Another notable change in Start11 1.36 are improvements to the startup process, which should fix visual glitches after a system reboot, and tweaks for various UI elements when using Windows 11 in light or dark mode.

Here is the full Start11 1.36 changelog:

• Fixed an issue with OS MinWidth entry for taskbar having bad data causing very small taskbar buttons.

• Fixed a crash possibility for Windows 10 style when dragging an icon from the left to the right if no groups to place it in existed.

• Further WB compatibility tweaks:

   

  • Fix when the skin not working correctly with the Win10/Win11 styles when not offset from the taskbar.

  • Fixes issues with WB skins with animated start menus.

  • Fixes an off-by-1 clipping issue on custom images for shortcuts when in Win10 style.

  • Fixes two-row taskbar with WB not being right on Win11.

     

• Fix for taskbar having a solid background when a WB theme is in use when using a theme that does not use taskbar blur noted here.

• Compatibility fixes for WindowBlinds 11.

• Addressed remaining conditions where taskbar thumbnail images could be misaligned.

• Resolved an issue with the taskbar not being able to be resized on 22H2 sometimes.

• Resolved an issue with small taskbar and the system tray icons being cut to one row vs two on 22H2 when using enhanced taskbar with a one-row taskbar.

• Optimized Start11 startup.

• Resolved an issue with the system tray icons on 22H2 in rare circumstances not repainting the background under them / under the network+sound icons.

• Resolved an issue with dragging taskbar buttons where if you left the taskbar area. then it would jump between insertion points and not allow any drag to be successful.

• Fixes resource leak found when using with WB11 and this.

• Tweaked engage Cortana mode to resolve a potential issue with it not always engaging if you opened Cortana just before the start menu
• Changed Win11 menu so if you disable Start11 search the search field will disappear by default but will respect the option to show/hide the field too
• Tweak for Search mode in Win7 skins to be light mode
• Change to Start11 running to hopefully workaround some PowerShell issues on shutdown for some users in edge cases.
• This change will potentially impact support for third-party apps which can launch Start11 such as DisplayFusion. It should detect this correctly but if not adding a registry key of type string with value "1" called AllowThirdPartyTaskbars to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Stardock\Start8\Start8.ini\Start8 should revert to the old system.
• Fixed issue with recoloured start menu textures using OS accent colour not refreshing on colour change
• Icon overflow (hidden icons) with new Win11 taskbar (insider dev/beta) now shows correctly when the taskbar is at the top of the screen.
• Added support for setting the taskbar button size (unless there is insufficient room) when allowing Start11 to enhance the taskbar via the OS regkey MinWidth stored at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics Unlike on Win10, this will scale for dpi correctly allowing consistency over multiple monitors with different scale factors.
• Tweaked sign-out / shutdown menus when in Dark taskbar mode to use a dark menu rather than light.
• Tweak to resolve an issue with the line on the taskbar in 22H2 being too transparent when in dark mode
• Tweaked default taskbar transparency on Win11 22H2 when in dark mode as slightly too solid by default
• Resolved crash changing custom icon for a tile in Win10 menu (or custom image on Win11 menu) if you move the mouse over the menu whilst picking
• Fixed an issue with excessive titlebar caption changes in apps triggering excessive refreshes of the taskbar causing a lag issue on the taskbar with enhanced taskbar enabled.
• Resolved crash issue when searching for more than 31 chars in a single word
• Dragging two or more items into a Win11 group in the menu no longer causes a resort to put the newest one to the far left
• Resolved issue with progress bars on combined taskbar buttons not always showing correctly
• Resolved issue with some pinned shortcuts (imported from the OS menu) not showing the jump lists on right-click in Win10/11 menu mode
• Resolved issue with being unable to pin steam apps to win7/modern menu from search
• Taskbar search mini preview should reposition itself correctly after a brief pause on the initial show when using centered taskbar mode on 22H2
• WB skins should now support blur on the background of the startmenu (Win7/modern). May require WB 11 beta 2
• Win10/11 style all programs list now respects icon set for folders vs using a default icon
• Taskbar thumbnail popup window will no longer go partially offscreen with a very large number of windows owned by a single app when using enhanced taskbar on Windows 11
• Tweak to thumbnail popup window positioning when in center mode with enhanced taskbar
• Resolved issue with not being able to right-click on the first 50 pixels of the taskbar when in center mode with enhanced taskbar in Win11
• Fixed issue with double animation with WFX start menu animations enabled (To use you MUST disable the Start11 animation in Start11 first)

You can download Start11 1.36 from your Stardock account or by heading to the "About" section within the application. The update is free for all existing customers, and newcomers can purchase Start11 for $5.99 on the official website or Steam (there is a free 30-day trial). Also, the app is available as a part of the Object Desktop bundle that includes programs such as Fences, Start10, Groupy, SoundPackager, DeskScapes, and Multiplicity.

Disclaimer: Neowin's relationship with Stardock

Start11 1.36 is out with improved WindowsBlinds 11 compatibility and tons of fixes

Frontpaged:   Stardock Start11 1.36

As an alternative, Microsoft allows you to download Windows ISO files for free. No, we aren't talking about downloading illegal torrents or visiting any sites on the dark web. These download methods are legal and completely safe.

Downloading Windows 8.1 and 10

The official way that Microsoft recommends downloading 8.1 and 10 ISOs is by using the media creation tool. The process for downloading both this software is the same. Before we move ahead, you should know that Windows no longer offers downloads for Windows 8 - only 8.1 is available.

