The latest Windows 11 Dev build has improved the Dynamic Refresh Rate feature. It now supports external high refresh rate displays, allowing Windows Insiders to conserve energy without sacrificing image quality. This change will join the latest Windows Update improvements focusing on making the operating system more energy efficient.

Dynamic Refresh Rate for external displays works only with 120Hz+ monitors with Variable Refresh Rate support. Also, you need a WDDM 3.1 display driver. If you do not know what WDDM version you have, press Win + R, type dxdiag, go to the Display tab and check the Driver Model field. Install the latest GPU driver available from Windows Update if necessary. Once everything is set, go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced Display and select Dynamic.

You can learn about other changes and improvements in the latest Windows 11 Dev build in our dedicated coverage.

Windows 11 gets Dynamic Refresh Rate support for external displays in latest preview update

The new driver also adds support for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Open Beta. The full changelog is given below:

Highlights

• Support for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II Open Beta.

Fixed Issues

• Enhanced Sync may cause an intermittent black screen to occur during gameplay and video playback using extended displays and toggling Enhanced Sync.

Known Issues

• Radeon™ Super Resolution may fail to trigger after changing resolution or HDR settings on games such as Nioh™ 2.
• Oculus dashboard menu and rendered controllers may appear bouncing/wobbly on Oculus Quest 2 with some AMD Graphics Products such as the Radeon™ RX 6800 XT Graphics.
• GPU utilization may be stuck at 100% in Radeon performance metrics after closing games on some AMD Graphics Products such as Radeon™ 570.
• While previewing the timeline in VEGAS Pro™, some colors may appear inverted.
• Display may briefly show corruption when switching between video and game windows on some AMD Graphics Products such as the Radeon™ RX 6700 XT.
• When Vertical Refresh Sync is set globally to Always Off, system stuttering or driver timeout may occur during video playback using Radeon™ RX 6000 series GPUs.
• Users may encounter dropped frames during video playback using hardware acceleration in browsers on Radeon™ RX 6000 series GPUs.

Important Notes

• AMD Software Capture and Stream features and Overlay support for Clone mode and Eyefinity display configurations will be introduced at a later date.
• OpenGL applications that are 10-bit aware are no longer supported with HDR display capabilities. Enabling 10-Bit Pixel Format in advanced graphics settings is only recommended for use of 10-bit aware OpenGL applications and not required for enabling 10-Bit Color Display Capabilities.
• AMD is working with the game developers of Call of Duty®: Warzone™ to resolve an issue where users may be experiencing stuttering on the Caldera map.

The driver is compatible with all Radeon desktop products from RX 400 series and newer, as well as Ryzen and Athlon Vega-based APUs. On mobile, Radeon 600 series and RX 5000M series and newer are supported. To download the 22.9.1 driver, head over to AMD's official website.

AMD finally fixes Enhanced Sync black screen issue with latest 22.9.1 driver

Frontpaged:   AMD Radeon Adrenalin Edition 22.9.1

Firefox View tab - Tab Pickup and access recently closed tabs

If you are on the latest version of Firefox's test builds, you may have noticed a new button that has appeared on the left edge toolbar. The button has the Firefox logo on it (similar to Vivaldi and Opera's menu buttons), click on it, and a new tab will open, this is Firefox View.

Firefox View comprises 3 sections, the first of which is Tab Pickup. This section lists 3 recent tabs that you have accessed on your other devices. It displays the tab's title, favicon, URL (on mouse over), a time stamp, and the name of the device that you accessed it on. Right-clicking on a tab displays a context menu similar to the one that is displayed when you click on URLs. Aside from syncing across devices, this feature also pulls tabs from other versions of Firefox that you may have from the same computer, in my case Firefox stable, Nightly, Dev and Beta.

The next section, Recently Closed, as the name suggests, lists the tabs that you closed recently. This includes the tab's title, the link, favicon, and the timestamp when the tab was closed. There is no option to hide specific closed tabs from the list, this might be a problem for some users. The Tab Pickup and Recently Closed sections can be collapsed by clicking on the arrow button next to them.

Left-click on a recently closed tab to restore it (opens in a new tab), this can come in handy, especially if you closed a tab accidentally. I use the Undo Close Tab add-on for this very reason, but it is good to have a native option in the browser. But, the feature has a long way to go. Unlike Tab Pickup, Recently Closed tabs are not synced between devices, i.e., it only lists the tabs that you closed in the current browser. It does not remember the closed tabs from the previous session, so if you close some tabs and exit the browser, the tabs are lost. The extension that I mentioned is capable of remembering closed tabs across sessions.

Lastly, Firefox View has a banner that lets you access Colorways. You can apply the theme with a single-click, switch between themes, and set the intensity level.

How to remove the Firefox View button

Not a fan of the extra button on the toolbar? You can remove the Firefox view button, to do so just right-click on it and select "Remove from the toolbar".

You can add it back anytime from the customize toolbar page. Or, you could move it to the overflow menu. You may also access the Firefox View tab directly from the address bar by typing about:firefoxview

I couldn't find an option under Firefox Sync's settings, to change how Firefox View works. I'm assuming that it probably relies on the "Open tabs" setting to sync the active tabs between your devices.

There are a few preferences that are listed under firefox-view in the about:config page. For example, you can disable Firefox View by changing the value of browser.tabs.firefox-view from true to false.

Firefox View is kind of similar to the new tab page on Firefox's mobile browsers, specifically the Jump back in and recently visited sites sections. Even Firefox Sync's menu has a list of tabs that you have opened on other devices. However, the recently closed tabs section is probably what makes the new feature better than the other implementations. I'm surprised that Mozilla didn't choose to include it in the new tab page, but I think this is the best way to do it, without interfering with the current experience.

What do you think about Firefox View?

Mozilla is testing Firefox View - a feature that allows you to pickup tabs from other devices and access recently closed tabs

Because Windows 11 contains some controversial feature changes, not every user with older, but still perfectly capable, hardware is ready to upgrade their computer just to get the newest operating system. Even Microsoft says that Windows 10 is "a great place to be" if your device is not eligible for Windows 11. To keep customers happy, Microsoft will keep servicing Windows 10 until October 2025. As a part of that servicing, the operating system will receive an upgrade next month.

Unlike Windows 11, which is set to get a bunch of neat features in its first "moment" update in October, Windows 10 will most likely get a simple build version bump with a cumulative-like update. Still, some minor new features can make it to Windows 10, such as the slightly updated taskbar that now can display News and Interests regardless of where you set the taskbar.

