Microsoft Teams public preview now lets users swap meeting content with Gallery view

Microsoft Teams is getting a new feature that will allow users to swap between shared content and Gallery view during meetings. The feature is now rolling out to public preview users in the Windows 10 and macOS desktop clients.

The new swap experience in Teams meetings brings support for clicking on the video feeds to swap the content with the participants’ gallery. “When you have a meeting and someone shares content, you can now click on participant videos in gallery view to swap the content with gallery,” the company explained. “By clicking on participant videos, you are able to swap. So you can bring videos to the center and content like shared desktop/window, PowerPoint Live presentation or Whiteboard to the side/top.”

Microsoft noted that participants will need to click on the shared content again to put it back to the center of the meeting window. Moreover, the swap feature is also supported in the Large Gallery view and Together mode. Previously, the app used to disable the 49-person Large Gallery view in screen sharing mode, but this release lets users enable Large Gallery while sharing content or screen.

The software giant has also outlined some limitations that will apply to the swap experience in Teams. Currently, Whiteboard content and PowerPoint Live presentations cannot be viewed in the swap state. The feature is still in preview, and Microsoft will likely address this issue before making it generally available for everyone.

Twitter’s new font and buttons are now live in the Windows 11 and 10 app

Twitter began rolling out a new design for the social network on all of its supported platforms this week and this fresh look is now live within the official Twitter app on Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices.

The biggest change with the Twitter revamp is the addition of Chirp, a new font designed exclusively for Twitter. Twitter’s Derrit DeRouen claimed in a thread on his personal account that it was important for Chirp to be “sharp and legible” though the font has been met with a lot of criticism from users with many claiming that Twitter is now ironically harder to read with words now feeling like one big wall of text that’s hard to skim.

Some have some have even claimed that the new Twitter font is giving them headaches.

In addition to the new font, Twitter has also adjusted spacing between various elements to make the experience less crowded while the Follow and Following buttons have been turned a solid black or white instead of the previous blue (or custom colors chosen by the user.)

Unfortunately, this button change has also been met with a lot of criticism as some have found the choice to be counterintuitive with the opposite color being chosen for the buttons than what many find more natural.

When the new style rolled out, there were several users who claimed that they had accidentally unfollowed accounts when intending to follow them because the button color made it look like they weren’t already following an account that they thought they were.

This may seem like a hard mistake to make with the words Follow and Following shown on the buttons themselves but I actually made this same mistake this morning. It seems to be a legit issue.

Have you tried Twitter since these changes were made? Let us know about your experience in the comments below and then follow us on Twitter for more Windows news.

Build 22000.132 brings Chat from Teams to Beta channel Insiders

Just in case you were already bored with the current Windows 11 Insider build, Microsoft is already launching another one.

Yes, you heard correctly. Last week we witnessed the release of build 22000.120, but now 22000.132 is already available is now available for users in the Dev and Beta Channels, through the Windows Insider program.

We’ve now reached the sixth cumulative update for Windows 11 RTM Build 22000, and this one comes with few important changes, or any new features or significant improvements.

If you check for updates today, a new patch called Cumulative Update for Windows 11 (10.0.22000.132) (KB5005190) will appear available for download.

Chat from Teams is coming to Beta channel

This new Windows 11 build, even though not as big as the others, still brings somewhat important changes and features to the table.

For example, Chat from Microsoft Teams is now available for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel. Also rolling out will be the one-to-one and group audio and video calling, with many of the features that you’ve come to expect.

You will be able to toggle your microphone and camera on or off and choose your preferred speakers, mic, and camera with device settings. You can also manage meeting information and options.

Furthermore, you can share your screen, see the roster of participants, admit meeting participants from the lobby, chat, and see people’s videos in a gallery view.

Besides the new Teams addition, through this build, we are also getting the new Snipping Tool for Windows 11, updated Calculator app, and updated Mail and Calendar apps.

All of the above-mentioned apps will be rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.

The Microsoft Store also got updated to version 22108.1401.0

Microsoft is also beginning to roll out the Store update (version 22108.1401.0) with auto-scrolling on Spotlight.

Besides that, the Store app gets a new gaming PDP (product detail page) design and the new Ratings and Reviews dialog to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel.

Pretty neat right? It was interesting to see how the Windows 11 Store transitioned from being one of the most unstable apps, to receiving so many improvements and offering a pleasant experience.

Build 22000.132 fixes and improvements

As we said above, compared to previous Windows 11 builds this one doesn’t come with a large chunk of fixes and improvements, but just enough to slightly tweak some irritating issues.

Microsoft announced that via KB5005190, they will be fixing:

  • Search:
    • Did some work to address a scenario where the recent searches list displayed when hovering over the Search icon in the Taskbar was unexpectedly blank.
  • Widgets:
    • Fixed the issue where launching links from the widgets board wasn’t always invoking apps to the foreground.
    • Clicking the widgets icon in the Taskbar should open it on the correct monitor now.
  • Windows Sandbox:
    • The Taskbar (Explorer.exe) should no longer repeatedly crash inside of Windows Sandbox.
  • Other:
    • Addressed an issue leading to some Insiders experiencing a bug check when attempting to roll back in the previous flight.
    • Mitigated an issue that was making certain games go unresponsive after pressing the Enter key.
    • Fixed an issue where the “location in use” indicator icon wasn’t showing up in the Taskbar when it should have been.

Known issues

Don’t go thinking that this Insider build is perfect and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Windows 11 is still in its testing phase so we are bound to run into more issues.

However, Microsoft is bringing to our attention some of the problems that the new build has, as follows:

  • [REMINDER] When upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 or when installing an update to Windows 11, some features may be deprecated or removed.
  • Investigating an issue where on some devices, when going to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program, only the “Stop getting preview builds” option is visible. This prevents Insiders from selecting a channel.
  • [BETA CHANNEL] Investigating reports from Insiders in the Beta Channel where after upgrading to Windows 11, they are not seeing the new Taskbar and the Start menu doesn’t work. To workaround this if you are impacted, please try going to Windows Update > Update history, uninstalling the latest cumulative update for Windows, and the reinstall it by checking for updates.
  • Start:
    • In some cases, you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the Taskbar. If you experience the issue, press WIN + R on the keyboard to launch the Run dialog box, then close it.
    • System and Windows Terminal is missing when right-clicking on the Start button (WIN + X).
  • Taskbar:
    • The Taskbar will sometimes flicker when switching input methods.
  • Search:
    • After clicking the Search icon on the Taskbar, the Search panel may not open. If this occurs, restart the “Windows Explorer” process, and open the search panel again.
    • Search panel might appear as black and not display any content below the search box.
    • On pen enabled devices, apps may not launch from the Search panel. If you experience this issue, please log out and back in to resolve the issue.
  • Settings:
    • Certain searches using the search box in Settings may crash Settings.
  • Widgets:
    • The Widgets board may appear empty. To work around the issue, you can sign out and then sign back in again.
    • Widgets may be displayed in the wrong size on external monitors. If you encounter this, you can launch the widgets via touch or WIN + W shortcut on your actual PC display first and then launch on your secondary monitors.
    • [Family widget] Some users may see a ‘connect a device to see screen time activity’ message even with screen time settings enable.
    • [Family widget] Location information may not be available for some users on iOS.
  • Store:
    • We are working to improve search relevance in the Store including resolving an issue where in some cases the ordering of search results is inaccurate.
    • The install button might not be functional yet in some limited scenarios.
    • Rating and reviews are not available for some apps.
  • Windows Sandbox
    • Within Windows Sandbox, the language input switcher does not launch after clicking the switcher icon on the Taskbar. As a workaround, users can switch their input language via any of the following hardware keyboard shortcuts: Alt + Shift, Ctrl + Shift, or Win + Space (the third option is available only if Sandbox is full-screened).
    • Within Windows Sandbox, the IME context menu does not launch after clicking the IME icon in the Taskbar. As workarounds, users can access the functionalities of the IME context menu with either of following methods:
      • Accessing the IME settings via Settings > Time & language >  Language & region > (e.g. Japanese) three dots > Language options > (e.g. Microsoft IME) three dots > Keyboard options.
        • Optionally, you may also enable the IME toolbar, an alternative UI to quickly invoke specific IME functions. Continuing from above, navigate to Keyboard options > Appearance > Use IME toolbar.
      • Using the unique set of hardware keyboard shortcuts associated with each IME-supported language. (See: Japanese IME Shortcuts, Traditional Chinese IME Shortcuts).
  • Localization
    • There is an issue where some Insiders may be some missing translations from their user experience for a small subset of languages running the latest Insider Preview builds. To confirm if you have been impacted, please visit this Answers forum post and follow the steps for remediation.
  • Chat from Microsoft Teams
    • Experience is localized for English (US) only. Additional languages and locales forthcoming.
    • When you make an outgoing call, while you do not hear a ring tone, the user interface shows that the call is getting connected.
    • In a video call, sometimes people videos freeze or display a black image. There is a workaround to this issue, which is to pin the video that freezes and unpin it to fix the problem.
    • When switching between calls, the previous call is not automatically put on hold, so audio and video streams continue on both calls. Be sure to complete a call before taking another.

How do I install KB5005188?

  1. Access the Settings menu and go the Windows Update tab.
  2. You should see the update as pending download so go ahead and click the Download button.windows 11 update
  3. The patch will start downloading automatically.
  4. Click on “Restart now” to finish the installation.

Have you already installed the new Windows 11 Insider build? Tell us all about your experience in the comments section below.

How to Use Start11 to Get the Classic Start Menu in Windows 11

Windows 11 Classic Start Menu Start11 is the solution many users are turning to because the new OS Start menu doesn’t satisfy everyone’s expectations. While Windows 11 looks sleek, not all design choices hit the mark, especially when it comes to the Start menu experience.

How to Get the Classic Start Menu Back on Windows 11 with Start11

Step 1: Download Start11

Step 2: Install Start11

  • Run the installer and follow the prompts.
  • Once installed, Start11 will open automatically.

Step 3: Pick Your Start Menu Style

  • In the Start11 control panel, click Start Menu from the sidebar.
  • Choose your favorite look:
    • Windows 7 Style (classic and familiar)
    • Windows 10 Style (modern, clean feel)
    • Modern Style (a fresh take with minimal design)
  • Hit Apply and watch the magic happen.

Step 4: Customize It Your Way (Optional)

  • Start11 lets you tweak:
    • Transparency of the menu
    • Icon size and spacing
    • Search bar behavior
  • Plus, under Taskbar settings, you can:
    • Move the taskbar top or bottom
    • Restore the classic right-click menu
    • Ungroup taskbar icons like Windows 10

Windows 11 does offer some built-in options to adjust the Start menu and taskbar, like pinning apps or moving the taskbar icons to the left. However, these built-in tweaks don’t let you fully restore the classic Start menu layout or customize many aspects like Start11 does. You can read more about what Windows 11’s native options offer and where they fall short in this guide on changing Windows 11 to classic view.

Why Start11 Is Still Worth It in 2025

Start11 started as a way to bring back the Windows 7 Start menu look on Windows 10, but now it has evolved to fully support Windows 11 customization, even in its beta phase. For $4.99, you get more than just style; you get powerful tweaks that Microsoft has not included by default.

Stardock CEO Brad Wardell said the beta focuses on restoring functionality lost in the new Start menu, with plans to add features like pages, tabs, and better enterprise support.

Microsoft rolls out the first inbox app updates in Windows 11 — covers Mail+ Calendar, Snipping Tool, Calculator

Alongside today’s Windows 11 build, Microsoft is also rolling out the first inbox app updates in Windows 11 for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Covering the Snipping Tool, Calendar, Calculator & Mail+ Calendar app, here’s a look at what you need to know.

We start first with the Snipping Tool. This app was teased by Panos Panay a few days ago. With it, both the classic Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch apps are now replaced by a new Snipping Tool app. The messaging about trying Snip & Sketch has also been removed as a result. Microsoft says that the app represents the best experiences of both apps in the next evolution of screen capture for Windows. Some changes in it include rounded corners and visual refreshes, and new iconography in the app itself. There’s even a dark mode! Check these out in the gallery below.

As for the Calculator app, there’s not anything much that has changed here. It now has an app theme setting so you can set the app in a different theme from Windows. Under the hood, the app has also been rewritten in C# code, so that more people can help make the app better on GitHub. You’ll still find some of the same features as the past, like a graphing calculator, and more.

Finally, for Mail & Calendar, Microsoft has updated the app with rounded corners. These apps now fit better in Windows 11. Both app still reflects the dark or light WIndows theme but both look to largely be the same as in the past with the exception of the lack of squared-off corners.

Again, these changes are only rolling out for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Everyone else will see it at a later time. Let us know what you think of the new look for these apps by dropping us a comment below.

If you installed KB5005033, watch out for these issues

It comes as no surprise that some bugs have managed to shimmy their way in some new software, especially if we’re talking about Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday patch release since we’ve always had to deal with such situations.

And although some thought that this might even be one of the rare occasions where the Redmond company delivers issue-free fixes, unfortunately, it’s not the case.

If you are running Windows 10 versions 21H1, 20H2, or 2004, it’s highly possible that you’ve dealt with some of the issues we are about to list, since you’ve installed KB5005033.

These are the bugs that came with KB5005033

KB5005033 creates issues with deskptop icons

It wasn’t long since the big patch package was released by Microsoft and already users are reporting on some serious problems that they’ve had to deal with it since installing said software.

We’ve now learned that, after installing KB5005033, some people are having trouble with their desktop icons. They either get deleted or turn blank and unresponsive.

There is no apparent reason for why this is happening, but we’re sure that the engineers at Microsoft will be looking into it.

Can’t install KB5005033

While some users are struggling with the issues that came with the cumulative update, others haven’t quite gotten around to installing it yet, and not for lack of trying.

Reports are coming in that many people are still having trouble with applying this software, after downloading it.

To be honest the only real reason I want to update is I have a Windows Mixed Reality VR headset and it likely needs the update. I have even tried manually downloading the update from Microsofts catalog but it fails during manual installation about 20% in. The source media I used for the installation of Windows was the Windows Media Creation Tool from a few months ago.

The user that reported this issue is trying to install KB5005033 on his Windows 10 Pro, version 20H2, device.

Error 0x80070003 while trying to install KB5005033

It seems that being unable to install this cumulative update is a much wider spread problem than we initially thought. Many people are struggling with installing the fix patch and are unsure why this is happening.

But this case doesn’t just relate to the new cumulative update, as the user explains that he has trouble trying to install other updates as well.

After only going through with half a quarter of the installation, the system stops the process, restarts, and then reverts the changes.

Trouble installing August SSU and CU if you lack May SSU

Apparently, if you skipped one of the SSU packages that came in the previous months, installing the current ones won’t be such a walk in the park after all.

As this Reddit user soon found out, he had to perform a few more tasks than initially planned, just in order to successfully apply KB5005033 to his OS.

I was excited to hear yesterday that MS had released a separate August SSU to resolve the issue with the superseded and required May SSU. However, with my initial testing on the machines in my org that fall into this category (still on April CU because of missing may patches), the August SSU installed and the CU KB5005033 show installed. However the OS build Version doesn’t change. Found it odd as well that when ConfigMgr finished installing CU, no restart required.


This is a matter worth looking into with more details so we will keep an open eye for reports concerning problems that users encounter after installing any of the August Patch Tuesday cumulative updates.

Once we hear of such issues, you will as well, so we can keep track and know exactly what to expect from Microsoft’s latest patch batch.

What issues have you run into since installing KB5005033? Let us know in the comments section below.

FIX: Microsoft Print to PDF blocking Windows 10/11 upgrade

Back when Microsoft released Windows 10, the update schedule changed along with the brand new operating system.

Instead of releasing a version once every 3 or 4 years, the company stated that it would constantly improve the OS.

Besides the security updates that roll out weekly, the system receives full-fledged content and overhauls twice a year.

After those builds were released, users started receiving the message Windows 10 is nearing the end of support.

Although it was confusing at first, it quickly became clear that the error was intended to inform those who didn’t update their system’s that their current builds would no longer be supported by Microsoft.

Usually, your version of Windows 10 is nearing the end of service would be displayed in the Windows Update tab, and could easily be resolved by simply updating your operating system. However, quite a few people encountered an issue with the Windows Update.

The service displays the usual message informing them about their OS nearing the end of support, yet there’s no option to upgrade to a newer version of Windows 10.

Instead, Windows says that the user’s operating system is up to date. Some users posted their issue on Reddit:

What is going on here? – Windows tells me that it’s nearing end-of-life, yet I see no option to upgrade or update.

Windows 10 is nearing the end of support with no option to upgrade

Fortunately, we now know the reason behind the problem, as one user stated in the same Reddit thread:

I used the Update Assistant to learn that my version of Windows would not update because the device driver for Microsoft Print to PDF was not compatible with the upgrade. Yes, Microsoft’s own print driver blocks the Microsoft update. Great jerb!

Apparently, if one of your device’s drivers is not compatible with the upgrade, you won’t be able to do it.