You should first download the media creation tool for the Windows version you want to download. Once installed, you may need to accept license terms depending on which version you're downloading (you will not be asked to do this if you're downloading Windows 8.1).

If you do not want the media creation tool and just want to download the ISO file, you will need to switch to a browser that is non-Windows (for example, Safari). Once you visit the download page using Safari, Windows will allow you to directly download the Windows version you want.

When downloading the media creation tool, you will also be asked if you're upgrading the computer you're currently using or downloading the media for another computer. Next, you'll be asked to select the media language, the Windows version (8.1 or 10), and the architecture (e.g., 64-bit).

On the next screen, you will be asked to select the media you want to create. You can choose between a flash drive or an ISO file. If you select USB, you will need a drive with at least 3GB free.

Once done, your media creation tool will start downloading the file. Once your ISO file is created, you have the option of burning it onto a DVD. You can choose to do that right away or do it later.

Downloading Windows 7

Before downloading the ISO file for Windows 7, you should know that Microsoft has stopped support for this operating system. If you're on Windows 7, you should upgrade right away.

To download the Windows 7 ISO, you should go to the official media download page. You will need a retail key to download your software.

Once you verify the retail key, select the language on the next screen and click on confirm. You will then be asked if you want a 64-bit or 32-bit version. Upon selecting the version, your download will begin. Once the ISO file has been downloaded, you have the option of burning it to a disc.

Your Latest Windows Version Is a Click Away

Downloading your Windows media is not that difficult anymore. It is always advisable to download files from official Microsoft channels to prevent malware or corrupt file.

Where to Download Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 ISOs Legally?

According to an entry added today to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, Microsoft is working on an integration that would allow users to directly access Teams Chat from an Outlook meeting. Although the company doesn't go into details about what this implementation would look like, it does note that participants of a meeting will be able to send a "quick" message or review the chat.

The Feature ID assigned to this integration is 98130, with the entry indicating that general availability for the web is scheduled for March 2023.

Outlook and Teams already have a bare-bones integration - in a manner of speaking - on the web where you can click on the Teams call or chat icons at the top of the header to open them in a separate browser window. However, the upcoming integration seems much more seamless where you can directly access a Teams chat from Outlook. This likely applies to any meetings that you schedule as a Teams call because chats are automatically created in Teams for such events. They'll just be easier to access now directly from Outlook.

That said, it is important to understand that the March 2023 general availability deadline is subject to change and is not set in stone.

Microsoft is working on a nifty integration between Outlook and Teams

Microsoft has announced the ability to launch an instant poll using the Polls app in Teams meetings. An instant poll will "take the pulse of your audience and gather opinions and feedback during the meeting." The best thing about it is that you can launch one of three pre-defined poll types with a single click, so it will not take much time. You can try the following pre-defined poll types:

• Yes/No
• Thumbs up/Thumbs down
• Like/Dislike

Your audience will then have to click the appropriate button to share their opinions – no need for them to click Submit. For meeting organizers, you can launch an instant poll by following the below steps:

1. Click the Polls button.
2. Verbally voice the question you would like your audience to answer (e.g., Do you agree with this proposal?).
3. In the Launch instant poll section, select the option set you want to use.

However, instant polls functionality in Teams is limited to Business and Education subscribers only. That said, there is a known issue, which reads as follows:

The Yes/No option set is not translated and remains in English for all users, regardless of language and locale settings.

If you are a Microsoft Teams user and organize meetings, will it help you engage more with your audience? Let us know in the comments section.

Source: Microsoft

Microsoft Teams gets a new feature to help you quickly engage with your audience

As 2022 quickly comes to an end, social news platform Reddit is bringing back its Recap experience, which aims to give users a unique and fun way to reminisce the times they have spent on the platform.

Reddit Recaps are personalized, and will show you various statistics, such as time you spent on the website, the content you most engaged with, and communities you have viewed or joined. To view your own Recap, log in to your Reddit account and select the Narwhal icon under your profile in the app or the navigation bar on desktop. You will then see a series of cards that include figures like your most upvoted comment, whether you are team cat or dog, your avatar's outfit changes, tiles placed on r/place, and communities that you may be interested in joining.

Once you reach the end of your Recap experience, Reddit will give you a "new and unique opportunity to see how you stack up against other redditors" by rewarding you with a "Superpower Reddit Ability." Reddit explains the feature in its blog post:

Based on earned Karma points, the card places redditors into one of three categories of Rare, Epic, or Legendary. To add to the experience, it also displays their most recent Avatar, the top three visited communities, and assigns a generated persona gathered from the topics they were most interested in.

You can download and share your personalized card on Reddit and other social media platforms so you can highlight your Reddit Recaps with others. If you don't want to display your username and Avatar when sharing your Recap card, you can choose the card to display a generic Snoo and "Redditor" in place of your username.

These types of recaps have been popular ever since Spotify started its Wrapped marketing campaign, which allows Spotify users to view data about their activity on the platform over the past year and share it on social media. Other platforms that have launched their own recap experience include YouTube Music and Apple Music.

Reddit rolls out personalized cards in its end-of-year Recap experience

Memory Saver is rolled out to all Chrome Stable devices over the course of weeks. There is a way, however, to enable it immediately in the browser to start using it right away.

The best option to find out if Memory Saver is already available in Chrome is to load the main Settings page of the browser. Just type or paste chrome://settings/ into the browser's address bar and hit the Enter-key to load the Settings. Check if a Performance section is listed in the sidebar on the left.

If it is, Memory Saver is already available. If it is not, load chrome://flags/#high-efficiency-mode-available in the browser's address bar and set the preference to Enabled. A restart is required and the Performance section should now be visible in Settings.

