. The goal of kernel live dump is to gather data to troubleshoot an abnormal situation but allow the OS to continue operation. This reduces downtime when compared to a bug check for “non-fatal” but high-impact failures and hangs. Click here for more info on live kernel dumps.

To capture a live kernel memory dump (LKD), go to the Details page in Task Manager, right-click on the System process and the context menu should light up to show “Create live kernel memory dump file” to capture a Full live kernel or Kernel stack memory dumps.

The dumps will be written to a fixed location:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\TaskManager\LiveKernelDumps

Choose the new “Create live kernel memory dump file” option when right-clicking on a process on the details page in Task Manager.

You can also go to the Task Manager Settings page to view/edit the settings for live kernel memory dumps.

Configure live kernel dumps options in Task Manager settings.

[We are beginning to roll this feature out, so it isn’t available to all Insiders in the Dev Channel just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing it out to everyone.]

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Task Manager.

Updates to your cloud storage in settings for Windows 11

In November, we introduced a visual overview of your cloud storage usage in Settings app. As we mentioned here, you will see updates to the Microsoft 365 apps and service data included in your cloud storage. Outlook attachment data will be included in your cloud storage as displayed on the visual with today’s build. This change will gradually roll out starting with a small number of insiders, so not everyone will see it right away. You may see an alert regarding your storage usage; however, it does not impact your storage amount as early as February 1st, 2023. Learn more about cloud storage here.

A consolidated storage quota bar shown on Accounts page in Settings app with a banner that will alert you if you’re running low on storage.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Settings > User Profile Account Settings.

Changes and Improvements

[General]

• We have updated the dialog that shows when an app has a known compatibility issue to use the new Windows 11 design.

The dialog that shows when an app has a known compatibility issue now uses the new Windows 11 design.

[Windows Security]

• We are temporarily disabling the updated the Windows Security (firewall) notification dialogs that match the Windows 11 visuals that we introduced with Build 25267. We plan to re-introduce this change in a future flight after addressing some bugs.
• Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25267 and later Pro editions no longer allow a user to connect to a remote share by using guest credentials by default, even if the remote server requests guest credentials. This matches the stronger security of the Enterprise and Education editions that’s been in place since Windows 10, to further improve Windows 11 default security. For more information on this behavior and to configure insecure guest authentication to a third party SMB server device that only supports guest authentication, review this documentation.

Fixes

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• Fixed an issue where switching windows through taskbar previews wasn’t working.
• Fixed multiple explorer.exe crashes affecting the system tray.
• When opening a flyout from the taskbar, pressing the Esc key to close the flyout should now return keyboard focus to the button it was invoked from.

[Search on the Taskbar]

The fixes only apply for Windows Insiders who received one of the different treatments for how search looks on the taskbar that began rolling out to Insiders with Build 25252:

• We fixed the layout issues with the text in the search box on taskbar when using right-to-left display languages like Arabic.
• Fixed an issue where the selected search style in Taskbar Settings wasn’t persisting across updates. This setting should persist now on subsequent Insider Preview build upgrades.

[File Explorer]

• Fixed an explorer.exe crash which could happen when opening File Explorer, related to loading your recent files.

[Voice access]

• Voice access will now work correctly for entering numbers in the Calculator app.
• Fixed a crash when giving move left and right commands with voice access.

[Input]

• Fixed an issue where the “insert text” button wasn’t working when using the Pinyin IME in double pinyin mode.

[Widgets]

• Fixed an issue where the widgets board will get stuck open in an invisible state for Insiders in China (and potentially others), causing clicks on the left side of the screen to not work. If you’re continuing to experience this, please make sure to check the Microsoft Store for the latest app updates.

[Other]

• To improve clarity, when Windows Defender Credential Guard is enabled, when attempting to use remote desktop with default credentials, it will now explicitly say “Windows Defender Credential Guard does not allow using Windows logon credentials. Please enter your credentials”.

NOTE: Some fixes noted here in Insider Preview builds from the Dev Channel may make their way into the servicing updates for the released version of Windows 11.

Known issues

[General]

• Using Windows Hello to sign in with facial recognition may not work on Arm64 PCs. A workaround for this is to use the Hello PIN path.
• [NEW] Some users are experiencing longer than expected update times installing recent builds. We are actively investigating this issue.
• [NEW] We’re investigating reports that some Insiders are experiencing freezes when using the browser and certain other apps after the previous Dev Channel flight.

[Taskbar & System Tray]

• The taskbar is sometimes cropped in half when using the tablet-optimized taskbar. You may also see this issue on secondary monitors.

[Search on the Taskbar]

The following known issues only apply for Windows Insiders who received one of the different treatments for how search looks on the taskbar that began rolling out to Insiders with Build 25252:

• There is an issue where you will be unable to change taskbar search box to show as icon only via taskbar settings in some cases. To work around this issue, first change to a different option and then after, you should be able to choose to show as icon only.

