Microsoft Releases Windows 7 Update KB4493132 to Show End-of-Support Warnings

Microsoft has released a new update for Windows 7 that is specifically developed to bring end-of-support notifications to the desktop.

The support for Windows 7 comes to an end in January 2020, and Microsoft announced earlier this year that it would begin displaying warnings on the desktop in order to make people conscious of the upcoming deadline.

While it is going to be possible to block these notifications from turning up once again, Microsoft will even include information about how to upgrade to Windows 10, because this is the preferred operating-system for those who are taking into consideration the migration.

The new update that’s now offered to Windows 7 devices is KB4493132, and according to Microsoft, it will likely be presented to all systems running this year’s operating-system automatically via Windows Update.

“After 10 years of servicing, January 14, 2020, may be the last day Microsoft will offer you security updates for computers running Windows 7 SP1. This update enables reminders about Windows 7 end of support,” Microsoft explains on the official KB article.

“The new Windows XP”

A reboot won’t be asked to complete installing the update, so don’t be too surprised if notifications start showing up all of a sudden on your device.

Windows 7 continues to be the 2nd most-used desktop operating system worldwide having a share near to 36 percent, while Windows 10 is number one after some over 39 percent. Windows 7, however, is very likely to become the new Windows XP, as many users won’t upgrade to Windows 10 in order to stick with the more familiar Windows experience.

Nevertheless, considering that we’re currently within the last couple of months of extended support for Windows 7, expect the number of users upgrading to Windows 10 to increase by the end of 2019.

This is actually the New Sticky Notes for Windows 10

Sticky Notes is among my personal favorite apps in Windows 10 mostly because it lets me keep track of things that are super-important, all without needing to cope with cluttered interfaces and options that I really don’t need.

The very best of all is that Sticky Notes can be obtained on Android too because of integration in Microsoft Launcher, so I’m technically capable of taking my notes with me wherever I go.

The most recent form of Sticky Notes includes some pretty huge improvements, specifically for existing users who were hoping to get new capabilities for a way they’ve created and manage notes.

The update to version 3.6 is currently readily available for Windows insiders in the Skip Ahead ring, and users must be running at least Windows 10 build 18855 to be offered the brand new version.

First of all, the most significant improvement in this update may be the capability to include images in sticky notes. In other words, the important points no more need to come down simply to text, but also contain pictures, which could obviously boost the purpose of a sticky note entirely.

To insert a photo, all you need to do would be to open the new note interface after which click on the picture icon towards the bottom toolbar. This will open the standard browse dialog which allows you to supply the path to the look that you would like to make use of.

The photo will be inserted in to the note and is automatically resized to match how big the note. The image also adapts towards the dimensions of the window while you resize it. Additionally, the picture is displayed not only when opening a note, but additionally in the main Sticky Notes UI that displays a summary of all the notes.

Exactly the same behavior is being used here, so if you resize the main screen of the app, the photo is automatically resized as well.

There aren’t any additional tweaks for that photo that you could apply after inserting these questions note.

The other new major accessory for the Sticky Notes feature arsenal is support for multiple desktops. Windows 10 itself comes with an option that enables users to create and focus on multiple desktops simultaneously, so Sticky Notes are now able to change and display the important points whatever the desktop you’re currently on.

Starting with this update, the application also displays sticky notes in the Alt + Tab app switching interface. However, this only works in case your notes are expanded and not just displayed in the main screen of the app. But when they’re, pressing Alt + Tab enables you to jump straight to the note you would like without needing to first open Sticky Notes and then click it.

A more subtle improvement which many users could possibly miss if they don’t pay close attention to the Sticky Notes interface concerns the context menus when selecting text in a note.

This latest version introduces icons for the options that are displayed within this context menu, for example copy, cut, paste, undo and redo. This isn’t a significant improvement, but it certainly helps to make the interface overall feel more straightforward, especially as the application overall gets additional features and therefore becomes a little bit more cluttered than the first iterations.

Overall, Sticky Notes is clearly evolving, which can only be great news for those who are avid fans of the app, like I’m. There’s no ETA at this time concerning the release for all Windows 10 users, however this shouldn’t take long because the latest version seems to work pretty neatly at this time.

