Microsoft announced yesterday that it had acquired Suplari, a Seattle-based company providing AI-automated analytics & insights, for an undisclosed amount. Suplari helps finance, procurement, and business leaders to optimize their spending by using AI and analytics to predict and manage costs, and Microsoft will use its technology to improve its existing Dynamics 365 offering.
“Together with Dynamics 365, the Suplari Spend Intelligence Cloud will help customers maximize financial visibility by using AI to automate the analysis of current data and historical patterns from multiple data sources. It will also help customers enhance financial decision-making by predicting the best spend management actions moving forward,” explained Frank Weigel, VP of Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 Insights Product Group.
For now, nothing will change for existing customers of the Suplari Spend Intelligence Cloud. “Given Microsoft’s AI, cloud and data investments, customers can expect that Suplari will continue to deliver more AI-driven, predictive & prescriptive insights and integrated workflows for finance, procurement, & supply chain teams,” said Suplari CEO Nikesh Parekh in a separate blog post.
“Context switching comes with a loss of efficiency. Every time you move between your emails, calendar, and tasks, you lose productive time returning back to where you were. In order to help you be more productive and save your time, we’re bringing you a side-by-side view of your mail, calendar, and tasks in Outlook Web as you navigate through your work,” the company explained in the blog post.
Microsoft says that the feature lets Outlook users quickly create tasks or events by simply dragging and dropping emails from their inbox to the My Day side-pane. Users will be able to find these tasks in the default Tasks list, and each of them will contain a link to the relevant emails. This feature should make it easier for users to keep track of their tasks without switching between both apps.
In addition, Outlook users can create a task by selecting a part of the text in an email and editing it in the sidebar. The To Do tab available in the My Day side-pane also supports dragging and dropping a task into the calendar.
To try out this feature, users will first need to go to Outlook.com, navigate to the header and click the My Day option available besides the notifications icon. They can then switch between the To Do and calendar tabs to manage their tasks and events.
Some other features available in the My Day side-pane include the ability to view due tasks from the Calendar tab and right-click any specific task to add a due date or a reminder. The side pane also provides an option to open the Microsoft To Do web app in a separate tab. Let us know in the comments below if you think that this feature will help you to manage your day-to-day work.
Fortnite’s Crew Pack for August 2021 has been revealed and it’ll likely please quite a few longtime players.
The August Fortnite Crew Skin is Summer Skye, a variant of one of the Chapter 2 Season 2’s Battle Pass characters. Much like the original Season 2 version, Summer Skye also features a light and dark look and comes with a sword that can be used as a back bling or an axe.
The Summer Sky skin also comes with two different wraps to match her light and dark aesthetics, a loading screen featuring both the Season 2 and Summer versions, and the usual bonus 1,000 V-Bucks.
All of the content for the August 2021 Fortnite Crew Pack should unlock for subscribers on August 1st. Those with an active Crew subscription before then will also receive the July 2021 Crew Pack featuring Marvel’s Loki.
In addition to the above Crew Pack news, several social accounts today teased an upcoming Fortnite collaboration with the new Suicide Squad movie. The video, which could possibly be the first of several, shows Idris Elba revealing that his Suicide Squad character, Bloodsport, is coming to Fortnite.
As the video says, more information on this collaboration is coming tomorrow. It’s unclear if the Suicide Squad content will coincide with the debut of Superman, another DC Comics character, in Fortnite in two weeks or the new UFO countdown that started earlier this week.
From August 2nd through to the 22nd, Krispy Kreme will be selling official Xbox donuts throughout their various stores and third-party sales points in the United Kingdom and Ireland. They’ll also be available to order online within the same regions.
The Xbox donut, officially referred to as The Nexus Level Doughnut, will be available on its own or as part of a 12-donut box. A box of 12 donuts will include two Xbox donuts, an assortment of 10 other Krispy Kreme donuts, and an entry form for an Xbox Series S console giveaway.
All entries in the competition will receive a code for one free month of Xbox Game Pass (for new subscribers only) regardless of whether the entrant wins or not.
Microsoft really seems to be pushing their new Xbox Series S console lately with the company announcing a different promotion for the console in Australia and New Zealand earlier in the week. While the Xbox ANZ promotion didn’t include any donuts, it did surprise Xbox enthusiasts with the unveiling of a limited edition suitcase inspired by the Xbox Series S console’s aesthetic.
The Redmond-based tech company has published its quarterly income and statistics data and some of the numbers seen there reflect the large differences between the different services they provide.
Given the fact that we went through serious isolation phases during this pandemic, you would even expect Xbox gaming services to have generated much more than they did before.
And even though they’ve sold a lot of new generation consoles for a lot of money, recording an 11% revenue growth, Xbox content and services revenue decreased 4%.
However, Microsoft scored big with products that tailor to a much wealthier niche, addressing all the growing needs of enterprises and capitalizing on the high demand.
Microsoft 365 service sales sky-rocketed
We’ve just mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it had on companies all around the world. In order to keep up and continue existing, they’ve all turned to hybrid work as an alternative.
In turn, this paved the way for companies like Microsoft to score big, by providing services especially designed to suit such needs.
Hybrid work meant that more people were going to use Teams as a means of communications, and also resort to Microsoft 365 services in order to keep up productivity.
Just to give you an example, Microsoft 365 consumer subscribers increased to 51.9 million. In turn. this increase meant that Office consumer products and cloud services revenue increased by 18%.
Also, Office commercial products and cloud services revenue increased by another 20%. If we were to translate this into actual money, the sums would be in the order of hundreds of millions.
Furthermore, Microsoft’s server products and cloud services revenue increased by a staggering 34%. This is just to give you a better understanding of how much the global situation has influenced the supply and demand chain.
Overall, Microsoft revealed $46.2bn in revenue during the quarter ending June 30th, 2021, an increase of 21%. Operating income was $19.1bn (up 42%), with net income hitting $16.5bn (a rise of 47%).
Our results show that when we execute well and meet customers’ needs in differentiated ways in large and growing markets, we generate growth, as we’ve seen in our commercial cloud – and in new franchises we’ve built, including gaming, security, and LinkedIn, all of which surpassed $10 billion in annual revenue over the past three years.
Azure, Linkedin and Dynamics are also huge earners for Microsoft
The tech company’s FY21 Q4 report also revealed that its commercial cloud revenue grew by 36% each year, to a grand result of $19.5 billion.
Microsoft’s new CEO, Satya Nadella, praised the Azure department for its incredible results. And rightfully so, considering that the company’s Azure department generated giant revenue growth of 51%.
Also on the top scorer list was LinkedIn, as the business-focused social network brought a revenues increase of 46%, which was fuelled by a 97% growth in its marketing solutions.
Not surprising, considering that user numbers grew by 30% with record engagement. All of this lead to LinkedIn surpassing $10bn in revenues for the first time.
Another one of the Redmond giant’s MVPs for the last quarter is Dynamics, which also contributed generously to the company’s income, with products and cloud services revenue increasing by 33%.
What’s next for Microsoft?
Everyone is now excited about the new operating system and this will for sure be another great turning point in the company’s history.
Many of the companies that can technically perform a transition to the new OS, and can also afford it, will surely opt for this option.
This will again translate into great revenue increases for Microsoft. It’s already going great, considering that we’re still in the early testing stages of Windows 11 and there are already a lot of new OS users.
The waters haven’t exactly settled yet and a lot of employees are still working from home. This means that Microsoft-designed business solutions will still be in high demand for a long period of time.
While some thought that consumer products were going to top this list, enterprise-based services continue to be top earners for Microsoft.
We’re eager to check out the report for the next quarters and compare it to this one.
What’s your opinion on this statistical analysis? Share your opinion with us in the comments section below.
Multimedia entertainment is one of the most popular pastimes of the modern age, with movies and songs taking up a substantial part of any user’s digital library.
However, being on the same page isn’t always possible, so converting and editing audio and video to meet your criteria is one of the reasons why audio and video tools have become so popular. Wondershare UniConverter is a great example to take into consideration.
This article comes as a detailed review of Wondershare UniConverter. We’ll take a closer look at its features, what it can do, and whether or not it is worth using.
What is Wondershare UniConverter?
Labeling Wondershare UniConverter as just a convertor would be an understatement since this tool acts as multiple programs packed into a single one. However, if we were to mention the primary features that it has, they would be the following:
Audio & video compressor
Audio & video converter
Audio & video editor
CD & DVD burner
Screen recorder, and more…
The software is available for download, and all of the tools are available from within a single menu, acting as a standalone product and not an entire software suite with separate included tools.
Speaking of which, UniConverter’s interface just received a facelift, and it looks more modern and compact than ever before, allowing users of all experience levels to enjoy it to its full potential, and maybe even enjoy using it.
What are Wondershare UniConverter’s features?
Convert to and from thousands of formats easily
Wondershare UniConverter started off as a simplistic audio and video converter and has been enriched beyond measure during the past few months.
This was possible by expanding the range of supported audio and video formats, making video conversion faster via GPU acceleration, introducing bulk conversion, support for multiple device formats, and not only.
Keep in mind that it enables you to convert more than 1,000 video and audio formats and supports a wide range of video conversions such as WEBM to MP4, TS to MP4, MP4 to MPEG, AVI to MOV.
UniConverter also supports several VR devices and 4K video formats like MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, etc. with new formats being constantly added with each new update.
Most importantly, you don’t have to worry about the quality loss when it comes to video conversion since it is powered by the industry-leading APEXTRANS technology which converts videos with zero quality loss or video compression.
A very handy video editor
Once you’ve converted the videos, you can also tweak them, even more, to suit your needs by using UniConverter’s video editor.
While not as fully equipped as professional video editors, it has all the basic tools that you may ever need to tweak a video to make it better, including video cutting, cropping, resizing, changing playback speeds, trimming, and more.
If you’re planning to edit commercial movies or making movies for foreigners, you can use UniConverter to add subtitles to them as well.
You can even use the tool to merge multiple short clips to create elaborated video collages, making it great when you want to spend quality time with your loved ones.
A reliable video compression tool
You can compress the videos using customizable settings so that they take up less storage space, which is especially useful when you’re converting and editing videos meant for mobile devices.
Compressing entire batches of videos is easy by using a single command, and you won’t have to wait too much either, since the speeds are lightning-fast.
In fact, UniConverter is so powerful that you can even use it to compress 8K videos, so turning something that would go well on a wall-sized TV into something iPhone compatible will be easy.
Record your entire screen easily
Streamers and those of you who love making online tutorials will enjoy UniConverter’s built-in screen recorder, especially since it can record full screen, custom screens, games, webcams, video calls, system audio, and microphones.
You can customize the recording frames to capture just small sections of your screen, or simply record everything and edit it afterward.
The framerate and image quality can also be changed, making this feature adjustable depending on what your hardware can deliver.
If you’re not interested in screen capturing and only in recording your webcam, you can do that as well, and use UniConverter to overlay it over custom backgrounds to make the video more engaging.
Recordings can also be edited while screen capturing, with brushed and pencil tools allowing you to doodle, or you can also add entire segments of texts, and you’ll only need one click to remove them all and start over. As for audio editing, feel free to set UniConverter to capture your microphone audio-only.
An efficient video tool to save videos
It’s hard to edit and convert videos if you don’t have them in the first place, and that is why UniConverter allows you to download free videos from over 10000 websites.
Up next, you can automatically convert them to compatible formats for playback on TVs, smartphones, or other devices, or you can save them to perform some editing first.
If you’re interested in more than just one video, you’ll be glad to know that UniConverter supports playlist downloads as well, so it doesn’t matter if you’re talking about one video or 100, UniConverter will get them all as soon as possible.
Keep your data stored on CDs and DVDs easily
Once you’ve downloaded, edited, and converted a video, the next natural step is to store it on some form of media, and many users still like keeping their audio and video files on CDs, DVDs, or even Blu-ray disks.
Of course, this is a feature that UniConverter fully supports, and it also lets you handle disks that already have data on them as well, allowing you to convert DVDs to any format, copy DVDs to other DVD disks, or burn audio files to CDs.
How do I use Wondershare UniConverter?
As with all Wondershare tools, the main focus of UniConverter’s is for the interface to be as intuitive and simplistic as possible, allowing anyone to get started right away with using it.
That being the case, here’s what you need to do in order to use Wondershare UniConverter:
The new version of UniConverter brings a lot of new and exciting features that we definitely need to mention below.
