Articles about Windows 11

Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed that it would be resurrecting its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10. The company had good news this time for home users too, as it promised that ESU would become available for practically everyone and not just businesses and organizations.

What Microsoft did not reveal back then was the price that home users would have to pay to keep their precious Windows 10 devices secured with updates.

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Six-hundred-nineteen 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.

Microsoft has finally announced the price that home users have to pay to extend support for Windows 10.

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Linux Lite 7.2 has arrived, giving disillusioned Windows users the chance to explore a streamlined, user-friendly OS. Renowned for its lightweight design, Linux Lite aims to ease the transition from Windows 10 and 11, and is perfect for first time Linux users. This latest release introduces AI-powered support options and fresh customization features, offering a unique experience beyond typical Windows capabilities.

Yes, Linux Lite utilizes AI to simplify the support experience, making it easier for users to find solutions to issues quickly. It’s a massive addition to Linux Lite’s overall quest to remain accessible, particularly for those new to Linux.

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Six-hundred-eighteen 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.

Several new issues were added to the list of known issues of Windows 11 version 24H2 this week. Some of these have been mitigated by now, including the BlueScreen crash that plagued users of certain Western Digital storage devices.

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Image upscaling has existed as a technology for a number of years, but the results for both videos and still images have proved somewhat mixed. But with the continuous creeping development of AI, Microsoft has just added a preview of super resolution for Copilot+ PCs to its Photos app.

While there are updates and new features for both the Windows 10 and Windows 11 versions of Microsoft Photos, image upscaling is only available to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs with Windows 11, version 24H2 and higher in the Canary, Dev, and Release Preview Channels. A powerful new OCR feature is available to everyone, however.

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Microsoft has released the KB5044380 update for Windows 11, a preview version of the update that will roll out to everyone next Patch Tuesday. There is quite a lot to be found in this particular release including the previously announced ability to remap the Copilot key on a keyboard if you don’t like its default function.

As this is a preview update there are no security fixes, but problems with multi-function printers, Microsoft Teams, and high battery usage have all been addressed. There are numerous tweaks, fixes and additions that are available immediately to anyone installing the KB5044380 update, but there are also some that are subject to a more gradual rollout.

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Static Windows wallpapers can often feel a bit uninspiring, especially if you don’t change them regularly. Sucrose offers a solution by bringing a dynamic, customizable approach to desktop backgrounds.

The versatile wallpaper engine allows you to animate and personalize your desktops with interactive wallpapers and it supports both light and dark themes. Sucrose works across multiple screens and in a range of resolutions, making it compatible with different display configurations.

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Windows 11 24H2 (or Windows 11 2024 Update) underwent an incredibly long period of testing with users before it was finally unleashed on the general public earlier this month. Despite the prolonged beta test, the update remains incredibly problematic -- to extent that Microsoft has blocked it from being installed on some systems.

While not all of the problems can be blamed on Microsoft, the company must bear some responsibility for failing to catch significant bugs that have gone on to affect larger numbers of people. Among those experiencing issues are owners of ASUS systems, people running the Voicemeeter app, users of Microsoft Office, and people with certain Western Digital SSDs.

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Six-hundred-seventeen 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.

Microsoft ended support for Windows 11 version 22H2 Home and Pro this month. No more updates for the version, but updates are available to newer versions. There are bypasses available for devices that do not meet the official system requirements.

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While hard drive capacities are now large enough that most people will have no problems if they were to suddenly lose nearly 9 GB of space, that’s not to say that such a loss would not lead to questions. Indeed, questions have been raised by people installing the Windows 11 2003 Update (Windows 11 24H2) only to find 8.63 GB of undeletable data.

Microsoft has acknowledged what users have discovered for themselves, confirming that there is an issue. But the issue is not that there is a hefty chunk of data drive space that can’t be recovered. Rather, Microsoft points the finger of blame at Windows’ Disk Cleanup tool, saying that a bug is a causing a “reporting error”.  

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Upgrading Windows can be fraught with problems, annoyances and niggles, some more serious than others. Given Microsoft’s track record, it should come as news to no one that the recently released Windows 11 24H2 update has a selection of issues.

One of the more curious quirks is the discovery by many people that the update fails to clean up after itself properly. An astonishing 8.63 GB is the amount of undeletable data many who have installed the Windows 11 2024 Update find is left behind. So what to do?

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Windows 7 introduced a useful hidden feature called God Mode, which provides access to all admin tools and control options in one place. Since Microsoft hasn't fully removed the Control Panel from Windows 11, God Mode remains functional in the company's newest operating system -- and you can use it in Windows 10 too.

To enable God Mode, you simply need to create a folder and rename it using a specific command. In addition to the standard God Mode, there are several alternative modes you can activate. Here’s what you need to do.

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Microsoft has introduced features like “News and Interests” and the “Copilot” AI assistant to its operating systems. The aim is to provide quick access to information and productivity tools, but not everyone appreciates those tools and plenty of people would prefer a cleaner taskbar, like we had with the likes of Windows 7.

Disabling these features can streamline the desktop interface and potentially improve system performance. This guide will show you how to remove News and Interests on Windows 10 and disable Copilot and the Widgets feature on Windows 11.

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Following the launch of Windows 11 24H2, this week marks the release of the final updates for various other versions of Windows. This means that anyone who has yet to upgrade from Windows 11 22H2 will not receive any more security updates.

There are numerous editions of Windows 11 affected by the end-of-service, specifically Windows 11 Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations and SE. The same is true for Windows 11 21H2 Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise, none of which will receive further updates. So, what does this mean for users?

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With the release of Windows 11 24H2, also known as the Windows 11 2024 Update, many people eager to try out the latest version of the operating system are encountering a roadblock. With this feature update Microsoft tightens the restriction on the hardware it can be installed on.

It has been some time since the company introduced a system requirement for TPM 2.0 support, but there have been numerous workarounds that allowed for installation on hardware that was technically incompatible. Now Microsoft has cracked down on the various methods of bypassing the requirement, so a new approach is needed.

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