Microsoft finally fixes annoying Windows 11 file copying bug

Windows 11 is about to get the full fix for a bug that causes serious aggravation to some users when trying to copy big files.

This problem has been around for some time, but Microsoft has finally got a handle on it, because as Windows Latest points out, the cure is bundled up with the freshly revealed ‘Moment 2’ update for Windows 11 22H2.

That update is already available as an optional offering – still in preview, in other words, but up for grabs to all Windows 11 users (not just testers) – and it’ll be fully rolling out with the final deployment of Moment 2 which happens next Tuesday (March 14).

So, if you’ve been hit by this bug, the resolution is imminent, thankfully. The issue badly slows down the copying of larger files, with some reports we’ve seen in the past saying that hefty copy operations can actually take twice as long as they should. Nasty indeed.

Windows Latest made this discovery thanks to readers who informed the site that file copying had reverted to normal speeds following the installation of patch KB5022913 (Moment 2 preview).

A tech consultant told the website: “We ran into this problem in December when we upgraded our 100 devices to Windows 11 22H2. The files were taking a lot longer to copy over than they should. We noticed some file transfers were almost twice slower. Our users confirmed this is no longer the case after the KB5022913 update.”


Analysis: A long time in the making

As mentioned, this problem has been around for a while – indeed a fix was applied in testing way back at the start of December 2022. That means it will have taken three and a half months for the test patch to actually reach the release version of Windows 11. (Assuming that it is included with Moment 2 and doesn’t get ditched at the last, erm, moment, if problems have been encountered with the optional preview update).

When we first reported on this, we were keeping our fingers crossed for a swift fix, but that didn’t happen, so presumably this was a knotty problem that took quite some untangling. Granted, the bug mainly affects those on enterprise networks, but folks running small office or home networks have also been hit.

The Moment 2 update fixes a bunch of other bugs, as you might expect – including File Explorer glitches and a flaw with Bluetooth keyboards – and it adds a whole pile of features to Windows 11. That includes Phone Link for iOS (finally), improvements for touchscreen devices, and much more (we’ve got a deep dive on all the additions right here). Oh, and it’ll also usher in the Bing AI to the taskbar (sort of, from time to time – we talk about this further here).

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Microsoft slowly but surely admits it was wrong about the Windows 11 taskbar

Windows 11 just got its first preview build in the new Canary channel – the earliest test versions of the OS going forward, possibly representing the foundations of Windows 12 – and while nothing much of note was introduced on the face of it, a hidden gem has been unearthed.

Twitter-based leaker @PhantomOfEarth pointed out @XenoPanther’s discovery of a bunch of strings tucked away under the hood in build 25314 referring to taskbar grouping.

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What does this mean? Well, it’s a tantalizing hint that as previously rumored, Microsoft is going to bring back the ‘never combine’ option when it comes to grouping apps on the taskbar.

In other words, rather than having multiple instances of the same app automatically grouped together on the taskbar (stacked vertically), you can have each of them separated into individual entries (horizontally) on the bar.

Elsewhere in build 25314, there are some minor tweaks, the most significant of those being a change to File Explorer, namely the addition of Access Keys. These are single keystroke shortcuts labeled by a single letter in the context menu of File Explorer – simply hit the relevant key to swiftly execute the command in question.

Furthermore, those using Azure Active Directory will now see recommendations for files they might find useful or relevant at the top of File Explorer Home.


Analysis: It seems like Microsoft is finally listening on the taskbar

When cooking up Windows 11, Microsoft made some mystifying decisions with the interface, leaving out some core bits of functionality seen in Windows 10, most notably with the taskbar. The ability to never combine (stack up) running instances of the same app was one of those features that got dropped.

To see a glimmer of hope that it might be inbound for the future, then, is certainly welcome. Although we still question exactly why it has taken so long for Microsoft to look at implementing this. And we must remember, this is only tinkering in the background in early testing for now – eventually it’s possible nothing could come of it, though we’re trying not to entertain that possibility, frankly. The lack of this feature is a deal-breaker for us, personally, in Windows 11.

