Windows 11 Fixer 2.0 comes as a large archive, and one of the main reasons why that is the case is the integration of .NET Core in the package. It is handy in case the required .NET Core version is not installed on the device, but blows the size up significantly.

You need elevated rights to run the program, and are asked to provide them if you launch the executable file from a regular user account on Windows 11 machines.

The main interface may look identical to the old on first glance. It uses the same color scheme and features that light and dark mode switch at the top right corner. Tabs have been added to the left side of the program window that lead to different groups of tweaks. The four tabs that are available in the 2.0 release are Fix Windows, Windows Settings, Uninstall MS Bloat, and Install Software.

Options are grouped on each page. Fix Windows, for example, displays six groups to modify taskbar, context menu, File Explorer, Start Menu and other areas of the operating system.

All options are listed with a name that describes it and switches or menus to change the state from the default "no change" to something else.

To give you a few examples:

• Add Take Ownership to the right-click context menu.
• Block Windows from searching online.
• Disable Widgets.
• Enable Compact View in File Explorer.
• Change privacy settings, e.g., disable the personal inking and typing dictionary, or access to location services.
• Remove pre-installed applications. The setting is divided into easy and hard to uninstall apps. You may use it to remote apps like Paint, Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Teams, or Skype from the operating system.
• Install popular third-party applications, e.g., Firefox, Zoom, GIMP, Notepad++, or VLC.

Note that you need to hit the "apply" button on each page after making changes. Every change you make is reset when you leave the tab without hitting that button.

Verdict

The update to version 2.0 improves Windows 11 Fixer significantly. It adds more options to the application that users may find useful. The lack of options, when compared to tweakers such as WinAero Tweaker or ThisIsWin11, was one point of criticism when I reviewed the first release version.

Other points of criticism still stand: the size is very large in comparison. Nice to have features, such as a universal undo or start-over option, or a search are not available either.

Now You: do you use tweak applications? Which is your favorite?

Windows 11 Fixer 2.0: new design, more options

Microsoft also announced that FancyZones zone limit has been increased to 128 zones (from 40) a new setting for Find my mouse, and more below.

Highlights

• Upgrade notes! A big feedback items for new versions was upgrade notes. We have the release notes on GitHub as well.
• FancyZones zone limit has been increased to 128 zones. Before the limit was 40.
• Timezone conversion plugin for PowerToys Run! Thanks @TobiasSekan
• Child and Popup window support for FancyZones. To enable, go to Settings→FancyZones→Windows. These were bugs we fixed that without realizing it was a useful feature to most.
• Find my mouse will now activate via shaking the mouse with a settings change!
• 

Always on Top

• Fixed excess GPU / CPU usage when enabled
• If border has focus, not closable via F4
• Changing border sizes should resize correctly for existing windows
• Border goes away with Outlook modal windows

ColorPicker

• No longer crashes during theme change

FancyZones

• Increased zone limit from 40 to 128.
• Child and Popup window support for FancyZones. To enable, go to Settings→FancyZones→Windows. These were bugs we fixed that without realizing it was a useful feature to most.

File explorer

• Fixes for Dev file preview: (Thanks @Aaron-Junker)
  • Fix fix for object reference not set.
  • Fix for encoding UTF-8.
  • Fix for file is in use.
  • Fix for saying the file is too big.

Image Resizer

• Fix for invalid operation error. @CleanCodeDeveloper!

Mouse utility

• Find my mouse will now activate via shaking the mouse with a settings change!
• Find my mouse now can excludes apps.
• Fix for crosshair thickness looking odd due to anti-aliasing
• Fix for a hard crash on crosshair (This was a hotfix for 0.55)

PowerRename

• Will not spells check file names anymore. Thanks @niels9001
• Autocomplete result box to not obscure apply button. Thanks @niels9001
• Regex fix

PowerToys Run

• Timezone conversion plugin for PowerToys Run! Thanks @TobiasSekan
• Hexadecimal and binary numbers now are supported in the calculator plugin. This was added a bit ago and we'd like to extend a belated thanks to @gsuberland
• Terminal plugin performance boost. Thanks @htcfreek!
• Terminal will now be found via the Program plugin again.
• Shutdown command is now using hybrid fast argument for shutting down
• Support for VSCodium with VS Code workplace plugin. Thanks @makeProjectGreatAgain

Video conference mute

• nVidia Broadcast software won't crash anymore

Settings

• Upgrade notes in OOBE
• Fix for settings being lost (This was a hotfix for 0.55)
• UX improvements. Thanks @niels9001

Installer

• Believe we have a fix for the long hated "app.dark.png is missing" error. Thanks to @robmen for having a great blog!
• Installer will launch PowerToys under appropriate elevation versus Admin only due to UAC prompt for installation (This was a hotfix for 0.55)
• PowerToys will now start if installed under different user

Development

• ARM64 - We removed the last .NET Framework dependency. Thanks @snickler for helping get this across the finish line!
• .NET 6 upgrade, now on the newest and hottest .NET runtime
• Code analyzers have been upgraded! Thanks @CleanCodeDeveloper!
• Symbols are back!
• Code refactoring, thanks @CleanCodeDeveloper and @cyberrex5 for helping here!
• We are now on VS 2022 with the .NET 6 upgrade.

Community contributions

We'd like to directly mention certain contributors (in alphabetical order) for their continued community support this month and helping directly make PowerToys a better piece of software.

PowerToys is Microsoft's open-source project that offers a collection of nifty tools that people can use to customize the Windows 10 or 11 UI and experience to their liking. As we know, depending upon feedback and general stability, some of the utilities also make their way to the OS eventually. A prominent example of this is Snap Layouts and Span Groups in Windows 11 which borrow heavily from the FanzyZones tool in PowerToys.

If you are using PowerToys in Windows 11, you can grab it in the Microsoft Store. For others in Windows 10, you can open the app and click on "Check for updates" under the updates section on the General tab. Those who would like to try PowerToys for the first time can grab the version 0.56.1 installer from the app's GitHub page.

Microsoft PowerToys 0.56.1 now has 140 FancyZones, Find my mouse on shake, and more

Some folders are displayed permanently while others are displayed based on use. Pinned folders are displayed with a pin-icon, dynamic folders without such an icon. You can check out my comparison between favorites and quick access here for additional details.

Quick Access is more powerful than Favorites, but the dynamic folder listing adds a chaotic element to it. It may happen that folders do get displayed that are of no use or should not be displayed prominently in File Explorer. Good news is that it is easy to disable Quick Access' dynamic component without losing the ability to pin folders to File Explorer for fast access.

Block Windows from displaying folders and files automatically using Quick Access in File Explorer

Quick Access's adding of folders and files dynamically to File Explorer can be turned off directly in the file manager. Here is how that is done:

1. Open File Explorer on the Windows device.
2. The next step depends on whether you are running Windows 10 or 11:
   • Windows 10: Right-click on Quick Access in the File Explorer sidebar and select Options, or, select File > Change folder and search options.
   • Windows 11: Right-click on Quick Access in the File Explorer sidebar and select Show More Options > Options, or select Menu (three-dots) > Options.
3. The privacy part of the window that opens displays three preferences that are related to Quick Access:
   • Show recently used files in Quick Access -- determines whether recently used files are displayed in File Explorer.
   • Show frequently used folders in Quick Access -- determines whether frequently used files are displayed in File Explorer.
   • Clear File Explorer history -- removes the history, which lets you start from scratch when it comes to the display of recent files and frequent folders in Explorer.
4. Uncheck "show recently used files in Quick Access" and "show frequently used folders in Quick Access" to turn off the dynamic component.
5. You may also change the startpage of File Explorer from Quick Access to This PC using the "Open File Explorer to" option at the top of the Folder Options window.
6. Select Apply and then OK to complete the operation.

