News: Software News

Closer look at new Microsoft Store for Windows 11 and Windows 10

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:34:26 +0000

During the second event aimed at developers, Microsoft took the wraps off its new app store for Windows 11 and Windows 10.

The Microsoft Store, otherwise known as Windows Store, has been “rebuilt” and redesigned to offer more than the store currently available on Windows 10. Microsoft explained that the new Store offers better experience and performance than the Windows 10 Store, which has largely remained unchanged since its original Windows 8 version.

The visual redesign is based on Fluent Design and WinUI. It looks less cluttered and it comes with a new navigation menu on the left side. At the top of the store, there’s a new search bar, which is also available in the redesigned Windows Settings and Microsoft Photos app.

Microsoft has also redesigned the apps page in the Store with more clarity on downloads size, reviews, app features, changelog and other information.

Stories are coming to Microsoft Store

Microsoft is also bringing stories to its new Store. This feature will help users discover new apps and it will also help developers inform users about their new apps and games, according to the company.

According to Microsoft, Windows Store stories are “rich editorial content” featuring a set of images/screenshots highlighting features offered by the app.

New search bar

The search bar has been redesigned and it finally works.

Using the search bar, you can quickly preview apps available in the Store by typing keywords. The search bar will also show results from the Amazon Appstore, which powers the section of the Android apps in the Microsoft Store.

New pop-up store

To better support web apps, Microsoft is introducing a new store pop-up that will allow users to install apps from the browser. This feature works when the user clicks on a Microsoft Store badge/banner on a website like Spotify.

When you click a Microsoft Store download badge, Windows 11’s app installer pop up will appear and it will help you manage the installation.

New policies for developers

Windows 11 Store is now more open for developers and it will support more types of Windows apps. For example, developers can now publish any kind of desktop app made using .NET, Electron, React Native, UWP, Xamarin, Java, PWA, and of course Win32 is now supported as well.

Another big change is support for third-party commerce platform on Store. Developers will be able to use their own commerce solutions in their apps to charge customers and Microsoft won’t take any fees, which means 100% of the revenue will go to the developers.

The new Microsoft Store is coming later this year, but Microsoft will release the first preview to the testers in the Insider program this month.

Source: Closer look at new Microsoft Store for Windows 11 and Windows 10 (via WindowsLatest)

Windows 11 features a shiny new Action Center with media controls

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:31:27 +0000

As expected, Windows 11 is getting user interface elements that were originally planned for use in Windows 10X.

Microsoft has shelved development on Windows 10X and it’ll never arrive for consumers, but Windows 10X features are apparently coming to Windows 11, with several bits from 10X already present in the RTM build of the new OS.

While the system tray on the right is not going away with Windows 11, some of its features will now be shifted to the new Action Center. The Action Center, otherwise known as the notification center, has been completely redesigned on Windows 11 with WinUI and Fluent Design features, and it also comes with a new Quick Settings panel.

Action Center on Windows 11 looks very different from the Action Center we’ve currently on Windows 10. It uses a new “panels” design where your notifications and controls will be split up into different groups, with notifications being housed above the Quick Settings panel.

The Action Center is now resizable/adaptive, and it still comes with a “Clear all” button at the top right of the panel.

Like Windows 10, the new Quick Settings panel will offer quick access to commonly used settings. These controls include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Airplane/Flight mode, Battery saver, Focus Assist (a feature that turns off notifications so you can focus on work), as well as new controls for things like display brightness and volume.

Overall, Windows 11 Action Center functionality remains unchanged, but the quick settings panel is now more customizable. For example, when you click on actions like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, a new configuration pane will appear and you’ll be able to switch between different WiFi or Bluetooth connections directly from the Action Center.

Previously, these actions were redirected to Windows Settings app, but you can now configure them directly from within the notification center panel.

There are some neat touches in animation as well and it’s noticeable when you click on an action in the Action Center to enable the feature. For example, the Bluetooth icon changes slightly to acknowledge the click.

Another big change is support for the new music control panel, which will appear only when an app is playing audio. With the new music control, you can finally change track and pause/resume the audio content directly from Windows Action Center.

On Windows 10, this functionality is offered via dated music control UI.

As mentioned, the basic functionality of Action Center is not changing, which means you can still jump into the Settings app to further customize the experience and how notifications appear.

In addition to Action Center, Microsoft is also redesigning Windows Store, Windows Settings, File Explorer, Microsoft Photos and other areas of the operating system.

Source: Windows 11 features a shiny new Action Center with media controls (via WindowsLatest)

Microsoft tool incorrectly reports “This PC can’t run Windows 11” error

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:25:14 +0000

A number of users are seeing “This PC can’t run Windows 11” error when running compatibility checks using Microsoft’s PC Health Check Tool. It looks as though Microsoft’s misconfigured Health Check Tool is at the heart of sporadic problems some people have encountered.

Ahead of the wider rollout, Microsoft has released a new app called “PC Health Check” to help users run compatibility tests on Windows 10 and prepare their device for the big upgrade.

There seems to be some confusion around this app and some people are reporting “This PC can’t run Windows 11” errors. A lot of users have reported problems when running compatibility tests with PC Health Check Tool, usually because of TPM 2.0 requirement and problems with existing software or hardware.

Windows 11 is designed to work on all modern hardware, but it appears that the PC Health Check Tool is using a pair of switches that incorrectly returns the compatibility test result as “This PC can’t run Windows 11” even when the device is actually supported.

“While this PC doesn’t meet the system requirements to run Windows 11, you’ll keep getting Windows 10 updates,” the error message reads.

Technically, nearly all modern Windows 10 PCs are eligible for Windows 11 upgrade.

The minimum system requirements of Windows 11 isn’t straightforward and Microsoft’s documentation is particularly confusing.

According to the document, TPM 1.2 or newer is now a minimum system requirement, while TPM 2.0 is the recommended system requirement.