The latter is a somewhat odd change in light of Microsoft's recent claims that very few people position their taskbar on top or at the sides of the screen, which is one of the reasons Windows 11 does not allow you to change the position of the taskbar.

Source: Microsoft

Windows 10 22H2 is coming in October, Microsoft confirms

The new update brings new features with it. These include an improved integration of OneDrive which will help in easier backup and viewing of storage usage stats. A new redesigned gallery for an improved photos managing experience is also there. The full list of changes is given below:

• Organize your photos with a productive and beautifully redesigned purpose-built experience.

• Easily backup your Photos to OneDrive and keep your memories safe.

• Celebrate a life well-lived with improved “Memories” experiences.

• Be productive with multi-window and multi-screen.

• Easily view your OneDrive storage quota usage and add more storage.

• Import and manage your photos from external sources such as your phone and camera.

   

The company however notes that it has removed the legacy Video editor as it feels that Clipchamp is the superior app for it. However you can still opt for legacy Photos app on Microsoft Store.

You may find more information on the official blog post here.

New Windows 11 Photos app brings better OneDrive integration, axes legacy Video Editor

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22621.601 and Build 22622.601 (KB5017384) to the Beta Channel.

• Build 22622.601 = New features rolling out.
• Build 22621.601 = New features off by default.

However, today's builds do not contain any new features and the fixes apply to both, as seen in the changelog below. You may remember that Windows 11 2022 Update started rolling out yesterday, you can view our entire coverage here; these Beta Channel builds are a continuation of that and the new features and fixes coming to these builds are expected to start rolling out as "Moments", starting sometime in October. So with that being said, the Beta channel still has a purpose and is an actual reflection of things to come in the (near) future.

Here are the bug fixes for both Build 22621.601 and Build 22622.601:

• We fixed the issue where clicking the network icon on the Lock screen would not work and would crash the Lock screen.
• We updated the start date for daylight saving time in Chile. It will start on September 11, 2022 instead of on September 4, 2022.
• We reduced the power that the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol uses on some devices when they are in Sleep mode.
• We fixed an issue that affects Dual SIM calling. If you select no SIM on your phone and initiate a call on your device, Dual SIM functionality does not work.

And finally, here are the known issues:

• We’re looking into reports that audio stopped working for some Insiders in recent Beta Channel builds.

You can find the official blog post here.

Windows 11 Beta build 22621.601 includes fix for Dual SIM calling, and more

Here's what's new in Build 25206:

SMB authentication rate limiter behavior changes

The SMB authentication rate limiter in Insider Preview builds has added an additional protection mechanism to the SMB server service: it implements a delay between each failed NTLM authentication. This means if an attacker previously sent 300 brute force attempts per second from a client for 5 minutes (90,000 passwords), the same number of attempts would now take at least 50 hours. The goal here is to make a Windows client an unattractive target either when in a workgroup or for its local accounts when joined to a domain. Even though the SMB server runs by default in all versions of Windows, it’s not accessible by default unless you intentionally open the firewall or create a customer SMB share that opens the firewall.

Starting in Build 25206, it is on by default and set to 2000ms (2 seconds). Any bad usernames or passwords sent to SMB will now cause a 2 second delay by default in all editions of Windows Insiders. When first released to Windows Insiders, this protection mechanism was off by default. This behavior change was not made to Windows Server Insiders, it still defaults to 0.

Here are all the changes and improvements in build 25206:

[General]

• The updated “Open with” dialog box is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

[Graphics]

• Windows Insiders can now save power by using Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) on external displays! To enable this setting, you must have a 120+Hz monitor with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) support, as well as a WDDM 3.1 driver installed. To select a dynamic refresh rate, go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and make your selection under Refresh rate.
  • Note: To get the latest GPU drivers available for Windows Insiders, check for Windows updates by going to Settings > Windows Update, then select “Check for updates”. To find out what WDDM driver you have, go to Start > dxdiag > Display and look at the Driver Model under Drivers.

[File Explorer]

• Search from File Explorer Home will show recent file activity for cloud files.

[Input]

• We’re beginning to roll out a change to suppose the use of clipboard history (WIN + V) on password fields. We are beginning to roll this out, so the experience isn’t available to all Insiders just yet.

Here are the bug fixes in build 25206:

[General]

• OneDrive setup should no longer unexpectedly ask for permission to set up every time your PC reboots.
• Fixed a high hitting explorer.exe which was impacting some Insiders.

[Settings]

• Fixed a Settings crash which could happen when searching and selecting certain Narrator related settings.

[Search]

• Fixed a high hitting search crash which was impacting some Insiders in the last few flights.

[Other]

• The Windows Sandbox window should now resize correctly if you snap it to the side of the screen.
• Fixed an issue which could lead to a memory leak in Windows Error Reporting after certain crashes.
• If focus is on the desktop, then pressing ALT + F4 and Enter should now shutdown your PC, rather than having to move keyboard focus first (as was needed in the last few flights).
• The computer icon is now showing again in the Shut Down Windows dialog.

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.

Finally we have the known issues:

[General]

• [NEW] We are investigating an issue where a “date, time and time zone settings are incorrect” message is improperly displayed and prevents the installation from proceeding further.
• We’re looking into reports that audio stopped working for some Insiders after upgrading to the latest flights.
• We’re investigating reports of a few different apps having started crashing in recent builds.

[File Explorer]

• We’re working on the fix for an issue where command bar items like copy, paste, and empty recycle bin may unexpectedly not be enabled when they should be.

[Settings]

• We’re investigating some issues where uninstalling certain apps using Settings > Apps > Installed apps isn’t working correctly.

[Tablet-optimized taskbar]

• The taskbar sometimes flashes when transitioning between desktop posture and tablet posture.
• The taskbar takes longer than expected to transition to the touch-optimized version when switching between desktop posture and tablet posture.
• Using the left or right edge gestures can result in the Widgets or Notification Center (respectively) to overlap with or look truncated by the taskbar.
• When using the bottom right edge gesture to see Quick Settings, the taskbar sometimes stays stuck in the expanded state, instead of dismissing to collapsed state.
• When there are no running windows on the desktop, the taskbar can sometimes collapse, when it should be expanded.

[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.
• Notification badge number may appear misaligned on the taskbar.