As for the other notable taskbar omissions Microsoft made with Windows 11, drag-and-drop support was returned to the bar not so long ago. And in the future, we may also see the resurrection of the ability to move the taskbar from the bottom of the screen to the sides or top. (Currently, it’s locked down at the foot of the screen for Windows 11 users, whereas those on Windows 10 can move it around, of course).

So, it seems that Microsoft is slowly rethinking and reversing course on its taskbar philosophy with Windows 11, and frankly, it’s about time. Especially given all the feedback and voices shouting about these bits of functionality being stripped away for no good reason – not that we can think of, anyway. And don’t give us any excuses about streamlining or simplifying the UI, these can be options in Settings that no one who’s bothered about this sort of thing ever has to look at.

In short, Microsoft, please keep going along this path of reversal, because, you know, we’d like to get back to a Windows 10 level of functionality with the taskbar, if that’s okay?

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Microsoft lets ChatGPT-powered Bing off its leash – I just hope it doesn’t backfire

Microsoft has boosted its Bing search engine, to which it recently added artificial intelligence-powered chat capabilities, by increasing the number of chats it can have with a user in a day from 100 to 120.

When Microsoft first introduced Bing’s new feature, which is based on the popular ChatGPT chatbot, there was a lot of initial excitement… but then Bing started behaving strangely. People noticed that Bing’s AI chatbot would start acting increasingly bizarrely the longer their conversations with it went on.

This included Bing giving out incorrect information, and then having what can only be described as a tantrum when its errors were pointed out, which led to Microsoft hastily limiting the amount of responses Bing could give within a chat in a bid to curtail those worrying conversations.

It worked, but it came at a cost, as Bing suddenly became a lot more boring.

Fixing the chat

The last thing Microsoft wants is for Bing to be considered boring again, so it’s been understandably keen to increase the chat limit once the bugs have been ironed out, so the news that it is offering a big increase to 120, which follows an increase from 60 to 100, is certainly welcome.

Also, Microsoft’s initial limit to just five replies was seen by many to be too drastic – it certainly limited the usefulness of Bing by cutting chats short – and it took the fun out of it as well.

As MSPoweruser reports, Microsoft’s head of advertising and web services, Mikhail Parakhin, explained on Twitter that, in addition to the increased chat limit, users will now be able to have a conversation depth of eight – the limit was briefly increased from five to eight, before it was dropped back to six.

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Initial reports, as mentioned by Parakhin, suggest Bing is holding up well following this increase, and Microsoft’s softly-softly approach to expanding Bing’s AI chat capabilities is certainly sensible.

This whole saga does show the risks of rolling out AI features, however. Microsoft was too cavalier when it first introduced the new Bing chatbot, and then too conservative in response to the embarrassing issues that emerged. I think it should have started lower, and slowly built up Bing’s responses.

However, Microsoft clearly doesn’t want to move too slowly, for fear that people will lose interest in Bing – something the company has had to struggle with in the past, with most people using its chief competitor Google instead.

But going too fast too soon also brings risks. If Microsoft hasn’t properly fixed the underlying issues, we may see a return of Bing’s stranger side, and as entertaining as that can be, it could lead to a real PR headache for Microsoft.

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Microsoft could finally fix Windows 11’s strangest design choice

Windows 11 might finally allow users to shift the taskbar to different orientations on the desktop – as you can do with Windows 10 – rather than having it locked to the bottom of the screen, if a new clue spotted in preview is anything to go by.

Well-known Microsoft leaker Albacore posted on Twitter to show that with Windows 11 preview build 25309 it’s possible to do a bit of tweaking and get the taskbar to appear at the top of the screen.

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As the clip in the tweet shows, though, you end up with a broken implementation of the taskbar. Yes, it’s at the top, but when you click on icons in the bar, their respective functions appear floating at the bottom of the screen (where they’d normally be with the taskbar in its default position at the bottom).

In short, it looks like Microsoft is putting in the initial groundwork for a movable taskbar in preview right now, but it is very early stages indeed. Whether anything will come of this, well, we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled and fingers crossed – or those who want the ability to shift the taskbar around will, at any rate.


Analysis: A challenging change for Microsoft?

