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Posts tagged "11’s"

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Windows 11’s final major update before Windows 12 could drop soon – and here’s what it will look like
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Keen-eyed observers have spotted ISOs of the next version of Windows 11, Windows 11 23H2, on Microsoft’s servers. This suggests that the company is preparing the update for public rollout very soon. 

ISO files are digital versions or copies of a whole disk like CD, DVD, or Blu-ray – but all in a single smaller file. In this case, ISO files (or sometimes called ISO images) of Windows 11 23H2 have been seen on Microsoft’s servers. 

It’s also expected that Windows 11 23H2 will have all the new features from the recent “Moment 4” update to Windows 11 22H2, and introduce some new changes like an enhanced notification center, a System Components page, and Microsoft's shiny new AI assistant, Copilot.  While the Windows 11 23H2 update isn’t the most ground-breaking in Windows 11’s history, it’s still worth installing to get the new features and ensure your PC gets support from Microsoft.

With rumors that Windows 12 could be coming sooner rather than later, this may be the last major update we get to Windows 11.  The last major update to Windows 11 was version 22H2, which was released in September 2022, and has seen regular updates. Windows 11 22H2 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations editions will be supported by Microsoft until October 8, 2024, according to its lifecycle policy. Meanwhile, Windows 11 Enterprise and Education editions will be supported a little longer until October 14, 2025.

Young woman using a laptop inside at night

(Image credit: Getty Images)

How to get the new Windows 11 update

Microsoft will continue to put out security updates, bug fixes, or technical support for the above versions of Windows 11 22H2 up until those stated dates. That means you shouldn’t wait too long to upgrade to Windows 11 23H2, as upgrading will ensure you get the latest features and fixes. If you want to make the change sooner, we hope to see it available as an optional update in Windows Update very soon – and we’ll let you know as soon as it’s available to download.

Windows Latest, which reported on the existence of the ISOs, concludes that update 23H2 will be the last major update for Windows 11, with Microsoft expected to announce the next generation of Windows (which many people are calling “Windows 12”, despite Microsoft being understandably tight-lipped about any potential successor to Windows 11). Windows Latest also states that it’s known for some time that we’re to expect Windows 11 23H2 at some point in October or November of this year, and that seems spot on now that the ISOs of the update have appeared on Microsoft’s servers over the weekend, suggesting the launch is imminent. 

Apparently, there are two versions of the update ISOs, English (United States) and China, and we can reasonably conclude that the update is done and dusted (at least for these languages), and being prepared for commercial dispatch to users. What’s left is to watch for Microsoft’s official communications about the update.

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Microsoft delays one of Windows 11’s most promising new features due to bugs
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Microsoft has pulled back on an upcoming upgrade to the video casting feature in Windows 11 due to reported bugs. The new feature was temporarily available to Windows Insiders, members of Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program who get to test upcoming additions, and has been dropped from the latest Windows 11 preview. 

Many users will be familiar with video casting features if you use something like Chromecast, or if you go back even further back in time, you might remember using HDMI cables to connect your computer to your TV. This allows you to choose and control media on your computer (or device) and see it on your TV screen, for example, to see it better or share it with others.

The removal of the feature was discovered in an update released on October 19, known as Windows 11 Preview Build 22635.2486, via the Windows Insider Program’s Beta Channel (one of four preview channels through which Microsoft releases previews). If users choose to upgrade to this preview build, they will find that it lacks the casting experience that Microsoft is in the process of testing. The casting feature was first added to Build 22631.2129 back in August of this year, and Windows Central writes that it’s been explicitly disabled by Microsoft while it carries out fixes on bugs and improves the feature.

Windows Central goes on to quote Microsoft apparently planning to switch the casting feature back on in a future Beta Channel release. 

Highlights of the new preview build

That’s the main development of note in this current update and it doesn’t introduce any major new features overall. Other notable changes include that the Xbox Game Bar now shows up just as ‘Game Bar’ in the Start menu, and system components showing up under a ‘System’ label in the Start menu. The latter should make system components easier to identify and find, and should show up as ‘System’ in the All apps display (once you open the Start menu). The Game Bar will also show up under Settings > System > Apps > Installed apps, and will apparently update via the Microsoft Store.

