Recent posts

#1
Releasing Windows 11 Build 26100.3321 to the Release Preview Channel

Gradual rollout

The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.

  • [Battery] New! Improved icons show your battery status with just a quick glance. When your battery icon is green, your PC is charging and in a good state. Yellow means that your PC battery is in energy saving mode. Windows makes this change for you when your battery power is less than or equal to 20%. Red means battery power is low, and you must plug in your PC as soon as possible. We're also introducing the ability to show your battery percentage next to the battery icon in the system tray which can be enabled via Settings > Power & battery and toggling on the "Battery Percentage" setting.
  • [Taskbar]
    • New! You can now share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar. Jump lists appear when you right-click an app that has a jump list.
    • Fixed: It might identify an HDD as an SSD.
  • [Windows Spotlight]
    • New! There's a quick and easy way to find out more information about a background image. Simply hover over the image or click the "Learn about this picture" icon.
    • New! This update makes Windows Spotlight easier to find. You'll notice changes to the icon color and background. Also, the icon will show at the lower right area on your desktop.
  • [Lock screen] New! This update makes it easier to learn more about the image on your lock screen when you click the "Like" icon.
  • [Narrator] New! There are new functions for Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (n) allows you to go to the text after a link. Use the comma (,) to jump to the start of an item (large table, long list, or another item.) Use the period (.) to jump to the end of an item. This is most helpful when you read long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (l) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or in a document. To use these new functions, turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then turn scan mode on by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar. Note that scan mode is on by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, and so on).
  • [Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers] New! Some of you might see a new referral card for a PC Game Pass subscription on the Settings home page. With it, you can invite friends and family to try a PC Game Pass for free. If you qualify, the card only appears when you sign in to your PC using your Microsoft account.
  • [File Explorer]
    • New! You can now snooze or turn off the "Start backup" reminder in the File Explorer address bar. This only applies if you are not already backing up your files and folder. To view this new option, right-click Start backup.
    • Fixed: Improves performance when it loads folders that have a large number of media files.
    • Fixed: When you enter a URL in the address bar, it might not go to the location.
    • Fixed: The address bar overlaps files when you use the F11 full-screen mode.
    • Fixed: The context menu opens slowly when you right-click cloud files.
    • Thumbnails for cloud files display more consistently in search results.
  • [HTML Help Viewer] New! This update adds text scaling support.
  • [Start menu] Fixed: The colors are wrong when you open the account manager flyout menu. This occurs when you use a mixed dark and light custom mode in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
  • [Scanners] Fixed: Apps might not recognize a scanner is available when it is connected.
  • [Audio]
    • Fixed: The volume might increase to 100% when you wake your PC from sleep.
    • Fixed: You might hear a mute and unmute sound several times.
    • Fixed: A USB audio device might stop working after your PC is idle for a short time.
  • [GDI+] Fixed: After you use GDI+ to shrink an image, the colors of the image might be wrong.
  • [Mouse] Fixed: In Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, you can choose a color for the mouse that is not the default. When you choose a color, it reverts to white after the User Account Control (UAC) dialog appears.
Normal rollout


This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.

  • [Daylight saving time (DST)] This update supports (DST) changes in Paraguay.
  • [Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH) (known issue)] Fixed: The service fails to start, which stops SSH connections. There is no detailed logging, and you must run the sshd.exe process manually.
  • [Get Help app] Fixed: It fails to open on Windows Server 2025.
  • [Remote Desktop]
    • Fixed: There are display rendering issues when you connect to certain PCs.
    • Fixed: It stops responding.
  • [Live captions] Fixed: If you disconnect an external monitor, the live captions window might not show.
#2
Security Alerts & Briefings / Mozilla Firefox Version 135.0....
Last post by Corrine - February 18, 2025, 03:58:25 PM
Mozilla sent Firefox Version 135.0.1 to the release channel.  No updates were released for Firefox ESR.

The update includes one (1) security update rated high.

Update: To get the update now, select "Help" from the Firefox menu, then pick "About Firefox".  Mac users need to select "About Firefox" from the Firefox menu.  For non-English versions, Fully Localized Versions are available for download.

References

#3
General Software News, Updates & Discussions / Adobe Acrobat/Reader Update
Last post by Corrine - February 18, 2025, 02:20:20 PM
Adobe is releasing an update with new features and bug fixes for Acrobat and Reader.

