Software & Apps - Page 8

Microsoft has been progressively tightening its grip on the Windows setup process for quite some time now, and in a recent Windows update, Microsoft has further made things more difficult for some users.

In the latest Windows 11 preview build rolled out to beta testers within the Windows Insider Program, numerous changes have been made to the Windows Out Of Box Experience (OOBE), several of which were the removal of methods of bypassing the requirement to sign in to a Microsoft account throughout the setup process. The now-removed methods involved creating local user accounts.

According to Microsoft, this improvement addresses the setup process, as the company believes that many machines weren't fully configured. This is a roundabout way of Microsoft acknowledging that these loopholes in the setup process were being exploited to create local accounts that are separate from a Microsoft account. Now, Microsoft requires a user to fully complete the OOBE and sign in with a Microsoft account with an active internet connection to 100% complete the Windows setup process.

Yes, Windows 11 has had a 'Dark Mode' or theme since its debut, building off the dark mode found in Windows 10. If you're one of the many who prefer a dark theme over the bright white burn your eyes default mode, like me, then you've probably noticed that the Windows 11 dark mode doesn't apply to everything - namely, File Explorer's various dialog boxes.

Well, that's finally changing, with Microsoft updating the "dark mode experience in File Explorer" as part of the latest Windows 11 build on the Dev Channel. This means that the various small pop-up dialog boxes and windows for tasks such as copying, deleting, and replacing files will finally be presented using the dark mode theme and overall look.

You can see the end result above; above all, it's surprising that it took Microsoft this long to deliver a proper dark mode experience in Windows 11. There's more to Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6772 (KB5065797) than updating the dark mode for File Explorer, so here's a quick summary of what else is included.

It's not unusual for tech companies to poke fun at their direct competitors through slick marketing campaigns, or advertisements, and Apple is no stranger to this, nor is Microsoft. However, Apple is the latest company to throw punches at the Windows maker, and this time it's using the nefarious Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) as a way of propping up Mac over Windows.

Apple has used the CrowdStrike debacle that happened on July 19, 2024, when the security firm released a faulty update to its Falcon Sensor, its malware detection software, and as a result, millions of Windows PCs around the world crashed with BSODs. It's estimated that 8.5 million PCs were knocked offline as a result of the faulty update.

More specifically, the faulty update involved a configuration file that triggered an out-of-bounds memory access. When Windows runs its validation, it detected this out-of-bounds memory, flagging it as a critical failure, and to protect the system from any further harm, Windows automatically terminates any further processes and presents a BSOD to the user informing them of the misvalidation. Notably, CrowdStrike's Falcon software operates within the Kernel of a Windows PC, meaning it has privileged access to the system's components and drivers.

Is Windows 7 making a comeback in 2025? Well, it looks to be the case as the latest operating system numbers from StatCounter show that when it comes to the worldwide desktop Windows version market share, Windows 7 is sitting at an impressive (and surprising) 9.6%. And Windows 7 use is surging, with it increasing from around 2% in July to almost 10%.

Windows 7 was first released back in 2009 as the successor to Windows Vista. Unlike Vista, Windows 7 quickly gained popularity among all users, especially gamers and those using their PCs for multimedia purposes. Windows 7 received its last security update in 2023, so it is surprising to see its market share rise in recent months.

According to StatCounter's latest data, although Windows 11 is the most popular version of the operating system, its market share has remained relatively unchanged since June. In fact, even though the market share for Windows 10 has dropped from around 48% to 40%, the chart suggests that Windows 7 has gained those customers.

If you've been a PC gamer for a while and have built a new gaming rig or two in your day, then MSI Afterburner probably needs no introduction. The popular tool for customizing GPU settings, fan curves, and performance monitoring remains the go-to option for many PC gamers in 2025. However, you might be surprised to learn that the tool hasn't received a 'Stable' or non-Beta release for a couple of years. That is, until now.

MSI Afterburner 4.6.6 Stable is the latest version of the tool, available for download and installation now via Guru3D (and coming soon to MSI.com). This new version arrives over two years after the last 'Final' or Stable release, 4.6.5 from 2023, bringing "wide-ranging improvements, expanded hardware support, and security updates."

Under the hood, this new version utilizes the Microsoft Visual C++ 2022 compiler, which means it no longer supports Windows XP. In terms of new stuff, MSI Afterburner 4.6.6 includes full support for NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 50 Series, including GPUs with four fans, as well as AMD's new RDNA 4-powered Radeon RX 9000 Series. As MSI no longer sells Radeon GPUs, this support is unofficial.

