You can now find out which devices are using a particular driver in Windows 10
Drivers are essential to the smooth running of your computer, but they can also be tricky little blighters and the source of all manner of problems -- as anyone who has installed a duff update will attest. Now Microsoft is introducing an important change that will make it much easier to see which hardware is using which drivers.
The change is coming as part of an update to the Device Manager, and it's something that can currently be seen in the preview builds of the operating system. It will probably be included as part of the Windows 10 Sun Valley update that will make its way to users later in the year.
New Microsoft Graph APIs give greater control over Windows updates
Microsoft has released a public preview of new APIs for Microsoft Graph that give system administrators, developers and professionals fine-grain control over updates for Windows 10.
The new APIs are powered by the Windows Update for Business deployment service and allow for greater management of update deployment in various environments. Control over the installation of Windows 10 updates is something that administrators and regular users alike have long craved, but it is something that has been made all the more important this year following the release of a seemingly endless string of problematic updates.
How to restart your graphic drivers in Windows 10 with a secret keyboard shortcut
There are many reasons that Windows 10 can freeze leaving you unable to continue with the work you were in the middle of, or play the game you were about to beat. All manner of issues can arise that lead to your computer hanging and requiring you to restart.
But before you reach for that power button, it is worth giving something else a try -- restarting your graphics card drivers. How can you do this if your system is seemingly frozen? There's a keyboard shortcut that can help you out.
Microsoft releases two free Camo theme packs for Windows 10
If you've been looking for a way to customize the look of your computer, Microsoft has just released two free Theme Packs for Windows 10.
The Forest Camo and Arctic Camo theme packs have been designed to match special editions of the Microsoft Bluetooth mouse, but they can be downloaded for free regardless of whether you own this device. It's not all that often that you get something for free, so when it happens, grab whatever's on offer!
VMware has no plans to support Windows 10 on M1 Macs -- Windows is second priority behind Linux
The release of M1-powered systems was warmly welcomed by the Mac community, thanks largely to the huge performance boost Apple silicon brings. For macOS purists, the move to M1 chips makes a great deal of sense, but for anyone used to running other operating system on their Macs, there were questions.
Running Windows 10 on M1 systems is possible thanks to the latest version of Parallels for Mac, but this is far from being the only virtualization software available -- people have been asking for some time what to expect from VMware Fusion. Now the company has revealed details of what to come; and while it's great news for Linux fans, it's not so great for Windows users.
End-to-end encryption for Facebook Messenger is a long way away
As instant messaging platform have become such a common means of communication, users have become increasingly demanding. Of course, this means that people want an ever-growing list of features and tools to play with, but also that security and privacy have become priorities.
Neither "security" nor "privacy" are words that one would immediately associate with Facebook, but the company is keen to change this. Having held a workshop about the hopes and expections users have about private messaging platform, the company has presented its finding. And although it has noted a demand for end-to-end encryption, it's not something that is going to be coming to Messenger this year.
Surprisingly unproblematic KB5001391 update brings speed boost to Windows 10
File under "color us surprised": the KB5001391 update that Microsoft released for Windows 10 recently has been well-received by users.
Feedback about the update shows that people who have installed KB5001391 are happy not only with the fact that it adds News and Interests to the taskbar, but also that it seems to be stable and problem free. Some users are even finding that their system is performing better after installing this particular update.
Microsoft is dramatically improving Bluetooth audio in Windows 10
With the release of Windows 10 Build 21370 yesterday, Microsoft gave us a glimpse of the direction in which it is taking the operating system in the coming months. As ever, the Insider build includes a number of enhancements, and chief among the improvements this time are changes to Bluetooth audio.
Perhaps the most exciting change is the arrival of support for Bluetooth AAC, delivering higher quality wireless audio streaming. There's also an important fix for an issue that has plagued people using wireless phones.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.37.0 -- and it's still missing a key feature
The development of PowerToys continues, and this widely appreciated labor of love is gradually gaining more and more utilities. The latest instalment in the tool's story sees Microsoft releasing PowerToys v.0.37.0.
For now, this is primarily a bug fixing and improvement-introducing release, and some important changes have been made to some of the individual utilities. As of this release, PowerToys now requires at least Windows 10 version 1903 (because of future adoption of WinUI 3). While this requirement will not represent much of an issue for many people, the fact that the eagerly anticipated Video Conference Mute is missing is a disappointment.
Microsoft is fixing multiple monitor support in Windows 10 so it remembers window positions
Working with multiple monitors is great -- in theory. The extra space is obviously useful, as is the ability to use different screens to group together related apps, documents and windows.
Sadly, Windows 10's implementation of multi-monitor support is a little flawed, particularly when using DisplayPort. Many people with two or more screens will have experienced a problem that sees app windows being randomly rearranged, particularly after a system wakes from sleep. But this should be coming to an end as Microsoft is finally addressing the issue.
Microsoft brings taskbar improvements and more to Windows 10 with KB5001391 update
Microsoft has released a new "C" preview update for Windows 10 ahead of May's Patch Tuesday. With the optional KB5001391 update, anyone running Windows 10 2004 and Windows 10 20H2 can get the new News and Interests feature in the taskbar.
While there are no security fixes in this update, it is still well worth installing -- not just because of the new taskbar feature, but also because of the number of performance, stability and other non-security issues it addresses.
Winget: Microsoft updates Windows 10's Linux-style package manager to enable software removal
Microsoft has launched a new preview version of Winget Windows 10. Taking inspiration from AppGet, Winget is a Linux-style package manager that allows for command line control of software.
With the latest release, Winget 0.3, Microsoft has added a number of new features to the tool, including the ability to use it to uninstall software. While this is unlikely to tempt the majority of people away from using Settings or the Control Panel, it is extremely handy for anyone looking to uninstall software using scripts.
Hidden settings in Windows 10 unlock new Sun Valley floating menus
Microsoft has big plans in store for Windows 10 with its upcoming Sun Valley overhaul. There are many interesting visual changes on the horizon in Windows 10 21H2, including the introduction of rounded corners and floating menus -- and, possibly, a floating Start menu too.
So far, however, the new aesthetic that the arrival of Sun Valley will bring has been limited to design mockups. But now this changes. Experimental flags in the latest builds of Windows 10 gives us our first exciting glimpse of what's to come -- and you can (with a little effort) enable the floating menus for yourself.
How to view Wi-Fi passwords in Windows 10
Looking to find the password for a Wi-Fi connection? There are various reasons you might want to retrieve the password for a wireless network you have already connected to, but it may not be obviously how to go about it in Windows 10.
Your router may have its security details helpfully printed on a sticker on the back, but this is not necessarily very accessible when you need to get the password for a new laptop or other device. Thankfully, there is a way to view saved Wi-Fi passwords in Windows 10, helping to make life a little easier.
Microsoft issues emergency update to fix game performance problems caused by KB5000842 and KB5001330
Microsoft has acknowledged that "a small subset of users have reported lower than expected performance in games" after installing one of two recent Windows 10 updates, and issued a rare type of fix.
Gamers complained about dropped framerates and poor performance after installing the KB5001330 update, and the same report came from those who installed the preview version of the same update, KB5000842. Now the company is using a fairly uncommon Known Issue Rollback (KIR) to resolve the problems, just after NVIDIA issued advice of its own to affected gamers.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. She is currently training to be an LGBTQ+ affirmative psychotherapist. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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