Doing so leaves all pinned folders in Explorer but removes any file or folder that is displayed based on use. You may still pin folders to Quick Access after disabling the two features.

Now You: do you use Quick Access on your Windows devices?

How to block Quick Access from displaying folders and files dynamically in Windows 10 and 11

This isn't a deal-breaker for the majority of users, but some people use the Private browsing mode for protecting their privacy. It can be quite useful to block trackers, and to prevent storing cookies permanently. It is handy for accessing and managing shopping, and banking accounts without worrying about cross-site trackers.

Personally, I prefer using a dedicated container per site or genre (shopping, banking, games, etc) in normal browsing mode. That, combined with uBlock Origin, provides solid security and privacy from cross-site trackers. That's a different story, let's focus on Bitwarden.

What was the issue?

Bitwarden's pop-up panel wouldn't work in Firefox private windows. Clicking the password manager's button on the toolbar would display an empty modal, or show an error that it can't work in private mode. The Chrome version of the add-on wasn't impacted by the issue. This meant that users couldn't access their logins, or save new usernames/passwords conveniently, as they could in regular windows.

The founder of Bitwarden pointed the finger of blame at Mozilla, claiming that Firefox did not allow background page communication in private windows, and this was preventing the add-on from functioning in said mode. The password manager's pop-up panel is unlocked in a normal, non-private window, the contents of which wasn't accessible in a private window.

Interestingly, the context menu works perfectly in private mode, and so does the hotkey Ctrl + Shift + L. The problem here is that you need to have unlocked the password manager in a normal Firefox window, and switch to the private window in order to access these other options.

So, it is Mozilla's fault, or is it? Take LastPass for example, or any other password manager extension. Most, if not all of these add-ons, support Firefox's Private mode. How is that possible if there are restrictions in place?

A member of the Bitwarden team recently mentioned that Bitwarden's extension would be reworked in order to support Manifest v3. His statement explains that other password managers had been designed in such a way, they could work with the limitations in Firefox, but Bitwarden had to be rewritten to be functional. This refactored version will support Firefox's Private mode as well.

This basically confirms that it was not a problem caused by Mozilla, and that the way Bitwarden's extension was written indeed the cause of the issue. In other words, they didn't bother to fix the concern.

I'm not saying Bitwarden is a bad product, far from it actually, I respect it for the fact that it is an open-source software sans the limitations imposed by the free tiers of its rivals. But the miscommunication from the company isn't doing them any favors, this is what people call a lack of transparency. They should have, at the very least, acknowledged the issue, and worked on resolving it, instead of blaming others. As a company that offers premium services, it is the only acceptable approach in customer support, otherwise they are going to take their business elsewhere. Bitwarden has promised to keep its community up-to-date on the developments, by hiring a platform and community product manager. It seems like they learned their lesson, which is welcome news.

Bitwarden fixes its browser extension to support Firefox private windows

Bitwarden has managed to find a solution for supporting Private mode in Firefox.

The fix is not available for users in the current version of the add-on, v1.56.6. According to a commit made at the password manager's GitHub, the workaround for private mode is currently being tested, it is expected to be made available in a future update scheduled to roll out in March.

Image courtesy: Bitwarden.

Limitations in Bitwarden's support for Private Browsing in Firefox

While the workaround is welcome news, it is not without limitations. You need to unlock the vault every time you click the pop-up in private mode. Enabling the add-on's sidebar circumvents this restriction.

To use PIN unlock, you will need to disable the "Lock with master password on browser restart" option from the settings. As I mentioned earlier, the autofill and right-click menus can be accessed in private mode, but only if you have unlocked the vault in a regular browser window. The extension's icon will not update to reflect its status. The Biometric unlock and save password prompt are currently being tested for compatibility issues.

It's good to see that the issue has been finally fixed, even though it took 5 years to arrive at the resolution.

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2022/02/28/bitwarden-firefox-private-window-support/

One of the leaked features is apparently a new desktop Sticker feature that the Redmond firm is working on. The feature was spotted by Windows Insider and Twitter user Albacore and today, they shared how the Desktop Sticker would work.

We already learned that the feature can be enabled via the Personalization settings through the "Add Stickers" option. It can also be brought up with the right-click context menu on the desktop.

The demo video here shows how Stickers will work on your Windows 11 Dev channel PC.

Albacore has noted that changing the desktop background image itself doesn't affect the Stickers as they remain unaltered. And also, the feature is apparently disabled by default so it is up to users if they want to enable the feature or ignore it.

Windows 11 desktop stickers leaks, here's what you'll soon be getting

So far, we have talked about App folders in the Start menu, Task Manager, Snap Layouts, and File Explorer. Today, we are going to talk about a couple of enhancements that Microsoft made to Windows 11's Focus capabilities with build 22557. Naturally, these improvements are present in the latest build 22563 as well.

For starters, I should clarify that the Focus experience in the Clock app seems to be exactly the same as when I talked about it back in September 2021, so I don't harbor many positive feelings about it. What Microsoft has changed with Dev Channel build 22557 is that the company has integrated the feature more tightly with the Windows 11 Taskbar.

Instead of launching Focus by first opening the Clock app, you can simply open the Notification Center by clicking on the time and date on the bottom right corner of your Taskbar, and you'll notice a couple of controls related to Focus at the bottom (screenshot above). You can modify the duration of your Focus session and start or stop it directly from the Taskbar.

While I appreciate the quick access to Focus via the Taskbar and the fact that it makes sense to have it as a standalone experience, I still find the launch experience jarring. This is because clicking on the "Focus" button in the Notification Center first launches the Clock app which then pops to the top right of your desktop as a movable mini-window, as can be seen in the screenshot above.

In my eyes, this is not a good user experience as I believe that the launching of the Clock app should be an "invisible" process to the user if Microsoft really wants to feature it as a standalone service. Moving Focus to the Taskbar should ideally remove the dependency on the Clock app, at least on the front-end. This is clearly not the case yet.

That said, it does seem like offering Focus as a standalone capability is Microsoft's end-goal because now the Windows Settings app also has a dedicated page for it, as you can see in the screenshot above. You can customize Focus to your liking through a few options.

In its blog post for build 22557, Microsoft has described Focus as a "new experience" but has also mentioned that it has actually "reimagined" it. I think the latter term is more accurate because it seems to be mostly the same experience, Microsoft has just reimagined how you launch it.

To be clear, I absolutely want Focus to be present in the Taskbar because I think it could change the way I interact with my PC if I have quick access to it. However, at the same time, I also want Microsoft to further enhance the experience and make the unnecessary UI - such as the Clock app launching for a couple of seconds before turning into a mini-window - invisible to the user.

But it is important to note that this is just a Dev Channel build that is not tied to a specific release of Windows. As such, there's a good chance that Microsoft will polish this experience further before, and if, it decides to make it generally available.

Closer Look: Focus in Windows 11 Dev Channel

As many who read my Closer Look series know, I have decided to dive into the Windows 11 Dev Channel because recent builds brought in a flurry of enhancements that I was looking forward to. Although I will talk about specific features in dedicated Closer Look articles as I have been doing for the past couple of weeks, I think now is a good time to share my initial thoughts about my experience so far.

Simply put, recent Dev Channel builds have reignited my hope in the future of Windows 11. I fully understand that changes in Dev Channel are not tied to a specific release of Windows, but it's still encouraging to get a glimpse of what the OS can be.

Many of the features that Microsoft inexplicably stripped away in the launch version of Windows 11 are slowly making their way back to the OS in the Dev Channel. Once again, we have App folders in the Start menu and can drag-and-drop content to the Taskbar. Yes, it's stuff that sounds basic on paper but there were lots of complaints about the lack of them in the launch version of Windows 11 so it's nice to see these capabilities making a return. It's the little things that add up to a better experience overall and it's clear that Microsoft understands this too now.