Intuitive Interface – The redesigned interface makes UniConverter 13 more intuitive, and users can quickly find the functions with Favorites
Enhanced Video Converter – UniConverter 13 supports more types of GPU acceleration and enhances the batch conversion speed by 200%, hence saving much valuable time
Improved Compressed Video Quality – Users can quickly get smaller and better-quality compressed video through the enhanced video compressor with variable bitrate
Smart Trim – Quickly editing silent clips through intelligent analysis video volume, this feature helps users save several hours to cut video
Automatic Subtitle Editor –With the automatic subtitle generation feature, users eliminate the need for manual transcription. It will also reduce the chances of human errors to the minimum
Integrated 8K Video Player – The built-in video player supports media files of up to 8K resolution. As a result, users will no longer need third-party programs to watch videos
Closing thoughts
Pros
Affordable
Simplistic UI
A wide variety of tools
Very resource-efficient
Easy to learn and master
Reliable video editing features
Supports +10.000 for video download
Cons
Video editor could use some extra features
We tried going full cycle in terms of using Wondershare UniConverter, from downloading a video off of mainstream media to editing it, converting it to a different format, compressing it, and then finally burning it on a DVD, and we have to admit that it went smoothly every step of the way.
The interface was welcoming, the controls were intuitive, and the conversion/compression and burning speeds were as fast as they could be.
All in all, if you’re a music or video lover, streamer, teacher who creates online tutorials, and pretty much any other type of user that works with multimedia, we recommend that you give Wondershare UniConverter a shot since it is more than worth it.
No less important, media.io converts MP4, MP3, WAV, MOV, and more to any format online, and it is user-friendly with online solutions.
Have you tried Wondershare UniConverter yet? If so, let us as well as other users know what you think of it by using the comments section below.
There has been endless debate on this topic, ever since Microsoft first provided testing availability for their new operating system.
However, this is an important question, as drivers are necessary to ensure the proper functionality of our hardware. But, relating to Windows 11, there really aren’t many to choose from.
Still, people want to know which drivers are better suited for them, whether for gaming or just for everyday use.
The big question now is: should you opt for manufacturer or OEM drivers?
Manufacturer or OEM drivers for your Windows 11 laptop/PC?
As you can probably imagine, due to the novelty of the upcoming OS, there aren’t many drivers available, for a multitude of reasons.
The first one would be that many companies haven’t quite gotten around to creating a stable one, while others are still waiting for a more stable operating system build in order to release drivers.
Still, there are big companies, such as Nvidia or Intel, that have provided Windows 11 compatible drivers for the public, so you might want to look into that as well.
Windows Update drivers are not in such high demand right now, because the company is mainly focusing on stabilizing the OS, rather than developing drivers for all the hardware types out there.
But still, lots of users rely on them, as they represent stability in the eyes of many. Furthermore, keep in mind that many of the drivers you get through Windows Update rarely come from Microsoft.
The OEMs submit them to Microsoft, and if they passed WHQL, which Microsoft no longer tests, the manufacturers actually do, they get bumped up to the Windows Update pack.
Why should I stick with OEM drivers?
You could stick with OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) drivers, as they are by far the most reliable ones. Another solution would be to just get manufacturer drivers. What’s the difference you ask?
Well, you should know that most of the computer addon hardware will rely on a specific chip or chipset, which the OEM usually purchases from a third party.
The chip/chipset manufacturer will often release a set of basic drivers that should work with any hardware that uses the chip/chipset from any OEM.
So, this could be useful if the OEM supplier decides not to support the hardware for a new OS.
Also keep in mind that OEM drivers tend to get easily updated, especially if the particular OEM produces new hardware on a regular basis, like Nvidia or AMD.
If you were thinking about gaming on Microsoft’s upcoming OS, the general belief is that manufacturer drivers are the best choice, at least for the time being.
However, gaming is not the most pleasant experience on Windows 11, as many users have pointed so far.
But, if you are a Windows Insider and are currently testing the new operating system, you will definitely need drivers to carry on your work. Why are drivers important?
Here’s why:
Solve Compatibility errors with your system or other peripherals.
Get the latest features.
Fix existing bugs.
Get the latest firmware version.
Fix communication between hardware and software.
Get an external device recognized on your system.
Fix malfunctioning hardware.
How do I update my drivers?
There are a few methods you can use to make sure that your drivers are up to date, and we are about to list them for you.
You can install drivers directly from your computer, using the Device Manager built-in tool.
You can also search for each individual driver you need online.
You can download and install these updates directly from the OEM website or via their provided utilities.
Get the necessary drivers via Windows Update.
Enable automatic OEM driver updates through Windows Update.
The easiest way to update your drivers on Windows 11 is as follows:
On your search bar, type Device Manager, then click on the first result.
2. Select the hardware for which you want to update drivers, right-click on it and select Update driver.
3. Click on Search automatically for drivers.
Can I install Windows 10 drivers on Windows 11?
The answer to this question is yes, as Windows 11 is a new experience layer running on the same CoreOS used by Windows 10.
So, technically, drivers that function on the previous OS should do so without any issues on the new one. There are, however, some that haven’t really worked on Windows 11.
The only way to know for sure if this is the case is to go ahead and install these drivers, see if they function for you as well.
These are the choices that we have, for the time being, when dealing with the Windows 11 operating system. Many more options are on their way and will become available as OS stability progresses.
Remember that Windows 11 is still in its beta testing phase so many of its features and accessories are not yet available.
For what type of drivers have you opted on your Windows 11 device? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X|S are officially the fastest-selling consoles in the two companies’ history, with Sony announcing today that it had crossed the 10M sales milestone for the PS5. This is quite impressive considering the ongoing chip shortage, but it seems that both Sony and Microsoft ordered more consoles to kick off this new console generation compared to previous launches, and stock has been selling out very quickly since November.
“Demand is still extremely strong everywhere, and the sales data for individual countries are simply a reflection of inventory allocation decisions. We’ll learn a lot more as we get further into 2021 and 2022,” said SIE CEO Jim Ryan to Gamesindustry.biz. The exec also emphasized that PS5 sales got a boost from a strong line-up of first-party games such as Spiderman: Miles Morales or Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. “Engagement on the platform is the highest that we’ve ever seen whichever way you look at it,” Ryan said.
If we still don’t have any Xbox Series X|S sales figures from Microsoft, CEO Satya Nadella said yesterday during the company’s FY2021 Q4 earning calls that “The Xbox Series S and X are our fastest selling consoles ever, with more consoles sold life-to-date than any previous generation.” According to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, Microsoft could have sold 6.5M Xbox Series X|S consoles as of June 30, 2021, which is higher than the company’s estimates for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 in the same timeframe.
We estimate that the Xbox Series X|S total sell in was 6.5m as of June 30, 2021.
Compared to our estimate of 5.7m for Xbox One and 5.0m for Xbox 360 in the same timeframe.
Supply for Series X|S improved in the past quarter, with hardware revenue up 20% QoQ. https://t.co/ypHqyTqZzo
For many years now, Microsoft has been more interested in talking about Xbox Live active users and the company announced a new milestone of 100 million monthly active users last year. However, things are currently looking good in the US according to NPD, as Microsoft’s Xbox Series X|S were the highest-grossing consoles in the market last month while Nintendo Switch led in unit sales. It certainly helps that Microsoft opted for a two-pronged approach for its new console generation, having both the most powerful hardware with the Xbox Series X and the most affordable next-gen console with the Xbox Series S.
Still, Sony will likely continue to benefit from its massive PlayStation 4 install base (over 110M consoles), high-quality first-party games, and exclusivity deals that will lead some Bethesda games such as Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo to launch first on PlayStation 5. However, Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which is welcoming new Xbox Game Studios titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator on day one still has no real serious competition, and the $9.99/month offer should become even more attractive when AAA games like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 launch later this year.
“Yammer usage doubled year-over-year and now supports tens of millions of monthly active users worldwide. New integrations and capabilities will bring these community experiences and scale directly into Viva, offering immediate value and growth opportunities for our customers. We’re bringing the superpowers of Yammer, including communities, open conversation, and discovery experiences into Viva,” explained Jeff Teper, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365.
Since the world is still dealing with a global pandemic that made hybrid work the new normal, Microsoft plans to roll out the integration of its Yammer Communities app across Microsoft Viva and other Office apps in the coming months. First of all, the Viva Connections feed will now feature all the announcements and conversations from the community in the form of interactive discussions. The Viva Connections app will also let users comment on news posts and interact with their communities.
Employees will be able to open a more detailed topic page that will include community discussions, question and answer cards, and all information about experts based on their engagement in Yammer communities. On the Viva Topics page, employees will also see an option to ask questions, and the app will automatically assign dedicated experts to answer them.
The Communities app for Microsoft Teams is also being improved, with the tool add support for some new features and capabilities such as deep-linking, notifications, and suggested communities. The firm says that it’s updating the app to modernize the design and make it consistent with Microsoft Teams.
In addition to these enhancements, Microsoft has announced today that it’s adding Yammer communities to Outlook on the web. This new Communities app will soon allow Outlook users to join live events, interact with their colleagues in conversations, and more directly within the Outlook app. This update is also coming to Outlook for Windows later this year.
Microsoft Teams is also getting support for a new Q&A experience which will let presenters conduct an open or moderated questions and answers session during virtual meetings. Thanks to this feature, participants can ask and answer questions before and during a meeting. The app will let designated presenters/organizers pin posts, moderate chats, screen responses, and choose the best answers.
This Q&A experience is currently available in private preview, and it will start rolling out to the general public in the coming month. This feature could be beneficial for large meetings, workshops, community events, presentations, and webinars.
Last but not least, the Redmond firm is listing two new features that should facilitate collaboration and communication between team members. These include the addition of a new “Followers” section on the Yammer topic pages, which brings unique capabilities like the ability to follow a specific topic and find experts and collaborators who are also following it. Additionally, there is also a feature that allows approved Yammer users to post on behalf of someone else in their organization.
Microsoft announced this week that their Microsoft Teams collaboration tool now boasts over 250 million active monthly users across all supported platforms.
The stat was dropped during the company’s Q4 FY21 earnings announcement and is a noticeable improvement from the 145 million daily active users reported back in April. While the shift to monthly users over daily users makes it hard to discern growth specifics, the massive leap of 105 million users makes it clear that Microsoft Teams usage is still increasing at a rather fast pace.
As part of the earnings call (via ZDNet), Microsoft revealed some more details about how Teams is being used and who is using it. Apparently around 80 million users are using Microsoft Teams on their phone throughout the month while 124 organizations now have over 100,000 users who use the service for communicating and collaboration.
3,000 organizations boast over 10,000 users on the platform.
Part of the reason for Microsoft Teams’ sudden growth is due in large part to the ongoing global pandemic which has forced numerous companies and groups to work remotely. Microsoft has also made a number of Microsoft Teams features available for free over the past year which has made the service significantly more approachable to the non-corporate individual who had been curious about Teams but were unable to use it until now.
The real test for Microsoft Teams will be over the next year or two as many workers begin to transition back to working in a traditional in-person workspace.
Windows 11 might already be out for beta testing with Windows Insiders, but the minimum requirements mean that a lot of hardware is unable to run the new Microsoft operating system. This has been a source of controversy for many people which is why Aria Carley, a program manager at Microsoft, attempted to address the commercial side of all that and a lot more in a 48-minute long AMA.
First spotted by Tom’s Hardware, there are a couple of notable parts in the AMA video (which was published to the Microsoft Tech Community YouTube with comments turned off.) These cover downloading Windows 11, the upgrade blocks, and a bit more.
The first question in the AMA has to do what will happen with commercial Windows 10 devices if they’re incompatible with Windows 11 — and what will happen on Windows Update. According to Carley, commercial PCs won’t be able to download the Windows 11 upgrade if it doesn’t meet the standards, and Microsoft gets that “it sucks.”
Please note this is a commercial-focused AMA. Carly’s answers mainly cover the non-consumer side of Windows 11 and shouldn’t really be taken out of context. But we’ll still let you be the judge. In her own words from around the 6-minute mark in the video:
“So we talk about this new hardware floor of what devices are eligible and which aren’t and we know it sucks that some aren’t gonna be eligible for Windows 11. But the reason we’re doing that is to keep devices more productive, have a better experience, and most importantly have better security than before so they can stay protected in this new workforce.”