Some more minor fixes address crash-related issues with the Start menu being affected by language settings and taskbar glitches that were causing problems with the search function. 

Windows Central writes that dropping the upgraded video casting feature is for a “good reason,” even though it temporarily reduces Windows 11’s functionality. I can see why Microsoft is taking its time to get this one right. Chromecast is an extremely popular and beloved feature in Google Chrome and Google devices that’s existed for years, so if Microsoft wants to compete, the feature has to be slick and function reasonably well. If Microsoft wants users to adopt its cast feature in the same way, it has to prove its worth.

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Windows 11’s Microsoft Store gets slightly less annoying – but I still won’t use it
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The Microsoft Store has received a new update that allows it to launch much faster. Users that are using version 22309 of the store should see a noticeable difference in launch times – although I personally don’t think a meager launch time revamp is enough to draw users to the store. 

Independent developer Daniel (@kid_jenius on X/Twitter) noticed the change and noted that the launch time has apparently dropped from seven seconds to two seconds. Of course, that’s no guarantee that your results will be exactly the same, but it seems the app is certainly quicker than before. 

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If you’d like to update your Microsoft Store to version 22309, you’ll ironically have to use… Microsoft Store. If you’re brave enough you’ll open the store, when it eventually loads, select the library icon on the lower left corner, select the option that says ‘get updates’, and select the available updates. 

If you can’t see an available update your device may have automatically installed it already.

And then what?

So, you may be sitting here reading this and thinking ‘who cares?’ (harsh but fair) or a more polite ‘so what?’, and honestly? You’d be justified. Obviously, this is a move from Microsoft to start hammering out the kinks in the app, but not many people actually use it. 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve downloaded all my apps and software directly from the internet rather than subjecting myself to the frustrating horror that is the Microsoft Store. It’s always been laggy, clunky, and slow.

Microsoft has struggled to entice users to the store, and while it is making small steps to make the experience better, most Windows users are more accustomed to going straight to the app's site and downloading directly. 

At this point, I don’t think there’s anything Microsoft can do (barring a complete teardown and redesign, which we’re likely not seeing soon) to lure me into its buggy storefront. I appreciate the effort, but it’s too little too late. 

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Microsoft quietly reveals Windows 11’s next big update could be about to arrive
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If you were wondering when Windows 11’s big upgrade for this year will turn up, the answer is soon, with Microsoft now making the final preparations to deploy the 23H2 update – with a revelation apparently imminent.

As Windows Latest tells us, Microsoft just shipped a ‘Windows Configuration Update’ which is readying the toggle to allow users to select ‘Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available’ and be first in line to receive the 23H2 update.

Note that nothing is actually happening yet, just that this is a piece of necessary groundwork (confirmed via an internal document from Microsoft, we’re told) ahead of the rollout of the Windows 11 23H2 update.

Okay, so when is the 23H2 update actually going to turn up? Well, Windows Latest has heard further chatter from sources that indicates Microsoft is going to announce the upgrade at an event later this week.

That would be the ‘special event’ Microsoft revealed a while back, taking place in New York on September 21 (Thursday). As well as the expected Surface hardware launches, we will also evidently get our first tease of the 23H2 update, at least in theory.

Analysis: Copilot on the horizon

An announcement this week makes sense to us, ahead of a broader rollout that’ll be coming soon enough.

As Windows Latest further points out, the 23H2 update will likely become available next month – at least in limited form. This means those who have ticked that toggle to get updates as soon as possible may receive it in October – at least some of those folks, in the usual phased deployment – before that wider rollout kicks off in November, and everyone gets the new features contained within the upgrade.

In theory, that means Windows Copilot, though we suspect the initial incarnation of the AI assistant is still going to be pretty limited. (And we do wonder why Microsoft isn’t going to keep on baking it until next year, but that’s a whole other argument – it seems like with AI, everything has to be done in quite the rush).