[Task Manager]

• Some dialogs may not render in the correct theme when applied from Task Manager Settings page.
• The data content area of the Processes page may flash once when theme changes are applied in the Task Manager Settings page.

[Widgets]

• In right-to-left display languages like Arabic, content animates out of view before the widgets board resizes when clicking to expanded view of the widgets board.

Find the official blog post here.

Windows 11 build 25276 brings new Task Manager feature, some dialog box redesigns, and more

Vinicius Apolinario, who is a Senior Cloud Advocate at the company, published a blog post today on the Microsoft Tech Community website, explaining how one can install Windows 11 Virtual Machine (VM) on a Hyper-V system. The idea came to Apolinario when they were greeted with a "This PC can't run Windows 11" message.

They write:

Happy new year everyone! Last month, before the holidays I wanted to run a Windows 11 VM on Hyper-V to run a few tests on Windows containers in a different environment than my local machine. However, it took me some time to get that VM up and running, simply because I forgot about the new hardware requirements for Windows 11 and that I had to get them configured before I installed the new OS in it. This blog post is my contribution so you don’t have to go through the same!

The guide itself is pretty helpful as it shows how one can configure a VM properly on a Windows 11 system. You can read the blog post here. Here is another interesting piece of tale where another Microsoft employee was seen sporting an unsupported CPU during a Windows 11 live stream.

Microsoft employee realizes why users keep complaining on Windows 11 system requirements

As per usual, there's no changelog to speak of, so it's unclear what's new in the bits that relate to Server, for a changelog of the build 25276 client go here.

Branding has not yet been updated and remains as Windows Server 2022 in the preview. In addition, Microsoft is encouraging Insiders to give feedback in the Windows Server category and then the appropriate subcategory. The company asks to indicate the build number you are providing feedback on along with the title as shown in the example below:

• [Server #####] Title of my feedback

What's New

There are no new features shared about this build.

Known Issues

The Azure Edition ISO was updated but there were technical difficulties with the VHDX. The previous build of the VHDX will remain live for now. An updated VHDX file should be available with the next Insider release.

Available Downloads:

• Windows Server Long-Term Servicing Channel Preview in ISO format in 18 languages, and in VHDX format in English only.
  Windows Server Datacenter Azure Edition Preview in ISO and VHDX format, English only.*
  Microsoft Server Languages and Optional Features Preview

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

Keys are valid for preview builds only:

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

To download, registered Insiders can head over to the Windows Server Insider Preview download page here. You can also check out the Getting Started with Server page here on the Windows Insider for Business portal to register for the Windows Insider Program in case you aren't already registered.

Microsoft also notes that this Preview will expire on September 15, 2023.

You can download the build here, and find the official announcement here.

Latest Windows Server vNext build 25276 out in 18 languages with ISOs

Apple previews a trio of apps that will finally replace iTunes for Windows

We reviewed DeepL Translator in 2017 for the first time and followed the service's development ever since. DeepL, in a nutshell, promises translations that are closer to human translations than competing services like Google Translate. DeepL Translator supports fewer languages than other machine-based translation services, which is its biggest drawback.

DeepL Translator Free could be used to translate up to 5000 characters in one session, up to 3 locked document translations per month, and to use 10 glossary entries, up until now.

DeepL Pro subscribers get access to unlimited characters, more file uploads, support for formal and informal tones, at least one a glossary with 5000 entries and other benefits.

When you visit the DeepL Translator website right now, you may notice that the company has reduced the character translate limit from 5000 to 3000 characters.

Not all visits show the reduced translate limit at this time; opening another browser and visiting the site may display the previous limit of 5000 characters.

On this system, I got the 3000 character limit in Brave and the 5000 character limit in Edge. Both showed the English version of the website.

It is possible that the new character limit is rolling out slowly or A-B tested by the company to gather feedback and data.

The changed character limit is not the only difference that users may encounter. Eagle-eyed visitors may also notice that the price of a Pro Starter account increased from €5.99 per month to €7.49 per month ($8.74 in the US) when paid annually. The updated price was displayed in all browsers, unlike the 3000 characters limit per translation.

The character limit for translations may limit accessibility somewhat. Users may help themselves currently by doing repeat translations if the character count of the text is larger than 3000 characters. This had to be done previously for texts with more than 5000 characters as well.

Source

Meanwhile, on Windows 10, Groove Music has been the default music-playing app. However, it looks like that is set to change as Microsoft is now starting to replace Groove Music on Windows 10 with the new Windows Media Player.

The development is not entirely new though and it was probably coming to all users sooner or later. That's because Microsoft had already begun rolling out the new Media Player to Windows 10 Release Preview channel Insiders, which users could have availed using rg-adguard.