You can find the offical blog post here.

Windows 11 Dev build 25206 adds OneDrive, Sandbox improvements, and more

One of the main reasons for that is that bugs may be reported to Microsoft, now that millions of devices do get updated. These may range from harmless issues to major ones.

Some Windows 11 customers may also wonder for how long their particular version of the operating system will be supported by Microsoft. Windows 11 itself won't run out of support anytime soon, but individual feature updates or the release version will.

How to check the installed Windows 11 version

One of the easier options to find out about the installed version is the following one:

• Open the Start Menu.
• Type winver.
• Select the program from the list of results to run it.

Winver displays the windows version in a small window.  In the screenshot above, it shows Windows 11 version 21H2, the initial release version of the operating system.

The Settings app displays the version as well:

1. Select Start and then Settings, or use the keyboard shortcut Windows-I to open the Settings app.
2. Go to System > About.
3. Look under Windows specifications. There you find listed the edition and the version of the operating system.

Windows 11 is support dates

Microsoft has not announced a retirement date for Windows 11, but individual versions of the operating system have end of support dates. The following information applies to the following Windows 11 editions: Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations, SE.

Here is the support list:

As you can see, the initial release version of Windows 11 is supported for another year until October 10, 2023. The newly released feature update is supported until October 14, 2024.

Both versions of Windows 11 receive two full years of support. New features are introduced in the new releases of Windows 11; some may be backported to older versions, but for the most part, older versions will receive security and bug fix updates only.

Now You: which version of Windows do you run, and why (if any)?

Find out for how long your Windows 11 version is supported

The update is published already and most Thunderbird installations should receive it automatically via the built-in updating functionality. The selection of Menu > Help > About Thunderbird displays the installed version.

Thunderbird runs a check for updates when the window opens to download and install any new update that it may find. It should pick up version 102.3 at this point, if not installed already.

Thunderbird 102.3

Thunderbird 102.3 is a security update first and foremost. The security advisory page for version 102.3 is not yet available, but it should be published soon. The security updates have also been integrated into Thunderbird 91.13.1.

The security advisory page is available. It lists three security issues, one of the rated high.

Keep an eye on this page in case you are interested in finding out more.

The official release notes list two changes and dozens of fixes in the new release. One of the main changes addresses a potential profile corruption and permanent data loss issue in the client when importing account passwords from another Thunderbird profile.

Here is an overview of the fixes that landed in the release:

1. Improved the startup performance of the Thunderbird application.
2. Improved performance of matching contacts to an email address.
3. Fixed an issue that could cause the saving of email sources and images to fail.
4. Fixed that an error message was shown repeatedly when temporary disk space was full.
5. Several Pop3 related fixes, including fix for connectivity issues to servers without UIDL support.
6. The File > New > Address Book contact menu did not work from Compose.
7. Option to attach "My vCard" was not available in the compose window.
8. Address book failed to recognize more than two of a contact's email addresses.
9. Address book search and auto-complete failed if a vCard could not be parsed.
10. The downloading of NNTP messages for offline use fialed.
11. Fixed an issue that caused the NNTP client to get stuck when connecting to Public-Inbox servers.

Thunderbird users may want to download and install the security updates as soon as possible to protect their applications from potential attacks.

Now you: What do you use: Thunderbird 102, 91 or something else entirely?

Thunderbird 102.3 is a security and bug fix update

Frontpaged:   Mozilla Thunderbird 102.3.0

The 24-month support period is valid for systems running consumer-oriented SKUs, such as Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations, and SE. Those using enterprise and education versions of Windows 11 get one extra year of support.

According to Microsoft, Windows 11 2022 Update or 22H2 will reach its end of life on October 14, 2024, and October 14, 2025, for customer and enterprise versions respectively. Interestingly, Microsoft is not ready to tell when it plans to stop supporting Windows 11 in general - the official documentation only says "In Support," slightly downplaying the rumors about upcoming Windows "12." Windows 10, however, is set to retire on October 14, 2025.

Speaking of Windows 10, Microsoft recently reminded customers that it is about to stop supporting Windows 10 version 21H1. This release will get its last update on December 13, 2022. If you have already left Windows 10 behind and jumped to Windows 11, catch up with the latest announcements Microsoft dropped today in our dedicated coverage.

Windows 11 2022 Update gets two years of support, no EOL date for Windows 11 in general

The first feature update for Windows 11 contains four new tools designed for and by people with disabilities: more natural voices for the Narrator, Focus sessions, system-wide live captions, and voice access.

Natural voices for the Narrator

Windows 11 2022 Update features three new natural-sounding voices for the built-in Narrator (currently available only in English). These voices will make using the Narrator "a delightful experience" for those relying on screen-reading technologies.

As explained by Jeff Bishop, Narrator's Product Manager, who has been blind since birth, engineers at Microsoft spent considerable time improving responsiveness and other characteristics of the voices based on "tons of feedback" from users around the world. Microsoft says the new voices use a "state-of-the-art text-to-speech" engine that closely mirrors natural speech.

Focus sessions

Focus sessions in Windows 11 2022 Update will help people who have a hard time focusing on one task. Separated from the Do Not Disturb mode, it quiets down the operating system, disables flashes on the taskbar, and removes notification badges. Users can customize the length of each session and launch them from the calendar flyout or the Clock app. Once a session ends, Windows 11 presents the user with a notification summary.

Here is what Alexis Kane, the Product Manager behind Focus sessions and a person with ADHD, says about this accessibility feature:

The way my computer behaves in a day influences my mood, my productivity, and my energy levels. This became ever more apparent with virtual work when I had no break from my computer...

I am very much not alone in these feelings, and this is why we knew we had to do something to calm down the PC and reduce distractions for users. We started thinking very broadly about how we could create a calmer environment on the PC and through lots of design iterations and customer feedback, we created Focus sessions and Do Not Disturb.

Voice Access

Besides hiring people with disabilities to improve accessibility in Windows 11, Microsoft hosts a mobility advisory board that consists of people with limited mobility and their support network. Their feedback helped Microsoft realize that existing voice commands in Windows 11 need more improvements. The Voice Access feature is a result of Microsoft partnering with its mobility advisory board.

Voice Access places a grid on the screen with a number in each section. Users can tell Windows which section to select and where to click, emulating standard input with a keyboard and mouse. Upon the first launch, Windows 11 also explains how to use the feature with an interactive guide. It can even give real-time feedback on what it heard and show which word was incorrectly recognized.

