As we approach the end of the month, we reach the time when Microsoft releases preview versions of the updates that will get official launches next Patch Tuesday. This time around, it is the KB5028245 update for Windows 11.

With this cumulative update, Microsoft addresses a series of problems in Windows 11 21H2, including a VPN issue that could lead to excessive ARP requests to the network gateway. Also fixed are a bug that causes incorrect reporting of the L2 cache, and another that prevents the Windows Notification Platform from issuing notifications from apps.

Microsoft has updated the free virtual machines it makes available for download as Windows 11 development environments.

In addition to Windows 11, the virtual machines also include various other developer-centric tools such as Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition and Ubuntu pre-installed in Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. In a nod to the fact that people work with different virtualization platforms, Microsoft has produced VMWare, Hyper-V (Gen2), VirtualBox and Parallels versions of the free VMs.

Microsoft has been somewhat indecisive with regards to the Mail and Calendar apps for Windows 10 and Windows 11, changing the deadline for a switching to Outlook for Windows more than once.

But now the company has confirmed that it plans to go ahead with its plans to kill off Mail and Calendar -- and it has also revealed that users will be forcibly switched to Outlook for Windows. The timescale for the switch is still slightly hazy, but it is definitely coming... starting later this year.

Five-hundred-and-fifty-two 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.

The upcoming Windows 11 version 23H2 feature update will be a smaller update that will install quickly on Windows 11 version 22H2 devices.

Windows 11 Insiders in the Dev Channel have a new test flight to install today, and Build 23506 comes with a good number of fixes and improvements, as well as some new features.

Chief among the new additions is a passwordless experience with Windows Hello for Business (WHFB). This, Microsoft says, "provides organizations with a strong, phish-resistant credential, helping customers move to a passwordless future", and it's available to try now.

It is several weeks since Microsoft finally gave Windows Insiders on the Canary and Dev channels access to an updated version of its Paint app. Now the company is making the new edition of the beloved graphics tool available to more people.

The big news in this latest release is that, at long last, Paint supports dark mode. But there are other additions and improvements includes new keyboard shortcuts and a wider adoption of the Windows 11 look.

Windows 11 is getting a new recovery feature lets you repair with losing files, apps or settings. Microsoft is currently testing the "Fix problems using Windows Update" option in preview builds of Windows 11.

The feature is an alternative to completely reinstalling Windows 11 from scratch and having to reconfigure all of your software and settings. It is also more advanced than a typical in-place reinstallation of the operating system and is -- in theory, at least -- more likely to fix issues. Here's everything we know about the upcoming "Fix problems using Windows Update" recovery feature.

The rollout of Windows 11's Moment 3 update may only just have made its way to most users, but Microsoft already has other updates in the pipeline. Coming up later this year is Windows 11 23H2. We've come to expect that this will not be an update that's packed with new features, but that's not to say that it is not significant -- expect to see the update enabling Windows Copilot as Windows 11 enters the AI era.

Microsoft has now revealed more information about the upcoming release, including the fact that it is scheduled to rollout to users in the fourth quarter of the year -- effectively making it Windows 11 23Q4. What's important, though, is that users have to prepare for the launch.

Five-hundred-and-fifty-one 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 released cumulative security updates for Windows 10 and 11 this week. The Windows 11 update adds the long-awaited features of the Moment 3 update to the operating system.

The latest Windows 11 development build includes a new TPM Troubleshooter tool designed to help administrators fix TPM related issues. The tool may help fix TPM related issues automatically and it may also be used to reset TPM.

Microsoft made TPM a requirement when it released Windows 11. The company claims that it improves overall security and ensures that certain features are supported on all Windows 11 devices.

As part of its software updates for July, Microsoft has released the KB5028185 update for Windows 11. The update not only addresses a large number of problems and security issues, it is also being used to give users access to the new features of the Moment 3 update.

The scores of security fixes to be found in the KB5028185 update are reason enough to install it as soon as possible, but the raft of new features and options serves as an added incentive.

Microsoft is always eager for as many people as possible to be using the very latest versions of Windows. This not only means encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11, but also ensuring that the majority are running the most recent version of Windows 11.

To promote this idea, Microsoft gives each edition of Windows a product lifecycle during which it will be fully supported. One such period is coming to an end, and the company has issued a reminder to users of Windows 11 21H2 that they need to update very soon.

Five-hundred-and-fifty 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 is making changes to the Windows 11 Start menu which will highlight its own apps in the operating system.

It feels as though it has been a while since the last update for PowerToys, but Microsoft has now rectified this. The company has released PowerToys v0.71.0 which sees not only a large number of bug fixes, but also numerous tweaks, improvements and additions.

This is a hugely significant update that adds support for the previewing of archives in the Peek utility, as well as making it possible to use Registry Preview as the default tool for opening .reg files. PowerToys developers have really gone to town with this release; just about every module has been updated and there is an improved look that is more in line with the Windows 11 aesthetic.

Three months ago, Microsoft announced the public preview of Windows 365 Frontline. If you're not familiar with it, Windows 365 is a service that allows users to stream Windows 10 and Windows 11 from the cloud to any device. Frontline is a special version for workers who only need a Cloud PC for a limited amount of time during a working day.

Unlike Windows 365 Enterprise Cloud PCs, Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs remain in a powered-off state by default when they are not in use. Employees need to save their work at the end of their shift and then disconnect or sign out. Companies don't need to purchase a Cloud PC for every employee, rather, they only need enough Cloud PCs for the maximum number of active users at any given time.