Microsoft ends extended support for Windows 8.1 in January 2023. The company recommends its users to upgrade to newer versions of the Windows family of operating systems now. In their opinion, a new Windows 11 PC is the best thing you can get.

Microsoft points that Windows 8.1 devices are now roughly 10 years old. When you move to a new PC, many aspects of Windows will feel familiar, but at the same time there will be important software and hardware innovations and features that weren't available ten years ago.

Windows 11 is designed with security in mind, and offers end-to-end protection that covers antivirus, firewall, internet safety and so on.

Finally, Microsoft's own products including Office 365 and the Store app will stop working on Windows 8.1.

👉 https://winaero.com/microsoft-recommends-you-to-get-a-new-windows-11-pc-instead-of-windows-8-1/

Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux version 1.0 is out of preview. On GitHub, it is listed as a stable version.

🌍 https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/releases/tag/1.0.0

There are 3 highlights:

🔹Removed the "Preview" label - WSL in the Store is now generally available!
🔹Use an override in generator.early to prevent the /tmp/.X11-unix socket from being removed during boot
🔹Don't create a pty for systemd to fix issue where systemd would time out during boot

The Dark Mode quick action may be coming to Windows 11

Dark mode in Windows 11 is implemented via a couple of options in Settings > Personalization. Also, to simplify the process and reduce number of clicks, Microsoft has added a dedicated theme. To switch the appearance, you can either select Windows Light or Windows Dark themes.

Microsoft is internally testing a new quick action that allows you to toggle enable the dark theme with literally two clicks. All you need to do is to open Action Center with Win + A or click on the network/sound icon in the taskbar, and then click the Dark mode button.

Windows 11 may soon allow ungrouping taskbar buttons. A new hidden feature suggests that the feature is already in the works. It even has its own velocity ID, which one could use with ViveTool. However, it is at its early development stage, so it remains force disabled.

With extra patches, the code runs and shows what is already implemented. As you can see, it no longer features window titles like in Windows 10. It simply shows an individual icon per each open window. I do believe that is because of the early implementation, and lately it will get the ability to show the text labels as well.

👉 https://winaero.com/windows-11-may-soon-allow-ungrouping-taskbar-buttons/

Windows Subsystem for Android November update
▪️Enhancement of audio recording quality
▪️Enhancement of OAuth scenarios
▪️Support for MPEG2 decoding
▪️Improvements to the camera experience when the device is not equipped with a camera
▪️Improvements in input reliability
▪️Chromium update to 106

Enable new VPN connection icon in Windows 11 Build 25247+.

vivetool /enable /id:38113452 /store:both

The attention to detail is pleasing, although at the moment this icon is only displayed when using Ethernet.

Windows 11 Settings now includes a “Trade-in or recycle your PC” section

Microsoft has restored the same section that you could see in build 22557. A bit redesigned page contains links to the Microsoft's website with information on what to do before selling or recycling your computer. Earlier, after a brief appearance in the Dev channel, they got removed in build 22581. As the company noted, they intend to re-add these options in the near future.

It is now hidden, but if you want it to appear, use the following ViveTool command.

c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:39731733

Reboot your device to apply the change.

Windows 10 version 22H2 is ready for broad deployment

Broad deployment is the final stage in the OS roll-out. While Windows 10 22H2 was announced just a few weeks ago, it quickly become designated for broad deployment. This means that everyone with Windows 10 installed will be offered to upgrade their device to the most recent release. Actually, version 22H2 shares its core with 2004/20H2/21H2 releases. Microsoft didn't even provide what is new in the newest version. On the consumer side, you will find no changes.

Its predecessor, version 21H2, will reach its end of support on December 13, 2022.

https://winaero.com/windows-10-version-22h2-is-ready-for-broad-deployment/

Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 25252 to Windows Insider program participants using the Dev channel. It now shows the VPN connection status overlay icon in the system tray over network icon for the recognized VPN profile. The taskbar includes various options for displaying search on the taskbar. Besides, there are fixes and general improvements.

The official announcement is here.

Windows 11 Build 25252 comes a new search box in the taskbar. You can now choose between the default search icon and the good old classic search box via a new option in Settings. Even more, there can be an additional "search button" option. If you select, the Start menu's own search box will be hidden.

When you click the search box in the Windows 11 taskbar, it allows you to directly type a search term. While it still opens the search pane, it doesn't redirect your input to its own input area. Instead it shows what matches your terms as you type. Also, the new UI includes search highlights.

By default the new UI options are hidden, here's how to enable them.