Update or Complete Download

Adobe Acrobat and Reader were updated to version 24.005.20414.  Updates should become available via the internal updater or checks can be manually activated by choosing Help/Check for Updates. 

Reader DC and other versions are available here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/

Note: UNcheck any pre-checked additional options presented with the update. They are not part of the software update and are completely optional.

Release Notes
#4
I love me some Sysinternals!
#5
Dev Channel update to 134.0.3124.5 is live.

Added Features:
  • Added a Color and Image Tab to the Settings Theme Page.
  • Implemented Print Preview Settings in webui2.
Improved Behavior:
  • Resolved an issue where the browser crashes when switching from the default profile to the guest profile in the search bar.
  • Resolved an issue causing a crash when switching between dark and light themes in picture-in-picture mode on Android
Changed Behavior:
  • Resolved an issue where the Sites list would become hidden after performing operations like adding, editing, or removing sites, as well as clicking the "Use all open tabs" button on sites.
  • Resolved an issue where the tab search box background color was too dark in dark mode within the tab center.
  • Resolved an issue where toggling the title bar caused misalignment issues in the tab center.
  • Resolved an issue in the settings web UI where radio buttons within a radio group should be navigable using arrow keys instead of the tab key.
  • Resolved an issue in Browser Essentials where the 'Thank You' response popups for the like and dislike buttons were overlapping.
  • Resolved an issue where the Family Safety tooltip was missing links in the web UI.
  • Resolved an issue where the background of the 'Send invite email' button appeared incorrectly when it received focus in high contrast mode within workspaces.
  • Resolved an issue where the 'Table of contents' static text did not adapt to hover text in the browser PDF reader.
  • Resolved an issue where focus was lost after clicking the close button in the search box within the tab center.
  • Mac:
    • Resolved an issue where the 'Manage Certificates' tab was missing under the 'Security' module on Mac.
  • Android:
    • Resolved an issue where the wallpaper failed to display in the wallpaper center after a browser upgrade on Android.
#6
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281 (Dev and Beta Channels)

Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who chose to upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2.

For information on the update see the details here.


#7
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281 (Dev and Beta Channels)

Note: The same Dev Channel updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2 are offered to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. These updates will be optional at first, so if you are in the Beta Channel today, you can upgrade when you are ready to do so. The plan is to make these updates recommended later this year, which means you will eventually get upgraded to 24H2-based updates automatically in the Beta Channel.

If you are an Insider in the Dev Channel, the window is open to switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel if you would like. This window will only be open for as long as the same 24H2-based updates (same build numbers) are released across both the Dev and Beta Channels. When the Dev Channel jumps ahead (higher build numbers), the window to switch will close. This window is closing soon, so you are highly encouraged to evaluate which channel you would like to be in during the time in which the window to switch is open.

New features gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on

Ability to seamlessly resume OneDrive files in 1-click from your phone to PC
We are gradually rolling out the ability to seamlessly resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. With this feature, you will get a notification asking you if you want to pick up where you left off editing a OneDrive file like a Word doc that you last viewed or edited on your phone within a 5-minute time window preceding unlocking your PC.

Upon clicking on this notification, the same file that you were viewing or editing previously on your phone will open in your default browser on your PC.

Here are some important details about how this feature works:
  • This feature works only when signing into OneDrive with a Microsoft account. Work and school accounts are not supported. And you need to be using the same Microsoft account signing into OneDrive on your phone and signing into your Windows 11 PC.
  • This feature supports Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, OneNote notebooks/pages, and PDFs.
  • The OneDrive file must be opened on your phone when your PC is locked. If you then unlock your PC within 5 minutes of accessing the file on your phone, you will receive the resume notification as noted above.
  • For the best experience using this feature, you should be logged into OneDrive in your default browser on your PC.
This feature can be managed and turned off via Settings > Apps > Resume.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers -> Linked Phone.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on

