Aug 10

What’s new in Microsoft Edge with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update

It’s been just over a year since we first introduced Microsoft Edge, the brand new browser for Windows 10. We took a new direction, establishing Microsoft Edge as a browser for doing more on the web, with reading tools, notetaking, and Cortana built-in.  We built it on top of the Universal Windows Platform, which includes our brand-new web rendering engine, EdgeHTML.  Altogether Microsoft Edge delivers a faster, more efficient, more compatible, more secure, and more productive experience to all Windows 10 customers.

Over the last year we’ve been hard at work taking Microsoft Edge to the next level with features and improvements that make every part of the browser better. In the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft Edge has support for browser extensions from the Windows Store, dozens of new features, and major improvements to power efficiency, and security. It’s also the most accessible browser we’ve ever shipped, and the first browser to score a perfect 100% on HTML5Accessibility.com! Let’s walk through some of what’s new and available for all customers today.

Customize your browser with Microsoft Edge extensions

Extensions have been the number one feature request since we first shipped Windows 10 last July, and after previewing a growing set of extensions with Windows Insiders over the last several months, we’re thrilled to make them available to the general public alongside the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

image: https://winblogs.azureedge.net/win/2016/08/extensions1.png

Screen capture showing a selection of 12 extensions available from the Windows Store

Microsoft Edge Extensions available from the Windows Store

Today, a selection of popular extensions is available from the Windows Store, including extensions from popular brands like AdBlock and Adblock Plus, Amazon, Evernote, LastPass, Microsoft Translate, Office Online, Pinterest, Pocket and more. We’ll continue to bring others to the Windows Store in future updates, ensuring the highest quality for our customers.

You can find extensions in the Windows Store here or by selecting “Extensions” from the Microsoft Edge menu. Try them out, and don’t forget to leave a review for your favorite extensions in the Windows Store.

Our most accessible browser ever

In September 2015, we outlined the state of support for popular assistive technologies in Microsoft Edge and shared our roadmap to improve that support. Since then, our investment in accessibility has paid off in EdgeHTML 14, and we’re proud to say that Microsoft Edge in the Anniversary Update is easily the most accessible browser we’ve ever shipped as well as the only browser to earn a perfect score on HTML5Accessibility’s browser benchmark.

image: https://winblogs.azureedge.net/win/2016/08/html5a11y1-1024×338.png

Screen capture showing browser scores on HTML5Accessibility.com. Chrome 52: 81%. Firefox 47: 89%. IE11: 56%. Safari 9.1: 73%. Edge 14: 100%.

Browser accessibility scores from HTML5Accessibility

We’ve made major improvements and hundreds of bug fixes so that Microsoft Edge is easier to navigate with a keyboard and with assistive technologies like screen readers, including better support for PDF files, Narrator support for address bar suggestions and instant answers, and a wide range of improvements to common daily browsing features such as tabs, windows, and favorites. We also built an all-new accessibility architecture for our rendering engine, so developers can build more accessible user experiences powered by HTML5.

We’ve always been committed to making the web just work for everyone, and with these changes we’re proud to provide a better experience to the broad spectrum of users who depend on assistive technology every day.

Built by you: New features from top Windows Insider feedback

Over the last year, we’ve been listening closely to feedback from Windows 10 customers and our Windows Insiders, and that feedback led to dozens of new features in the Anniversary Update.

Pinned tabs

You can now create pinned tabs to keep your most used sites and web apps available just a click away – simply right-click any tab and choose “Pin.”

image: https://winblogs.azureedge.net/win/2016/08/pinned-tabs.png

Screen capture showing pinned tabs in Microsoft Edge

Pinned tabs in Microsoft Edge

Pinned tabs always appear at the start of the tab row, and only show the site’s icon. Pinned tabs that are in your Microsoft Edge window when you close the app will come back the next time you open Microsoft Edge.

Paste and go

Starting with the Anniversary Update, if you have copied a link in your clipboard, you can right-click in the address bar and choose “Paste and go” from the context menu to instantly navigate to the site.

image: https://winblogs.azureedge.net/win/2016/08/paste-and-go.png

Screen capture showing "Paste and Go" in the Microsoft Edge context menu

“Paste and go” in Microsoft Edge

If you copy something other than a link to your clipboard, you will instead see a “paste and search” option.

Notifications from websites

Microsoft Edge now support notifications from open websites, so you can stay up to date with messages or updates from your favorite sites like Skype for Web, Slack, or WhatsApp.

image: https://winblogs.azureedge.net/win/2016/08/web-notification.png

Screen capture showing a notification dialog from Skype for Web in Microsoft Edge

Sample notification from Skype for Web

Microsoft Edge will always ask for your permission before allowing a site to send you notifications, and you can manage notifications from Settings in Microsoft Edge or by right clicking a notification in Windows 10’s Action Center.

Swipe to navigate

You can now navigate back and forward with the swipe of a fingertip. On a touchscreen PC or a Windows 10 Mobile device, simply drag a finger across the page to the right or left to go to the previous or next page in your history.

Ask Cortana about any image

Right click on any picture on the web and select “Ask Cortana” to learn more about the picture you selected in order to identify related information or look up related pictures.

image: https://winblogs.azureedge.net/win/2016/08/ask-cortana-1-300×286.png

Handwritten text reading "Right click, ask cortana" with an arrow pointing to a cat picture

 image: https://winblogs.azureedge.net/win/2016/08/ask-cortana-2-300×264.png

Picture of a cat in a teacup

Better favorites

You can now import favorites from Firefox, in addition to Chrome and Internet Explorer. When you import favorites from any browser, they will now land in a separate clearly labeled folder, instead of mixed in with your existing favorites. Organizing your favorites is now easier using the new “tree” display in the Hub. You can expand and collapse folders to see the contents of as many or few as you like. You can now also sort favorites by name in the favorites pane, and easily rearrange or move favorites between folders with drag and drop. In the Favorites Bar, you can now right-click on the favorites bar to display icons only, rename items, or create new folders.

