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In addition, the new release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26052 includes an AI-powered "Automatic Super Resolution" option. It resides under System > Display > Graphics in the Settings app. Here's what it supposed to do.
With the assistance of AI upscaling tools (such as NVidia DLSS or AMD FSR) graphics card performance can be enhanced by initially rendering images at lower resolutions and subsequently upscaling them to higher resolutions. This technology have undergone various advancements, and the use of new GPUs with their aid can produce remarkably impressive outcomes.
Currently, enabling the feature doesn't change anything in both desktop mode and graphic rendering. However, this may change in the near future. There's also a chance that it requires some specific hardware to work, e.g. an NPU, which is missing in my case. The following ViVeTool command makes the option visible in the Settings app.c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:39695921 /variant 3
Another hidden thing in Build 26052 are the new animations and quick actions for the Copilot icon in the taskbar corner. The hover experience has three different types: no animation, pencil animation, animated Copilot icon with a badge. The enablement produce is quite long.
1) Run c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:44776738
2) restart the PC
3) Set these two to 1:
IsCopilotAvailable in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Copilot
IsUserEligible in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Copilot\BingChat
4) Run vivetool /enable /id:45596742 /variant:X
Replace X with:
3 = for the variant with the pencil animation
1 = for the variant with the badge
2 = for the variant with no animation
5) Restart the PC.
Copy some text to the clipboard and hover over the Copilot icon in the taskbar's right corner. You should now have new animations.
Microsoft has updated the changelog for Windows 11 Build 26052.1000 with a few more items:
New feature: The preview thumbnail title in the taskbar, ALT + Tab and Task View for File Explorer windows will now indicate if that window includes multiple tabs.
New feature: Updated the UI for Storage Spaces under Settings > System > Storage > Storage Spaces to more intuitively reflect Spaces. Some key changes include: remove confusing and/misleading status icons, replace links to Disk Management with links to Disks & Volumes, share drive labels and letter, when applicable, offering an explanation for a term when hovering over it, and adding upgrade and delete pool. This UI change should provide greater ease of storage management on Windows.
Known issue: A Display Connection section is incorrectly showing up under Settings > System > Display > Graphics that when clicked, will crash Settings. This section will be removed in a future flight.
Known issue: IMPORTANT NOTE FOR DEV DRIVE USERS: Insiders on Build 26052 who have Dev Drives and might need to rollback will need to back up their Dev Drives BEFORE rolling back as rolling back will cause Dev Drives to break and data on them to be lost.
Microsoft has officially introduced quick actions for Copilot. It is the same thing that has been earlier discovered by @PhantomOfEarth, but with a little bit polished UI.
If you don't see them right away, the c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:46874360,45596742 command may be of help.
Microsoft has added Copilot to Notepad, updated Snipping Tool with basic shape support.
Snipping Tool 11.2401.32.0 allows adding basic shapes such as circles, rectangles, arrows and others to created screenshots without the need to open Paint or another graphics editor.
Notepad 11.2401.25.0 adds a new Explain with Copilot option. It will help you quickly understand the contents of a text file. For example, Copilot will be able to explain logs, code segments, or other highlighted content.
Windows 11 Build 22635.3140 (Beta) comes with a few improvements: Copilot is now in the tray, Recommended section now groups apps, and you can now join a meeting in Teams right from the Start menu
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Microsoft is preparing to release the next set of features for Windows 11, referred as Moment 5 and February 2024 Update. The main focus will be on bringing the operating system into compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Economic Area (EEA). The latter includes Edge removal and Widget news disabling options, along several others.
It is not expected to see drastic changes and plenty of new features in the upcoming Moment 5, especially compared to previous updates from the Moment series. Microsoft is working on upgrades to some of Windows 11's built-in accessibility features, improvements to the Windows 365 cloud PC integration, and the ability to remove news from the Widgets Board, and Bing from the Windows Search pane. As part of the changes being made to the OS to comply with the DMA, Microsoft is also making even more in-box apps uninstallable by the user. These apps include Edge, Cortana, Camera, and Photos.
A Chinese researcher, known as Love Comparison, has discovered a simple method to kill Windows 11. By manually adjusting the system date and time using the BCDEdit (boot configuration data editor) to 23:59 on December 31, 9999, and waiting until the year 10,000 is reached, the operating system experiences significant malfunctions.
Windows 11's standard user interface limits the date setting to December 31, 2099, at 23:59, preventing any changes beyond that point. Even using the DATE command in the command prompt only allows alterations to the date and time until 23:59 on December 31, 8906.
However, by utilizing the command bcdedit /set optionsedit 1 in the console, users can enter boot configuration mode and modify the startup file to set the year value to 9999. It is important to note that directly setting the year to 10,000 will not work in this mode.
Upon returning to the standard operating system mode, Windows 11 will have the date and time as 23:59 on December 31, 9999, and this triggers a series of glitches and system freezes.