Chromium-Based Microsoft Edge Installer Shows Up, You Can’t Use It Just Yet

The work on the new Microsoft Edge browser advances, after coming across the brand new extension store that Microsoft will keep on its own separately from the Chrome Online store, here’s a brand new discovery associated with the brand new app.

The download link pointing towards the installer from the new Microsoft Edge version has become ready to go, before anything, just don’t get your hopes too high.

This link only works best for Microsoft employees, so even though you manage to get the installer, you won’t have the ability to fire up and download the brand new browser.

Instead, this installer shows that we’re getting closer to as soon as when Microsoft should unveil a preview of the Chromium-based Edge browser, even though many expect the company to carry it back before the Build developer conference in May.

“The migration from EdgeHTML to Chromium”

Microsoft announced in late 2018 it would be giving up on EdgeHTML for Microsoft Edge, the native browser in Windows 10, and migrate to Chromium, exactly the same engine that powers the greater popular Google Chrome.

The organization promised to support the feel and look of Microsoft Edge within the latest version, though it was pretty clear that some features would go away.

A preview form of the brand new Microsoft Edge browser was scheduled to ship in early 2019, according to Microsoft’s original announcement, and while not one other specifics were provided, evidence discovered in the last couple weeks indicate that the release is near.

The preview version of Microsoft Edge will only focus on Windows 10, but Microsoft’s plan is that after migrating to Chromium, the browser could be released on other platforms too, including here not only older Windows versions, like Windows 7, but additionally non-Windows os’s like macOS and Linux.

Microsoft Releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18358 as RTM Is simply Nearby

Microsoft just released another build for Fast ring insiders because the clients are getting closer to the moment it ought to sign off the RTM.

Windows 10 build 18358 doesn’t bring any additional features, which makes sense. At this advanced stage from the development process, Microsoft’s only priority is to iron out bugs within the operating system and refine the performance ahead of the public launch.

New features would only require more testing, so it’s reliable advice that at this point, Windows 10 19H1 is feature-locked.

In terms of what-s new within this build, it all is dependant on bug fixes, and for example, Microsoft says it’s correct a problem where certain upgrade paths could cause the contents of the Recycle Bin being left under Windows.old. Also, Microsoft fixed a problem causing some insiders to encounter a fatal crash – also referred to as Green Screen of Death in the Windows Insider program.

“New known issue hitting the Microsoft Store”

The organization continues its gaming experiment without telling us just what it-s about.

“Installed the Insider version of State of Decay already? We’ll be trying out another update later today. To get it, launch the shop app, click […] after which “Downloads and Updates”. Once installed, you shouldn’t use whatever difference in the sport – it’s only a test update – but please let us know contrary doesn’t work!” Dona Sarkar, chief from the Windows Insider program, explains.

There are many other known issues, together with a bug hitting the Microsoft Store app. App updates don’t automatically install on this build, and Microsoft states that users need to manually check for updates after which install them in the Store.

You can find the full changelog in the box after the jump and then check out Windows Update to download this build if you’re a Fast ring insider.

Do you know the differences between Microsoft Office 2019 and Office 365?

Microsoft Office could be the de facto productivity tool for millions of workers worldwide, but it’s no monolith. As opposed to a single, towering smooth-black Office, there is a whole Stonehenge of options: Office on the iPhone, on iPad, Office on Android smartphones, Office on pcs, Windows and macOS, Office having a handful of applications, Office with fist-fulls of apps.

However when you get down to it, you will find only 2 kinds of Office. One, labeled Office 2019, is the stand-alone suite that traces its roots back to the last century. Another, Office 365, is the subscription service that debuted in 2011.

The way they differ could be confusing, especially since each includes, more or less, exactly the same applications. Listed here are three ways to inform these tools apart, along with a take a look at what’s coming, according to Microsoft’s new support policies for both Office 2019 and Office 365.

How Office pays for

Difference between Office 2019 and Office 365, purchase plans are some of the most striking.

