February 2021 – Microsoft Software Blog

Version 20H2 Now Running on 1 in 5 Windows 10 PCs

Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 feature update is version 20H2, even though the rollout happens to be under way, more computers do the installation once the new tidbits become on Windows Update.

And according to data shared by AdDuplex, version 20H2 has become running on 20 percent of all Windows 10 PCs available, while Windows 10 version 2004 continues to be leading version with 41.8 percent of computers already updated to Microsoft’s operating-system.

Windows 10 version 1909 is constantly on the hold a share of 26.8 percent, while Windows 10 May 2019 Update, or version 1903, has dropped to 5.8 percent.

Listed here are the full Windows 10 numbers at the time of writing:

Windows 10 version 2004: 41.8%
Windows 10 version 1909: 26.8%
Windows 10 version 20H2: 20%
Windows 10 version 1903: 5.8%
Windows 10 version FCU and older: 2.1%
Windows 10 version 1803: 1.7%
Windows 10 version 1809: 1.4%
Windows 10 Insider builds: 0.3%

Windows 10 version 21H1 on its way

Microsoft has confirmed the following Windows 10 feature update is version 21H1 and it is coming later this spring.

“Based on feedback and learnings during the past year of extensive remote work, learning and play, version 21H1 is going to be delivered with servicing technology (like that employed for the monthly update process and just how 20H2 was delivered). Windows 10, version 21H1 will have a scoped set of features improving security, remote access and quality. The features we’re releasing in this update are focused on the core experiences that customers have told us they’re relying on most at this time. So, we optimized this release to aid our customers’ most pressing needs,” the company said.

According to Microsoft’s typical release calendar, Windows 10 version 21H1 is anticipated in April or May.

Microsoft Now Lets Users Embed Pinterest Pins in Word Documents

Microsoft has announced a new feature for Word and Onenote users, as it brings Pinterest integration right into documents.

In other words, Pinterest pins is now able to embedded into Onenote and Word, and Microsoft says it all comes down to simply pasting the URL of any pin into a document.

So theoretically, all you have to do is to paste the Link to any pin inside a Onenote page or perhaps a Word document, and the newly-released feature automatically detects it, then rendering it as a live interactive embed. This is because straightforward as it gets, and Microsoft says the ones to profit in the new feature are educators, who’re often using Pinterest to discover new content.

“Educators all over the world love using Pinterest to discover and save materials, lessons plans, ideas and digital materials for their classroom. Over the past few years, we’ve heard many requests for a Pinterest integration with Onenote,” Microsoft explains.

Now live in Word on the internet

“The Onenote binder metaphor, and the capability to easily embed Pinterest Pins interactively in Onenote, organize them, or distribute to other people in Onenote Class Notebook, appeared like an excellent match. Additionally, with our recent announcement of Microsoft Word for web support for interactive content, we’ve also added Pinterest support here as well! Today we are excited to announce the combination between Pinterest, Onenote and Word.”

For the time being, the brand new feature is just obtainable in Microsoft Word on the internet, and also the company hasn’t shared any information as to when it intends to take it to the other versions of the app. So far as Onenote is worried, the new Pinterest integration is reside in Onenote for Windows 10, Onenote online, as well as in Mac, iPad, and Android applications.

Microsoft announces Office 2021, readily available for Windows and macOS later this year

Microsoft is announcing two new versions of Office today: someone Office 2021 version and Office LTSC for commercial customers. Office 2021 is going to be available later this season for Windows and macOS, and other alike towards the previous Office 2019 release, it’s designed for people who don’t wish to subscribe to the cloud-powered Microsoft 365 variants.

Microsoft isn’t fully detailing all of the features and alterations in Office 2021 at this time, but the Office LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) variant will include things like dark mode support, accessibility improvements, and features like Dynamic Arrays and XLOOKUP in Excel. Office 2021 will include similar features.

Don’t expect any major UI changes here, either. Dark mode may be the obvious change visually, but Microsoft will still focus the majority of its interface and cloud-powered features around the Microsoft 365 versions of Office first.

Office LTSC is a clear recognition from Microsoft that does not all of its business customers are prepared to proceed to the cloud, though. “It’s only a matter of attempting to meet customers where they’re,” explains Jared Spataro, head of Microsoft 365, within an interview using the Verge. “We certainly have a large amount of customers that have moved to the cloud during the last 10 months, that’s happened en masse really. At the same time, we definitely have customers who’ve specific scenarios where they don’t feel like they can move to the cloud.”