There, Chrome users find two options. The first toggles Memory Saver in Chrome. Set it to on, so that it shines in blue, and Chrome will free up memory from tabs that were not used for a specific period of time. The tabs remain open and activating them restores them to full power in the browser. Ideally, this should not take longer than a regular tab switch in the browser. In reality, users may see a slight delay when they load a memory saver tab. Google notes that the feature is designed to keep active tabs, especially video and gaming tabs, run smoothly in the browser.

The second option available gives users the option to add a website to the exclusion list. Add sites there that you want active all the time. Some functionality, including notifications, may not work properly if the site is in memory saver mode.

Google is not the only browser maker that is adding memory and performance saving features to their browsers. Microsoft Edge's Sleeping Tabs feature, for example, has put billions of tabs to sleep already, according to the company. Introduced in Microsoft Edge 89, Sleeping Tabs is one of Edge's features to save resources. Microsoft claims that it frees an average of 39.1 megabytes of RAM per tab that is put to sleep.

It offers better controls than Chrome, as users may specify the amount of inactivity before a tab is put to sleep and enable a visual feature that distinguishes sleeping tabs from active ones. Chrome users may set different inactivity periods, but only in the experimental section of the browser.

Mozilla introduced a similar feature in Firefox in 2021. Called Tab Unloading, its main purpose is to reduce the number of crashes in Firefox due to low-memory situations.

Now You: do you enable memory saving features in your browser, if available?

A look at Google Chrome's Memory Saver mode

Alongside those, Microsoft has introduced a new update to the Media Player in Windows 11. The latest update will now allow users to browse through folders inside the video library.

Media Player Update

 

We are rolling out an update to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel for Media Player (version 11.2211.34.0 ) that brings the ability to browse through your video library by folder.

 

 

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

Microsoft is gradually rolling out new features to Windows 11 Media Player. In the previous update, the firm introduced the CD ripping feature, something that people with large CD collections may find useful.

You can find the official blog post here.

Source

The decision to no longer provide Windows 7 / 8.1 support for Edge users almost perfectly aligns with the end of support for Windows 7 Extended Security Update (ESU) and Windows 8/8.1 on January 10th, 2023.

"While Microsoft Edge and Webview2 Runtime versions 109 and earlier will continue to work on these operating systems, those versions will not receive new features, future security updates, or bug fixes," the company said.

"Microsoft Edge version 109 will also be the last supported version for Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2."

Users who want to install new versions of Microsoft Edge or the Webview2 Runtime (used to embed web content in your native apps) that bundle the latest released security updates are advised to upgrade to Windows 10 or later.

Microsoft also encourages developers to stop providing support for Windows 7 and 8/8.1 to ensure that their users will upgrade by January 10th, 2023, to a Windows version still under support to keep receiving security updates for their devices.

Windows 7 is still running on over 10.25% of all Windows systems worldwide, while Windows 8.1 is just 2.53%, according to Statcounter GlobalStats.

Desktop Window market share (Statcounter GlobalStats)

 

Today's announcement comes after a similar one made by Google in October when the company said that Google Chrome will likely drop support for Windows 7 and 8.1 beginning in February 2023.

"Chrome 109 is the last version of Chrome that will support Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. Chrome 110 (tentatively scheduled for release on February 7th, 2023) is the first version of Chrome that requires Windows 10 or later," a Google employee said.

Google also advised its users to update their devices to Windows 10 or later to update to future Chrome releases.

Just as in the case of Microsoft Edge, older Google Chrome versions will still work, but they will no longer receive bug fixes and software updates, thus exposing their users to security risks.

The Google Chrome web browser currently has a market share of over 65%, followed by Safari with around 18% and Microsoft Edge with 4.32 (which uses Chrome's Blink rendering engine with enhancements from Microsoft).

Other companies have already dropped support for Windows 7, with NVIDIA, for instance, no longer providing Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 drivers since last year, starting in October 2021.

Windows 11 has many tools and shortcuts for taking screenshots without third-party tools. However, for some reason, Microsoft's OS has been lacking a native screen recorder for way too long. Luckily, the company is now ready to address this imbroglio by allowing users to record their screens using the Snipping Tool app.

To record the screen in Windows 11 without resorting to third-party software, launch Snipping Tool and switch to the Record mode. Select the area to record and click Start. Windows will let you preview the recording before saving or sharing it with others.

Microsoft warns that the updated Snipping Tool (version 11.2211.35.0) has a few limitations. For example, you might notice a slight delay between clicking the "Start" button and when the recording begins. There is also a known issue where the Snipping Tool app window does not restore when initiating a new snip from within the app.

You can download the Snipping Tool app from the Microsoft Store.

Windows Insiders can finally download a native screen recorder for Windows 11

However, the update was found to be causing issues as it was failing to install with error code 0x800f0922, and as a workaround, Microsoft suggested updating the UEFI. Well apparently, it was just the start, as a week later, Microsoft also acknowledged another issue relating to the KB5012170 update. This time, users reported that after installing the update, their systems were forced into BitLocker recovery mode, forcing the Redmond firm to provide steps to workaround the bug. Microsoft's health dashboard still lists these bugs as "investigating" and "confirmed" implying there is more to the story here.

Interestingly, while this update was initially released for Windows 11 21H2 and previous Windows 10 versions, among others, it looks like Microsoft is now beginning to push it on Windows 11 22H2 as well. The official support page of KB5012170 though does not list Windows 11 22H2 at the moment.