There might be people out there shouting at their monitors – why on earth would you want the taskbar at the top? However, this has actually been a very commonly requested feature addition for Windows 11, with plenty of users voting for the functionality to be brought to the desktop.

And choice is never a bad thing – some folks want a vertical taskbar, that runs down the side of the screen, too, as well as the potential to sling the bar up top. It’s really down to allowing for more customization of the core desktop UI, and keeping the same features as offered by Windows 10, which allows the bar to be shifted about if you wish.

As MS Power User – which spotted Albacore’s tweet – observes, though, this is something Microsoft has indicated it won’t pursue. Despite the clamor for a more mobile taskbar, Microsoft has said there are a “number of challenges” wrapped up in its implementation, and that the percentage of users wanting this change is small compared to other features. The latter assertion is certainly arguable from what we’ve seen, but there you go…

The long and short of previous statements, then, seems to be that Microsoft thinks it’d be a lot of effort for not much return – but the sighting of the ability to move the taskbar to the top, in however rudimentary a fashion, certainly gives hope to the idea that a movable taskbar is coming.

Until then, if you really want to mess around with the Windows 11 environment in this kind of way, you’ll need to resort to a third-party customization app. (It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that these apps have been causing serious trouble with the latest big Windows update, ‘Moment 2’).

Meanwhile, Microsoft recently introduced a nifty ability to the taskbar (in testing), namely the ability to kill a process right there on the bar (rather than having to mess around taking a trip to Task Manager).

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Microsoft delivers Windows 11 ‘Moment 2’ update – and these are the best new features

Windows is now offering a new feature preview update, Windows 11 KB5022913, which Microsoft calls Windows 11 ‘Moment 2’, and it’s available for eligible PCs currently running the previous feature version, Windows 11 22H2

This update is optional, and its features will be included in Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday update next month (which is mandatory), so you can just wait for that if you don’t want to faff around with Windows Update, or you’re understandably wary of installing Windows updates as soon as they are launched in case widespread issues start cropping up. 

However, it does come with some intriguing features like adding Bing Chat to the Windows 11 taskbar, the ability to link your iPhone to your Windows device, a Task Manager that’s searchable and easier to navigate, and much more.

If you’re wondering whether or not to install this optional update, read on for my picks of the best new features.

1. ChatGPT comes to the taskbar 

This update directly follows the significant flurry of excitement caused by Microsoft's announcements regarding the integration of ChatGPT into Bing. As such, arguably, the main attraction of this update is the newly ChatGPT-equipped Bing search box in the Windows taskbar. 

This taskbar Bing Chat can return answers to your queries as you’re typing, as well as making it easier to do things like generate content and begin chat conversations directly from the Windows 11 search box. 

This is clearly a push to make the Windows search box the entry point for Bing, but you can then continue your search with Bing in-browser. There’s also added search bar customization, including the ability to return to the previous version of the search bar if you don’t like the new one. 

It’s speculated that the increased customization options are potentially part of a wider effort to develop an AI-powered Personal Assistant mode, which has already been tested (although not with immediate success). 

The addition of Bing to the Windows 11 taskbar has already proved a bit controversial, however, and there are some reports suggesting Microsoft is now removing the feature, which would be a shame.

Lady in town using phone

(Image credit: Shutterstock – VAKS-Stock Agency)

 2. Control your iPhone through Windows 11

Another new feature is Phone Link for iOS which allows iPhone users to access their messages directly via Windows 11, and make or receive calls via their Windows device. 

This is similar to this existing capability for Android users on Windows devices and iPhone users on iOS devices, and will be especially welcome to those who use both. 

An Acer Spin 5 (2022) on a wood grain table

(Image credit: Future)

3. Better touchscreen controls 

Additionally, this update also has a focus on tablet optimization with features such as touch optimization for 2-in-1 devices and an optimized tablet taskbar. Microsoft has been working on tablet optimization for some time now, going back as far as the unloved Windows 8, and this update hones in on taskbar optimization for tablets (as well as PCs – simultaneously) to make tablet use more comfortable and intuitive. 