Secondly, Microsoft also went on to talk more about the update mechanism for Windows 11. Carley says Microsoft has delivered the Windows 11 enforcement “inbox” on Windows 10 so that commercial devices will be targeted for Windows 11 without wasting downloads. Carley explained at the 7-minute mark in the video:
“You’ll be able to use update compliance and Endpoint to see if Windows 11 is not eligilble for a device. Whether you’re using our first party analyics solutions or the scripts we’re going to provide you’ll be able to see that those devices aren’t eliglble and explain why those devices won’t get Windows 11.”
Third up, Microsoft also talked about situations where IT admins might want to use Group Policy to bypass Windows 11 upgrade blocks. According to Carley, commercial users can’t use a Group Policy to get around the hardware block in Windows 11. There’s a couple of reasons for this, according to Carley as heard in the 10-minute mark of the video.
“That group policy will not enable you to get around the hardware enforcment for Windows 11. We’re still gonna block you from upgrading your device to an unsupported state since we really want to make sure your devices stay supported and secure.”
Other topics covered in the AMA include rolling back to Windows 10 from Windows 11, the speed at which patches are released (19-minute mark,) documenting known issues, and safeguard holds and transparency (22-minute mark,) This video is very interesting, to say the least, as it’s one of the first times that Microsoft has gone on camera to talk about issues with Windows 11. Give it a watch and let us know what you think in the comments below.
It’s no longer a mystery that Teams is becoming an essential and integral part of Microsoft’s strategy when it comes to online collaboration and communication.
Thus, the Redmond tech company provides regular updates packed with new features, ensuring a deeper integration for the software in Windows 11.
The latest feature to come out of the Microsoft factory is enhanced protections against phishing for the Teams app.
Teams is about to receive enhanced phishing protection
Microsoft specified that, based on its surveys and statistics from the past 18 months, Teams is being heavily used by organizations.
What the tech company is trying to underline with this affirmation is that hybrid work is most likely here to stay.
Thus, it has become even more essential to provide these companies with the latest security features.
So, the Redmond-based tech giant will now use Safe Links in Microsoft Defender for Office 365 to protect Teams users from phishing attacks that use malicious URLs.
To give you a better understanding of what this means exactly, know that Safe Links provides time-of-click validation of URLs to scan URLs once a user clicks on them, and then issue a warning if it is malicious in nature.
Microsoft stated that this represents an extremely important security check because, according to its experts, attackers utilize more than two million unique URL-based payloads each month.
The numbers are astonishing, as over 100 million phishing emails are detected and blocked by the company’s systems.
This happens because malicious third parties send apparently safe URLs to a target and then have them redirect to unsafe websites after being clicked on.
You will surely be pleased to know that Safe Links is already available in Microsoft 365 apps on desktop, phone, and online and is also present in emails.
At this point, Microsoft’s quarterly cloud growth is becoming a broken record of success with the company posting another blowout quarter of revenue earnings and profit.
For its FY21 Q4 earnings report, Microsoft just announced the company produced $46.2 billion in revenue, which adds up to a 21% increase year over year for the three months including April through June. As far as net profit is concerned, Microsoft added $16.6 billion in the bank and investors will see a diluted earnings per share of $2.17 representing a 49% increase from this time last year as the company returns $10.4 billion to shareholders in total.
As the tech industry settles into a slow-paced hardware engineering morass while chipset constraints continue to be a reality, Microsoft’s software and cloud-centric portfolio has taken lead once again for the company with its Commercial Cloud forging ahead with 35% growth and $19.5 billion in revenue for the quarter.
However, not everything is roses for Microsoft investors looking beyond the current earnings valley. Microsoft’s Gaming, Surface and Windows sectors all saw declines YoY with the Surface division posting the highest decline at 20% for the quarter. Despite the warm gaming community reception, Microsoft’s Xbox content and services also saw a 4% decline as well as Windows OEM revenue which brings up the rear of declines with 3% year over year.
For more details and context, below are the investor’s notes:
Productivity and Business Processes
Revenue in Productivity and Business Processes was $14.7 billion and increased 25% (up 21% in constant currency), with the following business highlights:
Office Commercial products and cloud services revenue increased 20% (up 15% in constant currency) driven by Office 365 Commercial revenue growth of 25% (up 20% in constant currency)
Office Consumer products and cloud services revenue increased 18% (up 15% in constant currency) and Microsoft 365 Consumer subscribers increased to 51.9 million
LinkedIn revenue increased 46% (up 42% in constant currency) driven by Marketing Solutions growth of 97% (up 91% in constant currency)
Dynamics products and cloud services revenue increased 33% (up 26% in constant currency) driven by Dynamics 365 revenue growth of 49% (up 42% in constant currency)
Intelligent Cloud
Revenue in Intelligent Cloud was $17.4 billion and increased 30% (up 26% in constant currency), with the following business highlights:
Server products and cloud services revenue increased 34% (up 29% in constant currency) driven by Azure revenue growth of 51% (up 45% in constant currency)
More Personal Computing
Revenue in More Personal Computing was $14.1 billion and increased 9% (up 6% in constant currency), with the following business highlights:
Windows OEM revenue decreased 3%
Windows Commercial products and cloud services revenue increased 20% (up 14% in constant currency)
Xbox content and services revenue decreased 4% (down 7% in constant currency)
Surface revenue decreased 20% (down 23% in constant currency)
Microsoft returned $10.4 billion to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021, an increase of 16% compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020.
Despite a phenomenal earnings quarter, Microsoft has it eyes set on shifting global economic headwinds that foresees as potential problems in the coming months.
Microsoft has an investors call scheduled for 5:30 PM ET / 3:30 PT later today, but the company has already included some Forward-Looking Statements on its website that it will address that include but are not limited to:
intense competition in all of our markets that may lead to lower revenue or operating margins;
increasing focus on cloud-based services presenting execution and competitive risks;
significant investments in products and services that may not achieve expected returns;
acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic alliances that may have an adverse effect on our business;
impairment of goodwill or amortizable intangible assets causing a significant charge to earnings;
cyberattacks and security vulnerabilities that could lead to reduced revenue, increased costs, liability claims, or harm to our reputation or competitive position;
disclosure and misuse of personal data that could cause liability and harm to our reputation;
the possibility that we may not be able to protect information stored in our products and services from use by others;
abuse of our advertising or social platforms that may harm our reputation or user engagement;
the development of the internet of things presenting security, privacy, and execution risks;
issues about the use of artificial intelligence in our offerings that may result in competitive harm, legal liability, or reputational harm;
excessive outages, data losses, and disruptions of our online services if we fail to maintain an adequate operations infrastructure;
quality or supply problems;
government litigation and regulatory activity relating to competition rules that may limit how we design and market our products;
potential consequences under trade, anti-corruption, and other laws resulting from our global operations;
laws and regulations relating to the handling of personal data that may impede the adoption of our services or result in increased costs, legal claims, fines, or reputational damage;
claims against us that may result in adverse outcomes in legal disputes;
uncertainties relating to our business with government customers;
additional tax liabilities;
the possibility that we may fail to protect our source code;
legal changes, our evolving business model, piracy, and other factors may decrease the value of our intellectual property;
claims that Microsoft has infringed the intellectual property rights of others;
damage to our reputation or our brands that may harm our business and operating results;
adverse economic or market conditions that may harm our business;
catastrophic events or geo-political conditions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, that may disrupt our business;
exposure to increased economic and operational uncertainties from operating a global business, including the effects of foreign currency exchange and
the dependence of our business on our ability to attract and retain talented employees.
Just like Windows 10, Windows Server used to receive bi-annual updates, but Microsoft will soon change that with the upcoming Windows Server 2022. Indeed, the company announced yesterday that it was dropping its Semi-Annual Channel for Windows Server, with the Long-Term Servicing Channel to become the primary channel providing new major releases for the server OS every 2 or three years (via ZDNet).
“The Semi-Annual Channel in previous versions of Windows Server focused on containers and microservices, and that innovation will continue with Azure Stack HCI,” the company explained yesterday. Windows Server version 20H2, the latest release coming from the Semi-Annual channel will be supported until May 10, 2022, but going forward the Long-Term Servicing channel will provide customers a longer servicing option with 5 years of mainstream support and 5 years of extended support.
Windows Server 2022, the next LTSC release of the server OS is expected to be released later this year alongside Windows 10 version 21H2, the next Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC release, and the brand new Windows 11 that Microsoft has started testing with Insiders in the Dev Channel.
We’ve previously reviewed the GameSir X2 Bluetooth Mobile Gaming Controller and found that it was an amazing controller for Xbox Cloud Gaming. Since then, GameSir has gone on to release a new controller, the F7 Claw.
Though this one isn’t specifically designed around cloud gaming services, it is rather all about boosting experiences in other tablet games like Call of Duty: Mobile. We were provided a sample unit for review, and here’s why it’s a nifty little grip that can make your tablet gaming a lot easier.
Design
For $40, The F7 claw is quite simply designed, but we do have an important note. This isn’t really intended as a traditional full-on controller. Instead, it’s a plastic tablet grip, with the addition of some buttons that can be useful during gaming sessions. You’ll need to see if your tablet game supports custom on-screen controls if you’re planning on buying the F7 Claw. This is so that you can slide the in-game buttons around on the screen to adapt to how you’re placing the grip on your tablet.
The grip has four tactile buttons on the front (two on each side,) which touch the screen and help activate the in-game virtual buttons. There’s also a trigger button on each controller, as well as another secondary button near a turbo switch. These can be used to control your game in supported titles like Call of Duty Mobile.
The connection happens via Bluetooth, but it is optional. The grip’s front buttons work without power and touch the screen with a rubber pad. If you plan to use the controller’s other trigger and rear buttons, be prepared to get up to 120 hours of play, and 200 days of standby. In our month with the claw, we only charged it once. Charging happens via USB-C, and you even plug it into your device while you play to charge.
If you’re wondering how this thing attaches to your device, it happens via suction cups on the inside of the grips. You can attach a sticker to your tablet to help give the cups some “grip” to stay put, but on my iPad Pro, the controller stayed attached without the sticker. Overall, there’s not much to the design, and it’s pretty straightforward.
Experience
I tested the GameSir F7 claw in Call of Duty Mobile. It was one of the only games that I actively play on my iPad that support the controller and custom button layouts. I tried using the grip with Xbox Cloud Gaming, but I had some issues. Because of the bezels on my iPad Pro, the way the F7 lines up on the screen caused it to get in the way of the on-screen controls in many Xbox games like New Super Lucky’s Tale.
Depending on the size of your tablet, this isn’t something to buy if you’re using video game streaming services. We think it is solely for dedicated games like Fortnite or PUBG where you can tweak the locations of your on-screen button layouts. It also might work in custom games or other emulators, but this wasn’t something we tested.
Anyway, in games where the F7 Claw did work, it was a huge improvement over holding a heavy iPad Pro in our hands. The grip did its job and made the iPad Pro feel a bit light, and a lot comfier. Trigger buttons and the four tactile buttons made reloading guns, throwing grenades, aiming, and running around in Call of Duty: Mobile really easy and fun. We didn’t have to worry about dragging our fingers left and right in the middle of gaming sessions, thanks to the physical buttons on the front of the grip.
Turbo buttons could also be used on Android to record, gameplay, but this isn’t something we tested as it’s not supported on our iPad.
A good tablet grip with some caveats
Depending on the size of your tablet, the F7 Claw might be perfect for you. We love the concept of the claw, and how simple it works in some games like Call of Duty: Mobile, but this isn’t something for use in cloud gaming services. The use of the grip also depends on your tablet size. The F7 claw works as intended in some games, and could be worth if you’re the kind of person that’s always tablet gaming.
In addition to looking like the recently released Xbox console, the suitcase also comes with an actual Xbox Series S, two controllers, and a portable monitor, all of which fit perfectly within the suitcase due to the custom interiors.
To participate in the giveaway, interested gamers are encouraged to follow the official Xbox Australia and New Zealand Twitter account and reply to and retweet the below tweet.
Where's the first place you'll fly to in Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox?
The promotion is open to all Australia and New Zealand residents aged 13 years old and over. Those under 18 will need a parent or guardians to participate however. The full details can be read here.
The Redmond tech giant has reminded its customers that, starting with August 17, 2021, Microsoft 365 apps and services will cease support for the legacy Internet Explorer 11web browser.