Basically, Microsoft is blocking the update. The quickest solution is to remove the driver. But that’s not all, as the OP noticed:

I had to disable or remove it manually. A couple actually; some FAX driver too. (FAX, lol). The real problem is there was no way to know what was blocking the upgrade without going through the manual upgrader.

So, there is no way to know what caused the issue without using the Microsoft Update Assistant to show all the problematic drivers or apply some quick troubleshooting tips.

What can I do when getting the end of life message in Windows 10?

1. Use the Windows Update Assistant

  1. Download the Windows Update Assistant from the official website.
  2. Open the Assistant and select Update Now.
  3. The app will check if your pc is compatible. If it is, click Next.

  4. Now, the app will check once more if your PC is compatible.
  5. If you get the message that there isn’t enough space to install the update, select a drive that has enough or make some room, then click Next.
  6. After the process has run it’s course, click Restart Now.

Keep in mind that you should remove any peripherals from your PC during the updating process since some of the drivers might interfere with it.

2. Disable the printer drivers

  1. Press the Windows Key + S and type in Settings.
  2. Select Devices.
  3. Then, go to Printers & Scanners.

  4. Left-click on the device you wish to disable and select  Remove  Device.

Since there are many ways to do it, we included all of them in this extensive guide for disabling printer drivers.

Alternatively, there are also plenty of driver removal tools that will delete any leftovers of junk files that could cause problems on your PC.

3. Use the Media Creation Tool

  1. Download the Media Creation Tool.
  2. Run the tool and accept the ToS.
  3. Make sure your have Keep personal apps and files turned on and click  Install.
  4. Wait for the process to finish (your device will restart a couple of times during it).

You don’t need to create a bootable DVD or USB to run the tool. Simply download it and you’re good to go. The Creation Tool will update the system to the latest available version, without removing any of the files.

4. Use the Windows Update troubleshooter

  1. Press the Windows Key + S and type in Settings.
  2. Open Settings and select Update & Security.
  3. Go to Troubleshoot, then Additional Troubleshooters.
  4. Next, under Get up and running, click on Windows Update, then Run troubleshooter.
  5. After the troubleshooting is done, restart your device.

If there is a problem with the updating system on your device, running the Windows Troubleshooter will scan and solve any issue that is found.

There are other third-party tools that will repair the Windows. However, they might not be needed in this case, so only check them out if no other solution worked.

The update might be rolled out later

Well, there is a chance that Microsoft has yet to release the update, so that’s why your PC cannot find any new versions.

You might be in another batch of rollouts. For example, an old Windows version that is about to expire pertaining to a rollout batch that hasn’t been properly tuned yet won’t go live until after everything is finished.

Join the Insiders Program for preview builds

Users who wish to test out new OS builds and offer feedback to help Microsoft flesh out bugs can enroll in the Windows Insider Program.

To join the Insider Program, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Windows Key + S and type in Settings.
  2. Then, go to Update & Security.

  3. Next, go to Windows Insider Program and select Get Started.
  4. Click on Link Account to choose one and get started.
  5. Choose either the Dev Channel, Beta Channel, or the Release Preview, depending on prefference and select Confirm.
  6. Select Confirm once more.
  7. Now, choose Restart Now.

What happens after Windows 10’s end of life?

After a Windows 10 version enters its end of service, it is practically dead. Microsoft will no longer support it with weekly updates.

This means that the version will not receive updates of any kind, including security patches and updates.

In the long run, it is really dangerous to stick with a dead Windows version, because as time goes on, the system will become more insecure, even if the computer will continue to work just fine.

Additionally, popular software will slowly stop supporting these legacy versions of Windows, ultimately leaving you with outdated apps.

That’s how you can join the Insiders Program and either preview features or test out the upcoming Windows 11 on the Dev or Beta channels.

Check out this article about downloading Windows 11 Insider builds. It contains all the information you need.

Hopefully, one of the solutions above helped with the problem. It is important to get rid of this error since older Windows 10 versions no longer get security updates. This will leave you open to cyberattacks.

Go ahead and try out all of our methods, then enjoy the newest features and improvements to your favorite operating system.

If you have any questions or something to say regarding the subject, don’t hesitate to do so in the comments section below.

Microsoft Word will let users track their own changes on Windows and Mac

Microsoft has announced some improvements coming to the Track Changes feature in Word for Windows and Mac. The company has started rolling out an update to Office Insiders that lets them track their own changes only in Word documents.

If you’re unfamiliar, Track Changes is a built-in feature in Microsoft Word that keeps a record of all edits to the document, lets users leave comments, and more. Currently, users can see all the changes made by all users collaborating on the Word document, and it doesn’t provide an option just to review their own edits.

The latest Office Insider update addresses this issue by bringing a new “Just Mine” option. “By default, all changes are tracked when the Track Changes button is selected on the Review tab, whether the changes are made by the author or other collaborators. With this new functionality, you can now tell Word to track only your changes (“Just Mine”). This allows you to track your own changes without forcing others to track theirs,” the Office Insider team explained.

GIF showing the Just Mine option for Track Changes in Word.

To get started, users will need to select the Review tab in any Microsoft Word document. From there, click the “Track Changes” button and then choose the “Just Mine” option from the dropdown menu. Finally, edit the document to add comments as needed.

This new feature is available for testers in the Beta Channel builds on both Windows and Mac. It should help users save some time and effort while collaborating on Word files with multiple authors. However, there is no word on when these improvements will be available for web users.

PrintNightmare lives on for Microsoft with yet another vulnerability

The ongoing problem that is PrintNightmare just won’t end for Microsoft. The company has once again posted yet another security advisory in relation to the Windows Print Spooler service (via BleepingComputer.)

Assigned as CVE-2021-36958, this latest advisory sounds a bit familiar if you’re following this saga closely. That’s because, despite a recent security patch that requires administrator privileges for running Point and Print driver installations and updates, there’s still one glaring problem.

Someone with physical access to a PC can still gain system privileges if a set of rogue printer drivers (discovered last month by security researcher Benjamin Delp) for a network printer are already installed. Basically, you don’t need administrative privileges in cases where you need to connect to a printer or a print server when drivers are already installed. This will then allow the remote code to still be excuted as described by Microsoft:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

Microsoft is calling this a “remote code execution,” but this is actually a local one, with physical access being required. Microsoft credited FusionX, Accenture Security’s Victo Mata for this bug, and it’s likely that the advisory could be updated in a few days to “escalation of privilege,” according to Bleeping Computer.

Once again, there’s not yet a patch for this latest bug and Microsoft is working on a new fix. If you’re worried, you’ll have to disable the Print Spooler and prevent your device from printing. However, you can also change your settings so that your PC will only install printers from authorized servers. This can be done through the Group Policy Editor, as described by the security researcher Benjamin Delpy.

Best Online Background Removers & How to Use Them [Photo, Video, PDF]

A background remover can really come in handy when you want to make your subject stand out or aren’t really fond of what’s going on behind it.

Many apps let you do this, but today we’ll focus on the easy & simple ones: online background removers. We’ll explain how they work and how to use them so you’ll know exactly what to pick.

Best online background remover

First, let’s take a quick look at our top picks so you can quickly scroll down to the one you figure has the best capabilities for your needs:

FeatureinPixio online editorAdobe ExpressRemove BGClipping MagicCanvaUnscreen
Automatic Background Removal✔✔✔✔✔✔
Editing Tools✔✔✔✔✔✔
Download OptionsJPG onlyPNG, JPGPNG, JPGJPG onlyPNG, JPG, PDF, SVGGIF, PNG, single frames
User Interface✔✔✔✔✔✔
Bulk Processing✘✘✔ (with subscription)✔ (with subscription)✘✘
Advanced AI Capabilities✔✔✔✔✔✔
Video Background Remover✘✘✘✘✘✘

Now, let’s see how to use them

How to remove image background with an online tool

1. Use inPixio online editor

  1. Go to the inPixio Remove Background website.
  2. Click on the ADD Photo button or simply drag and drop your image in the designated area.
  3. In the next window you will see the image you uploaded and now you only need to click the Remove background button.
  4. As you can see from our screenshot, the app identified all the objects in the foreground and removed the background.
  5. If you don’t like the result, you can always use the Undo and Redo buttons from the top.
  6. You can also add a different background if you click on the Background genius button from the left and select one of the tens of choices available.
  7. If you still can’t find one that fits your creation, you may also click the Generate backdrop genius button to generate a background using AI.
  8. You can use a prompt or an existing image, but this is a paid feature so you will need a paid account to use it.
  9. When you’re done, you can click the Download button from the top-right corner, select one of the options and click the bottom Download button.
  10. You will notice that the free option will download the image with an inPixio logo at a lower resolution (400×400 pixels in our case). For high resolution and no logo, you will need a paid inPixio Pro account.

As you have seen above, inPixio Remove Background comes with an artificial intelligence feature that automatically recognizes objects within an image so it’s a lot easier to achieve your goal.

It works best with images where foreground objects are clearly outlined, though it handles some out-of-focus details too.

It’s free and allows unlimited image processing, but saves files only in JPG format, limiting background changes.

Some of inPixio’s Remove Background key features include:

  • Background remover
  • Image resize and crop
  • Auto image correction
  • Red-eye remover
  • Photo filters
  • Image effects

⇒ Get inPixio online editor

2. Use Adobe Express online app

  1. Go to the Adobe Express online background remover website.
  2. Click on the Upload your photo button.
  3. You can now either drag and drop your image in the designated area, click the Browse your device or pick a sample photo.
  4. As soon as you indicate the file, it will be uploaded, processed and you will see the final result.
  5. You now need to click the Download button but you will need to sign-in in your account.
  6. In the next window, you can either choose to Sign up or Sign in if you already have an account.
  7. If you choose the first option, you need to fill some data in a dedicated form and click on the Create account button at the bottom.
  8. Once you create the account or sign-in, you will automatically be prompted to select the desired location of the file and rename it as you wish.
  9. After you download the file, you will see a dialogue inviting you to use the resulting image in a dedicated editor.
  10. If you choose to go with the editor, you will find countless options to insert the background from your collection or select one from the library, to resize the object, to replace the brand and colors with your own and much more.

Separating your subject from the background is incredibly easy when using the Adobe Express background remover online tool.

The tool removes even complex backgrounds with precision. After downloading your image as a transparent PNG, you can easily integrate it into other visuals using a photo editor.

Adobe Express also offers extensive personalization options, including rebranding, adding effects, and adjusting dimensions.

Key features:

  • Easy to use
  • Fast background removal in two steps
  • Advanced AI for precise outlining
  • Free for a limited time
  • Transparent PNG download

⇒ Get Adobe Spart online background remover

3. Use Remove BG online tool

  1. Go to the Remove BG website and click on the Login / Sign up button from the top-right.
  2. Now you can either log in with a Kaleido account or create a new one or go with the easier way of logging in with your Facebook or Google account.
  3. Click on the Upload image button.
  4. Once you pick the photo from your hard drive, the image will be analized and the background will disappear like magic.
  5. Now you only need to download the result in a preview resolution or the original resolution, up to 25 megapixels.
  6. You can also toggle to see the original image and see the transformation.
  7. There is also the option to edit the image by clicking the Edit button and selecting Preview.
  8. In the next window you will be able to apply a blur effect or change the background with a color or an image from the ones available in the library.
  9. If you click on the Erase / Restore tab, you will be able to erase the object or restore the background in a certain region by using a brush.

Remove BG is a quick and reliable tool for fast background removal. With a subscription, you can process up to 500 images per minute.

Each file removal costs one credit, with a free plan offering just one credit. Choose a monthly subscription or a pay-as-you-go credit pack based on your needs.

The app is user-friendly but offers basic editing tools.

Key features:

  • Smart AI for automatic background removal
  • Bulk processing with subscription
  • Paste image or URL option
  • Blur effect
  • Fast results

⇒ Get Remove BG

4. Use Clipping Magic in your browser

  1. Go to the Clipping Magic website in your browser and click on Create account.
  2. You will be asked to provide an e-mail address and a password. Click on Create account after you complete.
  3. Press the Pick Image to Upload button to select a picture to edit or just drag-and-drop it into the designated area on the left.
  4. After processing the image, you will get the original photo on the left and the one with the background removed on the right. You only need to click the Dowload button to get your file.
  5. Before downloading the result, you can also use a couple of editing tools in the top left corner of the screen. The plus and minus icons are for keeping and removing portions of the image by using a brush. There is also an eraser that can clear the markings and a cutting tool that is also dividing the markings like a knife.
  6. To their right, you also have the Undo or Redo buttons and the zoom buttons that will help you handle the image properly.
  7. After you click the Download button, you will be taken to the download page but you will also learn that you can only get a preview version and you need a subscription to download the high resolution version.

Clipping Magic is another web app for removing image backgrounds. However, you can’t save edited images to your hard drive without a monthly subscription.

Its interface is a little bit more rudimentary than the one from Remove BG but it does have a side-by-side viewing option.

However, Clipping Magic doesn’t have the option of adding another background right from the web app, a thing that we consider to be a downside.

Some key features include:

  • Auto-Clip AI
  • Hair tools
  • Keep and Remove features
  • Paste image or URL option
  • Intuitive interface

⇒ Get Clipping Magic

5. Use Canva

  1. Go to Canva’s website and click on the Try Canva Pro Free for 30 days button.
  2. You will be taken to the payment form where you need to complete your data and click on the Get your free trial button at the bottom. No money will be withdrawn from your account.
  3. Click on the Create a design button from the top-right.
  4. From the drop-down menu, select Edit photo.
  5. Select the photo from your drive and click the Open button.
  6. Select the Edit photo button.
  7. Now you only need to click on the Effects tab on the top left and select the Background Remover tool from the left pane.
  8. As you can see from our screenshot, the backgroung magically disappeared. You now have the options to erase and restore tools from the top left and once you make the final adjustments, you can click the Apply button from bottom-left.
  9. Click the Download button from the top right corner of the screen, select the output format (PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG) and check below if you want to keep the transparent background, if you want to compress the file or save this download settings to use in the future.
  10. Finally, hit the Download button below and select a target folder on your drive.

Canva is a popular online design tool favored by social media and marketing professionals for its ease of use and intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.

You can start from scratch or use a wide range of templates for everything from infographics to social media posts.

While Canva doesn’t support .indd files directly, you can convert them to PDF for editing. Both a free and a premium version are available, with background removal included only in the paid plan, though a 30-day trial is offered.

Key features:

  • Text animations
  • Team collaboration
  • Wide range of photo effects and filters
  • Thousands of icons and design elements
  • Pre-made templates
  • Photo straightener

⇒ Get Canva

Use Clipping Magic (for bulk files)

  1. Go to the Clipping Magic dedicated bulk removal website and click on sign up for a Bulk Clipping plan. You will need a paid subscription in order to perform a bulk action in removing backgrounds from photos.
  2. Once you’ve signed up for a paid plan that allows you to perform bulk actions, return to the app and you can either click on the Upload images button to select them from your drive or just drag and drop them in the designated area.
  3. Once they are uploaded, you will be brought to the editor app which we already described how to use in step number 4 from our guide.

Not many online tools offer this bulk action function for removing the background from photos and this is usually a premium feature even for desktop applications.

As you’ve seen from this brief guide, you can do it with Clipping Magic, but you will need to sign up for a paid plan in that regard.

Use Unscreen (for video)

  1. Go to the Unscreen dedicated website (it’s a dedicated video tool from Remove BG).
  2. Click on the Upload Clip button.
  3. Select the clip from your drive and wait for the app to process it. The bigger the video, the longer the processing time.
  4. The result will be a preview with a transparent background, just like you’ve seen for the image processing.
  5. However, you can add all sorts of backgrounds like images, plain colors, and even your own video by using the menu at the bottom of the preview screen.
  6. Now you can select the download output option (GIF, animated PNG or single frames) and you can hit the Download button to get the file on your drive.

Unscreen is a great online tool to remove the background from a video but you should note that with the free version you will only get a few seconds of your video.

If you want to get the full-length video, HD resolution, and no watermark, you will need to process the video with the Unscreen Pro version.

Also, you can read our article including the best green-screen software. They also have background removing features that you might use.

How do background removal tools work?

They are either manual tools, like the one from Photoshop, or special features that automatically detect objects in an image and create the cutout in an instant.

As you will see in our guide, there are modern tools (available online) that use artificial intelligence to detect the limits of objects with pinpoint accuracy.

However, when it comes to more difficult background removal tasks, you can always try a tool from our list including the best photo editing software that will provide more accurate tools.

And if you happen to work with photos but you

Quick tips for background removal

➡ Pay attention to photo quality

If you’re going to use an automatic tool like the ones from our list above, make sure you use high-quality images.

Artificial Intelligence is a great feature but if the photo is blurry or unclear, even the best software will not be able to get the outlines of the objects you want to isolate.

➡ Enhance brightness and contrast

If you still need to work with a less inspired photo, try to adjust its brightness and contrast before attempting to remove the background.

Even if you’re using a manual tool, you will have a hard time doing a cutout in these conditions. You can also use specialized software to zoom images without losing quality to enhance the part you need.

As you can see in the screenshot above, even the Photo app from Windows 10 has an editing feature that comes with a clarity adjusting tool.