Deskmodder notes one of its forum members apparently received the KB5012170 update on the Windows 11 2022 Update, though it failed to install as expected. While the 0x800f0922 error message was there, a new "0x8024200B" also popped up.

If you are not offered the update but still want to try this on your 22H2 system (not recommended since it's known to be buggy), you can manually install it by downloading it from the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Via: Deskmodder

Microsoft pushes Windows 11 22H2 Secure boot DBX update that's known to be bug-ridden

According to a post on the official Tech Community forums, the option to make Edge open favorites in a new tab is rolling out first to Dev and Canary users. It is a part of a controlled feature rollout, which means it might arrive on your device in a couple of days. You can check if your Edge Dev or Canary allows opening favorites in a new tab by navigating to Settings > Appearance.

Microsoft Edge developers are also busy finishing other long-anticipated features for the browser. The software giant says users will soon get the option to close tabs with a double-click and search in Collections.

Edge 108 and its seemingly removed forward button is the last "big" update for Microsoft's browser this year. Developers will resume shipping feature updates for Edge in the Stable and Beta Channel in January 2023.

In case you missed it, Microsoft recently published an updated Manifest V3 roadmap. Like Google, Microsoft will continue supporting Manifest V2-based extensions until at least January 2024.

Microsoft Edge finally lets you open favorites in a new tab by default

It is worth noting that the stable releases of Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and other Chromium-based browsers still support Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 (Chrome is already nagging its customers to update to Windows 10 or 11). Developers will stop offering updates for the outdated Windows version early next year after Microsoft ends the Extended Security Updates program for Windows 7. As for Firefox, Mozilla is still deciding when to cease updating Firefox on pre-Windows 10 systems.

Besides ditching old Windows versions, Microsoft Edge Dev 110.0.1543.0 offers a traditionally long list of various fixes and improvements. Here is what is new in the latest release:

New Features:

• Added forcing dark mode on Sidebar content that doesn’t support dark mode when dark mode is enabled.
• Added the ability to create a share and redeem Workspaces share link in the browser.
  Recently closed will now show who closed Workspace tabs with timestamps.

Mobile:

• Collections will now show new content inspired by your collections and the web. Your existing collections won’t be migrated, but that feature is coming soon, and you can switch back at any time.

Enterprise:

• Adding * support to ExtensionInstallBlocklist policy to block all Sidebar apps.
• New policies: (Note: Updates to documentation and administrative templates may not have occurred yet)
  • Policy to control scope search feature.

WebView2:

• Edge Remote Tools WDP plug-in is now able to connect to WebView2 UWP processes.
• HTTPS is now supported for WDP remote debugging.

Reliability improvements:

• Fixed browser crash when adding or modifying a favorite.
• Fixed browser crash when a Family Safety setting is updated in some scenarios.
• Fixed browser crash when opening an InPrivate window.
• Fixed opening the Search sidebar causes the browser to crash.
• Fixed unable to launch the browser due to an AAD sync issue.
• Fixed browser crash when opening Collections in an InPrivate window.
• Fixed browser freeze issue when dragging a tab.
• Fixed browser crash when moving a tab.
• Fixed browser crash when clicking on a PDF form field.

macOS:

• Fixed a hang issue when using Native/Web Accessibility.

iOS:

• Fixed browser crash when switching accounts.

Android:

• Fixed browser crash when signing out of an AAD account.
• Fixed the AAD account info issue causing the browser to crash.
• Fixed browser crash related to Collections.
• Fixed browser crash when switching accounts.

Other changes and improvements:

• Starting with Chromium 110, Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 will no longer be supported (Sunsetting support for Windows 7 / 8/8.1 in early 2023 - Google Chrome Community)
• Fixed download issue when using Save As.
• Microsoftsecurityinsights.com is no longer blocked by Website typo protection.
• Fixed cannot paste in rich text editor boxes on websites like Discord and other sites.
• Fixed the address bar's follow creator icon to be consistent with the Follow Creator pane.
• Fixed the media progress bar in Sidebar.
• Fixed a collection load issue after switching to light or dark mode.
• Fixed Add tab group to a new collection not working correctly.
• Fixed Add all tabs to Collections where some tabs didn’t get added.
• Fixed Default profile for external links to use the correct profile.
• Fixed Ctrl + Shift + T (Reopen closed tab) shortcut keys on Workspaces not restoring the tab correctly.
• Fixed the settings page opening in a Workspace window when visiting the edge://settings page in an InPrivate window.
• Fixed the browser not coming to the foreground when clicking on a Windows Spotlight link.
• Fixed Tab Group sync not updating issue.
• Improved dragging tabs to reduce accidental tab group creation.
• Fixed websites ask for authentication to other users on Workspaces.
• Fixed Workspace functionality not working.
• Fixed the missing back button on Outlook Sidebar.
• Fixed the extra blank space after clicking Open in New Tab on the Games pane in Sidebar.
• Fixed the update issue where it stuck showing the “To finish update, restart Microsoft Edge” message on the About page.

Android:

• Fixed an issue where if upgrade installation fails, the device will display 2 Microsoft Edge icons.
• Fixed Newsfeed language stuck on English.
• Fixed the missing bottom bar and the black screen with Recent in the Tab center.
• Fixed Read aloud not opening.
• Fixed website crashing when playing media.
• Fixed Read aloud issues with Wikipedia pages.

iOS:

• Fixed the newsfeed flash on launch.
• Fixed nonresponding buttons in a popup menu.
• Fixed gray/blank page when signing out of an MSA/AAD account and clearing all browsing data.
• Removed the fix for restore session failed, the webpage is blank, and click refresh cannot load on iOS 14.x. due to issues.
• Fixed stuck issue after selecting Keep data separate when signing in with another account.
• Fixed Password monitor last scanned displaying the wrong time.
• Fixed Password monitor not displaying scanned weak passwords.

