Windows 11's taskbar finally gets drag and drop support

Happy PC user

Windows 11 shipped with some pretty major features and functionality missing but Microsoft is finally righting these wrongs.

Earlier in the week the first Android apps preview arrived, and today in Insider Build 22557, the company introduced drag and drop support for the Windows 11 taskbar.

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Wow! Windows 11 Build 22557 introduces loads of major new features including Start menu folders and live captions

Shocked

Yesterday, Microsoft released the first major update for Windows 11 (KB5010414), with Android apps, taskbar improvements and more.

Today, Windows Insiders in the Dev channel get a brand new build that comes packed with even more new features, including folders in the pinned apps area of Start, live captions, a new Focus experience, Quick Access improvements in File Explorer, new touch gestures, and more!

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KB5010414 update for Windows 11 fixes loads of problems as well as adding new features

Windows 11 magnifying glass

The latest update for Windows 11 is a big one -- and we're not just talking about the size of the download. The update in question is KB5010414, and it's something we have already touched on a couple of times.

Much of the focus has been, entirely understandably, on the new features the update brings; KB5010414 is about much more than this. Yes, the arrival of support for Android apps is nice, but it's certainly not something everyone is interested in. What is more impressive and interesting about the KB5010414 is the laundry list of changes, tweaks and fixes Microsoft has introduced. This is what makes this the most significant update to Windows 11 yet.

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Google's Linux-based Chrome OS Flex is a huge threat to Windows 11, and Microsoft should be extremely worried

Scared_Man_Laptop

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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Windows 11's first big update released today adds Android apps, taskbar improvements, and more

WIndows-11

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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Windows Package Manager (Winget) update adds new experimental features

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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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Users complain of overheating Windows 11 systems and broken printing after installing KB5010414

Windows 11 magnifying glass

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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Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.55.2 to kill .NET-related installer bug

Microsoft PowerToys

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 warns users to upgrade from Windows 10 20H2 before support ends

Windows 10 logo on a beach

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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Microsoft is tempting G Suite legacy free edition users to Microsoft 365 with a special deal

Microsoft building logo

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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Microsoft is making some important changes to the Windows 11 taskbar with the KB5010414 update

Windows 11

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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Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 22000.526 (KB5010414) to Beta and Release Preview Channels -- fixes loads of issues

Windows 11 magnifying glass

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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No new Windows 11 Insider build again this week

Eyeroll

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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Clever optimizations have slashed Microsoft Teams' power consumption in half while boosting performance

Microsoft Teams

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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Microsoft releases KB5010342 and KB5010345 updates for Windows 10

Windows 10 Home Pro

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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