For those unaware, TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a security feature built into all modern PCs and it enables new defences on a hardware level. According to Microsoft officials, almost every CPU in the last 5-7 years has a TPM. On Intel PCs, it is called “Intel PTT”. For AMD, it would be “AMD PSP fTPM”.

“TPMs have been required for OEM certification since at least 2015 and was announced in 2013,” Microsoft said.

The false error message is reported because there are two floors of requirements for Windows 11. While the second floor requires newer processors (8th-gen, Ryzen 2000+), the first or hard floor allows anyone to install Windows 11 if they meet the following requirements:

CPU with two cores and a minimum clock speed of 1 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Security: TPM Version >= 1.2
SecureBootCapable = True

In other words, nearly all modern CPUs in the market are compatible with Windows 11.

Why am I getting “This PC can’t run Windows 11”? error

The PC Health Check app is apparently checking your device’s compatibility against the recommended or second-floor hardware requirements, which requires 8th Gen Intel & Ryzen 2000 series processors and TPM 2.0.

However, in reality, you can install Windows 11 if you meet the minimum system requirements, which is 64-bit dual-core processors with 1 GHz clock speed and TPM 1.2.

Microsoft confirms “This PC can’t run Windows 11” error

Thankfully, Microsoft is aware of the reports and is working on a fix.

A company representative confirmed that Windows 11 Health Check app will be updated in the coming weeks with more clarity on system requirements; hard and soft floors.

“We’re going to improve the PC Health Check app over the next couple of week,” the company said.

Windows 11 preview builds are planned for next week and Microsoft is hoping to address some of these issues later this week.

TPM requirements

Windows 11 is designed for everyone and it’s compatible with modern hardware, so naturally, it will run smoothly on PCs shipped in the last few years, but it can be installed on older hardware too.

Regarding the TPM requirement, Microsoft officials explained that PCs shipped in the last few years come with the TPM 2.0 feature. It’s possible that your PC does have TPM, but it’s disabled in the BIOS. If it’s disabled, you need to get into the BIOS and turn on TPM manually and reboot the system.

You can check if your device has the compatible TPM by running the command get-tpm in PowerShell:

Microsoft is also believed to be working on features that will help you diagnose problems installing Windows 11 updates on PCs that are already running Windows 10.

If we’re being honest you probably don’t need to rush to get in on this. Windows 11 is still in preview and it is currently projected to go live in the fall, so we have enough time to prepare our devices for the upgrade.

Also, remember that Windows 11 is still Windows and you’ll be able to bypass the TPM requirements unofficially.

Source: Microsoft tool incorrectly reports “This PC can’t run Windows 11” error (via WindowsLatest)

Official Windows 10 Instagram app finally updates with the ability to create posts on PC

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 10:07:23 +0000

The Windows 10 Instagram app received an update today that finally enabled the ability to create photo and video posts. Until now, the newly revamped Instagram app could only be used for consuming posts and Instagram Stories.

The new feature is surprisingly solid straight out of the gate with most of the popular filters being present and a variety of basic aspect ratio and color options available. Users can also add multiple files to a post if they want.

Unfortunately, support for creating Instagram Stories and livestreams isn’t live yet though it wouldn’t be crazy to assume that both of these features are on the way.

Instagram first launched an official app for Windows 10 PCs and tablets back in 2016 via an update for the existing Windows phone app. This app was eventually replaced with a Progressive Web App (PWA) version which fully transitioned into the new app format back in April of this year.

Source: Official Windows 10 Instagram app finally updates with the ability to create posts on PC (via ONMSFT)

Not all Android apps will run on Windows 11

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 10:05:09 +0000

Early today, Microsoft announced that Windows 11 can run Android apps natively. Microsoft is making use of Amazon App Store to bring Android apps to Windows 11. Consumers will be able to find their favorite Android apps from the new Amazon App Store section that will be available inside the revamped Microsoft Store app.

Unfortunately, there are some limitations in running Android apps on Windows 11, read about them below.

Android apps that depend on Google Play Services will not be available on Windows 11. Google Maps, Gmail and Chrome are some of the apps that won’t be available for download on Windows 11.
All the apps available in Amazon App Store won’t be available inside Microsoft Store. The Amazon Appstore team will be in touch with developers later this year to share details on how to publish to Windows.
Only an initial Amazon Appstore selection will be available to Windows customers later this year.

“Today we offer a broad selection of mobile apps in our Amazon Appstore, available across Fire TV, Fire Tablets, and Android devices that our customers use and enjoy every day,” said Palanidaran Chidambaram, Director of the Amazon Appstore and Cross-Screen Technology. “With this announcement, Amazon Appstore developers will now have the opportunity to make their Android apps available to hundreds of millions of Windows customers.”

Source: Not all Android apps will run on Windows 11 (via MSPowerUser)

Microsoft shows off redesigned Settings app for Windows 11

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 10:01:12 +0000

Microsoft’s Windows 11 will also give the operating system’s settings panel a complete overhaul with a new design that features colourful icons, rounded corners icons and a proper dark mode.

For the past six years, Microsoft has been trying to reduce traces of “old Windows”, but the progress has been extremely slow and Windows Settings is still a mess on Windows 10. Fortunately, with Windows 11, previously known as Windows Sun Valley, the company took another major step toward “modernization” of Windows.

The settings app is getting a complete makeover on Windows 11. The updated app features a reorganized layout and more colourful icons. Similar to Control Panel, the Settings app will be using a new navigation menu on the left side of the window and all options will have icons next to their title.

The new navigation menu on the left side features System, Bluetooth & devices, Network & Internet, Personalization, Apps, Accounts, Updates & Security, and more. Based on previous leaks, we believe this navigation menu will remain visible when you open different pages of Settings.

Additionally, the Settings program is getting a significant performance upgrade and it has been rewritten to some extent.

Windows Settings is also getting new controls to help users better customize the operating system. For example, users will be able to customize the virtual desktops, personalize the touch keyboard with a custom background and as well as change the size of the keys.

Similiar, we’re also getting modern features like “Wake on Touch”, which can be configured through the Settings.

