Articles about Microsoft

Windows 10 For Dummies remains the #1 source for readers looking for advice on Windows 10. Expert author Andy Rathbone provides an easy-to-follow guidebook to understanding Windows 10 and getting things done based on his decades of experience as a Windows guru.

Look inside to get a feel for the basics of the Windows interface, the Windows apps that help you get things done, ways to connect to the Internet at home or on the go, and steps for customizing your Windows 10 experience from the desktop wallpaper to how tightly you secure your computer.

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There is often criticism leveled at Microsoft, frequently unjustified. But when it comes to explaining the system requirements for Windows 11, the company did an appalling job and thoroughly deserves the condemnation and vitriol the poor communications caused -- particularly when it comes to the requirement for TPM 2.0.

Now, with just weeks until Windows 11 starts to roll out, Microsoft has decided it is time to be a little more helpful. In a support document, the company explains in approachable language what TPM 2.0 is. But more importantly, the document also reveals how to check whether your computer has TPM 2.0 and how to enable it.

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With less a month to go until the rollout of Windows 11 gets underway, Microsoft has launched a new ad campaign to promote the operating system.

The publicity kicks off with a 60-second video ad that showcases how Windows 11 "brings you closer to what you love". Featuring Halo's Master Chief and music by Odessa featuring Tim Myers, the ad is a stunning preview of what's to come from the immersive experience Windows 11 offers.

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Windows 11 Preview builds are like buses. You wait a while for one, and two arrive at once. Today the software giant releases two separate builds -- one for the Beta and Release Preview Channels, and another for those on the Dev Channel.

Dev Channel flights, like Build 22454, deliver new features and changes separate from the version of Windows 11 which is set to begin rolling out next month.

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With Windows 11 set to start rolling out to compatible PCs from next month, Microsoft is hard at work identifying bugs and other problems with the new OS, as well as adding some further polish.

Windows 11 Build 22000.184 adds some improvements to the first version of the operating system, and it’s different from the new build released to Dev Insiders today.

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More than two million web servers worldwide are still running on outdated and vulnerable versions of Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) software according to research from CyberNews.

With 12.4 percent of the market worldwide IIS is the third-most-popular suite of web server software, used to power at least 51.6 million websites and web applications.

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Windows 11 is just around the corner, and the question on everyone's lips (apart from, of course, "is my computer able to run it?") is "how fast is it compared to Windows 10?". There has been a lot of attention focused on the aesthetic side of Windows 11, but performance is what matters the most to a large proportion of users.

If you are a Windows Insider, you may have tried out the Dev or Beta builds to find out for yourself, but now Microsoft has shared a video that explains to everyone that Windows 11 is faster -- or at least feels it.

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People who have signed up for the Windows Insider program are among the first to be able to get hands on with Windows 11, but the preview builds that have been released so far are not complete. Microsoft is still working away on the operating system ahead of next month's rollout, and CPO Panos Panay has given us a glimpse of the new Photos app that is coming.

In typically dramatic style, a "pumped" Panay describes the updated app as being "beautifully redesigned" -- and this is something you can judge for yourself thanks to the video he has shared.

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Seriously, y'all, I can't believe how great Windows 11 already is -- and the operating system is still only in beta! The developers over at Microsoft are clearly firing on all cylinders, preparing to deliver the most cohesive user experience in years. Not only is Windows 11 beautiful and fast, but it improves my mood while I use it. No, I am not exaggerating -- I feel happier when using Windows 11.

Today, Microsoft announces it is acquiring Clipchamp, and it is clearly an attempt to bolster the upcoming Windows 11 operating system. If you aren't familiar, Clipchamp is a free web-based video editing app. Apparently, the Windows-maker seems keen on integrating its newly-acquired video editor into its Microsoft 365 subscription service. In other words, Clipchamp's days of being a free video editor may be numbered.

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We live in a world where there’s so much information that keeping on top of it all can be nearly impossible. According to research commissioned by Microsoft, people "spend seven hours a day online, use six different feeds on a regular basis and check their feeds five times a day".

To help combat this, the software giant is introducing a personalized news feed called Microsoft Start, with news from premium publishers that’s tailored to your interests.

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MINISFORUM is a computer manufacturer that has been gaining many fans lately. Its tiny PCs are looked upon favorably by many consumers that like the diminutive desktop form factor. Not only are its computers well-made and small, but often quite powerful too. These machines can be good servers, retro-gaming machines, office workstations, home theater PCs, and more.

Many MINISFORUM computers are powered by capable Intel processors, but understandably, AMD fans want to get in on the small desktop action too. I am happy to say MINISFORUM does cater to those that prefer AMD. In fact, the company has several AMD-powered options.

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Microsoft is hardly a stranger to making controversial decisions with Windows, and it has previously been accused of taking liberties by using the operating system to advertise its other products and services. Windows 11 may not even been officially released yet, but the company seems to have learned nothing and has started injecting ads into the latest version of its operating system.

The ads themselves -- for Microsoft Teams -- are something that will divide opinion, but that's not really the issue here. Advertisements in Windows will always prove to be divisive and controversial, but the problem this time is that the ads (cum promotional message, cum user advisory, cum tip... call it what you will) caused the taskbar and Start menu to become unresponsive. The issue hit both the Beta and Dev builds that was pushed out just a couple of days ago and raises serious questions about Microsoft ability to deliver a stable build of Windows 11 on time.

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With the latest release of PowerToys, Microsoft has focused primarily on fixing bugs and improving stability, with the promise that updated utilities will be included in next week's experimental version.

But PowerToys v0.45.0 also sees a visual makeover which had been teased recently. The update gives the suite of utilities a modern look that is in keeping with Windows 11. The development team may be slightly biased, but describes this as a "truly spectacular update".

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One of the joys of using Windows -- or, for that matter, macOS or one of the various flavors of Linux -- is personalizing the operating system to your liking. To a large extent his means changing visual elements, but it can also mean showing and hiding various on-screen elements.

With Windows 11, Microsoft has made it harder to customize the taskbar... and we're not just talking about the fact that it can no longer be moved from the bottom of the screen. If you're not a fan of the Task View and Widget buttons, you may wonder how to get rid of them, as it is not immediately apparent. Here's how.

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One of the most interesting features of Windows 11 is the ability to run Android apps, but Windows Insiders have not yet been able to try it out.

When Microsoft announced that Windows 11 will officially launch on October 5, the company informed eager Insiders that an updated store app complete with Android content will be previewed "over the coming months". Interestingly, however, the Windows Subsystem for Android is available for download from the Microsoft Store.

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