After spending time in the Windows Insider Release Preview circuit, Microsoft is rolling out Windows 11 25H2 to the public, and it contains many improvements behind the scenes.

Windows 11 users will begin to get 25H2 now, and according to Microsoft, the update isn't a large one, but does contain significant improvements to the inner workings of Windows 11, such as advancements in build and runtime vulnerability detection, in addition to AI-assisted secure coding. The update contains all of the features in Windows 11 version 24H2, as both versions use a shared code base and services branch, which means the update will be streamlined for users.

In addition to the update being streamlined, the shared codebase enables Microsoft to continue rolling out new features to both 24H2 and 25H2 simultaneously. Furthermore, the update removes PowerShell 2.0 and the Windows Management Instrumentation command-line.

Windows 11 is bringing another exclusive feature to Copilot+ PCs, and this time it's about organizing your photo collection - at least partially.

Many of us have an expansive collection of photos on our computer, and it may be tricky to find what you need amongst that sprawl.

This is where the new feature comes in for the Microsoft Photos app in Windows 11, although it's only in preview at the moment, and the extent of the functionality is rather limited.

Valve has updated Steam, revamping the storefront UI with a new menu system designed to make it easier to find games and access the areas you visit most often. The most notable aspect of this update is that the top blue menu bar has effectively merged with the left column to create a unified menu system featuring tabs that expand to display large buttons, icons, and graphics, which disappear when inactive or outside the mouse pointer's reach.

The updated UI also adds the new menu and Steam search bar "on more pages across the Store" for easier access. Dramatically changing the navigation flow of Steam, an app that has been around for decades, might seem like a bold move on Valve's part. But the revamped Steam UI has received a generally positive response from the community.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the improved Search Panel, as it now includes quick access to the genres of games that make up most of my playtime, alongside recently viewed items and some of the most popular current community searches. That, and the new Ways to Play tab that offers quick access to Steam Deck-enhanced, controller-friendly, and VR titles.

The rise of artificial intelligence-powered tools is leading to the creation of AI-generated art, which is making its way onto platforms that human artists currently dominate.

One of the most notable examples of AI-generated art making waves on a platform is the band The Velvet Sundown, a completely AI-generated band that exploded in popularity with the release of their song "Dust On the Wind". The song attracted millions of streams on Spotify, and the band now has nearly 300,000 monthly listeners.

With AI tools being so sophisticated now, Dust On the Wind sounds like a song that was made by real people, which has sparked widespread concern about how listeners are meant to tell if the music they are listening to is made by real people or an AI in a matter of seconds.

Microsoft is officially ending support for Windows 10 next month, and ahead of the change, European regulators have altered what Microsoft will require of users if they still want to receive security updates to protect systems.

Notably, Microsoft is prepared to provide much-needed security updates to Windows 10 for an extra year, but users will have to first qualify and then pay $30 per device, or they will have to agree to syncing their PC settings with Microsoft's cloud via a Microsoft account through the Windows Backup tool, or use Microsoft Reward points. It should be further noted that the extended security plan is just for security updates and doesn't include technical updates or even bug fixes.

However, the Euroconsumers group has stated that Microsoft's requirements to access security updates after the October 14, 2025, deadline for Windows 10 support won't apply to residents of the European Economic Area, which is most of western Europe.

If you'd like a larger clock in Windows 11, then Microsoft has decided it's time your wish came true - this is now happening in a new preview release.

Microsoft has a new preview build (27938) in the Canary channel and one of the changes is something that's apparently been asked for a lot, we're told - the larger clock from Windows 10.

Microsoft notes:

The developer of Tiny11 has produced a new version of their utility that lets you produce your own trimmed-down custom installation of Windows 11.

Tom's Hardware spotted the September 2025 release of Tiny11 Builder which lets you cook up a Windows 11 ISO while stripping out all the bloat that you don't want.

With this latest version, that includes the ability to ditch Copilot as well as Microsoft Teams and the new Outlook client.

Fed up with having to manually switch between light and dark modes in Windows 11? It seems there'll soon be a way to have your PC do this automatically based on the time.

That said, this isn't something Microsoft is bringing directly to Windows 11, but the functionality will arrive via PowerToys.

Windows Latest noticed that Microsoft posted about its plans for the next version of PowerToys, which is v0.95 - v0.94 has just been released - revealing that one of the features in the pot is a "new utility that can automatically switch between light and dark mode based on your schedule".

Microsoft is estimated to make close to $10 billion in the first twelve months of Windows 10 hitting its end-of-life period, as owners of the millions of commercial devices around the world running Windows 10 will opt-in to pay Microsoft for continued support for the now unsupported operating system.

