Articles about Microsoft

Windows 11 is a really good operating system, but it is overkill for many home and education users these days. Not to mention, it can be risky to use since there is so much malware designed for it. Even for business, many companies are exclusively using web-based solutions in the browser, making Windows unnecessary for them. And so, Chromebooks are becoming more and more popular. They are affordable, easy to use, and extremely secure.

If a company wants to switch to Chromebooks from Windows laptops, however, there is a big dilemma -- what should be done with existing computers? After all, Chrome OS cannot be installed on computers that didn't ship with Chrome OS, right? Well, actually, this is changing...

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Although Windows 11 isn’t a bad operating system, it does lack polish and it’s missing general functionality we expect to see. People are still waiting for features that were touted when the OS was first announced -- native support for Android apps, for example.

Today, Microsoft is starting to make new experiences for Windows 11 available via a new update, and this includes an Amazon Appstore preview, Taskbar improvements and redesigned versions of Media Player and Notepad.

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The Windows Package Manager -- also known as Winget -- is an open source tool designed to make it easier to install software on Windows 10 and Windows 11, by automating and speeding up the process. If you’ve used a package manager in a Linux distro you’ll know what to expect.

Microsoft has now released a new preview build with a number of a fixes and improvements. It has also enabled a raft of experimental features in the build.

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Following the release of Windows 11 Build 22000.526, also known as the KB5010414 update, users are complaining of various problems with their computers.

The update was released to the Beta and Release Preview channels just a few days ago, and it introduced various changes and improvements to the Windows 11 taskbar. But it also seems that the update introduced problems with printing, and high CPU loads leading to overheating.

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There have been some great new utilities added to Microsoft's PowerToys collection recently, and now Microsoft has released another update to its much-loved software.

While PowerToys v0.55.2 is not quite an exciting as previous releases, it is no less important. Having identified a bug affecting the installer, Microsoft has fixed the issue and is rolling out this important patch.

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Microsoft has issued a warning -- or reminder, depending on your perspective -- about the impending end of support for Windows 10 20H2.

Also known as Windows 10 October 2020 update, this is not the first time Microsoft has urged people to upgrade their operating system to a version that will be supported for longer. The deadline is just three months away, so what are your options?

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When Google announced the death of G Suite legacy free edition in the hope of getting users to pay for Google Workspace, there was understandable annoyance. The company later launched the fee-free Workspace Essentials Starter Edition to appease disgruntled G Suite users but for many the damage was already done.

Microsoft is taking full advantage of the irritated Google userbase. The company has revealed a special offer that it hopes will entice small businesses that have been using Google legacy G Suite into using Microsoft 365. The incentive? A hefty 60 percent discount.

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We've already written about the release of Windows 11 Build 22000.526 to testers on the Beta and Release Preview channels, but this update warrants further investigation. With the release of the KB5010414 update, Microsoft not only fixes a lot of Windows 11 problems, it also introduces some important tweaks to the taskbar that will delight users of Microsoft Teams, as well as people with more than one monitor connected to their computer.

There are various important additions to the taskbar as well as changes to functionality. These changes, such as the decision to (finally!) include the clock in all taskbars on multiple monitors, represent a pleasing evolution of a staple feature of Windows and are likely to be well-received -- but there is still room for improvement.

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For the second week running quality issues have prevented Microsoft from releasing a new Windows 11 build to Insiders in the Dev Channel.

However the tech giant is rolling out a build to the Beta and Release Preview Channels, and this fixes a huge amount of issues with the new operating system.

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Microsoft usually rolls out new Windows 11 Dev Channel builds to Insiders on a Wednesday, although occasionally this slips to Thursday or even Friday.

There was no new build last week due to "quality issues". The plan was to get back on track for this week, but once again Windows Insiders are facing disappointment.

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Microsoft has revealed details of how it managed to simultaneously boost the performance of Teams, while reducing power consumption. Such are the efficiency improvements that have been implemented that Microsoft Teams now uses less than half the power it did a year and a half ago.

This is hugely significant at any time, but all the more so given the number of people now working remotely and reliant on internet-based meetings. For organizations who have turned to Microsoft Teams during the coronavirus pandemic, the cost savings add up significantly.

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It is the time of the month when Microsoft releases updates for Windows, and we've already looked at KB5010386 for Windows 11. There are also two updates available for Windows 10 users to install -- KB5010342 and KB5010345.

The update you need depends on which version of Windows 10 you are running. KB5010342 is for Windows 10 versions 20H2, 21H1 and 21H1, while KB5010345 is for anyone still running Windows 10 version 1909.

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Microsoft has released a significant update for Windows 11 that not only fixes a number of bugs, but also addresses security issues.

The KB5010386 update takes Windows 11 up to build 22000.493 and it includes a fix for a problem with LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). On top of this, there are numerous fixes in this security and quality improvement update. Microsoft has also shared a number of Windows 11 tips.

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In so many ways macros have made life easier for Office users, helping to automated and speed up a variety of tasks. But they also pose a gigantic security threat, particularly in documents downloaded from the internet.

Now Microsoft is taking action, and will block internet macros by default in Office. The reason for the move is the widespread exploitation of VBA macros by bad actors to spread malware.

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Delving into the underbelly of just about any software can reveal exciting secrets, and this is certainly true of Windows. A software detective has taken a peek behind the curtain and found no fewer than three exciting new features hidden away in Windows 11. These are likely to be features that Microsoft is currently still working on and will unlock in a future update for the operating system.

An intrepid explorer has unearthed evidence of upcoming changes to the way notifications work and a possible renaming of Focus Assist to simply "Focus". Other gems include wallpaper stickers and a new energy conservation section of Settings that, among other things, will assign your computer an Eco Score and provide recommendations for how you can reduce its energy consumption.

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