Office 2019, whether bought one copy at any given time in retail or perhaps in plenty of hundreds via volume licensing, continues to be dubbed a “one-time purchase” by Microsoft to spell out how it’s taken care of. (Labels like “perpetual,” which have been widely used by Computerworld, technically note the type of license rather than payment methodology, but in Office’s case, the type of license is tied to whether or not this was bought outright or simply “rented.”)

Microsoft defines the word as when “…you have to pay just one, up-front cost to get Office applications for just one computer.” Up-front is the key adjective there; Office 2019’s entire purchase price should be organized before finding the software.

That purchase, actually of a license to legally run the software, gives the buyer the right to use Office 2019 in perpetuity. In other words, the license has no expiration date, and users might run the suite as long as they want. Purchase Office 2019 this season and employ it for the following seven years? Fine. Run it until 2030? Absolutely nothing to prevent you.

One-time purchases include Office Standard 2019 and Office Professional Plus 2019 (Windows) and Office Standard 2019 for Mac (macOS), the enterprise-grade SKUs available only via volume licensing; and retail packages such as Office Professional 2019 (Windows) and Office Home & Business 2019 (macOS).

Office 365, the purchase method Microsoft pushes most aggressively, is really a subscription service, so debts are paid monthly or annually. In certain rare instances, annual payments may produce savings in return for a commitment: Office 365 Business Premium, for instance, costs $12.50 per month per user when paid within an annual lump sum ($150 per user), but $15 per month per user on the month-to-month plan ($180).

All enterprise plans – from Enterprise E1 to E5, as well as ProPlus – don’t offer a monthly option but require an annual commitment.

Like every subscription, Office 365 supplies a service – in this case, the authority to run the suite’s applications and access the associated services – only as long as payments continue. Stop paying, and rights to run the apps and services expire. (Actually, they don’t immediately cease working; everything continues to operate normally for Thirty days beyond the previous payment’s due date.)

A license for Office 365, then, is contingent on sustained payments. Halt the second and the license is revoked. Restarting the payments restores the license.

Office 365 plans vary from one for individual consumers (Office 365 Personal) and smaller businesses (Office 365 Business) to educational facilities (Office 365 Education E5) and corporations (Office 365 Enterprise E3). Office 365 is also part of Microsoft 365, an even more expensive subscription. The latter comes with labels resembling the ones from Office 365, including Microsoft 365 Business and Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3.

How each version of Office is serviced

Although payments define one difference between Office 2019 and Office 365, Microsoft’s turn to a faster development and release pace is ultimately more essential to users – and the IT experts who support them.

Consider Office 2019 as traditional software made traded in traditional ways. That holds for servicing, too. Microsoft provides monthly security updates for Office applications, usually on the second Tuesday of each month, as well as fixes non-security bugs for that first five years from the SKU’s lifecycle.

But Office 2019 doesn’t receive upgrades with new features and functionality. What you’ll get whenever you purchase the suite, feature-wise, is it. If you wish to run a new edition, say, Office 2022 (Microsoft only has said it will do another perpetual version, not too it will be so named), you will have to pay another up-front fee to operate it.

Office 365, on the other hand, has a different servicing model. While the Office applications licensed to users through Office 365 receive the same security patches (and non-security fixes) distributed to Office 2019, they also acquire additional features and functionality on a twice-a-year schedule. Those upgrades are issued first in September and March of each year as “Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted), then followed in January and July with “Semi-Annual Channel” releases. This support document explains the update channels of Office 365 ProPlus, the application bundle included in Office 365.

As new features and functionality accrete, the applications evolve until, sooner or later, Microsoft says they are sufficiently different to warrant a new numerical moniker, such as Office 2022 or Office 2025 (when the perpetual version goes on that long). It will then package those versions into a better suite for purchasers who keep one-time, up-front purchases.

How Office hooks up with cloud services

Neither Office 2019 or Office 365 is truly cloud-based, but both of them are able to connect with Microsoft’s cloud services (and also to a very limited extent, some third-party services). Currently, both the applications awarded inside a one-time acquisition of Office 2019 and those installed included in an Office 365 subscription can interact with services such as Microsoft-hosted Exchange, OneDrive storage and Skype for Business.

