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Posts tagged "fresh"

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Windows 11 has never been so popular – but is a fresh surge of installations coming from a place of love or mere tolerance?
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Windows 11 is creeping up on its three-year anniversary since launch, and the OS has apparently hit an all-time high for users – almost 30% of all Windows PCs now run Windows 11, at least according to one analytics firm.

That may not seem like a lot – frankly, it isn’t – but it’s at least a marked improvement in recent times, where Windows 11’s adoption has actually slightly dropped, and this is certainly a positive sign compared to the cold reception that the operating system initially received.

Neowin flagged that Statcounter’s most recent monthly report shows Windows 11 at 29.7% of market share, with Windows 10 still currently enjoying a large majority of 66.1%. 

Normally, when a new operating system drops, it’s widely adopted. Still, if we’re celebrating a high of 30% nearly three years on from release, that’s obviously not a great indication that Windows 11 is being welcomed with open arms – despite all its extra perks and AI features, which are continuously being added.

That begs the question: Why are so many people reluctant to move to Windows 11? For starters, the more demanding system requirements that rule out older CPUs and machines without TPM are a hard barrier for adoption when it comes to some PCs.

Windows 11 laptop showing Copilot

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Furthermore, since its launch, Windows 11 has suffered more than its fair share of poor updates and buggy behavior. Plus, the OS is slowly turning into a conduit for ads that you can’t escape in some cases. Also, there’s just not a lot of difference between Windows 10 and Windows 11 for people who aren’t really that fussed about AI or Copilot (and Copilot is in Windows 10 anyway, even if all of Microsoft’s various AI features aren’t). 

Could this small victory for Windows 11 – which represents a monthly uptick of just over 2% in Statcounter’s figures – simply be the result of people buying new machines? You’d be hard-pressed to find a new Windows desktop PC or laptop that isn’t running Windows 11, and downgrading your system is just not worth the effort for many (or may not even be possible). Especially given that Windows 10 isn’t far off its End of Life anyway (that rolls around in October 2025).

It might be the case that we’ll have to wait until Windows 12 eventually debuts and hope that it’s a big enough improvement to get Windows 10 users to jump ship and skip Windows 11 – although, again, system requirements are likely to prove an insurmountable hurdle for some older PCs.

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iTunes for Windows 11 gets a fresh update with a vital security fix, and it brings in support for new iPad Air and iPad Pro
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Apple has released a new version of iTunes for Windows 11 (and Windows 10), which also includes support for the newly debuted iPad Air and iPad Pro models. 

You can download iTunes version 12.13.2  for Windows from both the Microsoft Store and from Apple’s website.

iTunes has been phased out for macOS and is no longer present on Apple’s own desktop operating system. Apple still updates iTunes pretty regularly on Windows, though, and this new update follows a release that brought in security fixes back in December 2023.

This latest iTunes update also delivers a security fix, dealing with a vulnerability that could lead to the app unexpectedly shutting down, or a malicious party leveraging  “arbitrary code execution” (allowing an attacker to do nasty things to your PC, basically).

Woman relaxing on a sofa, holding a laptop in her lap and using it

(Image credit: Shutterstock/fizkes)

Apple's transition away from iTunes to more modern apps

In general, though, it does seem like Apple is trying to move away from iTunes in favor of its more modern media apps like Apple Music, Apple TV, and iCloud. These modern media apps are also available on Windows, and are optimized to match Windows 11’s own sleek contemporary aesthetics. 

iTunes is more than a media app – it’s also a device manager that many users of Apple hardware are used to, allowing iPhone and iPad users to carry out tasks like backing up data and installing software. However, nowadays you can do that using the newer Apple Device app, which you get through the Microsoft Store as well. 

There’s one caveat to consider – Apple’s new apps might not work as intended if you also have iTunes installed, as Neowin points out, so it’s advised that you pick one to use and uninstall the other.

Woman sitting by window, legs outstretched, with laptop

(Image credit: Shutterstock/number-one)

iTunes: a timeless hub for Apple's media

Apple’s legacy media manager is a classic and still has a lot of purpose as it’s a place to manage all the media you’ve purchased from Apple including music, movies, and TV shows, as well as Apple Music.

If you prefer to continue to use iTunes, of course, you’re still in luck, as you can grab this latest version from the Microsoft Store. This will work whether you’re using Windows 11 or Windows 10, but not Windows 7. You can get older versions of iTunes from Apple’s website (but of course, you shouldn’t still be using Windows 7 for obvious reasons – the lack of security updates being the primary concern).

It’s good that Apple’s still looking out for users who might want to continue to use iTunes, and it also gives Apple a way in with customers who might prefer Windows as their PC’s operating system. 

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Windows 10 gets a fresh lock screen weather widget and bug fixes in new update
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Microsoft has dropped a new preview update (KB5034203), bringing an updated lock screen weather widget to Windows 10 alongside regular bug fixes. The update also comes with changes to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act – however, these changes are set to roll out gradually rather than all at once.

The update will bring more life to the weather experience on Windows 10, including more interactive weather updates, allowing you to hover your cursor over the widget on your lock screen to see more information about current weather conditions in your area. Clicking on the weather ‘card’ will then sign you into your device and open up Microsoft Edge with a full weather broadcast.

Alongside the updated widget, update KB5034203 comes with other fixes such as addressing issues that affect BitLocker data-only encryption, the failure of some apps in Windows 10 to respond to changed keyboard language, and a fix for an annoying bug that caused the Internet Explorer shortcut to become unresponsive for some users.

Optional, but still worth an update

In terms of compliance with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, Microsoft released a blog post directed to Windows Insiders back in November addressing plans to ensure Windows 11 and Windows 10 follow the set obligations.