The Settings app on Windows 11 apparently features additional configuration options and some pages of the Control Panel will be automatically redirected to Windows 10’s Settings interface.

Remember that Windows 11 is not done yet and Microsoft will be listening to feedback from Windows Insiders, according to Panos Panay. It’s possible that the Settings app will undergo some minor improvements ahead of Windows 11’s wider rollout.

It is not clear as to what the company plans to do with the Control Panel, which remains a part of Windows.

As you’re probably aware, Windows Settings was introduced with Windows 8 and it was known as “PC settings” at that time. Windows 10 added more options to the Settings app, but it’s still not as advanced as the operating system’s Control Panel.

It’s possible that Control Panel will be removed in future, but for now, it’s here to stay and it has been updated without rounded corners as well as new icons.

In addition to the new Settings app, Microsoft is also redesigning the Windows Store, Microsoft Photos app and other native programs.

Source: Microsoft shows off redesigned Settings app for Windows 11 (via WindowsLatest)

Microsoft confirms Windows Subsystem for Android

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 09:44:32 +0000

Following Microsoft’s announcement that Android apps will be coming to Windows 11, many have asked how the app will run on the OS.

In their developer session, Microsoft finally revealed some details.

Microsoft program manager for WSL confirmed that there will now be a Windows SubSystem for Android.

The Android apps will run in a virtual machine, with support for voice, pen, and Bluetooth networking.

ARM binaries will run via an Intel bridge, but developers will ideally submit Universal APKs to the Store.

Microsoft has earlier revealed that apps will be supplied by the Amazon app store, which will be integrated with the Microsoft Store, but that only select apps will be made available.

Source: Microsoft confirms Windows Subsystem for Android (via MSPowerUser)

Notepad and MS Paint for Windows 11 are also getting a Fluent Design update

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 09:41:47 +0000

Microsoft is making a real effort to offer an integrated and consistent visual experience with Windows 11, and to that end, they are finally also bringing a touch of Fluent Design to the native Windows apps which have been with Windows since Windows 3.1.

At their developer presentation today they showed off an updated look for Microsoft Paint, Notepad and of course Powerpoint.

Interestingly the Paint app appears to have all new icons, but does still retain the ribbon design for its functions, something which has been removed from the new Windows 11 File Explorer.

It is not clear if the images shown are real or design mockups, but we should know quite soon, as Microsoft resumes Windows Insider builds for Windows 11 next week.

Source: Notepad and MS Paint for Windows 11 are also getting a Fluent Design update (via MSPowerUser)

Only these Surface devices can be upgraded to Windows 11, see if yours is on the list

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 09:38:36 +0000

It appears Microsoft wishes to make a new start with Windows 11 and leave much of their legacy base behind. The OS has some specific requirements around security, and appears to support only modern processors.

PCWorld asked Microsoft which of their own-brand Surface devices will be getting the upgrade, and from the 25 released only around half are supported.

These are:

Surface Book 3 (May 2020)
Surface Book 2: only the models with 8th-gen Intel CPUs (Core i5-8350U or Core i7-8650U, not the Core i5-7300U) (Nov. 2017)
Surface Go 2 (May 2020)
Surface Laptop 4 13.5” (Apr. 2021)
Surface Laptop 4 15” (Apr. 2021)
Surface Laptop 3 13.5” (Oct. 2019)
Surface Laptop 3 15” (Oct. 2019)
Surface Laptop 2 (Oct. 2018)
Surface Laptop Go (Oct. 2020)
Surface Pro 7+ (Feb. 2021)
Surface Pro 7 (Oct. 2019)
Surface Pro 6 (Oct. 2018)
Surface Pro X (Nov. 2019)

As can be seen from the list, extremely expensive devices such as the Surface Studio are not supported, and if your device is older than 3 years you are basically out of luck.

If you are desperate to run the new OS on your old device, one simple work-around will be to enrol in the Windows Insider program, where the OS will magically gain the ability to circumvent all these issues.

Are any of our readers affected? Let us know your thoughts below.

Source: Only these Surface devices can be upgraded to Windows 11, see if yours is on the list (via MSPowerUser)

Microsoft will require Windows 11 laptops to support Bluetooth and Precision Touchpad

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 09:35:01 +0000

Yesterday, Microsoft finally unveiled the much-anticipated Windows 11 update. The new update comes with an updated UI, performance, and productivity improvements. Microsoft also released the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 which includes Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 among other things, but the latter can be bypassed for now.

Apart from the minimum hardware requirements, Windows 11 laptops will require support for certain features in the future. According to Microsoft's documentation, Windows 11 laptops will need to come with Bluetooth 4.0 or above and support Precision Touchpad. Both these requirements extend to laptops, tablets and other handheld devices but exclude Desktop PCs. Apart from that, Microsoft is also making it mandatory for Windows 11 devices to include either WiFi or Ethernet for internet connectivity.

Furthermore, Microsoft is recommending users to install Windows 11 on "non-rotational storage" like SSDs for optimal performance but this is optional. Apart from that, the company also notes that Windows 11 devices need to have at least one USB port and if manufacturers plan to go with USB-C PD (Power Delivery) then they need to implement "1.1 of the USB Type-C spec or higher and revision 2.0 v1.1 and optionally support revision 3.0 v1.0 or higher of the PD spec and must be certified according to the USB-IF’s USB-C product testing matrix."

Lastly, Windows 11 devices external PCIe capable ports (like Thunderbolt) must support Memory Access Protection or Kernel DMA Protection (kDMA) and have it enabled/opted-in by default. With Windows 11, Microsoft also plans to make it mandatory for laptops to include a webcam, though that requirement will kick in on January 1, 2023.

Source: Microsoft will require Windows 11 laptops to support Bluetooth and Precision Touchpad (via Neowin)

Microsoft to fix ailing PC Health Check Windows 11 upgrade app

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 09:28:49 +0000

Microsoft has become very restrictive around which devices will be able to update to Windows 11, but even within those confined their new PC Health Check app, which is meant to inform users about the ability to update, appears to be giving out incorrect information.

