Whoops! Microsoft just broke Windows Hello with the latest Windows 11 update
There can’t be a silver lining without a cloud, and for all of the problems Microsoft managed to fix with the KB5055523 update for Windows 11, there is the small issue of it causing Windows Hello authentication to stop working for some.
While the problem is limited to users who meet fairly narrow criteria, the impact for those affected is significant. If you’re running System Guard Secure Launch or Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement on Windows 11 and Server 2025, caution is advised.
WhatsApp shares details of a laundry list of new features and options for chatting and calling
The development of WhatsApp continues to be rapid and surprisingly exciting for a messaging app. It seems that hardly a week goes by without something new and interesting being added, and this can actually work against the app sometimes.
It is with this in mind that the developers acknowledge that their pace of work means it “can be easy to miss out on useful and exciting ways you can use WhatsApp”. So the team has put together a lengthy roundup of the new features that have been added, including document scanning on iPhone, video call zooming, and voice message transcripts on Channels.
Microsoft releases KB5055523 update to fix a glut of Windows 11 problems
It's time to update Windows 11 again. Microsoft has just unleashed the KB5055523 update, and it is chock full of fixes for a series of bugs, problems and irritations in the operating system.
One of the most frustrating issues addressed by the KB5055523 update is a peculiar flaw in Explorer that rendered the ... menu all but useless. But there are lots of other fixes to be found in this security update, as well as new features and options -- especially for Copilot+ PCs.
Meta brings teen accounts to Facebook and Messenger, and bolsters Instagram restrictions
Teen use of social media platforms is something that is concerning for many parents and has become the subject of political and legal debates. Having introduced Instagram Teen Accounts, last year, Meta has now done the same for both Facebook and Messenger.
Just as with Instagram, Teen Accounts on the social and messaging platforms have built-in protections and restrictions. At the same time, the company is also introducing additional controls and restrictions for teenage users on Instagram.
Meta has officially stopped using third-party fact checkers, relying instead on Community Notes
Back at the beginning of the year, Meta announced that third-party fact checking would become a thing of the past on its platforms. The company revealed plans to go down a similar route to X and use Community Notes to allows for crowd-sourced fact-checking instead.
After a short period of testing -- less than a month, in fact -- Community Notes are now starting to appear on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Meta has also confirmed that, with immediate effect, there will be no new fact check labels on content in many parts of the world.
Microsoft listens to users and revises its WSUS driver synchronization deprecation plans
Microsoft had made much of its plans to deprecate WSUS driver synchronization, announcing the intention in the middle of last year. In January, it issued a reminder that service was being closed down, and then again in February.
But now the company has had a change of heart. WSUS support for driver synchronization was due to come to an end this month, but Microsoft has backtracked saying that -- based on “your valuable feedback” -- it has revised its plans and will keep the service active.
Microsoft makes a browser-based, AI-generated version of Quake II to promote Copilot -- play it now!
Continually seeking new ways to make Copilot seem appealing, Microsoft has turned to retro gaming as a lure. The company has released a browser-based version of Quake II to serve as a Copilot Gaming Experiences demonstration of AI capabilities.
Microsoft has married its own Research lab’s MuseWorld and Human Action Model (WHAM) to show some of the different powers of generative AI. The company says that “by generating gameplay in real time, the underlying Muse shows how classic games like Quake II can be reimagined through modern AI techniques”. But what will matter to most people is that it is available to try out now, for free.
Microsoft is giving the Windows 11 Start menu a major overhaul -- and you’re going to love it!
The creation of the Start menu was revolutionary all those years ago. Since then, Microsoft has, variously, refined, improved, messed up, broken, and ruined this central component of Windows.
The version of the Start menu seen in Windows 11 has proved quite unpopular, but there is a revamp on the way that could win over a lot of users who fell out of love with it. We’re talking a new layout and -- even better -- “recommended” sections that can be disabled.
Microsoft is finally letting you change the size of taskbar icons in Windows 11
There are many complaints that can be levelled against Windows 11, but a very common one is the number of customization options that Microsoft has removed. Frequent subjects of these complaints are the taskbar and Start menu, and changes are finally being introduced that gives user greater control over the look and feel of both.
If you’ve ever balked at the size of icons in the taskbar, you’ll be pleased to hear that you will be able to make them smaller. As ever, it is Windows Insiders who get first dibs on this option, but it’s already being made available to the Beta Channel, so it is likely everyone will get it soon. Here’s what you need to know.
Microsoft makes time-saving hotpatching update method available to Windows 11 Enterprise users
Updates to Windows can be important, but they can also be a huge inconvenience. We’re not just talking about the number of times things go wrong with updates, but the downtime associated with installing them and restarting systems.
With the arrival of hotpatching in Windows 11, however, some of this frustration is eliminated. Microsoft has enabled the (mostly) restart-free update method for organizations running Windows 11 Enterprise.
There is still a way to use Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account
Microsoft has been gradually shutting down the various ways people found to install and use Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account. The company has made it all but impossible to install the operating system without creating or signing into an account.
With the most recent preview build of Windows 11, Microsoft nixed a script that could be used to sidestep the requirement -- although it can still be manually applied via the registry. But there is still an easy way to avoid having to use a Microsoft Account.
WhatsApp now lets you add music to your Status update
WhatsApp is primarily about keeping in touch with people, be that friends, family, colleagues, businesses or some other group. But there is also the option to update your Status to indicate what you’re up to, how you’re feeling, or any other number of creative possibilities.
Now WhatsApp has opened up a new option -- adding music to Status updates. This gives you the option of complementing a photo or video Status with a backing track, and WhatsApp says it has millions of songs that you can use.
PowerToys v0.90.0 is here… and it’s a big release with a great new launcher module
We are, slowly but surely, making our way towards the release of PowerToys v1.0.0 -- but in the meantime we have the 0.x.x releases to enjoy. Microsoft has just pushed out PowerToys v.0.9.0, and it is an impressive update this time around.
Just a couple of weeks after we talked about the Command Palette module that was being worked on, this “PowerToys Run on crack” has landed. This is far from being the only change in PowerToys v0.9.0, though. In addition to a raft of bug fixes and tweaks, there are also new features for Peek, New+, and more.
Microsoft is making Copilot+ experiences available to more systems, and that’s great news for accessibility
When talking about AI in general -- including Copilot -- the focus tends to be on the impressive time-saving capabilities and futuristic features. What is often overlooked is the potential for artificial intelligence to improve accessibility.
But this is exactly what Microsoft is doing with the features it has for Copilot+ PCs. And now the company has made many of the Copilot+ experiences available to a wider range of processors, so systems with AMD Ryzen AI 300 series, Intel Core Ultra 200V and Snapdragon X Series chips can feel the benefits. There are huge advances in accessibility to be explored.
Microsoft launches Quick Machine Recovery to automatically fix your Windows 11 problems
When things go wrong with a Windows 11 device, downtime is not only frustrating but also expensive. In a bid to reduce the time lost to computer issues, Microsoft has launched Quick Machine Recovery, a new automated tool for addressing problems.
The tool is undergoing testing with Windows Insiders on the Beta Channel at the moment, so it probably won’t be long before it is promoted for general availability. Billed as a tool that “automatically detects, diagnoses, and resolves critical issues on your device”, Microsoft is looking to save users and sysadmins from having to delve into the Windows Recovery Environment.
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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