Microsoft has removed a secret option in Windows 11 that allowed you to create a local account when installing the OS using a non-existent Microsoft Account's email. Previously, you could enter a random email address like a@a.ru, 1@1.11, and so on, specify a random password, dismiss the error, and then create a local account when installing Windows 11. But Microsoft no longer allows that.
Author: Sergey Tkachenko
Microsoft re-opens the Beta channel for Windows 10
As promised earlier, Microsoft now pays more attention to Windows 10, as Windows 11 adoption speed is not that fast and Windows 10 still has plenty of users. This resulted into the Beta channel to become open again for Windows 10 Insiders. It will host new features that will eventually be included in Windows 11 version 22H2.
Microsoft Edge introduces AI-powered real-time video translator
Microsoft Edge now includes a widely available AI-powered translator for videos that translates them in real time. It is accessible in the Beta and Dev versions of the browser as of now. You can now activate it with a couple of flags. The feature allows translating videos on the fly. As you may remember, it made its first appearance in November 2023 to a few users, but wasn't working by that time. Now you can give it a try.
Firefox 130 will generate image descriptions using AI for the Alt text
Firefox has taken the path of using artificial intelligence features. With the upcoming release of Firefox 130 on September 3, the browser will introduce a feature that automatically creates text descriptions for images, known as the ALT tag. Nightly builds of Firefox already include this feature in the inbox PDF viewer. Initially, the option will generate descriptions only for newly added images, but the plan is to eventually extend this functionality to any image visible in the browser.
How to always paste with formatting in Word 2019
In Word 2019, you can still paste with formatting from other sources, but it now requires a little effort. Word 2019 Build 17624.20000 has changed how the copy & paste feature works by default. With that build and onward, the famous text processor app no longer saves formatting copied from an external source. It now only keeps a limited set of text attributes like bold and italics, in addition to lists and tables.
Beware: KB5037853 makes the taskbar flicker in Windows 11
A new optional update KB5037853 for Windows 11 makes the taskbar flicker, as it crashes and then gets recovered by the shell process. Microsoft has confirmed the issue, and a fix is on the way to the user. However, it may take up to 24 hours for impacted users to receive and install the fix.
The Amperage app brings Windows 11’s Recall to older PCs with ARM64 chips
The unofficial Amperage project from the famous Windows enthusiast and developer @thebookisclosed allows launching the Recall feature of Windows 11 on older -officially not supported - devices. The trick works starting in Windows 11 24H2 Build 26100.712, and currently requires PCs with chips based on ARM64 architecture (Qualcomm Snapdragon, Microsoft SQ or Ampere). The project's source code is written in C# and published on GitHub.
How to Change User Picture When You Get 0x80070520 Error
After installing recent cumulative updates you may encounter the 0x80070520 when changing the user picture in Windows 11 with the Settings app, also known as the user avatar. The bug appears after installing KB5036894, KB5036980 and KB5037770, that are parts of appropriate Patch Tuesday releases.
Windows 11 Build 26120.751 (Dev) brings with it Settings and Copilot improvements
Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 preview build 26120.751 (KB5037874) to Windows Insiders in the Dev channel. Insiders on the Dev channel will now receive updates for Windows 11 version 24H2 as an enablement package (build 26120.xxxx) that activates new stuff.
Phone Link for Android gets Auto-generated Suggested Replies for SMS
Windows Insiders in all channels are getting a new version of the Phone Link app. Starting with build 1.24051.98 and higher, it will offer the user a new feature - Suggested Replies. The app will provide AI-generated answers that you can easily pick without typing.