Enterprise:

• Removed the DisplayCapturePermissionsPolicyEnabled policy.
• Fixed “500 Something went wrong” error message on Outlook sidebar.
• Fixed sign in managed AAD account failed issue on Android.
• Fixed the slow SSO sign-in and the fix account pop-up message iOS issues.
• Fixed an iOS issue where the user is seeing the “Downloading is disabled by your organization” message when trying to navigate to a site while using Citrix micro VPN.
• Fixed Citrix micro VPN won’t disconnect when using the InPrivate tab on iOS.
• Fixed the InPrivate switch issue and Search request not being blocked if the managed account is required when using the Search in Edge feature from Outlook on Android.

WebView2:

• Fixed workers WRR events when only document filter is removed.
• Fixed Custom schemes not working for post requests. (#1825)
• Fixed PostWebMessage lost messages when the page is broken into DevTools debugger.
• Fixed HTML5 drag and drop issue.
• Fixed the missing x64 folder when bootstrapper installs x86 WebView2 on a 64-bit version of Windows. (#2794)
• Removed Experimental Profile deletion interface.
• Fixed UserMediaRequestType not working issue.
• Fixed pressing enter on the Search bar not working issue on Xbox.

You can download Microsoft Edge Dev for Windows 10 and 11, Linux, macOS, and Android from the official Edge Insider website.

Microsoft Edge 110 drops support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1

The new Game Ready Driver provides support for Portal with RTX and contains updates for The
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Jurassic World Evolution 2.

Moreover, the 527.56 driver contains a fix where the driver could not be installed on the Microsoft Surface Book 2 with a GeForce GTX 1060, among other things, listed below.

Here are all the bug fixes included in this release:

• [GeForce RTX 4090] Watch Dogs 2 may display flickering when staring at the sky [3858016]
• Games utilizing DLSS 3 may crash when ending a recording using Shadowplay or OBS with NVENC [3817185]
• Older versions of Minecraft Java Edition show corruption on screen [3870232]
• [Microsoft Surface Book 2] Display driver fails to install on GeForce GTX 1060 [3876764]
• [RTX 4090] No display when hot plugging back and forth between DisplayPort and HDMI [3672801]
• Errors in Adobe Premiere and After Effects with H.264 and HEVC content [3881781]

Here are the known issues:

• Toggling HDR on and off in-game causes game stability issues when non-native resolution is used. [3624030]
• [DirectX 12] Shadowplay recordings may appear over exposed when Use HDR is enabled from the Windows display settings. [200742937]
• [GeForce RTX 4090] Watch Dogs 2 may display flickering when staring at the sky [3858016]
• Monitor may briefly flicker on waking from display sleep if DSR/DLDSR is enabled. [3592260]
• [Halo Wars 2] In-game foliage is larger than normal and displays constant flickering [3888343]
• [Steam version] Forza Horizon 4 may freeze after 15-30 minutes of gameplay [3866530]

The Nvidia 527.56 Game Ready driver is now available via the GeForce Experience app. Standalone links can be found below. The release notes can be read here.

Desktop GPUs:

GeForce Game Ready Driver Download: Windows 11, 10 – DCH (US version)

Notebook GPUs:

GeForce Game Ready Driver Download: Windows 11, 10 – DCH (US version)

Nvidia 527.56 driver supports Portal with RTX, fixes install block on Surface Book 2

The new feature, dubbed Memory Saver, will release up to 30% of all memory by suspending inactive tabs, system memory which will be used by active tabs.

"Memory Saver mode frees up memory from tabs you aren’t currently using so the active websites you’re browsing have the smoothest possible experience," Chrome Group Product Manager Mark Chang explained today.

"This is especially useful if you’re running other intensive applications, like editing family videos or playing games."

Suspended inactive tabs will be automatically reloaded when the users need them. You will also be able to mark your most important websites so that Memory Saver will know not to suspend their tabs.

Google Chrome Memory Saver mode (Google)

 

Google also announced a second performance-improving feature today, known as Energy Saver, capable of extending your laptop's battery life.

This mode will kick in once the battery goes down to 20% and it saves energy by limiting some visual effects and background activity across open tabs.

"When you’re browsing the Web with Chrome and your device battery level reaches 20%, Chrome will save battery by limiting background activity and visual effects for websites with animations and videos," Chang added.

While introduced with the latest Google Chrome desktop release, the Memory Saver and Energy Saver features will be rolling out worldwide over the next several weeks to Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS devices.

You can toggle off both modes from the Google Chrome Settings menu accessible via the three-dot menu in the top right corner.

In July, Google also announced that it started testing a new 'Quick Intensive Throttling' feature which would reduce CPU usage time by 10%, thus extending the battery life for laptops and mobile devices.

This is still in the developer trial phase and can be toggled on by enabling the #quick-intensive-throttling-after-loading Chrome flag via chrome://flags.

Source

While the feature is not available yet, it may not be long before we get it. A Windows 11 Insider and Reddit user SubjunctiveQuaver has seemingly spotted what appears to be a quest for the Snipping tool. Microsoft kicked off the 2022 Bug Bash with the latest Windows 11 beta channel builds 22621.1028 and 22623.1028 (KB5021866). The bug bash is filled with such quests that often reward users with a chance to test upcoming features.