➡ Always check twice

After removing the background in an image, always check the original to see if the objects that you want to keep are complete.

Sometimes, the background removal tools can mistake some of the elements of your object with the background and remove them.

Before getting anything started, you need to know exactly what the volume of work and quality standards are.

If you work, for example, for a fashion catalog and you need to remove the background from 500 images per day, you will probably prefer an automatic tool and get a subscription for that volume of work.

Instead, if you have more complicated tasks but a lower volume, manual background removal will be the best choice for you.

Summary

We’ve had a pretty good experience with the automatic tools listed above. They are quick but the results are not always perfect for more complicated images so you should test them before engaging.

You can also utilize more general image-editing web apps to remove backdrops but their capabilities will be very limited.

Have you tried one of these online photo background changers? Let us know in the comments section below.

Microsoft and SAP India launch a tech skilling program for underserved women in India

Microsoft and SAP India have launched a joint skilling program, TechSaksham, for empowering young women students from underserved communities to build careers in technology. With an aim to build digital equity, the collaborative, pan-India initiative will look at skilling 62,000 women students in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, web design, and digital marketing.

The program will partner with the AICTE Training and Learning Academy and State Collegiate Education departments to support the professional development of faculty at participating institutes. AICTE is the statutory body and a national-level regulatory council for technical education of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

In the first year of implementation, the initiative will train 1,500 teachers and each faculty trained will be equipped to support over 50 students in one year, impacting 60,000 – 75,000 students. After the first year of the program, select teachers and institutes will be identified to establish a nodal center in each target geography. In the subsequent years, these nodal centers will drive outreach to regional institutions and create local community and industry linkages to create career pathways for all participating students.

TechSaksham - India

 

The program will focus on building skills of the future and scalable ecosystems for sustenance. It will also look at establishing college to industry linkages helping students with opportunities for internships, jobs, and micro-entrepreneurship. The hope will also be to engage in a cultural relook and drive students towards innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurial mindset.

India has one of the youngest workforce in the world but with a large skill-gap with regards to the jobs of the future, and an even higher gender disparity when it comes to STEM careers. The Tech Saksham program will essentially equip women with skills of the future and encourage them towards tech careers.

Here’s Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming working on the new Atari VCS console

While Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service is officially available to play on Windows, iOS, and Android devices in select regions, it hasn’t yet been accessible on video game consoles without resorting to modding and hacks. Until now that is.

Podcaster and host, Danny Peña, just got his hands on Atari’s new video game console, the Atari VCS, and managed to get Xbox Cloud Gaming working relatively quickly.

This was possible due to the way the Atari VCS is designed. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, and PS5 which are designed from the ground up to be gaming consoles, the Atari VCS is actually a two-in-one device that features both a console mode for playing native Atari VCS games and apps and a PC mode which can run pretty much anything the user wants.

Danny Peña says he got Xbox Cloud Gaming running by using Google Chrome. This browser actually comes built-into the Atari VCS so it’s likely he was simply using this in the regular console mode. Given that regular apps can be downloaded when in PC mode though, it’s also possible that he got it running that way as well.

Either way, it’s now confirmed that Xbox Cloud Gaming can run with very minimal effort on the Atari VCS and apparently it works extremely well for those that have a fast enough internet connection.

The one caveat is that the Atari VCS controllers didn’t seem to support Xbox Cloud Gaming but a connected Xbox controller worked no problem.

Xbox Cloud Gaming essentially lets gamers play major current gen console titles on low level devices due to all of the processing being done on Microsoft’s own servers. In addition to the Atari VCS, Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently available via the Xbox Game Pass app on Android devices, the Xbox app on Windows 10 and 11 PCs and tablets, and via web browsers on Windows and iOS devices.

Microsoft has confirmed that the service is on its way to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X console families though there’s no set release date for its launch yet.

The Atari VCS console launched in June this year and is Atari’s major return to the home console scene. Last month, the company announced that they had begun work on their first “premium video game” for the Atari VCS and other consoles.

GOM Mix Pro: A video editing software [Brief Review]

Nowadays, everyone has access to content creation. With a camera, a couple of microphones, and a great workstation capable of photo or video editing you can create quality entertainment on the go.

With so many content creators around, there’s a constant need for better tools to get the job done the right way. And that’s why so many good companies around the world are in a constant search for the next big thing.

One of those companies is GOM Lab, which developed video editing tools compatible with browsers, mobile devices, and laptops.

If you’re one of those people in search of a great tool to help you edit your videos, now is a great time to take a look at Mix Pro because there’s a special offer starting in August.

What is GOM Mix Pro?

GOM Mix Pro is a premium, high-quality, and user-friendly video editing software made for everyone. The software provides straightforward editing, source control, and many filters.

Creating videos and giving them a professional look is a piece of cake, and is suitable for both newbies or professionals thanks to the friendly user interface.

With over 100 different filters and various built-in sources, GOM Mix is the perfect choice to easily create videos that look amazing.

Also know that besides the fact that Mix Pro is available on Windows 10, 8 & 8.1, and 7, this handy video editor uses very low resources and can work flawlessly on almost every PC.

Why is it so unique? Well, because of its set of features. While some of them are a standard in the industry, others can help your video stand out. Let’s see what are some of the best.

Features

Unique timelines

The software has more Timeline Layouts than other competing products on the market. The Audio and Video layouts are the basic ones for the editing software.

You can delete, add, crop, trim, redo or undo modifications to the list. Importing is also possible on the same customization menu where you can find the other options.

GOM Mix Pro has more than 5 different layouts:

  • Mediasource
  • Visual effects
  • Audio 1 & 2
  • Text
  • Images (including stickers that can be added to videos)

The Mediasource is the initial, raw content that you decided to edit. After uploading it, you will use the other layouts, like visual effects (transitions, etc).

Next, you can apply up to two audio files simultaneously to the video. This means that you can keep the original recorded sound (if there is one) and add extra ones on top of it.

Then, you can add text which can describe a moment in the video, or other images (including stickers). You can actually add another short video inside the original one as well.

User-friendly interface

As stated above, the interface is pretty newbie-friendly and comprehensive, being really easy to learn, figure out, and ultimately use.

After installing the software, you are greeted by a window containing the user manual, which briefly tells you what everything does on the screen.

Think of it as a small tour. It is useful, especially because it teaches those who haven’t used software such as this one before the ropes of video editing.

After being introduced to the interface, you won’t receive any more hand-holding, but you don’t actually need to, since all of the UI is self-explanatory.

Overlay clips, image transition, and frame effects

GOM Mix Pro lets you download and add overlays to your clips, or add clips within clips, use awesome transitions, or add frame effects.

The program is generous enough to give you lots of free content, but if you want more, you can go on their official market and buy more.

You can find tabs with all these effects in the interface, and you can even favorite them to access everything quicker.

Simply hovering your mouse over-animated overlay clips will showcase a preview of their animation to get a better idea of what you’re going to add.

Video editing sources

Edit videos quickly and easily to your desire thanks to a huge range of built-in sources such as fonts, images, and songs.

You can view a list of the sources currently added to your project, where you can add more or delete anything you don’t want anymore.

The list also contains media, audio, and project samples, as well as encoded videos. You will see a number of the available ones to the right of each list.

Also, you can check out the recently used sources in a dedicated list, in case you forgot where to find one that you liked.

More than 100 filters

Enjoy more than 100 available filters and other contents that will help you get to create awesome content through the GOM Mix market.

They are separated into three sections. Color type, which features brightness, contrast, color balance, exposure, gamma, and more.

Then, there is the Texture type section, which contains different texture effects such as soften, sharpen, pixelated, bloom, or blur.

Lastly, we have color conversion filters in the Conversion Type section. These filters include grey, sepia, cartoon, and more.

Other notable features:

  • Continuous updates – The talented developers from GOM Labs are constantly trying to improve their products, releasing regular updates with new features or fixes.
  • Upload content to social media – You can upload encoded videos directly to social media, or you can share them directly to the SNS or upload them straight to your Youtube account.
  • Language support – GOM Mix Pro supports over 10 different languages, including Korean, English, Japanese, Czech, Spanish, German, Russian, Turkish, Portuguese, and Vietnamese.

Why should I choose GOM Mix Pro?

GOM Mix Pro stands out from the crowd because it gives content creators the same possibilities as their competitors, and sometimes it even has more features.

However, the main thing that gives GOM Max Pro the edge is its affordable price. Compared to other video editing software on the market, it’s really cheap, having insane price value.

There is a special promotional discount in August that reduces the price by 70%, from 55$ to only 15.99$!

Bundles

GOM Mix Pro comes with different bundles and packs, marketed for a broad variety of users and content creators.

  • The YouTuber Pack sells extremely well and is popular among content creators.
  • The permanent license is a one time buy, for only 15.99$ (offer beginning in August)
  • There is also a free, albeit limited, version of the program
Note icon NOTE
Keep in mind that the free version is really limited, allowing for a max of 10 minutes of edited video and having a watermark.

GOM Labs created bundles containing their top products, which will help users with their YouTube, encoding, recording, and editing careers.

The website also contains an all-in-one recording and editing Bundle which is pricier but offers everything you’d wish for.

GOM Mix Pro

GOM Mix Pro

Create the videos of your dreams thanks to the future-rich GOM Mix Pro.
Check priceVisit website

Final verdict

GOM Mix Pro is overall a great software for those who are starting out with video editing because it is filled with descriptive text that will teach you what a feature or an option does.

We recommend the software to someone with previous background knowledge as well, because it features everything a professional would require to start creating quality content.

If you still aren’t sure whether or not the software is worth your time, you should consider the 70% off promotion that is coming in August.

That’s an offer that you can’t miss, especially when we talk about video editing, a market that is filled with expensive products that don’t necessarily offer anything extra to justify their price.

Samsung unveils Galaxy Z Fold3 and expanded Microsoft partnership

Today, August 11, 2021, Samsung took the official wraps off its Galaxy Z Fold3 and in doing so, touted its partnership with Microsoft to drive home its productivity features.

While anxious Surface Duo fans can only wait idly by as Samsung sucks the air out of the foldable mobile device space with its new Fold3 announcement, Microsoft’s presence was at least there in spirit and hinted at some promising app development for the future.

As with most things these days, Microsoft’s Teams software took centerstage during Samsung’s partnership discussions with Microsoft, as the company explained,

For instance, when you unfold a Galaxy mobile device, you can see a presentation in full-screen detail and the faces of your co-workers on the Teams call underneath. Also, on that Teams call, pull up the Whiteboard and draw what you’re explaining on the board with an S Pen. With Microsoft Outlook’s dual-pane mode for Galaxy devices, you can read a full email while previewing others on the side, just like on a desktop.

Teams was not the only Microsoft app that received some love from Samsung during its Unpacked event today.

“With the Multi-Active window, you can run multiple apps at the same time,” says Patrick Chomet, executive vice president, head of Mobile Products & Experiences at Samsung. “For example, you can open Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint and easily drag and drop a table right into your presentation. Now, you can even run two instances of the same app.”

Samsung Galaxy Fold3

Even though the multitasking of the Duo and Fold are distinctly different due to their screen designs, Microsoft continues to work with both Samsung and Google on implementing multi-window and dual screen support in the core code of Android. Ideally, these tweaks shown off by Samsung will come with variations for dual screen windowing on the Duo 2.

In addition, Samsung also announced its Z Flip3 as well which is a much more pocketable and affordable foldable from company. Both the Flip3 and Galaxy Fold3 are available for pre-order starting at $999.99 and $1,799.99 respectively with shipping dates starting as early as August 27, 2021.

Like the rumored Surface Duo 2, Samsung is loading its newest foldable flagships with the latest upgrades that include Corning Gorilla Victus protection, greater water resistance, latest Snapdragon processor, S Pen stylus support 120Hz refresh rate panels, under screen cameras and more.

Download the August 2021 Patch Tuesday updates

August is finally here and many users are excited to see what the next big feature update is all about.

Of course, today is also the day the monthly Patch Tuesday updates hit live, and as always, they bring a host of new features, improvements, and fixes for the most common Microsoft bugs found over the last month.

Since each cumulative update is different for each version of Windows 10, it would be wrong to talk about a singular changelog, and that is why this article exists.

Not only will we be providing you with a detailed changelog of all the modifications brought to each major version of Windows 10, but we will also be providing you with direct download links from the Windows Update catalog.

[DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINKS] August 2021 Patch Tuesday

Windows 10 versions 21H1, 20H2, and 2004

Windows 10 v21H1 is the latest major version of Windows 10, and as such has the most experimental features on it.

Fortunately, most bugs that were first present when it was first made available have been weeded out, and this version of Windows 10 is far more stable.

Cumulative update name

KB5005033

Improvements and Fixes

  • This build includes all the improvements from Windows 10, version 2004.
  • No additional issues were documented for this release.

Known issues

  • When using the Microsoft Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) to enter Kanji characters in an app that automatically allows the input of Furigana characters, you might not get the correct Furigana characters. You might need to enter the Furigana characters manually.
Note icon NOTE
The affected apps are using the ImmGetCompositionString() function.
  • Devices with Windows installations created from custom offline media or custom ISO image might have Microsoft Edge Legacy removed by this update, but not automatically replaced by the new Microsoft Edge. This issue is only encountered when custom offline media or ISO images are created by slipstreaming this update into the image without having first installed the standalone servicing stack update (SSU) released March 29, 2021 or later.
Note icon NOTE
Devices that connect directly to Windows Update to receive updates are not affected. This includes devices using Windows Update for Business. Any device connecting to Windows Update should always receive the latest versions of the SSU and latest cumulative update (LCU) without any extra steps. 
  • After installing the June 21, 2021 (KB5003690) update, some devices cannot install new updates, such as the July 6, 2021 (KB5004945) or later updates. You will receive the error message, “PSFX_E_MATCHING_BINARY_MISSING”.
  • After installing this update, the Elastic File System (EFS) API OpenEncryptedFileRaw(A/W), often used in backup software, will not work when you back up to or from a Windows Server 2008 SP2 device. OpenEncryptedFileRaw will continue to work on all other versions of Windows (local and remote).
Note icon NOTE
If you cannot use backup software on Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1 or later after installing this update, contact the manufacturer of your backup software for updates and support.

[DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK]

Windows 10 version 1909

As the Redmond-based tech company said not long ago, Windows 10, version 1909 reached the end of service on May 11, 2021, for devices running the Home, Pro, Pro for Workstation, Nano Container, and Server SAC editions.

Devices still running this version of the OS will no longer receive monthly security and quality updates that contain protection from the latest security threats.

So, if you still want to receive security and quality updates, Microsoft recommends updating to the latest version of Windows 10.

Cumulative update name

KB5005031

Improvements and Fixes

  • Changes the default privilege requirement for installing drivers when using Point and Print. After installing this update, you must have administrative privileges to install drivers. If you use Point and Print, see KB5005652, Point and Print Default Behavior Change, and CVE-2021-34481 for more information. 

Known issues

  • After installing this update, the Elastic File System (EFS) API OpenEncryptedFileRaw(A/W), often used in backup software, will not work when you back up to or from a Windows Server 2008 SP2 device. OpenEncryptedFileRaw will continue to work on all other versions of Windows (local and remote).
Note icon NOTE
If you cannot use backup software on Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1 or later after installing this update, contact the manufacturer of your backup software for updates and support.

[DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK]

Windows 10 version 1809

This version of the OS is outdated and will no longer receive any updates from the tech company. Users that are still running this old version on their devices are strongly advised to choose a more recent one to update to.

If you still want to use Windows 10 and are not willing to upgrade to 11, you don’t have to do so right away. After all, Microsoft announced that the support for Windows 10 will go on until 2025.

Cumulative update name

KB5005030 

Improvements and fixes

  • Changes the default privilege requirement for installing drivers when using Point and Print. After installing this update, you must have administrative privileges to install drivers. If you use Point and Print, see KB5005652, Point and Print Default Behavior Change, and CVE-2021-34481 for more information.

Known issues

  • After installing KB4493509, devices with some Asian language packs installed may receive the error, “0x800f0982 – PSFX_E_MATCHING_COMPONENT_NOT_FOUND.”
Note icon NOTE
If reinstalling the language pack does not mitigate the issue, reset your PC as follows:
  • After installing KB5001342 or later, the Cluster Service might fail to start because a Cluster Network Driver is not found.
  • After installing this update, the Elastic File System (EFS) API OpenEncryptedFileRaw(A/W), often used in backup software, will not work when you back up to or from a Windows Server 2008 SP2 device. OpenEncryptedFileRaw will continue to work on all other versions of Windows (local and remote).
Note icon NOTE
If you cannot use backup software on Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1 or later after installing this update, contact the manufacturer of your backup software for updates and support.

[DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK]

Windows 10 version 1607

This is one of the older OS versions, that Microsoft first released back in August 2016. Apparently, the Redmond-based tech company still feels like there is room for improvement here.

  • Updates to remove Adobe Flash from your device. 
  • Updates for verifying usernames and passwords.
  • Updates to improve security when Windows performs basic operations.