Those specific scenarios include regulated industries where processes and apps can’t change monthly, or manufacturing plants that rely on Office and wish a locked-in time release. Microsoft is also investing in another perpetual form of Office for the future, but it’s changing up pricing and how these new versions will be supported.

Office LTSC will now only be supported for five years rather than the seven that Microsoft has typically provided for Office. Pricing for Office Professional Plus, Office Standard, and individual apps can also be increasing 10 % for commercial customers, using the Office 2021 consumer and small business pricing remaining exactly the same.

The Office LTSC support timing aligns more closely with how Windows is supported, and Microsoft is also aligning its release schedules for both Office and Windows more closely consequently. Both of the following versions of Office LTSC and Windows 10 LTSC is going to be released in the second half of 2021. “They is going to be closely timed, although we don’t possess the details yet for the Windows release,” says Spataro. “The idea would be to bring them close together to ensure that enterprises can deploy and manage them on a similar type of cadence.”

Microsoft has become likely to to produce preview of Office LTSC in April, with a full release later this year. The consumer Office 2021 variant won’t be accessible in preview, though. Both of the brand new Office variants will even ship with Onenote and include 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Who Gets Windows 10 Version 21H1 and just how

Microsoft will ship Windows 10 version 21H1 later this season, using the company confirming today this new release will be a smaller pack of improvements much like version 20H2.

Quite simply, you won’t get too many new features, which kind of is sensible, as Microsoft just wants to improve the efficiency of the operating system and make certain things are working correctly.

But at the same time, Microsoft hopes that delivering a quality update-like release would help ensure a smoother experience for everyone, and also the company explains that those who currently run Windows 10 version 2004 or Windows 10 version 20H2 will benefit from the fastest update process.

“Customers running either Windows 10, version 2004 or version 20H2 who choose to update to the new release have a fast installation experience since the update will install like a monthly update,” John Cable, V . p ., Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery, explained.

Phased rollout

“For consumer or commercial users originating from versions of Windows 10 sooner than the May 2020 Update (version 2004), the process of updating towards the new release will be the just like it’s been and will work in a similar manner to previous Windows 10 feature updates, utilizing the same tools and procedures. Because this Windows 10 release concentrates for the first 1 / 2 of 2021, all Windows 10 editions of version 21H1 will get 1 . 5 years of servicing.”

Needless to say, Microsoft will even ship installation media and release version 21H1 with the Media Creation Tool, so much like before, users is going to be provided with various methods to get the new feature update.

As usual, the company will be using a gradual rollout method of make certain major bugs don’t hit a substantial number of devices and the release is suspended for particular configurations using safeguard holds.

Microsoft Starts Prompting Microsoft Edge Users to set up the Mobile Browser

Microsoft is betting big on Microsoft Edge browser in the long term, therefore the clients are investing big on new capabilities that will make its app a better option to the likes of Chrome and Firefox.

But simultaneously, the Redmond-based software giant also hopes more users would give a try to the mobile app, as Edge is now available on Android and iPhone too.

Needless to say, Microsoft hopes people would stick with Edge browser on all platforms, so it has developed sync features that would allow some data to roam between devices once the same Microsoft account is used.

So at this time, Microsoft Edge can be obtained almost everywhere, including Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Linux, macOS, Android, and iPhone.

Try the browser recommended by Microsoft

As noted by Neowin, Microsoft now hopes that those who installed Advantage on the desktop will give a go to the mobile version too, therefore it started showing messages within the browser to prompt these to download the app on the smartphone.

“Sync your computer and your mobile devices. Pick up in which you left off with Microsoft Edge for your phone or tablet. Scan the QR code to get started,” Microsoft says in a message that now turns up within the settings screen of Advantage on the desktop. A QR code is also generated to take users right to the download page of the mobile browser in the App Store or Google Play Store.

The good news is the message isn’t whatsoever intrusive, because it only turns up within the settings screen, with no notification or things like that displayed towards the user.

So after the day, it’s perfectly alright should you agree to install Edge mobile, having a dismiss button also shown in the event you never want to see the message again.

One other popular App Drops Windows XP Support

Windows XP was probably the most popular Windows versions Microsoft ever launched, and despite no longer getting any updates since April 2014, way too many devices continue to run it to this day.

Based on third-party share of the market data, over 1 percent from the world’s PCs are still on Windows XP, although the security risks of running such old software tend to be than obvious.

However, if the security risks do not convince quite a few users to upgrade, maybe the always-increasing quantity of apps giving up on support for the operating-system is something that’ll eventually make sure they are a minimum of consider moving to supported Windows.

