Latest news with #WindowsUpdate
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Microsoft's Free New Windows Upgrade: How It Works And How To Get It
Microsoft stops supporting Windows 10 in just over 100 days on Oct.14, 2025. But on June 25, the company introduced the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which will mean users will supported for an extra year, for free. Windows 10 and Windows 11 This is a big change: until a few days ago, to gain an extra year, you needed to pay the company $30. Now, there's a free option, but there are things you need to do. Essentially, you need to link your Microsoft account and sync Settings to the cloud. First, as Microsoft explains, you need to sign in to Windows on a device running Windows 10, version 22H2 Home, Professional, Pro Education, or Workstation edition with the latest update installed. To enroll your device in ESU, go to Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update. Assuming you meet the requirements, you should see a link to enroll. If you choose not to sync your PC settings, the $30 fee still applies. Windows Latest, ahead of the game as usual, has already done all this as part of the Insider Program, so has seen it in action. 'In our tests, it just takes a few seconds to extend support. You'll see the 'Enroll now' button on the right side of the Windows Update. On some installations, it also appears below the Check for updates button. I assume Microsoft is A/B testing the toggle, but once you click the 'Enroll now' button, it opens a pop-up window titled 'Enroll in Extended Security Updates.' The pop-up says it'll help you extend security updates support beyond October 14, 2025, when Windows 10 support ends,' Mayank Parmar explains. The wizard will check whether your PC meets the requirements which are not, of course, the same as those needed to upgrade to Windows 11. When it's all done, a success screen appears. 'You're enrolled in Extended Security Updates through Oct. 13, 2026,'it says. If you're really not interested in moving on from Windows 10, and that's the case for hundreds of millions of users, this is a simple way to keep your PC secure until late 2026 for free.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Windows killed the Blue Screen of Death
You're laughing. Windows killed the Blue Screen of Death and you're laughing. Yes, the iconic Windows error screen is getting a makeover nearly 40 years after its debut in the first version of Windows. Now, the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) will become the Black Screen of Death (BSOD). This change is related to other updates that Windows is making in the wake of the CrowdStrike outage last year, which affected 8.5 million Windows devices and took businesses, airports, TV stations, and government services offline. In the aftermath of the CrowdStrike outage, Microsoft announced the Windows Resiliency Initiative, which aims to more deeply embed security features into Windows to make a crisis like the CrowdStrike outage less likely. The initiative is also trying to make unexpected restarts less disruptive. Windows is adding a quick machine recovery feature, which helps PCs get back online if a restart is unsuccessful. Windows shared the new Black Screen of Death in a blog post, yet failed to even acknowledge the cosmic shift it has triggered. It simply calls this a 'simplified UI,' because a blue background with white text was apparently too complex. Why even change the blue screen to black? Did the viral images of Times Square rendered useless by the BSOD cause that much reputational harm? It's been a long time that we've come to know this cobalt harbinger of trouble. When the BSOD first appeared in the 1985 version of Windows 1.0, it was legal to smoke cigarettes on planes; Germany was two separate countries; HTML code had not been created; Mark Zuckerberg was a baby who likely had not yet grasped the concept of object permanence. But as we go on, we remember the decades of fun and frustration we've wrought together, the ominous sapphire screen reflected in our eyes, now but a sepia-toned memory. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
TechCrunch
4 days ago
- TechCrunch
Windows killed the Blue Screen of Death
You're laughing. Windows killed the Blue Screen of Death and you're laughing. Yes, the iconic Windows error screen is getting a makeover nearly 40 years after its debut in the first version of Windows. Now, the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) will become the Black Screen of Death (BSOD). This change is related to other updates that Windows is making in the wake of the CrowdStrike outage last year, which affected 8.5 million Windows devices and took businesses, airports, TV stations, and government services offline. In the aftermath of the CrowdStrike outage, Microsoft announced the Windows Resiliency Initiative, which aims to more deeply embed security features into Windows to make a crisis like the CrowdStrike outage less likely. The initiative is also trying to make unexpected restarts less disruptive. Windows is adding a quick machine recovery feature, which helps PCs get back online if a restart is unsuccessful. Windows shared the new Black Screen of Death in a blog post, yet failed to even acknowledge the cosmic shift it has triggered. It simply calls this a 'simplified UI,' because a blue background with white text was apparently too complex. Why even change the blue screen to black? Did the viral images of Times Square rendered useless by the BSOD cause that much reputational harm? It's been a long time that we've come to know this cobalt harbinger of trouble. When the BSOD first appeared in the 1985 version of Windows 1.0, it was legal to smoke cigarettes on planes; Germany was two separate countries; HTML code had not been created; Mark Zuckerberg was a baby who likely had not yet grasped the concept of object permanence. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW But as we go on, we remember the decades of fun and frustration we've wrought together, the ominous sapphire screen reflected in our eyes, now but a sepia-toned memory.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Time of India
Microsoft has disabled a 'key feature' to enhance Windows security
Microsoft has enhanced the security of the Windows operating system but for that it has disabled a crucial feature. The company has quietly updated Windows Hello 's face unlock feature, which now prevents it from working in dark rooms. As per the tech giant, this isn't a bug but a deliberate change made in April to patch a serious spoofing vulnerability. While the fix enhances security, it removes a key functionality many Windows 11 users relied on. The change, spotted by Windows Central, has been noted by some Surface Laptop users who claimed that they can no longer use their face to sign into their laptop in a dark room. 'After installing this update or a later Windows update, for enhanced security, Windows Hello facial recognition requires color cameras to see a visible face when signing in,' says Microsoft in its April Windows Update patch notes. How Windows Hello technology works Windows Hello leverages a combination of both colour cameras and infrared (IR) sensors, allowing for authentication even in complete darkness. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The vulnerability was discovered by researchers at Nanyang Technological University 'Automated recognition mechanism with inadequate detection or handling of adversarial input perturbations in Windows Hello allows an unauthorized attacker to perform spoofing locally,' the researchers said. The flaw was rated "important" by Microsoft, though the company noted it was "less likely" to be exploited by malicious actors locally on a device, and it has not been publicly disclosed or exploited. Meanwhile, for users who rely heavily on dark-room unlocking, a temporary workaround exists: disabling the webcam in Windows 11's Device Manager. However, there is a catch. This 'change' by users renders the camera unusable for all other applications, including video calls, making it an impractical solution for most users and a clear trade-off between convenience and security. HP EliteBook Ultra G1i Review: Thin, light, power in a premium package
Mint
16-06-2025
- Mint
Microsoft rolls out smarter, scrollable Start menu in Windows 11: Here's how to test it now with Insider Preview
Microsoft's at it again – redesigning things, tweaking this, getting rid of that – just a regular day at Windows HQ. This time, the Start menu is getting a fresh twist in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview, and it's all about making life easier (and a bit prettier) for users. Forget the old 'see more apps' button. Now, you just scroll down to a new 'All' section, where your apps are sorted into folders like Productivity, Social, Creativity, and Games. Your most-used apps always show up at the top of each folder, and if there aren't enough apps for a category, they'll be tucked into an 'Other' group at the bottom. If you're someone who likes things neat and alphabetical, you can switch to Grid view for a classic A-to-Z list. The Start menu is also smart enough to adjust to your screen size: on big monitors, you get up to eight columns of pinned apps; on smaller screens, it's six. The Pinned section now defaults to two rows, but if you only have a handful of favourites, it'll shrink down to just one. Want to keep things minimal? You can hide the Recommended section in Settings (just head to Personalisation > Start). There's even a new mobile button next to the search bar - click it, and the Start menu expands to show your phone's info via the Phone Link widget. Here's your step-by-step guide: Join the Windows Insider Programme's Dev Channel: Open Settings, go to Windows Update > Windows Insider Programme, and sign up for the Dev Channel. Install the latest build: Check for updates and install build 26200.5641 (KB5060824) to unlock the new Start menu. Not ready for test builds on your main PC? Download ViveTool from GitHub, extract it, open Terminal as an administrator, and run the official commands (to enable the features. Restart your computer: After that, your updated Start menu should be ready to explore. Just remember, these preview builds are for testing and might not be the most stable for everyday use. But if you're curious about what's next for Windows 11, this is your chance to get a sneak peek at a smarter, more organised Start menu - proof that Microsoft's never done fine-tuning your desktop experience.