Better download management

Microsoft Edge now gives you a reminder of in-progress downloads whenever you close Microsoft Edge. This gives you the opportunity to complete downloads prior to closing Microsoft Edge. You can also set where downloaded files are saved by default. Just open “Settings”, choose “Advanced settings”, and find the new option under “Downloads.”

Drag and drop folders

You can now upload folders to sites like OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive by dragging and dropping into Microsoft Edge.

Better tab behavior on Mobile

Microsoft Edge keeps your tabs under control when you use it with apps on your phone. If you tap on a link in an app that opens a new tab in Microsoft Edge, pressing the back button when you’re done will close that tab, then take you back to the app. Your tabs list stays lean and relevant, by smartly closing tabs you’re done with.

Tab previews on HoloLens

Hover over tabs on HoloLens just like you would on a PC to see a thumbnail preview of the page.

And much more!

That’s just the beginning – the Anniversary Update contains many more changes and improvements! You can learn more about what’s new in Microsoft Edge with the Anniversary Update by opening the “…” menu and selecting “What’s new and tips.”

Better basics: More efficient, more compatible, and more secure than ever

The Anniversary Update is more than just new features! We’ve also improved power efficiency, compatibility, and security, so customers can browse with confidence that their battery will last, their sites will just work, and they will be protected from malware and other threats by industry-leading security.

All day efficiency

We’ve added even more endurance to the longest-lasting browser on Windows. The Anniversary Update is more efficient when you have tabs open in the background, with savings of up to 90% in some cases.

Microsoft Edge will also now pause non-essential Flash content like advertisements until you click to play, which saves power and improves performance. We’ve also isolated Flash from your page content, so if Flash consumes too many resources or crashes, Windows can stop it without impacting the rest of the website.

More compatible with popular sites

With the Anniversary Update, Microsoft Edge includes support for dozens of new HTML5 standards, media formats, and JavaScript features, including new web standards that will let sites use Windows Hello to sign you in with your face or fingerprint. You can read more about the dozens of new standards supported in our post on the Microsoft Edge Dev Blog, Introducing EdgeHTML 14.

Safer than ever

Microsoft Edge set a new high bar for security, isolating web pages from the rest of the system and making it harder for exploits to gain access to your operating system and personal information. In November, we added more protections to prevent malicious programs injecting themselves into the browser without the user’s knowledge.

In the Anniversary Update, we’re making attacks more difficult with advanced new features like Kernel Attack Protection. In addition, Flash is now isolated to a separate process running in a separate AppContainer, reducing the risk associated with Flash vulnerabilities.

Enterprise-Ready Browsing

Microsoft Edge delivers a faster, more efficient, more compatible, more secure, and more productive browsing experience for all Windows 10 customers. We’ve made some improvements specifically for enterprise customers as well: The Windows 10 Anniversary Update will enable organizations to use Microsoft Edge as their safer, faster default browser, falling back to Internet Explorer 11 only for approved sites that need backward compatibility. Interstitial pages (“Your organization has set this site to automatically open in Internet Explorer”) no longer display by default, and you can restrict the use of Internet Explorer to sites on the Enterprise Mode Site List. We’ve added other management policies based on customer feedback, including both “user” and “computer” policies. Microsoft Edge is great for enterprises, too.

Better with your feedback

Your feedback makes Microsoft Edge better! We’re never done improving, so we’re eager to hear even more feedback on these changes and what you’d like to see next. You can submit your ideas and vote on suggestions by selecting “Send feedback” from the Actions menu (“…”) in Microsoft Edge.
Read more at Windows Blog

Jul 20

Fast Ring: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14393 for PC and Mobile

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Keeping up the fast pase, getting very close to the Anniversary build…

Improvements and fixes for PC

  • We have improved the reliability of Start, Cortana, and Action Center.
  • You should now be able to mount iPods as USB mass-storage devices.

Improvements and fixes for Mobile

  • We fixed an issue resulting in rapid battery drain when Visual Voicemail syncs voicemail messages on Dual SIM devices like the Lumia 950 XL.
  • We also fixed an issue causing some battery drain on older devices like the Lumia 535, 640, 735, 830, 930 and Icon.
  • We fixed the issue causing Voice Recorder to not show up consistently as an option for Call Recording. A app update was released last Friday that fixes this issue. Make sure you have the app version 10.1607.1931.0.
  • We fixed several issues impacting Dual SIM capabilities. Using a device with two SIMs should work as it should.

Known issues for PC

  • We are aware of certain cases in which Surface Books and Surface Pro 4’s may bugcheck (bluescreen) due to a camera driver issue. An updated driver will roll-out via Windows Update soon that will fix this. After updating to this build (Build 14393), you should no longer experience bugchecks (bluescreens) due to a camera driver issue. The bad driver is removed on updating to this build and a new driver is rolling out via Windows Update.

Known issues for Mobile

  • We are continuing to investigate W-Fi issues on certain devices.
  • Turning off Bluetooth can sometimes result in freeze, crash, or reset. See this forum post for more details.
  • Wallet users are prompted for a PIN twice when using tap to pay from a locked phone. You can enter their PIN twice and tap as usual once the phone is unlocked. A fix for this will come as a Wallet app update via the Store. UPDATE 7/19: An updated version of the Wallet app is going out via the Store with the fix to this issue.
  • REMINDER: We have changed the backup format for Windows 10 Mobile devices to reduce the size of the backup stored in OneDrive. As a result, if you do a backup on a device running the latest Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds and move back to the released version of Windows 10 Mobile (Build 10586) and restore from your backup – your Start screen layout won’t restore and remain the default Start layout. Your previous backup also gets overwritten. If you need to go back to Build 10586 temporarily, once you are on Build 10586 you should disable backup so it doesn’t overwrite the good backup from Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds. We will stop noting this going forward.