System-wide Live Captions

Finally, Windows 11 2022 Update introduces a brand-new live captions system. It can transcribe spoken content from any source system-wide, including microphones, allowing customers to follow in-person conversations or online meetings. Besides, it does not require an active internet connection as the operating system processes data locally.

As we mentioned in our Windows 11 2022 Update review, you cannot have too many accessibility features and improvements. Microsoft will continue improving in this area in its ever-going journey to make modern technology available and enjoyable for everyone. If you rely on a particular accessibility feature and think it needs some improvements, share your thoughts with Microsoft by pressing Win + F. The company says your feedback and input "have been crucial to helping teams and products continue to evolve in the right direction."

Windows 11 2022 Update is Microsoft's most accessible operating system

Microsoft collaborated with Forrester Research to figure out the economic impact of organizations using Windows 11 Enterprise and Microsoft 365 through Intune. Based on interviews with multiple organizations, both parties have determined that customers which adopt Microsoft's latest OS and cloud-powered Microsoft 365 services can potentially save millions of dollars across the next three years. A summary of this report is attached below:

In order to drive more companies towards Windows 11, Microsoft has highlighted benefits - both old and new - of the OS. This includes touting the latest security enhancements present in the Windows 11 2022 Update, Windows Autopatch, insights in Endpoint Manager, App Assure, targeted organizational messages, and accessibility enhancements.

Microsoft has also been working on a solution to integrate the Microsoft Store with Intune. This will offer IT admins more control over app deployments and updates and is designed to provide a better experience than Microsoft Store for Business. More details around this area will be shared at Ignite later this year.

The Redmond tech firm is enhancing the Universal Print solution for Azure Virtual Desktop customers as well. This month, they'll be getting downloadable reports, a live dashboard, and support for Excel on the web.

Another area getting improvements with the Windows 11 2022 Update is virtual Teams meetings, which are getting a new set of features called Windows Studio Effects. Here is how Microsoft describes it:

With the Windows 11 2022 Update we are adding new meeting features called Windows Studio Effects to help make video and audio calls even better. Effects like Voice focus that help filter background noise, Automatic framing where your camera will frame and follow you which is great if you like to move around in meetings, and Eye contact so we can all look like we are looking into the camera to better engage with our audience even if we need to occasionally look at our monitors to check out notes.

Microsoft has emphasized that Forrester's results show that Windows 11 allows users to be 5-15% more productive and as such, organizations should consider upgrading to the OS right now rather than waiting and updating to Windows 10 version 22H2 - which is coming later this year.

Microsoft says Windows 11 will save companies millions of dollars

Back in April, Microsoft unveiled a range of new security features for Windows 11 and touted them as coming soon in a "future release" of the OS. It turns out that the company was referring to the Windows 11 2022 Update - now rolling out - by this statement. Microsoft has confirmed that all of the security enhancements it announced a few months ago are now generally available in Windows 11.

The headliner this time around is Smart App Control which is powered by an AI model and helps detects and block potentially unsafe apps from running on your PC. Smart App Control is built on the foundations of Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) and processes signals daily. However, as explained before, you will need to do a clean install of your PC to leverage this capability. The feature is intended for individuals and small businesses.

In terms of driver protection, we have Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) and a vulnerable driver block list, both of which will be enabled by default.

The former actually runs kernel code inside a virtualization-based security (VBS) environment through Kernel Mode Integrity Check (KMCI) instead of the actual Windows kernel. This process ensures that all kernel code is validated, safe, and signed before it is allowed to run on the Windows kernel. In essence, this is a kernel-level mitigation against malware. Meanwhile, the vulnerable driver block list will protect your PC from harmful drivers and their associated behaviors.

In terms of smaller enhancements and existing functionalities, we have the following:

• Windows Defender Credential Guard is enabled by default in Windows 11 Enterprise to protect against credential theft
• Credential isolation with Local Security Authority (LSA) protection is enabled by default to confirm the identity of enterprise-joined Windows 11 PCs
• Enhanced phishing detection in Microsoft Defender Smartscreen will inform you when you're entering credentials in a known compromised app or website
• Windows Hello for Business allows you to go passwordless and its also been made easier to deploy
• Devices with presence sensors will now allow hands-free secure sign-in through Windows Hello
• Config Lock can be used to monitor registry keys and ensure that they comply with the baselines set by your organization and the IT industry in general

Finally, Microsoft has highlighted the importance of PCs with the Microsoft Pluton security chip that ensure that promises improved security at a hardware-level. And for Windows 11 Insiders using Secured-core PCs for protection against firmware compromises, a new prompt will show up in the Windows Security app to alert them if their device supports Windows Defender System Guard but it's not enabled. This feature will hit general availability soon but is not included in the Windows 11 2022 Update for now.

Here are all the new security features in the Windows 11 2022 Update

Microsoft has highlighted two key improvements that apply both to feature updates and monthly updates following the release of the Windows 11 2022 Update.

First up, Microsoft has emphasized that it has reduced significantly reduced the size of Windows updates which, in return, has resulted in faster installs. The Redmond tech firm claims that for some users, it reduced update sizes by up to 450MB in feature updates. On the monthly cumulative update side, it says it "reclaimed approximately 3x the update size (100s of MB) given back to the user".

Another improvement that Microsoft is making in this space is related to carbon footprints. Moving forward, Windows will attempt to update during times when there are a greater number of clean energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydro available. This should result in reduced carbon emissions as Windows PCs around the globe move away from energy sources based on fossil fuels, at least during the update process.

In terms of getting the update itself, the Windows 11 2022 Update will initially be available to those who seek it through Windows Update. Those interested can navigate to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. As usual, the update will be rolled out in a staggered manner complete with quality signals and safeguard holds to ensure a smooth upgrade process. However, if you simply can't wait for the update, check out guide on the topic here.

Meanwhile, Windows 10 customers should first check if their PC is eligible for Windows 11 through the PC Health Check app. If they do meet the minimum system requirements, they should navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates to see if the update is available for them.

Microsoft has once again emphasized that if your existing device is not eligible for Windows 11, you should stay on Windows 10 since it is supported until October 14, 2025. The next feature update to Windows 10 is arriving next month in the form of version 22H2 as well.

Finally, IT admins in commercial and education markets are advised to begin targeted deployments of Windows 11. Meanwhile, the Windows 11 2022 Update is available through regular commercial channels such as Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Windows Update for Business (WUfB), and the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC).