Cumulative update name

KB5005043 

Improvements and fixes

  • Addresses an issue that renders some Yu Gothic and Yu Mincho characters incorrectly in vertical writing mode.
  • Addresses an issue with zoom that occurs when using Microsoft Edge IE Mode on devices that use multiple high-DPI monitors.
  • Addresses an issue that causes Windows to stop working when it uses AppLocker to validate a file that has multiple signatures. The error is 0x3B.
  • Addresses an issue that might log requests for the wrong endpoint.
  • Changes the default privilege requirement for installing drivers when using Point and Print. After installing this update, you must have administrative privileges to install drivers. If you use Point and Print, see KB5005652, Point and Print Default Behavior Change, and CVE-2021-34481 for more information.

Known issues

  • After installing this update, the Elastic File System (EFS) API OpenEncryptedFileRaw(A/W), often used in backup software, will not work when you back up to or from a Windows Server 2008 SP2 device. OpenEncryptedFileRaw will continue to work on all other versions of Windows (local and remote).
Note icon NOTE
If you cannot use backup software on Windows 7 SP1 and Server 2008 R2 SP1 or later after installing this update, contact the manufacturer of your backup software for updates and support.

[DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK]

44 flaws fixed through the August 2021 Patch Tuesday release

As you are well aware by now, every second Tuesday of each month means that we are getting important updates from the Redmond company, as a part of the Patch Tuesday release.

Microsoft provided 44 security fixes for August’s Patch Tuesday, with seven of the vulnerabilities being rated critical. There were also three zero-days included in the batch and the other 37 were rated as important. 

Also important is the fact that thirteen of the patches involved a remote code execution vulnerability while another eight revolved around information disclosure. 

Three zero days errors fixes via the August 2021 Patch Tuesday

The most important patch released in the latest batch addresses the Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution vulnerability, which has been a major topic of discussion since it was discovered back in June.

The tech company faced major backlash from the security community for totally messing up the release of patches meant to address the issue. 

The affected tools are .NET Core & Visual Studio, ASP.NET Core & Visual Studio, Azure, Windows Update, Windows Print Spooler Components, Windows Media, Windows Defender, Remote Desktop Client, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based), Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office SharePoint and more.

And since we’ve mentioned that Microsoft also addressed three zero-days vulnerabilities through this update event, here is exactly what they had to deal with:

The Windows Update Medic Service Elevation of Privilege vulnerability is apparently the only one that has been exploited in the wild, according to Microsoft’s report.

One of the security experts, Allan Liska, said CVE-2021-36948 stood out to him because of its similarities to CVE-2020-17070, which was published in November 2020.

Obviously, it is bad that it is being exploited in the wild, but we saw almost the exact same vulnerability in November of 2020 but I can’t find any evidence that that was exploited in the wild. So, I wonder if this is a new focus for threat actors.

Liska later added that CVE-2021-26424 is a major vulnerability because it is a Windows TCP/IP Remote Code Execution vulnerability, that impacts Windows 7 through 10 and Windows Server 2008 through 2019.

While this vulnerability is not listed as publicly disclosed or exploited in the wild, Microsoft did label this as ‘Exploitation More Likely’ meaning that exploitation is relatively trivial. Vulnerabilities in the TCP/IP stack can be tricky. There was a lot of concern earlier this year around CVE-2021-24074, a similar vulnerability, but that has not been exploited in the wild. On the other hand, last year’s CVE-2020-16898, another similar vulnerability, has been exploited in the wild.

Microsoft fixes PrintNightmare and PetitPotam attacks

The LSA spoofing vulnerability is related to an advisory Microsoft sent out late last month about how to protect Windows domain controllers and other Windows servers from the NTLM Relay Attack known as PetitPotam.

The PetitPotam method, which was discovered in July by French researcher Gilles Lionel, takes on the NTLM Relay attack that can coerce Windows hosts to authenticate to other machines via MS-EFSRPC EfsRpcOpenFileRaw function.

Adobe also released two patches addressing 29 CVEs in Adobe Connect and Magento. This is the smallest number of patches released by Microsoft since December 2019.

This decline is mainly due to resource constraints, considering Microsoft devoted extensive time in July responding to events like PrintNightmare and PetitPotam.

Patch Tuesday August 2021 security updates

This is the complete list of resolved vulnerabilities and released advisories in the August 2021 Patch Tuesday updates.

TagCVE IDCVE TitleSeverity
.NET Core & Visual StudioCVE-2021-34485.NET Core and Visual Studio Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
.NET Core & Visual StudioCVE-2021-26423.NET Core and Visual Studio Denial of Service VulnerabilityImportant
ASP.NET Core & Visual StudioCVE-2021-34532ASP.NET Core and Visual Studio Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
AzureCVE-2021-36943Azure CycleCloud Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
AzureCVE-2021-33762Azure CycleCloud Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Azure SphereCVE-2021-26428Azure Sphere Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
Azure SphereCVE-2021-26430Azure Sphere Denial of Service VulnerabilityImportant
Azure SphereCVE-2021-26429Azure Sphere Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft Azure Active Directory ConnectCVE-2021-36949Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect Authentication Bypass VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft DynamicsCVE-2021-36946Microsoft Dynamics Business Central Cross-site Scripting VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft DynamicsCVE-2021-36950Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Cross-site Scripting VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft DynamicsCVE-2021-34524Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)CVE-2021-30591Chromium: CVE-2021-30591 Use after free in File System APIUnknown
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)CVE-2021-30592Chromium: CVE-2021-30592 Out of bounds write in Tab GroupsUnknown
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)CVE-2021-30597Chromium: CVE-2021-30597 Use after free in Browser UIUnknown
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)CVE-2021-30594Chromium: CVE-2021-30594 Use after free in Page Info UIUnknown
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)CVE-2021-30596Chromium: CVE-2021-30596 Incorrect security UI in NavigationUnknown
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)CVE-2021-30590Chromium: CVE-2021-30590 Heap buffer overflow in BookmarksUnknown
Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)CVE-2021-30593Chromium: CVE-2021-30593 Out of bounds read in Tab StripUnknown
Microsoft Graphics ComponentCVE-2021-34530Windows Graphics Component Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityCritical
Microsoft Graphics ComponentCVE-2021-34533Windows Graphics Component Font Parsing Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft OfficeCVE-2021-34478Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft Office SharePointCVE-2021-36940Microsoft SharePoint Server Spoofing VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft Office WordCVE-2021-36941Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityImportant
Microsoft Scripting EngineCVE-2021-34480Scripting Engine Memory Corruption VulnerabilityCritical
Microsoft Windows Codecs LibraryCVE-2021-36937Windows Media MPEG-4 Video Decoder Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityImportant
Remote Desktop ClientCVE-2021-34535Remote Desktop Client Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityCritical
Windows Bluetooth ServiceCVE-2021-34537Windows Bluetooth Driver Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Cryptographic ServicesCVE-2021-36938Windows Cryptographic Primitives Library Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
Windows DefenderCVE-2021-34471Microsoft Windows Defender Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Event TracingCVE-2021-34486Windows Event Tracing Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Event TracingCVE-2021-34487Windows Event Tracing Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Event TracingCVE-2021-26425Windows Event Tracing Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows MediaCVE-2021-36927Windows Digital TV Tuner device registration application Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows MSHTML PlatformCVE-2021-34534Windows MSHTML Platform Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityCritical
Windows NTLMCVE-2021-36942Windows LSA Spoofing VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Print Spooler ComponentsCVE-2021-34483Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Print Spooler ComponentsCVE-2021-36947Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Print Spooler ComponentsCVE-2021-36936Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityCritical
Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR DriverCVE-2021-36933Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR Driver Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR DriverCVE-2021-26433Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR Driver Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR DriverCVE-2021-36932Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR Driver Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR DriverCVE-2021-26432Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR Driver Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityCritical
Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR DriverCVE-2021-36926Windows Services for NFS ONCRPC XDR Driver Information Disclosure VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Storage Spaces ControllerCVE-2021-34536Storage Spaces Controller Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows TCP/IPCVE-2021-26424Windows TCP/IP Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityCritical
Windows UpdateCVE-2021-36948Windows Update Medic Service Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Update AssistantCVE-2021-36945Windows 10 Update Assistant Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows Update AssistantCVE-2021-26431Windows Recovery Environment Agent Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows User Profile ServiceCVE-2021-34484Windows User Profile Service Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant
Windows User Profile ServiceCVE-2021-26426Windows User Account Profile Picture Elevation of Privilege VulnerabilityImportant

Recent security updates from other companies

Other companies that released updates are as follows:

What is your opinion on the recent plan of action that Microsoft turned to? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

Best Tips to Recover any Minecraft Corrupted World

Fixing corrupted chunks or whole worlds in Minecraft isn’t necessarily a hard thing to do.

Those corruptions rarely occur on the vanilla version of the game, but mods tend to break the game from time to time.

If you’re on the receiving end of this, we are sure you fancy restoring the corrupted world instead of starting from scratch.

What causes a corrupted world in Minecraft?

Any file can become corrupted for several reasons and that can also happen with Minecraft save files.

Anything from system crashes to hard drive damage or virus infections can corrupt files and if that happens to your save files, the world becomes corrupted.

Can you uncorrupt a Minecraft world?

As you will see below, you can uncorrupt a Minecraft world but that depends on the extent of the damage to the files.

You may be able to restore the world completely or discover that certain elements within the world are missing like the items in your inventory.

In the case of a Minecraft corrupted world PS4, PS5, or Xbox One, you can restore the world from the cloud backup.

If there is no back-up, try creating a new world with the exact same name and everything will be restored.

There are multiple ways to fix corrupted Minecraft worlds and we provided you with the two below.

How do I recover a lost Minecraft world?

1. Restore the corrupted world into a new one

  1. In the Windows Search bar, copy and paste the following line and press Enter: %appdata%.minecraftsaves
  2. For the remainder of the tutorial, we’ll call the corrupted world World C. Copy the World C folder, rename it to World C, and save it in the Saves folder.
  3. Start Minecraft and re-create the corrupted world as a new world. Name it Blank, save it, and close Minecraft.
  4. Go back to the Saves folder (%appdata%.minecraftsaves) and you should see a newly-created Blank world.
  5. Copy the following files from the Blank folder to backed up World C:
    • level.dat
      level.dat_mcr (not always present)
      level.dat_old
      session.lock
  6. Restart Minecraft and load World C.

The first thing you can do if your Minecraft world gets corrupt is to create a new world and use some of the data files to retrieve as much of the old world as possible. Have in mind that this applies to the world only, as all your belongings and wear are not recoverable. What you’ll need to do is to back up the corrupted save file and use some of its data files to restore it into a new

Follow these steps to recover a corrupted Minecraft world:

2. Try with the Region Fixer

  1. From the in-game Multicraft Control Panel, choose File and then Backup. Save your world and exit the game.
  2. Download your Minecraft server world to your PC.
  3. Download Region Fixer from Gitbub, and extract it.
  4. Open Command Prompt in the extracted Region Fixer window (Shift + Right Click) and enter the following commands:
    • cd <full directory path>
      regionfixer.exe -p 4 --delete-corrupted <full directory path to world folder>
  5. Don’t forget to replace full directory path with the path to extracted Region Fixer and full directory path to world folder with the path to the World folder.
  6. Upload your world again with an FTP tool and look for changes.

If you have an older backup of your world, you can use the Region Fixer to restore it or remove everything from your server locally.

Corrupt worlds will cause your server to crash and that’s the last thing we want. What you need to do is download your backup and the server world.

Now you can use an older backup to restore the world instead of starting from scratch.

Will uninstalling Minecraft delete my worlds?

When you uninstall Minecraft, you will be asked at one point if you also want to delete your saves.

So, if you accept, they will be deleted. To prevent deleting them accidentally, make a copy of your saves on another location on your drives.

With that said, this is how to fix a corrupted Minecraft world. Our solutions also cover how to fix the corrupted world Minecraft Bedrock.

You might also be interested in the best tips on how to play Minecraft Cross-Platform because you might learn other interesting information.

Don’t forget to share alternative solutions or questions in the comments section below.

If you’re still stuck with an error, consider posting your inquiry in the official forum or contacting support.

Digital pre-orders open for Xbox’s upcoming James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley interactive thriller

Twelve Minutes is now available to pre-order digitally on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC ahead of its August 19th release date.

The game is an interactive thriller revolving around a mystery involving a married couple and a cop stuck in a 12-minute time loop. Twelve Minutes stars James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe and is a console exclusive for Microsoft’s Xbox consoles. It will also release on Windows PC (with support for cross-buy with the Xbox console version) and be available to play for free on Day One for those with an active Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Twelve Minutes is confirmed to support Xbox Cloud Play for those with access to the streaming service and with compatible hardware.

Here’s the official game description and trailer:

TWELVE MINUTES is a real-time top-down interactive thriller with an accessible click and drag interface. Featuring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. What should be a romantic evening with your wife turns into a nightmare when a police detective breaks into your home, accuses your wife of murder and beats you to death…

Only for you to find yourself immediately returned to the exact moment you opened the front door, stuck in a TWELVE-MINUTE time loop, doomed to relive the same terror again and again… Unless you can find a way to use the knowledge of what’s coming to change the outcome and break the loop. TWELVE MINUTES blends the dream-like tension of THE SHINING with the claustrophobia of REAR WINDOW and the fragmented structure of MEMENTO.

Are you hyped for Twelve Minutes? Let us know how you’re going to play it in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest and Twitter for more Xbox gaming content.

Twelve Minutes
Twelve Minutes
Price:
$24.99

Stardew Valley video game to come to Xbox Game Pass on consoles and Windows PC

Announced today during a special ID@XBox Showcase stream, Stardew Valley and five other video games will be coming to Microsoft’s popular Xbox Game Pass subscription service later this year for both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs.

Stardew Valley has continued to be a surprise hit on every platform it’s launched on since early-2016. The title is a blend of roleplaying and farm simulation genres and boasts a cute retro art style that has attracted a rather diverse playerbase.

No specific date for Stardew Valley’s Xbox Game Pass debut was revealed though it is promised to come sometime in Fall 2021.

Joining Stardew Valley on Xbox Game Pass is Library of Ruina which came out today on console, The Artful Escape on September 9th on console, Aragami 2 on September 17th on console, Evil Genius 2: World Domination on console in winter 2021, and Pupparazzi on console at an unspecified date in the future.

As mentioned above, Library of Ruina is already available to play on Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles either as a regular purchase or for free with an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. This title is also playable via the Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming service for those with access and a compatible device.

Which one of these titles excite you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below and then follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more Xbox gaming content.

Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley
Developer:
ConcernedApe
Price:
Free


Library Of Ruina
Library Of Ruina
Developer:
ProjectMoon
Price:
$29.99

Microsoft acquires Israeli video stream company Peer5, will build into Teams

Microsoft announced this morning that it has acquired Peer5, an Israel-based peer-to-peer CDN, for an undisclosed amount. The company is known for developing enterprise CDN (eCDN) solutions for live and on-demand video streams, and Microsoft plans to use its technology to improve video streaming in its Teams collaboration service.

“As Microsoft Teams has become the primary communications and collaboration platform for many of our customers, they’ve asked us for more integrated eCDN solutions for large-scale meetings and virtual events,” the company explained. “Today, we’re excited to announce that we have acquired Peer5 to expand our ability for delivering secure, high-quality, large-scale live video streaming with optimized network performance in Teams.”

Microsoft Teams has seen significant growth during the past couple of months, as more businesses find themselves needing to communicate with their employees via live streaming. The ultimate goal of this acquisition is to provide customers with a solution that will let them broadcast high-quality videos to a large number of employees. Microsoft says that via this acquisition, it will offer a first-party solution “to help customers streamline purchase process and customer support, improving their enterprise IT management experience.”

The Peer5 web-based solution works to optimize bandwidth usage, and no additional installation or configurations to the existing infrastructure is required. However, Microsoft noted that it will keep supporting enterprise CDN solutions from other third-party partners, and this acquisition will not affect existing Peer5 customers. We invite you to check out the blog post for more details.

Windows will require Admin privileges to install Printer drivers because of PrintNightmare, and other Patch Tuesday news (updated)

(breaking news, updating the post as links become available)

Microsoft has been battling a set of vulnerabilities to the way it handles printer drivers for the last couple of months, releasing a series of patches that haven’t really fixed the issues. Now, in an unusual move, the company has just announced as part of its Patch Tuesday updates, that it’s going to require users to have Administrator privileges to add or update printers for use by Windows. The company detailed the change in a post on the Microsoft Security Response Center blog:

Our investigation into several vulnerabilities collectively referred to as “PrintNightmare” has determined that the default behavior of Point and Print does not provide customers with the level of security required to protect against potential attacks.

Today, we are addressing this risk by changing the default Point and Print driver installation and update behavior to require administrator privileges. The installation of this update with default settings will mitigate the publicly documented vulnerabilities in the Windows Print Spooler service. This change will take effect with the installation of the security updates released on August 10, 2021 for all versions of Windows, and is documented as CVE-2021-34481.