Another positive thing I'd like to highlight is that Microsoft is going beyond making Windows 11 a re-skin of Windows 10. Recent Dev Channel builds pack new features across File Explorer, Task Manager, Snap Layouts, and lots more. These enhancements are trickling down to consumers across various Insider channels, but at least we know that Microsoft is putting effort into them, in line with user feedback.

In fact, it's not even just the Insider channels. Microsoft has started incrementally rolling out many of its additions in the form of "new experiences" to the generally available (GA) version of Windows 11 too.

After playing around with the Dev Channel for the past couple of weeks, one strong feeling that I have experienced is that Windows 11 has suddenly become more exciting for me again. I have been jumping in and out of the Windows Insider Program since 2015, and after years of hiatus, I finally feel like Microsoft is back on track again. Actually, I eagerly await new Windows builds now, something I have not looked forward to in ages.

All in all, I just keep thinking that even the relatively unstable Dev Channel build is a big step up from the mediocre Windows 11 version we received at launch. The OS definitely needed more time in the oven back then and the latest improvements from earlier this month and the Dev Channel just prove that point for me. I have Windows 10 and Windows 11 Dev Channel dual-booted on my machine and I'm actually using the latter more even though I know it's supposed to be an unstable build. I'm just glad to see Microsoft back on track with Windows 11. It's obviously not perfect - and honestly, is there any software that is? -, but at least the OS is becoming more than a re-skin of Windows 10. I, for one, welcome this shift.

I am finally excited about Windows 11 again

This File Explorer crash is seemingly triggered when one presses Windows key + X to access the right-click menu on the Start button. After it crashes, the File Explorer apparently restarts on its own too. It is important to note that the issue apparently does not impact everyone as File Explorer on our test machines doesn't crash when triggering the Win + X shortcut.

German outlet Deskmodder has shared a workaround for the crash. The workaround is deployed using the Vibranium feature configuration tool which is popularly known as ViVeTool. You'll also need a command-line (CLI) tool like Command Prompt or PowerShell and have administrator rights.

• Download ViVeTool
• Via PowerShell: .\vivetool addconfig 26008830 2
• Via command prompt: vivetool addconfig 26008830 2
• To undo: vivetool delconfig 26008830 2

Example image using PowerShell:

ViVeTool creator Albacore also commented on the issue:

Albacore believes that the right-clicking of the Start menu is triggering the Explorer crash due to hidden features like the newly gained Tablet-mode overhaul in Build 22563. Hence, enabling the hidden Tablet-mode Taskbar using ViVeTool fixes the issue.

Source and image: Deskmodder

Explorer is crashing on Windows 11 latest Dev build 22563, unofficial workaround out

Microsoft tests new Quick Settings Bluetooth device list for Windows 11 Insiders

We all know Linux is written in C. What you may not know is that it's written in a long-outdated C dialect: The 1989 version of the C language standard, C89. This is also known as ANSI X3.159-1989, or ANSI C. Linus Torvalds has decided that enough is enough and will move Linux's official C to 2011's C11 standard.

This isn't as big a transition as it may seem. C89 still has almost universal support. Because any C compiler is backward compatible with earlier versions, you won't have any trouble compiling or running a C89 program. So, a C11 compliant compiler won't have any trouble with any C89 legacy code.

So why bother? The change being made doesn't include useful features that appear in newer versions. 

The situation came to Torvald's attention when, in order to patch a potential security problem with the kernel's linked-list primitive speculative-execution functions, another problem was revealed in the patch. While fixing this, Torvalds realized that in C99 the iterator passed to the list-traversal macros must be declared in a scope outside of the loop itself. 

Torvalds wrote to the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML) that "the whole reason this kind of non-speculative bug can happen is that we historically didn't have C99-style 'declare variables in loops." So list_for_each_entry() - and all the other ones - fundamentally always leaks the last HEAD entry out of the loop, simply because we couldn't declare the iterator variable in the loop itself."

The answer? Finally, move from C89 to a newer standard C that makes this kind of problem can't occur.  So, "the time had come to look at moving to the C99 standard — it is still over 20 years old, but is at least recent enough to allow block-level variable declarations."

Linux kernel developer, Arnd Bergmann, agreed that this was doable. He added that it should be possible to move up to 2011's C11 standard. Since C99 was never that popular and C11 introduced standardized multithreading support and made the language a trifle safer this sounds like a good move. 

This would also be an easy move to make. The Linux kernel's minimum C compiler, GCC version 5.1 already supports C11. This works for Torvalds. "I really would love to finally move forward on this, considering that it's been brewing for many many years." 

Then, after making sure the new standard C should work without problems in the kernel, Torvalds decided to pull the trigger. "Let's just try this early in the 5.18 merge window." Since the 5.18 merge window is almost here, we may have C11 code in the kernel as early as March. 

Or not. Linux kernel developer and journalist Jonathan Corbet warns, "It is worth keeping in mind, though, that a lot of things can happen between the merge window and the 5.18 release. Moving to a new version of the language standard could reveal any number of surprises in obscure places in the kernel; it would not take many of those to cause the change to be reverted for now. But, if all goes well, the shift to C11 will happen in the next kernel release."

Source

So far, we have taken a look at App folders in Start menu, Task Manager, and Snap Layouts in Windows 11 Dev Channel. Today, we will be talking about enhancements in File Explorer. It is important to note that our screenshots are from build 22563 which rolled out to the Dev Channel yesterday, but some of the capabilities we talk about are present both in the latest build as well as the one preceding it, which is build 22557.

We have a few notable changes to talk about when it comes to recent enhancements to the File Explorer in Windows 11 Dev Channel. Build 22557 added the ability to pin individual files to Quick Access by using the right-click context menu as can be seen in the screenshot above. Previously, it was only possible to pin folders.

Once you pin a file, you will be able to see it in the "Pinned files" section in Quick Access, as shown in the screenshot above.

Personally, I can't believe that this capability wasn't present in the OS before and that I never even realized that having such a feature could be so useful. I personally have lots of use-cases for this, especially on my work machine, considering I have to download lots of files and it makes sense to just keep pinning the important ones to Quick Access for increased convenience.

That said, it appears that it is not possible for pinned files to appear in the Quick Access pane on the left, which is kind of a bummer. I do wish Microsoft considers giving people the option to pin at least a limited number of files to the pane on the left as well.

Another feature introduced in build 22557 is a OneDrive button in the top-right of File Explorer. It is important to note that this button only appears if you have integrated OneDrive to File Explorer and are currently in the OneDrive directory. Since it does not appear at all times, I don't find it intrusive at all.

The button presents you with some information and a couple of options. It shows you your sync status and utilization of storage capacity. It also allows you to manage storage, view the directory online, and modify some settings. Clicking on the first two options opens your web browser and I am happy to confirm that Microsoft respects your default browser configuration here and does not force you to open Edge.

However, the last option - which is settings - opens a legacy OneDrive settings UI (screenshot above). It does have some trappings of the Windows 11 design language such as rounded corners, but it's clearly a legacy interface. I do wish Microsoft updates this to make it fully consistent to Windows 11.

Another nifty capability introduced in Dev Channel build 22557 is the ability to see a preview of items in a folder. This happens when you have the folder view set to pretty much anything except List or Details. An example with extra large icons can be seen above. Personally, I don't see much of a utility for it, it seems to be more of an aesthetic preference.

Build 22557 also added a new feature where you can share files through Outlook directly without opening the dedicated app, provided that you have installed the Microsoft Office Outlook Desktop Integration app through the Microsoft Store. As can be seen in the screenshot above, this can be a very handy capability for active Outlook users, but for me, clicking the related option constantly resulted in the context menu crashing. I'm not sure if this is the case for everyone but this is why I have used Microsoft's screenshot to showcase the potential ability rather than my own non-existent screenshot. This is one thing I'll definitely be filing in the Feedback Hub.