It’s also worth bearing in mind that if you’re still on the original version of Windows 11, 21H2, you’ll need to upgrade anyway – as support for that runs out on October 10, 2023. PCs on 21H2 are being force-upgraded to 22H2 right now, although you’ll pretty much be able to skip straight to 23H2 after that, should you wish.

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Microsoft kills off Windows 11’s troubleshooters – so where can you turn for help?
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Microsoft has begun the process of phasing out its helpful built-in Windows Troubleshooters. These troubleshooting tools had come built-in to Windows systems since their debut in 2009 with Windows 7, and were created to run diagnostic processes and automatically identify common Windows problems, and then resolve them.  

In a recent support document, Microsoft outlined its plan to retire various Troubleshooters, starting with the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT), which will be pulled as part of the next Windows 11 update. The exact date of when this will happen hasn’t been announced yet. 

Microsoft also lays out a deprecation timeline that it looks to put in place over the next three years:

  • 2023 – Begin redirecting some of the troubleshooters to the new Get Help troubleshooting platform
  • 2024 – Complete the troubleshooter redirection and remove the rest of the troubleshooters
  • 2025 – Remove the MSDT platform

Microsoft goes on to explain what this will mean a significant departure from the MSDT platform for Windows users, as many of the troubleshooters we’re familiar with are based on it. 

A number of these will be rerouted to another newer user help platform, Get Help. Any troubleshooters that don’t fall into this category will be axed, but until then, it seems that they will continue to work.

Windows 11 leak

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Where the troubleshooters can be found

To access the suite of troubleshooting tools in Get Help, you have to go to Windows Settings. 

To find this, I suggest you do the following: 

Go to Start  >  Settings. 

Then type in Troubleshoot into the search box that says Find a setting in greyed out text.

Finally, go to Other Troubleshooters / Additional Troubleshooters (depending on what your system displays) in the Troubleshoot window

I recommend this because my troubleshooting settings are in a slightly different location to the one Microsoft outlines in its post. 

This should lead you to a whole host of different specific troubleshooters.

Detailed breakdown of the changes

If you’re running Windows 11 version 22H2 or an older Windows version, including Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 or any other earlier version, you won’t be affected by this. You will be able to use the legacy troubleshooters as normal.

Lower down in its support document, Microsoft also details explicitly what each current troubleshooting tool will be converted to in its new Get Help iteration. Under this list, there’s a detailed list of Troubleshooters that will be getting the chop. 

Microsoft notes that this will begin with the next release of Windows 11, hinting that some troubleshooter tools may get removed ahead of others (but not elaborating beyond that). 

When you run the new version of Windows 11 that has this change, Microsoft explains that you should see a system message that explains the new troubleshooting process. Hopefully, this should mean that if you do encounter a problem in Windows 11, you’ll be able to find a solution within the Get Help app.

Finally, if you have feedback about this specific change, you can relay it to Microsoft in the Troubleshoot window by scrolling to the very bottom and clicking Give feedback. 

programming

(Image credit: Pixabay)

Possible reasons for this major move

BleepingComputer speculates that a possible explanation for this strategy is that this is a correction of previously updated features that were targeted in zero-day exploits. 

A zero-day exploit is a vulnerability in software that is already being exploited by cybercriminals and hackers on the day it becomes publicly known or the developers of the software discover it (hence meaning they have zero days to comfortably work on it). The MSDT had known vulnerabilities that attackers could have capitalized on and then run all kinds of harmful processes remotely on a user’s system.

This is a pretty major move for Microsoft, coming alongside its much discussed removal of WordPad from future updates. Windows is still the most widely-used operating system for PCs, which makes it a big target for hackers. 

With attackers now being able to pump out malicious code using AI tools, it’s good to see that Microsoft hasn’t lost sight of the fact that it’s still one of the biggest targets for hackers, and that it has its work cut out to combat them.