Read more at Windows Blog

Jul 18

Fast Ring: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14390 for PC and Mobile

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Improvements and fixes for PC

  • You should no longer see the error code 0x80004005 when enabling Developer Mode on the “For Developers” Settings page if your PC is using a non-EN-US language.

Known issues for PC

  • AWARENESS: A recent fix went into place for the Hyper-V firmware that will that affect the ability to boot Windows Server 2016 Tech Preview 5 VMs with Secure Boot enabled. A fix for TP5 builds has been developed however, due to release schedules, the Insider Preview build changes will be released before the TP5 fix is released. During that time, if you try to boot a new TP5 VM with Secure Boot enabled, it will fail. The workaround is to disable Secure Boot during this period.

Known issues for Mobile

  • Voice Recorder does not show up consistently as an option for Call Recording. We heard your feedback and plan to release a Voice Recorder app update via the Store soon that has the fix for this issue.
  • Wallet users are prompted for a PIN twice when using tap to pay from a locked phone. You can enter their PIN twice and tap as usual once the phone is unlocked. A fix for this will come as a Wallet app update via the Store.
  • REMINDER: We have changed the backup format for Windows 10 Mobile devices to reduce the size of the backup stored in OneDrive. As a result, if you do a backup on a device running the latest Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds and move back to the released version of Windows 10 Mobile (Build 10586) and restore from your backup – your Start screen layout won’t restore and remain the default Start layout. Your previous backup also gets overwritten. If you need to go back to Build 10586 temporarily, once you are on Build 10586 you should disable backup so it doesn’t overwrite the good backup from Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds.

Enjoy!
Read more at Windows Blog

Jul 08

Fast Ring: PC & Mobile Insider Preview 14838 Released

windows-10-logo

Another step closer to the Anniversary release of Windows 10, the watermark is also removed in this version…

Improvements and fixes for PC

  • The link to “Get more extensions from the Store” under the Extensions pane in Microsoft Edge now takes you directly to the Store to download available extensions.
  • We have changed the keyboard shortcut to invoke Cortana in listening mode to Win + Shift + C based on feedback from Insiders experiencing a large number of unintended activations of Cortana while in listening mode. Speaking “Hey Cortana”, when enabled in Cortana Settings, continues to invoke Cortana in listening mode as it always has.
  • Going forward from this build, updates to the Quick Action area of Action Center will be preserved across upgrades.
  • We fixed an issue where disconnecting the Surface Book from an external monitor set as primary might result in the Surface Book screen showing in portrait rather than landscape until having detached and reattached the screen.
  • We fixed an issue where the Settings app was showing media controls in the taskbar preview window.
  • We fixed an issue where dragging the file comparison or manage library dialogs between two monitors with different DPIs would result in the dialog content no longer displaying correctly
  • We fixed an issue where the checkmark used to indicate a selected state in app bar toggle buttons wasn’t visible in high contrast, for example in the Photos menu under “…”.
  • We fixed an issue where connecting to a PC using Remote Desktop when a maximized window is immediately behind the Remote Desktop dialog would result in the subsequent the Credential UI window being displayed behind the maximized window.
  • We fixed an issue where, with certain monitor configurations, Explorer.exe would hang after a tooltip is displaying.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in certain Bluetooth mice, such as the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse, sometimes accelerating erratically when moving the cursor across the screen.
  • We fixed an issue where on certain webpages in Microsoft Edge when Narrator was in Scan mode and going line by line through a list of hyperlinks, Narrator wouldn’t announce the fact that these were hyperlinks.
  • We fixed an issue with certain websites potentially causing a memory leak and becoming unresponsive in Microsoft Edge when the LastPass extension had been enabled.

Improvements and fixes for Mobile

  • We have improved battery performance for those who tend to quickly turn the screen on and off in order to look at the Lock screen.
  • We fixed an issue in Microsoft Edge where zooming in and out of embedded maps could sometimes result in the map jumping to an unexpected location.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in volume mute not working on certain devices, such as the Lumia 640, when playing YouTube videos that use the OPUS audio codec.
  • We fixed an issue where if you are connected to a car via Bluetooth that supports it, tapping “End Call” on the car’s console wouldn’t work while an incoming text was being announced.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in not being about to make Store purchases using mobile operator billing when using an Orange SIM.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in Groove sometimes unexpectedly pausing music after music has manually been paused and resumed.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the keyboard sometimes outputting @ and € instead of “a” and “e” for certain languages in Windows Phone 8.1 apps.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in many Windows Phone 8.1 games seeming to play in slow motion on certain devices, such as the Lumia 535.
  • We fixed an issue where notifications received while the screen was off didn’t take into consideration the proximity sensor, resulting in the screen turning on to display the notification while in pockets, potentially leading to accidental screen presses.
  • We fixed an issue where Visual Voicemail setup wouldn’t appear after hard resetting the device.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in tiles pinned from within apps sometimes being blank and not falling back to show the app name within the tile. Also fixed an issue where “SIM 2” title was missing from pinned Messaging and Phone tiles for the second SIM.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in incorrect Start screen scaling after switching from Continuum/Extended Desktop to Mirrored/Duplicated screen on devices with a non-default DPI.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in there sometimes being a delay when showing the missed call count on the Phone app Live tile.

Known issues for PC

  • If you are seeing a notification pop-up once a day that started on 7/1 saying that your Windows evaluation copy expires on 7/15/2016, don’t worry – this is a superfluous dialog and your OS won’t expire.  The dialog will also go away soon.
  • A recent fix went into place for the Hyper-V firmware that will that affect the ability to boot Windows Server 2016 Tech Preview 5 VMs with Secure Boot enabled. A fix for TP5 builds has been developed however, due to release schedules, the Insider Preview build changes will be released before the TP5 fix is released. During that time, if you try to boot a new TP5 VM with Secure Boot enabled, it will fail. The workaround is to disable Secure Boot during this period.

