Following the preview of new PowerToys Peek utility, Microsoft releases feature-packed PowerToys v0.57.2
Earlier this week we learned about a prototype PowerToys utility called Peek which is set to bring a macOS-style Quick Look feature to Windows 11. There is no word on when this handy tool will be added to the PowerToys suite but in the meantime, there is a new update to install.
With the release of PowerToys v0.57.2, Microsoft introduced an important number of tweaks, changes and new settings for utilities including PowerToys Run and AlwaysOnTop. There is also a key change to FancyZones for Windows 11 users.
Windows 11's upcoming Smart App Control security feature has a major issue
At its Windows Powers the Future of Hybrid Work event earlier this week, Microsoft revealed various new features that are coming to Windows 11. As well as additions such as tabs in File Explorer and folders in the Start menu, the company revealed a lot of upcoming security features.
One of the security highlights is Smart App Control, which works like an enhanced version of the SmartScreen filter already found in Windows. It will help to block malicious apps, but there is a serious downside that will put off a lot of people.
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Microsoft is bringing an amazing macOS feature to Windows 11 with a PowerToys update
Imitation, it is said, is the sincerest form of flattery. If this is true, then Microsoft is clearly fawning over macOS as the PowerToys development team are busy borrowing ideas from Apple's operating system.
Just last week we were treated to a big PowerToys update, but it seems that there is even more to look forward to in the future. Influenced heavily by the Quick Look feature of macOS, a new utility called PowerToys Peek is in the pipeline, giving a way to quickly preview files without having to open them.
If tech giants were countries Apple and Microsoft would be among the top 10 richest
In an interesting bit of equivalence, UK-based insolvency specialist Real Business Rescue has compared the market value of the world's richest companies to countries' GDPs to show how big these businesses have become compared to the rest of the world.
As the table below shows, Apple -- which became the first trillion dollar company in 2018 -- would rank eighth in the world, just behind France, while Microsoft is ranked ninth and worth more than Italy.
Microsoft has fixed an Edge issue that blocked upgrades to Windows 11
Microsoft recently introduced a compatibility hold to prevent certain people from upgrading to Windows 11. Safeguard ID 37820326 was put in place after an issue was discovered that saw some Edge users losing data they had stored in Internet Explorer 11.
The company has now addressed the problem meaning that IE users no longer need to take the extra step of importing data to Edge before upgrading to Windows 11.
Windows 11 Build 22593 arrives with loads of important fixes
There was no new Windows 11 build for Insiders last week, but Microsoft is back to its usual release schedule this Wednesday and once again the latest flight is being made available to both the Dev and Beta Channels.
This means that Build 22593 doesn’t have any of the more experimental new features typically found in Dev Channel builds, but it does come with some changes and improvements, as well as a huge number of fixes. Insiders can also easily switch from the Dev Channel to the Beta Channel, should they wish to.
Microsoft reveals new features coming to Windows 11 -- including tabs in File Explorer
Today, at an event to showcase how Microsoft is developing new experiences to "enhance the way we work today, and in the future", the software giant gave us a look at some of the new features coming to Windows 11 in the near future.
While much of the presentation was about business, specifically hybrid working, Microsoft did cover experiences for consumers.
Windows 11 users can now install AlmaLinux from the Microsoft Store
Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is friggin' awesome. If you aren't familiar, it essentially lets you easily run a Linux distribution (and commands) from within Windows 11 (or Windows 10). Best of all, you can install these distros directly from the Microsoft Store. There are many popular Linux-based operating system on that store too, such as Kali and Oracle.
And now, yet another Linux-based operating system has come to the Microsoft Store. You see, as of this month, you can download and install AlmaLinux by clicking here.
Microsoft System Center 2022 gets quiet launch
With virtually no fanfare, Microsoft has quietly launched the latest version of its datacenter management suite. Microsoft System Center 2022 is now generally available to cater for a range of IT environments, such as Windows Server, Azure Stack HCI and VMWare deployments.
The suite, which debuted back on 2008, includes System Center Operations Manager (SCOM), Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), System Center Orchestrator (SCORCH), Service Manager (SM) and Data Protection Manager (DPM). But while Microsoft may be pushing System Center 2022 out of the door, it's fair to say that it is not yet complete.
Microsoft boosts the security of Windows Update downloads
It has been a very long time coming, but Microsoft appears to have finally understood the value and importance of HTTPS. For reasons best known to the company, anyone looking to download updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog have had to do so via HTTP links -- but no longer.
In the last few days, Microsoft made a server-side change that means Microsoft Update Catalog downloads now use HTTPS connections. The switch to HTTPS affects everything from Windows 11 to Office, and everything in between.
Mozilla says Microsoft needs to do more to simplify browser switching in Windows 11
After -- although not necessarily because of -- endless complaints from Windows 11 users about the unnecessarily difficult process involved in changing the default web browser to something other than Edge, Microsoft finally gave in and simplified things.
But while the KB5011563 update means that the process is now much quicker and easier than it was, Microsoft has not gone far enough for many people. Among those voicing concern that the company is still putting obstacles in the way for users is Mozilla. The Firefox-maker says that Microsoft can do more to respect default browser choice on Windows.
Microsoft reveals the Windows Update policies you should set and why
In a post on the Windows IT Pro Blog, Microsoft has provided what it describes as "an easy, go-to reference" for sysadmins to help them choose which Windows Update policies to put in place.
There is different advice for single-user devices, multi-user devices, education devices, kiosks, billboards, factory machines, and Microsoft Teams Room devices. Microsoft kicks off with a pretty simple suggestion: "The fewer policies, the better. Leverage the defaults!" That said, there are also lots of recommendations for different scenarios.
Microsoft introduces a new compatibility hold to block upgrades to Windows 11
With a warning that "IE11 data might not be accessible after upgrading to Windows 11", Microsoft has added a new compatibility hold to prevent some people from upgrading to the latest version of its operating system.
The issue affects Windows 11 version 21H2, and Microsoft has not given any indication of how many people might be impacted. It means that some Windows 10 users looking to upgrade to Windows 11 will simply not be offered the update until they have jumped through certain hops.
Best Windows apps this week
Four-hundred-eighty-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft launched a new driver blocking security feature to boost Windows security.
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