Articles about Microsoft

Microsoft has released a big new update for Windows 11 that addresses a number of issues with the operating system. Key changes included in this update include fixes for various problems with video subtitles.

With the KB5012643 update, Microsoft has also introduced a change that means the temperature is now displayed on top of the weather icon on the taskbar. Other features of the update include improvements for servicing the Secure Boot, and a fix for a memory leak.

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Earlier in the month, Microsoft released the KB5012599 update for various versions of Windows 10. The update fixed various issues including a Denial of Service vulnerability on Cluster Shared Volumes, but the patch also introduced problems of its own.

A number of people attempting to install KB5012599 report that they are running into problems, specially 0x800F0831 and 0x8024200B errors.

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Microsoft has released a preview of a cumulative update for Windows 10. The KB5012636 update is a non-security update that addresses a number of issues and makes various quality improvements.

Among the issues fixed by the updates are a problem with Windows Defender Application Control that caused Windows to hang, and various remote desktop related problems. The update also improves the Secure Boot component of Windows.

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Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel can usually expect to receive a new Windows 11 build on a Wednesday, although this sometimes slips.

If the company doesn’t manage to get a new flight out on that day, then there’s a good chance it will arrive on Friday instead, in time for the weekend. Sometimes though, for reasons out of the software giant’s control, quality issues mean no new build.

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To celebrate the first anniversary of its Autofill tool, Microsoft has added new capabilities to its password security utility.

Available to use with Microsoft Edge natively, on iPhones and Android devices via an app, and in Chrome using an extension, Microsoft Autofill makes it easy to store and sync passwords in the cloud and have them automatically entered in logon forms. A new update to Microsoft Authenticator app means that it can now be used to generate strong passwords on demand.

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As organizations move to fully embrace cloud, the significant benefits of running IT infrastructure via cloud services are becoming even more evident. Not only do cloud-based services come at a far lower cost than physical platforms and deployments, IT leaders are also able to side-step much of the risk and 'heavy lifting' around tech investment and maintenance by moving this out of local data centers. They can also enjoy expert third-party systems management and reliable service delivery, without having to give up much of the control for end users.

Microsoft 365 is a great case in point. The procurement model for this ever-expanding suite of high-qual­ity IT services is based around a price per user. It is easily scalable as teams and organizations grow and can therefore help to optimise budgets, avoiding payment for infrastructure that may go unused. It’s also growing, with new features and functionality added every day that will keep IT departments at the cutting edge of optimal business processes.

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Microsoft has announced that it is beginning the final phase of disabling the SMB1 file-sharing protocol in Windows. Having already disabled SMB1 by default in Windows 10 and Windows Server, the company is now doing the same for Windows 11 Home.

While conceding that the ditching of SMB1 may "cause a consumer pain among folks who are still running very old equipment" and acknowledging that this is a "group that's the least likely to understand why their new Windows 11 laptop can't connect to their old networked hard drive", Microsoft says that the time has come for the aging technology to be dropped.

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Windows 7 introduced a useful hidden God Mode that displays all of the admin tools and control options on a single screen. Because Microsoft has yet to phase out Control Panel entirely, this feature works just fine in Windows 11.

It’s very easy to action God Mode -- you just need to create a folder and give it a special name -- and there are actually quite a few alternative God Modes available. Here’s what you need to do.

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While some versions of Windows 10 are reaching the end of support and many people are making the upgrade to Windows 11, Microsoft continues to push newer editions of Windows 10 to users.

For those people who either do not want to upgrade to Windows 11 -- or find that the hardware requirements mean that they are simply not able to -- there is Windows 10 version 21H2 (Windows 10 November 2021 Update as it is also known). Microsoft has just announced that this particular edition is now designated for broad deployment.

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Widgets in Windows 11 have proved somewhat divisive, but it is safe to say that the feature has not proved as popular as Microsoft would have hoped.

Part of the problem is the lack of interesting and useful widgets that are available, and Microsoft has previously hinted that it may offer support for creations from other companies which could be installed and updates via its own software store. Now further evidence has emerged that Windows 11 users could soon be able to install third-party widgets via the Microsoft Store.

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Over the years, Microsoft has found a variety of ways to bombard its customers with ads. As well as using Windows 11 to promote its own Edge web browser, the company has also used the Start menu to "recommend" apps to people.

And now it seems as though Xbox gamers are next. A new report says that Microsoft is working on a program that will display third-party ads in Xbox games. So, what is going on, and is it as bad as it sounds?

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It has been over a decade since we were first introduced to the Microsoft 365 brand -- and now it is one of the most used lines of subscription services in the world. Last year marked the 10th anniversary, and if we take a look back since its early days, the service has only expanded its scope and capabilities especially when it comes to the Security & Compliance Center.

The swift ascension of Microsoft 365 hardly comes as no surprise, given the hybrid world we now find ourselves in. However, as the number of M365 users continues to increase at a rapid pace, the security risks for both users and admins will only grow as well. To break it down,  between January and December 2021 alone, Microsoft Azure Active Directory blocked more than 25.6 billion malicious attempts to hijack enterprise customer accounts by brute-forcing stolen passwords.

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A few days ago, Microsoft released a new build of Windows 11; while this was primarily a problem-fixing release, there were a handful of new additions and changes.

For many people, having issues addressed is the most important feature of any update to Windows 11, but new tools, toys and options are always welcome. With the release of Windows 11 build 22598, Microsoft has some treats for users of Task Manager -- power users in particular.

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Patch Tuesday may have come and gone, but this does not mean that Microsoft has finished pushing out updates for Windows. The latest to be released is the KB5012643 update for Windows 11 and it is jam-packed with fixes for various issues.

Among the numerous improvements are a fix for an issue that caused extremely slow startup times, as well as addressing a memory leak. The update also improves the Secure Boot and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) components.

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Great news for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel today, as in addition to a new Windows 11 build, there’s also an updated version of the new Media Player available to install.

This new release offers some new features, and also improves performance for users with very large media libraries.

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