Windows 11 includes modern context menus, but on the other hand, it also sports changes that aren't everybody's bag.

For instance, the initial form of the operating system lacked the most popular refresh option in the context menu pretty much everywhere, therefore which makes it impossible for users to refresh the content they're looking at.

The only method to refresh a folder or the desktop was to access the old context menu options, also linked in the modern version of the context menu, although it is obvious that an extra step for such a simple task isn't at all convenient.

Microsoft eventually addressed this shortcoming on the desktop, bringing the refresh menu option back for Windows 11 users. However, this only happened on the desktop and never everywhere over the OS.

Other ways to refresh folders

But a feedback post within the Windows Feedback calls for Microsoft to make it happen in folders as well, using the suggestion already receiving over 300 upvotes.

Microsoft engineer Jen Gentleman has already taken care of immediately the suggestion, though she hasn't confirmed the refresh button is returning everywhere across Windows 11. Gentleman, however, highlighted other methods to refresh the files in a folder.

"Appreciate the feedback - it's been distributed to the team for future consideration. While Refresh isn't currently a top level option when right clicking a folder in File Explorer, for which it's worth, you are able to click the refresh button directly in the address bar without needing to open the context menu at all (and for those who prefer keyboard access, you are able to press F5 to refresh a folder)," she said.

Of course, there's no confirmation of the possible return from the refresh option in folders, but many likely, it's probably only a matter of time until this occurs with all this is such a small update anyway.

The Windows Subsystem for Linux, or WSL, is making its way to the Microsoft Store, therefore making it simpler for users not just to install it but also to obtain further updates.

Because of the Microsoft Store update model, WSL can therefore get improvements separate from operating-system updates and without relying on Windows Update.

Previously, WSL could be installed like a Windows feature right from the operating-system, and servicing it required dedicated Windows updates.

"WSL has become available in the Microsoft Store. This is actually the same WSL you know and love but simply a different delivery mechanism. Installing WSL from the Store can make it easier to obtain the latest WSL updates in the future," Microsoft announced today once the company presented a brand new Windows 11 preview build.

Simpler to install

At the same time, the company can also be making it simpler to set up WSL by changing the outcome of the wsl.exe -install command. Starting today, this command points to the Microsoft Store version of WSL, so the experience overall is much more straightforward.

"Starting within this preview build, we've made it simpler for new users to get started with the WSL in the Microsoft Store by changing the `wsl.exe -install` command to set up WSL in the Microsoft Store by default," Microsoft explains today.

"Additionally, we've added some additional arguments to `wsl.exe -install` to learn effectively to configure your install, such as `wsl -install -no-launch` that will install a new WSL distro without immediately launching it. To determine a complete listing of available commands please run `wsl -help`. If you wish to get started doing the shop version immediately and already have WSL installed just run `wsl -update` to update immediately to the Store version!"

Users can already download WSL from the Microsoft Store, although it might take a few more hours prior to the listing shows up for everyone.

Microsoft has acknowledged another bug in Windows 11, this time in regards to the Outlook searches users perform after installing the brand new operating-system.

Specifically, Microsoft explains that some users who upgrade to Windows 11 would not be able to get any results for their Outlook searches due to the search index that's being deleted during the installing of the OS.

Within an advisory published recently, Microsoft also offered a workaround, explaining that users just need to trigger the rebuild of the search index in Outlook.

"After upgrade to Windows 11, Outlook searches return no results. This problem may happen with any account where the emails along with other items are stored locally in PST or OST files such as POP and IMAP accounts. For Exchange and Microsoft 365 hosted accounts, this problem will affect offline look for the information in the locally stored OST files. Throughout the Windows upgrade, the search index is deleted and gets rebuilt following the upgrade is completed," the organization explains.

The workaround

Fixing everything is pretty simple, also it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes.

First and foremost, Microsoft says users have to manually rebuild the search index, and also to do this, they just have to launch Outlook, choose the search engine as well as in the ribbon visit Search Tools > Indexing Status.

"If the indexing takes too much time and also you need to urgently search, you can set a registry key that will tell Outlook to use its built-in search while using steps indexed by this short article under the temporary workaround section: If the indexing takes too long and also you need to urgently search, you are able to set a registry key which will tell Outlook to use its built-in search using the steps listed in this article underneath the temporary workaround section: No search results for POP, IMAP, or Exchange accounts," the organization explains.