Known issues for Mobile

  • Voice Recorder does not show up consistently as an option for Call Recording.
  • You can open PDFs in Microsoft Edge but won’t be able to use touch to interact with the PDF (such as scrolling, pan or zoom). When you try to use touch to interact with a PDF, it will constantly reload the PDF.
  • REMINDER: We have changed the backup format for Windows 10 Mobile devices to reduce the size of the backup stored in OneDrive. As a result, if you do a backup on a device running the latest Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds and move back to the released version of Windows 10 Mobile (Build 10586) and restore from your backup – your Start screen layout won’t restore and remain the default Start layout. Your previous backup also gets overwritten. If you need to go back to Build 10586 temporarily, once you are on Build 10586 you should disable backup so it doesn’t overwrite the good backup from Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds.

Read more at http://blogs.windows.com

Jul 01

Fast Ring: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14379 for PC and Mobile

windows-10-logo

Starting the summer holidays with another build release for PC & Mobile

Have fun upgrading!

Improvements and fixes for PC

  • We fixed an issue where the size of the Credential UI might not be big enough to display the contents on a PC with High DPI.
  • We fixed an issue where Action Center might crash after dismissing a large number of notifications.
  • We fixed an issue where Centennial app launches from Start or Cortana wouldn’t count towards those apps bubbling up in Start’s “Most used” list.
  • We fixed an issue where no note would have keyboard focus after minimizing then reopening the Sticky Notes app.

Improvements and fixes for Mobile

  • We fixed an issue that could result in a stray focus rectangle becoming visible in certain apps, such as Groove or Cortana, after bringing up the keyboard.
  • We fixed an issue where the aspect ratio of images on live tile wasn’t preserved if they need to be shrunk, leading to them appearing stretched.

Known issues for PC

  • Using Continuum from your phone on your PC via the Connect app will not work. This should be fixed in the next build.

Known issues for Mobile

  • You can open PDFs in Microsoft Edge but won’t be able to use touch to interact with the PDF (such as scrolling, pan or zoom). When you try to use touch to interact with a PDF, it will constantly reload the PDF.
  • We’ve heard you and we are investigating decreases in battery life on older devices such as the Lumia 830, 930, and 1520.
  • We’re also investigating Wi-Fi disconnect issues – if you are experiencing an issue with your Wi-Fi disconnecting, please see this forum post and make sure to upvote Wi-Fi disconnecting issues in the Feedback Hub.
  • REMINDER: We have changed the backup format for Windows 10 Mobile devices to reduce the size of the backup stored in OneDrive. As a result, if you do a backup on a device running the latest Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds and move back to the released version of Windows 10 Mobile (Build 10586) and restore from your backup – your Start screen layout won’t restore and remain the default Start layout. Your previous backup also gets overwritten. If you need to go back to Build 10586 temporarily, once you are on Build 10586 you should disable backup so it doesn’t overwrite the good backup from Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds.

Read more at https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/06/30/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-14379-for-pc-and-mobile/#9P3eQj9DJW61HrmP.99

Jun 29

Fast Ring: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14376 for PC and Mobile

windows-10-logo

Another release for PC & Mobile, time to update your insider machines

Improvements and fixes for PC

  • We’re rolling out an Store update (11606.1001.25) that improves performance and reliability and includes fixes for accessibility as well.
  • Clicking on networks or VPN connections in the network flyout on the taskbar should now launch the network settings page like it should. We also fixed an issue where the network flyout would sometimes only show the network settings link, despite being currently connected to Wi-Fi.
  • For my dev peeps: we fixed the issue causing an error message when you enable Developer Mode due to the necessary package needed from Windows Update not being published appropriately. Go forth and create!
  • We have updated Narrator to now support using physical volume buttons to adjust the volume while Narrator is in Scan Mode. We also fixed an issue that could result in Narrator crashing when arrowing through list entries.
  • We have updated Windows Hello on the Lock screen to not repeat the name of the person logging in, when it is already displayed on the screen.
  • We have fixed an issue where you might be unable to type in some UWP apps. We also fixed an issue resulting in certain Polish characters being duplicated when typed into UWP apps.
  • We fixed an issue where the Lock screen background might not be displayed correctly.
  • We fixed an issue where your password would revert be being hidden if you tried to edit it while holding the reveal button.
  • We fixed an issue where the search dropdown in the Settings app could end up displaying above the search box instead of below it. We also fixed an issue where the “For developers” settings page would be blank while checking for an optional package, and an issue resulting in no handwriting, speech and other optional components being listed for languages that do support them.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in not being able to turn on “set time zone automatically”.
  • We fixed an issue where the icons in some Start menu tiles could appear zoomed in, for example Alarms & Clock app or Calculator app.
  • We have improved the consistency in scrolling and zooming speeds between monitors when using a precision touchpad on a multiple-monitor setup.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in Explorer.exe crashing after receiving a notification from Microsoft Edge.
  • We fixed an issue where the caret might jump to the beginning of the line, rather than maintaining current y axis position when using the up and down arrow keys in a textbox in Microsoft Edge.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in an authentication error when launching mstsc.exe from an elevated Command Prompt.