Now, it’s the turn of Notepad++ to give up on Windows XP, using the dev team explaining that version 7.9.2 may be the last version to operate around the operating system released by Microsoft back in 2001.

As Softpedia’s Windows team noticed, Notepad++ version 7.9.3 no longer operates on Windows XP, so if you’re still about this old operating-system, you’re going to miss on all of the improvements the app should really get from this point.

Microsoft: Upgrade to Windows 10 ASAP

Meanwhile, Microsoft keeps urging everybody to give up on Windows XP and move to a more recent version of the operating system because of obvious reasons.

“After 12 years, support for Windows XP ended April 8, 2014. Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or tech support team for the Windows XP operating system. It is advisable to migrate now to a contemporary operating system. The easiest method to migrate from Windows XP to Windows 10 is to find a new device,” the company says.

“Now it’s time to do this and upgrade to Windows 10. Security updates patch vulnerabilities which may be exploited by malware and help keep users and their data safer. PCs running Windows XP after April 8, 2014, aren’t considered secure.”

The good thing is that Windows XP is gradually going dark, and popular apps giving up on it certainly contribute to its full demise.

Microsoft Releases New Windows 10 Cumulative Updates

Microsoft has released new Windows 10 cumulative updates on February 9 as part of the second Patch Tuesday of the year, and as expected, the main focus has obviously been on improving the security of the operating system and resolving the found bugs.

All Windows 10 versions are becoming a cumulative update, with the exception of Windows 10 version 1709, that has already reached no more support.

However, older versions of Windows 10 are just serviced either on Enterprise and Education SKUs or included in the LTSC branch for companies.

The new cumulative updates which are live at this time as part of the February 2021 Patch Tuesday are the following:

Windows 10 version 1507 – KB4601331 (OS Build 10240.18842)
Windows 10 version 1607 – KB4601318 (OS Build 14393.4225)
Windows 10 version 1703 – KB4601330 (OS Build 15063.2642)
Windows 10 version 1709 – EOS
Windows 10 version 1803 – KB4601354 (OS Build 17134.2026)
Windows 10 version 1809 – KB4601345 (OS Build 17763.1757)
Windows 10 version 1909 – KB4601315 (OS Build 18363.1377) (see v1903 EOS note in the change list)
Windows 10 version 2004 and 20H2 – KB4601319 (OS Builds 19041.804 and 19042.804)

No installation issues so far

During the time of writing, we are not aware of any installation issues reported with one of these cumulative updates, because these have grown to be a significant concern for so many users out there in the last few years.

However, given they’re specifically designed to resolve vulnerabilities in the operating system and the built-in modules, users are suggested to patch their computers as soon as possible.

Worthwhile to learn is the fact that Windows 10 version 20H2, that is obtaining the same update as version 2004, continues to be rolling to users out there, and never all computers can download it. However, the improvements it receives are the same as for version 2004, as they are supplied with the same cumulative update because they share much of the code anyway.

Microsoft Releases KB4601319 for Windows 10 20H2 Testers

Microsoft has released a brand new cumulative update for testers, this time around landing as 20H2 Build 19042.804 (KB4601319) for users signed up for the Beta and Release Preview channels and running Windows 10 October 2020 Update.

Obviously, this can be a testing update, and also the changelog includes four different fixes, one of which concerns a potential elevation of privilege vulnerability within the win32k component.

Furthermore, the Redmond-based software giant says it resolved a bug that could have damaged the file system on some devices after running chkdsk /f. Obviously, this made it impossible for these devices as well up, making this quite an essential fix that testers are actually designed to give a try to before the same improvement is released to everybody in a few days.

Microsoft says it also resolved another vulnerability related to the printing operation.

“We fixed a burglar vulnerability by preventing applications that run as a SYSTEM account from printing to “FILE:” ports. To deal with this problem in the future, make certain your applications or services run like a specific user or service account,” the company says.

New updates coming for everybody in a few days

And finally, there are plenty of security improvements for that operating system and the built-in components, with the company explaining the update includes:

“Security updates towards the Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Apps, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Cloud Infrastructure, Windows Management, Windows Authentication, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Cryptography, Windows Virtualization, Windows Core Networking, and Windows Hybrid Cloud Networking.”

Bear in mind this is still a preview update that’s unavailable for production devices, but when no major problem can be found in the meantime, the same fixes should become readily available for all computers as soon as the in a few days when the company ships the February 2020 Patch Tuesday cumulative updates.

How to Block Website or Ip in Windows Firewall

Windows Firewall provides you with a simple method to block any website URL or Ip. Here’re the exact steps you need to follow to do so.

