Articles about Microsoft

Microsoft began to roll out its latest update for Windows 11 earlier in the week, and although this update comes with over 150 changes, the biggest addition is Copilot, the software giant’s AI-powered assistant.

While this is a handy feature that promises to be everything Cortana wasn’t, not everyone wants AI invading their copy of Windows. Thankfully, it’s easy to remove Copilot from your system.

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The number of paths for upgrading to Windows 11 for free has just been reduced. Microsoft has officially removed the option to upgrade from both Windows 7 and Windows 8 to Windows 11 without paying.

This should not really come as a surprise, as the ability to upgrade from Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 and then 11 free of charge is not something that was meant to last. Microsoft originally said that these upgrade routes would remain available until mid-2016, but the company either "forgot" to disable the option or decided to leave it open to get as many people onto its newer operating systems as possible. But now this changes as explained in a sneakily quiet announcement by Microsoft.

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There is always a slight sense of disappointment when Microsoft says that the current release cycle for PowerToys is focused on stability and improvements, as it means there are not going to be any new utilities. This is where we find ourselves at the moment, but the pessimism may be misplaced as PowerToys v0.74.0 is packed with important changes and updates.

Key among them is a major update to the recently added OCR component Text Extractor. In the boost up to Text Extractor 2.0, there are important additions including a new overlay, table mode and more. But this is far from being the end of the story; PowerToys v0.74.0 includes improvements to just about every module.

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Having recently reaffirmed its commitment to PowerShell and Windows Terminal, Microsoft has shown that it is good to its word. The company has released new versions of Windows Terminal, and for those who like to play it safe, there is Windows Terminal v1.18.2681.0 which includes various new features such as the ability to pull tabs out of Terminal windows.

But for those who prefer to live on the edge, Windows Terminal Preview v1.19.2682.0 is a much more exciting release. The development team warns users to buckle up as this "might be a little more Preview than you've come to expect". And there is indeed an awful lot to explore in this preview channel version, including the fact that Windows Terminal is now able to browse the internet!

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As technology continues to evolve, so do the ways in which we interact with our devices. The integration of "Red, Green, Blue" (RGB) lights within various gadgets has opened up a realm of personalization, allowing users to create unique environments that extend beyond the screen. Microsoft has recognized this trend and with its latest feature update, unleashes the power of Dynamic Lighting on Windows 11.

The Dynamic Lighting feature in Windows 11 embodies a step towards a more unified and interactive user experience. It finally grants users the liberty to control their RGB devices right from the Windows Settings -- something many of us have been waiting for. This means you can now extend your Windows accent color to the devices around you, synchronize RGB effects across devices from different brands, and have finer control over how apps manage your device’s lights.

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Following on from yesterday’s Windows 11 update which saw the arrival of the AI-powered Copilot, Microsoft has today released a major update to its venerable Paint app.

The highlight of this new build is Paint Cocreator, an AI-powered feature that uses DALL-E technology to help users create stunning artwork simply by describing what they want in a few words.

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In a startling development, Panos Panay, the mind behind Microsoft’s Windows and Devices division, has officially jumped ship to Amazon. Yes, folks, the rumors were true. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced today that Panay will, in fact, be helming the Devices and Services business, replacing Dave Limp later this year.

While on the surface this seems like a significant win for Amazon, it might be worth pondering the implications of Panay’s exit from Microsoft. With nearly two decades at Microsoft, Panay’s sudden move raises eyebrows and stirs concerns regarding the internal dynamics at Microsoft.

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Today is a huge day for Windows 11 users, as it’s when Microsoft begins rolling out a major update for the new operating system, bringing the power of Copilot to Windows, as well as other new AI powered experiences to apps.

Provided you have a device running Windows 11 version 22H2, you can install these non-security updates -- there will be more than one -- as soon as they start to roll out.

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The existence of the Command Prompt as well as Windows Terminal has resulted in many people asking just when the latter will replace the former. In response to such queries, Microsoft has cleared things up -- Windows Terminal is not a replacement for Command Prompt... nor, for that matter, is PowerShell.

Command Prompt may be getting a little long in the tooth, but that's far from being a reason to kill it off. Indeed, Microsoft points to the fact that the aging tool has proved useful to AI developers in recent years.

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There are big changes coming to Windows 11 this week as Microsoft starts the rollout of a huge update, as it announced at its recent Surface event.

Starting on September 26, the update will make features such as Copilot and passwordless security options available to users of Windows 11, but Microsoft has made a couple of clarifying points out it. Firstly, it is important to note that this update, although big and noteworthy, is not Windows 11 23H2 -- this is coming later in the year. But there's more.

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Over the years, the Start menu has evolved from a handy place to house shortcuts to apps and system settings into the slightly chaotic mess users are now presented with in Windows 11. The Windows 11 Start menu is still home to shortcuts -- and more -- but Microsoft has taken a different approach when compared to previous versions of the operating system.

One of the more controversial aspects is the Recommended section. This is used for various things, from highlighting recently installed apps to, more divisively, advertising apps Microsoft would like you to install. And now the company is experimenting with adding even more recommended content.

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Microsoft today announced its upcoming huge update to Windows 11, with 150 new features, including -- naturally! -- Copilot, its AI assistant, which is going to be everywhere this fall.

Not everyone wants AI invading their operating system, however. Some people would just be happy with a version of Windows 11 that works and offers a decent selection of powerful features. Those people, would prefer Windows 11.2.

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Although today's big Microsoft event was mostly supposed to focus on new Surface devices, the company devoted a lot of time to AI, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone.

Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered companion, is coming to pretty much everywhere, including Windows 11, Bing, Edge, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. For Windows 11 users, that is huge news, and the feature is set to arrive from next week.

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Today, at its hardware event, Microsoft took the wraps off four brand-new Surface devices aimed at end users and IT professionals.

According to Nancie Gaskill, General Manager, Surface, these new products "have been redesigned to reflect our longstanding commitment to integrating the voice of commercial customers" while also "supporting the needs of IT professionals to deploy, manage and support these devices at scale." These are the four new devices that were announced:

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In the evolving remote working arrangement, the demand for custom Microsoft Teams apps is increasing rapidly across businesses.

If you are someone who aims to provide users with an exceptional experience through custom-built apps that adhere to industry standards and good governance, Customizing Microsoft Teams is for you! The book starts with an overview of Microsoft Teams customization and configuration prerequisites.

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