The bug impacts Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2019, and Outlook 2016.

Notifications are an essential part of the modern Windows experience, and Microsoft keeps refining all of them with more and more improvements.

This time, the organization is finding out how notifications are delivered to Windows 11 users, using the latest preview build shipped to insiders within the Dev channel bringing a new way to show high-priority notifications.

More specifically, Microsoft says 3 high-priority notifications will now be shown as stacked on Windows 11 devices for an approach that makes more sense, especially because they include information that users must absolutely be familiar with.

"For apps that send notifications for calls, reminders, or alarms that leverage Windows notifications in the OS, 3 high priority notifications will now be shown as stacked and shown simultaneously. What this means is at any time, you might see up to 4 notifications simultaneously - 3 high priority notifications and something normal priority notification," the company explains.

Phased rollout in the Insider program

Microsoft has just started the rollout of this feature in the Windows Insider program, also it explains that not everyone is setting it up right now.

Not even if they're area of the Dev channel, that's, as Microsoft wants to collect more feedback before it commits to broad availability within the Windows Insider program. In other words, even when you're part of the Windows Insider program and running Windows 11 build 22509, there's an opportunity you're not receiving the stacked notifications since the feature continues to be in the limited testing phase.

"We are beginning to roll this transformation out, so it isn't open to all Insiders at this time as we intend to monitor feedback and find out the way it lands before pushing it out to everyone," Microsoft explains.

Obviously, there's absolutely no timing information regarding when the new notification improvements could go live for production devices.

The newest Windows 11 preview build released by Microsoft to users in the Dev channel comes with new theme customization options, because the company permits the themes for that touch keyboard to grow with other input experiences.

Windows 11, which is currently rolling out to devices out there, includes several new customization options, by the looks of things, Microsoft really wants to continue this approach in the coming updates.

Keep in mind, however, the improvements which Microsoft includes in Dev channel builds don't have an ETA, so while they're available right now within the Windows Insider program, nobody knows for sure when they are supposed to go love production devices.

New feature rolling out in stages

Microsoft is also rolling the new theme customization choices for insiders in phases, because the company says it wants to collect feedback and only then decide if it's reliable enough for broad availability within the Windows Insider program.

"To further personalize your Windows text input experience, we have expanded the 13 themes for that touch keyboard to now apply to our other input experiences, including IMEs, the emoji panel, and voice typing. Also available for those themed experiences is the theme engine that allows you to create a fully customized theme including background images. You can find all of this underneath the new "Text Input" section under Settings > Personalization. This isn't available to all Insiders at this time once we intend to monitor feedback and find out how it lands before pushing it out to everyone," the organization explains.

Windows 11 has created in stages to users out there, but Microsoft intends to complete the discharge through the summer of 2022.

Devices that aren't eligible for the disposable upgrade can stick to Windows 10, whose support will continue until October 2025, based on the original support insurance policy for this operating-system.

Microsoft started the rollout of the Windows 10 November 2021 Update, just like before, the organization isn't making the new version available for all users at the same time.

Instead, the software giant sticks with a phased rollout, meaning computers across the world are becoming the update in phases.

This release model allows Microsoft to spot bugs in their early hours and then block the update from reaching other similar configuration, therefore reducing the impact of the potential glitch in the update.

Downloading the November 2021 Update

The simplest way to download the newly-released update is to just head over to Windows Update for an automatic download and installation.

However, this process is only valid when the update has already been on your device.

"The November 2021 Update can be obtained initially to users with select devices running Windows 10, version 2004 or later who are interested in the latest features and are prepared to install this release on their device. If you'd like to install the brand new release, open your Windows Update settings (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update) and select Look for updates. Eligible devices can also be offered the option to find the Windows 11 upgrade. When the update appears, you can just select Download and install to get going," Microsoft explains.

Simultaneously, you can also make use of the Windows 10 version of the Media Creation Tool to update a device, though it is obvious this isn't a recommended method because you could bypass potential upgrade blocks and for that reason wind up experiencing various bugs.

Microsoft hasn't shared an ETA as to when the update should become available for all devices out there, but I expect the rollout to succeed quite fast, especially because the November 2021 Update is a small release with only a few improvements under the hood.