The estimations come from Nexthink, and while they aren't based on official figures from Microsoft, the estimations do reveal some interesting points to consider. Microsoft stated in June that more than 1.4 billion devices are running Windows, and according to Nexthink, approximately 30% of those devices are being used commercially or within the public sector.

That means there are about 420 million enterprise Windows. Using data from Statcounter, about 43% of Windows users are still running Windows 10, meaning there are 181 million users facing the looming end of support cutoff scheduled for this October.

iPad users can finally rejoice after years of toil, as Meta has decided to finally make an official Instagram app for iPad. Yes, that is right - no more poorly optimized, stretched Instagram app on iPad.

The news was announced in a new blog post by Instagram, where the company wrote the new app will be a "redesigned experience" for iPad, which will "reflect how people use bigger screens today." What does that redesign entail? According to Instagram, the iPad app will open on Reels, Instagram's version of the vertical video content popularized by TikTok.

The iPad app won't open on the photo and video feed tab, as it does on every other platform, as Instagram seemingly believes that iPad users are more likely to be using their device to watch videos rather than browse photos.

As an operating system for productivity and PC gaming, the open-source, configurable, and moddable nature of Linux has long been an alternative to Windows. With the popularity of the Steam Deck, in 2025, many gamers are looking to SteamOS or Linux builds, such as Manjaro, as alternatives to Windows that can actually improve performance due to the reduced overhead that comes from not having a list of dozens of unrelated processes and background tasks running.

Kazeta, a new Linux-based operating system, is distinct in that it aims to recreate the 1990s experience of playing games on a home console. This means inserting a copy of the game you want to play, hitting the power button, and then watching as the title screen loads without any operating system or dashboard interference.

Back in the day, if you were gaming on a Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, or even a Nintendo 64, this happened by inserting a cartridge into the cartridge slot. For Kazeta, the carts come in the form of SD cards, with the ability to turn any DRM-free game into a physical cart that will be detected and load as a complete experience.

We've been treated to some new figures for the market share of Windows, and in August, there was a surprising turn of events for Microsoft's operating systems - Windows 11 has seemingly dropped users.

Yes, despite the fact that Windows 10 is about to shuffle off to software heaven (or maybe hell, depending on your viewpoint) with its End of Life in October 2025, it has actually gained adoption based on Statcounter's latest report.

According to the analytics firm, in August 2025, Windows 10 crept up to 45.53%, whereas Windows 11 fell to 49.08%. That represents a gain of 2.65% in a single month for the older operating system, and a loss of 4.43% for Microsoft's newest desktop OS.

Google Vids is a new feature that's rolling out to all Google Drive users who are uploading videos or backing up their videos to the company's cloud-based service. And it's an impressive one if you're after a basic video editor that supports features like adding media, audio, text, and transitions.

Best of all, it's accessible via browser, so you can fire up Chrome on just about any device and start editing. There's also the ability to save and share a video project as a Google Vids file with the same levels of access on offer when you share a Google Doc. Naturally, there's also the ability to create, share, and download an MP4 video file of the completed project.

And yes, there are Google Gemini AI features that include the ability to generate video clips with text input and create and use AI avatars to read a script. For AI video clip generation, users are limited to creating 10 clips per day, which are all 8 seconds long, 720p 24 FPS videos.

YouTube has secretly been using AI to edit people's videos over the last few months, with these changes being so small that users wouldn't notice unless the videos were placed side-by-side.

The claims come from a new BBC report that cites several YouTubers who have noticed differences in their videos. One content creator, Rhett Schull, pointed to one video that looked different on YouTube Shorts compared to Instagram, with the creator saying the YouTube Shorts version looked "smoothened" with an "oil painting effect" over his face.

Shull added that he "did not consent to this," adding, "The most important thing I have as a YouTube creator is that you trust what I'm making, what I'm saying, and what I'm doing is truly me. Replacing or enhancing my work with some AI upscaling system not only erodes that trust with the audience, but it also erodes my trust in YouTube."

Windows 10 isn't the only flavor of Microsoft's desktop operating system that's soon to bite the silicon dust - there's also a variant of Windows 11 about to suffer the same fate.

This is Windows 11 23H2, and as Neowin noticed, Microsoft has just issued a reminder that the last-but-one incarnation of Windows 11 is on its way out. And yes - that means for those who've been holding out on upgrading to 24H2, you soon won't have much choice.

You will have a slightly longer stay of execution than Windows 10, though, which has its neck marked for October 14, 2025 - whereas Windows 11 23H2 isn't on the proverbial chopping block until November.