Finally, there are couple of other backend changes introduced to File Explorer in the latest build 22563 yesterday too. The first is that Quick Access search now includes contents from OneDrive, Downloads, and any indexed location. The other is that files shared to you from another OneDrive will now also show thumbnails and work with OneDrive sharing. Sounds nice on paper, but this is not something that fits in my usual use-cases so I can't talk much about their benefits.

All in all, it's nice to see that File Explorer enhancements is something that Microsoft has been focusing on in recent Dev Channel builds. Its implementations clearly aren't perfect yet (looking at you, Outlook sharing context menu which consistently crashes), but some instability is expected from a Dev Channel build. I'd love to see Microsoft make more UX improvements to the pinned files in Quick Access and maybe Microsoft should make OneDrive settings a more native part of File Explorer for those who use the service.

However, it is important to note that Dev Channel builds are not tied to a specific Windows release, so it's possible that Microsoft brings these features to the generally available version of Windows 11, but it's also possible that the company stops development on them altogether, if it sees issues related to utility, design, or more.

What do you think of the File Explorer enhancements present in recent Dev Channel builds of Windows 11? Let us know in the comments section below!

Closer Look: File Explorer in Windows 11 Dev Channel

If you are planning to install Ubuntu Server 20.04.4 LTS, you should be aware that it will ship with the GA kernel rather than the hardware enablement (HWE) kernel, though, you can choose to have it install the HWE kernel during the installation process if you need it for newer hardware.

Canonical has spun new ISO images for the release of Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS but you don’t need to recreate installation media just for a mere point release as you can just apply post-install updates to get Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS. Likewise, if you are already using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, just ensure you have all the latest updates installed and you will be on this latest point release too.

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS will be supported for a total of five years, meaning support runs out around April 2025. If you’re currently running Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, which expires next April, you can do an upgrade via the Update Manager, directly to Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS. In-place upgrades usually go well but you should still ensure you have backed up your important files. The upgrade will also go quicker if you’re using a fast, stable, Wi-Fi connection.

Canonical releases Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS with support for newer hardware

This is caused by a newly acknowledged known issue impacting the company's OneDrive file hosting service.

"When attempting to reset a Windows device with apps which have folders with reparse data, such as OneDrive or OneDrive for Business, files which have been downloaded or synced locally from OneDrive might not be deleted when selecting the 'Remove everything' option," Microsoft explains on the Windows health dashboard.

"This issue might be encountered when attempting a manual reset initiated within Windows or a remote reset. Remote resets might be initiated from Mobile Device Management (MDM) or other management applications, such as Microsoft Intune or third-party tools."

Depending on the vendor, the option to reset a Windows device may also be known as Push Button Reset, PBR, Reset This PC, Reset PC, or Fresh Start.

The issue was first spotted by Microsoft MVP Rudy Ooms last week, who noticed that remote or local wipes of Windows 10 systems would still leave the user data readable in the Windows.old folder.

Ooms added in a separate blog post further detailing the issue that Bitlocker-encrypted data will also be moved in non-encrypted and readable form to the same folder on some systems after a Windows reset.

Affects all supported Windows versions

The bug impacts all Windows versions under support, including Windows 11 21H2 and Windows 10 20H2 up to 21H2.

Microsoft says the originating update for this newly acknowledged issue on Windows 10 systems is the October KB5006670 cumulative update that also triggered printing issues. Redmond did not provide info on what would cause these reset problems on Windows 11 machines.

It affects only files that have been opened or downloaded on the Windows device that gets reset since cloud-only files are not downloaded or synced locally.

Microsoft is working on a fix for this known issue and will address this bug in an upcoming Windows update.

Workaround available

Meanwhile, the company provides customers affected by this issue with a workaround to ensure that no user data is left behind when trying to completely wipe a system by resetting a Windows device.

"This issue can be prevented by signing out or unlinking OneDrive before resetting your Windows device. For instructions, see the "Unlink OneDrive" section in, Turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive," Microsoft said.

The company added that customers could also remove any remaining files on already reset devices using the Storage sense feature in the Settings app.

"This issue can be mitigated on devices that have already been reset by following the steps in KB5012334—Delete the Windows.old folder using Storage sense in the Settings app."

Microsoft: Resetting Windows devices might not wipe all data

As usual, this news tip comes to us via our reliable reader u/Leopeve64-2 on Reddit. Essentially, Microsoft is building what seems to be an app hub for PWAs so you can have quick access to them. A screenshot of this implementation in Edge Canary can be seen above.

The "Apps" button in the omnibar can be enabled via the Appearances setting in Microsoft Edge. On launch, it will encourage you to install sites as PWAs so that you have quick access to them, as is visible in the snippet above.

However, once you have installed apps, you will see them grouped according to certain categories, as can be seen in the screenshot above. You can also change the view and sort apps according to different filters.

It is important to note that this change is currently available only in Edge Canary so Microsoft will likely polish the experience further before, and if, it rolls out the feature generally. Even right now, it is being rolled out in a control manner so not everyone on Edge Canary will see it yet. We don't have it on our test machines currently, but the dedicated PWA hub might be a decent option for those who do install their favorite sites as PWAs.

Microsoft is working on a dedicated PWA hub for Edge

Highlights:

• Users can now pin or hide their videos while in the middle of a Microsoft Teams meeting. When hiding their video, other participants in the meeting can still see them.
• Learning management systems (LMS) such as SAP SuccessFactors, Cornerstone OnDemand, and Saba Cloud can now connect and sync with Microsoft Viva Learning. With this integration, employees can now easily view required learning assignments and access the courses directly. Not only that, but they can also receive notifications on Microsoft Teams whenever a new assignment is assigned and if the due date is fast approaching.
• Users can now receive Yammer suggestions for potential communities and followers based on their past interactions. With this, users can conveniently and quickly join and follow directly from their feed.
• Yammer communities now have an aut0-renew feature, which means admins no longer have to review communities manually.
• Yammer members who live in the European Union will soon be able to join Yammer through external networks in the US. Microsoft 365 will begin rolling out this new feature in mid-February 2022 through March 2022.

Source: Microsoft

What’s New in Microsoft 365?

Microsoft Edge Canary is the main development build of the browser. It gets features first and interested users and developers may use the browser for testing purposes.

The new update is already available. Canary users may need to select Menu > Help & Feedback > About Microsoft Edge to get it. The page that opens displays the current version and runs a check for updates. Loading edge://settings/help directly in the browser's address bar opens the same page.

Edge Primary Password

Microsoft Edge signs users in automatically on websites by default. Users of the browser could change the behavior in the past to block automatic autofilling. Up until now, users could switch the setting to "with device password", which would prompt for the device password before passwords were filled out by Edge automatically.

Edge 100 introduces support for a primary password; this is a custom password that may be different from the device password. The primary password is saved locally only, and it needs to be entered to get the browser to fill out password fields on websites.

Edge prompts for permission once per browsing session by default, but there is an option to make Edge prompt for permission each time a password can be filled automatically.

Entering the primary password adds the data to the field. Not providing it or clicking on the close icon will abandon the operation. It is still possible to enter the username and password manually on the site then.

The primary password feature of Edge works only with stored passwords. Edge users may disable the requirement to restore one of the two other options for filling out passwords in Edge.

Other changes in Edge 100

Microsoft lists a large number of changes on its Tech Community website. Here is a short list of the most important ones:

• Option to view the thumbnails of the pages of PDF documents for navigation.
• Support for the textprediction attribute on forms in webpages.
• Custom text cursor support on Windows.
• New preference on Mac devices to update Edge for all users on the device.
• Edge's Read Aloud feature works on Android now even if the browser is in the background.
• New management policy to freeze the version number at 99 and move the major version number to the second position of the version string to avoid compatibility issues when Edge hits version 100.
• New developer APIs.
• Several crash fixes.

