Articles about Microsoft

Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel today not only get a new build to play around with but also new ISO files to allow for a clean install.

In Build 22598, Microsoft is trying out auto-launching of the Get Started app with some Insiders, and testers in China on Lenovo PCs will now be able to update to the latest builds once more after they were briefly blocked.

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Windows 11 users have an important update to install. The KB5012592 update takes the operating system up to build 22000.613 and not only includes a number of important security fixes, but also introduces several significant changes.

Like the previously released KB5011563 update, the new KB5012592 update makes it possible to display up to three high-priority toast notifications simultaneously as well as fixing issues with OneDrive. The update also introduces a simpler way to change the default web browser in Windows 11, although it is a change that has been met with disdain from like likes of Mozilla and Vivaldi.

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When Microsoft launched Windows 11, the company was heavily criticized for just how difficult it was to change the default web browser to something other than Edge.

After listening to these complaints, Microsoft used the KB5011563 update to simplify the process of switching browsers. While a welcome improvement, it was not enough for Mozilla who said that there was still more to be done to reduce the number of steps involved. Now Vivaldi has joined the Firefox-maker in saying that moving away from Edge should be made even easier, and not limited to those who are 'technically competent'. The company goes beyond this, accusing Microsoft of malpractice.

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Later this year, Microsoft will launch a new service called Windows Autopatch which will help users update their software.

The free service will help enterprise customers obtain Windows 10 and Windows 11 quality and feature updates, drivers, firmware, and Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise updates. Microsoft is due to launch Windows Autopatch in July, and the company had provided information about how it will work.

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Microsoft is putting the squeeze on anyone who is hanging doggedly on to an old version of Windows.

The company is ending support for Windows 10 version 20H2 in just a few short weeks, meaning that anyone who fails to upgrade will no longer receive security updates. Microsoft would, of course, like users to upgrade to Windows 11, but this is not the only option.

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There is a lot to love and a lot to hate about Windows 11, and the Feedback Hub is a great way to see just what it is that users are unhappy with. Something that crops up time and time again is the fact that it is not possible to move the taskbar to the side or top of the screen as it was in previous versions of Windows.

Some members of the Windows 11 development team recently took part in an AMA session which was predominantly about Windows 11 productivity and collaboration. The question of the unmovable nature of the taskbar was raised, and it seems that Microsoft views being able to move the taskbar as being much less of a priority than many users do.

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Earlier this week we learned about a prototype PowerToys utility called Peek which is set to bring a macOS-style Quick Look feature to Windows 11. There is no word on when this handy tool will be added to the PowerToys suite but in the meantime, there is a new update to install.

With the release of PowerToys v0.57.2, Microsoft introduced an important number of tweaks, changes and new settings for utilities including PowerToys Run and AlwaysOnTop. There is also a key change to FancyZones for Windows 11 users.

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At its Windows Powers the Future of Hybrid Work event earlier this week, Microsoft revealed various new features that are coming to Windows 11. As well as additions such as tabs in File Explorer and folders in the Start menu, the company revealed a lot of upcoming security features.

One of the security highlights is Smart App Control, which works like an enhanced version of the SmartScreen filter already found in Windows. It will help to block malicious apps, but there is a serious downside that will put off a lot of people.

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Microsoft Word, or MS Word, is a word processor developed by Microsoft. Although Word is one of the office productivity applications included in the Microsoft Office suite, it can also be purchased as a standalone product.

MS Word enables you to create, edit, and save professional documents, among other helpful features. Anyone who wants to get better at working with Word will be able to put their MS Word knowledge to use with this practical guide.

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Imitation, it is said, is the sincerest form of flattery. If this is true, then Microsoft is clearly fawning over macOS as the PowerToys development team are busy borrowing ideas from Apple's operating system.

Just last week we were treated to a big PowerToys update, but it seems that there is even more to look forward to in the future. Influenced heavily by the Quick Look feature of macOS, a new utility called PowerToys Peek is in the pipeline, giving a way to quickly preview files without having to open them.

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In an interesting bit of equivalence, UK-based insolvency specialist Real Business Rescue has compared the market value of the world's richest companies to countries' GDPs to show how big these businesses have become compared to the rest of the world.

As the table below shows, Apple -- which became the first trillion dollar company in 2018 -- would rank eighth in the world, just behind France, while Microsoft is ranked ninth and worth more than Italy.

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Microsoft recently introduced a compatibility hold to prevent certain people from upgrading to Windows 11. Safeguard ID 37820326 was put in place after an issue was discovered that saw some Edge users losing data they had stored in Internet Explorer 11.

The company has now addressed the problem meaning that IE users no longer need to take the extra step of importing data to Edge before upgrading to Windows 11.

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There was no new Windows 11 build for Insiders last week, but Microsoft is back to its usual release schedule this Wednesday and once again the latest flight is being made available to both the Dev and Beta Channels.

This means that Build 22593 doesn’t have any of the more experimental new features typically found in Dev Channel builds, but it does come with some changes and improvements, as well as a huge number of fixes. Insiders can also easily switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel, should they wish to.

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Today, at an event to showcase how Microsoft is developing new experiences to "enhance the way we work today, and in the future", the software giant gave us a look at some of the new features coming to Windows 11 in the near future.

While much of the presentation was about business, specifically hybrid working, Microsoft did cover experiences for consumers.

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Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is friggin' awesome. If you aren't familiar, it essentially lets you easily run a Linux distribution (and commands) from within Windows 11 (or Windows 10). Best of all, you can install these distros directly from the Microsoft Store. There are many popular Linux-based operating system on that store too, such as Kali and Oracle.

And now, yet another Linux-based operating system has come to the Microsoft Store. You see, as of this month, you can download and install AlmaLinux by clicking here.

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