Deskmodder reports that the new Media Player is now starting to become available on Microsoft Store which means all Windows 10 users should soon be able to use it, making it a nice new year gift for Windows 10 users.

However, you may not receive the new Windows Media Player right away on Windows 10 via the Microsoft Store as it is likely going to be a general rollout. Though it shouldn't be too long.

Via: Deskmodder

Microsoft is bringing the new Windows 11 Media Player to all Windows 10 users

Switching On Game Mode

When you switch on game mode in Windows 11, it will devote maximum resources toward your gaming application. This means it will disable background activities, switch off notifications, and improve overall performance. To enable game mode, you need to enter the settings menu and select gaming from the left. In the navigation pane, you will see game mode. Toggle the switch to 'on.'

Prioritizing GPU

Under the game mode screen, you can click on any graphic item and enter the default settings. You can then change these settings based on the game you're playing. You should always use high-performance GPU settings when playing high-resolution games.

Turning Off Enhanced Pointer Precision

Windows 11 looks to enhance the user experience by improving your mouse pointer precision. However, this could conflict with many games as some games out there also look to enhance the mouse pointer precision. To switch off the enhanced pointer precision, look for mouse properties and click on additional mouse settings. Under the tab 'pointer options', uncheck the box next to enhance pointer precision.

Updating GPU Driver

GPU drivers are constantly updated. This is for better performance and enhanced reliability. Top graphic cards such as AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel work their best when their drivers are updated. Make sure you run all updates for your drivers before you begin gaming.

Updating Windows

Most users don't realize that they receive the factory version of Windows 11. This is several versions behind the latest release. This means the security protocols and additional updates need to be installed before your computer is ready. Run all checks and download all updates to keep your computer secure.

Disable Unnecessary Apps

Every computer has quite a few unnecessary apps that open at startup and run in the background. Make sure you disable the apps you don't need. To do this, open the start menu and look for apps. Scroll through all the apps and remove any obvious promotional apps. The list of apps you remove may be different for other users. Use your judgment here when disabling or removing apps.

Enable Optimized Power Plan

To further enhance your Windows 11 gaming experience, you must use a power plan suited to your gaming needs. For most computers, you will see a balanced power option under power options in the control panel. You can choose to enable a high-performance power plan that may eat up your battery life but may give better performance.

Gaming at Its Best

Gaming on your Windows 11 computer can be exciting. However, to enhance your gaming performance, you may need to follow these tips. These are tips from experienced gamers that can help take your gameplay experience to the next level.

7 Settings to Optimize for Gaming Performance on Windows 11

The new driver fixes some bugs when applying certain settings like Auto Overclock and factory reset. The driver also has a couple of game crash fixes like in the case of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt when ray tracing is enabled. Some of the high power usage bugs still remain.

The full release notes, including the open issues, are given below:

Fixed issues

• Intermittent driver timeout may occur when applying Auto Overclock performance tuning.
• While playing Valheim™ an app crash or driver timeout may occur using Vulkan® API.
• While playing The Witcher® 3: Wild Hunt, an intermittent app crash or driver timeout may occur when Ray Tracing settings are enabled.
• Minor performance degradation may be observed after applying a factory reset of settings.

Known issues

• High idle power has situationally been observed when using select high resolution and high refresh rate displays.
• Intermittent app crashes or driver timeout may occur when using Radeon Super Resolution with some extended display configurations.
• Video stuttering or performance drop may be observed during gameplay plus video playback with some extended display configurations.
• Stuttering may be observed in UNCHARTED™ 4: A Thief’s End during the opening game sequence.
• Some virtual reality games or apps may experience lower than expected performance.

You can download the new Radeon Adrenalin 23.1.1 driver from AMD's website.

AMD Radeon 23.11.1 driver fixes The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt crash, performance issues

The AI revolution has taken the internet by storm over the past few months, with the likes of ChatGPT posing difficult questions about how, when and why we should turn to robots for answers and companionship.

Chatbots, in particular, have proven an exciting (and controversial) new frontier for artificial intelligence, and the latest eye-catching creation is Character.AI (opens in new tab) – a tool that allows you to converse with digital replicas of almost anyone, whether dead or alive, fictional or otherwise.

Founded by former Google researchers Daniel De Freitas and Noam Shazeer, Character.AI – in a similar fashion to ChatGPT – pulls from articles, news stories, books and other digital sources to generate plausible responses from individuals (or characters) of your choosing. Always wanted to chew Alfred Hitchcock’s ear off about the impact of streaming on modern cinema? Or wax lyrical to Abraham Lincoln about the state of contemporary politics? Well, now you can. Sort of.