Here is what the official blog post says:

Starting tomorrow December 7th, Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels will see quests start to light up in the Feedback Hub covering various scenarios we’re looking for feedback on. Take the opportunity to try out some new features and let us know how things are going! The Bug Bash will be running from 12am PST December 7th, to 11:59pm PST December 12th. Insiders who participate (by filing feedback or completing quests on the latest builds for their channel) will receive a badge in the Feedback Hub once the Bug Bash is over.

While we do not get any more information than what we had already known, like video recording quality details, and such, it is still exciting to see that the feature is being tested and feedback is being accepted, meaning it shouldn't be too long before we start seeing it roll out.

Source and image: SubjunctiveQuaver (Reddit)

Bug bash quest spills the beans on Windows 11 Snipping tool screen record feature

It is worth noting that the forward button in Microsoft Edge is not gone for good. The browser hides it by default when forward navigation is not possible—the button will automatically appear on the toolbar only after you navigate back. Some users will like a tidier toolbar, while others will not enjoy an ever-changing set of buttons (like the standard position of the Start button in Windows 11). Here is how to restore the original behavior of the forward button in Microsoft Edge.

How to enable the forward button in Edge

1. Press Alt + F to open the main menu and select Settings. Alternatively, go to edge://settings.
2. Go to the Appearance section.
3. Scroll down to the Customize toolbar section and find the Forward button option.

   

    

4. Select Always show from the drop-down list.

Do you like your Microsoft Edge with or without the forward button? Let us know in the comments.

How to enable Forward button in Microsoft Edge

The new SIM-less registration process is powered by the Fragment platform, which is not free—you need to purchase a combination you want on an auction or get a randomly-generated number for much less (still not free).

Speaking of privacy, the messenger now allows generating temporary QR codes to let other people start a conversation with you without knowing your username or phone number.

Another improvement in the latest Telegram update is the option to auto-delete all chats. You can remove individual messages for both sides without a trace since 2013, and now the messenger can purge all the conversations started after setting up the timer.

Those hosting groups with more than 200 users can start using Telegram's aggressive anti-spam tools without relying on third-party bots that sometimes compromise privacy in favor of better spam protection.

Finally, there is an improved UI for managing Telegram storage on Android, showing how much space each individual chat consumes, emoji search on iOS, new custom emoji for Telegram Premium subscribers, and a new set of interactive emojis that play whacky animations when you tap them.

You can learn more about Telegram's latest update, which is now available on all platforms, in a post on the official website.

Telegram finally lets you sign up without a phone number

Meta has announced that WhatsApp users can now express themselves using customizable avatars. The avatars can be used as your profile picture and in 36 custom stickers to respond to friends and family in a manner that expresses your emotions. The company said that this new feature will be rolling out to users everywhere from today.

According to Meta, this will be the first time that many people have created an avatar. It said the feature can help people to represent themselves, even if they don’t want to use a real photo, boosting their privacy. Over time, Meta plans to expand customization options to include lighting, shading, hairstyle textures, and more.

Meta’s statement about the new avatars was fairly brief, it didn’t say whether Facebook avatars would sync over to WhatsApp or whether users are expected to make a new one from scratch. Hopefully, avatars will sync across, so users don’t need to take time out to recreate them. Having them sync between platforms would be nice.

With today’s announcement, Meta is making more people familiar with the concept of avatars. They will play a central role in Meta’s metaverse. Their introduction to WhatsApp could make people more comfortable with avatars and more receptive of the metaverse when Meta attempts to get more people to connect.

To use avatars in WhatsApp, look out for an update to the app, then you should find an option somewhere in the app to set up your avatar.

WhatsApp users can now express themselves with avatars

Microsoft does not plan to ditch the current layout with horizontal tabs. Instead, it wants to allow users to select their favorite UI and switch to another variant with just a few clicks. Once the updated interface arrives, users can place notebooks, sections, and pages stacked vertically at the left-hand side of a window. You can see how the upcoming UI compares to the current version in a GIF below:

The "Tabs Layout" feature will sit on the "View" tab, and Microsoft plans to start rolling it out to all customers early next year. You can expect vertical tabs for OneNote to arrive in the Office Insider program before moving to the stable channel.

The company also notes that the ability to toggle the OneNote UI will be available only in the OneNote for Windows app. You should not expect it in the OneNote for Windows 10 version, which is not confusing at all.

Which OneNote UI do you like more? Let us know in the comments.

Vertical Tabs are coming soon to OneNote for Windows

After introducing a "long expected feature" in Microsoft Forms, the software giant wasted no time developing new functionalities for its online forms builder. Microsoft has shared an update about some of the upcoming features it has been working on and when they will be available for users.

One of the upcoming features is the ability to create "elegant" invitation cards by incorporating background music and vivid images to them. When it becomes available to all, you may not have to look elsewhere to create an invitation card for casual events and parties. As per Microsoft 365 Roadmap page, these customization options will come to Forms in January next year.

Microsoft is all set to introduce two more changes to Forms this month. For starters, the company will bring new AI-suggested templates to let you design your cover page for forms or surveys. These new templates will be available in the Theme setting pane. Another significant change coming to Forms this month is the ability for users to "send forms with the permission setting of anyone can respond to external users by email."

However, it is worth pointing out that Microsoft can backtrack on its promise of launching these changes in the said months. It launched the dark mode for Word for the web five months after the promised delivery date. We hope that history does not repeat itself.