[Recall (Preview)]
Recall is currently available in preview for Windows Insiders on Windows 11, version 24H2 in the Dev and Beta Channels on Copilot+ PCs.
  • We're improving Recall on the next update. This important update will improve your experience. As part of this upcoming update, your existing snapshots will be deleted.
  • Recall filtering options are now easily accessible via the Recall system tray flyout instead of having to set filtering directly in Settings.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • We are rolling out the ability to share files directly from the jump lists on the taskbar, which appears when you right-click on an app with a jump list like Notepad the taskbar.
[Snap]
  • We are introducing an improvement to Snap in Windows 11 aimed at driving contextual learning and discovery of the feature. Inline messaging will now appear when you accidentally invoke the Snap Bar when dragging an app to the top middle of your desktop or Snap Flyout when hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button of an app. This messaging is designed to provide guidance on snapping app windows and educating users on the keyboard shortcuts for quickly snapping app windows in the future. We are trying several variants of this experience out.
[File Explorer]
  • When "Restore previous folder windows at logon" is enabled in File Explorer, we will also now restore all the extra tabs which you previously had open in each File Explorer window. As part of this work, we have also updated the logic for the "Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in" setting via Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, so that when you enable this, we will automatically enable the File Explorer specific setting for you too.
  • We're adding a new option to snooze or turn off the "Start backup" reminder in the File Explorer address bar, for those that aren't already backing up their Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folders. This option is available when you right-click "Start backup".
[Spotlight on the lock screen]
  • We're trying out a few different treatments for the top right hotspot ("Like the image that you see") on the lock screen. You can now learn more about the spotlight image on your lock screen by clicking on the "Like icon" that takes you to the Spotlight landing page.
[Spotlight on the desktop]
  • We're beginning to roll out some changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon interaction model for Windows Insiders. You can now quickly and easily discover more information about your background image by simply hovering over or clicking on the "Learn about this picture" icon on your desktop.
  • We're beginning to roll out some additional changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon for Windows Insiders to help with discoverability including changes to the icon color/backplate and moving the icon to the bottom right position on your desktop.
[Settings]
  • Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers coming to Settings homepage will begin to see a new card for referring a PC Game Pass subscription to their friends to try PC Game Pass for free. This new card will only appear on the Settings homepage if you're signed into your PC with your Microsoft account and meet the required eligibility criteria.
  • We are temporarily disabling the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator which began rolling out with Build 26120.3073. We plan to address some issues and roll it out again in a future flight.
[Other]
  • We are removing the Location History feature, an API used by Cortana to access 24 hours of device history when location was enabled. With the removal of the Location History feature, location data will no longer be saved locally, and the corresponding settings are also being removed from Settings > Privacy & security > Location page.

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Dev Channel with toggle on

[General]
  • Fixed the issue causing unexpectedly high DCOM CPU usage for some Insiders after opening the Performance section of Task Manager
[Lock screen]
  • Fixed an issue in recent flights where if you tried to reset your password from the login screen, it wouldn't work due to an underlying crash.
[File Explorer]
  • As part of our ongoing commitment to improving File Explorer accessibility, this release includes increased support for the text scaling (via Settings > Accessibility > Text size) across File Explorer, File Open/Save dialogs and the copy dialogs.
  • Fixed an issue causing the see more "..." menu in the command bar to open in the wrong direction for some resolutions.
[Taskbar & System Tray]
  • Fixed an issue when using multiple monitors, where the distance between the date and time and edge of the screen wasn't consistent.
[Improved Windows Search]

The following fixes are rolling out for improved Windows Search on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs:

  • Fixed the issue where the AI sparkle and underline animation in the File Explorer search box was not present.
  • The search box on the taskbar now has the AI sparkle and underline animation just like the File Explorer search box has.
  • Fixed the issue where In some rare cases, improved Windows search experiences may not be available and may require a reboot to start working.
  • Fixed the issue where in some rare cases, File explorer search might be unresponsive and may require a reboot to start working.
  • Fixed the issue where the tip about the new search improvements would appear whenever you set focus to the search box in File Explorer, rather than only once.
[Input]
  • Fixed an issue where if you were using a non-default mouse color (enabled in Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch), it may unexpectedly revert back to white when you encountered a UAC dialog.
[Settings]
  • Fixed an issue causing Settings to crash on launch for some Insiders.
[Other]
  • Fixed an issue for Shared PC users, where when signing in with a Guest account using Shared PC, the sign in may fail. This happened if DeviceLock password policies were configured.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to everyone in the Dev Channel

[File Explorer]
  • We are disabling account-based content in File Explorer under Recent, Favorites, Details Pane, and Recommended for Entra IDs in the European Economic Area (EEA).
#8
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4945 (Beta Channel)

Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[General]
  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.
[Spotlight on the desktop]
  • We're beginning to roll out some additional changes to the Desktop Spotlight icon for Windows Insiders to help with discoverability including changes to the icon color/backplate and moving the icon to the bottom right position on your desktop.