Now Microsoft VP Steve Dispensa has said they plan to improve the app to address the issues.

Besides correcting incorrectly flagged PCs as not upgradable, other fixes may include guiding users in making their PCs compatible (many devices have TPM disabled in BIOS for example). It also remains to be seen if Microsoft will enable TM 1.2 devices or devices with Gen 7 and older Intel processors to receive the OS, despite Microsoft not advising it, else it seems Microsoft has just imposed the biggest intentional fragmentation of the Windows platform yet.

Source: Microsoft to fix ailing PC Health Check Windows 11 upgrade app (via MSPowerUser)

Microsoft details the processor requirements for Windows 11

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 04:40:24 +0000

Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 today and showed off a bunch of improvements, including new UI elements and experiences, the new store app, support for Android apps, and more. The company also posted the minimum system requirements earlier in the day, detailing the specifications that will be required for running the next-generation OS. In addition to those, the firm has also provided processor requirements for setting a baseline of hardware requirements relating to the silicon.

Firstly, for system requirements, there is an interesting bifurcation of hard floor and soft floor specs – specifically for partners, where hard floor specifications are mandatory requirements for the OS, while soft floor specifics will be treated as something that is accepted but not advised. The company is making security safeguards such as TPM 2.0 necessary for users to upgrade from Windows 10. However, it looks like devices sporting support for TPM 1.2 will also be able to receive the update, if the soft floor specifications are to be believed.

Here are the hard floor – or mandatory – requirements for the OS:

CPU: Core >= 2 and Speed >= 1 GHz

System Memory: TotalPhysicalRam >= 4 GB

Storage: 64 GB

Security: TPM Version >= 1.2 and SecureBootCapable = True

Smode: Smode is false, or Smode is true and C_ossku in (0x65, 0x64, 0x63, 0x6D, 0x6F, 0x73, 0x74, 0x71)

And here are the soft floor requirements:

Security: TPMVersion >= 2.0

CPU Generation

Moving on to processor requirements, the company has provided separate lists for Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm chips. While the list usually grew with every new Windows 10 version – accommodating newer generation chips –, the number of supported CPUs for Windows 11 has shrunk. It is not clear if this is the final list of chips or if the firm will tweak the models as the release of the OS nears.

For Intel, the company has listed Core branded chips starting from the eight-generation, for both laptop and desktops, along with several other Xeon and Pentium chips. Interestingly, these leave out chips in devices such as the Surface Studio 2, which are still being sold. As for AMD, some Ryzen 2000-series CPUs and all Ryzen 3000-series chips and newer are supported, along with a list of Epyc processors for servers. Here, the obvious exclusion is the A-series of chips. Qualcomm’s list is small and includes the Snapdragon 850 SoC and newer, which were aimed at the Windows on ARM PC market. You can head to the dedicated pages to check out the complete list.

These CPU specifications likely only apply to new devices, meaning that older devices such as the Studio 2 that house a TPM 2.0 chip might not be denied the upgrade to Windows 10. It will be interesting to see if there will be any updates to the requirements.

Source: Microsoft details the processor requirements for Windows 11 (via Neowin)

Microsoft will require all Windows 11 laptops to have a webcam from 2023

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Last night, Microsoft finally unveiled the much-anticipated Windows 11 update. The new update comes with an updated UI, performance, and productivity improvements. Microsoft also released the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 which includes Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 among other things, but the latter can be bypassed for now.

However, buried deep inside Microsoft's documentation was the webcam requirement. For now, Microsoft notes that both front and rear webcams are optional. However, the company adds that all devices (except desktop PCs) will be required to have a forward-facing webcam. This condition will kick in from January 1, 2023 and should force manufacturers to include a webcam in devices like laptops or tablets.

Apart from that, Microsoft also noted that a webcam should have a High-Definition (HD) resolution or better. HD here refers to 720p with a resolution of 1280 x 720 and 1:1 aspect ratio. Furthermore, it also needs to have support for auto white-balance and auto exposure.

Lastly, Microsoft has also laid out some rules for devices that will come with a dedicated camera button. The Redmond giant notes that the camera button should be able to wake up the device when needed. The company, however, gives manufacturers the freedom to include either a dual-action camera or a single-action camera. Just for reference, the dual-action camera allows users to half-press as well as full-press the camera button while the single-action camera only supports full-press.

Source: Microsoft will require all Windows 11 laptops to have a webcam from 2023 (via Neowin)

Turns out Windows 11 does not need TPM 2.0 after all

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 03:15:55 +0000

Turns out Windows 11 does not need TPM 2.0 after all

Many Windows fans are today disappointed that they will not be able to upgrade their existing PC or laptop to Windows 11, due to not meeting the hardware criteria.

Microsoft is telling users and the media that to upgrade to Windows 11 your PC needs at least:

1 GHz dual-core processor
4GB RAM
64 GB storage
UEFI, Secure Boot capable, TPM 2.0
DirectX 12 compatible graphics with WDDM 2.0 driver
720p display greater than 9” diagonally

The TPM 2.0 issue, in particular, is a problem, as it was introduced relatively recently, with many PCs older than 2017 not supported.

It turns out however what Microsoft and PC Health Check app is telling people is not the complete truth, according to their own documentation.

It turns out that only TPM 1.2 is required, but instead of telling users that an upgrade is not advised, Microsoft is simply saying PCs can not run the OS at all.

Microsoft’s motivation for the move is unclear at present, but many users are more than peeved that, unusual for Windows, they would need to buy new hardware to run a new OS.

via FireCube

Turns out Windows 11 does not need TPM 2.0 after all

Here’s what’s new for developers in Windows 11

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 03:11:17 +0000

Here’s what’s new for developers in Windows 11

Today Microsoft launched Windows 11, and while consumers were promised a new look and feel to the OS, developers were promises much more opportunities on the platform.

In a blog post, Microsoft gave a short overview of how they delivered just that by embracing the tenet that Windows is an open platform.