For most individual Windows users, the change will mean having to click on some prompts to gain elevated privileges in order to add or update printers, but it may be more troublesome for enterprise scenarios where users run in Standard mode without access to Admin privileges. Now, an administrator will have to handle any changes to printer drivers. Printer manufacturers are going to have to revamp their instructions for how to install printers. The vulnerabilities have made things a bit more difficult, for sure, but as the post says, “we strongly believe that the security risk justifies this change.”

Microsoft goes on to say that, while not recommended, the behavior can be turned off with a registry change.

Microsoft has (finally) posted the changelog for KB5005033, the latest Patch Tuesday update. Aside from the bombshell PrintNightmare changes, there’s not much new this month aside from a servicing stack update that makes quality improvements to the component that installs Windows Updates.

Check Windows Update to get the latest Patch Tuesday updates for your version of Windows.

 

 

Microsoft Edge Canary now lets users open bookmarks folder in a tab group

Microsoft Edge will soon be getting a new update that will let users open all bookmarks of a folder in a new tab group. The feature is now live for Edge Insiders in the latest Microsoft Edge Canary builds (version 94.0.978.0 or higher), as noted by Reddit user Leopeva64-2.

The Redmond giant started testing the tab groups feature for its Edge browser last year that helps to improve tab management by allowing users to organize similar tabs into groups. Microsoft is now planning to improve this feature by bringing the ability to open all bookmarked links saved in a particular folder as a tab group at once.

If you’re an Edge Insider, you will need to right-click the bookmarks folder and then choose the “Open all (links) in a new tab group” option. Once clicked, you will see a prompt on the screen that provides an option to change the name and color label of the tab group.

Another new feature that is coming to Microsoft Edge is the ability to restore tab groups after restarting the browser. As of today, it’s not possible to reopen the tabs that were previously sorted in a group, but the latest Edge Canary update now provides an option to restore recently opened tab groups from the history menu with a single click.

Both these features were spotted in Google Chrome’s Canary builds earlier this month, and it’s great to see the new Edge browser finally catching up. These enhancements could be useful for some Edge users who like to maintain various bookmark collections. In case you missed it, Microsoft Edge is also introducing a feature that should make it easier to save webpages as PDFs.

Windows 11 build 22000.120: Best 8 new features & fixes

Microsoft is working hard on Windows 11, and we’re getting new builds on weekly basis. The last build that we covered was Windows 11 build 22000.100 and that build even made it to Windows 11 Beta channel.

Today we have a new build available, and unlike the previous one, it doesn’t come with some new features and massive changes.

Instead, the new build focuses on minor improvements and fixes, so join us while we take a closer look at Windows 11 build 22000.120 and see what it has to offer.

What is Windows 11 build 22000.120 and should you install it?

What’s new in Windows 11 build 22000.120?

  • New Family widget

If you’re using Windows along with your family members, you might find the new Family widget useful. The application allows you to see the information regarding the activity of your family members at a glance.

With this feature, you can see their location as well, the amount of time that they spent on their computer, and recent activities.

Source: Microsoft

Keep in mind that to use this feature, you and your family members need to have Microsoft accounts. This widget is available for all languages and regions, so you can start using it today.

  • Notifications badges for chat

The latest build finally introduced Microsoft Teams as a built-in app on Windows 11, however, many noticed that notifications badges are missing for the Chat icon.

This build is changing that, and users will now get the notification badges on the Chat icon. However, this feature won’t be available for everyone at once, so you might have to wait for a day or two before it starts working on your PC.

  • Improved wallpaper changing when using virtual desktops

This is a small quality of life improvement, but in this build, the Settings app will switch to the virtual desktop whose background you’re trying to change.

When you use the Task View and the Choose Background option to change the wallpaper, the Settings app will open on that virtual desktop, allowing you to see how the new background will look.

As you can see, this is a small but incredibly welcome change because you won’t have to switch back and forth between virtual desktops to see how your new wallpaper looks.

  • Minor changes to the Display Settings

Display Settings got a minor change, and now the Identify button is under your monitor in the Display Settings. With this change, you can easily identify your display in a multi-monitor setup.

This is another quality-of-life improvement that users that use multiple monitors will find helpful. If you have a single display, you most likely won’t even notice this change.

  • File Explorer improvements

Menus is File Explorer went through some minor changes, and you’ll notice that the new context menu is more compact, thus making it easier to use, especially if you’re not using the touchscreen.

The new menu takes less space, and we like the new compact look since it’s easier to work with. However, the context menu isn’t the only File Explorer menu that was improved.

With Windows 11 build 22000.71, Microsoft redesigned the New button in File Explorer allowing you to create a new folder instantly or to choose a new type of item that you want to create from the flyout menu.

The flyout menu is now gone, and when you click the New icon, you’ll get a full list of items that you can create. With this new change, you can create files or folders more quickly, with fewer mouse moves.

Lastly, we need to mention that now legacy context menus from Win32 applications are also using rounded corners, thus making the interface more uniformed.

  • Minor Taskbar tweaks

The close button for app previews has been changed, and now it follows the same UI principles as the rest of Windows 11.

If you remember, the close button in app previews in Taskbar had sharp corners, and it looked out of place with the new user interface.

With this build, Microsoft decided to fix that and the close button for app previews is now constant with other UI elements.

  • Improvements to the Alt + Tab, Task View, and snap assist

Microsoft has changed the size and spacing of elements in the Task View and Alt + Tab menu. The elements are now neatly organized and they are utilizing the space better.

 As a result, you can find the desired application with ease when using Task View, Alt + Tab, or snap layouts.

  • Microsoft Store improvements

Microsoft Store is updated in this version and it comes with an auto-scroll feature, allowing you to easier discover new content.

You can see how long before the highlighted app changes, and you can also switch to the desired app by clicking its thumbnail.

The product detail page for games has been improved, and now it features more information and images from the game that you’re currently viewing.

Source: Microsoft

Lastly, the ratings and reviews dialog has been improved, so it’s now easier to rate games and provide feedback.

This build brings mostly quality of life improvements, and you can see all the changes we discussed in the video below.

Windows 11 build 22000.120 bugs

  • Context menu flickering

Users reported that the context menu keeps flickering when right-clicking a file or folder in File Explorer. This isn’t a major issue, but it can become annoying after a while.

So far, the only workaround for this issue is to hover over the file or folder for a couple of seconds and then open the context menu to prevent flickering.

  • Widgets sign-in issues

According to users, it seems that some are unable to use widgets in the latest build. Whenever users try to open the widgets panel, they are presented with the sign-in screen.

Even after entering their Microsoft account credentials, the sign-in screen will appear again and users will get stuck in a sign-in loop.

  • Multiple monitor issues

In Windows 11 build 22000.120 there are some multiple monitor issues. Users reported that the Start button isn’t properly being detected on the right display.

It seems that the start button is detected only if the cursor is one pixel away from the bottom edge of the screen. This also leads to issues with Window snapping.

We’re not sure what’s causing this issue, but users reported it while using 3440×1440 display as their main display, and the 1920×1080 display as the secondary display.

The issue seems to occur when the displays are using different resolutions, but after switching to 1920×1080 resolution on both displays, the issue doesn’t appear, as long as you keep that resolution on both displays.

  • Start Menu not working

Several users reported that Start Menu isn’t working on their PC. When they click the Start Menu they are getting the Critical Error window asking them to sign out.

Signing out doesn’t fix anything and the problem is still there. Users suspect that modifying how the Start Menu looks and works from the Registry Editor caused this problem.

Unfortunately, restoring the registry to the default doesn’t fix the problem, so we’ll have to wait for Microsoft to acknowledge and fix this issue.

  • Settings app crashes

Many users reported that the Settings app crashes on Windows 11, and it seems that this issue occurs when going to the Optional updates section in the Settings app.

This is most likely a glitch, and hopefully, it will be fixed in the next update.

  • CPU and GPU temperature increase

Users reported that Windows 11 build 22000.120 is causing their CPU and GPU temperature to rise. Moreover, the new build seems to negatively affect gameplay performance.

This is somewhat expected since the Dev builds are unoptimized, and they might use more resources thus causing performance issues. Hopefully, this will get fixed in the future.

To learn more, check our dedicated guide about Windows 11 build 22000.120 bugs.

How can I install Windows 11 build 22000.120?

  1. Open the Start Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the left pane, click on Windows Update.
  3. Check for available updates.
  4. Wait for the update to download.
  5. Once the update is downloaded, wait for it to install in the background.
  6. You’ll get a notification informing you that the update is ready. Click the Restart now button.
  7. Your PC will now restart. Wait while the update is installed.

Installing Windows 11 build 22000.120 is straightforward, and the new build can be installed just like any other Windows update.

Is Windows 11 build 22000.120 worth upgrading to?

Unlike the previous build, this one doesn’t bring any new exciting features. The new Family widget is a welcome addition, but not something that most users will be eager to try.

There are several quality-of-life improvements, such as notification badges for chat, and optimized application switching from the Alt + Tab menu or Task Menu.

Taskbar improvements are welcome, and the close button now has the same look as other user interface elements.

The biggest change is the introduction of the compact context menu, and we have to admit that the new menu looks and better than before. To top it off, even the classic context menus now follow the same design.

The new folder menu in File Explorer isn’t anything special in our opinion, but it’s easier to use than before, so this is a step in the right direction.

Overall, this is a quality of life update that fixes many issues and optimizes the user interface, so if you want a more uniformed user interface, then be sure to give Windows 11 build 22000.120 a try.

Have you tried the new build yet and how do you feel about its changes? If you haven’t, you can get it from both Dev and Beta channel.

Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available for Insiders through the Xbox App for Windows

Microsoft is bringing Xbox Cloud Gaming to the Xbox app on Windows 10 PCs for Xbox Insiders. Another perk for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, this delivers another way to access over 100 high-quality Xbox console games directly on Windows, through the power of the cloud.

According to Microsoft, Xbox Cloud Gaming in the Xbox app will allow gamers to turn all types of PCs into gaming devices. This can be a brand-new budget computer or older laptops and tablets. All that’s required is to be an Xbox Insider, and have a compatible controller via Bluetooth or USB, and the latest version of the Xbox app. You can then click the “Cloud games” button in the Xbox app, and select games to start playing.

For all that, Microsoft did add some features. These include easy-to-access information on the controller and network status, social features, and the ability to invite people to join a game. Again, this is only available for Xbox Insiders at the moment. If you’re not an Xbox Insider, you can still play Xbox games on your PC via web browser by going to xbox.com/cloudgaming.

PSA: Microsoft Teams 2.0 desktop app lets users reply to specific messages on Windows 11

Two months ago, Microsoft announced new chat features for Teams to help support asynchronous collaboration in between meetings. The company also unveiled a new quoted replies feature that will let users reply to a specific message on the Microsoft Teams desktop client, but this update is nowhere to be seen yet.

Microsoft MVP João Ferreira has recently spotted this feature in the new “Teams 2.0” app on Windows 11, and we have since been able to use this capability in Teams consumer experience on multiple Windows PCs. In our testing, it is also available in the leaked Microsoft Teams Preview app for Windows 10 users. You can find out more information about this new Teams 2.0 app in our Hands-on guide.

The quoted replies feature is one of the highly anticipated capabilities, and it has been available in the Teams mobile app for a while now. With this feature, the reply box includes a quote from the original message, making it easier for users to understand the context of the message within the ongoing conversation.

To use this feature, you will need to navigate to the specific message you want to reply to, hover over it, and then click the three dots icon. Finally, select the “Reply” option from the list, type the message and send it.

As of this writing, the quoted replies feature is only available for the Microsoft Teams 2.0 app on the latest Windows 11 Insider builds, and it supports personal Microsoft accounts. However, the Microsoft 365 Roadmap suggests that the existing versions of Teams (with support for work accounts) should receive this feature later this month.

How to enable two-step verification and protect your Microsoft account on Windows 10

With hackers becoming more sophisticated, your online accounts can easily fall into the wrong hands if your password isn’t quite strong enough. In the case of a Microsoft Account, that can be especially devastating. Most people usually use a Microsoft Account to log into a Windows PC. And, Microsoft Accounts are home to billing information, photos, documents, and a lot more sensitive information.

Microsoft makes it easy to avoid those troubles by protecting your account through two-step verification. This makes it more difficult for someone else to sign into your Microsoft Account by using two forms of identity, both your password and some security information.

When using two-step verification, if someone else manages to get your password, then they won’t be able to get into your account without the secondary security information. You also can add a third layer of security, too. Here’s a look at how you can enable two-step verification on your Microsoft Account.

Prerequisites

password protect

To set up two-step verification, you’ll need an email address that’s different from the one on your account, or a phone number, or an authenticator app like Microsoft Authenticator. When you have one of these, each time you sign in on a new device or new location, you’ll get a security code at that number or email. Microsoft recommends using Authenticator, but we’ll get into that later.

Getting started

two-step verification

Once you’re set to go, you’ll need to head to the Security basics page, and sign in with your Microsoft Account. From there, choose Advanced security options, and click the Get Started link. You can then look for Two-step verification under the Additional Security section. After that, choose Set up two-step verification to turn it on. Follow the directions on the screen and enter in either an alternate email address or phone number, and complete the process. You’ll be emailed or texted a code to verify your identity during the initial setup process.

Other notes

If everything goes well with setting up two-step verification, then you’ll want to be aware of a couple of things. Some apps might not be able to use regular security codes on some apps if you sign in with a Microsoft Account, If this is the case, you’ll need an app password for that device. These passwords can be found under the App passwords section on the Additional security page. If you’re not sure about this, you can check Microsoft’s support page here for more information.

We do have an additional note in regards to two-step verification. If you forget your password when you have two-step verification turned on for your account, you can reset your password as long as Microsoft has two ways to contact you. That can be one of the alternate contact email addresses or a phone number that you used when you turned on two-step verification. You might get two reset codes to verify your identity.

Finally, with two-step verification turned on, each time you set up a new PC with your Microsoft Account, you’ll be required to enter in a security code. Again this is to ensure that you are who you say you are and that your account isn’t in the wrong hands.

Using Microsoft Authenticator

We’ll end our piece by mentioning Microsoft Authenticator. With the Microsoft Authenticator app on iOS and Android, you can skip out on the one-time codes and use a dedicated app to approve your logins instead. We talked about how you can set things up here. Your passwords are secure, too. There’s face recognition, or a PIN to log in to your Microsoft account via your phone. And, Authenticator will sync all of your saved passwords stored in Edge, allowing you to see all your passwords.

Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator


Windows security

Using two-step verification is just one way to keep yourself safe. On Windows, you should also enable TPM and Secure Boot, so your PC has extra protection against unauthorized access. You also should use Windows Defender, so you can have the latest security signatures protecting your PC against malware and spyware.

Football Video Editor Software: 7 Best to Download in 2026

Video editing software can be extremely useful for sports coaches but also for football fans who want to create the best videos of their favorite team in action.

If an image can replace a thousand words, a good video review will tell the whole story of a game in detail. And things can get even better if you also take advantage of post-production software.

We’re talking about highlighting the greatest moment in a match or the most important mistakes so that you can cover the grounds with your team a lot easier.

Video editing software will also help you apply slow-motion effects and even add commentary if you want the players to assimilate the information even when you’re not around.

How can I create the best football video edit?

Whether you are a football professional or just a passionate supporter, you can always enhance the video review with lots of enticing aspects that will woo the onlookers.

We’ve put together a few ideas that you can use when you’re creating a video review:

➡ Determine the highlights of the play

Games are typically indexed and retrieved quickly for viewing in playlists or for creating highlight videos.

With specialized software, it’s also possible to generate custom-built reports from videos to divulge game trends.

Using a plethora of built-in tools, football video editing software improves recorded game clips by dissecting them into desired parts.

➡ Pinpoint major events in slow motion

Give a try to some of the tools below and you will be able to highlight players, incidents, selected actions, or any other tailored match detail, and even view it in slow motion.

If you’re a coach, you can share these cutups with players when practicing for upcoming matches and/or help them better individual performances.

➡ Include effects for professional-looking videos

Dedicated software even allows you to add text that will follow the moving players and that gives you a great opportunity to share some important information with the viewers.

Transitional effects and multiple picture-in-picture videos from different angles will add to the professional look of the resulting videos.

There are myriad programs in this space with a rich collection of awesome features. Here is a brief overview of some of this helpful software.

What are the best football video editing tools?

Adobe Premiere Pro

To put it simply, Adobe Premiere is the Pele of football video editing. The star software comes with every dream tool and consistently produces videos whose quality leaves most of the competition playing catch-up.

From custom graphic overlays to efficient workflows, Adobe Premiere has it all. Basic and advanced tools are both included.

The most enjoyable aspect is how it uses its comprehensive video editing features to combine video scenes together, add a transition, and eventually turn the unfinished edits into a shareable masterpiece.

Professionals, trainers, and coaches looking for a 360-degrees angle to the action and performance in a live football match have a talented friend in this – yes, that’s how functional it is.

And like expected of any top-rated video editing software, its user interface is tidy and sleek. The software excels in quick trimming, encoding, filtering, and a mixture of other valuable features.

There is definitely a steep learning curve but once a newbie gets the hang of the processes, it’s hard to look back.

If you’re looking for soccer video editing software, then Adobe Premiere Pro might be just what you need.