As the year transitions to 10 000, the operating system experiences numerous crashes. The cursor moves sluggishly, and response times to key presses and mouse clicks are significantly delayed. Additionally, all Windows 11 settings revert to their default factory configurations. After a few minutes, Windows 11 ultimately freezes entirely. Only the OS reinstall helps to get the device back to work.
Please re-download this file. I have added the following:
- when fixing Terminal crash, I accidentally removed a check for Terminal config file existence. Now I restored it.
- the "Classic User Accounts" may show a message that you don't have permissions to use it. This is fixed now.
Winaero Tweaker 1.61 fixes the Terminal Profiles menu crash. The full list of changes is in this announcement: Winaero Tweaker 1.60
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Windows 11 Home Page in Settings will promote Copilot subscriptions. Microsoft adds a new card for that. While it is a hidden addition as of now, it won't take the company long to make it available to the public.
Besides the Home page, the similar box of info appears on the Account page. Both are intended to convince you to get a Copilot Pro subscription for unlocking extra AI features of the assistant.
By default, the new Copilot cards are hidden in the Settings app. But you can quickly make those visible by running a ViVeTool command: c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:47942561
Google will soon remove the ability to view a cached version of a webpage. The company has already removed the cached links from search, and the "cache:" operator in the URL is the next subject to be killed. While the links have gone, the cache operator still works. It is currently only applicable to web searches and provides users with access to a cached version of a webpage generated by Google.
It is one of Google's oldest features, designed to ensure that users can still access data when a website is inaccessible. However, such situations rarely occur nowadays, leading to the decision to discontinue this option.
Windows 10 users report apps don't start after January updates. Whenever users attempted to launch some of the inbox programs, they were greeted with an error message stating: "File system error (-2147219196)."
The issue affects Windows 10 users with older processors, such as Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon. Microsoft has remained silent on the matter and has not addressed the problem. Experts in the field believe that the recent updates to Windows 10 apps may have included instructions that are incompatible with many older processors. Alternatively, it is possible that a simple unintentional error by the developers has rendered legacy hardware incapable of running the latest Windows 10 applications.
Many PCs won't be able to run Windows 11 24H2 due to a new POPCNT hardware requirement. If your hardware doesn't support it, the OS will not boot, and there is no way to bypass this change. Microsoft is going to release Windows 11 version 24H2 this fall.
POPCNT is not available in processors released more than 15 years ago. Which, by the way, are not compatible with Windows 11 due to the requirements for a newer processor and the presence of a TPM. However, until now there have been various methods to circumvent these limitations.
The release of Windows 11 version 24H2 will change everything. It will be very difficult to get around the new restriction. The fact is that system files that are actively used when loading the OS are now compiled to require this POPCNT instruction.
Build 26052 hidden gems: One of the new features allows Windows 11 to synthesize your voice and response on your behalf when you are away. Another one reveals new taskbar thumbnails with advanced information about the running apps, and new animations.
* Microsoft is working on a new accessibility feature called "Speak for me". With the help of Speak for me, you can create your own voice avatar or preserve your own voice to communicate with others, whether in online meetings or in-person conversations. Just type a message, and the new feature will synthesize your voice to say it on your behalf.c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:47123936
* In addition, Windows 11 Build 26052 updates the appearance of taskbar thumbnails. They now appear with a slightly different slide-out animation effect. Also, they are now capable to display extra details for the apps. Specially, for File Explorer each thumbnail now has the " - File Explorer" addition in the title. Moreover, they provide the information about the number of open tabs. The thumbnail can now say "Documents and 2 more tabs - File Explorer".c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:29532725
New Windows 365 wallpapers. hi-res/5K are in the zip below.
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Microsoft has announced that the upcoming major update to the Windows operating system, set for the release this fall, will be Windows 11 version 24H2. It won't be Windows 12, as many expected. The announcement is part of the latest Windows 11 Insider release notes for the Build 26052 (Dev and Canary).
Starting with Build 26-xx today, Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 24H2. This denotes that Windows 11, version 24H2 will be this year’s annual feature update.
So Windows 11 version 24H2 will be an annual feature update. Similar to previous releases, new versions of Windows 11 will be launched in the second half of the year.
The first Windows 11 24H2 build lands in Dev and Canary channels with interesting improvements. Insiders in the Canary Channel will receive Build 26052.1000 while Insiders in the Dev Channel will receive Build 26052.1100 (KB5035384). For the latter, Microsoft is testing servicing, so there is no difference between Build 26052.1000 and Build 26052.1100.
Here are some of the changes:
* The sudo command for Windows
* Audio mic test utility,
* Search within a subkey in regedit,
* Copilot quick actions
and much more.
Microsoft Copilot now opens with a larger chat window by default. The window is also resizable and will offer more size options, including full screen, in the future. Also, Copilot now has the ability to blur the background of AI-generated images. It can also highlight specific objects and add various effects, such as pixel art. The future may bring extensions like GPT or plugins, or even the ability to create your own Copilot. This YouTube video reveals some their plans.
