Download Microsoft's new 'Pantone Color of the Year 2022' theme for Windows 10 and Windows 11
If you’re looking for some new high-quality Windows wallpapers, Microsoft has you covered with its new 'Pantone Color of the Year 2022' theme pack which is now available to download for free from the Microsoft Store.
The collection consists of four new variations of the popular Windows bloom wallpaper included with Windows 11.
Windows 11 is getting an amazing new voice control feature called Voice Access -- try it now!
While the preview builds of Windows 11 are often not terribly exciting, there are times when they give a sneak peak at some amazing new features. The latest Insider release, Windows 11 Build 22518 is one such example. As well as introducing new options relating to Windows Subsystem for Linux, this build also includes a genuinely impressive new tool called Voice Access -- an incredible new voice control option.
The Voice Access label is something of a misleading name, however; while it might suggest that it is some form of alternative to password, it is in fact a fully-fledged way to control just about every aspect of using Windows 11 with your voice.
It is now easier for Windows 11 users to install Windows Subsystem for Linux from the Microsoft Store and get automatic updates
Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux has been one of the company's greatest innovations in recent years, and it has been warmly received. In a move that opened up the tool to a wider audience, Microsoft recently made the WSL Preview available to download from the Microsoft Store.
Now, with the release of the latest build of Windows 11, anyone installing WSL via the command line will be delivered the Store version by default. Installing it in this way means that users no longer have to worry about manually checking for updates as they can be handled by the Store just like for any other app. Microsoft has also introduced a way to switch to this version of the app.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 22518 with Spotlight Collection backgrounds and voice access
Some Windows Insider builds of Windows 11 are more exciting than others. Today’s new flight, Build 22518, introduces a number of big new features, including Spotlight collection backgrounds, an updated entry point for Widgets with weather, and voice access.
This new build also makes it easier to install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) from the Microsoft Store.
Zorin OS 16 Lite is a great Linux-based Windows 11 alternative for older PCs
I'm a big fan of Windows 11, and I highly recommend it. With that said, the operating system has a huge problem -- it is incompatible with many older computers. This is by design, as Microsoft purposely blocks some older hardware. While there are ways to bypass the compatibility check, Microsoft can close them at any time, including possibly blocking future updates. It just isn't worth the hassle, folks. Ultimately, if the Windows 11 installer says your PC is incompatible, you should either stay on Windows 10 while it is supported or switch to Linux.
If you want to switch to Linux but don't know which operating system to choose for your aging PC, I have a suggestion. Released today, Zorin OS 16 Lite should be an excellent Linux-based Windows 11 alternative for older computers. The distribution is based on Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS and uses Xfce 4.16 as its desktop environment; it should seem very familiar to Windows users. The lightweight distro comes with great software pre-installed so beginners can start using their computer right away. It even offers a simple way to install and run Windows programs!
Windows 11 is dramatically reducing the performance of NVMe SSDs
If you have upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and noticed a reduction in the performance of your SSD, you are not alone. Since the launch of the operating system, online forums, Reddit and Microsoft's own support communities have seen increasing number of complaints about write speeds being significantly slower after upgrading.
What is key here is that the performance reduction is not just noticeable, it is also measurable. It would be easy to dismiss a handful of complaints about slowdown as being a matter of personal perception. But the observations and experiences of those complaining are borne out by benchmarks which show write speeds have been slashed.
Redesigned Notepad for Windows 11 now available to test
Windows 11 might be available to install now, but it’s very much a work in progress with many of the touted features not currently available.
If you’re a Windows Insider, you can from today try out the new and improved Notepad which sports a redesigned UI and offers a smart dark mode.
Quickly fix many of Windows 11's annoying problems
Windows 11 has the potential to be a great operating system, but it’s not there yet. That’s to be expected of course, as it was only released two months ago, and it took multiple feature updates before Windows 10 became the OS it should have been from the get-go.
Microsoft is rolling out bug fixes for Windows 11 and testing new features and improvements in its Insider builds, which all points towards a bright future. However, if you’re annoyed by the new OS as it is now, it’s easy to fix some of the more frustrating issues.
Microsoft reveals fix for Outlook search not working in Windows 11
Windows 11 has its fair share of problems, and it has also caused problems with other software that people have come to rely on. While it is somewhat understandable when third-party software is affected, the same cannot be said of Microsoft's own software.
The company has acknowledged an issue with Outlook for users who have upgraded to Windows. The problem Sees Outlook failing to return any search results, as well as the error message: "Search performance will be impacted because of a problem with how Outlook search is configured". Now Microsoft has revealed a fix.
How to check for Windows updates from the context menu in Windows 10 and Windows 11
The importance of installing the latest patches and fixes for Windows cannot really be overstated. As well as helping to boost security and fix problems, updates can also add new features to Windows.
While there is a lot to be said in favor of enabling automatic updates, there's nothing wrong with performing manual check as well or instead. Unfortunately, Microsoft has hidden the option to check for updates away in the Settings app meaning it is a pain to access. Here's how to add an update check option to the context menu in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Microsoft rolls out a new Windows 11 look to Office
While there are new features in Windows 11, much what's of the appeal of the latest version of the operating system is the updated look. Microsoft is not limiting itself to using the new look in Widows 11 alone; a similar aesthetic is making its way to other products and Microsoft Office has now been updated.
With the visual update, Microsoft Office gets a Windows 11 makeover, although the same look is also available to Windows 10 users running Office. Microsoft describes it as providing a "simple and more coherent experience"; here's what you need to know, including how to enable or disable it.
Microsoft releases yet another version of PowerToys to improve FancyZones and more
It is mere days since Microsoft released PowerToys v0.51.0 complete with the new Mouse Highlighter utility. Now the company has another update available which offers improvements to the FancyZones and PowerToys Run tools.
PowerToys v0.51.1 is by no means a big release, especially when you look at the huge list of improvements and additions in the previous update, but it remains an important one. The changes introduced in this latest version come, Microsoft says, in response to user feedback, and will be of particular interest to Windows 11 users.
Best Windows apps this week
Four-hundred-sixty-seven 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 a new build to the Windows 11 Insider channel with new layout options for the operating system's Start menu. Another feature that is being tested currently makes it easier to set a default browser on the system.
Microsoft making it easier to reject Edge and set a different default browser in Windows 11
Despite recently taking away the option to open internal links in other browsers, and stepping up its campaign to convince would-be Chrome users to stay with Edge, it seems Microsoft has made a surprise change in Windows 11 that will make it easier for users to set a different browser as the default.
At least, that is, if a change that crops up in the latest Insider build makes it into a future stable release.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 22509 with new layout options for Start
Having taken a week off last week for Thanksgiving, the Windows 11 development team today rolls out a fresh new build to Insiders in the Dev Channel.
The key new addition in Build 22509 is a set of improvements designed to make it easier to browse the web in Microsoft Edge using Narrator, but that's not all. The clock and date will now show on secondary monitors, and there are also new layout options for Start, as well as Settings changes.
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