This version of the taskbar has two modes – ‘expanded’ and ‘collapsed’ – and it’s easy to switch between these two modes by swiping up or down, respectively, on the bottom of the screen. There are also added Touch Keyboard and Virtual Touchpad features in the system tray for touch optimization. 

Other new features include the addition of a tabbed Notepad interface, a modified Task Manager with new search, filtering, and other functions, a new built-in screen recorder through the Snipping Tool, improvements to Voice Control and Voice Access, an expanded Widgets view and capabilities, and more.

How to get these new features 

As I’ve already mentioned, you can just wait until the mandatory Windows update in March, when your PC will automatically download and install these new features.

However, if you’d like to install this update right now, as there are quite a few new appealing features to test drive, there are a number of ways to go about it. 

Firstly, you can go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for Updates. This should detect the new update’s availability, and make it possible to download and install it. 

Secondly, you can open the Microsoft Store, open Libraries, and select Get Updates

Alternatively, you can install it manually by downloading it from the Microsoft Update Catalog – the Windows Cumulative Update library

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Microsoft ignores Bing fails by planning to let AI loose on Windows 11 desktops

Windows 11 looks set to enlist the help of AI to make the desktop look that little bit fancier – although the wisdom of forging down this path could be questioned.

This leak comes from Albacore, a well-known source of Microsoft spillage on Twitter (flagged up by Betanews), who spotted a ‘Depth effects’ toggle in the Personalization options (under Settings) in the latest Windows 11 preview build.

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As the screengrab in the above tweet shows, the new setting allows for the use of AI to “add depth effects to background images.” We can guess that this will add some 3D depth to any given background on the desktop, and the AI will suss out how to do this in the most effective way possible.

The slider is in the preview build, but isn’t functional and does nothing right now. That will presumably change in builds in the near future, given that it’s actually visible in the UI as of the latest preview.


Analysis: A taste of things to come?

Of course, AI is the big thing these days, in Windows and elsewhere. Microsoft recently kicked off a major project with the Bing chatbot, which was just brought to the taskbar in Windows 11 (except not really – we discuss what happened in-depth here).

In the computing sphere, we’ve also seen not just chatbots and AI authors, but artificial intelligence-powered artwork creation too, so perhaps bringing AI to the interface of an OS is a logical next step.

Admittedly, adding a bit of a 3D effect (presumably) to the desktop wallpaper is a very small step, but nonetheless a discernible stride. It’s easy enough to envisage a future where AI not only jazzes up what you’re looking at on the desktop, but perhaps predicts what you might need in terms of functionality.

Microsoft is currently experimenting with how much time it takes for the snap layouts flyout to appear, for example, and perhaps that could be intelligently adjusted to appear really snappily (ahem) for those who use that particular feature a lot.

Microsoft is also playing around with tailored recommendations and suggestions in the interface anyway, but the trouble with this is that there’s a thin line between a recommendation and an advert.

Similarly, when it comes to prettying up the interface, what users don’t want is better aesthetics at the expense of performance and responsiveness on the desktop. That said, these features being optional ensures that if you don’t like something, you don’t have to use it (which is the case for this new depth effects setting).

It’s hard not to be concerned about what might happen when AI is brought into wider play with Windows in this manner, though. Especially when we look at what has happened with the launch of the Bing AI, which quickly got into trouble on all sorts of fronts – though admittedly, it’s still very early stages for the chatbot.

Still, AI, by its very nature, is unpredictable – how it’ll learn, react, and implement things – so it may not be all that wise to be moving too fast to usher in artificial intelligence infused across the Windows interface. Lessons that the Bing bot has already taught us quite clearly…

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Microsoft is bringing AI Bing and chat-powered searches to Windows 11

As expected, Microsoft is bringing the powerful and somewhat controversial AI-Enabled Bing to Windows 11, and putting it right inside your taskbar.

The update arrives today (February 28), but if you don't already have access to AI Bing (perhaps you're still on a waiting list) you won't see it.

For those that do have access, and are running at least Windows 11 version 22H2 on one of the best Windows PCs, they'll see the same OpenAI ChatGPT-enabled Bing chatbot at least a million people have been running for almost a month.