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Microsoft is rolling out the Arcade feature for Microsoft Store in Windows 11. Formerly known as Instant Games, its allows playing games without the need to download them beforehand. These "instant" games can be found in the "Collection" section of the store. They are distinguishable by a logo with an eye-catching orange highlight.
Collaborating with multiple developers, Microsoft has managed to support a total of 69 games through this option. To play Instant Games with Arcade in Microsoft Store
Ensure that you have updated your Microsoft Store application to the latest version available in your library. Now launch the store and select the "Games" > "Collections" option. Finally, hover over the desired game and click on the "Play Now" button. This action will start the game in a separate window within the Microsoft Store.
Mozilla has announced a new paid Monitor Plus service for $8.99 per month. It expands the free Mozilla Monitor service with a paid option that allows you to continuously monitor attempts to sell personal data.
It is also able to automatically send requests to remove user information from the sites of brokers trying to sell personal data. The service monitors more than 190 sites that sell personal data, including information such as full names, telephone numbers, residential addresses, information about relatives and children, and criminal records. As initial data for monitoring, you are asked to enter your first and last name, city of residence, date of birth and email.
Microsoft is in its typical fashion. Windows 10 users now see full-screen notifications urging them to upgrade to Windows 11. These notifications have started to appear after an update released in January 2024. It is now a four-page pop-up window. Three of the pages describe the improvements in Windows 11, and the last screen allows the user to stay on Windows 10.
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Winaero Tweaker 1.60
👆 The change log:
* Proper Windows 11 23H2 detection.
* The Startup sound checkbox now reflects the actual status (enabled or disabled) in recent Windows versions.
* The Hide Pages in Settings option now allows hiding the Home page on Windows 11.
* You can now disable Copilot on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
* New and improved context menu features:
- Remove the "Edit in Notepad" context menu entry on Windows 11.
- Add Copilot to the desktop context menu.
- On Windows 11, you can now restore the "Edit" entry for images, and set it to any app of your choice!
- Terminal Profiles context menu has been reworked. It now shows profiles available in the JSON config file, and allows adding any of them to the right-click menu of folders. There are also little improvements here and there in this option.
* I have updated the Navigation Pane - default items option. It can now properly differentiate the Home and Quick Access folders, and also allows removing the Gallery item. Finally, the classic Favorites folder is no longer part of "Default items". But if you want, you can add it via the "Custom items" option for the Navigation pane.
* The Show BSOD details setting has got a dedicated option to disable the "Smiley" thing.
* It is now possible to add Classic User Accounts to the Control Panel (control.exe).
* Under Tools on the left, you will find a new option to reset preview thumbnail cache. It is useful if you see corrupted or missing folder or file previews in File Explorer. This works in all Windows versions supported by the app (Windows 7+).
* You can now set any desired folder to be File Explorer's start folder instead of Home or Quick Access.
* Finally, in Winaero Tweaker, the Recent changes page can now be opened with a shortcut, from the menu, and via a new toolbar button.
In December 2023, Intel launched the Core Ultra chips based on Meteor Lake, marking a significant advancement in processor technology. These chips incorporate embedded NPU chips, specialized neural processors that greatly enhance the performance of AI apps. Building on this development, Microsoft has announced the release of a developer preview for the DirectML API. It adds support specifically designed for Intel Core Ultra processors.
The new DirectML 1.13.1 and ONNX Runtime 1.17 preview versions empower PCs equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors to leverage NPU acceleration. To optimize AI application performance even further, Microsoft collaborated not only with Intel but also with Samsung. Samsung successfully integrated advanced face and object classification capabilities into their Gallery Windows app.
Windows 11 version 24H2 appears in the official documentation. The mention of this new version was found on a deeply buried page on the Microsoft website dedicated to changes to the EnumDeviceDrivers function of PSAPI.
It it one more confirmation that "Hudson Valley" won't be a brand new Windows 12 release. Given Microsoft's desire to avoid further fragmentation of its user base, it is highly likely that the release of a product named "Windows 12" will be postponed indefinitely.
Microsoft is currently testing the sudo command port from Linux to Windows 11 in insider builds. This command grants super user privileges for administrative tasks that a regular user cannot get done. To access the sudo command in Windows 11, users can enable it the developer options. On the Settings > System > For developers page, there is a set of options related to the tool.
The sudo addition has been found in a leaked Windows Server preview build. Microsoft has accidentally published it to the Windows Update servers over the weekend. The sudo command in the Windows 11 insider build requires the "Developer Mode". In the near future, we can expect the sudo command to be available in Command Prompt, PowerShell, or any terminal interface in Windows. As long as the option is enabled and developer mode is activated, the command should work.
Now this new page works. It will also tell you if the wt.exe alias is disabled for Terminal. I need to test everything carefully before releasing the app.
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