Improvements and fixes for Mobile

  • We’re rolling out an Store update (11606.1001.25) that improves performance and reliability and includes fixes for accessibility as well.
  • The Gadgets app has been updated to fix issues using it with a Microsoft Display Dock.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in tiles pinned to Start from within an app being blank after a restore. We also fixed an issue that could result in multiple Live tiles no longer updating until the phone had been rebooted.
  • We fixed an issue making it difficult to download certain offline maps via Settings > System > Offline maps, as the list would jump back to the top when you reached close to the bottom.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the Camera app intermittently freezing for a second when used in certain apps.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in links no longer working in Microsoft Edge after exiting one-handed mode while a webpage is loading. We also fixed an issue where the enter key would act as if it had been pressed twice on some websites, resulting in two new lines being entered.
  • We have improved the reliability of going between camera roll and Camera app.
  • We fixed an issue where estimated time remaining for battery life under Settings > System > Battery could be clipped. We also improved performance of enumerating the list of apps in under Settings > System > Storage.
  • We fixed an issue where the link in Cortana to download a speech language would open the Settings app homepage instead of going directly to Settings > Time and language > Language.
  • We fixed an issue where the checkmarks in checkboxes in high contrast mode didn’t use the correct contrast ratio making them difficult to see.

Known issues for PC

  • We don’t have any known issues to list at the moment for PC. If anything comes up, we’ll update this post and add them here.

Known issues for Mobile

  • You can open PDFs in Microsoft Edge but won’t be able to use touch to interact with the PDF (such as scrolling, pan or zoom). When you try to use touch to interact with a PDF, it will constantly reload the PDF.
  • We’ve heard you and we are investigating decreases in battery life on older devices such as the Lumia 830, 930, and 1520.
  • We’re also investigating Wi-Fi disconnect issues – if you are experiencing an issue with your Wi-Fi disconnecting, please see this forum post and make sure to upvote Wi-Fi disconnecting issues in the Feedback Hub.
  • We have changed the backup format for Windows 10 Mobile devices to reduce the size of the backup stored in OneDrive. As a result, if you do a backup on a device running the latest Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds and move back to the released version of Windows 10 Mobile (Build 10586) and restore from your backup – your Start screen layout won’t restore and remain the default Start layout. Your previous backup also gets overwritten. If you need to go back to Build 10586 temporarily, once you are on Build 10586 you should disable backup so it doesn’t overwrite the good backup from Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds.

Other items of note

We have been testing with Windows Insiders a preview of the “Messaging everywhere” feature that allows you to receive and send text messages from your Windows 10 phone directly to and from your Windows 10 PC. The experience was well-received by Insiders however we believe we can deliver an even better experience through the Skype app. Because of this, we decided not to release this feature as part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer. Starting with Build 14376 and going forward, Insiders will no longer have the ability to reply to text messages from their phone via the Messaging app on their PCs. The ability to reply to text messages on your PC using Cortana is unaffected. Going forward, we will be working with the Skype Team on delivering a great “messaging everywhere” experience on your Windows 10 devices through the Skype app. We will share more details about this experience in the months ahead.
Read more at https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/06/28/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-14376-for-pc-and-mobile/#2FhAFDFmM8sctTx1.99

Jun 22

Fast Ring: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14371 for PC

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Here’s what’s new in Build 14371

Activation Improvements: We’ve received feedback from Windows Insiders who have run into activation issues on Genuine Windows devices after making changes to device hardware such as replacing a hard drive or motherboard. As part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update and starting with this Insider Preview build, we’re introducing the Activation Troubleshooter that will help you address most commonly encountered activation issues on Genuine Windows devices including those caused by hardware changes. For example – if your device has a digital license (formerly called “digital entitlement”) for Windows 10 Pro from a previously installed activated Windows 10 build but you accidentally re-installed Windows 10 Home on such a device, the troubleshooter will automatically guide you through upgrading to Windows 10 Pro and activate Windows. You can launch the troubleshooter by going to Settings > Update & security > Activation and select Troubleshoot. Remember, Windows 10 Insider Preview builds are intended to be installed on Genuine Windows devices.

Based on Insider feedback, we are also introducing the ability to link your Microsoft account (MSA) to the activation digital license with this Insider Preview build. If you already used an MSA to log in to your activated Windows 10 Home or Pro device, your MSA will be automatically linked. You can use this MSA linked digital license to re-activate your Genuine Windows 10 device by running the Activation troubleshooter, if you run into Activation issues caused by hardware changes.

Go to the Feedback Hub for additional details about this feature.

Other improvements and fixes for PC

  • We have made a couple of key fixes for accessibility. We fixed the issue causing Narrator to not launch when you toggle switch to “on” via Settings app > Ease of access > Narrator. We also fixed an issue where Narrator spoke at an unexpectedly accelerated rate.
  • We improved learning speed for some slow cases on Japanese IME conversion, and prediction candidate quality. We fixed a short hang issue in Japanese IME which had been there since the Windows 10 November Update.
  • We improved the file download experience in Microsoft Edge. Now if you click on a download link from outside of Microsoft Edge that quickly opens and closes a tab, we will open the Download Hub so it is more apparent that a download has begun and succeeded. We also fixed an issue where moving the caret to beyond the visible end of the textbox when editing the name of a favorite in the Favorites Bar would result in keyboard focus moving to the next favorite. And we also fixed an issue where enter might not work to navigate to a URL if you began typing in the address bar very shortly after opening a new tab.
  • Going forward from Build 14371, the 3D Display setting state will be preserved across build updates.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in MPEG-2 videos showing the wrong duration in the Movies and TV app.
  • We fixed an issue where “Scan options” text in Windows Defender would be clipped when high DPI (text scaling) was increased. We also fixed an issue where the offline scan event wasn’t correctly formatted, and would show an exposed parameter (%1) in the Event Logs. We also fixed an issue resulting in the permissions dialog for a new extension possibly appearing under the Microsoft Edge favorites bar.
  • We fixed an issue where using the OneNote Web Clipper extension for Microsoft Edge on certain sites might result in an error saying “Please allow third party cookies in your browser”.
  • We fixed an issue where the Action Center icon was clipped by the “Show Desktop” icon at 225% DPI. We also improved the resolution of the sound and network icons when using a non-standard DPI setting.
  • We added a small animation to Action Center for when notifications are deleted by the platform or dynamically repositioned, and generally improved Action Center reliability.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the Clock and Calendar flyout possibly showing a very old appointment when looking at today’s events.
  • We fixed an issue where certain keys in the Calculator app might stop working after switching between OCT and HEX mode. We also fixed an issue where hitting Enter in the calculator could result in the menu opening rather than calculating the current result.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in the VPN Settings page freezing after pressing Connect. We also fixed an issue where VPN might attempt to automatically connect over metered networks, despite “Allow VPN over metered connection” being turned off.
  • We fixed an issue where the icon for Settings was missing from the Background apps and Data usage settings pages. We also fixed an issue where content in the Windows Insider Program settings page might be truncated.
  • We fixed an issue where File Explorer would show two copies of any picture or screenshot taken on a phone while that phone was connected to the PC, despite only one file actually existing on the phone.
  • We fixed an issue where going between the All apps list and the tile grid of Start in Tablet mode could have a glitchy animation, or not have an animation at all.
  • We fixed an issue where you might see duplicate “The VPN connection needs your sign-in info.” notifications saved in the Action Center, when only one needed to be displayed.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in certain PDFs failed to print.
  • We fixed an issue where a focus box was sometimes visible when launching the Start menu, resulting in type to search not working.