Microsoft lists several known issues that affect the development version of Edge. Ad-blocking users may experience issues on YouTube, and Microsoft recommends disabling the extension as it will allow playback of all content on the site. A support article from June 2020 offers more insight according to Microsoft.

Edge 100 will reach the stable channel in the coming months.

Now You: would you use a primary password in your browser?

Microsoft Edge 100: primary password support and PDF thumbnail view

From the trio, only Elden Ring has no detailed optimization numbers attached to it, but it is a recommended install. The critically acclaimed FromSoftware-developed title releases today. Check out our review of the game here, where we give it high praise.

Meanwhile, AMD says Shadow Warrior 3 (releasing March 1) can run up to 6% faster with this driver compared to the last release, and in GRID Legends (Releasing February 25), that boost can be as high as 15%. The tests were done using RX 6900XT, 6800XT, and 6700XT graphics cards.

Unfortunately, no bug fixes are included in this driver. Here are the known issues:

• Some users on Windows® 10 operating system may observe the absence of the windows transparency aero effect.
• While playing Cyberpunk 2077™ on some AMD Graphics Products such as Radeon® RX 570 Graphics, some users may observe an issue where indoor areas appear darker than expected.
• Stuttering or lower than expected FPS values may be experienced by some users while playing God of War™ on some AMD Graphics Products such as Radeon® RX 6900 XT Graphics.
• Enhanced Sync may cause a black screen to occur when enabled on some games and system configurations. Any users who may be experiencing issues with Enhanced Sync enabled should disable it as a temporary workaround.
• Radeon performance metrics and logging features may intermittently report extremely high and incorrect memory clock values.

The Radeon Software Adrenalin 22.2.3 driver is available for Windows 10 and Windows 11, and can be found on the Radeon Settings app in the Optional section. A standalone download link is listed on the official release notes page here.

AMD 22.2.3 driver has Elden Ring, Shadow Warrior 3, and GRID Legends optimizations

All the new feature additions are given below:

Tablet-optimized taskbar

We’re introducing a new taskbar state that’s specifically designed to make you feel more confident and comfortable using your device as a tablet. Your taskbar will automatically transition to this optimized version when you disconnect or fold back the keyboard on your 2-in-1 device. This feature only works on devices that can be used as tablets. It does not work on laptops or desktop PCs.

 

There are two states of this taskbar: collapsed and expanded. In the collapsed state, the taskbar gets out your way, gives you more screen space, and prevents you from accidentally invoking the taskbar when you’re holding your tablet. In the expanded state, the taskbar is optimized to be easier to use with touch. You can easily switch between the two states by swiping up and down on the bottom of your device.

 

To see if this feature is available on your device, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors where a new setting called “Automatically hide the taskbar when using your device as tablet” will be shown and set to on by default.

 

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

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Taskbar. See the known issues section below for a set of known issues for this feature.

Making Widgets content more dynamic

We’re trying out some changes in Widgets to bring more dynamic content to your Widgets board, by experimenting with bringing together the widgets and news feed experiences as a dynamic blended feed containing both widgets and news content. This should make it easier for you to discover and engage with new widgets and news content through your feed. With a dynamic feed there’s less of a burden on you to curate the canvas on your own, but you’ll still be able to pin your favorite Widgets to the top if you want.

 

If you’ve already customized your Widgets board, all your pinned widgets will be exactly where you’d expect them to be, your existing customizations won’t be lost.

 

This release focuses on making widgets discoverable from the feed and over time we plan to make the feed even more personalized.

 

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

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Widgets OR by clicking on your profile picture on the Widgets board and choosing “Give feedback” toward the bottom above the version number. See the known issues section below for a set of known issues for this feature.

New group policy for managing Windows Update notifications

For IT Admins in education, we have a new policy built with you and your students in mind. Starting with this build, you will finally be able to turn off all Windows Update notifications that might distract your students during the school day. You will be able to provide this better experience while staying compliant as the notifications will start to show again if user action is needed and the devices reaches the deadline, though hopefully most devices are able to automatically restart overnight when the student isn’t there.

 

To get to this new group policy, just open the group policy editor and navigate to Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage end user experience > Display options for update notifications.

 

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Install and Update > Downloading, installing, and configuring Windows Update.

Here are some more changes and improvements in Build 22563:

Changes and Improvements

[File Explorer]

 

• Search from Quick Access has been expanded to include content from your OneDrive, Downloads, and any indexed location. Use Quick Access to find results fast.
• Files in Quick Access without any local presence (for example, files shared to you from another OneDrive) now show thumbnails and work with OneDrive sharing.

 

[Windowing]

 

• We’ve made it even easier to snap the most relevant windows next to each other side by side by introducing Microsoft Edge tabs as suggested windows in snap assist. When a window is snapped, you will now see 3 of your most recent Edge tabs shown (by default) as suggestions. You can always control whether to show Microsoft Edge tabs and number of tabs shown when snapping or pressing ALT + TAB via Settings > System > Multitasking.

 

[Input]

 

• Starting with this build, Windows Insiders can now use 37 new emoji characters in the emoji picker as part of Emoji 14.0. Some of the new emoji include “melting face”, “troll”, “coral”, “beans”, “playground slide”, and “mirror ball”.

 

• Skin tone variations for hands gestures and people bring the total to 112 emoji which includes the hand shake. You can now choose the skin tones between the two hands in the hand-shake emoji.
• The updated accessibility flyout on the login screen, introduced in Build 22557, is now available to all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

 

Here are all the fixes in this release:

Fixes

[General]

 

• Improved login performance for a specific case where someone had a very large temp folder.
• Fixed a few issues impacting explorer.exe reliability.
• Updated the volume flyout when using the hardware keys on your keyboard to account for cases where there is no working audio.

 

[Taskbar]

 

• The auto-hide taskbar will now stay expanded while you use Task View to switch Desktops.
• When dragging a file or app to the taskbar, we’ve updated the message next to the mouse showing what is and is not supported to now respond to dark mode and contrast themes.
• Fixed a cyclical explorer.exe crash that was happening for people using the French (Canada) display language, related to the battery icon tooltip.
• Updated the mute icon in the taskbar so that the tooltip now gives a hint for the keyboard shortcut (WIN + Alt + K).

 

[Tablet-optimized taskbar]

 

NOTE: These fixes will only show if tablet-optimized taskbar is enabled on your device. Please see above for details on the tablet-optimized taskbar, which is beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders and not yet available for everyone.

 

• The top border line of taskbar now extends across the entire taskbar instead of stopping just before the system tray area.
• The button styling for the hidden icons flyout is now consistent with the design of the rest of the system tray buttons.
• The taskbar should no longer flicker when switching input methods or during other scenarios where system tray icons are added and removed.

 

[Start menu]

 

• Fixed an issue that was causing the Start menu to not open consistently with the new touch gesture where you swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
• When recommended items are newly added or removed, their icons will now be animated to fade in and out.
• The sleep icon in the power menu is no longer incorrectly showing as a bell.
• Fixed an issue causing the apostrophe in the power button tooltip to not display correctly.
• Names of apps in folders no longer appear blurred briefly when opening folders in Start.
• Fixed a crash some people were encountering when trying to share an app from the All apps list.

 

[File Explorer]

 

• Fixed an issue where the OneDrive icon wouldn’t show up in the File Explorer command bar sometimes when it should have.
• Removed a random white dot that was appearing in the context menu when right clicking on File Explorer’s title bar in dark mode.

