After some period of testing, Microsoft brought its cool hotpatching technology to Windows 11 24H2. It allows you to install Windows updates without rebooting. As the Redmond firm initially promised, it remains available exclusively for enterprise versions of the OS.
Author: Sergey Tkachenko
PowerToys 0.90 released with a new CmdPal tool
Microsoft has released PowerToys 0.90 that features a new tool - CmdPal (stands for Command Palette). It is the new utility to launch apps, and install winget packages It features a more powerful calculator, bookmarks, and more. Consider it an evolved version of PowerToys Run.
Firefox 137 Released: New Features, Improvements, and Security Fixes
Mozilla has officially released Firefox 137, the latest version of its popular web browser. Alongside this release, updates have been rolled out for the long-term support branches: Firefox 115.22.0 and 128.9.0. Additionally, the Firefox 138 branch has entered the beta testing phase, with its stable release scheduled for April 29.
Advanced Copilot+ features are coming to AMD, Intel and Snapdragon PCs
Microsoft has announced that intelligent features in Windows 11 such as Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator are now available on all Copilot+ PC devices powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300, Intel Core Ultra 200V, and Snapdragon X Series processors.
Windows 11 Build 22635.5160 (Beta) introduces FAQ in the Settings app
Microsoft has released a new preview of Windows 11 version 23H2, Build 22635.5160 (KB5053654) for Insiders in the Beta channel. It officially introduces the new FAQ section in the Settings app, adds Speech Recap to Narrator, and better sharing dialog.
It is still possible to bypass Microsoft Account in Windows 11 25H2
Bypassing Microsoft Account Requirement during Windows 11 25H2 installation is easy with a just single command. Microsoft has made it mandatory for users to connect to the Internet and log in with a Microsoft account during the installation of Windows 11 version 25H2. While this approach aligns with Microsoft's push toward cloud-connected experiences, not everyone is fond of this requirement, especially privacy-conscious users who prefer local accounts. Recently, a popular workaround oobe\bypassnro.cmd to bypass this requirement stopped functioning, but a new and even simpler method has emerged.
Windows 11 Build 26120.3653 (Beta) Introduced Quick Machine Recovery (QMR)
Windows 11 Build 26120.3653 is now available to Insiders running Windows 11 (version 24H2) in the Beta channel. The update has been released via KB5053658 and comes with several new features. Quick Machine Recovery, Speech Recap in Narrator, new BSOD design, and the new Share dialog are among them.
Microsoft introduces Startup Boost for Office to speed up the launch of its apps
Microsoft has introduced Startup Boost, a feature that preloads Office apps in the background to make them launch faster. It will be available to all users by May 2025 but comes with system requirements (8 GB RAM, 5 GB disk space). While users can disable it, updates will reactivate it unless enterprises use Group Policy to permanently turn it off.
Microsoft launches Windows Roadmap website to track new feature rollouts
Microsoft’s feature rollout process for Windows 11 has become increasingly disorganized, with features appearing unpredictably across channels and devices due to A/B testing. This chaos has made it difficult for users, especially IT professionals, to stay informed. To combat this, Microsoft has introduced the Windows Roadmap, a website that categorizes features by their testing and rollout stages. While the underlying unpredictability remains, the roadmap provides much-needed transparency and planning tools, marking a step in the right direction.
Windows 11 Build 26200.5516 (Dev) Improves Narrator, Sharing, and adds new BSOD style
Microsoft has released a new preview of Windows 11, build 26200.5516 (KB5054687), to Insiders in the Dev channel. It is featuring an updated BSOD style,