Microsoft is making major improvements to the Windows Update process

First up, we have tabbed File Explorer which we have extensively covered on Neowin before. The UI enhancement was already confirmed for Windows 11 back in April, but now, Microsoft has confirmed a relatively more concrete time frame. Tabbed File Explorer does exactly what it says on the tin, it offers you a tabbed interface similar to a browser like Microsoft Edge. We do think that there's lots of room for improvement, but then again, it's the first iteration. Alongside this, Microsoft has touted a revamped homepage which also shows you personalized suggestions for files synced through Microsoft 365.

Additionally, Microsoft has confirmed that it is revamping the Photos app on Windows 11 which will introduce a new photo management experience to streamline and simplify the overall process, along with easier backups to OneDrive and "Memories". This redesign is something Microsoft confirmed back in September 2021.

There are other smaller changes in tow too. These include Suggested Actions (made available to Insiders in May), Taskbar Overflow (July), and the ability to share content to more devices using improved nearby sharing (July).

All of these features will be made available as a preview release in October through an optional, non-security update. This will be followed by a general release through a security update in November 2022.

Are there any capabilities that you are looking forward to? Let us know in the comments section below!

Here are all the new features coming to the Windows 11 2022 Update... next month

Windows 11 was released over a year ago and the 2022 Update brings a lot of new features, most of which we have covered in detail here. Regardless, it's worth recapping what Microsoft thinks is worth highlighting in this update.

Microsoft has emphasized that the goal of Windows 11 is to offer a more simplified experience that makes you more productive. As such, the 2022 Update contains loads of new capabilities in this area including better touch navigation for Snap Layouts, the ability to snap multiple browser tabs in Edge, along with Focus sessions and Do Not Disturb.

Microsoft claims that the Windows 11 2022 Update offers faster Search, a better Start menu experience, diverse Widgets, and accessibility enhancements.

The Windows 11 2022 Update is also being pitched as the ultimate place for creators and gamers due to Clipchamp being bundled, a new tool called Windows Studio Effects, and loads of gaming improvements that you can read more about here.

Additionally, Microsoft is finally making good on its commitment regarding support for Android apps on Windows 11. The Amazon Appstore experience powered by the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) is now expanding to 31 more countries and will feature a catalog of 20,000 Android apps and games.

On the security side, Windows 11 2022 Update supports presence sensors for Windows Hello for Business along with Smart App Control - present both on new Windows 11 devices as well as those which clean install Windows 11 2022 Update.

Microsoft's Executive Vice President & Chief Product Officer of Windows and Devices has noted that:

We're excited to take this next step with Windows 11, to inspire journeys like yours. Windows 11 was designed to bring people together, to help people play and have fun, to empower productivity and inspire creativity. Serving more than a billion people, Windows is the platform for the world’s innovation. For consumers, Windows 11 will make the everyday easier. For businesses, Windows 11 is the operating system for hybrid work and the most secure version of Windows yet. For developers and creators, Windows 11 is the open platform creating even greater economic opportunity for your creations. We will continue to invest in delivering Windows experiences that enrich people’s lives as we aspire to meet your evolving needs. We can’t wait to see what you are inspired to do and create with the latest update.

Similar to previous updates to Windows, the 2022 Update will be made available to all eligible users in a staggered manner. Although it has started rolling out today, you may not get it offered immediately through Windows Update.

Windows 11 2022 Update is now rolling out

The new Controller Bar overlay can be activated by pressing the Xbox Wireless Controller's Xbox button or the equivalent button on a compatible third-party controller.

Coming with a look similar to the Xbox Game Bar, the Controller Bar offers quick access to helpful functions such as recently played games and installed game launchers (Xbox, Steam, EA Play, etc.). However, unlike the Xbox Game Bar, this feature can be easily controlled using a connected controller without having to reach for a mouse.

Microsoft has also made improvements to how DirectX 10 and 11 games are handled by Windows 11 when playing in windowed and borderless windowed modes. Players can expect "dramatically improved" display latencies with the 2022 Update similar to playing their games in full screen.

On the same note, Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate features can now be used in games when using windowed modes, something that was locked to full screen before. Head here for a breakdown on these optimizations and how to tweak the different available settings for each game.

Speaking of HDR, Microsoft has introduced an HDR Calibration app to help players improve the color accuracy and consistency of their HDR displays. Adding to that, the Windows 11 2022 Update sees Auto HDR support being expanded to include even more games, further storage configurations — like RAID 0 — receiving DirectStorage support, and DirectX 12 Ultimate enhancements.

Here are the gaming features in the Windows 11 2022 Update, including a Controller Bar

The change was spotted by Leopeva64-2 over on Reddit.

First off, a word of warning, this flag falls under "Experiments" which means that it can be removed at any time, it is not a guarantee that the feature will ship with the stable version of Edge at some point in the future.

To enable Mute site instead of Mute tab in Edge Canary:

• Navigate to edge://flags in the Edge address bar
• Ensure you are on version 107.0.1390
• Search for Sound
• One item should appear "Sound content setting"
• Set the flag from Default to Enabled (for Mute site)
• Set the flag to Default (for Mute tab)

Before

After

In fact, it is just one of several flags that were restored to Edge Canary, the others are:

• #edge-reading-view
• #edge-reading-view-for-readable-frame
• #edge-reading-view-for-specific-nodes
• #edge-reading-view-text-preference
• #edge-auto-enter-immersive-reader
• #edge-accessible-pdf-form-read
• #edge-smooth-scrolling-enabled-pdf
• #edge-mip-enabled-pdf
• #edge-tracking-prevention
• #edge-window-tab-manager
• #edge-cdm-override-service
• #edge-history-accelerator-override

The last flag in the above list enables users to open the History tab page with CTRL + H keyboard shortcut instead of the flyout. Leopeva64-2 actually speculates that due to the number of restored Chromium flags enabled in this build, it might even be a bug, so we'll have to wait and see if all or some of these disappear with an update.

You can download Edge Canary here, it installs next to the Stable version of Edge, so you don't have to worry about your profile being messed up.

Edge Canary restores a bunch of Chromium flags like Mute site and CTRL+H to History page

The main improvement in Firefox 105 is the better handling of low-memory situations on Windows and Linux, resulting in fewer crashes.