There are 5 4 key areas Microsoft is focussing on:

What's new for Developers in Windows 11

1 Taking advantage of the new Microsoft Store

2 Using dev tools to improve Web and native Windows app development

3 Refreshing apps and experiences so they are more engaging

4 Developing awesome games for both PC and Console

Taking advantage of the new Microsoft Store

Image 1: The new Microsoft Store spotlight section on the homepage.

Microsoft unveiled the new Microsoft Store on Windows, and announce their support for more app types such as Win32, .NET, and PWAs, as well as support for Android apps from the Amazon Appstore. The Store is also redesigned to keep customers in their flow and make it easier to search for and discover curated stories and collections. With new features like the “pop-up” Store users can install apps directly from the browser. You will also have more revenue sharing options, such as keeping 100% when you bring your own commerce platform for the Store for your app (this does not include PC games). A preview of the new Store will be available soon to Windows Insiders.

Using dev tools to improve Web and native Windows app development

Image 2: Progressive Web App Shortcuts integrated with Windows

With Windows 11, Microsoft is embracing all apps and are working to make all apps feel right at home on Windows. With the new PWABuilder3, you can build a PWA from your web app in minutes. The evergreen WebView2 runtime is also included with Windows 11 making it easier to take advantage of its web platform as a performant and secure way to build hybrid web apps. Developers can continue to use powerful developer offerings like Windows Terminal and the new Microsoft Edge DevTools as they are now in-box.

The Windows App SDK, formerly known as Project Reunion, will make it easier for you to integrate Windows 11 features into your apps while still enabling you to reach more than 1B users on Windows 10. Microsoft will continue to build the Windows App SDK in cooperation with the community and starting today, you can use the Windows App SDK 0.8 Stable release (still called Project Reunion in the NuGet package and Visual Studio Marketplace). In this release developers will find stability updates for WinUI3 and support for developing for Visual Studio 16.10. The Windows App SDK 1.0 will be released later this year.

You can also build apps that run natively on Windows on ARM with the new ARM64 Emulation Compatible tool. Using the ARM64EC, you can mix native ARM and emulated x64 code in the same process or module. This interoperability means you can optimize your app to run on Windows on ARM even if your app has x64 dependencies or loads x64 plugins you don’t control.

Refreshing apps and experiences so they are more engaging

Image 3: Use UI with rounded geometry, leverage micro-interactions, and apply a refreshed color palette with new materials to make your apps look great in Windows 11.

If developers want to rejuvenate their app design and experiences to feel at home on Windows 11, they can use WinUI3 to take advantage of the built-in UI update such as rounded geometry, refreshed iconography, new typography, fun micro-interactions (such as Lottie animation), and refreshed color palette. New materials like Mica also add meaningful hierarchy and more. Snap layouts will also ensure you and your users will be productive on Windows 11.

You can also easily create and manage your app’s windows using Reunion Windowing. It works with your existing app code, simplifies common operations, and brings new functionality to your desktop apps like light-dismiss behaviour, picture-in-picture mode, and easier titlebar customization.

Developing awesome games for both PC and Console

To simplify game development for PCs, Microsoft is making their Game Development Kit (GDK) publicly available, free of charge on GitHub. The GDK contains the common tools, libraries, and documentation needed to build games for the PC and is the same base GDK used by thousands of developers today to deliver great experiences for players everywhere. The GDK adds to the Game Stack collection of technologies Microsoft offer today to help developers create, publish, monetize, and scale their games.

Image 4: Luminance heatmap showing SDR, Auto HDR and Native HDR

Microsoft also announced that great game play technology, previously only available on console, is now available on Windows 11 including DirectStorage. To get all the benefits of DirectStorage, you’ll need a PCIe 3.0+ NVMe SSD and a GPU that supports DirectX 12 and Shader Model 6.0+. This enables reduced load times and more expansive, detailed, living worlds. As well as Auto HDR, which automatically updates DirectX 11 and newer games with enhanced lighting and color to high dynamic range with no additional work needed by you or your players.

Developers can learn more at aka.ms/windowsdev.

Here’s what’s new for developers in Windows 11

Panos has a special message for Windows Insiders

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 03:07:16 +0000

Panos has a special message for Windows Insiders

While Microsoft announced Windows 11 today, much of the OS is well known to Windows 10 21H2, and the company will also be relying on Insiders to test the newly added features before it is released to consumers later this year.

To that end, Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer, Panos Panay, has a special message to Windows Insiders.

Microsoft has launched a new Windows 11 Insider site, and while that is pretty barebones now, it should become a hub of excitement over the next few months. Check it out here.

Panos has a special message for Windows Insiders

Microsoft confirms AI-powered personalized Widgets in Windows 11

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 03:04:20 +0000

Microsoft confirms AI-powered personalized Widgets in Windows 11

As promised, Microsoft has finally shown us what the new Windows 11 OS will look like. The new Windows OS has plenty of new features and visual changes, including the new AI-powered Widgets that will help Windows 11 users find out news and information easily in one place.

The new AI-powered Widgets eliminate the need for the users to pick their phones to check news, weather, or notifications as users will now be able to open a similarly curated view directly from their Windows 11 desktops. All this will be possible due to Microsoft’s advanced AI technology and Microsoft Edge, both of which will work in the background to show you all the useful information that you need on the personalized feed.

Windows 11 personalized feed

As you can see the personalized feed opens on the right side of the desktop. But as Panos Panay said, Windows 11 is about giving users more choice — users will be able to make the personalized feed expand to the entire height and width of the display.

This new Widgets feature is reminiscent of the Your Feed feature in the Microsoft Launcher app. While it isn’t entirely new, Microsoft is introducing AI-powered personalized widgets for the first time on Windows.

Undoubtedly, this is a useful feature, but that doesn’t guarantee that users will use the feature as much as Microsoft would like. If users don’t use Widgets much, you shouldn’t be surprised to see Microsoft removing the feature, just like what it did with Timeline.