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Microsoft seems to have fixed Windows 11’s horrible SSD slowdown bug – kind of
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Windows 11’s latest update has fixed a persistent bug with SSD slowdown for many users, according to a new report – though sadly, the gremlin is still hampering the drives of some folks.

Windows Latest has the story on this one, claiming to have heard from multiple readers that the August cumulative update for Windows 11 has done the trick, and that it believes the SSD bug has been ‘largely resolved.’

As we’ve seen, this bug has been hanging around for some time. It first made its presence known back in March 2023 (courtesy of the cumulative update for that month), and in every update for Windows 11 since then, we’ve seen further reports of the problem (or complaints that it still hasn’t been cured).

As Windows Latest notes, they observed that SSD performance improved with the optional (preview) update for Windows 11 in July, and that this has now been released as the full cumulative update for August.

And now, readers of the tech site have been saying that the SSD bug is resolved for them.

One reader wrote: “In the world of DevOps, I/O performance is king. After the March update, it was like driving a sports car with a clogged fuel filter. This recent August update has fixed NVMe SSD problems for us, but it has also shed light on the need for Microsoft to improve its quality assurance processes.”

Another commented: “I manage a fleet of systems, and the sluggish SSD issue from the March update was a glaring anomaly. Had to provisionally look for third-party solutions just to keep things moving. With the August update now deployed across the board, I see consistent disk performance across our devices. Grateful for the fix, but it’s a reminder of how crucial thorough testing is before rolling out any software updates.”

However, as mentioned, not every user has the cure provided with the August update, and some are still lamenting slower than normal SSD speeds.

For example, this Redditor tells us: “For me it isn’t fixed yet, but the most frustrating thing is that Microsoft never [acknowledged] if this issue even exists or not. So we never know if they fixed it or not. But if it doesn’t exist then many of us wouldn’t have the issue right? What I am noticing is that less people are complaining about it in the recent updates so maybe it’s fixed for some.”

Analysis: Microsoft must do better

This bug has been a seriously annoying one, and as we’ve seen recently, there’s been an outpouring of complaints about the fact that it has persisted since March, and Microsoft – while acknowledging bug reports relating to the issue – has not said anything publicly about a solution.

That latter part has definitely compounded frustrations here, as if it wasn’t bad enough that even the best SSDs have been reduced to something more akin to a snail’s pace with this glitch, Microsoft’s lack of communication has been inexcusable, really.

So, the good news here is that the bug is apparently mostly fixed. The bad news, on the other hand, is that some folks are still affected, and Microsoft still hasn’t filled us in with any comment regarding what’s going on here.

We can but hope that the remaining users still suffering at the hands of this bug find their SSDs are once again up to speed with September’s update, but who knows. It’d definitely be nice to hear from Microsoft about why this bug has been such a problem (evidently), and that it’ll finally be put to bed in the immediate future.

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Windows 11’s next big update could arrive sooner than expected
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Windows 11’s next big update, known as 23H2, could be coming sooner rather than later this year.

Or at least that’s the suggestion based off clues Windows Latest picked up on with the July cumulative update for Windows 11.

In that patch, the tech site notes that it has found references to several packages relating to ‘Moment 4’.

As you may be aware, the last feature drop for Windows 11 was Moment 3, so it follows that this is the next feature update – except this is a full upgrade for the OS. In short, Moment 4 is the 23H2 update.

Windows Latest further observes: “We found that Microsoft is testing an enablement package named Microsoft-Windows-23H2Enablement-Package.”

This lines up with what we know about 23H2, as Microsoft has already confirmed that it will be an enablement package. This means that the files for the upgrade will be preloaded to Windows 11 PCs, and can be sent live with a simple flick of an ‘enablement’ switch – a small download that’s easily applied at launch time.

Analysis: Early groundwork is a good sign

These clues being in place in Windows 11 now shows the groundwork for 23H2 is well underway, and this suggests we could see the annual update for the OS soon enough, maybe. Is there a chance it could keep pace with 22H2 and arrive in September? Maybe, though the rumor mill has been pointing to Q4 for 23H2, so October may still be a more realistic release date.