 

[Input]

 

• Made some improvements to the emoji search results based on feedback, including generally putting a stronger preference in the search results to the exact name match of emoji (for example, the balloon emoji first when searching for balloon) over the various other emoji that might be returned for those keywords.
• Fixed an issue causing Insiders to not see the updated Korean IME design in the previous flight.
• Fixed a couple issues with the coloring in the IME candidate window.
• Mitigated a crash that was happening when attempting to access the Personalization > Text Input in Settings after upgrading if you had customized your touch keyboard appearance.
• Addressed an explorer.exe crash that could happen when switching input methods.
• Improved the performance of launching the input switcher for the first time.
• If you have “Show accent color on Start and Taskbar” enabled in Color Settings, the input switcher background color will now follow that preference.
• Fixed the Typing link name in the touch keyboard settings options, so it matches the Settings page that opens.
• System > Clipboard in Settings now explains why the “Sync across your devices” option could be grayed out.
• Added text to the emoji panel to help explain certain scenarios where emoji search results aren’t supported.

 

[Search]

 

• We’ve done some more work to reduce the chance that the recent searches flyout could get stuck on the screen.
• We’ve addressed an issue in recent Dev Channel builds leading to some Insiders experiencing an issue where search would open, but only show a magnifying glass in the window and not display any results. If you continue experiencing issues, please file feedback under Desktop Environment > Search with details about what exactly you are seeing.

 

[Settings]

 

• Addressed an issue where pop up dialogs (for example, when adding an optional feature, or when configuring your IP address) in Settings were launching left aligned instead of centered.
• Addressed an issue where RSAT: DNS Server Tools would show that it was installed in Optional Features if you attempted to install it but wouldn’t actually be installed.
• Fixed an issue where Display settings might not show the option to change refresh rate when your PC was in portrait mode.
• Settings should no longer crash when attempting to uninstall apps via Apps > Installed apps when your User Account Control settings are set to Always Notify.
• Windows Update > Update History should show history for feature updates again with this build.
• Mitigated an issue related to the Windows Update page that could make Settings hang.
• The link to give feedback in Settings > System > Notifications will now take you directly to notifications feedback section in the Feedback Hub.
• Fixed an issue preventing you from adding Bluetooth or Cast to the Quick Settings flyout.
• The media controls above Quick Settings should now show when you open media or hide when you close media more reliably.
• Fixed an issue where the number in the volume popup that opens when you use your hardware keys didn’t match the volume number in Quick Settings.
• Improved the positioning of the Accessibility flyout above the button on the login screen.
• Fixed an issue that was occasionally causing certain Bluetooth devices to not auto-connect after powering on or resuming your PC from sleep/hibernate.

 

[Widgets]

 

• With the taskbar left-aligned, information such as temperature is now shown.
• Fixed an issue where Widgets weather info may have shown different information across a multi-monitor setup.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• Did some work to help address an issue where the navigation bar in the updated Task Manager design was showing black glitches when you launched Task Manager from a minimized state.

 

[Windowing]

 

• Fixed an issue that was preventing you from using the minimize, maximize, and close buttons on maximized apps (and other scenarios) because Notification Center had kept focus.
• Did some work to improve the smoothness of the animation when invoking Task View using the 3-finger on screen gesture.
• Improved general reliability of ALT + Tab to help address scenarios where it could get stuck.
• Addressed an issue that was impacting the performance when using ALT + Tab, Task View or snap assist in recent builds.
• Snap group titles should appear properly when using Windows with an Arabic or Hebrew display language now.
• Made some refinements to the snap layouts invocation experience when moving a window to the top of the screen.
• Fixed an issue where dragging a snapped window while snap assist is active would include a thumbnail of the dragged window.
• When using the down arrow to navigate through app thumbnails in snap assist, it should cycle to the top now when you’ve reached the bottom row.
• Fixed two crashes that could happen when using snap layouts on a secondary monitor or a portrait mode monitor.
• Made the margins for snapping to the left and right side of the screen a little bigger.
• Switching desktops using the keyboard shortcuts while the Start menu is open should no longer cause your desktop to unexpectedly switch back after closing Start.

 

[Network]

 

• Added some text to show Disconnecting to communicate if work is in progress after you’ve clicked the Disconnect button in the VPN section of Quick Settings.
• Fixed an issue where Managed VPN profiles with IPv4 routes specified might disconnect frequently.

 

[Narrator]

 

• Narrator will no longer jump up to the search box in Start after using the power or account menus.
• After switching to the All apps section of the Start menu, Narrator will now navigate to and read you app information correctly.
• Narrator in Word online will now read the new line correctly when arrowing up and down between paragraphs.
• Fixed an issue that was causing Narrator to stop reading or being able to move the cursor when entering tables in Microsoft Word.
• Improved how Narrator reads content in the Accessibility flyout on the login screen.

 

[Other]

 

• Fixed an issue that was causing the back button in the sign in window of certain apps to not to be visible when using a contrast theme.

NOTE: Some fixes noted here in Insider Preview builds from the active development branch may make their way into the servicing updates for the released version of Windows 11 that became generally available on October 5th, 2021.

Known issues

[General]

 

• Users running Windows 10 who try to upgrade directly to Build 22563 in the Dev Channel will encounter a hang at “0% Downloading” on Windows Update. To bypass, please join the Beta Channel, install the offered Windows 11 build there, and then switch to the Dev Channel to receive the Build 22563 update. This issue is understood and will be fixed in an upcoming build.
• When going through the device setup experience (OOBE) on the Enterprise edition, the network add screen will be skipped on the first attempt. As a workaround, when users see the “name your computer” option, please reboot and re-start OOBE. The network add screen will now appear as expected.
• Many users won’t hear the startup sound right now.

 

[Taskbar]

 

• If you right click on the Start icon in this build or press WIN + X, explorer.exe will likely crash. Please use CTRL + Shift + Esc for the time being if you use this menu to launch Task Manager.

 

[Tablet-optimized taskbar]

 

• Windows Insiders who have this feature enabled will not be able to use new touch gestures that start on the bottom of the screen announced in Build 22557 until they first remove or fold back their keyboard. Insiders with PCs such as laptops that cannot be used as tablets, and who have this feature enabled, will not be able to use the touch gestures that start on the bottom of the screen. This will be fixed in a future flight.
• The taskbar doesn’t always automatically collapse after launching an app or tapping outside of the expanded taskbar on 2-in-1 devices.
• Some areas of the OS are not yet tracking the height of the expanded taskbar on 2-in-1 devices so you may see overlapping components, such as Widgets overlapping with the taskbar.
• Transition animations are still being tuned for going between expanded and collapsed taskbar on 2-in-1 devices.

[File Explorer]

 

• The File Explorer search box may not work when typing and clicking a suggestion.
• We’re working fixing issues regarding icon sizing, visual bugs, and text clipping in the flyout showing OneDrive storage.

 

[Widgets]

 

• Sometimes when pinning from the Feed, the pinned widget is placed at the top instead of below other pinned widgets. If this happens this will autocorrect within 30 minutes, moving the recently pinned widget to the expected default location. Or you can sign out of your Widgets board and immediately signing back in should correct the problem.
• After rearranging widgets in the widgets board, some users experience problems with widgets in the pinned section rendering incorrectly. If this happens, signing out of your widgets board and immediately signing back in should correct the problem.

 

[Focus]

 

• The taskbar icon and tooltip may not match the focus state.
• The Clock app does not yet update Windows Focus state when configuring focus sessions within the app. This will be addressed in a future app update.

 

[Live captions]

 

• Certain apps in full screen (e.g., video players) prevent live captions from being visible.
• Certain apps positioned near the top of the screen and closed before live captions is run will re-launch behind the live captions window positioned at top. Use the system menu (ALT + Spacebar) while the app has focus to move the app’s window further down.
• The very top of maximized apps (e.g., title bar window management buttons) can’t be reached with touch while live captions is positioned at the top.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• We are aware that the Efficiency mode icon is missing on some child processes.
• Some settings options are not preserved.
• We are working on fixing issues regarding icon size, visual bugs and in most cases the workaround is to either resize Task Manager or lower the resolution settings from Settings > Display > Display resolution.