All eyes are on Windows 11 nowadays, however this doesn't necessarily mean the company has ignored Windows 10.

In fact, Microsoft doesn't even have any other option than continuing to enhance Windows 10, especially as this operating-system will continue to be supported until October 2025.

As a result, Microsoft has recently announced that Windows 10 version 21H1 is now available for everybody, because it has reached the ultimate stage from the rollout. In other words, it's ready for broad deployment too, so if you use Windows 10 inside your company, you should theoretically have the ability to update the whole fleet of devices to version 21H1 just properly.

"Windows 10, version 21H1 is designated for broad deployment. As always, it is recommended that you improve your devices towards the latest version of Windows 10 as soon as possible to ensure that you can engage in the latest features and advanced protections in the latest security threats," Microsoft explains.

The Windows 10 support

Meanwhile, Microsoft can also be getting ready to release another Windows 10 feature update called November 2021 Update and designed to refresh the operating system with small touches here and there.

Microsoft remains dedicated to improving Windows 10, because the upgrade to Windows 11 isn't available for all devices out there.

"For customers who're utilizing a PC that won't upgrade, and who aren't prepared to transition to a different device, Windows 10 is the right choice. We will support Windows 10 through October 14, 2025 and we recently announced that the next feature update to Windows 10 is originating later this season. Whoever you hire, we're committed to supporting you and offering choice inside your computing journey," Microsoft said in the original Windows 11 announcement regarding the Windows 10 support.

Windows XP is already an old operating-system, but this doesn't necessarily mean everybody available is just prepared to ignore it.

Not at all, and Armenia is just the living proof in connection with this.

According to statistics supplied by StatCounter and noticed by German site WinFuture, Armenia continues to be very addicted to Windows XP, because the 2001 operating-system remains the leading platform in the united states.

Quite simply, Windows XP is a lot more popular than newer releases like Windows 7 and Windows 10, not to mention, Windows 11 doesn't even matter in Armenia.

Windows 10 the runner-up

More specifically, 53.5 percent of the computers in the united states are presently on Windows XP. This means that more than 1 in 2 Armenian PCs are run by an old operating system, and this is concerning for so a lot of reasons, such as the overall security.

Windows XP no more receives any updates since April 2014, so theoretically, all of the found vulnerabilities happen to be left unpatched. Given Windows versions share some code, there's an opportunity flaws discovered just like Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 also exist in Windows XP, which ought to be reason enough for those who are still running this old operating system to upgrade.

Obviously, moving to a newer Windows version from Windows XP isn't such an easy move to make. If these devices still run Windows XP, there's an opportunity they will use ancient hardware too, so buying a new PC is really the only way to go. So after the day, the transition isn't so convenient, and it's likely the main reason some people don't upgrade.

In case you're wondering, Windows 10 is the second most-used OS in the united states with 32.8 percent.

Microsoft has started testing a new Windows 10 cumulative update, this time around included in the Insider program for Release Preview users running version 21H2 builds.

The brand new update is KB5006738, also it boosts the OS build to 19044.1319.

"This update will be offered automatically for Windows Insiders already on Windows 10, version 21H2 in the Release Preview Channel. For Insiders not on Windows 10, version 21H2 - this update is provided via our "seeker" experience in Windows Update and just to Insiders who were moved from the Beta Channel towards the Release Preview Channel as their PC didn't meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. This means these Insiders will need to go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and choose to download and install Windows 10, version 21H2," Microsoft explains.

What's new within this update

In terms of what's new in this update, there are plenty of fixes and improvements, including a new feature that should make it easier to transfer data in one browser to a different.

Most of the alterations in this build are specially targeted at enterprises, though consumers might also be pleased to discover Microsoft managed to resolve a glitch resulting in the lock screen to look black if the slideshow option was enabled.

Microsoft says it has also resolved an essential memory leak on Windows 10.

"We fixed a memory leak issue in lsass.exe on domain controllers within the forest root domain that occurs when you've multiple forests and multiple domains in each forest. The SID-Name mapping functions leak memory whenever a request comes from another domain within the forest and crosses forest boundaries," the organization explained.

Keep in mind that this new update is just love Release Preview users, so all improvements included here will be available for production devices at another time.