Category: Windows 11

It looks like the testing period for the new Microsoft Store app is over. The latest update to the app on Windows 11 removes the "Preview" tag from the title bar. That's not much surprising as Windows 11 is set to release on October 5, 2021. So it will happen in just a few days.

Microsoft releases Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22468 to Insiders in the Dev channel. It comes from the RS_PRERELEASE branch, which is not tied to a specific Windows release. The builds from there have all the bleeding edge changes and also show a desktop watermark.

Today, we'll review how to disable Windows SmartScreen in Windows 11. It is a built-in security filter that Windows uses to check every single file you download and run against a special database. If the file is unknown to the database, it shows a warning when you downloading such a file. If you try to open it, Windows SmartScreen shows a nag screen with an additional confirmation.

In addition to fixing bugs and refining existing features in Windows 11 in preparation for public launch on October 5, Microsoft is working on updating stock apps with new designs and features. The company has already released new versions of Snipping Tool, Alarms, Paint, Mail and Calendar, Calculator, and other apps. It appears that Microsoft is also preparing another application called "Media Player."

A little more than a month ago, Microsoft revealed a redesigned Paint app coming soon to Windows insiders. At that time, the company did not say when users could expect the update to appear. If you have been waiting for Paint to receive a fresh coat of, ahem, Paint, there is some good news for you. The updated app is finally available for download from the Microsoft Store.

Opera might not be the most popular browser, but developers continuously try to obtain more users by bringing interesting features. Also, Opera decided to support new policies in the Microsoft Store and release its browser to the marketplace for Windows 11. For the first time in almost a decade, users can download a Chromium-based browser from third-party from the Microsoft Store.

In June 2021, when Microsoft announced Windows 11, the Software giant revealed a major strategy shift for the Microsoft Store. The new Microsoft Store now allows third-party browsers with various rendering engines; developers can publish unpackaged apps, utilize their CDNs and payment systems, and not pay fees to Microsoft. Finally, Microsoft now invites third-party stores to its store. That is right, you can now use the Microsoft Store to download other stores, such as Epic Games or Amazon.

The Media Creation Tool is a well-known utility from Microsoft to download "clean" Windows 10 ISO files and create a Windows installation media (DVD or USB). Each time Microsoft releases a new Windows version, it updates the Media Creation Tool to allow users to get the necessary files for the latest version. Some people might need to create installation media for older releases. That is where custom utilities come to play. MediaCreationTool.bat (extra points for a creative name) is one of such tools. It lets users download ISO files for any Windows 10 version, down to initial release 1507. Recently, a developer behind MediaCreationTool published a new version that can download Windows 11 ISO files and even bypass TPM requirements.

Earlier this month, Panos Panay, head of Windows and Surface devices, announced a redesigned Photos app for Windows Insiders. Shortly after that, the update reached Windows Insiders in the Dev channel. After brief initial testing, Microsoft starts rolling out the new Photos app for more testers. If you have already moved from Windows 10 to Windows 11 in Beta or Release Preview channels, the updated Photos app is now available for download from the Microsoft Store.

On September 22, 2021, Microsoft revealed the second-gen Surface Duo with major hardware improvements, such as the Snapdragon 888 CPU, 5G support, improved cameras, and high refresh rate displays. Alongside the smartphone itself, Microsoft teased a redesigned Your Phone app.