So, after the end of support is reached for this popular but obsolete browser, users still trying to connect to Microsoft 365 will experience connection failures, as this action will no longer be possible.
No more Microsoftt 365 support for Internet Explorer 11
According to the tech company, users that will experience issues when attempting to access Microsoft 365 apps or services after August 17, using IE 11, will not be offered any support.
These apps and services will phase out over weeks and months to ensure a smooth end of support, with each app and service phasing out on independent schedules.
Furthermore, no new features will be released by the company, and the daily experience will most likely get steadily worse until the Microsoft 365 apps and services slowly phase out.
More than that, using the new Microsoft Edge’s Internet Explorer mode will not help extend IE11 access to Microsoft 365 products beyond the end of support.
Basically, this will pretty much be the 365 experience for Internet Explorer 11 users starting with August 17th:
Outlook Web App: Users logging in with AAD accounts will still receive the full OWA experience but will not receive new features beginning August 17, 2021, while users logging in with Microsoft Accounts (MSA) will be redirected to the Outlook Web App Light experience.
Open with Explorer/View in File Explorer (SharePoint): We understand that some customers may continue to use Open with Explorer and View in File Explorer (only accessible in IE11) to access document libraries. To avoid disruption, these customers will be able to use these features for now when they go to a document library in IE11. These features remain in maintenance mode and aren’t receiving further development. We encourage all customers to move to a modern browser and OneDrive sync for a better user experience and easier access to files. For more information on how to prepare your SharePoint environment for end of support on IE11, please read this Docs article.
All other apps and services will phase out over weeks and months to ensure a smooth end of support with each app and service phasing out on independent schedules.
So you might want to start making new plans for the future if you are in the above-mentioned category. Updating your browser or changing it entirely is the best choice you have, according to the Redmond tech company.
Also, Microsoft Teams has already dropped support for Internet Explorer 11 on November 30, 2020.
Microsoft already announced that it wants to retire the legacy browser on some Windows 10 versions on June 15, 2022, replacing it with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.
We have to get used to the fact that Microsoft will start dropping support for more and more old apps that we used throughout the years.
Are you still using Internet Explorer 11? What browser will you opt for once 365 support for this one will be gone? Let us know in the comments section below.
Microsoft may soon take its Surface hinge technology and engineering to the next level with a new patent revealing a “stabilizing” and friction strip assembly.
According to a new patent surfaced by Patentscope and initially reported on by Windows United, it appears Microsoft is thinking about expanding the ways people interact with its future 2-in-1 devices beyond articulating and fulcrum hinges. The Abstract of Microsoft International Publication Number WO 2021/145886 A1 is as follows:
A hinge of a computing device includes a primary support connecting a display to a stand. As the display rotates about the stand, the primary support slides along a friction strip, which stabilizes the display with respect to the stand. A stabilizer may connect the stand to the base or the stand to the display.
A hinge of a computing device includes a primary support that connects a display to a stand. When the display rotates around the stand, the primary support slides along a friction strip that stabilizes the display in relation to the stand. A stabilizer can connect the stand to the base or the stand to the display.
Based on the explanation and accompanying images, Microsoft’s concept 2-in-1 sort of resembles 2021 HP’s Elite Folio, Acer’s ConceptD 3 Ezel, fan art from 2020, but mostly, the chunky underrated Acer Aspire R7 from 2013.
Back in 2013 both Sony and Acer introduced 2-in-1’s similar to today’s patent reveal that were then powered by Windows 8. The Acer Aspire R7 was a heavy 5lb tablet computer with a 15-inch screen that relied on a dual hinge design versus a five-part accompanying “friction strip” to help offer users five different modes to engage with Windows 8.
The Sony VAIO Duo was a slightly more compact implementation with a 13-inch screen and weighing 2.9lbs, however, it also made use of a more contemporary dual hinge.
Microsoft’s patent of a more sophisticated “friction strip” is a bit of a headscratcher as modern implementations from companies such as HP and even its own ageing Surface Studio have been successful without all the proposed additional hardware. Even in its explanation, Microsoft appears to be still mulling over the intended implementation of the new patent.
“[0097] In some embodiments, a computing device may be in the laptop configuration. In the laptop configuration, a display may be rotated about a display hinge such that the display is parallel to a stand. As the stand is rotated about a base hinge with respect to the base, the display ay be rotated as well. Thus, in the laptop configuration, the computing device may resemble a traditional laptop, in that the display is located at the angle relative to the base, and a majority or an entirety of the base/and or an input device is exposed. Including both a studio configuration and a laptop configuration increase the versatility of the computing device by providing for use in many situations as noted above.”
Last year, artist Ryan Smalley from the Yanko Design blog conceptualized a new Microsoft Surface that could resemble a miniaturized Surface Studio with a display-width hinge connected to a mid-point swivel joint and attached keyboard as the company’s next hardware offering.
The stylish piece of concept art surfaced roughly around the time Apple introduced its Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro and looks to take some liberal inspiration from Cupertino’s implementation.
The more important part of the concept art was the distinct Surface like attention to detail paid to swivel points and minimalism. Leveraging a now tried-and-true dual joint hinge design, the concept Surface takes much of the Surface Studio and Surface Book elements and combines them into potential Surface Book replacement.
Microsoft doesn’t go into detail about what the device patent is called, or references, let alone dubbing it a Surface. The patent was granted July 22, 2021, and it’ll probably be a while before we see Microsoft expound on this concept, if at all.
Previously, Microsoft Teams on the desktop used to open Microsoft Office files via its built-in Office viewer, but this new feature now lets users set a default option for opening Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files shared in Teams chats or channels. “The Teams desktop and web apps for Windows and Mac now enable users to configure the default app used to open Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files that have been shared in Microsoft Teams. Users can configure Teams to open the file directly in Teams (default), open in the web browser, or open in the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint desktop apps,” the company explained.
To change the default setting, users will need to click their profile picture, then navigate to Settings >> General >> and find the Files section by scrolling to the bottom of the page. Finally, use the dropdown menu to choose between the “Teams,” “Desktop app,” and “Browser” options.
Alternatively, users can also manually choose the target app for viewing or editing a specific Office file without changing their default setting. To do this, navigate to the file, and select the More options menu ( … ). From there, click the “Open” option and then select any target app from the list. The menu also provides an option to change the default app used to open Office files.
This new feature should make it easier for users to open and edit documents, presentations, or spreadsheets, and it’s available for all public preview users running Office version 16 or higher. However, it only supports Office files for now, and the app will continue to use Office viewer to open PDF documents. Have you received this update on your PCs? Sound off in the comments down below.
With Microsoft now pushing Teams as a solution for families and in your personal life, you might be wondering how you can add a personal account to your Teams app so you can use it alongside your regular work or guest accounts. We have your back and today we’ll be showing you how you can add and switch between personal and work accounts in the Microsoft Teams app.
Before starting we do have an important note. Our steps in this tutorial deal with the current “Electron” public non-beta version of the Microsoft Teams app. If you’re a Windows Insider beta testing Windows 11, then these steps won’t apply to you as there is a new version of Teams personal that is integrated directly in the Taskbar (and that so far doesn’t work with work/school accounts).
Step 1: Start Fresh and log out of all other accounts
To get started for the first time, we suggest you start from fresh to make things easy. Make sure you log out of all of your other accounts in Teams and then quit the app. You can do this by clicking your profile icon and then choosing Sign Out.
Note: If you don’t want to sign out of your work account to add a personal account to Teams, you can just tap the profile icon, then choose manage accounts and click add a personal account to add a personal account this way. We just suggest signing out first to make things a little less confusing.
Once you sign out, you should relaunch the app and see the Microsoft Teams welcome message. If you’ve logged into your PC using a Microsoft Account, your default Microsoft account email (if tied to Teams) will show up in the list. If this email is tied to a personal Teams account, then click it to continue. If not, choose use another account or sign up. You’ll be prompted to log in and will be sent right into Teams’ personal aspects.
Step 2: Add your work or other accounts
Once you’ve added a personal account to Teams, you can go back in and tweak it to add your work account. Just tap the profile icon, and choose the add work or school account option. Sign in with your work account, and then it will pop up in its own space! You can quit the open work account window at any time, and then get back to it by clicking your profile icon, and then choosing that specific account.
Switching and managing accounts
Currently, it is not possible to use more than one personal or more than one work account in Microsoft Teams. You can only use one work account and one personal account at a time. You can, however, manage any added accounts via Microsoft Teams. Tap your profile icon and then choose Manage accounts. After that, you can see a list of all accounts added to Teams. You can sign out of personal and guest accounts, and manage work accounts.
About to be a lot easier
Microsoft is currently in the process of beta testing Windows 11. With the new Windows release, Microsoft is integrating Teams within the operating system. You can currently try this out with personal accounts via the new “chat” app in the Taskbar. The experience is limited a bit, but you can currently use it on top of the regular Teams app to chat with family and friends.
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!
Microsoft Edge version 92 starts rolling out with new Password Health dashboard and more
The latest update for Microsoft Edge has brought a new Password Health dashboard with it, providing a central place to look at any problems with your saved passwords to help you improve your online security. Another interesting feature is the use of natural language in the address bar when searching browsing history. It will now allow you to type, for example, “cake recipe from last week” and it will show you your browsing history that was related to cake recipes from last week.
Outlook’s new Calendar Board view (formerly Project Moca) begins general roll out, brings together calendars, tasks, and notes
Hey @MasterDevwi , on some devices with edge canary, PWA notifications look like this. On other devices, it's the classic Edge notification. Is this A/B testing or did i miss a flag somewhere ? pic.twitter.com/SLQawfkuCS
Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management provider, CloudKnox Security, has been acquired by Microsoft. The aim of the acquisition is to improve Microsoft’s cloud security, with a view to folding CloudKnox’s unified privileged access and entitle management into Microsoft 365 cloud, particularly Microsoft Azure Active Directory.
This week in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams’ Presenter mode to add new Reporter and Side-by-Side layouts next month
Two new Presenter Modes are coming to Teams in August. First up is Reporter mode, attendees will set the video feed and content above the presenter’s shoulder, similar to a news anchor report. Second is the Side-by-Side mode, which is where the video feed will be displayed next to the content.
Microsoft Teams will let users change the playback speed of meeting recordings
Microsoft’s new broadcast development kit for Teams is tailored for cloud production workflows
Integrating Teams into production studios’ cloud production workflows has been made easier thanks to a new broadcast development kit. The open-source project will require an Azure virtual machine to pull the audio and video feeds of Teams meetings directly from the Microsoft Cloud, where it can be accessed by media producers who then use their online cloud studio without using any desktop app.
Microsoft Teams on the desktop will use native OS notifications by default for new users
Microsoft Teams adds support for Meetings apps on mobile
Meetings apps are coming to mobile on iOS and Android, allowing for third-party apps to be added on PCs, but then be accessible on mobile devices.
Microsoft Teams now lets users translate slides in PowerPoint Live presentations
It is now possible to translate slides in PowerPoint Live presentations. The Slide translate feature allows attendees to convert the slide show content in their own language while in private view.
That’s it for this week. We will be back next week with more Microsoft news.
Whilst Windows 11 is not available to the general public yet, other than Windows Insiders who would like to preview Microsoft’s latest operating system, that doesn’t stop eager users wanting to find a way to download and install Windows 11 on their systems. But unsuspecting users could fall victim to installing something that isn’t actually Windows 11, or has more nefarious objectives.
Cybersecurity firm, Kaspersky, has warned of fake Windows 11 installers that are making the rounds on the internet, aiming to trick users into installing them by exploiting their desire to have Windows 11 ahead of its public release. There’s a good chance that these installers don’t actually install Windows 11 at all.
Kaspersky provided an example of one particular installer that claims to install Windows 11. It has a filename of “86307_windows 11 build 21996.1 x64 + activator.exe” and poses itself as a Windows 11 installer. But when running the executable, it actually downloads another executable which prompts users to accept a license agreement. The license agreement does state that the installer will download other software, claiming that they are “additional offers from our sponsors.”
Accepting the license agreement then causes the executable to download malicious software on the system. The software installed can cover a wide range of malicious software types, from relatively harmless, yet annoying, adware, through to more nefarious software that can be designed to steal passwords, exploits, among others.