Known issues for PC

  • Clicking on networks or VPN connections in the network flyout on the taskbar doesn’t launch the network settings page like it should.

Read more at https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/06/22/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-14371-for-pc/#d5Qv3XwtJXwhZjXi.99

Jun 19

Fast Ring: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14367 for PC and Mobile

windows-10-logo

Improvements and fixes for PC

  • Cross-device notifications from your phone to your PC via Cortana are now more reliable and faster. You can also use quick replies from your PC for notifications that support that feature (there is a known issue in which this will only work if your phone’s screen is turned on – we’ll be fixing this!). Additionally, notifications from your phone to your PC will appear under its own Windows Phone group in Action Center – with a fancy new logo to boot!
  • We fixed an issue where the emoji in cross-device notifications would appear as boxes. We also fixed an issue where certain emoji would appear as square boxes in some apps like Notepad.
  • We have fixed the issue with the Desktop App Converter Preview (Project Centennial) however you will need to download the updated version here  http://aka.ms/converter.
  • Fixed an issue resulting in the dialog when joining the PC to an Azure AD potentially being unexpectedly large on certain devices
  • Quick Actions in Action Center that turn on and off different functionality in your device, like Bluetooth on your phone or Tablet Mode on your PC, now have a transient On/Off text indicator so you can clearly see the state change for these. We fixed an issue where the WIN + A keyboard shortcut to launch Action Center wouldn’t work if Action Center icon had been turned off. We also fixed an issue where certain notifications could result in the Action Center not launching until that toast had been cleared.
  • We fixed an issue where Cortana wasn’t showing relevant system settings results for certain terms, in particular “typo” or “connect”.
  • We fixed an issue where the text in the network flyout might change color from white to black when entering credentials if your PC is using dark mode.
  • We fixed an issue where PowerShell shortcuts pinned to the taskbar could only create one functional window – subsequent windows generated from the pinned icon would not accept input.
  • We fixed an issue where each newly opened notes in Sticky Notes would flash white and black after a certain number of notes had already been created.
  • We added a new shortcut to turn on/off Private mode when using the Japanese Input Method Editor. This new keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + Shift + P. We also increased the width of the Japanese 12 key keyboard for small devices when in portrait, so as to improve ease of use and fixed an issue where no characters would be input when using this keyboard in a field where Input Method Editors are disabled
  • We updated the Update & Security, Windows Update and Recovery icons in Settings, to be more reflective of the action
  • We fixed an issue where the Office apps might not show up in Start’s “Most used” list.
  • We fixed an issue where saying “Hey Cortana” would launch Cortana behind Windows Ink Workspace.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in Explorer.exe crashing if you selected “Open Command window here” from File Explorer’s context menu.

Improvements and fixes for Mobile

  • For all of my fellow devs: you should now be able to deploy an app via Visual Studio 2015 Update 2 to a phone running this build. Thanks for being patient!
  • We fixed the issue where Quick Actions in the Settings app were flipped from the order you saw it in the Action Center.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in existing reminders failing to display in Cortana’s reminder section, and an error when attempting to save a new reminder.
  • We fixed an issue where the text selection grippers would appear very tiny in certain places on high DPI phones, such as when selecting text in the reply textbox of an interactive notification.
  • We reduced battery usage when Microsoft Edge is running in the background.
  • We polished Action Center so that font size of dropdowns in interactive notifications is now consistent with surrounding text.
  • We fixed an issue where Battery Saver wouldn’t be turned on after tapping the notification prompting you to turn on Battery Saver when battery is at 20%.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in dropped keystrokes when typing in Outlook Mail or Word Mobile.
  • We fixed an issue where, for phones that support it, the “3G Only” and “Only 3G or 4G” cellular options were not working correctly for some Insiders, resulting in 2G networks being selected.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the Japanese Input Method Editor not working correctly in the All apps list search box.
  • We updated the Phone Update and Update & Security icons in the Settings app to be more reflective of the action.
  • Quick Actions in Action Center that turn on and off different functionality in your device, like Bluetooth on your phone or Tablet Mode on your PC, now have a transient On/Off text indicator so you can clearly see the state change for these. We fixed an issue where if you swiped up on a full screen VOIP notification, the dimmed screen behind it would flash. We also fixed an issue where you may not receive notification toasts until the next time the Action Center had been opened if you had tapped on a notification on the Lock screen but then aborted the prompt to enter your pin.
  • We fixed an issue where Lock screen page in Settings may show incorrect data while page is loading.
  • We fixed an issue where Quiet Hours might unexpectedly turn off after having been manually turned on using the Quick Action.
  • We fixed an issue where certain sample images were displaying in portrait rather than landscape when used as a Lock screen background and phone was connected to an external monitor. In fixing this, these sample images have now become available to select as a background for your second monitor using Continuum.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in key presses sometimes being entered multiple times over Miracast.
  • We fixed an issue where the “The accessory you’re connecting to isn’t working” error was truncated on the Connect settings page.
  • We fixed an issue where the Windows Hello icon might get stuck on the screen after logging in.
  • We fixed an issue where selecting a letter from the All apps list would sometimes scroll that letter to the bottom of the screen, rather than the top.