Firefox development versions receive updates around the same time. Firefox Beta and Developer editions move to Firefox 106, and Firefox Nightly to version 107.

Executive Summary

• Firefox 105 and Firefox 102.3 ESR fix 7 security issues. The severity rating is high.
• Firefox 91 ESR is no longer supported. Firefox 91.x ESR will be upgraded to Firefox 102 ESR automatically.

Firefox 105 download and update

Firefox 105 Stable updates become available on September 20, 2022. Note that they may not yet be available when you are reading this article, as it is published early on September 20.

Most Firefox installations receive the update automatically thanks to the built-in updating feature of the browser. The update may not happen immediately though. Users may select Menu > Help > About Firefox to run a manual check for updates.

Firefox displays the installed version and checks for updates. Updates that are found will be downloaded  and installed.

Direct downloads are also available, follow the links below to Mozilla's download website, to download the new version of the browser.

• Firefox Stable download
• Firefox Beta download
• Nightly download
• Firefox ESR download
• Firefox for Android on Google Play

Firefox 105.0 new features and improvements

Firefox 105 is a smaller release that is a bit light on new features. One of the main changes in Firefox 105 is that Mozilla managed to reduce the number of out-of-memory crashes of the browser on Windows significantly in the release.

The, rather simple sounding tweak, ensures that the browser's main process is not touched when the system runs out of memory. Instead, content processes are first on the chopping block to free up memory. Killing the main process kills the entire browser, while the termination of content processes crashes only the webpage open in it.

Similarly, Mozilla notes that it has improved the out-of-memory behavior of the Firefox browser on Linux as well:

Firefox is less likely to run out of memory on Linux and performs more efficiently for the rest of the system when memory runs low.

Other changes and fixes

• The print preview dialog has an option to print only the current page directly from it.
• On touch-based Windows devices, Firefox supports swipe to navigate touch gestures now (two fingers on a touchpad swiped left or right to perform history back or forward).
• Improved touchpad scrolling on macOS.

Developer

• Searching in large arrays is two times faster in Firefox 105 thanks to the replacing of array.includes and array.indexOf with an optimized SIMD version.
• Firefox is compatible with the User Timing L3 specification.
• Firefox supports partitioned service workers in third-party contexts.
• Support for defining persistent scripts using scripting has been added.
• The TextDecoderStream and TextEncoderStream interfaces, part of the Encoding API, are now supported,
• Support for the Offscreen Canvas DOM API with full context and font support

Enterprise changes

Known Issues

none listed.

Security updates / fixes

Security updates are revealed after the official release of the web browser. You find the information published here after release.

Firefox 105 Stable fixes seven security issues in the web browser.

Outlook

Firefox 106's release data is October 17, 2022. Firefox ESR 102.4 will be released on the same day.

Additional information / sources

• Firefox 105 release notes
• Firefox 105 for Developers
• Firefox for Enterprise 105 - release notes
• Firefox Security Advisories
• Firefox Release Schedule

Firefox 105 is out: here is what is new

Frontpaged:   Mozilla Firefox Browser 105.0

Every bit of information I provide for people, I do so with the lowest common denominator in mind. It's a common misconception that everyone who joins or browses a tech site is a techie. Some people are just looking for guidance. That is why for some, these tech tips may seem a bit too simplistic, but they are educational for others.

Sometimes your graphics card driver on Windows can misbehave, leaving you with one or more black screens, depending on how many monitors your computer has. Windows has a hotkey that might get you back to normal.

If you press WIN+CTRL+SHIFT+B it tells Windows to restart the display driver, hopefully fixing any black screen issues you may currently have.

If this hotkey did not fix your issue, then restarting is your next best option.

You may be unable to turn your computer off the correct way due to the black screen, in that case you may have to hold the power button down for 10 seconds until the computer turns off. Then press it one more time to turn it back on.

Happy Computing!

If you learned something today, great! If not, maybe share your own tech tip in the comments below!

How to restart your display driver on Warwagon's Tech Tip Tuesday

As for what’s new in Excel, the latest Office update introduces Dynamic array integration with charts, enabling users to link charts to Dynamic array calculations. Your charts will now be automatically updated to capture all data when the array recalculates. However, it includes no new features other than that.

Office Version 2210 (Build 15709.20000) comes with tons of notable fixes and improvements. You can learn more about them in the complete official changelog below.

Changelog

September 16, 2022 | Version 2210 (Build 15709.20000)

Excel

• Dynamic Array Integration with Charts: This feature enables users to link charts to Dynamic array calculations, which can produce results of variable length. The chart will automatically update to capture all data when the array recalculates, rather than being fixed to a specific number of data points.

OneNote

Notable fix

• We fixed an issue where, after inserting a shape or line onto the canvas, the user was unable to drag or resize the item.

Outlook

Notable fixes

• We fixed an issue where disconnecting IMAP IDLE session caused stopping of IMAP sync until rebooting.
• We fixed an issue where SharePoint documents, when attached as a copy, would not download for URLs above a given size.

Project

Notable fix

• We fixed an issue where it sometimes was not possible to synchronize resources to a SharePoint List when the resource’s name included the system list separator.

Word

Notable fixes

• We fixed an issue with large URLs where a link could not be opened if its length exceeded a specific character limit.
• We fixed an issue where header styles would be removed upon co-authoring.
• We fixed an issue where if a footer was added by built-in labeling, it incorrectly moved existing, manually added footers.

Office Suite

Notable fix

• We fixed an issue when running Convert to Shape on some SVG graphics that contain text.

Last week, Microsoft added a new Sensitivity toolbar that prevents data leaks in several Office apps, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. It also added the ability to upload Excel documents to OneDrive. You can learn more about changes Microsoft introduced to Office Insiders last week here.

Microsoft is currently testing these changes with Office Insiders, so the general public cannot see them right now. The good news is that they will eventually be available for all Office users. Meanwhile, Beta Channel Insiders on Windows will get another new Office Build next Friday, and we are hoping the company will introduce exciting new features with the latest update.

To update the Microsoft Office Insider Preview Build to the latest version, open any Office program and go to File> Account> Update Options> Update Now.

Office Insider Version 2210 (Build 15709.20000) for Windows brings new features for Excel

Early reports, backed up by some compelling evidence, had pointed to a September 20th general availability (GA) of next feature update. Rumor also had it that build 22621.382 was meant to be packaged as the GA release. However, WILL claims that the build which has arrived on their Dell device is 22621.521 instead.

