Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson

Microsoft releases KB5003698 update preview to fix blurry text and VPN issues in Windows 10

Windows 10 logo on a beach

Ahead of next month's Patch Tuesday, Microsoft has released a preview of the KB5003698 update for Windows 10. The patch takes the operating system up to build 18363.1645, and although it is a non-security update it still addresses numerous issues that users have been experiencing.

Key among the improvements is a fix for the blurry text issue introduced by the KB5001391 update earlier this month. Other changes include addressing a problem with AppLocker, VPN issues, and fixing a problem that caused playback issues with FLAC files after editing metadata.

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Microsoft confirms that KB5001391 update is making Windows 10 blurry

Blurry

The tech world might be excitedly looking forward to the imminent release of Windows 11, but in the meantime we have to make do with Windows 10 and its various issues. This means having to contend with the problematic update Microsoft keeps pushing out, and the company has just confirmed an issue with a recent mandatory update.

Microsoft says that the KB5001391 update is causing some people's displays to show blurry text in the new News and Interests section of the taskbar. For some people, however, the problems spread wider.

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Twitter is testing the ability to edit tweets -- sort of

Twitter logo and a woman in silhouette

Since Twitter launched, one of the most requested features (apart from easy, instant, unquestioned account verification) is the ability to edit tweets. People asked for tweet editing; Twitter changed how the timeline is ordered. People asked for tweet editing; Twitter introduced longer tweets.

People asked for tweet editing; Twitter introduced Moments. People asked for tweet editing; Twitter launched a subscription service. But now, after years of people begging, Twitter is finally testing a tweet editing option. But it's probably not what you're expecting or hoping for.

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Microsoft will support Internet Explorer for one more year -- but now is the time to move on

Internet Explorer on a laptop

The move by Microsoft to replace Internet Explorer with Edge has been a slow and torturous journey. Edge is already in its second major iteration, and is now based on the Chromium engine, but the specter of Internet Explorer is still hanging heavy.

Microsoft has already announced that support for the browser is going to come to an end, and today is the start of a year-long countdown to the day this happens. But if you are hanging doggedly onto Internet Explorer, there's no need to wait another 12 months; now really is the time to move on.

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What we want to see in Windows 11

Rainbow 11 balloons

It's no secret that Microsoft is due to reveal details of the next version of Windows later this month. On June 24, the company is holding an event at which we'll learn a lot about Windows 11 (as the name is almost certainly going to be confirmed to be), but with a week and a half to go, there is still plenty of time to talk about what we hope to see in the operating system.

Microsoft seemingly learned quite a lot from Windows 8 and made vast improvement with Windows 10 -- but it also made its fair share of slip ups and mistakes and did plenty to annoy users. This latest update is a chance to put things right, make people happy, and really move Windows into the future. Here's what we'd like to see in Windows 11.

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Google reins in the madness and brings some sanity to Chrome's address bar

Cartoon Chrome logo

Over the years Google has made sweeping changes to Chrome, introducing all manner of features and options. The constant stream of Beta, Dev and Canary builds of the browser are proof of the constant development that is going on, and some of the work has been rather controversial.

One move that was widely opposed was the decision to stop showing full URL of a web page in the address bar (or Omnibar if you want to use Google's nomenclature). Introduced almost a year ago, Google said the experiment was an attempt to help people spot spoofed URLs, but it caused widespread annoyance and confusion. Now the company has seen sense and is opting to show full addresses once again.

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Microsoft releases out-of-band KB5004327 update for Windows 10 to fix 0x80073D26 and 0x8007139F errors

Microsoft building logo

Microsoft has issued an off-schedule update for Windows 10 that addresses 0x80073D26 and 0x8007139F errors in versions 20H1, 20H2 and 21H1 of the operating system.

The KB5004327 update is aimed at systems that have experienced problems installing or opening Xbox Games Pass Games. Anyone affected by the issue is redirected to the Microsoft Store page for Gaming Services when the errors occur.

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KB5003637 update is causing printer problems and breaking the taskbar in Windows 10

Frustrated woman at laptop

This month's Patch Tuesday updates are proving problematic once again. Yesterday we wrote about KB5003637 causing problems for apps accessing event logs, and now it appears that this very same update is causing problems with not only printing, but also the updated taskbar in Windows 10. Affected users complain of broken, vanishing and corrupt icons in the taskbar and notification area.

