Microsoft has announced a major Photos app update on Windows 11 that adds a galore of new features and capabilities. The app now supports options like Background Blur, support search for objects and locations in images stored on OneDrive. Finally, it can read the video portion of Motion Photos captured on Samsung and Google devices. All these features are available starting in Photos app 2023.11090.13001.0 that is gradually rolling out to Canary and Dev channel insiders.
PowerToys Run will soon get a UI redesign with Acrylic
A great user interface update is coming to PowerToys Run, the module that allows you to launch apps, to search for local files and online, work with Registry keys and so on. In the near future, it will get a better look powered by the Acrylic effect on Windows 11.
Enable Open Bing from Search and Nearby Sharing Rename Device in Build 23545
In Windows 11 Build 23545, which is the latest Dev channel build released today to Insiders, there are two semi-hidden features you can enable. One of them changes the taskbar search box behavior. Instead of opening the search pane on hover, it can now open Bing when you click on the search highlight icon. The other feature is the ability to set a friendly device name for the NearBy Sharing feature.
Windows 11 Build 23545 (Dev) disables the annoying search pop-up
Along with Canary, there is also an update in the Dev channel today. It now hosts Windows 11 Build 23545, which disables the controversial auto-open search pane on taskbar hover feature. However, it may now directly open Bing for you! It also allows setting a friendly name for your device when its particiaptes in nearby sharing.
Windows 11 Build 25951 (Canary) improves SMB
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 25951 to insiders on the Canary channel. The company highlights several improvements made to SMB, including SMB NTLM Blocking and SMB Dialect Management.
Emergency Chrome update fixes critical WebP vulnerability
Slightly over 24 hours ago, Google rolled out an update for Chrome, specifically addressing the critical vulnerability CVE-2023-4863 in the WebP image format. This vulnerability had been reported by experts from the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. The update applies to both the stable and extended branches, with versions 116.0.5845.187 available for Mac and Linux, and 116.0.5845.187/.188 for Windows. Notably, cybercriminals have already exploited this vulnerability.
Windows 11 Build 22631.2338 (Beta) adds Focus widget, renames Chat app
Microsoft yesterday released Windows 11 Build 22631.2338 in Beta. It comes as the KB5030305 patch, and includes a new Focus widget. With this release, the taskbar Chat button has got a new name and now says Microsoft Teams - Free. There are also several improvements and fixes.
September 2023 Cumulative Updates for Windows 11 and 10
Patch Tuesday's updates are now available for both Windows 11 and Windows 10. These patches aren't aimed to bring with them drastic changes to the OS and its features. But still you will notice some new behavior. For example, Windows 22H2 will now automatically open the search pane when you hover over the taskbar.
Microsoft Edge: new Split Screen view and Password Manager
The Microsoft Edge developer team has updated two features of the browser. The recently introduced "Split View" option now supports a vertical layout. The integrated password manager now supports notes and categories.
Microsoft has ended support for the first-generation Surface Duo
Microsoft has officially ended support for the first-generation Surface Duo foldable smartphone, marking the conclusion of updates and security patches for the device. During its three-year lifespan, the Surface Duo received just two major operating system updates, which is notably fewer than what most flagship Android smartphones typically receive.