However, in April 2017 Microsoft announced a major change in the rights of perpetual Office. Office 2019’s applications – acquired through an up-front acquisition of the suite – must be within their “Mainstream” support period, the very first 5 years of the guaranteed lifecycle, for connecting with Microsoft’s cloud services.

“Office 2019 connections to Office 365 services will be supported until October 2023,” Microsoft stated in one support document. (For a while, Microsoft pegged the service cut-off for Office 2016 at October 2020 but within a couple of months it retreated and asserted, like Office 2019, the older suite would connect with Microsoft’s cloud services until October 2023.)

The modification clearly took aim at customers who mixed cloud services with traditional one-time payment software, since it effectively halved the time the latter might be utilized in those organizations. Simultaneously, the post-2023 rule advanced Microsoft’s efforts to push business customers toward subscriptions. The organization was not shy about saying that Office 365 is, ultimately, inevitable.

“Most in our cloud-powered innovation is coming to Office 365 and Microsoft 365. However, we notice that some customers can’t proceed to the cloud in the near term. We want to support all of our customers within their journey towards the cloud, at the pace that makes the most sense for them,” Microsoft said.

Applications from an Office 365 subscription won’t ever possess a connect cutoff date.

How Office will be supported in the future

On Feb. 1, 2018, Microsoft revealed changes in support for Office 2019, even though the “one-time purchase” product hadn’t yet been released. The organization also previewed a shape-shift in support for Office 365, specifically the ProPlus component – the desktop productivity applications – slated to take effect in January 2020.

Microsoft plans to slash support for Office 2019.

“Office 2019 will give you 5 years of mainstream support and approximately 2 years of extended support,” wrote Jared Spataro, the general manager for Office, in a Feb. 1, 2018, post to a company blog. “This is … to align using the support period for Office 2016. Extended support can finish 10/14/2025.” As Spataro implied, Office 2016’s support also will arrived at an end Oct. 14, 2025.

Office 2016 is to buy Ten years of support (five in the “Mainstream” support stretch, five in “Extended”). Office 2019 will get just 7, representing a decrease of 30%. Because Office 2019’s Mainstream support can finish Oct. 10, 2023, that will be the cut-off for connecting Office 2019’s applications to Microsoft’s cloud services (see “How Office hooks up with cloud services” above).

Spataro also dissed perpetual Office more explicitly. “It has become imperative to move our software to some more modern cadence,” he wrote, implying that years of support for one-time payment software was either onerous for Microsoft or put customers at risk (or both).

Combined with the reduction of the support timeline, Microsoft also announced that Office 2019 would be supported only on Windows 10. Despite the fact that Windows 7 has until Jan 14, 2020, before it’s retired, and Windows 8.1 may have over 4 years remaining, Office 2019 won’t be supported on either.

Meanwhile, Microsoft initially vowed to curtail support for Office 365’s ProPlus, too.

A year ago, Microsoft asserted after Jan. 14, 2020, only Windows 10 would be supported for running Office 365 ProPlus; that date is the head-to-assisted-living deadline for Windows 7. Windows 8.1 was also to fall off the ProPlus supported list, as was the Windows 10 LTSC (Long-term Servicing Channel) version.

Again, Microsoft blinked. In September, the organization changed its mind about reducing Windows 8.1’s access to Office 365 ProPlus.

“To support customers already on Office 365 ProPlus through their operating system transitions, we’re … revising some announcements which were made in February,” said Spataro in a Sept. 6, 2018 blog post. “Office 365 ProPlus will still be supported on Windows 8.1 through January 2023, the end-of-support date for Windows 8.1.”_

The no-support rule for Windows 10 LTSC remained in position, however.

Known Issues in Windows 10 Cumulative Update KB4489899

Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 cumulative update KB4489899 for devices running version 1809 (October 2018 Update), and the company acknowledged three different issues.

First of all, update KB4489899 retains the web Explorer 11 that was discovered within the February 2019 cumulative update and which in turn causes authentication problems in the browser.

“This occurs when two or more people use the same user account for multiple, concurrent login sessions on a single Windows Server machine, including Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and Terminal Server logons,” Microsoft says, adding that a patch could be shipped within an upcoming release.