Crucially, Character.AI is simply intended to entertain, rather than inform you – per the website’s warning: “Everything characters say is made up!” In fact, its creators told The New York Times (opens in new tab) in a recent interview: “These systems are not designed for truth. They are designed for plausible conversation [...] Character.AI is useful today – for fun, for emotional support, for generating ideas, for all kinds of creativity.”

Our chat with an AI-generated version of J. R. R. Tolkien in Character.AI (Image credit: Character.AI)

Unlike ChatGPT, then, Character.AI isn’t on a mission to become your go-to search engine. Quite the opposite. As The New York Times notes, “companies including Character.AI are confident that the public will learn to accept the flaws of chatbots and develop a healthy distrust of what they say.”

It’s also worth noting that, regardless of who you choose to speak to through Character.AI, responses will be written in ordinary English. Jonas Thiel, a socioeconomics major at a college in Germany, told The New York Times: “If you read what someone like [philosopher Karl] Kautsky wrote in the 19th century, he does not use the same language we use today. But the AI [at work in Character.AI] can somehow translate his ideas into ordinary modern English.”

Clearly, that element of Character.AI has some real-world value – the software provides an easy way to get to the nub of complex theories and philosophies, particularly those penned by centuries-old scholars (as in the case of Thiel and his studies of Kautsky).

Beyond that, though, Character.AI appears to be a purely novel creation that serves an entirely different purpose to ChatGPT and, we suspect, the similar systems currently in development at tech giants like Google and Meta.

As for the ethical implications of chatting with fictitious versions of real-life people (dead or otherwise)? Well, that's an altogether larger question.

Source

Start Button Is in a Central Position

The taskbar and the start menu is the first big change you will notice with Windows 11. This is one of the most difficult changes to come to terms with; however, many users like this because it makes their screen look cleaner due to the central position of the icons.

No Refresh Button

One of the habits most Windows users have is right-clicking on their desktop and clicking refresh. However, the refresh option has been removed. Microsoft later clarified that the button has only been moved under the 'show more options' when you right-click.

File Explorer Has a Windows 10 Layout

The file explorer has not received too many changes however the context menu seems to have rounded corners. This gives the screen a better look.

Thumbnail Previews Are Removed

Another feature that most Windows users were familiar with was the thumbnail preview for folders. This has been replaced by colorful folders representing each menu.

Button To Show Desktop Is Removed

This is one change that will not affect too many users. The show desktop button at the bottom right of the screen has now been removed. However, since most users press Windows+D to show their desktop, this change will not affect most.

Settings Have Been Changed

Settings have received a major revamp. It now comes with a neat-looking sidebar and you can access any section with one click.

Microsoft Store Design Is Better

The Microsoft Store has also been redesigned and it now comes with a sidebar that allows you to switch between different categories.

Action Center Is Redesigned

The action center looks very organized and professional with Windows 11. The new layout is easy to understand and everything is in a presentable manner.

New Context Menus

The context menus have also been changed to blend with the new interface. The new menu looks better with new fonts and rounded corners.

New System Sounds

Windows 11 also comes with new sounds that allow you to customize your experience. While some users do not like the login and logout sound for earlier Windows versions, the new sounds may change their minds.

New Themes

While Windows 10 made had quite a few cool themes to enhance your desktop's look, the new themes in Windows 11 are even better. Each theme can be modified and previewed before you apply the changes.

New Fonts

New fonts like the Segoe UI Variable have been added. The new font is an adaptation of the Segoe font and it scales to adapt to any screen size.

Lock Screen Is Different

While the new lock screen does not have too many changes, you will notice that the date and time are centered. The sign-in button is similar to Windows 10.

Widgets Have Made a Comeback

Windows 11 has brought back widgets in the form of Windows tiles. Semi-transparent glass finish panels house the new widgets that make the screen look amazing.

Multi-task Switching

The multi-screen option has been retained in Windows 11 with a few enhancements. You can now create unlimited desktops and toggle between them using the Windows+TAB key.

Windows 11 Has a Lot To Offer

With so many changes and more on offer, there's no reason not to switch to Windows 11 today. Watch this space for more updates from Microsoft.

Source

The article is titled "Windows 11 makes it easier to play", and contains a few typical marketing jargons like, "We want to make sure this version of Windows is the best version of Windows for gaming possible," and "The Game Pass widget brings games closer to you."

In brief, the blog post is mainly talking about two new gaming-related features Microsoft introduced in the new Windows 11 version 22H2 update, Controller Bar and Xbox Game Pass widget. The company has also asked for feedback from the community.

The article is accompanied by a video as well, and the acting inside it could come off as a bit awkward in the beginning, though that is somewhat understandable as these are engineers and product managers in the video and not professional actors.

You can watch the video below:

This is similar to March last year when the company introduced DirectStorage on PCs. Microsoft had boasted about the features of Windows 11 for gaming PCs.

Microsoft reiterates Windows 11 22H2 is the best thing for gaming with a bit awkward video