We shall see, but the Beta channel for Windows 11 just got a bunch of new stuff – including a File Explorer revamp, and RGB lighting hub – and again that suggests progress is ticking along nicely with the 23H2 update.

What could work against the ‘sooner rather than later’ theory is that Microsoft’s Copilot AI is still in a very barebones state, and it’s supposed to be included with 23H2. Our personal theory here, though, is this won’t make the cut for the 23H2 update – well, either that, or it’ll be a very limited version of Windows Copilot that’s released. And we don’t think the latter would be a very clever move for Microsoft in terms of making a good first impression with the AI (as we discussed recently in more depth).

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Windows 11’s next major update might be a bit disappointing
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Windows 11’s feature update coming later this year may not be all that extensive in terms of what it introduces to the OS, as we’ve just been told that it’ll be an enablement package.

We’ll come back to what that means in a moment, but this discovery was made in an update Microsoft issued about the Windows client roadmap (for businesses, but this still applies to 23H2 for everyone, of course – it’s the same update wherever it’s applied).

As Thurrott.com spotted, Microsoft said: “The upcoming Windows 11, version 23H2 shares the same servicing branch and code base as Windows 11, version 22H2. What does it mean for you? If you’re running Windows 11, version 22H2, it will be a simple update to version 23H2 via a small enablement package.”

To explain this more fully, Microsoft has used these enablement packages with Windows 10 for the past few feature updates. What this means is that an upgrade is preloaded to the PC before it goes live, and then when that time comes, all Windows has to do is download a small enablement package. That, as the name suggests, is effectively a switch that enables all the features which are already preloaded on the PC (making for a swift and painless installation).

So, the Windows 11 23H2 update being delivered by an enablement package means that it runs on the same code base as 22H2, as Microsoft points out in the above statement. Meaning there likely won’t be any big (fundamental) changes coming with 23H2.

That’s typically the case with these enablement packages – they are relatively minor updates, and sharing the same code base, can be preloaded in this way. This is certainly what we’ve seen with Windows 10 upgrades delivered via the enablement route.

Analysis: Copilot not cleared for take-off in 2023?

Shouldn’t we expect all that much from the next Windows 11 update, then? That’s certainly the strong hint imparted by this announcement from Microsoft (which confirms speculation previously buzzing around the rumor mill).

But, you might be thinking, isn’t there a lot of stuff coming with Windows 11 23H2? Well, maybe not so much, if this latest move is any indication. True, we are expecting a big File Explorer revamp, and there’s something else rumored in the way of a major move: the introduction of Microsoft’s Copilot AI.

This certainly makes us think that maybe Copilot won’t be turning up ready to assist you on the desktop in 23H2. The rumor mill has indicated the AI is supposedly inbound with 23H2, but we’ve always been skeptical about that. Especially looking at the early working version of Copilot currently in testing, which is very basic indeed (and hardly does anything with the Windows environment – it’s more or less just a glorified integrated Bing chatbot in a side-panel on the desktop, at this point).

This enablement news, for us, is a strong indication Copilot won’t be coming with Windows 11 23H2. And really, it makes sense for Microsoft to take more time over the AI assistant – to ensure that Copilot is done right.

After all, first impressions very much count, and if Copilot gets branded as ‘another Cortana’ (or worse yet, Clippy), getting off on the wrong foot in this way could be very difficult for Microsoft to recover from.

Really, we believe it would be foolish for Microsoft to rush out Copilot in 23H2, and indeed, it makes perfect sense to keep it as a ’game-changing’ new feature for Windows 12 (or whatever next-gen Windows ends up being called in 2024).

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Windows 11’s new passkey feature lets you talk to the hand (or face) and kiss those annoying passwords goodbye
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Windows 11 is now introducing a new feature to the OS, which allows users to replace passwords with passkeys instead.

A recent Windows 11 Insider Preview Build (23486) lets you “use Windows Hello natively to create and sign in to supported applications and websites using passkeys, where you’ll be asked to prove your identity using a PIN, fingerprint, or face scan,” according to The Verge. 