Microsoft confirms AI-powered personalized Widgets in Windows 11

Microsoft details how Windows 11 is built for gamers

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:48:32 +0000

Microsoft has detailed how Windows 11 is built for gamers with new improvements such as DirectX 12 Ultimate, Direct Storage, and Auto HDR (high dynamic range.) The company is committed to gaming and says that it's a core part of Windows 11, which is expected to ship later this year.

Microsoft is touting Auto HDR as one of the key improvements on Windows 11 for gamers. Auto HDR allows SDR (standard dynamic range) games to run with HDR improvements on displays that support it. Games that were not built for HDR will appear brighter and more colorful, with wider contrast and detail all just by enabling Auto HDR on Windows 11.

Direct Storage is also shipping as part of Windows 11. Direct Storage was first announced as part of the Xbox Series S/X to increase load times in games. If you have a speedy SSD drive, and a game that's build with Direct Storage in mind, loading times within the game will be much shorter.

Finally, the company is touting DirectX 12 Ultimate as a fundamental pillar for gaming on Windows 11. DX12 Ultimate includes new features for developers such as Raytracing 1.1, variable rate shading, Sampler Feedback, and more. DX12 Ultimate makes it easier for game developers to build games on PC that use fewer resources.

Overall, gaming on Windows 11 provides a modest set of improvements over Windows 10. Direct Storage and DirectX 12 Ultimate will provide gamers will faster loading times and better looking games with less resources used, but it requires game developers to build games that support it.

What are your thoughts on these new gaming improvements for Windows 11? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Microsoft details how Windows 11 is built for gamers (via Windows Central)

Windows 11 is built for touch, including gestures and improved snapping

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:46:37 +0000

Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 11, has a new experience that's optimized for touch. When you detach a keyboard, the OS adapts. Microsoft explains that the new touch-oriented experience works well for productivity as well as entertainment.

When you remove a keyboard from a device, such as a Surface Pro 7, the Taskbar spaces the icons out, making them easier to touch. The touch targets on windows are a bit larger, which makes dragging and resizing them easier.

Windows 11 has an improved snapping system, including the ability to have windows snapped on top of each other vertically.

The operating system supports the same gestures with touch as when using a trackpad, such as three-finger swipe down to minimize your windows.

Windows 11 also supports haptic feedback with pens, giving you feedback as you interact with your device.

There's also a new touch keyboard on the OS that looks quite a bit like Microsoft's SwiftKey.

Source: Windows 11 is built for touch, including gestures and improved snapping (via Windows Central)

Windows 11’s news feed has built-in tipping to support local content creators

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:39:33 +0000

Supporting local news sources is suddenly something the tech industry worries about, and with Windows 11, Microsoft is adding integration with local news “content creators and authors” front and center.

In an expansion on the weather and news taskbar widget it recently added to Windows 10, it not only highlights sources in your areas, but it has a payment feature built right in. As shown in the video stream, you can support people with straight cash donations or Microsoft points, and it shows how many tippers are contributing to each person.

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For creators and publishers, Widgets also opens new real estate within Windows to deliver personalized content. Our aspiration is to create a vibrant pipeline for global brands and local creators alike, in a way that both consumers and creators can benefit.

Source: Windows 11’s news feed has built-in tipping to support local content creators (via The Verge)

Satya Nadella’s closing Windows 11 remarks were a direct shot across Apple’s bow

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:36:13 +0000

At the end of a surprisingly eventful, exciting presentation of Windows 11, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella came on the video feed to deliver some closing remarks. He laid out his vision for Windows 11 as a “platform for platform creators,” and in doing so, he issued a subtle but nonetheless stinging critique of Apple.

Nadella’s speech was almost entirely about building a case that Windows would be a better platform for creators than either macOS or (especially) iOS. He argued that “there is no personal computing without personal agency,” insisting that users should be more in control of their computers.

Nadella called out the changes Microsoft is making to its app store rules, allowing more types of apps, Android apps, and — most importantly — allowing apps to use their own payment systems if they so choose. He said, “A platform can only serve society if its rules allow for this foundational innovation and category creation.” That rhetoric sounds vaguely nice and inspiring out of context, but in the specific context of the current debates, lawsuits, and legislation over app store rules, it’s a sharp and direct critique.

More than anything, though, Nadella and Microsoft are putting their finger on an emerging trend in the debate about app store policies: how they affect individual creators. Alluding to Ben Thompson’s recent article about “sovereign writers,” Nadella says, “Windows has always stood for sovereignty for creators and agency for consumers.” Microsoft even went so far as to build a direct tipping feature for creators into Windows 11.

It’s fair to call this critique opportunistic. After all, Microsoft itself tried to build an app store ecosystem for Windows that utterly failed to match the level of success we’ve seen for the iPhone (or Android, for that matter). It’s a truism that, in tech, the underdog always calls for openness until they’re the top dog — and Microsoft’s app store is definitely the underdog. But just because a critique is opportunistic doesn’t mean it’s not correct.

Nadella ends by alluding to this quote from Arthur Schopenhauer (without naming him, likely because he was very problematic😞

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Authors can be divided into meteors, planets and fixed stars. The meteors produce a loud momentary effect; we look up, shout ‘see there!’ and then they are gone for ever. The planets and comets last for a much longer time. ... The fixed stars alone are constant and unalterable; their position in the firmament is fixed; they have their own light and are at all times active, because they do not alter their appearance through a change in our standpoint, for they have no parallax. Unlike the others, they do not belong to one system (nation) alone, but to the world. But just because they are situated so high, their light usually requires many years before it becomes visible to the inhabitants of earth.

That’s a long way of pointing out that despite the short-term incentives, Nadella is playing a very long game with Windows 11. Just as Google and Apple build their companies around their business models, so does Microsoft. But Microsoft’s business model has nothing to do with selling Windows or even getting a cut of app sales anymore. It’s about Microsoft 365, Azure, and enterprise services.