AI-Enabled Bing is designed to be like a search-engine copilot. You can use the new Bing in the standard search fashion, or in a more conversational mode, where you ask the chatbot anything, even a series of questions that stay in context and, when all goes well, help you to elicit better answers.

Now, that experience will live inside Windows 11's centered and quite popular search box in the taskbar.

While Microsoft, in the blog post announcing the update, points to some of the inspiring information discovery stories generated by the AI-powered Bing, the decision to introduce it on a platform used by millions of people is not without controversy.

Since its introduction at a surprise event a few weeks ago, users have pushed AI-enabled Bing to its limits. It's been accused of making stuff up, cheating at Tic-Tac-Toe, and basically going off the rails. Microsoft responded by putting some guardrails on the new technology, such as limiting interactions to five responses at a time.

None of that, though, has slowed Microsoft's expansion plans. Just last week, Microsoft unveiled the mobile version of AI-enabled Bing that includes voice interaction.

Microsoft is, in a way, hedging its bets here by introducing AI-enabled Bing to Windows 11 and not the much more widely-used Windows 10, which may be on well over one billion devices.

Even so, this is a significant expansion in AI-enabled Bing availability, and the roadmap is clear. This ChatGPT-powered search will eventually be a part of all Windows 11 installs, which means its learning could grow at an exponential rate. It might also mean that Microsoft encounters even more unforeseen chatbot challenges.

Windows 11 update with Phone Link for iOS

Windows 11 update with Phone Link for iOS (Image credit: Microsoft)

Along with the AI-enabled Bing Taskbar update, Microsoft is finally bringing Phone Link to iOS devices. 

For years, Microsoft has offered a direct Windows connection to the best Samsung phones through Phone Link, enabling browser hand-off, and the ability to send texts and other notifications from the phone to the Windows screen.

This Windows 11 update finally adds support for iPhones, allowing Windows users to view messages and notifications from their iPhones on their Windows 11 PCs and sync contacts. You'll even be able to manage phone calls through your PC. 

Unlike the Bing update, this one is still only available as a preview for Windows Insiders, a beta-release program that you can sign up for here. Just remember that running unreleased software comes with its share of risks, including data loss in the event of a system crash.

Windows 11 update with Quick Help

Windows 11 update with Quick Help (Image credit: Microsoft)

There are a bunch of other notable Windows 11 updates in today's full public release including:

• The ability to adjust Windows Studio Effects directly from the taskbar in Quick Settings.

• A slide-away taskbar when you use Windows 11 in tablet mode. A swipe up from the bottom of the screen will bring the taskbar back into view.

• The ability to open Quick Assist from the help menu to receive and deliver tech support. It will even let you switch between screen-share mode and full remote control of your or someone else's system (assuming you trust who you're working with).

• Finally, Microsoft is adding Screen Recording to its Snipping Tool, which has traditionally been used to capture screen images. We would love to see it add the ability to create GIFs from these screen caps, maybe in a future Windows 11 update.

As we mentioned earlier, this major Windows 11 update rolls out today (February 28) and while most of the updates will be available to everyone, the AI-enabled Bing will only show up if you're already part of the Bing preview program.

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Microsoft has a new plan to make Edge better than Chrome

Microsoft Edge is going to make an effort to help you improve the browser with a new system of badges for add-ons.

Add-ons (also referred to as extensions) are little extras that can be bolted onto the browser to deliver all kinds of functionality, but clearly the trick to making Edge better with them is choosing good add-ons, and not bloat or poor-quality efforts (or even malicious ones in a worst-case scenario).

As MS Power User reports, what the new system delivers is a badge – a visual icon, present on the product description page and elsewhere – to show that any given browser extension is of a high enough quality to deserve that label. So in short, you know you’re getting something you can trust, and that will work well.

Microsoft says that it’ll soon start to experiment with testing extension badges in the Edge Addons Store (EAS). The company notes: “Edge is starting with a small-scale experiment and will begin to engage with the developer community to talk through the criterion and help them get acquainted with the badging process on EAS.”