If all of this sounds a little familiar, it's because it is very much the same problem caused by KB5003214 last month. There's a key difference this time around, however. While KB5003214 was an optional update, KB5003637 is one that is automatically installed.

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Linux Foundation Public Health prepares global COVID-19 passport as Linus Torvalds encourages vaccine uptake

COVID-19 vaccine

As the world battles the coronavirus pandemic, governments around the globe are taking different approaches to tackling the problem. While COVID-19 remains a somewhat divisive topic, there's one thing that most people can agree on: vaccinations are going to play a major role in getting things under control.

This is why the father of Linux, Linus Torvalds, has spoken out telling people to "get vaccinated" and "stop believing the anti-vax lies". For anyone who believes "the crazy conspiracy theories" he has a simple message: "SHUT THE HELL UP". Meanwhile, Linux Foundation Public Health has launched the Global COVID Certificate Network (GCCN), described as "an initiative to enable interoperable and trustworthy verification of COVID certificates between jurisdictions for safe border reopening".

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Microsoft warns that KB5003637 update for Windows 10 may prevent apps accessing event logs

Gold Microsoft sign

It is only a couple of days since Microsoft released KB5003637 update for Windows 10 on this month's Patch Tuesday. But the company has already issued a warning that after installing this particular update "apps accessing event logs on remote devices might be unable to connect".

The problem stems from apps that make use of legacy Event Logging APIs, and Microsoft says that the behavior is entirely expected. It also provides details of how to fix issues with accessing event logs.

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Not interested in Windows 11's Sun Valley look? Give Windows 10 an old-fashioned makeover with RetroBar

RetroBar

While there is excitement building in many quarters about the impending announcement about Windows 11 (or whatever it ends up being called), Microsoft's updated operating system is not going to be of interest to everyone.

In fact, rather than looking to the future, many people prefer to look backwards. If you're feeling nostalgic and want a blast from the past, you can give Windows 10 something of an old-school makeover using RetroBar. This free and open-source utility lets you step back in time and give the taskbar the look of Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000 or XP.

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Laplink launches PCmover Reconfigurator, a free tool for changing default Windows folder locations

Laplink PCmover Reconfigurator

It is very common for PCs to have two hard drives (often one SDD or NVMe storage, and one traditional mechanical drive) with the majority of these systems configured to have both Windows and the standard documents folders stored on the C: drive. Many users like the idea of moving Windows library folders such as Documents, Pictures and Videos to a different drive, but have no idea how to proceed.

This is precisely what PCmover Reconfigurator can help with. This is a free tool from Laplink that dramatically simplifies the process of making optimal usage of the storage devices you have.

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Windows 10 users need to brace themselves for more irritating nags from Microsoft

Windows 10 laptop

Windows 10 users are not strangers to seeing annoying popups, ads and other irritants from Microsoft. The company has a long history of badgering people with nags about its services via pop-up messages and entries in the Start menu or taskbar. With an upcoming version of Edge, this is something that's set to continue.

In the latest dev build of Microsoft Edge, there is evidence that Microsoft is going to display a message to users inviting them to "make the web work for you". This is the company seeking permission from people to use their browsing histories and activities "to personalize Microsoft Edge and Microsoft services". In other words: telemetry.

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Microsoft rebrands Windows Virtual Desktop as Azure Virtual Desktop

Microsoft headquarters

With remote working on the rise, cloud services and virtual desktop solutions have become increasingly important. This has been the case for Microsoft’s Windows Virtual Desktop since its public release about a year-and-a-half ago.

Originally targeted at enterprise users, Microsoft now has a broader vision for its cloud VDI platform. As such, Microsoft is adding new capabilities to the services, tweaking pricing, and rebranding it as Azure Virtual Desktop.

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KB5003430 update is causing audio problems in Windows 10

Man crying while listening to music

People installing the KB5003430 update for Windows 10 are discovering that music files are becoming corrupted in certain circumstances.

The issue affects Windows 10 versions 2004 and 20H2, and it renders FLAC music files unplayable if metadata is edited. For anyone whose music collection has been borked, there is nothing that can be done to get back corrupted metadata (save restoring them from the backup you obviously have), but there is a workaround to prevent the problem from happening again, and it is possible to get mangled files playing once more.

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