They say:

I was not sure if this was actually shipping or not, but I just received a Dell laptop that has Windows 11 22H2, build 22621.521. I thought something was different as it had the new circle animation on boot.

Has anyone else picked up new hardware with Win11 22H2 installed?

Build 22621.521 appears to be a cumulative update under KB5017321 that Microsoft released a couple days ago in Release Preview alongside the Patch Tuesday updates. Users on various forums including on Microsoft's noticed the update.

However, Microsoft did not really publish any support article or blog post page detailing the changes, something that seems to have become a habit of the company in recent times.

In case you are not purchasing a new system to find out whether the report is true but still want to taste Windows 11 22H2 early, you can follow our guide here.

Windows 11 22H2 apparently already shipping with build 22621.521 (KB5017321)

According to reports shared across multiple social networks and on Microsoft's online community, GPO file operations will no longer work as they can no longer create or copy shortcuts correctly after installing KB5017308.

"Specifically, we copy a batch file into public\documents, then copy a shortcut to the current user's desktop to run it," one admin said on Reddit.

"Since the update, the icons are not transferring over for the shortcut (i.e they are blank icons now) and the batch file is actually empty when copied over."

Another one confirmed this issue on the Microsoft Community website, saying that all shortcuts created by GPO are "created empty with 0 bytes and no info where shortcut "leads" to."

While Microsoft is yet to officially acknowledge the issue and provide a fix or a workaround, multiple Windows admins have reported that un-checking the "Run in user security context" option on the affected GPOs will address the shortcut creation problems.

Others have also suggested a more radical fix that requires manually uninstalling and hiding the KB5017308 cumulative update.

"To remove the LCU after installing the combined SSU and LCU package, use the DISM/Remove-Package command line option with the LCU package name as the argument. You can find the package name by using this command: DISM /online /get-packages," Microsoft says.

"Running Windows Update Standalone Installer (wusa.exe) with the /uninstall switch on the combined package will not work because the combined package contains the SSU. You cannot remove the SSU from the system after installation."

However, it's important to mention that, since Microsoft bundles all security fixes into a single update, removing KB5017308 may resolve the bug but will also remove all fixes for recently patched security vulnerabilities.

KB5017308 also failing to install

Another seemingly widespread problem encountered after deploying KB5017308 is affecting Windows 10 systems that will hang on reboot after installation with an 0x800F0845 added to the event log.

"Ever since that update was downloaded the machine hangs on the required reboot after the install. I have disabled updates until I can find a fix. I've tried to download the update and install manually but get the same results," a user report reads.

Those affected say that the automatic rollback will only trigger after rebooting the affected systems twice in a row.

While downloading the update from the Microsoft Update Catalog and installing it manually usually fixes issues where the updates can't be deployed, users who tried it said that, in this case, they encountered the same reboot hang bug.

The KB5017308 cumulative update was released on Tuesday to resolve bugs and address security vulnerabilities on systems running Windows 10 20H2, 21H1, and 21H2.

This Windows 10 update is mandatory and will automatically be installed by Windows Update during the servicing window.

H/T Günter Born

Windows 10 KB5017308 causing issues with Group Policy settings

Here are the changes and improvements:

• New! We introduced WebAuthn redirection. It lets you authenticate in apps and on websites without a password when you use Remote Desktop. Then, you can use Windows Hello or security devices, such as Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) keys.
• New! We added more dynamic Widgets content to your taskbar with notification badging. When you open the Widgets board, a banner appears at the top of the board. It provides more information about what triggered the notification badge.
• We fixed an issue that requires you to reinstall an app if the Microsoft Store has not signed that app. This issue occurs after you upgrade to a newer OS.
• We fixed an issue that stops codecs from being updated from the Microsoft Store.
• We fixed a race condition in framework autorepair registration. This issue occurs because a registration key is missing.
• We fixed an issue that affects the Network Policy Server Management (NPSM) service. This issue causes major delays when you sign out.
• We fixed an issue that affects the Windows Search service. Indexing progress is slow when you use the service.
• We fixed an issue that affects cached credentials for security keys and FIDO2 authentications. On hybrid domain-joined devices, the system removes these cached credentials.
• We fixed an issue that affects a network’s static IP. The issue causes the configuration of the static IP to be inconsistent. Because of this, NetworkAdapterConfiguration() fails sporadically.
• We fixed a rare stop error that happens after you change the display mode and more than one display is in use.
• We fixed an issue that affects rendering in Desktop Window Manager (DWM). This issue might cause your device to stop responding in a virtual machine setting when you use certain video graphics drivers.
• We fixed an issue that affects graphics drivers that use d3d9on12.dll.
• We fixed an issue that affects URLs generated by JavaScript: URLs. These URLs do not work as expected when you add them to the Favorites menu in IE mode.
• We fixed an issue that forces the IE mode tabs in a session to reload.
• We fixed an issue that successfully opens a browser window in IE mode to display a PDF file. Later, browsing to another IE mode site within the same window fails.
• We fixed an issue that affects window.open in IE mode.
• We introduced a Group Policy that enables and disables Microsoft HTML Application (MSHTA) files.
• We fixed an issue that affects the Microsoft Japanese input method editor (IME). Text reconversion fails when you use some third-party virtual desktops.
• We fixed an issue that occurs when the input queue overflows. This might cause an application to stop responding.
• We fixed an issue that might cause a black screen to appear on your display. This might occur when you use a pen to turn on high dynamic range (HDR).
• We fixed an issue that affects the App-V client service. The service leaks memory when you delete App-V registry nodes.
• We fixed an issue that might change the default printer if the printer is a network printer.
• We fixed an issue that affects WDAC policies. If you enable SecureLaunch on a device, WDAC policies will not apply to that device.
• We fixed an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) path rules. This issue stops .msi and PowerShell scripts from running.
• We fixed an issue that might bypass MSHTML and ActiveX rules for WDAC.
• We fixed an issue that causes WDAC to log 3091 and 3092 events in audit mode.
• We fixed an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). It stops WDAC from logging .NET Dynamic Code trust verification failures.
• We fixed an issue that occurs when a WDAC policy fails to load. The system logs that failure as an error, but the system should log the failure as a warning.
• We fixed an issue that affects Code Integrity logging. It logs issues as errors instead of warnings. Because of this, automatic repair is triggered.
• We fixed an issue that affects the touch keyboard. The touch keyboard immediately closes when you tap to switch apps.
• We fixed an issue that causes LogonUI.exe to stop working. Because of this, you cannot dismiss the lock screen to view the credentials screen.
• We fixed an issue that affects the FindNextFileNameW() It might leak memory.
• We fixed an issue that affects robocopy. Robocopy fails to set a file to the right modified time when using the /IS
• We fixed an issue that affects cldflt.sys. A stop error occurs when it is used with Microsoft OneDrive.
• We fixed an issue that affects the LanmanWorkstation service. When you mount a network drive, the service leaks memory.
• We fixed an issue that affects the Get-SmbServerNetworkInterface It only retrieves a subset of the available network interfaces.
• We fixed an issue that affects the Get-SmbServerConfiguration It only allows you to run it if you are an administrator.
• We fixed an issue that affects Roaming User Profiles. After you sign in or sign out, some of your settings are not restored.
• We fixed a known issue that affects XML Paper Specification (XPS) viewers. This might stop you from opening XPS files in some non-English languages. These include some Japanese and Chinese character encodings. This issue affects XPS and Open XPS (OXPS) files.
• We fixed a known issue that affects daylight saving time in Chile. This issue might affect the time and dates used for meetings, apps, tasks, services, transactions, and more.