Let’s briefly look at its most important features:

  • Transcript editing tools
  • Generate captions automatically
  • Label colors and clip names
  • Fast scene edit detection
  • Clean and sleek user interface
Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro will help you create a professional-level football video that will surprise everyone.
Free trialVisit website

AceMovi Video Editor

Football is among the most popular sports in the world, and anyone who has ever watched a football match on TV or over the Internet knows how much editing can go into specific moments during a match.

Replays or slow-motion replays are among the most important tricks of the trade, extremely useful in reviewing the most important parts of the play.

Well, if you’re interested in doing that from the comfort of your very own home, we recommend that you try out AceMovi Video Editor, a lightweight software dedicated to users of all levels.

The intuitive interface makes it great for amateur users who just started out their video editing career, while the massive toolset and templates make it great for medium-to-advanced users.

Besides, the program can be downloaded and tested for free with very few limitations, so getting to try it before deciding to buy it is indeed a choice.

Of course, it’s also important that this tool can work with any format, including the most popular ones like MP4, M4V, MOV, MKV, and many more.

And after you finish editing your video, you can share it on any platform such as YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.

Here are some of the most impressive features that make AceMovi great for editing football game footage:

  • Transitions
  • Split Screen
  • Audio insertion
  • Fade in and out
  • Changing replay speed
  • Picture-in-picture and green-screen support
AceMovi Video Editor

AceMovi Video Editor

Your favorite football moments can be edited in spectacular fashion with this amazing tool!
Free trialVisit website

Cyberlink Power Director

One of the most powerful football video editing software, Cyberlink’s Power Director, delivers professional-grade football videos and works well for both novices and expert users.

The massive collection of cool ready-made templates comes complete with amazing transitions, animations, effects, and phenomenal music.

Additionally, it accommodates any imaginable customization and crucially, supports most of the latest online video formats, 4K resolution included.

Power Director is one of the few software to allow True360 video editing so users can highlight players, insert arrows to a video, and use slow motion.

Those looking at delivering sophisticated videos get an extra creative spark from the library of themed animated titles, 3rd party cinematic tones, and frame-by-frame motion tracking.

Users have an opportunity to either export the final product in their favorite format and back up clips in the easy-to-use CyberLink cloud platform.

If you’re looking for sports editing software, be sure to give PowerDirector a try.

Take a glimpse at this tool’s best features below:

  • You can add text and graphics that follow the moving objects
  • Allows removing the background in videos
  • Screen recording features
  • Great design library for content
  • True 4K support
PowerDirector

PowerDirector

Quickly and easily create stunning professional-level videos and photos in a plethora of styles with this tool.
Check priceVisit website

Corel VideoStudio

Corel VideoStudio is an easy-to-use, yet powerful tool for consumer-level video editing packed with innovative features, such as the Highlight Reel, which uses AI to turn photos and clips into video shows.

Thanks to all these, it’s a perfect soccer video editing software, especially if you want to create a highlight reel of a match.

In addition, the program lets you use Slip, Slide, Roll, and Stretch edit modes when working on the timeline for more customization and freedom. The program also features a new color panel replete with color wheels.

When it comes to blending modes, Corel allows you to choose between Multiply, Screen, Overlay, and much more. On top of that, UI and 4k resolution compatibility has been improved as well.

The software has an interactive interface, and it comes with a built-in tutorial, showcasing its core features, and taking you through all the necessary steps to learn its basics.

You can import the clips you recorded yourself but you can also record your screen or capture multi-camera videos that will make your game video even more exciting.

And even most important, you can work with this tool at any level of knowledge because the interface is extremely friendly, with drag-and-drop functionality.

Let’s see what are the key features of this tool:

  • Enhance color, apply white balance and lens corrections
  • Apply creative effects, filters, and animated overlays
  • Combine clips filmed from different angles with multi-camera capture
  • Edit videos on the timeline easily by dragging and dropping clips
  • Share resulting video on any platform
Corel VideoStudio

Corel VideoStudio

Corel Video Studio lets you turn your memories into movies with ease, thanks to its excellent performance.
Check priceVisit website

VideoPad

VideoPad is a fully featured video editing software used in creating professional-looking videos.

It comes with over 50 transitions and visual effects for your movies, as well as being one of the fastest video processors at the moment.

In addition, the software allows you to easily drag and drop videos and edit them on the spot. You can apply effects to the videos, adjust the speed, cut and insert portions, add transitions, and much more.

The publishers from NCH Software advertise it as one of the fastest video stream processors on the market so it’s also great in that respect.

Moreover, VideoPad can burn both DVD and Blu-ray videos, or even export your videos online or to different devices, making it a great choice for both casual video editors, or professional users working in a studio.

Also, keep in mind that the program is versatile, working on both PC and Mac, so if you need sports editing software, feel free to try it.

Let’s see a brief review of its best features:

  • Drag and drop video clips
  • Over 50 visual and transition effects
  • Fast processing
  • Overlay text for captions and movie credits
  • Create visual effects templates to use on any project
VideoPad

VideoPad

VideoPad is a great tool video editing tool for both beginners and professionals, offering great features.
Check priceVisit website

VidSwap

VidSwap

vidswapBecause of its winning flexibility, VidSwap has slowly become a favorite amongst many coaches and players.

The accomplished online platform is quite fast and breaks down uploaded games within 6-12 hours so users can start planning for the next match soonest.

And it captures all the essentials including specific highlights, game situations, plus individual players.

The biggest news is that the program’s intuitive interfaces make the whole process of capturing and editing recorded video so much fun.

Indeed, the high-flying cloud software matches nearly all the conventions used in classic sports football video broadcasts making it one of the best in the business.

Users have the option of assigning the file to their own playlist for a detailed review later or share the finished file straight with other players or coaches.

With its unique features, VidSwap is an interesting soccer video editing software that you should definitely consider.

⇒ Get VidSwap

Lightworks

The robust Lightworks video editor has always been in the races whenever any discussion on football video editing crops up.

The software is a sure winner and supports even the most demanding creations thanks to its embarrassment of riches, features-wise.

For example, one can upload multiple videos and have it work its magic to produce thrilling videos about the best goals, nerve-racking moments, and mouth-watering saves.

Its interface is easy and steps straightforward, so it doesn’t take much time to make the football edits perfect.

It is a complete editing package and supports numerous multi-frame formats so that users can open the videos even from their phones.

And when you’re done editing the perfect football review video, you can easily and quickly share it online on any platform.

Amazingly, it’s free to use for life though there’s an option of upgrading to the pro version to access the latest features, so if you need sports editing software, feel free to try it out.

⇒ Get Lightworks

Best tips for great-looking football review videos

➡ Structure the video clearly

Whether you’re working with a video recorded professionally or you shot it yourself during the game, you first need to cut out only the important parts you’re interested in.

If you structure the video in a timeline, the audience will be able to better grasp the highlights of the game.

➡ Add important data

The viewers clearly want to see the score at all times, so make sure it’s always on the screen. They will identify the moment of the game quicker.

You also need to include other important data like the names and record history of the players and anything you might think it’s needed.

If you’re a coach, you will clearly want to get the attention to a precise moment of the game, so that you can pinpoint the strategy your players need to follow in the future.

➡ Use slow motion for the most important parts

If you’re making a review of your favorite game, you will definitely want to present a score from all angles and the slow-motion features from the tools above will help you highlight it even more.

As a coach, the slow-motion will help you show exactly the mistakes in the game and present them to your players so they can improve their play. On top of that, let us remind you that it’s incredibly easy to create slow-motion videos on your PC.

We hope that you found the best football video editing software to make a great coaching or review video and that our guides helped you enhance the results.

Choosing can be tough, so you should consider issues like budget, ease of use, and skill level when comparing the available options.

However, they all work superbly and take the video experience to the next level. You should also take a look at our selection of the best football analysis software for PC, assuming that you need more data.

If you tested any other software that could help your fellow readers, don’t hesitate to tell us about it in the comments section below.

Windows news recap: Affinity apps get big updates, Windows 11 and Spotify integration teased, and more

Welcome back to our Windows news recap, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.

Affinity Publisher, Designer, and Photo apps update on Windows 10 and 11 with big improvements

Affinity has released an update for all of its image editing and designer apps. Publisher, Designer, and Photo all received the 1.10 update, dramatically increases speed, asset loading, and processing speed in all three apps.

Affinity Publisher app on Windows 10 and Windows 11
Affinity Publisher app on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Chief Product Officer Panos Panay teases new Windows 11 and Spotify integration

A new integration between Windows 11 and Spotify has been teased, showing that Spotify is integrated into the Alarm Clock, allowing users to play a given Spotify playlist.

Microsoft’s two OneNote apps for Windows are about to become one in 2022

The two OneNote apps on Windows are to be unified in 2022, becoming one app. The OneNote UWP app will not be pre-installed from Windows 11 onwards, and the Win32 app for OneNote will become the only OneNote app on Windows.

Microsoft's two onenote apps for windows are about to become one in 2022 - onmsft. Com - august 5, 2021

Panos Panay gives a first look at the new Windows 11 Snipping Tool

The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 has been shown off, showing some design improvements to the tool.

That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Windows news.

Microsoft news recap: ID@Xbox games showcase, proof of COVID-19 vaccination to be required for US offices, and more

Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!

Xbox Gear Shop adds new Halo Infinite, Forza, and Psychonauts 2 merch

New merchandise has been added to the Xbox Gear Shop to bring in new lines for upcoming and recently released titles, including Halo Infinite, Forza, and Psychonauts 2. T-shirts, caps, and hoodies, have all been added to the store.

Xbox gear shop halo and forza merch

Microsoft Edge’s Super Duper Secure Mode addresses Javascript vulnerabilities in a brand new way

A new Super Duper Secure Mode is being tested in Microsoft Edge that addresses vulnerabilities in JavaScript in a way that hasn’t been seen before – in the browser. It works by disabling the Just-in-Time compiler. The feature is hidden behind a flag in the web browser and is not suitable for general use just yet, due to its potential to break some websites.

 

Microsoft to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone accessing its US offices next month

From next month, visitors to Microsoft’s offices in the United States will be required to have proof of COVID-19 vaccination. This requirement will cover employees, guests, and other third-parties. Employees who couldn’t have the vaccine on medical grounds or religious beliefs will be exempt.

Microsoft Logo New
Microsoft Logo New

Microsoft announces ID@Xbox games showcase on Twitch on August 10

On August 10, Microsoft is hosting an ID@Xbox games showcase over on Twitch.  The show will promote independent games, as well as make some new announcements of upcoming games.

This week in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams for Mac now supports native macOS notifications

Microsoft Teams has now added support for native macOS notifications, bringing a more unified notification experience that is consistent with other Mac apps.

Microsoft Teams will make documents shown on PC webcams easier to read for users

Reading documents and whiteboards through a webcam can be a difficult task, so Microsoft is looking to make it easier in Teams, with a new “Content from camera” feature. The feature is expected in September.

Microsoft Teams Breakout Rooms are no longer supported in private channels meetings

Private channels meetings have lost support for Breakout Rooms. Microsoft says that it is due to the “design of the feature”.

Microsoft Teams users can now transfer calls between desktop and mobile devices

It is now possible to transfer calls between desktop and mobile devices in Microsoft Teams. When in a call and accessing Teams on another device, a banner will be displayed prompting that a call is in progress and provides the option to transfer it to the second device.

That’s it for this week. We will be back next week with more Microsoft news.

SwifDoo PDF: All-in-one free PDF software

We live in a world where physical documents are becoming obsolete as more and more people choose the convenience of working with digital files.

Using digital forms and other types of documents is more than convenient, it is necessary. Why? Because digital files don’t take up space, are easy to handle, and can be duplicated without wasting physical resources.

In addition to saving resources, we also save time. Nowadays, you can instantly send documents to other people through Emails, social media, or other tools.

The most common type of digital document used by companies and individuals is the PDF, which can be edited, converted, compressed, and even digitally signed.

With PDFs being so versatile and popular, one needs a tool that can take advantage of all the different things we can do with these files.

If you’re in search of such an app, we introduce you to SwifDoo, the ultimate solution for managing and editing PDF documents.

What is SwifDoo PDF?

SwifDoo PDF is an all-in-one PDF software and a great alternative to other paid tools. The program holds up against its competition, providing editing, conversion, and other useful features to its customers.

With a bite-sized download, a comprehensive and simplistic interface, everybody can grab the software, set it up in a couple of seconds, and enjoy everything it offers.

SwifDoo will speed up your work and project efficiency, simplifying the process of making changes to PDF documents, as well as converting them into commonly-used MS Office formats.

Compared to its competitors, the program only occupies 10 MB of storage space. Don’t be fooled by its size, because it packs quite the punch!

Don’t worry about system compatibility. SwfitDoo is light on the system’s resources. Security isn’t a problem either, thanks to the two-level password protection, differentiated permissions, and legally binding electronic signature.

Note icon NOTE
System requirements:
OS: Windows 10, 8, 7, and XP (32 & 64)
CPU: 1 GHz processor or above
Storage Space: 150 MB or above
RAM: 1 G RAM or above

What can SwifDoo PDF do?

Edit PDF

Once you successfully subscribe to SwifDoo PDF, you will be able to change your PDF documents as you wish, just like you’d change a normal text file.

This includes adding, deleting, and editing the text or images in the document, pasting text to the Word clipboard, or vice versa.

You can also change the font color and size similar to the way you would change it in Word, or add customized elements and crop your files.

Add or remove hyperlinks and embed certain types of attachments (such as Word files, presentations, images, etc) thanks to the Whiteout option.

Convert PDF

Working with MS files, images, scanned copies or other file formats has never been easier. SwifDoo will convert any PDF into an editable file in the blink of an eye.

This means that you can convert files into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and many other formats. Thanks to its optimization, the conversion process is fast.

Multi-task through batch-processing a large number of files at once. You can even export the less common CAD documents.

Merge PDF

If you have multiple files that need to be split or merged to help with your work or projects, SwifDoo PDF has got you covered.

All you have to do is click a couple of times and that’s it. And that’s not everything. The Operation Console lets you merge files in batches.

Never worry about your documents being too short or too large. You can freely split or merge them. The simple Operation Console facilitates the whole process, as you can choose the page range and splitting options.

Compress PDF

Reduce the size of your files to help you store and share them easier. The PDF compression has two main benefits.

The transfer speed: sending PDFs as email attachments will slow down the servers and compressing PDFs into small files is a quick solution.

Storage efficiency: compressed files take less space, helping servers manage and save lots of storage space.

The compressions process optimizes bits and bytes by identifying and eliminating redundancy to reduce the size of the file without losing any information in the process.

Other notable features:

  • Create PDF that will be compatible everywhere
  • Annotate PDF with highlights, underlines, etc
  • Sign PDF digitally and efficiently
  • Protect PDF with double-layered encryption

Pricing

SwifDoo has a 7-day free trial period for non-registered users. Registered but non-paying users benefit from a 30-day free trial instead. After the trial period expires, users can decide if they want to upgrade to one of the paid versions.

As for the prices, you have two choices. If you want to buy the program, you can choose between the monthly and yearly plans. Their official website has all the different features and information about the plans.

SwifDoo PDF

SwifDoo PDF

An all-in-one PDF tool that is great for companies or projects who need to work with files.
Check priceVisit website

Final thoughts

We tested SwifDoo, and it lives up to its name. The document processing is fast, and the program is pretty easy to understand.

Setting it up took us less than 5 minutes, and we have yet to run into any problem while using the software. Overall, we’re very pleased with the tool.

The real question is, is it worth buying the software instead of one of its competitors? There’s only one real answer to it.

It depends on each one of you. Take advantage of the trial period, which is more than enough to get the gist of the program and test it. You don’t even need to register to test the program out!

That way, you will also see what features you need, and perhaps decide if you want to upgrade to one of the price plans.

Best Sky Replacement Software: 6 Picks to Choose From

Taking stunning sky photos may be easy; however, not always what you capture on your camera is exactly what you saw when capturing the photo.

Fixing overexposed and not-so-inspiring skies can be challenging, especially if you don’t have the right set of tools to work with.

Sky replacement software can make this task a lot easier. These tools allow you to add some action to your photos by replacing the sky, offering a seamless look in the finished project.

Some of the popular Skye replacement software like Adobe Photoshop and Luminar comes with AI technology specifically designed to help you improve the Sky replacement technique.

If that is not enough, there are a few more Sky replacement tools that we have explored in the article below. 

What is the best replacement software?

inPixio Photo Studio Pro 12

InPixio Photo Studio Pro 12 is a great convenient choice for editing and improving photography. Furthermore, the features of this tool cover removing objects or backgrounds, photomontages, or sky improvement tools. 

Plus, if you need more professional editing of the pictures you can use functionalities like horizontal soft focus, or buildings straightening for tilted shots.

With this Powered-AI software, you have also included a sky-replacing tool that can improve your sky appearance to make it look more natural and artistic. Also, the colors of your photography will be harmonized with the foreground. 

inPixio Photo Studio can automatically detect and remove skies from your images, allowing you to effortlessly swap a sky for more vivid and awe-inspiring photos.