When Nadella says Windows is “a platform for platform creators,” Microsoft’s other services are some of those other platforms — that happen to work well on Windows. For the time being, Nadella’s argument is that Windows 11 is big enough and broad enough to make room for others, too — and that other platforms are not.

Nadella’s full remarks are below. And just as this story was published, Nadella himself tweeted the core part of his speech:

Windows has always stood for sovereignty for creators and agency for consumers, and with Windows 11 we have a renewed sense of Windows’ role in the world. pic.twitter.com/xHldf38B8d

— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) June 24, 2021

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I’m really excited to be here with you all. Today marks a major milestone in the history of Windows. It’s the beginning of a new generation. I’m excited by what we have shown you today and how we are reimagining everything from the operating system itself to the browser to the store and the feed.

And I want to reflect briefly on how we got here. Throughout its history, Windows has been a democratizing force for the world. Windows has created entirely new categories for both consumers and businesses. It’s led to many of the world’s most successful software categories, from communications and productivity to design and business applications, each of which has created their own ecosystems. The web itself was born and grew up on Windows. It’s driven silicon innovation device innovation. It’s enabled so many people — including hobbyists, developers, and entrepreneurs — to all dream big; turn their ideas into reality; and monetize their creation.

Windows has always stood for sovereignty for creators and agency for consumers.

With Windows, you can consume apps and build apps. You can play games and design games. You can buy a PC and build a PC. You can join your community and create your community. You can buy from a business and start your own business. With Windows 11, we have a renewed sense of Windows’ role in the world. As I look ahead, I see three clear opportunities.

First, Windows recognizes that there is no personal computing without personal agency. Personal computing requires choice, and we need to nurture and grow our own agency over computing itself. We want to remove the barriers that too often exist today and provide real choice and connection.

We need to be empowered to choose the applications we run, the content we consume, the people we connect to, and even how we allocate our own attention. Operating systems and devices should mold to our needs, not the other way around. That’s why we are making it easier for you to connect with the people you want, the content you want, the apps you want across all devices you want.

Second, Windows is the stage for the world’s creation. As a creator, every time you pick up a Windows device, it becomes a stage for your inspiration, so you can dream big and create something profound and lasting. Creation is going through a sea change as the balance between consumption and creation changes.

With this new generation of Windows, we are unleashing the innovation and ingenuity inherent in each of us. We want to foster these virtuous loops between content, consumption, and commerce — driven by communities for everyone. These cycles should flow freely, giving people frictionless access to apps, files, games, movies, shows, content, and communities that matter to them. We want to empower you to produce and inspire you to create. It’s why we’re introducing a complete new user experience in helping you be more productive.

And finally, Windows isn’t just an operating system; it’s a platform for platform creators. It allows for the broadest of design spaces, enabling people to build their own businesses and communities.

Today, the world needs a more open platform, one that allows apps to become platforms in their own right. Windows is a platform where things that are bigger than Windows can be born, like the web. That’s our aspiration with Windows 11, to be the platform for the next web, the next transformational software category, the next personalized content business.

A platform can only serve society if its rules allow for this foundational innovation and category creation. It’s why we’re introducing new store commerce models and policies, and creating new opportunities for local publishers, and supporting even more apps with Android apps on Windows.

This is the first version of a new era of Windows. We’re building for the next decade and beyond. And when I reflect on those chapters to come, I’m reminded of an analogy from a 19th century philosopher who compared creators to objects in our Solar System. He wrote about meteors that flash but fade away. Planets that burned longer, but whose energy is confined to their own orbit — and compared them to stars that are constant and light the path of their own.

That’s our ambition with Windows: to help other stars and entire constellations to be born and thrive. I am incredibly proud of what Windows has achieved and how it is fostered lasting opportunity for others. And I look forward to seeing what you achieve with Windows 11 and how it’ll unlock enduring opportunity for people in the world.

Thank you all very, very much.

Source: Satya Nadella’s closing Windows 11 remarks were a direct shot across Apple’s bow (via The Verge)

Microsoft teases new File Explorer for Windows 11

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:31:07 +0000

Microsoft made Windows 11 official today, but one part of the operating system the company didn’t show during its event was File Explorer. Just like the rest of Windows 11, it looks like File Explorer is getting a significant overhaul. In a video entitled “how Windows 11 is being designed,” Microsoft reveals the new File Explorer UI alongside some changes to the Microsoft Office UI.

It appears that the ribbon interface that’s typically been a part of File Explorer and Office is going away. In a brief appearance in the video, you can see a File Explorer that looks more optimized for touch, with controls for file and folder operations built into the top section. As only the top section is shown, it’s difficult to know what else has changed, but we’ll likely see more once a preview version of Windows 11 is released early next week.

This new File Explorer also includes the new icons that Microsoft has been working on as part of a bigger visual overhaul to Windows 11. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’re getting the tabbed interface that designers have been dreaming for recently, or the heavily simplified File Explorer concepts we’ve seen in the past.

Alongside the File Explorer appearance, Microsoft also demonstrated what looks like a new UI for Office apps on Windows 11. This includes a collapsible ribbon menu, with rounded corners and what looks like a bigger focus on touch improvements.

Microsoft didn’t mention a new design for Office during its Windows 11 event today, either. The company has been gradually refining the design of Office over the past year, with a much bigger focus on simplifying Office across the web, desktop, and mobile. Microsoft also teased similar UI changes to Office last year, but the company hasn’t fully rolled them out yet.

New Office UI on Windows 11.

New rounded corners for Office on Windows 11.

Source: Microsoft teases new File Explorer for Windows 11 (via The Verge)

Microsoft details the features being deprecated or removed in Windows 11

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:27:25 +0000

Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 today, sharing with the world the work that is has been doing in the past year to revamp Windows with new UI elements, a new store that supports Android apps, and more. The company also detailed the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the OS, which is expected to be released this holiday. For eligible Windows 10 users, the latest OS will be a free upgrade.