1) Download ViveTool and extract its ZIP archive to the c:\vivetool folder.
2) Open Terminal as Admin
3) Run these commands. The command #1 is mandatory, the other two add extra bloat features.

c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:38937525 - enables the new Search experience.
c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:40887771 - adds search highlights to the search box.
c:\vivetool\vivetool /enable /id:41415839 - allows hiding the Start menu search line.

4) Restart Windows 11, open Settings (Win + I) and go to Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Items. Select "Search box" or "Search button" to test the new UI.

👉 More details https://winaero.com/how-to-enable-new-taskbar-search-in-windows-11-build-25252/

☝️ Besides, Microsoft has released new preview builds of Windows 11 (version 22H2), 22621.1020 and 22623.1020 (KB5020035) to Insiders on the Beta channel. Build 22623.1020 supports new features, such as new Braille displays in Narrator. Both builds include Windows Spotlight with Themes, Microsoft OneDrive subscription options in Settings, OneDrive out-of-storage alerts, and some "organizational messages feature".

🌍 Official announcement

Microsoft has confirmed a new bug in Windows 11 2022 Update. When the user switches input modes using keyboard shortcuts, certain apps may hang. As a workaround, Microsoft suggests switching input modes using the icon in the tasbkar by clicking it. Alternatively, you can install the most recent optional update KB5020044 that contains a fix. But keep in mind that the patch is still in Preview.

The bug is in the Text Services Framework (TSF) component. Luckily, only some specific apps use it. So the majority of software will work properly.

🌍 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-22h2#2947msgdesc

Microsoft has fixed slow file copy bug in Windows 11 22H2. According to a thread on the techcommunity website, it is not related to any network component of Windows 11. The speed drops somewhere in the OS kernel, so initial guesses that it is an SMB bug are incorrect.

It is now documented in the know issues section for KB5017389, where you will find recommendations that may help you to improve the copy speed.

The latest Insider Preview of Windows 11, build 25252 released to the Dev channel, includes the appropriate fix. So if you are Dev channel insider, the bug is now resolved for you.

But it is not yet available in the stable, Beta and Release Preview channels. The majority of users who run the stable version of Windows 11 will get the fix with forthcoming cumulative updates. Microsoft says they need to validate it.

👉 https://winaero.com/microsoft-has-fixed-slow-file-copy-bug-in-windows-11-22h2/

Snipping Tool with Video Recording Support

Microsoft is now testing a new version of the Snipping Tool 11.2211.35.0 for Windows 11. In addition to screenshots, it comes the ability to record video from the screen. The update is currently only available to Insiders on the Dev channel. Interested users can download and install the updated app package above, or download it from Microsoft by following the steps in the linked post.

December 2022 Cumulative updates for Windows 11 and 10

TL;DR: Windows 11 has got fixes for Task Manager and DPAPI. Windows 10 updates will unpin Cortana from the taskbar, includes fixes for printing, Store, DST, Search, and more. Both OSes received security fixes.

Links

Windows 11 (version 22H2) - KB5021255 (OS Build 22621.963). Microsoft Update Catalog link.
Windows 11 (version 21H2) - KB5021234 (OS Build 22000.1335). Microsoft Update Catalog link.
————-
Windows 10 2022 Update (version 22H2) - KB5021233 (OS Build 19045.2364). Microsoft Update Catalog link.
Windows 10 November 2021 Update (version 21H2) - same patch as above.
Windows 10 May 2021 Update (version 21H1) - same patch as above.
Windows 10 October 2020 Update (version 20H2) - same patch as above.
Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) - KB5021237 (OS Build 17763.3770). Microsoft Update Catalog link.

Microsoft is rolling out an updated Widgets pane to stable Windows 11. The change will reach both 21H2 and 22H2 versions of the OS, but it is a gradual roll-out. Some of us may not see it right now.

There are two key changes:
- Widgets now have a header. It looks quite different from what Microsoft was showing earlier.
- Widgets can now work with a local account. No Microsoft Account required to use them.

Windows 10 version 21H1 has reached end of servicing. Yesterday's patches were last available for this OS version. Windows Update will automatically initiate a feature update for devices running Home and Pro (non-domain joined) editions of Windows 10, version 21H1 that are reaching end of servicing.

The latest version of Windows 10 (and the last one) is 22H2, "Windows 10 2022 Update". To get it installed manually, open Settings (Win + I), select Update & Security > Windows Update and click the "Check for updates" button. Eligible devices will also see the offer to install Windows 11, version 22H2.