The Dev channel release is now moving to the "NI_RELEASE" or Nickel branch in preparation for the major feature update to Windows 11 later this year. You can find our coverage of what's new in this Windows 11 build here.

Today's press release is linked here.

Windows 11 Dev build 22563 has Tablet-mode Taskbar, Windows Update changes, and more

This changed recently, when the Redmond company gave the text editor a much-needed overhaul. If you are out of the loop, the latest version of Notepad brought several new features such as Multilevel Undo and Redo, Emoji support, Drag and Drop text, Unicode characters, etc. The interface of the program received a makeover that has a fluent design with rounded corners, new menu styles, a settings page, and even a Dark Theme.

RichEdit

A dev blog article at Microsoft's website highlights the technical details behind the improvements made to Notepad. The classic version of the text editor had a couple of features like Line-ending Detection (CR, LF, CRLF), and Show Unicode control characters. These hurdles made it difficult for Microsoft to make the transition to the new version.

The latest build of Notepad uses the RichEdit engine that is implemented in Microsoft Office applications like Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. This allowed the developers to modernize the program to add features like auto URL detection, color emojis, etc. Notepad has been made available at the Microsoft Store, and this has allowed the company an easy way to update and improve the app.

The Future of Notepad

The blog post by a Microsoft Engineer, Microsoft's Murray Sargent, outlines the plans in store for Notepad. Since RichEdit has been properly implemented in Notepad, the tool could gain additional formatting options including text coloring, spell check and other Rich Text Format (RTF) features. It is possible that Notepad could assist programmers to write code faster with features such as syntax highlighting, indentation for XML files, toggling between start and end tags for HTML/XML, JSON.

It is certainly interesting to see the direction in which the basic-yet-essential text editor is heading toward. I'll admit that I was worried whether the new Notepad would be bogged down by the new features. But it has been quite similar in terms of performance, when compared to how the old version used to run. Of course, my use case might not be the same as yours. I primarily use the program for viewing/editing small documents, or to jot down notes, simply because it is the fastest program in Windows.

Microsoft's article does mention that the program struggles to handle large files. It turns out auto URL detection is one of the culprits that impacts the experience. But it also goes on to say that the text editor's performance needs to be improved for such tasks, so that is something we can look forward to. The post also states that some of the features that were added to the text editor were inspired by options that are available in Visual Studio Code. These include the new Find and Replace drop-down menu, character selection, and plain-text controls.

I wish Notepad had an auto-save option, supported tabs and sessions like in Notepad++ and CudaText.

What features do you want to see in Notepad?

Microsoft outlines the improvements in store for Notepad - RTF, syntax highlighting and more

Ideas used the Crowdicity platform and users needed to create an account on the platform for interaction purposes.

Mozilla is sending out emails to users of its platform currently in which it informs them that it is shutting down Ideas; this is not the end of it all though, as Mozilla is working on creating Mozilla Connect, which will serve similar purposes. Mozilla Connect will be a community site that allows users and Mozilla employees to share ideas, provided feedback and interact with each other.

The email highlights several of the advantages of Mozilla Connect over Ideas:

• Firefox account is supported.
• Improved labeling system that helps everyone find posts quickly.
• "Clearly defined areas" for ideas, feedback and discussions.
• More participation by Mozilla employees.

Ideas content will be reviewed by Mozilla before the content is archived and personal data is deleted. The email does not make it clear whether Ideas content is migrated to the new platform or if Mozilla Connect is started from scratch. Mozilla did not include a date for the shutdown or the launch of Mozilla Connect in the email, but it promised that existing users will be informed about the launch first.

Closing Words

Ideas sounded like a great idea when it was launched. Firefox users had finally an option to suggest new features or changes to Mozilla, and the organization would get feedback directly from the pulse of its userbase. Unfortunately, Ideas suffered from a lack of participation from Mozilla employees and also from users. In July 2021, I wrote about this here on the site mentioning that no new ideas were published for a period of three weeks as they were all held in moderation.

Starting from scratch with Mozilla Connect may improve the interaction and the platform as a whole, but it sounds as if no user data migration is going to happen. All existing ideas will be lost in that case, and while Mozilla mentioned that it will look at them all, it is going to take a lot of convincing to get users to start from scratch on the new platform. The promise, that Mozilla employees will interact on the platform, is the same one that Mozilla made when it launched the Ideas platform. Only time will tell if interaction will improve on the new platform.

Now You: have you used Ideas?

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2022/02/24/mozilla-is-shutting-down-its-ideas-platform-and-creating-mozilla-connect-instead/

So far, we have talked about the enhancements to the Start menu and the Task Manager revamp. Now, it is time to talk about some Snap Layouts improvements.

People who have followed my coverage of Windows 11 in the past know that I am a big fan of Snap Layouts and Snap Groups in the OS. The former allowed you to hover your cursor over the "Maximize" button on a window and the OS will show you possible positions to snap it to. You can then arrange different windows in a layout and have them open or close with a single click as a "Snap Group".

Microsoft has made some changes to Snap Layouts in Windows 11. Essentially, you can now do leverage from this feature in a different way. Rather than relying on the maximize button, you can simply drag your window to the top of your display, where you will see a pane, marked by the red arrow in the screenshot above.

When you drag the window on top of the pane, you will see a preview of some layouts that you can use. This arrangement can be different, depending upon the size and resolution of your display. An example can be seen in the screenshot above.

However, Dev Channel build 22557 goes a step further by showing you a preview of where your window will reside. This happens when you start dragging your window across different slots of the Snap Layouts pane and get a minimized version of your window in the pane versus a blurred area to show the space it will occupy once you select that slot.

Personally, I love this change. It's a minor improvement but one that could improve the UX in many multitasking use-cases, especially those that are touch-based. You can still use the Maximize button but I think the new implementation is much more intuitive. I think it makes more sense to see Snap Layouts when you are dragging around your window rather than when you are minimizing or maximizing it.

One thing I would like to see improved further in this implementation is that rather than showing a blurred area, maybe there is more utility in showing an actual preview of your desired window? I think that would allow me to make a better decision about whether snapping the window in a slot would still make it usable for me without having to squint my eyes too much. But then again, this is an in-development build so hopefully, Microsoft expands upon this idea further in future iterations.

Of course, you can still use the "old school" method of Win + directional keys if that's what you're used to, but I personally prefer this implementation. And at the end of the day, it's all about giving the customer more options, right? The new implementation coupled with the ability to see a preview of occupied space is a neat improvement and I'd love to see it make its way to the GA version of Windows 11 eventually.

Closer Look: Snap Layouts in Windows 11 Dev Channel build 22557

While Google has had an official dark mode for Search since last year, in order to stop you from blinding yourself when opening a new tab at the dead of night, for many users the soothing dark grey wasn’t nearly a dark enough option. 

Thankfully for dark mode purists that’s soon about to change, as Google is steadily rolling out a new darker dark mode that replaces the grey with a pure #000000 black, 9to5Google reports. 

Unfortunately for those wanting to get their hands on the pitch-black dark mode,  the rollout for this darker dark mode is a somewhat baffling process. As usual, the rollout sees users being given this feature randomly, however, some users are claiming to have lost the option for the darker theme after previously having access to it, so there’s no guarantee it will stick around. 

While it might not be to everyone’s tastes, including our own, this pitch-black dark mode will definitely benefit those with OLED and AMOLED displays who adore contrast and saving on battery life. 

If you want to enable this new darker dark mode for yourself, so long as you’re one of the lucky ones with the option to do so, here are some very simple steps on how to do it.

• Select the gear icon in the top right corner of your display to open quick settings
• Select “Dark Theme” under Appearance

Google’s darker dark mode is very steadily rolling out

This is very timely, especially in the increased demand for excellent digital communications where distance communication becomes the alternative to regular work. Even before the pandemic, the globalized nature of some work operations requires efficient tools that would be able to stand long meetings and tedious work demands across varied locations. This is further intensified at present, where team collaborations have to migrate to the online platforms in order to balance efficiency with health safety amid the pandemic. 