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[File Explorer]
  • Did some more work to improve the performance of extracting zipped files in File Explorer, particularly when you're unzipping a large number of small files.
  • Fixed a few issues impacting File Explorer reliability for Insiders.
  • Fixed an issue where opening File Explorer from the command line may result in the address bar being empty and not displaying the current path.
  • Fixed an issue where you couldn't select multiple files in the Recommended section of Home by holding Shift and clicking the files
  • Fixed an issue causing the see more "..." menu in the command bar to open in the wrong direction for some resolutions.
[Input]
  • Fixed an issue which could cause explorer.exe to crash when opening the input flyout sometimes.
  • Fixed an issue where when using the touch keyboard on the login screen to sign in to your PC, you may unexpectedly see two touch keyboards launch.
[Lock screen]
  • Fixed an issue in recent flights where if you tried to reset your password from the login screen, it wouldn't work due to an underlying crash.
#9
Ctrl2Cap v3.0 and BgInfo v4.33

Learn about the latest updates to Ctrl2Cap and BgInfo

Ctrl2Cap v3.0
Ctrl2Cap, a tool to help remap the Caps Lock key to Ctrl, has been updated to run on Windows 10 and 11, and not require a driver.
 
BgInfo v4.33
This update to BgInfo fixes two crashes, and adds text for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025.
#10
Releasing Windows 11 Build 22631.4969 to the Release Preview Channel

Below is a summary of the new features and improvements included as part of this update separated into two sections: gradual rollout and normal rollout. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting.

Gradual rollout

The following features and improvements might not be available to all users because they will roll out gradually. Text bolded in brackets indicate the area of the change being documented.
  • [Taskbar] New! You can now share files directly from a jump list on the taskbar. Jump lists appear when you right-click an app that has a jump list.
  • [Windows Spotlight]
    • New! There's a quick and easy way to find out more information about a background image. Simply hover over the image or click the "Learn about this picture" icon.
    • New! This update makes Windows Spotlight easier to find. You'll notice changes to the icon color and background. Also, the icon will show at the lower right area on your desktop.
  • [Lock screen] New! This update makes it easier to learn more about the image on your lock screen when you click the "Like" icon.
  • [Narrator] New! There are new functions for Narrator scan mode. Skip past links (n) allows you to go to the text after a link. Use the comma (,) to jump to the start of an item (large table, long list, or another item.) Use the period (.) to jump to the end of an item. This is most helpful when you read long emails, news articles, and wiki pages. Jump to lists (l) allows you to quickly access a list on a web page or in a document. To use these new functions, turn on Narrator first (Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter). Then turn scan mode on by pressing Caps lock + Spacebar. Note that scan mode is on by default on most web pages (like news articles, wiki page, and so on).
  • [Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers] New! Some of you might see a new referral card for a PC Game Pass subscription on the Settings home page. With it, you can invite friends and family to try a PC Game Pass for free. If you qualify, the card only appears when you sign in to your PC using your Microsoft account.
  • [File Explorer]
    • New! You can now snooze or turn off the "Start backup" reminder in the File Explorer address bar. This only applies if you are not already backing up your files and folder. To view this new option, right-click Start backup.
    • Fixed: When you enter a URL in the address bar, it might not go to the location.
    • Fixed: The address bar overlaps files when you use the F11 full-screen mode.
    • Fixed: The context menu opens slowly when you right-click cloud files.
    • Thumbnails for cloud files display more consistently in search results.
  • [Start menu] Fixed: The colors are wrong when you open the account manager flyout menu. This occurs when you use a mixed dark and light custom mode in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
  • [Mouse] Fixed: In Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, you can choose a color for the mouse that is not the default. When you choose a color, it reverts to white after the User Account Control (UAC) dialog appears.

Normal rollout

This update includes the following features and improvements that are rolling out as part of this update. Text bolded in brackets indicates the area of the change being documented.

  • [File Explorer] We are disabling account-based content in File Explorer under Recent, Favorites, Details Pane, and Recommended for Entra IDs in the European Economic Area (EEA).
  • [Daylight saving time (DST)] This update supports (DST) changes in Paraguay.
  • [dwm.exe] Fixed: It stops responding many times.
  • [Country and Operator Settings Asset] This update brings COSA profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
  • [Open Secure Shell (OpenSSH) (known issue)] Fixed: The service fails to start, which stops SSH connections. There is no detailed logging, and you must run the sshd.exe process manually.