Known issues for PC

  • Narrator does not launch when you toggle switch to “on” via Settings app > Ease of access > Narrator.

Known issues for Mobile

  • We are investigating data issues with some Dual-SIM devices where cellular data doesn’t work correctly with a second SIM. Several issues relating to cellular data with Dual-SIM devices have been reported by Insiders with the last two Mobile builds and we’re investigating these reports. Thank you for giving us this feedback.
  • There is an issue where certain apps won’t be able to set Start or Lock screen backgrounds.

Read more at https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/06/16/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-14367-for-pc-and-mobile/#su0QVylML2sRkRDX.99

Jun 09

What’s new in Office 365 administration—May roundup

Powered_by_O365
Updates for the new Office 365 admin center

– Support for mail-enabled security groups
– Create custom tiles
– Provide a customized help desk
– Manage email apps
– One management experience across admin center and admin app

Read more here:

https://blogs.office.com/2016/06/08/whats-new-in-office-365-administration-may-roundup/

Jun 09

Fast Ring: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14361

Here’s what’s new in Build 14361

LastPass extension for Microsoft Edge: We are excited to announce that LastPass, a popular free password management extension, is now available for download. Visit our extensions page at the Microsoft Edge Dev website to learn more and try it out for yourself! Be sure to check out the list of known issues for the LastPass extension here.

Introducing Hyper-V Container: You can now use Docker natively on Windows 10 with Hyper-V Containers, to build, ship and run containers utilizing the Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5  Nano Server container OS image. A new version of the Docker engine for Windows has also been made available that extends the support of containers while also improving the DockerFile syntax and getting started experience for users. For more details on how to get started with this check out the Windows container documentation or the Windows 10 Getting Started Guide.

Windows Ink improvements:

  • The Windows Ink ruler is now long enough to span diagonally across the entire Surface Book display.
  • We fixed an issue with the Windows Ink pencil tool, where the line when drawing along the ruler wouldn’t be flush with the ruler as well as an issue resulting in a slight flicker visible in the colored section when opening the Pen, Pencil or Highlighter flyout.
  • We have updated the Touch Inking icon in Windows Ink Workspace to be more reminiscent of the Windows Ink Workspace icon.
  • We improved the performance of loading the Sketchpad thumbnail in the Windows Ink Workspace flyout from the taskbar.
  • Based on Insider feedback, we have made the “clear all” option more discoverable in Sketch Pad as the trash can icon in the menu bar. This was previously accessible as an option under the Erase button.

Settings improvements: We made some improvements to the Settings app based on Insider Feedback. The navigation pane is now white in light mode or black in dark mode and we have added a small block of color (which is same as the accent color of your profile) to highlight what Settings page you are on. Clicking anywhere on the Home button at the top left takes you to the Settings homepage. And we have made some other polish improvements, including slightly increasing the size of the page name text.

image: http://az648995.vo.msecnd.net/win/2016/06/settings-app-improvements-1024×832.png

Settings improvementsNew icons: I’ve been told that Insiders love hearing about new icons. So I thought I would mention we have updated the Blu-ray icon so that it is more consistent with the other drive icons in Windows 10.

image: http://az648995.vo.msecnd.net/win/2016/06/Storage.Optical.Blueray_256.png

Storage.Optical.Blueray_256We also changed the icon for the network Quick Action to better represent it as an entry point to the network flyout (previously, it was a generic globe icon).

image: http://az648995.vo.msecnd.net/win/2016/06/network-quick-action.png

New network Quick Action icon

Other improvements and fixes for PC

  • We fixed the issue causing keyboard navigation in Store apps like Netflix or Tweetium to not work.
  • We fixed the issue causing certain websites like YouTube to fail to render in Microsoft Edge or IE due to a recently implemented feature called TCP Fast Open.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in a strange grey bar frequently being seen on the left side of the Microsoft Edge browser window (for example, after invoking a context menu).
  • The window of active hours for when you are using your PC has been increased from 10 to 12 hours under Settings > Update & security > Windows Update and “Change active hours”.
  • We have updated the download notification in Microsoft Edge to include filename, download status, and site domain on separate lines.
  • Fixed an issue that would cause the icons to disappear from the tabs in Microsoft Edge after the DPI change corresponding with remotely connecting to the PC via Remote Desktop.
  • We fixed an issue where DNG file thumbnails were not displaying in File Explorer.
  • We polished the appearance of Start by reducing the amount of whitespace at the top of Start, and adding logic so that the scrollbars will immediately hide once your mouse is no longer hovering over that area. We also fixed an issue resulting in clipping on the bottom or side of Start’s context menus.
  • We fixed an issue where pressing the Enter key would not submit the Wi-Fi password in the network flyout from the taskbar.
  • We decreased the size of icons used in notifications from 64×64 to 48×48 – maintaining the visibility, while improving the use of space in the Action Center.
  • We have improved the reliability of Cortana’s listening after tapping the mic button and fixed an issue that resulted in focus being lost to Cortana’s search box after a typed search has been deleted via backspace.
  • We have updated Windows Defender to not show recap notifications in normal mode if no scans have been run, or in scan-only mode if no threads have been found.
  • We fixed an issue that resulted in certain apps, such as Photos, not being able to set the desktop background.
  • Going forward from Build 14361, your Task Manager settings will now be preserved across build updates.
  • We fixed an issue where Start wouldn’t dismiss after launching Sticky Notes, leading to Sticky Notes appearing behind Start.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in not being able to set your account picture in Settings using the camera option.
  • We have added a keyboard shortcut for opening the taskbar’s clock and calendar flyout – this shortcut is WIN + Alt + D.
  • We fixed an issue where Command Prompt wasn’t maximizing correctly on high DPI monitors. We also fixed an issue where Command Prompt wouldn’t refresh the windows properly when doing an upwards Ctrl + F search with a long output of text.
  • We fixed an issue where the taskbar’s volume icon was showing incorrect states for 0% and muted.
  • We fixed an issue where applying a new save location on the Storage Settings page for any one file type would result in any other pending save location changes being lost.