You can find the official blog post here.

Windows 11 Release Preview build 22000.1041(KB5017383) brings dynamic Widgets, and more

For those paying attention, oddly enough this is still 21H2 being rolled out to Release Preview, while Windows 10 22H2 has still not gotten a release date.

You can view the long list of changes below:

This update includes the following improvements:

• New! We turned off Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.0 and 1.1 by default in Microsoft browsers and applications. To learn more, see Plan for change: TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 soon to be disabled by default.
• New! We provided the ability to search for the controls for news and interests on the taskbar and modify them using the Settings app. To change your settings, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > News and interests. Otherwise, right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
• New! We supported all taskbar orientations for news and interests. A top, left, or right taskbar now has features and settings much like the horizontal taskbar.
• New! We introduced WebAuthn redirection. It lets you authenticate in apps and on websites without a password when you use Remote Desktop. Then, you can use Windows Hello or security devices, such as Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) keys.
• New! We introduced functionality that lets you use Azure Active Directory (AD) authentication to sign in to Windows using Remote Desktop. Then, you can use Windows Hello or security devices, such as Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) keys, for remote sign in. It also enables the use of Conditional Access policies.
• We fixed an issue that requires you to reinstall an app if the Microsoft Store has not signed that app. This issue occurs after you upgrade to Windows 10 or a newer OS.
• We fixed an issue that prevents MSIX updates from installing from the same URL.
• We fixed an issue that stops codecs from being updated from the Microsoft Store.
• We fixed an issue that affects cached credentials for security keys and Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) authentications. On hybrid domain-joined devices, the system removes these cached credentials.
• We fixed an issue that affects a network’s static IP. The issue causes the configuration of the static IP to be inconsistent. Because of this, NetworkAdapterConfiguration() fails sporadically.
• We fixed an issue that affects rendering in Desktop Window Manager (DWM). This issue might cause your device to stop responding in a virtual machine setting when you use certain video graphics drivers.
• We fixed a rare stop error that happens after you change the display mode and more than one display is in use.
• We fixed an issue that affects graphics drivers that use d3d9on12.dll.
• We fixed an issue that forces the IE mode tabs in a session to reload.
• We fixed an issue that affects URLs generated by JavaScript: URLs. These URLs do not work as expected when you add them to the Favorites menu in IE mode.
• We fixed an issue that affects window.open in IE mode.
• We fixed an issue that successfully opens a browser window in IE mode to display a PDF file. Later, browsing to another IE mode site within the same window fails.
• We introduced a Group Policy that enables and disables Microsoft HTML Application (MSHTA) files.
• We fixed an issue that affects the Microsoft Japanese input method editor (IME). Text reconversion fails when you use some third-party virtual desktops.
• We fixed an issue that affects the App-V client service. The service leaks memory when you delete App-V registry nodes.
• We fixed an issue that might change the default printer if the printer is a network printer.
• We fixed an issue that affects the ProjectionManager.StartProjectingAsync API. This issue stops some locales from connecting to Miracast Sinks.
• We fixed an issue that affects Group Policy Objects. Because of this, the system might stop working.
• We fixed an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) path rules. This issue stops .msi and PowerShell scripts from running.
• We fixed an issue that might bypass MSHTML and ActiveX rules for WDAC.
• We fixed an issue that causes WDAC to log 3091 and 3092 events in audit mode.
• We fixed an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). It stops WDAC from logging .NET Dynamic Code trust verification failures.
• We fixed an issue that affects WDAC policies. If you enable SecureLaunch on a device, WDAC policies will not apply to that device.
• We fixed an issue that occurs when a WDAC policy fails to load. The system logs that failure as an error, but the system should log the failure as a warning.
• We fixed an issue that affects non-Windows devices. It stops these devices from authenticating. This issue occurs when they connect to a Windows-based remote desktop and use a smart card to authenticate.
• We fixed an issue that occasionally causes explorer.exe to stop working when explorer.exe opens.
• We fixed an issue that affects the Microsoft Japanese IME when it is active and the IME mode is on. When you use the numeric keypad to insert a dash (-) character, the IME inserts the wrong one.
• We fixed an issue that affects the rendering of the search box. It does not render properly if you sign in using Table mode.
• We fixed an issue that affects the FindNextFileNameW() function. It might leak memory.
• We fixed an issue that affects robocopy. Robocopy fails to set a file to the right modified time when using the /IS option.
• We fixed an issue that affects cldflt.sys. A stop error occurs when it is used with Microsoft OneDrive.
• We fixed an issue that affects the LanmanWorkstation service. It leaks memory when you mount a network drive. 40366335 Risk Pending
• We fixed an issue that affects Roaming User Profiles. After you sign in or sign out, some of your settings are not restored.
• We fixed a known issue that affects XML Paper Specification (XPS) viewers. This might stop you from opening XPS files in some non-English languages. These include some Japanese and Chinese character encodings. This issue affects XPS and Open XPS (OXPS) files.
• We fixed a known issue that affects daylight saving time in Chile. This issue might affect the time and dates used for meetings, apps, tasks, services, transactions, and more.

You can find the official blog post here.

Windows 10 Release Preview adds support for all taskbar orientations with News and interests