The Digital Markets Act includes a wide range of requirements that Microsoft will have to adhere to within the EU – most notably, the ability for users to uninstall any Windows app, including Cortana and Edge. According to the blog post, Microsoft will “be updating Windows 10, version 22H2 and Windows 11, version 23H2 PCs in the EEA to be compliant by March 6th, 2024.”

So, we can expect more of these smaller-scale updates in the coming months to both Windows 10 and Windows 11. I'm pleased to see Microsoft continuing the effort to keep Windows 10 updated, considering many people are still quite hesitant to jump ship to Windows 11.

KB5034203 is an optional preview update at the moment, so you’ll have to install it manually if you’d like to check these features out yourself right now. Head over to the ‘Update and Security’ section of your setting and click the ‘Windows Update’ tab. There you’ll see a list of optional updates available and a link to download and install the update. Enjoy!

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The Microsoft Office app has a fresh new look, but not for everyone
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Microsoft has rolled out a fresh version of Office.com and the corresponding Windows application, with a revamped user interface that’s supposed to maximize productivity.

As explained in a Microsoft blog post, the changes will take effect for business and education customers first, with similar updates for personal accounts to follow “in the coming months”.

The company suggests that business customers took priority in this instance because the new functionalities are largely geared towards managing large volumes of files more efficiently, a challenge that professionals are more likely to encounter.

New-look Microsoft Office

First announced at Microsoft Ignite in November 2021, the changes to the Microsoft Office app and web client are designed to make managing and locating files simpler, by fine-tuning menu screens and introducing opportunities for customization.

“We designed Office.com and the parallel Office app for Windows to be the hub for your content – a place where you can get to all your files and documents, understand what needs your attention, and easily start creating content,” wrote Microsoft.

The most significant upgrade is perhaps the new-look home screen, which now features a Quick Access section that helps surface important files and filter options that allow users to organize files by those most recently opened, shared, favorites and various other parameters.

Microsoft Office

The new Office.com home screen. (Image credit: Microsoft)
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There’s also a new My Content pane, which Microsoft says “helps you get to all the work related to you no matter the file type, where it’s stored, or how it was shared with you”. This page also benefits from infinite scroll, which eliminates the hassle of tabbing through multiple results pages to find a specific file.

Lastly, the Create pane lets users create new documents and spreadsheets with a single click, using a variety of templates as the base.

“Just select the type of content you wish to create and you’ll be presented with various template options across multiple apps all at once so you can decide which works best for you,” Microsoft explained.

These updates should take effect for all corporate and education customers by the end of the week.

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Windows 11 is getting a fresh new email app
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Microsoft's push to update all its classic apps for Windows 11 has now moved on to its email platform.

Following makeovers for core tools such as Paint, Word and even Notepad, the company is now reportedly hard at work on a refresh for its Outlook email platform.

The work, codenamed Project Monarch, will look to update email on Windows 11, offering a truly cross-platform experience for users looking to embrace hybrid working.

One Outlook

News of Project Monarch first appeared in January 2021 under rumors that Microsoft was looking to unite all its email programs under one brand, as well as replacing the current calendar app in Windows.

It was said that the new client will work across Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS and the web, allowing Microsoft to replace its existing Outlook Win32, UWP and Outlook for Mac clients with one that offers a unified experience across platforms in a similar way to how Outlook for the web works.

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Now, WindowsLatest claims that new references on Microsoft's website suggest that the new program could see a public preview of the One Outlook app in late March or April 2022, before expanding to other Insider channels in the summer ahead of a general launch in autumn 2022.

Both the classic and new One Outlook apps will be available simultaneously to begin with, giving users a chance to manage their switch over.

The site claims that a Microsoft support document it has discovered shows that the new app interface will be similar to Outlook web. This includes the rounded corners and icons already seen in a raft of new Windows 11 apps as Microsoft looks to offer a unified design approach.

The news comes after a series of recent updates and upgrades for Outlook as Microsoft looks to breathe new life into the software. 

This includes an upcoming upgrade that will allow Outlook web users to customize the color of the events in their calendar app, the launch of spelling and grammar checks for Outlook on mobile platform, and another update to let users set a notice showing where they are working, whether that be at home, in the office, or elsewhere.

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Microsoft Office has a fresh new look – here’s how to update
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If you've upgraded to Windows 11 and want Microsoft Office to match the look of the company's latest operating system, then you're in luck as Microsoft's visual update for its office software is now available.

Back in June, the software giant announced a new look for Office designed for Windows 11 though it will also improve your experience if you're running Windows 10 according to a new blog post from Microsoft. 

At its core, Microsoft's new visual update for Office delivers a simple and more coherent experience across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook. It's worth noting that the update isn't available for some of the company's other software including Access, Project, Publisher and Visio. 

Once enabled in one of the compatible Office apps such as Word, the visual refresh will also be applied to the others so Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook will have a new look as well.

Office Visual Update with Word Dark Mode

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Enabling the visual update for Office

Microsoft's new visual refresh for Office can easily be turned off or on using the Coming Soon feature which is located in the top right corner of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

To get started, simply click the megaphone icon to open the Coming Soon pane, navigate to the bottom and use the toggle to move between the new and current interface and apply the setting to all of Microsoft's compatible Office apps.

The biggest change in this visual update is the fact that Office now matches your Windows theme by default. This means you can experience it in whichever Windows theme you want including black with Word Dark Mode enabled, white, colorful or dark grey.

Another change is that the Quick Access Toolbar is now hidden by default to make the user interface of Office simpler. To display it again, just right-click the ribbon or click on the Ribbon Display Options icon and then click Show Quick Access Toolbar.

Microsoft's visual update is now now available for users running Windows 11 as well as for those running Windows 10 version 2110 and build 14527.20226 or later but if you don't see the update, restarting Office should make it appear.

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