To protect from these malicious, fake Windows 11 installers, it is important to only obtain Windows 11 from official Microsoft sources. At this time, that is achieved by going to Settings on your Windows 10 computer, selecting Updates & Security, clicking into the Windows Insider Program and join the Dev Channel. Once it’s all registered, Windows 11 will be available to install. But it’s important to note that this is software in testing, and thus shouldn’t be installed on your main computer, unless you’re aware of the risks of doing so (such as bugs) and happy to accept the risks. Otherwise, we recommend waiting until Windows 11 is officially released.
Now, the July security update that was released has been found to cause problems with printing and scanning on some systems (via Bleeping Computer).
The issue impacts devices that use smart-card authentication, on a domain controller.
In a published report on the issue, Microsoft explains the problem:
After installing updates released July 13, 2021 on domain controllers (DCs) in your environment, printers, scanners, and multifunction devices which are not compliant with section 3.2.1 of RFC 4556 spec, might fail to print when using smart-card (PIV) authentication.
There are numerous systems impacted, both client and server versions of Windows 10 and Windows Server, with Microsoft providing a list of all known systems that may experience problems.
Client: Windows 10, version 21H1; Windows 10, version 20H2; Windows 10, version 2004; Windows 10, version 1909; Windows 10, version 1809; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016; Windows 10, version 1607; Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB; Windows 8.1; Windows 7 SP1
Server: Windows Server, version 20H2; Windows Server, version 2004; Windows Server, version 1909; Windows Server, version 1809; Windows Server 2019; Windows Server 2016; Windows Server 2012 R2; Windows Server 2012; Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1; Windows Server 2008 SP2
Devices that use smart-card authentication should function normally when using a username and password for authentication.
This issue has come about as part of a security fix released by Microsoft in the Windows 10 July Security Update. Whilst the intention of the update was to harden the system against security flaws, it has had a knock-on effect of causing printing problems. It is recommended to check that affected devices have the latest drivers installed. Should updating not resolve the problem, the manufacturer of the device should be contacted, to request that an update be made available to resolve the problem, in order to make the device compliant with the latest security patches.
Microsoft is working hard on a new version of Windows, and if you’re an early adopter like we are, you know that Windows 11 is available to the public for testing purposes.
Windows Insiders can get the early builds of Windows 11 and try them for themselves, and speaking of which, a Windows 11 22000.100 build has just been released.
What does this new build offer? Join us while we take an in-depth look at all the new features and improvements.
What does Windows 11 build 22000.100 offer and should you install it?
What’s new in Windows 11 build 22000.100?
Microsoft Teams is now available
If you remember the Windows 11 announcement, you know that Microsoft Teams will be available in Windows 11 out of the box.
Sadly, that wasn’t the case with Windows 11 build 22000.71, but Microsoft is changing that with this build, and this is the first build that comes with Microsoft Teams.
However, this feature won’t be available for everybody right away, so don’t panic if you still don’t see Microsoft Teams on your PC.
Microsoft Teams can be accessed right from your Taskbar or by using the Windows Key + C shortcut, so you can easily chat with your friends and family.
The chat window works similarly to the Start Menu and you can easily bring it up, send a message and it will then be minimized to the Taskbar.
This is perfect especially if you’re multitasking and you don’t want to keep switching between multiple windows. To make chatting with your friends easier, Microsoft Teams comes with notifications that support inline replies.
This means that you can send a text message or accept calls right from the notification without ever having to open the main application.
Adding contacts is pretty simple and you can do that with an email address or a phone number, and there’s even an option that lets you sync your Skype and Outlook contacts.
Creating a group chat is simple with Microsoft Teams, and you just need to create a chat link and send it to the people you want to invite.
They don’t even need to have Microsoft Teams installed to participate, and they can join meetings from their browser or any other desktop or mobile platform.
The software is optimized for collaboration, allowing you to easily share your screen or a specific window, or copy content directly to the app for easier sharing.
Lastly, Microsoft Teams brings the ability to create polls and assign tasks right from the chat. And with the full calendar integration, you can organize and schedule meetings with ease.
Microsoft Teams is a great addition to Windows 11, and one of the most anticipated features that many have been looking forward to seeing.
Hidden icons flyout menu gets a new look
The hidden icons menu in the system tray has been redesigned, and now it features rounded corners just like all other user interface elements on Windows 11.
This is a small change, but it does help Windows 11 achieve a more consistent and uniform look.
Focus assist in the Notification Center
This is a small quality of life improvement, but it might come in handy, especially if the constant notifications keep distracting you from doing your work.
With this change, you can access Focus assist settings right in the Notifications pane, so you can easily change the Focus assist settings and stop pesky notifications from distracting you.
Improved Taskbar alerts for apps that need your attention
Taskbar icons have been slightly changed, and now they will flash red if a certain application needs your attention.
The flashing will eventually stop and it will change into a subtle red background that should still catch your attention when you look at the Taskbar.
New animations in Microsoft Store
Microsoft Store got some improvements, most notably in form of animations, so when you select a movie or an app, the screen will animate to reveal more information about the selected item.
This is a minor change, but it makes the Microsoft Store feel alive and looking better than ever before.
Minor user interface improvements
The touch keyboard icon has been resized slightly, and not it’s more consistent with the size of other icons that are located in the corner of the Taskbar.
Speaking of Taskbar, the Taskbar calendar flyout will now minimize fully and give you more space for notifications.
These are some tiny improvements, and if you didn’t pay attention, you probably didn’t even notice them.
Windows 11 22000.100 bugs
Hidden icons flyout menu still has square corners
Many users reported that despite introducing a new design for the hidden icons flyout menu, the menu still looks the same like on Windows 10.
This issue was acknowledged by Microsoft, and you can fix it simply by switching between different themes. After doing that, the look of the flyout menu will be updated.
Moreover, the new flyout menu doesn’t have any animations, but we expect to see that fixed soon.
Command Prompt flashing
Few users reported that Command Prompt randomly flashes on their PC. This issue usually appears when users log in to Windows 11, but it can appear also while performing everyday tasks.
It seems that Command Prompt is started by an application called tigiguc. So far, it’s not known what is causing this issue, but users recommend scanning your PC with Windows 11 antivirus software just to be sure.
Windows Hello issues
Users reported issues with Windows Hello, and it seems that the Settings app is crashing if you try clicking on Facial recognition in the Settings app.
Some users are getting the message that Windows Hello is currently unavailable. Microsoft is aware of this issue, and the problem will most likely be fixed in the next build.
Taskbar reverting to the old design
According to users, it seems that Taskbar is reverted to the old design for some users after getting a black screen. This has occurred after installing KB5004300 and KB5004342 updates.
Removing these updates doesn’t fix the problem, and so far, it seems that reinstalling Windows might be the best way to deal with this issue.
Button issues with User Account Control
Users reported that User Account Control has some minor button issues in Windows 11 build 22000.100. It seems that certain letters are missing from the buttons.
This isn’t a major issue since you can still use can click the buttons and perform the actions, even though the buttons aren’t displayed correctly.
Microsoft is aware of this issue, and they looking into it, so expect to see it fixed soon.
Widgets panel is empty
Widgets are one popular feature of Windows 11, but many reported that in this build the widget panel is empty for them.
This means that they can’t see widgets at all. This seems to be a driver issue, and after disabling and re-enabling the display driver, the problem should get resolved.
Context menu doesn’t appear next to the cursor
In the latest build, the context menu appears far away from the mouse, for some users at least. We’re not sure what’s causing this issue, but users reported that it occurs when using 125% scaling.
If you’re having this problem, try disabling the display scaling and check if that solves the problem.
Taskbar icons not working
A couple of users reported that their Taskbar icons aren’t working at all. It seems that nothing happens when uses click on them.
This seems to affect all icons, except the search button. Although the left-click doesn’t work, the right-click works just fine.
To learn more about the bugs in this build, visit our Windows 11 build 22000.100 bugs article for more in-depth information.
Does this build support TPM 1.2?
Windows 11 requirements sparked a lot of controversy due to the TPM requirement. As you might know, TPM 2.0 was the requirement for Windows 11, but recent changes lead users to believe that Windows 11 might work with TPM 1.2.
Microsoft stated the following in their blog post:
Device Security should no longer say “Standard hardware security not supported” for Insiders with supported hardware.
Of course, users with TPM 1.2 noticed that this message isn’t appearing for them anymore, which lead them to believe that Windows 11 might work with TPM 1.2 chips after all.
If you’re not familiar, be sure to check our TPM 1.2 vs TPM 2.0 guide for an in-depth comparison between the two standards.
We still don’t know what’s the final word on TPM and Windows 11, but we hope that Microsoft won’t make TPM 2.0 a mandatory requirement.
How can I install Windows 11 build 22000.100?
Open the Start Menu and go to Settings.
Navigate to the Windows Update section.
Check if any update is available. If the new update is available, click the Download now button.
Wait while Windows downloads the update.
Once the update is downloaded, click the Restart now button.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation of the latest build.
As you can see, installing the latest build is simple as installing a regular update, so you should be able to upgrade with ease.
Is Windows 11 build worth installing 22000.100?
The latest build fixes many issues, and the biggest change is the addition of Microsoft Teams. For the first time, users will get the chance to try out Microsoft Teams on Windows 11.
This is the most exciting addition that we got since the initial test build was released to the public. As for other changes, they are mostly user interface changes that will make the interface more streamlined and consistent.
Should you upgrade to the new build? If you want to test Microsoft Teams in action or if you just want to get the latest fixes, then go ahead and download the newest build.
Are you excited about the latest Windows 11 test build? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments section below.
Many of the people that heard of Windows 11 and would like to take it for a spin have not yet tried it. Why?
Well, some simply don’t want to part ways with Windows 10 yet, while others lack a compatible device on which to run the new OS.
But rest assured that both of the above-mentioned user categories can actually try out the upcoming operating system without even having to install it on a personal device.
How can I try Windows 11 without having to install it?
Rejoice in knowing that some people are actually also thinking about others, for a change, and have decided to bring the Windows 11 experience to those who can’t yet, for some reason, try it.
However, this experience proved to be a little too much for some mobile devices, causing them to crash and restart.
Keep in mind that you can use most of the Windows 11 features while on this website, while just a few of them remain unavailable, for programming reasons.
The list of actions you can perform includes:
Using the Start menu, Search option and Widgets
Use desktop features and right-click context menu
You can also use the navigation bar and calendar
You have an option for binding windows and a new interface for binding by templates
You can use the browser, Store, Terminal and Calculator
Use Notepad, Vscode and digital board
As we mentioned above, there are a few options that you cannot use with this version of Windows 11, because the developer could not program them. These options are:
You cannot use Explorer and other applications
You can’t drag or resize windows
You also can’t load or block windows
Can’t change them or background picture (wallpaper)
Not bad for almost twelve days of work, right? According to Blueedgetechno, it took him 2-3 days to collect the necessary assets, another 2-3 days to plan his work, and about 6 days to actually program it.
This is a more than welcomed breath of fresh air for those that really wanted to interact with the future operating system from Microsoft but couldn’t.
Using this initiative, absolutely anyone with an internet connection can test Windows 11 and decide for themselves if they want to pursue it as an OS alternative to what they are currently using.
This website will also be useful for people who haven’t yet decided if they want to spend some money and upgrade their devices, or purchase new ones that are Windows 11 compatible.
Have you tried Blueedgetechno’s Windows 11 emulator yet? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.
The new Insider build compromised OS functionality
Apparently, build 22000.100 got off to a rocky start. We were expecting some bugs and issues to affect users in different ways, but not quite this seriously.
Allegedly, immediately after installation, Windows Explorer broke and that’s when the problems started.
I forgot to elaborate, what happened was I updated (10.0.22000.100 along with KB5004300 and KB5004342 were installed) windows explorer broke. I get a straight up black screen and cant do anything on the desktop, task manager can be opened from control alt delete and stuff can be done through there but that’s it. I uninstalled the latest update KB5004300 and rebooted, and got an unresponsive old style of taskbar, and just now upon reinstalling the update I got the black screened explorer again. Restarting explorer doesn’t do anything btw
Update: it just brought the same old taskbar back again by itself, I didn’t uninstall any updates this time it just took 5 minutes to go from a black screen desktop to what you see above
Update 2: tried uninstalling both KB5004300 and KB5004342, still having the same problem. Got an option to try uninstalling KB5004316, didn’t help either. Uninstalling kb5004252 next
Update 3: that broke stuff even more lmao, now I have the old lock screen. I’m just reinstalling windows now
Build 22000.10 broke Windows Hello
User reports already started flooding forums and social media platforms and one of the first issues that got flagged was the fact that using the facial recognition for Windows Hello will crash the Settings app.
