Microsoft releases Windows 10 Insider Build 19042.388 (20H2) to the Beta Channel
It’s been a month since Microsoft announced that it would be replacing its Insider ring system, sorting Windows 10 preview releases by quality rather than frequency, and today sees another new release on the Beta Channel -- what used to be the Slow ring.
Build 19042.388 (20H2) is all about fixing issues and making general improvements. Key changes in this build are:
Microsoft is bringing disposable email addresses to Office 365
Gmail and numerous other web-based email services have long supported the option of creating disposable email addresses using a +xxx suffix. Now Microsoft is catching up with the competition and is planning to bring this option to Office 365.
The company refers to the upcoming feature as Plus Addressing, and it's due to arrive at some point in the third quarter of this year.
How to unlock hidden Windows 10 features -- including the brand new Start menu
Two weeks ago, Microsoft began rolling out a refreshed Start menu and personalized taskbar for Windows 10 Insiders on the Dev Channel. The new menu, which removes the solid color backplates behind the logos and adds a translucent background to tiles, comes as part of Build 20161 but isn’t available to everyone. We’ve already shown you one way to force Windows 10 to display this menu, but if you're feeling adventurous we have a second, more powerful method for you to follow.
Microsoft uses a system called Feature Control to hide new and unfinished features from users -- including the new Start menu -- but it’s possible to find and enable these, giving you the chance to test them out before anyone else.
Microsoft is dropping an important feature from OneDrive
While OneDrive is primarily used for cloud file storage, it also includes a handy feature that lets you remotely access any of the files stored on your PC. Or at least this is the case for the next couple of weeks.
When the end of July rolls around, Microsoft is killing off the ability to "fetch files" from a connected computer. Instead, users will have to explicitly specify which files and folders they want to synchronize and be able to access.
Microsoft Flight Simulator landing on Windows 10 very shortly
Fans of Microsoft’s famous Flight Sim won’t have long to wait until the latest incarnation arrives. This promises to be the most detailed and authentic version to date, with incredibly accurate landscapes that are ever-changing, coupled with highly detailed aircraft, covering everything from light planes to commercial jets.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has been around since 1982 -- feeling old yet? -- and the new version will be available in three editions -- Standard ($59.99), Deluxe ($89.99) and Premium Deluxe ($119.99).
Microsoft is dropping PHP support from Windows
PHP 8.0 is due for release in November, but when this major new version appears Windows will not support it.
The company says that bug fixes and security patches will continue to be released for the lifecycles of PHP versions 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4. But when the latest version is released later this year, Microsoft will "not [...] be supporting PHP for Windows in any capacity for version 8.0 and beyond".
Microsoft's new Kernel Data Protection will make kernel memory read-only and block attacks on Windows 10
Microsoft has revealed details of a new platform security technology which the company says will prevent data corruption attacks.
Kernel Data Protection (KDP) works by marking sections of kernel memory as read-only, so there is no way it can be tampered with. The technology comes in response to the fact that increasing numbers of attackers are using data corruption techniques to bypass security, gain additional privileges, and more.
Force Windows 10 to always use YOUR choice of browser and search engine
Windows 10 has a number of things that users find annoying about it, not least that it forces you to use other Microsoft products. Type a web query into the Windows search box, or ask Cortana something, and the results you receive will come from Bing.
Microsoft has recently replaced its old Edge browser with a Chromium version, and while this is a big improvement, the software giant has forced it onto users and made it hard (but thankfully not impossible) to remove.
Microsoft pushes out another update to PowerToys for Windows 10
Ah, PowerToys… how much we love thee! After reviving the much-loved utilities for Windows 10, Microsoft has wasted no time in releasing update after update, adding more and more tools and refining this incredible software.
It's only a week since the release of PowerToys v0.19.0, but the development team already has a new version for you to try out.
Microsoft launches Project Freta to detect malware in Linux kernels
Microsoft has revealed a new anti-malware service by the name of Project Freta. The company describes it as a "free service from Microsoft Research for detecting evidence of OS and sensor sabotage, such as rootkits and advanced malware, in memory snapshots of live Linux systems".
Project Freta is cloud-based, and the memory forensics tool was created by the NExT Security Ventures (NSV) team in Microsoft Research.
Microsoft takes another step towards killing off the Control Panel in Windows 10
Since the days of Windows 8, operating system settings have been split across the traditional Control Panel and the newer Settings. Over time, Microsoft has gradually tried to encourage people away from the Control Panel, burying it deeper and deeper in Windows.
Now the company has taken yet another step that signals the end of the line for the Control Panel you've come to know and love. In the latest builds of Windows 10, the System applet has been rendered all but redundant.
How to uninstall Microsoft Edge from Windows
Microsoft has been quite aggressive in pushing out the Chromium-based version of Edge, and not everyone is happy about it.
There is understandable anger at having a browser that isn't necessarily wanted being forcibly installed -- and to add insult to injury, Microsoft has also made it impossible to uninstall Edge. But there is actually a way to get rid of the browser. Here's what you need to know.
How to enable the new Start menu in Windows 10
After giving us a tease of a redesign, Microsoft rolled out the new look Start menu in Windows 10 build 20161.
But while there was a great deal of excitement about the cleaner, more refined look complete with translucent backgrounds, many Windows users were disappointed to find that the new Start menu was not available to everyone. Here's what you need to do to see the new Start menu.
Microsoft blocks users from upgrading to Windows 10 May 2020 Update because their PC settings aren't supported
We've already seen Windows 10 May 2020 Update causing a range of problems for users, including login issues, problems with Storage Spaces and issues with OneDrive. But there are also some people for whom even the installation is problematic.
We've already heard about people being unable to get the update because their "device isn't quite ready". Now there are reports that some users are seeing a message informing them that "this PC can't be upgraded to Windows 10". In the error message, Microsoft tells affected users that: "Your PC settings aren't supported yet on this version of Windows 10".
Windows 10 May 2020 Update is breaking OneDrive Files On-Demand for some people
Microsoft has acknowledged OneDrive connectivity problems on some devices that have been upgraded to Windows 10 May 2020 Update (Windows 10 version 2004).
An error message reading "OneDrive cannot connect to Windows" informs affected users that Files On-Demand require an internet connection to function. The problem means that people are unable to access some of their files -- at least until they apply a workaround.
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