While there is a lot of information about the new features, UI changes, and improvements, the company has also detailed all the features that it will be deprecating or removing from Windows 10 when users upgrade to Windows 11. While the list of deprecated features between major Windows 10 releases was usually small, there are a bunch of significant features that will no longer be worked on or completely removed from Windows 11.

Some of these features are obvious additions, such as the tiles and app folders in the Start menu. With Windows 11 moving to a new layout that consists of just app icons, the OS will not retain any folders made in the Start menu when it upgrades to Windows 11. Another feature that will be removed is the ability to sync wallpapers across devices.

The company is also making S Mode – a version of the OS that prevents the installation of non-Store apps – available only for Windows 11 Home users. Previously, S Mode was essentially a locked-down version of Windows 10 Pro, so it isn’t clear if there will be a path for those running Windows 10 in S Mode to upgrade to Windows 11.

Windows 11 will also prevent users from changing the position of the taskbar, which means that it is locked to the bottom of the screen, unlike with older versions that allowed for moving the taskbar to the top, or the sides.

Here is the complete list of deprecated features:

Cortana will no longer be included in the first boot experience or pinned to the Taskbar.

Desktop wallpaper cannot be roamed to or from device when signed in with a Microsoft account.

Internet Explorer is disabled. Microsoft Edge is the recommended replacement and includes IE Mode which may be useful in certain scenarios.

Math Input Panel is removed. Math Recognizer will install on demand and includes the math input control and recognizer. Math inking in apps like OneNote are not impacted by this change.

News & Interests has evolved. New functionality has been added which can be found by clicking the Widgets icon on the Taskbar.

Quick Status from the Lockscreen and associated settings are removed.

S Mode is only available now for Windows 11 Home edition.

Snipping Tool continues to be available but the old design and functionality in the Windows 10 version has been replaced with those of the app previously known as Snip & Sketch.

Start is significantly changed in Windows 11 including the following key deprecations and removals:

Named groups and folders of apps are no longer supported and the layout is not currently resizable.

Pinned apps and sites will not migrate when upgrading from Windows 10.

Live Tiles are no longer available. For glanceable, dynamic content, see the new Widgets feature.

Tablet Mode is removed and new functionality and capability is included for keyboard attach and detach postures.

Taskbar functionality is changed including:

People is no longer present on the Taskbar.

Some icons may no longer appear in the System Tray (systray) for upgraded devices including previous customizations.

Alignment to the bottom of the screen is the only location allowed.

Apps can no longer customize areas of the Taskbar.

Timeline is removed. Some similar functionality is available in Microsoft Edge.

Touch Keyboard will no longer dock and undock keyboard layouts on screen sizes 18 inches and larger.

Wallet is removed.

Additionally, there are a bunch of apps that will no longer be pre-loaded in the OS, which the company says can be installed from the Microsoft Store. This includes the OneNote for Windows 10 app, which is the UWP-based version of OneNote. Skype is also being removed in favor of Teams in Windows 11.

Here are the four apps that will be removed:

3D Viewer

OneNote for Windows 10

Paint 3D

Skype

With the official launch of Windows 11 still a few months away, it is not clear if there will be any additions or changes to these lists.

Source: Microsoft details the features being deprecated or removed in Windows 11 (via Neowin)

Remote Desktop Connection Manager launches on official Sysinternals download site

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:15:49 +0000

In a move that will make systems administrators everywhere rejoice, Microsoft has made good on a promise made in February to bring the Remote Desktop Connection Manager, or rdcman, into the actively supported Sysinternals suite of applications.

If you are not aware, rdcman is a must have for administrators dealing with a lot of different remote connections, especially if they require different sets of connections or connection properties. Google even used it for their Cloud IAP secure remote access infrastructure to get access to Windows Virtual Machines in their Google Cloud Platform until they had to release their own tool.

Rdcman, as important as it has been, has not gotten very active development over the years and has languished as a barely supported application. So when Mark Russinovich promised that it would join Sysinternals that was a big deal to the systems administration community. Today that has become reality with version 2.81 available for download with all the other critical support tools necessary to running Windows at scale.

Source: Remote Desktop Connection Manager launches on official Sysinternals download site (via Neowin)

Microsoft confirms that Windows 10 version 21H2 will be released later this year

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:14:10 +0000

It’s Windows 11 day today as Microsoft finally took the wraps off the next major version of Windows. The OS brings with it a revamped UI, new Microsoft Store that can house Android apps, and a bunch of other improvements aimed at productivity, touch, and more. The firm also shared the updated minimum requirements for running the OS, though, you can bypass those for now.

The Redmond firm posted a separate blog post for IT admins detailing the changes to update cadence and the support lifecycle, announcing that the company will move to an annual update cadence for Windows 11. In that post, it added that once Windows 11 becomes available for Windows Insiders, it will let enterprise customers test the OS out on Azure Virtual Desktop.

Additionally, in a note at the bottom of the blog, the company confirmed that it will be shipping Windows 10 version 21H2 later this fall. Here’s the verbiage included in the post:

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As you make the move to Windows 11, we will continue to support you as you use Windows 10. In fact, we will release Windows 10, version 21H2 in the second half of 2021 with new updates to current features that enable hybrid work like Universal Print and enhancements to management and deployment features like Windows Autopilot.

It is not clear whether version 21H2 will contain any consumer-facing features, at the moment. The firm says that users can update to 21H2 to “stay on an updated, secure, and supported version of Windows 10 as [they] plan [their] Windows 11 journey”, so it is anybody’s guess what the plans for Windows 10 are, post the H2 update for this fall. While the PC Health Check tool does assure incompatible device users that they will “keep getting Windows 10 updates”, it is not clear as to how long that will be.

Additionally, there is no word on what the specifics are for LTSC customers with Windows 11 as the firm is expected to release the next LTSC version this fall, which is most likely version 21H2. It is also not known if 21H2 will be yet another enablement package as has been the case with the last two “feature updates”. The company might share more details as it heads closer to the launch of Windows 11.

Source: Microsoft confirms that Windows 10 version 21H2 will be released later this year (via Neowin)