Many people that constantly use Hello are now appalled and request an immediate fix from the Redmond tech giant.
This problem was flagged on Reddit as well, but the great majority of users seem to already know about it already. And rightfully so, as Microsoft already listed this issue as known, in the official release post.
New visual bugs for the latest Insider build
We’ve already got accustomed to seeing a wide array of visual bugs every time that Microsoft releases a new version of the upcoming operating system.
Of course, these issues will surely get dealt with swiftly, but this doesn’t stop users from flagging them every chance they get.
This time, one of the actions buttons for notifications only contains one letter, instead of the whole word.
System tray is still not up to user standard
Even though the patch notes for the latest build advertise an updated design for the system tray, there is still no animation for the hidden icons button, and the button itself is not updated in design either.
Also, the frame for the flyout menu is darker and thicker than the ones for the other two flyouts, apparently. Not to mention that the tooltip hasn’t been updated yet.
The whole taskbar is incomplete to me and lacks configuration for multiple screens. For people running different apps on different screens it’s pretty unusable. Looks to me like I’ll be paying for DisplayFusion for longer since they can do what MS can’t.
CMD randomly appearing on screen
Here’s an issue that’s more on the weirder side of things, when discussing the new preview build for Windows 11.
Hello. I am facing a problem with cmd prompt. The prompt pop-up some times when i log in my pc and other times when im randomly using the pc. Does anybody knows about it? I thinks it’s not a virus ’cause i’ve scanned everything using defender and i didn’t find anything. Also, i tried to locate the page where the “tigiguc” is located but i can’t run it. It says that the file is in “.sys” file format and asks for a program to run with.
OS Version: 22000.100 (but i faced it in previous versions)
What’s even more strange, is that he reports that this issue plagued him even during the lifetime of the previous Insider build for Windows 11.
Not many people have flagged similar issues, so this problem must be limited to a small number of Insiders.
Windows 11 fluent design not added to all OS elements
It’s a known fact that one of Windows 11’s most appealing features is the new, fluent design that Microsoft introduced.
However, as we said before, unfortunately, this new design pattern doesn’t apply to all the operating system’s elements, much toward user disappointment.
Some of the more tech-savvy Windows users seem to have more in-depth knowledge about this design flaw and make some recommendations for fellow Insiders.
These are not native features of Windows, you need to force restart the runtime program that patches the corners. One way to do it is to switch themes.
Mouse cursor displays info about icons that aren’even on the taskbar
Since we were on the topic of visual bugs, here’s another one that was flagged on build 22000.100 for Windows 11.
Moving the mouse over the taskbar icons prompts the cursor to display information about the specific apps or tools you hover upon.
But when nothing is actually there, why is the cursor still displaying additional info? Surely Microsoft will take notice of this issue and deal with it accordingly,
Please check this below issue in Windows 11 Build 22000.100. By any chance do anyone else notice this issue in your device?@JenMsfthttps://t.co/DLe4slqFUg
We are going to continue on the topic of, you guessed it, visual bugs. This time let’s have a closer look at the context menus on Windows 11 build 22000.100.
We are used for these menus to spawn at the exact location where we right-click, as it always was on the Windows operating system.
But here’s what happens when you right-click in order to open one of these context menus for some Windows 11 Insiders, after the installation of the latest build.
The user that reported this problem states that he has Memory Integrity turned on,, however, VMware was fine before the build upgrade.
The taskbar isn’t working anymore
Some Windows Insiders are literally stuck, as they cannot use one of the most basic elements that Windows has to offer: the taskbar.
After downloading and applying the changes that came with build 22000.10, many people are no longer able to interact with the system taskbar, because apparently, all of its functionality has been stripped.
This is not a remote issue, as many other fellow Insiders are reporting similar problems.
Allegedly, Z-ordering seems to be completely broken at interacting with some context menus or any kind of recording software, such as ShareX, while having something displaying in fullscreen.
What this means is that context menus appear below usual application windows, making them totally unusable.
The only workaround users have right now is ending the explorer process and restarting it.
Adding a second monitor will make your Explorer constantly restart
Even though these operating system bugs come in all shapes and forms, it’s still not surprising that we have to deal with them, considering the early stages that Windows 11 is currently in.
However, some of them are still eyebrow-raising, due to the weird manner in which they manifest.
Have you considered adding a second monitor to your setup? You might want to think again after reading what this Windows Insider went through after doing so.
After updating to 22000.100, my Teams chat stopped working with a “We’re sorry. We’ve run into an issue” message and wouldn’t load.
It came back after stopping the app from the systray and clicking the chat icon again.
Gaming is still not a stable experience on Windows 11
There have been several reports concerning gaming ever since the Redmond company released the new operating system.
And while some users managed to play some games, whether in window mode or regularly, most games aren’t working as they should on Windows 11, or at all.
The new OS still isn’t ready to provide such an experience to its users so you might want to postpone playing your favorite game on it.
Social media platforms and forums are full of complaints regarding gaming so, until Windows 11 is free of bugs, gaming is not really recommended.
As you might have noticed, we’ve constantly used the word weird throughout this article, when describing some of the bugs that Insiders flagged.
The reason is that some of them really have no logical explanation and just seem, well, weird. And since we are discussing weirdness, here’s another one that will raise some questions.
The new Windows 11 build doesn’t limit itself to bringing only bugs of visual nature, but also ones that really mess up our way of doing things.
Have you tried using Bluetooth since you’ve installed the new build? If not, here are some words from those that have tried, as reported on Reddit.
Before installing the update, I had no notable issues with the bluetooth audio, just that aptx low latency was very bad, but now in windows 11 bluetooth audio just doesn’t work at all. It connects to the device and lists it in the bluetooth devices menu but it doesn’t show up in the sound settings. Is this just a windows 11 issue or is there likely something wrong with my pc?
Menu text not present
We’ve previously reported, in the articles related to bugs that plagued the builds that came before 22000.100, that there are certain portions of menus where the text is either not present, or cropped.
Many were hoping that the introduction of this new Windows 11 build would fix these issues. However, some Insiders discovered that that’s not the case and proceeded to warn fellow Insiders on platforms like Reddit.
Apparently, every time he left clicks, the system also performs a right-click, an action that spawns a context menu. You can imagine how frustrating that can get when you are just trying to navigate using your left click.
Somehow whenever I left click with mouse it will sometimes register as right click, sometimes in a browser, adobe premiere or on the windows desktop. I am currently on the windows 11 leaked iso, when my pc was on windows 10 this problem didn’t happen
However, this user is talking about a leaked ISO of Windows 11, not about the official preview available to Windows Insiders.
But even though this is not an official Microsoft product, the bug could also manifest on the original version as well.
Nonetheless, we strongly recommend that you become an Insider if you wish to test the upcoming operating system, as these leaked versions might contain malware and other harmful software.
OS taking forever to restart
As reported with previous builds as well, for some users Windows 11 is taking a ridiculously long time to perform a system restart.
It’s still pretty unclear what exactly is causing these crashes and long restart times, and no apparent workaround seems to function in this situation.
For some Insiders, it gets so bad that they need a recovery stick in order to restore their operating system to working order.
Unable to verify Microsoft account
While some users are struggling with not being able to properly use their devices, because of the operating system, others are dealing with other serious issues.
YOu can understand how that can be a major problem, as Windows 11 actually requires you to log in with a Microsoft account in order to grant you access.
So this issue can prove to be a real nuisance, especially if, at some point, the system will require you to input your credentials again.
Windows 11 detects headphones as speakers and compromizes sound quality
What can you do when your OS decides to improperly label some hardware that you’ve plugged into your device?
There’s not much you can do, at the moment, as Microsoft engineers are still scrambling to fix every ongoing issue that the upcoming operating system has.
One Windows Insider reports that, after plugging in his headphones, Windows 11 detected them as speakers, taking away from the quality of the sound.
I’m using Windows 11, since I installed Windows 11 I haven’t encountered any issue so I’m guessing this is caused by the famous realtek drivers.
I got Lenovo Legion H300 Headset today and plugged it into my motherboard with splitter, the ports that splitter has been plugged are the right ports. Sounds are low and muffled but when I try it on my Windows 10 laptop it sounds better and more realistic.
I also have a USB headset that sounds waaay more better when I compare them, I don’t know if it’s because of the product difference but I know this USB headset is a cheap Chinese headset and sounds better than Legion H300.
Back to the real question; I plug the Legion H300 headset with splitter to my motherboard’s audio ports, my motherboard is ASUS PRIME H410M-F, and windows detects it as speaker and sounds are bad. I tried it on my Windows 10 laptop without a splitter, it detects it as headphones and sounds better.
Is there anyway I can do to make sounds more clear and better on my Windows 11 PC, make it detect it as headphones?
I tried re-installing different/same audio drivers, I tried some settings on realtek audio console, settings on audio console make the audio louder but make the audio quality worse.
I haven’t encountered these on my USB headset so I’m thinking this is caused by Realtek drivers?
Edit; What is the possibility of this headset being worse than my current headset so that I feel like sounds are bad on this headset?
No Widgets present on build 22000.100
Here’s another issue that Insiders had to deal with during the span of the previous build as well. After Windows 11 performed its latest update, users were surprised to find out that they don’t have Widgets anymore.
This feature is present on everyone’s taskbar and can be tweaked from the Settings menu. However, due to unknown factors, some people simply don’t have it anymore, after 22000.100 was installed.
Experiencing these issues is somewhat normal for software currently under testing for further development purposes. Our user feedback is what will help Microsoft iron out these system wrinkles.
What are some of the issues you encountered after installing WIndows 11 build 22000.100? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.
Windows 11 won’t be using dark mode by default on commercial SKUs, Microsoft has confirmed this week. At the company’s Inspire conference earlier this week, a Microsoft employee announced that “we’re going to ship all of the Windows 11 commercial SKUs in that IT favorite, beautiful dark mode by default,” but Microsoft has since reached out to us to confirm that this information was inaccurate.
In the statement we received, the company explained that Windows 11 SKUs will actually ship with light mode by default, but PC manufacturers will be able to ship their new Windows 11 PCs with dark mode if they choose to. Of course, consumers will still be able to choose between the light and dark mode in the Windows 11 settings.
We are aware that inaccurate information about Windows 11 shipping in dark mode on by default to all commercial SKUs was recently shared and apologize for the confusion. To clarify, Microsoft will ship Windows 11 SKUs in light mode on by default. However, OEMs can choose to ship their devices in dark mode and customers will have the choice to easily customize their experience in Settings to dark mode or light mode. As with all of our products, we will continue listening to customer feedback to ensure Windows 11 meets customers’ needs, wherever they are in their computing journey.
Both the light and dark modes in Windows 11 look really good, though it’s true that Microsoft still has some work to do to apply dark mode to various legacy elements on Windows 11 as well as Windows 10. This is probably why the company is going with light mode by default on Windows 11, and it likely was the safest choice for the software giant. Let us know in the comments if you agree with this or not.
It’s now time to move on and see what Microsoft has in store for us with build 22000.10. It will surely be interesting to see and feel how things progress, as we are getting closer and closer to the OS’s official rollout.
Build 22000.100 is now available to Windows Insiders
The most important question here is: What does this new build bring new to the table?
Well, with this new build, everyone will get to experience this first hand, as the new and improved Teams application will become available to everyone that downloads and installs the updated software version.
Other changes and improvements include:
The hidden icons flyout on the lower right of the Taskbar has been updated to match the new visuals of Windows 11. (Please note – it may not look right after updating to this build – toggling between two themes will correct the issue.)
The ability to quickly access Focus assist settings directly from Notification Center has also been added.
When a background activity from an app requires attention, the app will flash on the Taskbar to get your attention. In Windows 11, with an updated design so that it still grabs your attention but with a calming treatment that minimizes the impact of unwarranted distractions. The subtle flashing eventually stops, and you will see a slightly red backplate and red pill under the app icon continuing to note a background activity needs your attention.
The touch keyboard icon in the Taskbar has been adjusted to be more consistent with the size of the other icons in the corner of the Taskbar.
The Taskbar calendar flyout will now fully collapse down when clicking the chevron in the top corner to give you more room for notifications.
In the latest Microsoft Store update rolling out to Insiders, navigation in the new Microsoft Store feel fast and fun. When you select an app or movie you’re interested in, you might notice some animations that help you keep track of what you’re browsing.