Other improvements and fixes for Mobile

  • We fixed the issue that was causing your phone to freeze after touching the screen immediately after enabling Narrator.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in a strange grey bar frequently being seen on the left side of the Microsoft Edge browser window (for example, after invoking a context menu).
  • Going forward from Build 14361, your preferred DPI setting will be backed up and reapplied when restoring your phone.
  • We fixed an issue where “Find on Page” in Microsoft Edge wouldn’t always scroll the word into view. We also fixed an issue resulting in videos played on Facebook flickering if you started playing them after rotating the phone with the video in full screen mode.
  • We fixed an issue where text was being truncated instead of wrapped in the Windows Insider Program page in the Settings app.
  • We polished the notification dismissal model. Now if you receive and dismiss multiple interactive notifications in a row, the black transparent background will not start fading away between them. We fixed an issue that was making it more difficult to dismiss a notification with a hero image, an issue where peeking at a notification while watching Netflix would result in the video pausing, an issue where the keyboard could end up covering the quick reply text box, and an issue where certain notifications might just say “new notification” after a reboot. We also fixed an issue where Action Center would close unexpectedly quickly if a notification had been expanded when you start moving the Action Center’s border up. And we also fixed an issue where an incoming notification would stop Action Center from opening if you were in the process of swiping it down when a notification arrived.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the “now charging” sound frequently playing twice when the charging cable has been plugged in.
  • We fixed an issue where the “Everytime” setting for how often to prompt for pin would be blank on the Sign-in Settings page after opening Settings from the Lock screen.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in not being able to infinitely cycle left or right through the Phone app’s tabs.
  • We fixed an issue where the Lumia 535 and 540 were not displaying a flash toggle in the Camera app.
  • We have updated the text prediction engine for multilingual users, so now the candidates you see when selecting a word will be based on the active keyboard language, rather than the language that was active at the time the word was written.
  • You can now use the keyboard with one hand with additional 5-inch devices such as the Lumia 640 and 830. To use this feature, press the space bar and slide the keyboard to the left or the right – whatever feels most comfortable for you! To return the keyboard to the center, press the space bar again, and slide it back to the middle. You can also slide the keyboard up, using the same method, so it’s closer to the top of the screen if you prefer a higher grip on your phone.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in not being able to infinitely cycle left or right through the Phone app’s tabs.

Known issues for PC

  • If you have a French Windows 10 Insider Preview build installed on your PC, you will not receive Build 14361. There is an issue with the French translation process in this build that would revert a lot of text that was used to be shown in French back to English. So we have chosen not to release this build to Insiders whose base build is French. If your base build is not French and you have a French Language Pack installed – you will still be able to install the new French language pack on top of this build, but this issue will also impact you.
  • Text prediction using the Japanese IME will freeze your PC. To avoid this issue and continue using the Japanese IME, we recommend turning off text prediction. You can do this by right-clicking IME mode icon “A” or “あ” in systray and selecting “Properties”, clicking “Advanced”, and navigate to the “Predictive Input” tab and check off “Use predictive input system”. You can turn on prediction feature again by checking it on.
  • Navigating to the Privacy pages in Settings app will crash the Settings app and prevent you from adjusting your privacy settings. Your privacy settings already set will remain intact after updating to this build. If this is a blocker for you, you can move to the Slow ring until this bug is fixed or be sure to set your privacy settings before updating to this build.
  • If you click on a file download link outside of Microsoft Edge, sometimes Edge will open a tab and close it without doing anything. The workaround is to go to the Download pane and start the download there by clicking “Save” or “Save As”.
  • For certain languages, such as Chinese or Portuguese (Brazil), you will not be able to launch Start while an app is installing.

Known issues for Mobile

  • You won’t be able to deploy an app via Visual Studio 2015 Update 2 to a phone running this build. As a workaround – you can deploy the app by using the Windows 10 Application Deployment (WinAppDeployCmd.exe) command-line tool.
  • In some cases, the new cross-device Cortana features first highlighted in Build 14356 may not work. Restarting your phone should fix the issue and get the features working.
  • After installing this build, you may notice your Quick Actions icons are not in the same order. This is a side effect of the fixes/changes we made to Action Center. To re-arrange your icons to your preferred order, just go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions > (Quick actions) and touch, hold, and then drag to re-arrange icons to whatever position you want. Remember: the four items in the top row are what will show as your immediately viewable Quick Actions.
  • We are continuing to investigate data issues with some Dual-SIM devices where cellular data doesn’t work correctly with a second SIM. Several issues relating to cellular data with Dual-SIM devices have been reported by Insiders with the last two Mobile builds and we’re investigating these reports.

Read more at https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/06/08/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-14361/#J86s1L8pwdCWwlfm.99