As with every other operating-system, Windows 10 doesn’t block any website. So long as you have a browser, you can access any web site you would like without any restrictions whatsoever. However, there can be instances when you need to block a particular website, URL, or Ip. For instance, if you want to block a particular social networking site or some such, you should use the built-in Windows Firewall to block it. You don’t need to use any third-party blocking software. This is particularly useful for family PC where it’s quite common to share the pc with children.

So, without further ado, allow me to demonstrate the steps to block an internet site URL or an IP address in Windows Firewall.

Steps to bar Website or IP Address with Windows Firewall

To bar an internet site with Windows Firewall, you need to know its IP address(s). This is because Windows requires an IP address and doesn’t directly support the URLs. If you curently have an IP address, stick to the steps from the second section.

Discover the Ip of the Website

The first thing we have to do is find the Ip of the website. Thankfully, Windows has a built-in command called NSLookup that provides the IP address associated with a website. You will find the steps you need to follow.

First, open the Command Prompt window. Searching for this within the Start menu.
After opening the CMD window, execute the below command. Replace “example.com” with the actual website address you want to block.
nslookup example.com
You will see the IP addresses alongside “Addresses”.
Depending on the website, the command might show multiple IP addresses. In my case, I got 2 IP addresses for example.com.
To make things easier, I recommend you make a note of those IP addresses inside a text file.

Once you have the IP addresses, follow the next section to bar the IP address in Windows Firewall.

Block Ip in Windows Firewall

Open the beginning menu.
Search and open “Windows Defender Firewall” in the Start menu.
Click the “Advanced Settings” link on the left panel.
Right-click on the “Outbound Rules” option around the left panel.
Choose the “New Rules” option.
Pick the “Custom” option and click “Next”.
Choose the “All Programs” option and click on “Next”.
Select “Any” in the “Protocol type” dropdown menu.
Click “Next” to continue.
Choose the “These IP addresses” option under the “Remote IP Addresses” section.
Click on the “Add” button underneath the same section.
Select the “This Ip or subnet” option.
Type the Ip in the field and click on “Ok”.
If you have multiple IP addresses, follow steps 11 through 13 to add them. In my case, I added two IP addresses.
After adding the IP addresses, click “Next” to carry on.
Here, choose the “Block the connection” option and click on “Next”.
Now, select all of the checkboxes and click “Next”.
Name the rule nevertheless, you want.
Click “Finish”.
You can see the newly added rule in the primary window.

From now on, Windows Firewall will block the IP Addresses and also the website in Windows 10 based on the configured rule. If someone attempts to access the blocked website or IP addresses, they’ll be greeted with “Your Internet access is blocked” or “Windows Firewall is blocking the IP address/website” message.

If you wish to unblock the web site or Ip in Windows Firewall, follow steps 1 through 3 in section two, find the specific rule, right-click on it, and select the “Disable Rule” option. If needed, you can also delete the rule by selecting the “Delete” option.

That’s all.

Microsoft Edge 88.0.705.63 Stable Available these days for Download

Microsoft just announced a new stable form of Microsoft Edge, just one day after the organization shipped the previous update.

Just like its predecessor, Microsoft Edge stable version 88.0.705.63 has a major security fix for a bug already exploited in the wild.

However, the bug doesn’t affect Microsoft Edge itself however the Chromium engine that powers it.

“Microsoft has released the most recent Microsoft Edge Stable Channel (Version 88.0.705.63), which includes the most recent Security Updates from the Chromium project. This update contains CVE-2021-21148 that has been reported by the Chromium team as through an exploit within the wild,” Microsoft explains.

The vulnerability under consideration is really a heap buffer overflow in the V8 engine, and Google labeled it with a high severity rating. It had been reported by Mattias Buelens on January 24.

Needless to say, this new browser update doesn’t bring any additional features, in mind continues to be entirely on resolving the safety flaw mentioned previously.

Microsoft Edge based on Chromium

The brand new form of Microsoft Edge is gaining traction pretty fast, as the migration towards the Chromium engine allowed Microsoft to grow it past the world of Windows 10.

Unlike the original form of Edge, that was also known as Project Spartan, the new browser is available on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, and Linux, and also at the same time frame, the Redmond-based software giant has additionally shipped mobile versions to permit users in which to stay sync all the time.

Microsoft Edge has thus become the second most-used desktop browser out there after leader Google Chrome, as it already were able to overtake Mozilla Firefox when it comes to PC market share. Obviously, the gap forwards and backwards will probably increase, with the adoption of Edge likely to increase in the long term.