Microsoft fixed a lot of the previous build’s pending issues
Of course, no software release would be complete without a hefty list of fixes, meant to correct some of the issues that were flagged during the previous build’s lifetime.
Here’s what the tech giant managed to tweak:
Taskbar:
Fixed the issue that was causing Explorer.exe to crash when the date and time button on the Taskbar is clicked to access new notifications with Focus Assist turned off.
Added the missing settings icons for the context menu entries when right clicking network, volume, and battery in the Taskbar.
Fixed an issue that was making the clock in the Taskbar get stuck and out of sync.
Addressed an explorer.exe crash that could happen after resuming from standby, related to the volume icon in the Taskbar.
Addressed an issue where the progress bar below app icons in the Taskbar was not displaying in some cases.
Clicking on the Taskbar when either Start or Search is open will now make them dismiss.
If you tap Taskbar icons using touch you should now see the same icon animation that was visible when using the mouse.
The lunar calendar (when enabled) text should no longer overlap the numbers in the Taskbar calendar flyout.
The calendar flyout should now show the correct month when in a collapsed state.
The date at the top of the calendar flyout should now follow your preferred format and not the format matching your display language.
If the Start menu is open, when hovering over Task View the window will now appear above Start menu instead of behind it.
Right-clicking Task View will now make the preview window dismiss so you can actually use the context menu.
Fixed an issue where if you click on a snap group in the Taskbar, it might not bring up all the app windows after docking and undocking.
The icons used for the On / Off indicators in the Taskbar for the Pinyin IME are now a consistent size.
Signing out and back in when battery saver is running should no longer result in Taskbar becoming transparent.
Mitigated an issue making the network icon sometimes unexpectedly not show in the Taskbar.
The Taskbar previews will no longer draw offscreen after upgrading to this build.
Settings:
Fixed an issue causing multiple buttons and options in Settings to not work in the previous flight, including Go Back and Reset Your PC under Recovery, enabling Developer mode, renaming your PC, and enabling Remote Desktop.
The page titles in Settings should no longer be drawing too high up / off screen.
Searching for add and remove programs in Settings should now return the expected Settings page.
Done some work to help search in Settings initialize faster.
Addressed an issue that was causing crashes in Settings when interacting with the Windows Insider Program section.
Fixed an issue that could make Settings crash on launch.
Fixed an icon rendering issue in Power and Battery Settings.
Fixed some reliability issues with the Language and Region page in Settings.
Made a change to help address a problem where the preview in Personalization Settings sometimes unexpectedly showed you were using a black wallpaper when you weren’t.
The font used in the Lock Screen Settings preview should now match the actual lock screen.
Fixed a bug making all the icons in Quick Settings appear unexpectedly flipped for Insiders using the Arabic display language.
Using the brightness slider in Quick Settings should now show a number as you’re adjusting, like it does with volume.
File Explorer:
Using mouse to open the context menu in File Explorer and on the desktop should no longer display a keyboard focus rectangle on first launch (until you start using the keyboard to navigate it).
Tweaked the context menu to address feedback that sometimes submenus were unexpectedly closing when you were trying to use them.
Fixed a flicker where you could see New become New Item in the context menu.
Done some work on the context menu positioning logic so that submenus should no longer appear partially offscreen or unexpectedly far away.
Fixed two issues impacting explorer.exe reliability when bringing up the context menu, including specifically when right-clicking on a zip file.
Addressed an issue causing the Unpin from Start option when right clicking an app to not work.
Search:
Fixed an issue making Search’s shadow appear boxy.
Have adjusted the positioning of the Search window when the Taskbar is left aligned, so that it matches Start.
Addressed an issue where what was displaying when hovering over the Search icon in the Taskbar wasn’t in sync with what would actually launch when you clicked one of the entries.
If you’ve launched websites using Search, those should now be properly displayed in the recent searches when hovering over the Search icon in the Taskbar.
Made a change to address an issue where some Insiders were unexpectedly not seeing the brightness slider in Quick Settings after upgrading.
Widgets:
Fixed an issue resulting in your widget configurations not getting saved and unexpectedly being reset.
The widgets board and content should now be sized for the correct screen when using multiple monitors.
Addressed an issue where sign-in wasn’t working for widgets in some scenarios due to authentication hanging.
Made another fix to address the clock in the widgets board not following your preferred format.
Other:
Device Security should no longer say Standard hardware security not supported for Insiders with supported hardware.
With this build the access keys for WIN + X (so that you can do things like WIN + X M to launch Device Manager) should now appear consistently.
Fingerprint sign in should no longer stop working after rebooting your PC.
Addressed an accessibility issue where keyboard focus would disappear from Start after pressing Tab then Shift + Tab.
Fixed a bug causing the informational pop ups in voice typing to not dismiss on click.
Fixed an infinite loop making some Insider’s devices hang during shutdown.
Made an adjustment to help address an issue causing the title bar to not render correctly on certain apps.
Made a fix to stop your wallpaper from flashing when switching between Desktops.
Updated the snap layouts window to now use the default animation for flyouts instead of just popping in.
Addressed an issue that was making Sticky Notes and Microsoft To Do crash on launch sometimes.
Fixed a DWM memory leak that was happening when rotating your device back and forth between landscape and portrait mode.
Made a change to address the issue where text could become truncated in the message dialog from Windows Update alerting that an update was ready.
Window borders should now be displayed correctly when using high contrast.
Turning off Show shadows under windows in Performance Options should now actually turn off the shadows under windows.
Made some tweaks to fix an issue where context menus and tooltip were appearing far from the mouse when using Windows with the Arabic display language.
Addressed an issue where the network icons on the lock screen and login screen weren’t consistent.
Known issues for Insider build 22000.100
The Redmond-based tech company also published a list of known issues that might affect users during the first period of the 22000.100 experience.
These problems seem to range from widgets to Store, to Settings app issues. This is what we could deal with on the new build:
[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.
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.
Settings:
When launching the Settings app, a brief green flash may appear.
When using Quick Settings to modify Accessibility settings, the settings UI may not save the selected state.
Settings will crash when clicking Facial recognition (Windows Hello) under Sign-in Settings if Windows Hello is already set up.
File Explorer:
Explorer.exe crashes in a loop for Insiders using the Turkish display language when battery charge is at 100%.
The context menu sometimes doesn’t render completely and ends up truncated.
Clicking a desktop icon or context menu entry may result in the wrong item being selected.
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:
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.
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 Security
Automatic sample submission is unexpectedly turned off when you restart your PC.
Windows Hello (Face) may show an error saying Something went wrong when attempting to sign in after upgrading. To work around this, sign in with your password or PIN and:
Open Device Manager.
Uninstall Windows Hello Face Software Device under Biometric devices.
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.
Microsoft Teams is getting ready to launch two new Presenter Modes for meetings. Indeed, Reporter and Side-by-Side views will start rolling out to desktop users in mid-August, according to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
The Microsoft Teams’ Presenter Mode currently only provides a Standout mode to customize how the speaker appears when presenting in meetings, but these new options will help to make Teams meetings more professional. With Reporter mode, attendees will see the video feed and content above the presenter’s shoulder as a visual aid, much like a news anchor during TV news bulletins.
Side-by-Side mode is the other new layout coming to the Presenter mode in Microsoft Teams meetings to display the speaker’s video feed alongside the content. “When a presenter selects Side-by-side mode, participants will see the presenter’s video feed and content overlaid on a background image,” the company explained.
While these new Presenter Modes will first become generally available for all commercial customers worldwide in the coming weeks, the company is also planning to roll out this feature to GCC tenants in September. Do you think Reporter and Side-by-Side modes can help to make your presentation experience more interactive and engaging? Sound off in the comments below.
The official video game for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is now free to play on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox Series X console families for all players with an active Xbox Live Gold subscription until the end of Sunday at 11:59 PM PDT.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: The Official Video Game, as its name implies, is the official video game for the Tokyo Olympics which have now started IRL. It features 18 different sports from tennis to swimming and supports local multiplayer for two players and online matches with up to eight players.
A number of quirky player customizable options are also on offer with cowboy, pirate, and even Sonic skins to choose from.
Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a game inspired by the hit Cobra Kai TV series. It features voice-acting from several of the show’s stars and supports two-player local co-op.
Battlefield 1 came out back in 2016 and supports online matches with eight to 64 players and 4K visuals on Xbox One X and Xbox Series X consoles.
If you want to know about the best free VPN extensions for Mozilla Firefox without registration, this article is for you.
The best way to summarise the state of the browser market nowadays is Chrome VS the Rest. Firefox introduced a great version with the catchy name Quantum and obvious intentions to challenge Chrome.
Besides the fact that it’s much smaller and faster than before, the main go-to card for revamped Firefox is privacy. And that’s where VPNs come in handy.
Firefox Quantum implements some great additions to the privacy department, but what it lacks in comparison to Opera One is the built-in VPN solution. Luckily, we’re here to correct that injustice.
Is there a free VPN with Firefox?
Firefox doesn’t have a built-in VPN feature. However, there are many VPN add-ons available for this web browser. Many of them offer a free plan. You can use any of them if you don’t have a budget for a VPN.
Search for the VPN extension you want and click on it.
Click on Add to Firefox.
This way, you can add any VPN extensions or add-ons on Firefox. However, don’t just install a random VPN. Any random or cheap VPN can be a serious threat to your privacy.
Below you can find the best VPN extensions for Firefox that are not bad for your privacy.
As we said, any of the VPN solutions presented below will offer a fully-fledged VPN service with hundreds or thousands of servers available anywhere in the world. Most of them also come with extensions compatible with Firefox and others.
Quick Tip
If you don’t feel that you need to have a fully-fledged VPN service available all the time, then there’s a quick alternative. Download and install the Opera One browser.
It comes with a built-in VPN that acts exactly as a proxy. You can enable it for any tab you like. You can also choose which continent to connect to.
Opera One
Use the built-in VPN and all the other new features instead of searching for a proxy in Firefox.
We’ll mostly present Firefox VPN add-ons used only for an individual browser and working as a proxy.
For an all-around PC VPN suite (client) that focuses on privacy and eliminates tracking while enabling you to browse with ease, we recommend Private Internet Access.
Our top pick is a Kape Technologies product. You may access the open Internet without any worries and unblock pretty much any website with this VPN solution.
If you’re not convinced, note that it features a website URL whitelist, webRTC blocking, and an intuitive On/Off switch.
Private Internet Access not only has the right tools to protect everyone, but you’ll have no problem getting started with it.
Moreover, do note that it gives you a free 30-day money-back guarantee. So, if it simply doesn’t meet your expectations, nothing stops you from getting your money back.
These are the key features offered by Private Internet Access:
Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO GO, and Amazon Prime Video access, even if they aren’t officially supported where you live
Up to 10 devices connected simultaneously
Maintains incredibly fast speeds for streaming easily
Proven no log policy
Round-the-clock customer service
One of the most affordable VPN options, but this doesn’t mean you make any sacrifices
Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access is the world’s greatest proxy for Firefox users, keeping your identity and location safe.
It’s hard to create a distinct point for small programs like these extensions indeed are. However, every single one has a go-to card it can play in order to appeal to Firefox users.
Compared to others, Windscribe from Windscribe Limited is fresh; features-wise, it doesn’t fall behind other enlisted tools.
The only quite visible issue we have with this nifty extension is a limitation at only 2GB of bandwidth per month. At least, if you don’t provide and confirm your e-mail. Then the bandwidth increases to 10GB.
Feature-wise, here’s what you can expect from Windscribe – Free VPN and Ad Blocker:
11 free locations and 40 more if you pay a monthly subscription
Avoid firewalls and unlock geo-restricted web content
The optional free desktop app cooperates with the add-on for better service
Ad-blocker included
The secure P2P line for non-tracking sharing of any link
Slick design
If you’re at least slightly interested in what Windscribe – Free VPN and Ad Blocker has to offer, make sure to check it out.
Hide My IP VPN is one of Firefox’s most trusted VPN extensions. It has all traits a regular user would need from a similar add-on.
It’s quite well-designed and, with the intuitive interface, even the newbies will easily use it. In comparison to Hotspot Shield, Hide My IP VPN is best with the premium version.
It lacks the abundance of free anonymous servers some other solutions have, but there’s a catch. You can manually insert any proxy that can be obtained from various third-party sites.