To add drama to your picture, go from a gloomy day to a bright one or choose a dramatic sunset. Amaze your Facebook and Twitter followers with a single share.

Thus, if you need reliable Powered-AI software to resolve overexposure or other issues, this solution can work as your personal assistant in editing or beautifying your images. 

Key features of inPixio Photo Studio:

  • Harmonize sky colors 
  • Remove objects from background 
  • Autocorrection for colors 
  • Red-eye correction 
  • Photomontage
  • Share on Facebook and Twitter
Photo Studio Pro 12

Photo Studio Pro 12

Add vibrant colors and swap skies with any preset backgrounds in the vast library of inPixio.
Check price Visit website

Adobe Photoshop

From photo manipulation, and compositing to digital painting, animation, and graphic design, Adobe Photoshop can do it all and more.

You can transform images with the help of new AI technology and share your project via live stream to your audience and client directly from the dashboard.

The new sky replacement feature allows you to select the sky in an image and replace it with a sky of your choice. The AI technology of the software will automatically match the scenery colors with the new sky. 

Adobe Photoshop features improved and powerful editing tools to remove objects, retouch and recolor to create magical effects. It also comes with easy selection, unlimited layers, and access to thousands of brushes from its collection.

Key features of Adobe Photoshop:

  • Excellent sky replacement tool with AI technology 
  • Improved and powerful editing tools 
  • Access to Adobe Creative Cloud 
  • Over a thousand brushes for customization 
Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop

Use powerful AI technology to replace the sky or any other element in your photos.
Check Price Visit Website

Corel PaintShop Pro

sky replacement software

Corel PaintShop Pro is a popular photo editing tool that has introduced AI-enabled editing tools. While it may not be the jack of all trades, it is a more affordable option compared to advanced manipulation programs like Adobe Photoshop while offering a decent set of tools and features for beginners and professionals.

The latest update to the tool brings AI upsampling to enlarge any photo without compromising resolution or visual quality.

Other AI feature includes AI Artifact Removal to remove artifacts and restore fine details and original colors, AI Denoise to remove random variations of brightness and color in images due to poor lighting conditions, and AI Style Transfer to transform your photos into stylized works of art.

Key features of Corel PaintShop Pro:

  • Excellent set of new powerful tools 
  • Flexible interface with plenty of tutorials 
  • Affordable 
  •  New AI-enabled tools to automate the editing process for critical tasks 
Corel PaintShop Pro

Corel PaintShop Pro

Use powerful tools to make your photos look exactly how you want.
Check Price Visit Website

Luminar

sky replacement software

Like Photoshop and PaintShop Pro, Luminar 4 claims to offer revolutionary tools and AI technologies to give creative professionals the photo editing tools to create stunning artwork pieces.

Luminar 4 features the new SkyAI tool that will quickly mask your sky area, including any tricky foreground elements, and replace the sky instantly.

You can also use your own Sky photos to replace the stock Sky photos.

Additional tools to enhance your landscape photography include Atmosphere AI and Sky Enhancer to add depth and detail in your sky shot, Golden Hour adds some warmth, and Sunray adds sun rays to the images.

It comes with full RAW support, plenty of Adobe and Apple products plugins, and dozens of selective adjustment tools.

With a notably modern interface and unique retouching tools that are not available on other tools, Luminar 4 is an affordable solution for creative professionals and hobbyists alike.

Key features of Luminar 4:

  • SkyAI tool to quickly msk sky and replace it with a sky of your choice
  • Golden Hours and Sun Rays feature to add warmth and sun rays
  • Photo editor and browser with full RAW support 
  • Plugin support for Adobe and Apple products 
Luminar

Luminar

Luminar can help you easily remove any sky background and replace it with one of your choosing.
Free trial Visit website

Autodesk Flame

sky replacement software

Autodesk Flame is an advanced visual effects software that offers tools to create fast, interactive 3D visual effects, compositing, color grading, conform, and advanced graphics. 

With the help of a semantic keyer for sky extraction, you can use Autodesk Flame as sky replacement software to isolate skies, remove clouds, add treatments to the sky background, and more with a single click.

The latest Autodesk Flame version comes with GPU-accelerated defocus effects, human face extraction, Dolby vision HDR, integrated finishing enhancements, and more.

Key features of Autodesk Flame:

  • Excellent sky treatment tools to replace clouds, and background 
  • GPU-accelerated defocus effects and human face extraction 
  • Integrated finishing enhancements 
  • Good set of editing and finishing tools 

LandscapePro

sky replacement software

LandscapePro is an intelligent, easy-to-use, and powerful photo manipulation software for outdoor photographers.

Intelligent landscape editing offers you specific tools that match your image. You can add rain, snow, fog, or more to your images with the new atmosphere tools.

With the built-in sky replacement tool, you can fix full, overcast, blown-out skies and change the background with hundreds of included options.

The overlay feature allows you to add a log or watermark overlay to help you protect your work online.

Key features of LandscapePro:

  • Powerful AI-powered selection tools 
  • Good editing controls that adapt to your images 
  • Easy-to-use slider interface 
  • Sky replacement tools to change, retouch and add backgrounds 

Sky replacement can be tricky if you don’t have access to the right set of tools to make the necessary changes.

Sky replacement software makes this task easier by allowing you to select the sky in an image and replace it with a sky of your choice.

Explore all the tools listed in this article to find the best sky replacement software to take your landscape photography to a new level.

Build 22000.120 still didn’t fix major taskbar and Start menu issues

As expected, seeing how Windows 11 is still in its testing phase, the new build also comes with some nasty bugs that either haven’t been dealt with during development or are brand new.

Still, the community is fast in flagging these issues and Microsoft surely has enough information to go ahead and perform the necessary tweaks.

In this article, we will explore the problems that ruin user experience on the new build.

Windows 11 Insider build 22000.120 bugs and issues

Context menu still flickers on files and folders

Even though in the release notes Microsoft clearly stated that they took care of the problems that users experienced when it came to context menus, the truth seems to be a bit different.

Reports are coming in that people are still struggling with this issue even on the new build.

The context menu has yet to prove itself a stable experience, to say the least. It sometimes works, while other times it appears underneath other layers on your desktop, or not at all, or it just flickers continuously.

Widgets still not working properly

As we mentioned in the articles related to the problems that previous builds had, the Widgets feature is still broken and only works for some Insiders.

Sometimes widgets don’t appear at all, while for other users they lack functionality. This Windows Insider says that he can’t sign in to Widgets.

Although not a system-threatening issue, you can understand how this can easily lead to frustration and dismissal.

Snapping still won’t work and layering is all wrong on multiple displays

There really seems to be an important issue with the snapping feature, and apparently, a hard one to solve, considering that it’s been going on since a couple of builds ago.

Maybe Microsoft met its match when it comes to bugs, or maybe they keep fixing it but not well enough since it always finds a way back into users’ PCs.

We’ve heard about issues with Windows 11 being used on multiple monitors, again, since two or three builds ago, and the Redmond company still hasn’t managed to sort this out.

Clearly, Windows 11 is a long way out from shore right now, and sailing back will prove to be maybe the biggest challenge Microsoft ever had to face.

Everyone thinks that because every time the tech company feels like it’s making some progress, the reality is that Insiders are stuck with the same old problems, even though new patches are supposed to fix them.

Taskbar and Start menu still not working for some Insiders

Since we were talking about persistent issues, here’s a situation that will surely leave you questioning Microsoft’s ability to actually fix problems, instead of creating new ones.

Reddit user Glitchdweller is facing one major problem since build 22000.71, and it still hasn’t been remediated in any way.

Signing out and signing back in does not fix it, no matter how hard I try. I have submitted feedback in the feedback hub, but it says the problem was fixed in 22000.71, despite that being the version that caused this issue in the first place. I have no clue what the problem is, nor what the solution might be.

To be more exact, his taskbar or Start menu aren’t working and no amount of fixes and improvements seems to solve this issue for him.

Even after he took matters into his own hands and performed some system-level tweaks using the registry tool, the issue is still there, and more annoying than ever.

Settings app crashes when using Windows Update

Updating to Windows 11 build 22000.120 means that this Windows Insider can no longer interact with the Optional updates section of his settings app.

As he reports, when trying to access this part of the system’s settings dedicated panel, instead of gaining access, the Settings app just freezes and crashes a few seconds later.

Since updating to Windows 11, I am not able to see/use the Optional updates function located on Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates. The Settings app just freezes and then after a couple of seconds it crashes.

Gaming experience is even worse with new build

This isn’t the first time we hear that gaming on Windows 11 is an experience better avoided. But if you can’t really help yourself and want to try it, head the warnings of fellow Insiders that did and reported it to be bad.

It would seem that, after the new build update, gaming is even worse than it was on the previous Insider build, with GPU and CPU temperatures rising above normal.

I think I have encountered a bug in the latest Windows Insider Beta build (22000.120). It seems like my CPU and GPU temperatures have increased from the last update. It also seems like the performance of the game has also gone down after the update. Has anyone else experienced this? I just want to see if it’s something with me or if it’s something with the build itself.

Taskbar flyout menu isn’t working on build 22000.120

To be fair, Microsoft did warn us that this new Insider build may break the taskbar or/and Start menu for many of us.

Still, this is no excuse not to fix such vital components of the operating system. And it’s not just this build that brings issues on this category of system tools.

Insiders that are dealing with this sort of problem are already reporting abnormal behavior.

Unable to save custome theme

There are, of course, users that instead of going with a preset theme for their desktop backgrounds, choose to create a personalized one and save it to the system.

However, if you decide to do this on the new Insider build, you might be disappointed. Some of the people that have tried to do so are now pointing out that that saving the customer themes is not working.

I am trying to save my theme I made for my background on my pc. My pc has the latest version of windows. Although, after I name my theme and want to save it, the save button will not light up. Therefore, I am unable to save my theme. If someone can help figure out this bug, that would be great.

Not being able to personalize your system can prove to be quite annoying for some, as they have grown accustomed to a certain style when it comes to the Windows OS.

File Explorer broke during build tranzition

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s the case, it means that a video would be worth a million words, at least.

And since you can’t beat statistics, here’s a video of a Windows Insider that is running the current build, 22000.120, trying to access his File Explorer.

Every time he tries to access Explorer, the app just crashes instantaneously. Starting it, again and again, will only result in the same scenario.


We will keep track of everything that goes on with the current build and report our findings through this article.

Make sure to keep an eye on all this information, so that you will have an idea of what to expect while testing the new Insider build for Windows 11.

What are some of the bugs you came across on build 22000.120 so far? Let us know in the comments section below.

Windows 11 Build 22000.120 fixes the Taskbar and File Explorer

Were you already bored with the current Windows 11 Insider build? You don’t have to worry about that anymore, as build 22000.120 is now available for users in the Dev and Beta Channels, through the Windows Insider program.

We’ve now reached the fifth cumulative update for Windows 11 RTM Build 22000, and this one comes with several quality enhancements, but there are no new features or significant improvements.

If you check for updates today, a new patch called Cumulative Update for Windows 11 (10.0.22000.120) (KB5005188) will appear available for download.

Furthermore, a new Defender security update will also download and install automatically when you tap on the check for updates button.

Build 22000.120 brings a plethora of improvements and fixes

KB5005188 comes with a lot of improvements for desktop users. For example, Microsoft has updated File Explorer’s right-click context menus with a compact interface for mouse users.

Windows 11’s right-click context menu felt a bit too big on desktops, but Microsoft has finally addressed it with today’s release.

The Redmond company also tweaked the New button in the File Explorer’s command by integrating a dropdown menu.

Other changes and improvements that Windows 11 gained through build 22000.120 include:

  • A new Family widget for MSA accounts! It is available in all Windows languages and regions. It allows you to see recent activity from members of your Microsoft family group.22000.120 widget
  • Notification badging for the Chat icon on the Taskbar. Not everyone will see it right away at first.
  • Adjustments to improve how the close button looks like in the Taskbar preview windows.
  • Changing backgrounds for Desktops, even if Settings is already open, using Choose Background via Task View will now force Settings to move to whichever Desktop you’re actually on.
  • Moved the Identify button in Display Settings to be right under the control for arranging your monitors (when you have multiple monitors connected) so it’s easier to find.
  • Made some adjustments to improve the use of space and thumbnail sizes within ALT + Tab, Task View and snap assist.

Important fixes brought via Insider build 22000.120

Of course, as with any new build, Microsoft also fixed some of the problems that were making it hard for users to enjoy the new OS experience.

It’s a lengthy list, as the company took an even more hands-on approach and decided to exterminate the bugs that plagued our system on previous builds.

These are the fixes that the tech giant promised for build 22000.120:

  • Taskbar:
    • The virtual touchpad is now available again to be enabled in Taskbar Settings.
    • The Task View flyout will no longer dismiss when you start typing when attempting to rename your Desktops.
    • The Task View flyout should now display in the correct direction for Insiders using the Arabic or Hebrew display language.
    • When Cortana is set up for voice activation, hovering over the microphone icon in the Taskbar corner will now say Your assistant is ready to respond instead of Host process for Windows Services
    • DPI changes should no longer cause icon duplication and overlapping in the Taskbar corner.
    • Adjusted the calendar flyout header spacing to give a bit more room in response to feedback that the days of the week were wrapping in some languages.
    • Fixed an issue where if you updated your preferred first day of the week, it wouldn’t be reflected in the calendar flyout until you signed out and back in.
    • Your preferred calendar flyout state (expanded or collapsed) should now persist reboot.
    • Fixed a race condition for Insiders will multiple monitors related to the Taskbar that was causing Start menu to fly up into the corner of the screen, and explorer.exe to crash when you tried hovering over the Task View button on secondary monitors.
    • Mitigated an issue that could trigger an explorer.exe crash loop for Insiders running Windows with multiple monitors.
    • Based on our analysis of the previous flight, we believe the explorer.exe crash loop for Turkish Insiders when their laptops were at 100% charge has been addressed and we are removing this from the known issues list.
    • Clicking the widgets icon on your secondary monitor should now open widgets on that monitor instead of your primary one.
    • Right-clicking on the Taskbar with a pen should no longer cause a crash.
    • Addressed an issue that was making app icons in the Taskbar blurry for some Insiders.
    • We’ve done some work to address an issue where app icons in the Taskbar could become stuck in a blank state when loading.
    • Fixed an issue that was making explorer.exe crash when clicking the Task View button.
    • Fixed an issue where the Chat window was getting stuck on the screen.
    • Clicking Chat on a secondary monitor should now launch it in the correct position and DPI.
    • Done some work to address an issue where the Taskbar preview windows were getting stuck on the screen and not dismissing when you clicked something else.
    • To address an issue where pressing F7 with focus set to the Taskbar would lock up the taskbar, made a change so that the caret browsing prompt will no longer appear if F7 is pressed somewhere where a text block is not present.
    • If you press WIN + B followed by the arrow keys, you will now be able to navigate to all the elements in the taskbar corner without needing to press Tab first.
    • Badges on the app icons on secondary monitors should now be in sync with what’s showing on the primary monitor.
  • Settings:
    • Settings will no longer crash when clicking Facial recognition (Windows Hello) under Sign-in Settings when Windows Hello is already set up.
    • Fixed an issue where in navigating to Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet could unexpectedly change the network profile type. If you are an ethernet user, please check your settings after upgrading to this build to ensure your desired network profile type is selected and change it if it isn’t.
    • Fixed an issue where setting your IP address in Network Settings wasn’t working in certain cases.
    • Editing your VPN proxy details in Settings should no longer cause Settings to crash.
    • Fixed another issue causing Power & Battery Settings to crash.
    • Also fixed an issue that could make Settings crash specifically if you went to look at the 7-day battery usage graph in Power & Battery Settings.
    • The progress bars in Settings are now properly accent colored.
    • Saving custom themes in Personalization Settings should now work.
    • Hooked up some Get Help links that stopped pointing to specific guidance after the Settings updates introduced in Windows 11.
    • Hovering over the toggle switches in Settings will no longer make them disappear.
    • Fixed an issue that could cause search in Settings to be in a permanently broken state, saying No result for every search.
    • Did some work to help address an issue where you would see a big solid accent color area while resizing the Settings window.
    • Settings should no longer flash green on launch.
    • Done some work to fix an issue that was causing random crashes on Settings pages with lists, as well as an issue causing random crashes on Settings pages with radio buttons.
    • Links to specific Settings pages will now properly navigate to the correct page in Settings when Settings isn’t already open.
    • Your profile picture in Settings should no longer have an unexpected square backplate when transparency is enabled.
    • Added in the missing progress bar when uninstalling apps under Apps & Features in Settings.
    • Icons in the volume mixer in Sound Settings should no longer become overlapped.
    • In-bound Bluetooth PIN pairing in Settings should work again now.
    • If you click Advanced Options at the top of the page while navigating through Windows Update Settings, it should now actually open Advanced Options.
    • Made another fix for the volume and brightness sliders becoming unexpectedly tiny if all other settings were removed from Quick Settings.
    • Going from one of the subpages of Quick Settings over to the input flyout should no longer cause a crash.
    • If you use the Accessibility section of Quick Settings, the toggles should now show the correct state of each feature.
    • If you press WIN + P to go directly to Project within Quick Settings, the arrow keys now work to navigate up and down the list.
    • Fixed an issue that was causing some thumbnails to be randomly squished in the media control above Quick Settings.
    • Made another fix to address Focus Assist turning on unexpectedly when viewing the desktop.
  • File Explorer:
    • Fixed an issue resulting in File Explorer unexpectedly not showing an updated scroll bar when in dark mode.
    • Addressed a GDI handle leak related to context menu usage resulting in sluggishness across File Explorer after prolonged usage.
    • Made a change to address a memory leak which was impacting File Explorer, increasing each time more File Explorer windows were opened.
    • Also made a change related to the command bar in File Explorer that was resulting an increased thread count every time a new File Explorer window was opened that would continually grow, consuming resources.
    • Fixed a high hitting explorer.exe crash related to the use of Acrylic in File Explorer’s context menus.
    • Fixed an issue making the focus rectangle unexpectedly appear when using mouse to interact with File Explorer’s command bar.
    • The context menu shouldn’t flicker anymore if you hover over it when Contrast themes are enabled.
    • The context menu should no longer unexpectedly get clipped on the side, not rendering completely.
    • Right clicking the bottom corner of the desktop show no longer causes the context menu to open at the top of the screen.
    • Addressed an underlying issue that we believe is the root cause for a scrollbar appearing in the context menu and explorer.exe crashing when you tried to interact with it.
    • Made a change to help make the radio buttons in File Explorer’s File Options a little more obvious when they’re in the selected state.
    • Clicking the rename button in the command bar should no longer randomly show the Open With dialog sometimes.
    • Fixed an issue that was making some of the file operation dialogs have unreadable button text in dark mode (for example, File in Use and Destination Folder Access Denied).
  • Start menu:
    • Rapidly pressing the Windows key multiple times should no longer crash Start.
    • Made a change to help improve Start menu launch performance.
    • Fixed an issue where if you clicked on one of the files in Recommended, it was opening the file in an unexpected app in some cases.
    • Made a change to address an issue where Search was sometimes randomly flashing on top of Start when opening Start.
  • Search:
    • Hovering over the Search icon should no longer cause a crash when the recent searches have been updated.
    • When hovering over the Search icon the window should no longer become clipped.
  • Windowing:
    • Connecting and disconnecting to a PC over Remote Desktop, and switching users, should no longer make all your open apps unexpectedly minimize.
    • Addressed a high hitting explorer.exe crash when snapping certain apps on system with mixed DPI monitors.
    • When the snap layouts window is visible after hovering on the maximize button of an app it should now dismiss more reliably now when you move your mouse away.
    • Fixed an issue that was making explorer.exe crash sometimes if you docked or undocked your PC with snapped windows.
    • Window frames should no longer get stuck on the screen when closing windows.
    • Fixed an issue that was making windows unexpectedly open on the wrong Desktop when they shouldn’t.
    • Turned off the animation when switching Desktops using the keyboard shortcuts as it was leading to flashes and hangs.
    • When maximizing certain windows, like File Explorer, the border should no longer low over to secondary monitors.
    • Addressed an issue that was causing screen readers to unexpectedly say DesktopWindowXamlSource when using ALT + Tab.
    • Done some work to improve the sensitivity when using the touchpad gesture to invoke ALT + Tab and switch apps.
    • If you were experiencing issues with snap ssist not appearing on the previous flight, we believe this should be resolved after upgrading to this one.
  • Windows Security and logging in:
    • Windows Hello Face should be working again now after upgrading.
    • The button text in the UAC dialog should now correctly say Yes and No again for Insiders not using EN-US.
    • Fixed an issue that was making the UAC dialog launch in the background for apps pinned to the Taskbar in certain scenarios.
    • A Windows Defender fix to address the issue where Automatic sample submission was unexpectedly turned off when you restarted your PC is rolling out.
    • Mitigated an issue resulting in some Insiders seeing a repeated logonui.exe crash.
    • Also mitigated a deadlock that could result in your PC getting stuck at a black screen when unlocking your PC, and a separate crash that was making some Insiders see a black screen for a few seconds after logging in.
    • Fixed an issue that was making explorer.exe crash for some Insiders when logging in for the first time after booting their PC.
    • Improved visibility of login screen elements when using high contrast.
    • Logging in or locking your PC should no longer cause full screen white or accent colored flashes.
  • Input:
    • Fixed an issue related to tooltips that was making clicks happen in the wrong place across the system, for example when interacting with icons on the desktop.
    • The touch keyboard should no longer get clipped after rotating the screen orientation when docked.
    • Fixed an issue that was causing explorer.exe to crash sometimes when changing focus between apps while using a third-party IME.
    • Mitigated an issue that is believed to be causing certain hardware keys and buttons to not work on some devices, including the function keys.
    • Mitigated a race condition that could result in certain devices unexpectedly waking from sleep if the touchpad was used to click the Sleep option in Start.
  • Other:
    • Fixed an issue that could lead to PCs bug checking while sleeping.
    • Fixed an issue that was causing stuttering if you tried to play a game while the Xbox Game Bar performance monitor was pinned on the screen.
    • Mitigated an issue that could result in stutter or fps drop for Insiders when moving the mouse in certain games. Thank you Insiders who have taken the time to share feedback about gaming performance with us – if you continue experiencing issues after upgrading, please check our guidance on logging actionable feedback on this subject.
    • Fixed an issue where the boot menu wasn’t identifying Windows 11 correctly.
    • Addressed an issue believed to be causing a number of unexpected UI issues in the previous flight, including semi-transparent and unreadable dialogs, z-ordering issues, large, shadowed areas getting stuck on the screen. and backwards text in context menus for Arabic and Hebrew Insiders.
    • Addressed an issue where windows created while transparency was disabled would become stuck in a solid color instead of becoming acrylic when transparency was enabled.
    • Done some work to remove the unexpected white artifacts in the corners of windows when using dark mode.
    • Right clicking multiple times in certain apps like Task Manager will no longer make the context menu frame change from rounded to square.
    • Fixed a focus issue that was making the window immediately dismiss after pressing ALT + F4 on the desktop.
    • Mitigated an issue that was resulting in unexpectedly needing to re-pair certain connected devices after rebooting.
    • Mitigated an explorer.exe deadlock that could happen when reordering your Desktops.
    • Addressed an issue that was resulting in Microsoft Store appearing to download app updates that were already installed on the PC.
    • Fixed an issue that was resulting in some Insiders experiencing bugchecks, in particular when playing games.

The Microsoft Store also received some vital tweaks

As part of this system update, Microsoft Store is getting support for auto-scrolling on the spotlight, thus allowing users to discover their next favorite app, movie, or game without manually scrolling through the list.

Source: Microsoft

The Redmond-based tech company is also introducing a gaming product detail page (PDP) design, so users can see more info and images of the game.

There’s also a new ratings and reviews dialog, and it’s based on XAML instead of WebView.

Known issues with build 22000.120

Don’t go thinking that this Insider build is perfect and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Windows 11 is still in its testing phase so we are bound to run into more issues.

However, Microsoft is bringing to our attention some of the problems that the new build has, as follows:

  • [REMINDER] When upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 or when installing an update to Windows 11, some features may be deprecated or removed. See details here.
  • Still investigating an issue where on some devices, when going to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program, only the “Stop getting preview builds” option is visible. This prevents Insiders from selecting a channel. We have posted a workaround on Answers.
  • [BETA CHANNEL] Still investigating reports from Insiders in the Beta Channel where after upgrading to Windows 11, they are not seeing the new Taskbar and the Start menu doesn’t work. To workaround this if you are impacted, please try going to Windows Update > Update history, uninstalling the latest cumulative update for Windows, and the reinstall it by checking for updates.
  • Start:
    • In some cases, you might be unable to enter text when using Search from Start or the Taskbar. If you experience the issue, press WIN + R on the keyboard to launch the Run dialog box, then close it.
    • System and Windows Terminal is missing when right-clicking on the Start button (WIN + X).
  • Taskbar:
    • The Taskbar will sometimes flicker when switching input methods.
  • Search:
    • After clicking the Search icon on the Taskbar, the Search panel may not open. If this occurs, restart the “Windows Explorer” process, and open the search panel again.
    • When you hover your mouse over the Search icon on the Taskbar, recent searches may not be displayed. To work around the issue, restart your PC.
    • Search panel might appear as black and not display any content below the search box.
  • Widgets:
    • The widgets board may appear empty. To work around the issue, you can sign out and then sign back in again.
    • Launching links from the widgets board may not invoke apps to the foreground.
    • Widgets may be displayed in the wrong size on external monitors. If you encounter this, you can launch the widgets via touch or WIN + W shortcut on your actual PC display first and then launch on your secondary monitors.
    • [Family widget] Some users may see a ‘connect a device to see screen time activity’ message even with screen time settings enable.
    • [Family widget] Location information may not be available for some users on iOS.
  • Store:
    • We are working to improve search relevance in the Store including resolving an issue where in some cases the ordering of search results is inaccurate.
    • The install button might not be functional yet in some limited scenarios.
    • Rating and reviews are not available for some apps.
  • Windows Sandbox
    • The Taskbar will crash continuously in Windows Sandbox. The team is investigating a fix.
  • Localization
    • There is an issue where some Insiders may be some missing translations from their user experience for a small subset of languages running the latest Insider Preview builds. To confirm if you have been impacted, please visit this Answers forum post and follow the steps for remediation.

On a more serious note, this update could also break the taskbar and Start Menu if you’re in the Beta Channel.

How do I install KB5005188?

  1. Access the Settings menu and go the Windows Update tab.
  2. You should see the update as pending download so go ahead and click the Download button.install build 22000.120
  3. The patch will start downloading automatically.
  4. Click on “Restart now” to finish the installation.

Have you already installed the new Windows 11 Insider build? Tell us all about your experience in the comments section below.

Outlook for Windows adds intelligent writing assistant with latest Insider update

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Editor, its intelligent writing assistant that made its debut in Word and as a web browser extension is coming soon to Outlook for Windows. The new feature has started rolling out to Office Insiders in the Beta channel running the build 14315.10000 or later of Outlook for Windows, and Microsoft hopes that it will help them write better emails.

“Editor is an intelligent writing assistant that’s designed to help you get your message across more effectively, and give you more confidence as a writer and communicator,” the Office Insider team explained. “We are now bringing the Editor pane to Outlook in response to your feedback. Our goal is to simplify your proofreading pass, allowing you to both quickly proof your emails and more thoroughly refine and improve your writing.”

Screenshot showing the full Editor pane in Outlook for full language review.

To get started with the Microsoft Editor in Outlook, head to the Review or Message tab and then click the new Editor button. The app will instantly open a dedicated Editor pane on the right side of the screen, which will show all the writing suggestions for the current email: Tips include spelling and grammar corrections, and other help refinements to users enhance conciseness and clarity.

The Microsoft Editor in Outlook is gradually rolling out in preview to Microsoft 365 subscribers enrolled in the Office Insider program. However, Outlook users will need to use the app in a language that supports proofreading tools to try out this new Editor pane.

Microsoft announces ID@Xbox games showcase on Twitch on August 10

Microsoft announced yesterday that it will hold a second ID@Xbox games showcase on Twitch on Tuesday, August 10. Xbox fans can expect brand new indie games, some live game demos, as well as new Xbox Game Pass announcements during the event.

“During this showcase, we’ll once again feature tons of independent titles, including brand new game announcements from developers and publishers such as Rebellion, Chump Squad, and others. Fans will also get a chance to see the latest and hear from teams working on The Artful Escape, OlliOlli World, Library of Ruina, and RPG Time to name a few,” the Xbox team said yesterday.

This second ID@Xbox showcase on August 10 will kick off at 9 AM PT on Twitch.tv/twitchgaming or Twitch.tv/xbox. If indie games aren’t really your cup of tea, Microsoft may be planning more announcements at gamescom 2021 on August 25-27, where numerous developers and publishers have already confirmed their digital participation.

How to redeem and use your Microsoft Rewards Robux card

Roblox is one of the most engaging online games with huge virtual spaces and a plethora of fans of every age. And the most convenient part is that you can even play Roblox in your browser without too much fuss.

It’s no wonder why you would get excited when there’s an opportunity to get some free Robux to expand your realm with lots of items.

As part of their Rewards program, Microsoft currently advertises a 100 Robux eGift Card offer that has raised a lot of hype among Roblox fans.

What is the Robux card and how can you use it?

First of all, we have to clear the fact that Robux is the Roblox in-game currency that you can use for acquiring in-game accessories, avatar features, and other game perks.

The card that Microsoft is offering for free has a value of 100 Robux that you will be able to activate within the game and spend the money as you please.

It’s also worth noting that the game has its own affiliate program that grants each new player a free amount of Robux.

There is also the option to earn some more by making referrals to your friends. Each time they make a payment, you will get a small amount.

How can I get my Robux reward card?

  1. Go to Microsoft’s sign-in promotional website.
  2. Click on the Join now to claim your Robux button.
  3. You will be redirected to your Microsoft login page where you need to enter your credentials.
  4. Next, click the Sign up for free button to join the Microsoft Rewards program.
  5. Now you should be able to get the Robux card from within the options.

In order to claim your Robux points, you should first join the Microsoft Rewards community. You also have to be a new community member to be eligible for the reward.

Note icon NOTE
The card is only available if you’re living in one of these countries: The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Republic of Ireland, Brazil, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan.

However, if you’re not living in one of these countries, you can still use the best VPN for Roblox to get the card.

Further playing Roblox and shopping from Microsoft would earn you even more useful points to use for in-game acquisitions.

How to redeem my Robux card?

  1. Go to your Roblox accout page and login.
  2. Next, get to the gift card redemption page.
  3. You will be asked to enter the pin code of your card and click the redeem button after that.

You can also use the card when you’re making an in-game purchase. When you will be asked about the payment method, you just select the Robux gift card and you’re set.

How to buy a Robux card?

  1. Go to the Roblox Gift card page.
  2. Click on the Buy a gift card button.
  3. You will be asked who is the card for. We selflishly picked the second option but you can also make a gift for someone else and choose the first option.
  4. Next, pick the right currency and click on the Send a Digital Card button below. You also have the option of sending a physical card but you will also have to pay for a handling fee and it will take some time until you can actually get it.
  5. Now, it’s up to you if you want to personalize the design of the card (it makes more sense if you pick the physical one, right) and then click the How Much? button below.
  6. In the next window, you can pick the value of the card (from $10 to $200), set the number of cards you want to buy and then click on the Add to Cart button below.
  7. In the next windows you can review your order and click the Checkout button at the bottom of the page.
  8. The last window is only a form where you enter your personal and credit card data and click on the Place My Order button in the end.

If you chose the Digital Card, it will arrive in just a couple of minutes in your e-mail and you will be able to use the code on the card to purchase digital goods in Roblox.

What can I do if my free gift card is missing?

Although such campaigns are usually working, and the page is still active, some users can’t get beyond the main join page.

When hitting the Redeem button, they’re taken to all existing deals, but the free gift card is missing.

The explanation that advisors and other experienced users have is that Microsoft canceled the campaign because of multiple new accounts created by the same users abusively, to claim more points.

However, joining the Rewards program is conveniently still available so that new members can still receive Microsoft offers.

It seems that this is not the only campaign with such an outcome these days. Unless redeemed immediately after receiving the notification email, some rewards are lost. For more details, you can also contact Microsoft Rewards Support.

Best tips on how to spend the Robux wisely

There are a lot of opportunities to spend the Robux but not all of them are that great. Unless you have a hefty amount to spend, you need to make wise purchases.

We have put together a few tips on how to get the biggest bang for your Robux in Roblox.

➡ Don’t make impulsive purchases

We know all too well that the newest and shiniest items that just got out are extremely tempting but wait at least for a day before getting them.

You might have other more important stuff on the list that you have forgotten about because you were blinded by the rush for new things.

➡ Avoid scams and scammers

As you probably understand by now, Robux cards are clearly valuable, and a lot of scammers will try to take them away from you.

Don’t believe anyone that will try to get some of your Robux in exchange for priceless information about the game. You might end up with an empty account and a huge disappointment.

Chatting with your friends about such encounters can also lift the fog out from certain offers that look too good to be true.

➡ Earn more before spending

100 Robux are not so much but they can be a great start. You can earn more by entering the Builders Club and you will get rewards according to the tier you choose.

This is only if you’re planning to spend a lot of time in Roblox and are also willing to spend some real money. The trick is that in higher tiers they allow you to sell stuff and get back your investment with a little bit of effort.

With these being said, we hope that our guide helped you redeem your Robux card and activate it in your Roblox account.

Even more, let us remind you that you get around 80 Robux for a dollar except you become Premium. Therefore, 1 Robux costs 1.25 cents, so spend it wisely.

And since you probably already play Roblox on your PC, don’t forget that the fun can continue on other platforms too. In that regard, we have a guide on how to download Roblox for free on Xbox, Android, and iOS too.

If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to share, use our comments section below.