Then, the software giant states that some systems with multiple audio devices could experience sound issues after installing the update. The applications that could encounter such problems include Windows Media Player, Realtek HD Audio Manager, and Sound Blaster User interface. Microsoft says users can manually set a default audio device within their apps, like a fix ought to be released later this month.

“KB4489899 apparently installing correctly for everyone”

And finally, cumulative update KB4489899 also causes errors for several applications and also the Group Policy Editor.

“After installing this update, MSXML6 causes applications to stop responding if the exception was thrown during node operations, such as appendChild(), insertBefore(), and moveNode(),” Microsoft says. “Group Policy editor may also be affected when editing an organization Policy Object (GPO) which contains an organization Policy Preference for Internet Settings.”

In this case, the organization says a resolution could be included in a future update, but no ETA has been provided this time around.

There are no reports of failed installs to date, and KB4489899 installed correctly on our devices here at Softpedia. We’ll continue to monitor feedback received from users and allow you to determine if every other issues with cumulative update KB4489899 are hit on Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

Cumulative Update KB4489899 Fixes the Windows 10 Performance Degradation Bug

This month’s cumulative update for Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update) corrects the performance degradation issue which was caused by a previous update.

Windows 10 cumulative update KB4489899 was released this week for devices running version 1809, and it includes several important changes, for example critical security fixes for the operating-system and also the other built-in components.

But for many users, the highlight is a bug fix that addresses the gaming performance degradation experienced after installing the March 1 cumulative update.

As Microsoft explained within the release notes of update KB4482887, after installing this release “users may notice graphics and mouse performance degradation with desktop gaming when playing certain games, for example Destiny 2.”

“Second bug also fixed”

There was no workaround readily available for this bug, therefore it was crucial for Microsoft to ship a fix as soon as possible. And as as it happens, the organization were able to address the issue only a few two weeks after rolling out the update causing it, so users are actually recommended to install KB4489899 to obtain the fix on their devices. The KB4489899 changelog reads:

“Addresses an issue that may degrade graphics and mouse performance with desktop gaming when playing certain games, such as Destiny 2, after installing KB4482887.”

As reported earlier, cumulative update KB4489899 has a number of three different known issues, but none of them of these concerns the performance from the system.

Update KB4489899 also resolves a second problem introduced by one of its predecessors and causing the installation or removal of files using the MSI or MSP format to fail with error 1309.

KB4489899 is provided automatically via Windows Update, and you may determine whether it installed correctly by checking the version of the system. To do this, type winver in the Start menu. The OS build number after installing KB4489899 is 17763.379.

Microsoft Brings Windows 10 Emoji on Windows 7 with Office 2016 Update

Emojis seem like priority for Microsoft, as the company is rolling out several improvements towards the small smiley faces in the operating systems once in a while, now it’s bringing the Windows 10 experience on Windows 7 with an Office update.

@SwiftOnSecurity was the first to spot the update, with Microsoft itself explaining that the new Office 2016 update indeed brings emoticons in documents on Windows 7.

The update, however, doesn’t bring emoji in the operating system per se, only in Office documents, addressing an element that many people complained about in the last versions. Microsoft explains that oftentimes, emojis appeared as if black boxes in Office, so with this update, this problem is finally fixed with the aid of a new font that’s automatically instead in the system and used by the productivity suite.

“Emojis are sometimes displayed as square boxes in Office 2016 applications in Windows 7. This problem occurs because Office 2016 applications request Emojis to be displayed within the Segoe UI Emoji font, and also the font is missing in Windows 7. This update installs the Segoe UI Emoji font,” Microsoft says.

“Available for many Office versions”

The update is available for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the productivity suite, also it can be installed for the majority of Office versions, including Professional and Professional Plus.

As far as Windows 10 users are worried, they’re also getting their own share of improvements for the emoji experience, with Microsoft revamping the entire touch keyboard and introducing new methods to insert smiley faces into conversations.

At this point, all these tweaks are just readily available for users who’re participating in the Windows Inside program, but systems in the production ring should receive them as well in September once the Windows 10 Creators Update is finalized. Obviously, these improvements will be exclusively available for Windows 10 users and no other Windows version would get them.