Here’s the list of great features Hide My IP VPN brings to the table:
Click and go approach without the overabundance of configuration tasks
High-speed proxy servers for the paid version
Access to any blocked site
The paid subscription brings 80 different worldwide locations
Selection between VPN and HTTPS, two different proxy modes –VPN more secure, HTTPS faster
The Hide My IP VPN also requires registration, and you can try it out for free with 3 days of a trial subscription.
This Browsec VPN is one of the best Firefox proxy extensions and the most popular one, with 215.000 everyday users.
Even though it lacks extra features, it works like a charm with its primary objectives: privacy, access to geo-restricted content, and anti-tracking protection.
The difference between paid and free versions is, sadly, noticeable. The free version’s bandwidth speed is quite slow, and you’ll have only 4 locations at your disposal.
These are the best features of Browsec VPN:
Access to any restricted content
Unlimited bandwidth for free
Ultra-high speeds if you choose the paid version
Multi-platform support
Encrypted traffic
Intuitive UI
One way or another, a lot of folks trust Browsec VPN and use it on a daily basis.
SetupVPN Lifetime Free VPN is quite similar to Browsec VPN. It comes with unlimited bandwidth and quite decent free options.
It strictly focuses on proxy servers, with various locations you can choose for free. Besides the usual, it’s marketed for military-level encryption, which is a great go-to card.
In addition, you’ll need to register in order to use it, and once you do, everything is quite simple. An interesting addition is an IP checkup that lets you confirm the proxy activity whenever possible.
These are the key features SetupVPN offers:
Easily runs through restrictive firewalls
Avoids geo-restrictions
A dozen of available proxy locations
Easy to set up. After the registration, just choose the country, and you’re good to go
4096-bit encryption
No bandwidth or speed limitations
If you’re into simplicity and reliability, this might be the right Firefox VPN extension for you.
Finally, the last but not least place on today’s list is reserved for Hoxx VPN Proxy. As you can see for yourself, Firefox VPN extensions are more or less alike.
Hoxx VPN Proxy looks like a close relative of SetupVPN in almost every regard. They are basically the same extensions with the slightest cosmetic differences and almost identical plans.
However, user-wise, it seems that Hoxx has numbers on its side.
Great features that Hoxx VPN Proxy offers:
Military-grade encryption
A dozen of proxy servers in various countries
Minimalistic design
No limits whatsoever. Unlimited bandwidth and speeds
Static IP for free and paid accounts
IP checkup
As same as all others, you can check out what’s Hoxx VPN about for free.
Hotspot Shield Free VPN Proxy, originally developed by AnchorFree, is at the top of the food chain. It’s amazingly simple to use, has a large variety of options that can come in handy, and it’s completely free.
Now, due to the fact that this is a freemium extension, you might take a step forward and obtain the premium version.
The main difference is that, in comparison to the majority of other similar extensions, Hotspot Shield Premium isn’t a dozen times better than the free version.
Here’s what great features you can expect in case you decide to try Hotspot Shield Free VPN Proxy:
No registration needed
Easy to use and configure
The Secured connection includes Ad Blocking, Tracker Blocking, Cookie Blocking, and Malware Protection
Full access to blocked mainstream websites, like Facebook or Twitter
No bandwidth limits in the free version
Full access to geo-restricted content
Anonymous browsing with data encryption
One of the fastest VPN extensions you can get for free
Since the extension is completely free, you can easily implement it in Firefox and look for yourself.
While making the list of best free VPN extensions without registration for Mozilla Firefox, we had taken all features and benefits into consideration. However, as we do not have control over their features, these may get changed anytime, depending on the original company’s decision.
So, you may notice slight differences in features for these extensions.
However, What’s your favorite VPN extension for Firefox? Check out all of the options above. We’ve included choices for everyone. Feel free to tell us in the comments section below.
Microsoft is working on an update that will allow users to adjust the playback speed of Teams meeting recordings. The variable playback feature is still under development, and it will start rolling out to the targeted release customers in early August.
As of today, Microsoft Teams doesn’t provide a native option to control the playback speed of meeting recordings, and users need to download & open the video with a third-party media player to adjust the playback speed. Microsoft says that this new variable playback option will enable participants to manually change the playback speed “(0.5x – 2x)” while watching any Teams meeting recording saved to OneDrive & SharePoint.
Users will be able to open the Playback speed menu by clicking an icon available in the bottom right corner of all Microsoft Teams meeting recordings (as shown below). “This menu contains options for slower speed (0.5x), normal speed (1x), and faster speed (1.2x, 1.5x, 1.8x, and 2.0x). The setting that a user chooses will persist for the duration of their browser session; they can change it at any time using the Playback speed menu,” the company explained in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
The variable playback experience should help people save some time by going through the content quickly without skipping it. It can also benefit both students and enterprise users who want to watch video recordings at a lower rate to better understand a specific concept. Microsoft Teams has also released a new automatic recording option for meetings.
Microsoft announced yesterday an important update for its Microsoft Store for Business and Education, which currently allows organizations to distribute the apps they want in their own private store on Windows 10 PCs. First of all, the Microsoft Store for Business and Education will be retired in the first quarter of 2023, confirming what previous reports have been suggesting since last year.
The writing was already on the wall earlier this year when Microsoft warned organizations that paid apps would no longer be available for acquisition on the Microsoft Store for Business and Education starting on April 14. Now, organizations currently using the Store to distribute private line-of-business apps will also need to migrate them to their local private app repository before the retirement of the Microsoft Store for Business in Q1 2023.
Windows 11, the next version of Windows that will ship this holiday season also won’t support the Microsoft Store for Business and Education. “However, admins can still leverage the connection to Store for Business and Education, from their UEM solution to deploy apps to managed Windows 11 devices, until they are retired in 2023,” the company said yesterday.
The original purpose of the Microsoft Store for Business and Education was to give organizations a secure way to distribute select apps from a single location. However, Microsoft announced last year at Build 2020 the Windows Package Manager, a new tool for managing and deploying apps to Windows 10 PCs, with Windows 11 support coming soon.
The Windows Package Manager will add a new integration with Microsoft Intune next year, which will allow organizations to deploy apps from the new Microsoft Store coming soon on Windows 11 (and Windows 10) to managed devices all from within Microsoft Intune or their unified endpoint management (UEM) solution. The company plans to share more information ahead of the public preview of the Intune integration in 2022.
Microsoft is set to beef up its cloud security and entitlement management platform with the acquisition of CloudKnox.
Earlier today, Microsoft announced that it acquired CloudKnox Security, which represents the company’s move towards adding additional modern identity security by leveraging a leader in Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM).
Plainly put, Microsoft’s acquisition of CloudKnox will allow it to fold in unified privileged access and industry leading entitlement management into its Microsoft 365 cloud service offerings, more specifically Microsoft Azure Active Directory.
Among further “granular visibility, continuous monitoring and automated remediation for hybrid and cloud permissions”, users will also have governance, in the future, over the following:
Automated and simplified access policy enforcement in one integrated multi-cloud platform for all human and workload identities.
The widest breadth of signal-enabling, high-precision machine learning-based anomaly detections.
Seamless integration with other Microsoft cloud security services, including Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Defender and Azure Sentinel.
Today’s announcement adds to a growing list of cloud-centric security acquisitions Microsoft has made over the past few months that include RiskIQ and ReFirm Labs.
Despite Microsoft’s embroiled battle over exploits leveraged by various nation-states, it seems the company is attempting to sure up its cloud infrastructure offerings a bit better than those recently used in its Outlook Exchange solutions.
With CloudKnox onboard, Microsoft can offer greater Zero Trust monitoring in addition to more granular visibility and controls for companies in need of integrated privileged access and entitlement management tools with their cloud services.
In case you weren’t already aware, the DuckDuckGo website is launching a new email privacy service designed to stop ad companies from spying on your inbox.
A more than welcome protection feature, and also a breath of fresh air, in these treacherous times.
So, basically, users can get a free @duck.com email address, that will forward emails to their regular inbox, but only after analyzing their contents for trackers and removing them, if necessary.
DuckDuckGo is also providing unique, disposable forwarding addresses, which can be generated easily in DuckDuckGo’s mobile browser or through desktop browser extensions.
How do I get a @Duck email address?
If you’re thinking that setting up this extra protection feature for your emails, you might want to reconsider. This process actually takes only a few minutes of your time and can save you a lot of headaches.
DuckDuckGo is releasing our Email Protection feature into beta testing, while they are ironing out the wrinkles.
To get access to the beta, all you have to do is join the private waitlist They are accepting new people in every day, but the sooner you join, the sooner you’ll be protecting your email privacy.
Another very important fact when considering to opt for this security service is that you won’t need to share any personal information to join the waitlist.
Here’s what you need to do, using your mobile phone:
They also advise that the disposable addresses are better used when signing up for free trials, newsletters, or any other place that you suspect might sell your email address.
That way, if the email address is compromised, you can easily deactivate it.
What am I protecting myself against?
The answer to this question is extremely simple: email trackers. To be more exact, email trackers are found in more than 70% of mailing lists, according to experts.
And once these trackers are deployed, they let advertisers figure out when you open your email, where you are when you open it, and what device you’re using. Pretty scary, right?
Thus, removing trackers from email removes data points from lists building hidden advertising profiles on you, which have become a priority for privacy advocates in recent years.
DuckDuckGo developers are estimating the wait will be a couple of weeks since you have punched in your request, after which you will get a notification to set up the feature.
What you should know is that the setup process involves a bit of light reading about the privacy features and choosing a new duck.com email address.
One of the features that DuckDuckGo is proud to announce to the public is that it doesn’t see or save your email.
Instead, the tracker removal is done in its servers’ memory and not ever written to a disk or hard drive.
The experts at DuckDuckGo also built the forwarding software themselves, so it didn’t have to rely on a third party also processing the emails before they hit your inbox.
Are you going to sign up for this privacy service as well? Let us know in the comments section below.
We, here at Windows Report, always stress the importance of staying protected while being connected to the internet, as cyber threats are growing and everpresent, nowadays.
Failing to do so can result in leaks of confidential and valuable data that can have severe repercussions for individuals, as well as for enterprises.
Tuesday, everyone was shocked to learn about two new vulnerabilities, one in Windows and the other in Linux, that can allow hackers to bypass OS security restrictions and access sensitive resources.
New Windows 11 vulnerability could lead to serious breaches
This critical Windows vulnerability was discovered by accident a few days ago when a researcher noticed what he believed was a coding regression in a beta version of the upcoming Windows 11.
He also found that the contents of the security account manager (SAM), which is the database that stores user accounts and security descriptors for users on the local computer, could be read by users with limited system privileges.
yarh- for some reason on win11 the SAM file now is READ for users. So if you have shadowvolumes enabled you can read the sam file like this:
I dont know the full extent of the issue yet, but its too many to not be a problem I think. pic.twitter.com/kl8gQ1FjFt
To give you a better understanding, we all know that, as operating systems and applications become harder to break into, successful attacks require two or more vulnerabilities to be exploited.
To be a bit more precise, one of the vulnerabilities will allow malicious third parties to access low-privileged OS resources, where code can be executed or private data can be read.
The second vulnerability takes the process to a whole new level, granting access to system resources reserved for password storage or other sensitive operations.
How exactly does this issue allow attackers to infiltrate our systems?
The above-mentioned issue made it possible for third parties to extract cryptographically protected password data.
Also, they could discover the password we used to install Windows, get their hands on the computer keys for the Windows data protection API, which can be used to decrypt private encryption keys.
Another action that cyber attackers could perform while exploring this vulnerability is the creation of accounts on the targeted device.
As you can imagine, the result is that the local user can elevate privileges all the way to System, the highest level in Windows.
Q: what can you do when you have #mimikatz? & some Read access on Windows system files like SYSTEM, SAM and SECURITY?
This is now a new vulnerability and was present even on Windows 10
Users that took notice of these posts and responded, also pointed out that this behavior wasn’t a regression introduced in Windows 11, as initially thought.
Allegedly, the same vulnerability that has Windows 11 users on the edge of their seats was present even in the latest version of Windows 10.
Thus, the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team stated that this issue is manifesting when the Volume Shadow Copy Service, the Windows feature that allows the OS or applications to take snapshots of an entire disk without locking the filesystem, is turned on.
What’s even worse, is that currently, there is no patch available, so there is no way of telling when this problem will actually be fixed.