Analysis: Another step in the right direction

Badges will also act as a carrot for devs to make better extensions, too. As Microsoft explains, developers will be encouraged to follow best practice guidelines when putting together their add-ons in order to try to qualify for a badge that’ll ensure their products are more likely to be used by Edge fans. So, it’s more likely that the extensions being made will be of a higher quality, broadly speaking, or at least that’s the hope.

There are quite a number of add-ons in the library available to Edge users at this point, so helping to sort the wheat from the chaff is definitely a good idea. According to Microsoft, there are almost 11,000 extensions for Edge at this point, and that’ll keep on growing, naturally.

It’s good to see the software giant taking more positive steps to try and improve Edge as a product. We’ve also glimpsed another innovative step in recent times, namely the integrated free VPN that’s been in testing (and has supposedly just reached release, at least for some Edge users).

All this is refreshing, primarily because advancing Edge with extra capabilities and fresh features is what we want to see, not experimenting with how more adverts can be jammed into Windows 11 to push Edge (let’s stop with that already, Microsoft, please).

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Microsoft Teams is going to use green screen technology to make your video calls better

Scratchy, low quality virtual backgrounds have been a staple of video conferences at work since the Covid-19 pandemic began, but, from April 2023, Microsoft Teams will have a solution, in the form of green screen support.

Artificial intelligence is at the point where software such as NVIDIA Broadcast and Google Meet can support virtual backgrounds and blur effects without any additional software or hardware, but for maximum quality, a green screen works wonders.

How? In the Microsoft 365 roadmap listing for the planned feature, Microsoft says that “Green screen improves the sharpness and definition of the virtual background effect around your face, head, ears, and hair. It also allows you to show a prop or other object in your hand to be more visible to other participants in a call.” 

Teams green screen

Having a real, physical green screen behind you during your 9-5 is slightly more embarrassing than pretending you’re at the beach or a revolting strawberry, but there’s a good reason you might want to invest in one when the feature rolls out.

“The virtual background with a green screen,” Microsoft goes on to say, “provides the best virtual background effect, consuming fewer system resources, allowing your Teams to run smoother.”

If your mobile workstation or business laptop is low-spec, and you’ve been having trouble getting virtual backgrounds on Teams to work well, a green screen could be the best way to get in on this often strange and terrifying feature.

And if you’re really looking to terrify (and terrorize) your colleagues on Teams, you could go one worse and set up a metaverse-style avatar.

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Microsoft Teams will finally be a lot easier to use on iPad and iPhone

Apple users are set to get a welcome productivity boost when it comes to using Microsoft Teams on their mobile or tablet device.

The video conferencing platform has revealed it is working on bringing Picture in Picture mode to iPhone and iPad users, letting them view multiple windows at once on their device.

This could mean users are able to carry out a video call on their device whilst consulting a useful document or presentation at the same time, without the need to switch between apps and potentially drop their call.

Microsoft Teams Picture in Picture for iOS

In the official Microsoft 365 roadmap entry for the update, the company notes that, “the new Picture in Picture mode lets you see your meeting in an adjustable window while using other apps on your mobile device.”

The feature is still listed as being “in development”, but has an expected availability date of December 2022, meaning users shouldn't have too long to wait. When released, it will be available to all iOS users of Microsoft Teams across the globe.

The launch is the latest in a series of productivity-themed releases from Microsoft Teams as it continues to try and boost the usability and efficiency of its platform.

This includes a number of under-the-hood speed-related upgrades aimed at improving the user experience when navigating around Microsoft Teams, namely an upgraded framework which is now able to render HTML trees faster, run JavaScript and serialize arrays more efficiently. 

The company claims that these changes should contribute to a 30% speed increase when switching between Microsoft Teams chats or channels.

In other multi-tasking news, the company also recently announced that in-app games are coming to Microsoft Teams

However, far from just being a distraction, Microsoft claims that interaction through play is designed to tackle some of the greatest challenges of the hybrid workplace, including “struggling to build trust, create connections, and improve team morale.”

It also recently revealed that transcription for 1:1 calls and group calls is now available on the Microsoft Teams app for Android, giving users the chance to review exactly what was said, or if any details were missed. 

Users will also be able to start transcription for meetings on Microsoft Teams for iOS and Android, as well as being able to view the meeting transcripts after their calls have finished.

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