Microsoft Office 2019 Updated with New Onenote Interface

Microsoft can make a significant change with the release of Office 2019, leaving the desktop form of Onenote behind and instead betting big around the UWP version of the note-taking app.

Recently, the company has progressed towards this goal using the discharge of a brand new interface update for Onenote that prepares the UWP app for that Office 2019 treatment.

The menu design has been aligned using the one featured within the remainder of Office 2019 apps, as Microsoft wants its productivity tools to focus on probably the most essential options and to make them easier to reach with this revised ribbon.

Onenote UWP has become getting these refinements as well, and Microsoft first lets insiders to test them out before everyone would be updated when the Office 2019 productivity suite becomes available.

“OneNote for Windows 10”

Microsoft announced in April 2018 that Onenote desktop app would be substituted for the Windows 10 version since the latter has reached its maturity and boasts all the features currently available within the other, at the same time allowing for more improvements easier.

Using the UWP apps, Onenote users will get updates automatically through the Microsoft Store. Office 2019 is going to be only at Windows 10, so switching to Onenote UWP is a move which makes sense in the long term for the software giant.

“Over recent times and a half we’ve added a lot more than 100 of the favorite Onenote 2016 features according to your feedback (thanks!), with more improvements in route including tags and integration with Office documents,” William Devereux, Onenote Product Manager, said earlier this year when announcing the change.

Microsoft Office 2019 is projected to produce later this season and users will still be allowed to continue running the desktop version of Onenote if they want to. The UWP version, however, will become the new default and will be offered on new installs. The desktop sibling will keep getting security updates until 2025.

Hands-On with the New Free Office App for Windows 10

Microsoft has released a new Office app for Windows 10v that’s supposed to make it simpler for users to access the productivity suite, their files, and share documents with contacts.

Basically, the simply-called Office app should really replace My Office within the operating-system and merely behave as a hub for that productivity suite.

In other words, even though it may suggest otherwise given its name, “Office” for Windows 10 doesn’t permit you to create, save, and edit documents without paying. Instead, it connects you together with your already-purchased Office product inside a more seamless manner.

The Office app has already been available for download from the Microsoft Store, and users can get it at this time without having to pay just one cent. The app can come pre-installed in Windows 10 beginning with the April 2019 Update. Obviously, for this app to make sense at all, you need to be running Office 2016, Office 2019, and have an energetic subscription to Office 365.

Office has a rather simple and clean interface, after launching it, the purpose becomes pretty obvious.

All Office apps are provided towards the top of the screen, and clicking the shortcuts opens them instantly. You can also open Office Online if you wish to access your documents in the cloud. Depending on the Office version installed on your device (subscription or on-premises), clicking the icons open the correct application after logging into websites.

There are also buttons to install Office and buy the productivity suite towards the top of the screen when the software isn’t detected in your device.

The low part of the screen is being employed for quick access for your documents, and also the files are categorized in three categories: recent, pinned, and distributed to me.

The current category displays the documents that you’ve done recently and saved in the cloud, while the pinned section only shows those files that you manually pinned.

To get this done, within the recent category, click the three-dot menu alongside each file and click on the Add to pinned option. Exactly the same menu enables you to open a document in Office Online, open within the available Office app, remove it from list, or open its location.

The distributed to me section provides quick access to documents which have previously been shared with you by your contacts, and this option is available in particularly handy for enterprise customers or those using Office within their company.

There’s also shortcuts to upload and open documents, but additionally to quickly create new files in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Sway.

Aaaand, that’s pretty much all about the app. Your bank account details are displayed in the top right corner, while a simple shortcut at the bottom from the screen lets you open more files in OneDrive.

What I’d want to see improved within the Office app, though I don’t find it really helpful right now, would be to see recent files that have been saved on my device, not only to the cloud. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the remaining Office apps already have a built-in listing of recently-saved documents, so I see no reason to show them because well.

The official description published in the Microsoft Store claims a search feature should also be offered to look for documents offline an internet-based, but this doesn’t seem to be available today.

Most likely, nearly all Windows 10 users will forget this app exists as it doesn’t bring a significant benefit from home users, for example, and I said earlier, it makes more sense within the enterprise. We’ll see how successful it’s once it starts on offer as pre-installed.