In line with this, Microsoft teams initiated various enhancements to assure that Teams would be able to deliver a superior performance amid great demands. These improvements did lower not only the energy costs but also the demands for the company’s hardware.

The challenge

MS Teams recognized that optimization is essential to ensure consistency and efficiency of meetings across devices. To achieve the best performance, it is vital to assure that device resources (like memory and CPU) would be used efficiently. This also requires elasticity to ensure quality experiences for individuals using different types of devices, network speeds, and variability in connections.  

However, the diverse Windows ecosystem poses a challenge to this desire to offer exceptional experiences. Thankfully, with the enhancements leading to reduced power consumption, users with low-end and high-end workstations could enjoy quality digital team collaborations through an energy-efficient operation.

How did Microsoft make it happen?

Microsoft began by testing the power consumption in necessary meeting conditions to minimize energy demands and provide consistency and efficiency of meetings across devices. These include group video meetings and screens sharing, which have high-energy processes like content capture, encoding, and rendering. They used a test framework to measure these energy use with accuracy.

Afterward, the said processes were evaluated and optimization opportunities were explored. This process of isolation and optimization led to a significant reduction in power consumption which would be more friendly across device types.

As the video capture feature is one of the crucial aspects of quality meeting and calling experiences, Microsoft emphasized camera optimization. This aids the CPU to be less burdened in such video meetings by enhancing configurations and lowering the complexity of codes for auto-exposure, auto-white balance and auto-aliasing. Further, they consolidated the operations in video rendering and made a significant reduction in energy requirements from the devices.

Microsoft assures that these enhancement initiatives were subjected to testing to ensure that they would deliver the target benefit to the consumers.

More improvements to look forward to

Microsoft’s initiatives in further promoting high-quality experiences do not end with this significant reduction of power consumption to 50%. More enhancements are targeted to ensure better team collaborations. For one, Microsoft aims to ensure that the next generation silicon would enhance the collaboration experience with Teams by working continuously with the CPU and GPU chipset vendors. They are also aiming to further optimize screen-sharing later this year. Microsoft also evaluates every new Teams feature they are planning on, so there wouldn’t be any compromise on the current processing efficiency.

Microsoft Teams lowers power consumption by 50% for consistent quality experience

The change was spotted by some users on the current Dev Channel version (build 22557) of the OS. They  had noticed that some new icons had appeared in the panel out of the blue. In case you are wondering what they do, the icons in order from left to right are as follows: Voice Typing, Emoji Panel, Clipboard Panel, and Touch Keyboard.

Tapping the icon opens its relevant panel. The new buttons are not available in my Windows 11 virtual machine, but that's not exactly surprising. It is a common practice for Microsoft to A/B test features by enabling them randomly for some users, wait for feedback about it, before deciding whether the options should be allowed in the beta channel and release channel builds, and eventually make it to the final version.

For reference, here's what the Language Switcher looks like in the stable channel of Windows 11.

Take another look at the new buttons, and you may notice that these aren't new options, and that's because they have existed in a different form for quite a while. In fact, the icons for these buttons are also identical to the ones that already exist in Windows. You may have seen them if you used the hotkeys corresponding to their functions.

For those who are unfamiliar with the keyboard shortcuts, here's a brief reminder of the combinations.

• Voice Typing - Win + H
• Clipboard - Win + V
• Emoji Panel - Win + .
• The Touch Keyboard can be accessed by tapping its icon on the Taskbar.

While these new buttons may not seem exciting for people who rely on keyboard shortcuts, they could be a time-saver for users with a touchscreen device, or mouse-centric users. I have said this many times, but I'll say it again, Windows 11 seems to have been designed for touchscreens rather than regular PCs. Look at the centralized icons on the Taskbar, the new Start Menu, the Widgets Panel, the Quick Settings pane with the toggles and slider bars, it all adds up.

The Language Switcher panel only appears on the Taskbar, if you have 2 or more language packs installed in Windows 11. It allows you to quickly switch between the language that you want to type in, and as such is quite useful. But these new buttons aren't exactly related to languages, are they? They might be suited for general input, so I think it could be a good idea to allow single-language users to access the new feature as well.

If that was the case, where could Microsoft add the buttons to? I mean, if the language switcher icon is missing, the panel has to be accessible from some place else. The easiest way to house the buttons would be to add them to an existing section such as the quick settings panel that pops up when you click on the icons for the Wi-Fi/LAN, Volume, Battery icons. It does have some room at the bottom which could be used for the new icons. For a less-cluttered approach, placing the buttons in the panel that pops up when you click the "Show hidden icons" button, could work too.

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2022/02/23/windows-11-new-buttons-in-language-switcher-panel/

The option, which was introduced about a year ago in Edge, lets you hide the tab bar that normally appears at the top of the window. Enabling the feature creates a sidebar with icons for each tab. Clicking one of the icons switches to the corresponding tab. So, you get the same experience but in a more compact interface.

If you expand the side panel, you will find that it is a more efficient way to manage your tabs. Most websites have a ton of blank space either side of the screen, in my opinion, having a vertical tab bar offers a better experience, because it looks cleaner. Users with large screens or an ultra-wide monitor may find Vertical Tabs to be a blessing.

Ever since Microsoft debuted the feature, Vertical Tabs has been a popularly requested feature by users of other browsers, especially in the Mozilla Firefox community. As far as I know, only one other browser has this feature baked in, Vivaldi. To enable the side panel, head to the Settings > Tabs page, and set the Tab Bar position to the left. You will need to shrink the panel to its minimum size, to get the vertical tabs experience in Vivaldi.

Mozilla could bring Vertical Tabs for Firefox

Users had voted to request Vertical Tabs for Firefox at the Mozilla Crowdicity community. The feedback portal, which was slow to pick up the pace, is abuzz with activity. A Product Community Manager at Mozilla, has finally responded to the request with good news. He wrote that since the request has emerged as a top idea in the community, it has been reviewed by the developers at Mozilla. They are looking at ways to improve the tab management, and are researching the possibility of adding support for Vertical Tabs in Firefox. This of course does not mean that the feature is certain to be added, which is why I wrote "could" instead of "will".

We don't know what Mozilla's implementation of Vertical Tabs could look like. Hopefully, it's not just a sidebar that auto-hides, we need to hide the tab bar from the top. For now, I think users can rejoice that the option is being explored, and keep our fingers crossed.

Other ways to add Vertical tabs in Firefox

Firefox has a lot of customization options, and there are a few add-ons that let you view and manage tabs from a sidebar, the most popular of which is, of course, Tree Style Tab. There are other alternatives like Tab Center Reborn, personally, I like Vertigo Tabs for its simplicity.

But none of these extensions have the ability to hide the standard tab bar. Why is that? Because, like other programs of its kind, Firefox has APIs in place which allows the user to tweak the interface to their preference. The other side of the coin is that these APIs are limited, and extensions cannot access or modify certain parts of the GUI, due to some restrictions. These rules are in place to protect the user from malicious add-ons, that could otherwise wreak havoc, or hijack the browser.

Now, these restrictions are limited to add-ons, which means there are other ways to modify the browser. Many Firefox users rely on custom CSS code to change the theme of their browser, the new tab page, etc. So, yes you could use one of the scripts to edit the userChrome.css, to hide the tab bar, and use an extension to access tabs from a side panel. Here is a user-created script for Vertical Tabs, and here is a website that has more custom CSS themes for Firefox. Most, if not all, of these scripts are open-source. I advise caution while tinkering with scripts, you may want to take a backup of your tabs, sessions, and data, just in case something goes awry, and you have to reset the browser.

What do you think about Vertical Tabs?

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2022/02/23/mozilla-is-looking-into-bringing-vertical-tabs-for-firefox/