If you are someone who uses Forms, which of the aforementioned feature(s) do you think will be most useful for you? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft Forms will soon get a host of new features

With around 2.6 billion users worldwide, any significant change to Chrome can have a big impact, and Google has gone live with three brand-new shortcuts.

Designed to help users search through their own tabs, bookmarks and history, these shortcuts should save regular Chrome users on their desktop a significant amount of time. 

Using these shortcuts couldn't be any simpler. On Chrome simply click the search bar and type one of @tabs @history or @bookmarks (depending on what you’re looking for) and then enter the word you wish to search for. This will search through the designated location and find any matching content. 

The ability to search through bookmarks and history quickly could be of particular benefit to lower-spec machines that might struggle to have a litany of tabs open simultaneously. It’s worth noting that to search your recent history on Chrome, you can just press Ctrl H to see your search journey. For those on Apple devices, Safari also has the option to search your history and open tabs. 

It’s nice to see Google not just sitting on its laurels with Chrome and continuing to add handy features like this and the recent side panel added to Chrome but we would love to see these new shortcuts come to the mobile version, especially as we already consider it one of the best android browsers.  

How to use the @ shortcut function to search your tabs

1. On Chrome select the search bar.

 (Image credit: Future)

2. Type ‘@ tabs’ and then select search tabs. 

 (Image credit: Future)

3. Enter a keyword or title of the tab you are looking for and then select it.

Note: It must be an active tab to open

 (Image credit: Future)

How to use the @ shortcut function to search your history

 1. On Chrome select the search bar.  

(Image credit: Future)

2.  Type ‘@’ and then select History. 

(Image credit: Future)

3.  Enter the keyword or title you are looking for. 

 (Image credit: Future)

4. Select the result you were looking for to visit it.

 (Image credit: Future)

How to use the @ shortcut function to search your bookmarks

1.  On Chrome select the search bar.

 (Image credit: Future)

2. Type ‘@’ and then select the category you wish to search.

(Image credit: Future)

3. Enter a keyword or title of the bookmark you are looking for.

(Image credit: Future)

4. Select the result you were looking for to visit it.

 (Image credit: Future)

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The integration extends the basic PDF capabilities of the integrated Microsoft Teams PDF viewer. It enables users to view PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat in Microsoft Teams. Additional functionality, besides viewing, is available for Adobe Acrobat Standard and Pro, and for Adobe Acrobat Free users who sign-in.

Adobe Acrobat Free users who do not sign-in to an account may view PDF documents using Adobe's software in Teams. Free users who sign-in to Adobe may add comments to PDF documents. Adobe Standard and Pro customers get additional benefits, including the ability to export and organize PDFs, compress PDFs or protect them.

Microsoft notes that users of Teams do not need to juggle with different applications anymore when it comes to using PDF documents in Teams. Instead, they gain the functionality in Teams, which allows for better collaboration and work flows.

"People can stay in the flow of work by securely accessing and collaborating on PDFs directly from within the Acrobat viewer in Teams. This includes the ability to share and review PDFs, collaborate in real time with comments and annotations, get notifications of comments, and easily access PDFs that are stored in Microsoft SharePoint and OneDrive."

To gain access to the functionality, IT administrators need to set Adobe Acrobat as the default PDF viewer in Microsoft Teams. Microsoft published a support document here that provides step-by-step instructions on setting Adobe Acrobat as the default PDF viewer.

The following steps are required:

1. Allow the Adobe Acrobat application and install it.
2. Access Teams app > Manage apps in the Teams admin center.
3. Find the Adobe Acrobat application and select it.
4. Switch to the Permissions tab and select Review permission.
5. Select Accept.

Instructions for installing Adobe Acrobat for all users are provided on the same support page. Adobe published a support page as well, which offers instructions for setting the PDF application as the default in Microsoft Teams.

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DuckDuckGo for Mac adds support for Bitwarden Password Manager

Bitwarden for DuckDuckGo is not available as a browser extension, but rather a built-in option. It's not surprising considering that the developers had mentioned that they were working on bringing native alternatives to popular extensions. So, you will need to install Bitwarden's desktop app on your Mac, to use it with the web browser. Let's find out how to set it up.

How to enable Bitwarden as the default autofill option in DuckDuckGo for Mac

1. Go to the DuckDuckGo menu > Settings page in DuckDuckGo's browser. The hotkey is Command and Comma.

2. Select the Autofill tab on the sidebar.

3. You should see Bitwarden listed as an option under the Password Manager section. Click on it.

4. A pop-up panel should appear instructing you to connect to Bitwarden.

5. Click the open button to access the Bitwarden app on your Mac.

6. Head to the Bitwarden menu > Preferences page, and scroll down to the All Accounts section.

7. Toggle the option that says "Allow DuckDuckGo browser integration."

8. Switch to DuckDuckGo's window and click the connect button. Bitwarden will prompt you to confirm the connection, click on the Yes button to approve the request.

9. You will see a confirmation in DuckDuckGo that indicates that the set-up process was successful.

You can now use Bitwarden in DuckDuckGo's browser to create logins, access existing passwords, etc., to sign in to your saved websites.

Note: You may not see Bitwarden under the Autofill > Password Manager section. That's because your browser is not on the latest version. If you already had DuckDuckGo installed on your Mac, it may not show that an update is available when you check the Preferences > About page. The current version is 0.31.1. I recommend downloading the .DMG file from the official website, and overwriting the existing installation to force the update.

Thoughts about Bitwarden for DuckDuckGo

Bitwarden works fine on most sites, all you have to do is keep the desktop app open in the background, while you browse using DuckDuckGo for Mac. When you open a login page for an account that is saved in your vault, click inside one of the boxes (password or username), and the password manager will display the credential that is available for it. Click on the option to let it autofill the login fields.