Basically, this means that if you choose to log in using any of those three methods instead of using a password, two cryptographic keys are created instead. One is stored in your device and the other is stored in your choice of cloud storage service, which combine and grant you access to your device. These keys aren’t known to anyone, including yourself. You would simply use the login method of your choice and it does the rest.

Passkeys could truly be the future 

Though making a sound password with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols is usually an excellent way to safeguard accounts, in recent years identity thieves have gotten much better at cracking passwords. Not to mention that many people don’t apply best practices when it comes to creating passwords.

The concept of passkeys is a great one. Using either a PIN or biometric login method, you have two passkeys created, letting you access your device safely and without having to memorize a complicated string of characters or risk having them discovered by a bad actor. 

What’s also great about them is that you have a nice variety of choices involved in your login method. Some people feel more comfortable using biometric authentication, while others like myself prefer the classic method of using a PIN instead. Regardless, the passkey functions the same way, circumventing a password in the process.

Microsoft Edge, Apple, and Google Chrome have either already supported passkeys or will later in 2023, but this Windows Hello rollout means that people can manage logins on the OS level. However, according to Bleeping Computing, there are still plenty of kinks to work out with this system right now. But hopefully, as tech giants become more accustomed to working with Windows Hello, it will eventually become a seamless feature.

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Windows 11’s latest update proves disastrous for some Chrome users
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The latest update for Windows 11 has totally broken Google’s Chrome browser for users of a popular antivirus app.

For Malwarebytes users, patch KB5027231 for Windows 11 22H2 causes Chrome to fail to work – the browser window simply doesn’t appear, even though there is a running Chrome instance in Task Manager.

Neowin spotted that Malwarebytes staff members have posted several times on the issue, to let affected folks know that the company is investigating and working on an update to fix the issue. Users also note that there’s no issue with Windows 10 and Chrome.

A Malwarebytes employee going by the forum name Msherwood posted to say: “We’re currently experiencing issues with Malwarebytes Exploit Protection and Chrome in Windows 11 where you’ll see Chrome crash. We suspect this is happening due to a Windows Update (KB5027231) that was released on June 13, 2023.

“We’re actively troubleshooting this and we’ll be back with more info as soon as possible.”

A further update to that post notes that there is a fix now in the beta of Malwarebytes 4.

Analysis: There is a fudged workaround, too

The good news is that if you don’t want to switch to the beta of Malwarebytes – and let’s face it, most folks won’t (beta software may well have problems of its own) – there is a workaround which has been successfully applied according to numerous reports.

Some people have simply turned off Malwarebytes Exploit Protection, but that leaves you vulnerable as you might imagine, and there’s a more targeted fudge as provided by another staff member at the company, Arthi.

That is to turn off Chrome as a protected app in Malwarebytes. To do this, go to Settings, and the Security tab, and under Exploit Protection, click the ‘Manage Protected Applications’ button. Then find Google Chrome in the list of apps and turn off the protection slider.

Obviously that still isn’t ideal, as Malwarebytes will no longer be protecting Chrome against exploits. If that makes you uncomfortable, the only other path is to uninstall the Windows update (KB5027231) and live without it until the security company provides a full fix. That should be soon enough, given that the cure is already in beta as mentioned.

There is one other workaround suggested by Arthi, and this is to set Chrome as your default browser in Windows 11 (if it isn’t already, obviously). However, a couple of reports in the customer support thread suggest that this didn’t make any difference.

It’s worth a shot, though, seeing as this is a workaround which won’t hinder your level of security with Chrome (turning off exploit protection certainly does).

Interestingly, there’s a claim that Malwarebytes isn’t the only antivirus vendor affected, and an ESET user reckons they have encountered it – and that the problem is caused by having any other Chromium browser set as your default (such as Microsoft Edge).  Take that with lots and lots of salt, though it makes some sense in that one of the suggestions from Malwarebytes is to change Chrome to be your default browser.

We’ll keep an eye on the situation as it develops to ascertain whether or not other antivirus apps are also hit by this gremlin.

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