Articles about Windows 11

After the release of the KB5037853 update for Windows 11 a few days ago, Microsoft has acknowledged that it can cause glitching in the taskbar. What this means in practice is that the task bar can disappear or become unresponsive.

The company's "fix" for the problem is to use a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) to recall the update, and while this will be performed automatically for most people, some will have to take manual action.

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Five-hundred-and-ninety-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 will remove several apps in the Windows 11 version 24H2 feature update. The apps, Cortana, Tips, and WordPad, are deprecated and will be removed in the coming feature update.

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It is the time of the month when Microsoft releases previews versions of the following month's updates for Windows, and this week this means the KB5037853 update is available for Windows 11.

As this is a preview, it does not include security fixes and is optional. But the KB5037853 update for Windows 11 is significant because it adds a large number of features to the operating system. In addition to updating sharing options, it also fixes bugs and starts the rollout of the new account manager on the Start menu.

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The hardware requirements for Windows 11 have been controversial from day one, and the release of Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 sees Microsoft easing up on things slightly.

The latest version of the Long-Term Servicing Channel edition of Windows 11 is notable for various reasons, not least of which is the lowering of system requirements. Interestingly, the includes making both Secure Boot and TPM optional; the minimum system requirements also indicate that the operating system can be installed on devices with as little as 2GB of RAM.

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A new version of Windows, or a new update, means fixes, changes and new additions. But it can also be a time to say goodbye to features, apps and settings that are no longer needed.

With the widespread release of Windows 11 24H2 now imminent, users should prepare themselves to bid adieu to some components of the operating system that have been around for years.

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Five-hundred-and-ninety-six 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 the upcoming feature update Windows 11 24H2 to the Release Preview channel. This marks the last step before its final release later this year. Recall, an AI feature that Microsoft unveiled earlier this week, is not yet part of the preview.

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After decades of service, Microsoft is deprecating VBScript -- or Visual Basic Scripting Edition. The deprecation process will first see VBScript being changed into an optional, on-demand feature with the release of Windows 11 24H2, although it will be enabled by default.

The timeline continues into 2027 when VBScript will remain a FOD (feature on demand), but will be disabled by default. Ultimately, Microsoft will carve the feature from Windows completely, and the company has published advice about the implications.

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The next major update to Windows 11 has started to make its way to users. Microsoft has commenced the rollout of Windows 11 24H2 to Windows Insiders signed up to the Release Preview channel.

Making the update available in this way is a clear indication that Windows 11 24H2 is near-as-damn-it complete. Let's take a look at all of the exciting new additions and changes, as well as revealing how to get hold of the update now.

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Microsoft Build kicks off today but -- as is usually the case -- there have been various pre-event announcements, not least of which is the unveiling of AI-powered Copilot+ PCs. The hardware side of things is both powerful and exciting, with huge implications for not only computing capabilities, but also privacy.

This new breed of computers features neural processing units (NPU) meaning AI-tasks can be performed on-device, without the need to transmit data via the internet. One of Microsoft’s first tools to take advantage of this is Recall (once known as AI Explorer) which is an astonishingly powerful workflow tool that records and maintains a timeline of your computing activities and gives you a way to instantly locate content you have been working on. Microsoft describes it as like having a photographic memory, but it is perhaps better thought of as the ultimate productivity assistant.

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Acer has launched its first Copilot+ PC, the Swift 14 AI laptop, marking a new era of AI-enhanced computing. Encased in a thin-and-light aluminum chassis, the Swift 14 AI features optimized AI capabilities for productivity and mobility.

The laptop is powered by Snapdragon X Series platforms, featuring an integrated NPU capable of 45 Trillions of Operations Per Second (TOPS). This supercharges the Swift 14 AI to deliver a significant leap in performance, all-day battery life, and advanced AI experiences. Running on Windows 11, the Swift 14 AI supports next-generation AI features including Recall, Cocreator, Live Captions, new Windows Studio Effects, and Auto Super Resolution.

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The Beta and Canary builds of Windows 11 have been used by Microsoft for some time to test out new features before they are given a full release. But in addition to the advertised changes and additions to new builds, there are also often hidden secrets.

A recent example is to be found in the latest release to the Beta channel. With a little trickery, Windows 11 build 22635.3640 has been found to include an updated version of File Explorer, complete with new visuals, a revamped Home page and more.

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Five-hundred-and-ninety-five 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 working on a new Start menu feature called Companions. This adds a sidebar to Start that shows dynamic content such as widgets there.

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The Microsoft PC Manager app -- a free and official tweaking and optimization utility available from the Microsoft Store -- is the latest software from the company to offer up questionable and controversial advice.

We've already seen the appearance of ads (or recommendations as Microsoft prefers to call them) in Windows itself, Office and Edge. Now users of the Microsoft PC Manager who have changed Edge's search engine to something other than Bing are being told that this is something that needs to be repaired.

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Microsoft has released its monthly patches for Windows 11 in the form of the KB5037771 update. There are lots of fixes in this release including for problems with domain controllers, VPNs, and SMB clients.

There are a number of security fixes, but also more controversial changes -- including ads in the Start menu (or app recommendations as Microsoft calls them). Other changes include improvements to Widgets and Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2).

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Microsoft has made a lot of controversial decisions when it comes to the Start menu in Windows 11, not least of which is the plan to introduce ads. In the latest beta build of Windows 11. However, there are some interesting changes afoot -- notably Start Menu Companions.

While not yet fully operational, Companions are essentially plugins or extensions for the Start menu. The display information -- such as weather or stock prices in a floating panel to the side of the Start menu, will blend the ideas of Live Tiles and Widgets into something new.

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