To create a new password, just click on the password field in a sign-up form, and Bitwarden will generate a secure password. It also lets you save the item to your vault, as you would expect from any password manager.

DuckDuckGo for Mac displays an option to fireproof the newly created login, which will preserve the cookies for the site when you click the fire button. That unfortunately is the extent of what you can do with Bitwarden for DuckDuckGo, it really is little more than an autofill option.

There is no search option in Bitwarden for DuckDuckGo, nor does it display its icon in username and password fields. Initially, this didn't seem to be an issue for me, but when I tried to log in to websites where I had multiple profiles, this was a problem. I have a lot of test profiles, the list of IDs was cutting out of the screen, and there is no way to scroll through the list with the mouse or the keyboard. This made it impossible to use the autofill option with a specific account that was hidden in this scenario.

Bitwarden on DuckDuckGo does not work on Gmail's sign in page, it does not recognize the password field, and hence doesn't display the login options. You could argue that this is related to the URL that is saved in the vault, but I have been using the same accounts/URLs with other browsers and Bitwarden works fine in those apps. Coming back to Gmail's login page, that's when I realized that there was no right-click menu to access Bitwarden's autofill. In fact, there is no way to view Bitwarden's vault via the browser's built-in option. You have to rely on the web vault if you want to manage your identities, or click the three-dot menu > Autofill > Logins to open Bitwarden's desktop app. As a workaround, you can copy/paste your logins manually.

I have no such problems with Bitwarden on Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc. It is my go-to password manager alongside KeePass (for offline usage), I'm just a bit disappointed that it is too basic in DuckDuckGo's browser. I wonder if these issues could have been avoided if DuckDuckGo had opted to support Bitwarden as a proper extension. That said, the browser itself is still in beta. Hopefully they can iron out the kinks as the development continues.

On a sidenote, Bitwarden has introduced a passwordless authentication method that lets you sign in to your web vault by approving a login request on your phone.

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According to a new blog post from Microsoft, the sleeping tabs feature, which has been active since Microsoft Edge 105 has been working overdrive and putting a lot of tabs to sleep. In fact, in September 2022 alone, the browser put 1.38 billion inactive tabs to sleep in a bid to relieve the pressure being placed on the RAM of Windows devices.

The blog post goes on to say that sleeping tabs in this manner saves on average 83% of the memory normally used on active tabs. However, as Ghacks has already examined the feature and discovered that the sleeping tabs feature saves on average 39.1 MB of RAM per tab put to sleep we can try to run some basic math to figure out just how much RAM the feature saved Windows device users in September 2022.

As you’d imagine the number is quite large. At 39.1 X 1.38 billion, it comes in at 53,958,000,000 MB of RAM saved in September 2022. That means that in total Microsoft Edge saved just under 54 Petabytes worth of RAM in a single month. These numbers are truly astronomical, but they would get even larger if we were able to carry out similar calculations for the RAM Google Chrome saves with its Tab Freeze function. Compared to Edge, Chrome holds over 65% of the web browser market share, which puts it having almost 15 times as many users as the Edge browser.

It would be interesting to know if these savings have any knock-on effects on energy consumption and could therefore be claimed as sustainable savings for the environment too, but that investigation is beyond the means of this article.

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Vivaldi is a cross-platform web browser created by the former co-founder and CEO of Opera Software, Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner.

It is geared towards power users who want multiple customization options that enable them to create a highly tailored user experience on their browsers.

Moreover, the browser features a rich set of in-built tools that respect user privacy, like an email client, translator, calendar, contacts manager, mobile sync, and a screen capturing tool.

Vivaldi has been a vocal supporter of distributed social networks based on open standards, and in November, it became the first web browser project to create an instance on Mastodon's fediverse.

Vivaldi adds Mastodon support

The release of Vivaldi version 5.6 integrates Vivaldi's own Mastodon instance, 'Vivaldi Social,' directly into the browser's sidebar.

Vivaldi's Mastodon instance counts over 11,000 active users and is integrated directly into the federated social platform, allowing users to interact with anyone on other instances.

Vivaldi Social will now be easily accessible via the Panel. Users can also add it permanently onto the sidebar, keeping it in view in a split-screen-styled browser window, as shown below.

Mastodon on Vivaldi's sidebar (Vivaldi)

 

This is particularly useful for Mastodon users who don't want to miss any "toots" (posts) since the platform lacks a powerful search engine or an alternative to the chronological feed.

Of course, if the users prefer to pin a different Mastodon instance on the sidebar, adding custom servers on Vivaldi's sidebar as a Web Panel is also possible.

Other new features

Vivaldi 5.6 also introduces some new usability features that underline the project's focus on power users.

First, there's 'Tab Stacks,' allowing users to pin groups of tabs they want to keep handy on the tab bar. Vivaldi also offers the ability to arrange the stacks in different layout styles, such as two rows, accordion, or compact.

New Tab Stacks feature on Vivaldi 5.6 (Vivaldi)

 

Another feature landing with version 5.6 is the addition of 'You.com' as one of the default search engine options.

You.com search on the browser (Vivaldi)

 

You.com is a privacy-centric search engine, free of intrusive ads and tracking, offering personalization options.

Finally, the Settings page has been revamped for better usability, making it much easier and quicker to locate options and features.

New Settings with search function (Vivaldi)

 

If you want to try out the latest version of Vivaldi, and if Mastodon integration is an excellent reason to give it a go, you may download it from here for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.

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