Articles about Microsoft

While the vast majority of people are happy downloading software these days, there are some who still gain comfort from owning physical installation media. Microsoft has listened and you can now buy Windows 11 and install it without the need to download anything -- or even needing an internet connection.

Microsoft has not exactly shouted about the availability of physical Windows 11 installation media, but it does exist. You can buy an official USB drive containing Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro.

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Wish and hope as much as you like, but the days of problematic updates for Windows are far from over. We now live in an age in which Microsoft releases patches for patches, and the latest example of this is the KB5013943 update for Windows 11.

This security update addresses a screen flicker problem experienced by some people who installed the KB5012643 update. It also fixes problems with .NET Framework apps caused by the same update.

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In recent days the yet-to-be-released successor to Windows 11's Outlook app leaked online. Called One Outlook, this unreleased beta version is known as Project Monarch.

This is not the first we have heard of One Outlook; it was originally scheduled for release last year, but the launch was delayed. But the leak was the first time anyone has been able to try out the app, but Microsoft has issued a warning saying that this is an "unsupported early test version" which is missing features.

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Last month, we wrote about problems experienced by some Windows 10 users who installed the KB5012599 update -- specifically 0x8024200B and 0x800F0831 errors.

While the problems are yet to be publicly acknowledged by Microsoft or added to the list of known issues with the update, the word is that a fix is on the way very soon. Sysadmins that have contacted Microsoft have been advised that a patch is "on track" for delivery this week, with the company blaming a "code defect" for the problems.

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It is not long since Microsoft released the KB5012643 update for Windows 11, bringing with it a lengthy list of improvements and security fixes. But, as has been the case with so many Windows updates, it also brought problems.

We have already seen issues with screen flicker in Safe Mode, although Microsoft has taken steps to address this. But now the company has issued a warning that Windows 11 users may experience issues with certain types of apps after installing the KB5012643 update.

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Microsoft has released a number of programs as open source over the years, and today it digs deep into its back catalog to make 3D Movie Maker freely available to all.

First released in 1995, 3D Movie Maker lets you put together animated scenes using 3D characters, props, backgrounds, text, sound, and special effects. This release also comes with a build of BRender from Argonaut software. While it’s a welcome move, you shouldn’t get too excited by today’s news because there is a catch.

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After what seems like an age -- in reality just shy of four weeks -- it is time for a new version of PowerToys! Microsoft has released PowerToys v0.58.0, complete with a lengthy list of fixes and improvements to numerous utilities. Many of the changes will be of particular interest to Windows 11 users.

Under the hood, native ARM64 support is progressing, and NET Core 3.1 has been ditched in favor of .NET 6. More interestingly, there are also important change to FancyZones, File Explorer, PowerToys Runs, Mouse Utility and more.

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Next month, Microsoft is officially retiring Internet Explorer 11. In six short weeks -- June 15 to be precise -- the era of IE11 comes to an end, but Microsoft is keen for organizations to move away from the browser before the big day rolls around.

Acknowledging that many organizations are reliant on IE-dependent sites and may well have entered the final stages of preparation, Microsoft says there is no need to wait until retirement day, saying: "the best way to prepare for IE disablement after June 15, is to proactively retire IE in your organizations before June 15".

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Microsoft has announced that its security tool for small to medium-sized businesses is now generally available. The standalone version of Microsoft Defender for Business helps to protect against ransomware and other cyber threats bringing, Microsoft says, "enterprise-grade endpoint security to SMBs".

Highlighting the importance of its solution, the company says that nearly a quarter of SMBs have experienced a security breach in the last year, often because they do not have the staff and resources available to enterprises. To help with this and to simplify deployment, Defender for Business comes with built-in policies to get customers up and running quickly.

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When Microsoft released the KB5012643 update for Windows 11, there were complaints from a number of users about screen flicker when booting into Safe Mode.

Microsoft acknowledged the problem, and confirmed suspicions that it was related to Safe Mode with Networking. The company has now addressed the issue, fixing it with a relatively rare KIR (Known Issue Rollback).

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There was no new build for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel last week, and it looked as if we might not get one this week either, but at the death Microsoft releases a new build in time for the weekend.

Build 22610 introduces some new group policies for IT administrators, an update to the Family Safety Widget, and a large number of new fixes. However, it also introduces two known issues to be aware of.

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Four-hundred-eighty-eight in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

Adoption of Windows 11 appears to have slowed down in the past two months according to recent usage statistics by third-parties.

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Installing updates for Windows can often be something of a gamble, but this is particularly true when we're talking about the preview versions Microsoft makes available ahead of the monthly Patch Tuesday releases.

The latest problematic patch is the recently released KB5012643 update for Windows 11. Due for a wider release in May, Microsoft has already made a preview version available for those who like to get updated as soon as possible. But some people who have installed the update are reporting problems with flickering screens.

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Microsoft has launched the latest version of its developer tool GitHub Desktop. The company describes GitHub Desktop 3.0 as a "big milestone", with this release bringing enhance pull request integration.

Among the improvements in version 3.0 of the software is the ability to review the status of your pull request check runs. There's also support for high-signal pull request notifications so you can be kept informed of pull request check failures and passes.

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Last month, we reported on how Windows 11's growth had stalled dramatically, with the new operating system’s usage share in March increasing by just 0.1 percentage points.

One bad month doesn’t necessary mean bad news for Microsoft’s latest OS, but two bad months? Well, that hardly paints a rosy picture.

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