Microsoft Weekly: Recall is back, ads in Windows 10's Start menu, and more

In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, Recall is making a comeback (somewhere in October), Windows 10's Start menu is getting annoying ads, Windows Insiders have six new builds to test, gamers have a lot of news and upcoming releases, and something is happening with the legacy Control Panel. Of course, there is a lot more.

Table of contents:

1. Windows 10 and 11 news
2. Windows Insider Program
3. Updates are available
4. Gaming news

Windows 11 and 10

Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.

If you have a computer with one of AMD's recent Ryzen processors, you will be pleased to learn that AMD and Microsoft are working on a new set of patches that should improve the performance of PCs powered by Ryzen 9000, 7000, and 5000 processors. AMD said the update is coming soon.

Things are not going very well for Windows users with dual-boot systems. A report emerged about the August 2024 Patch Tuesday update breaking PCs with Linux and Windows installed side-by-side. Shortly after that, Microsoft acknowledged the problem and promised to release a fix. Meanwhile, if you have a dual-boot system and the August 2024 Patch Tuesday update installation is pending, use a special registry tweak to kill the update before it takes down your Linux distro. If it is already down, check out this guide that will help you bring it back to life.

Finally, Microsoft published new docs about Regedit, Group Policy Editor, and other configuration tools. In those articles, users discovered what seemed like a hint about the upcoming deprecation of the legacy Control Panel. But if you feel like there is a need for a better way to access all the Windows settings, check out the Super God Mode script, which does exactly that.

Windows Insider Program

Microsoft has finally broken its radio silence about the controversial Recall feature. Now, the feature is coming to Windows insiders in October 2024. If you want to participate in the testing, go get yourself a Copilot+ PC since this type of Windows 11 machine is still the only one officially supported. Speaking of Copilot+ PCs, they may soon become more affordable as Qualcomm announced a new eight-core entry-level SKU.

Here is what Microsoft Released this week for testing in the Windows Insider Program:

With build 27686, which was released in the Canary Channel last week, things got a little confusing in the Insider program. Users noticed that Canary builds now have "Dev" as the Windows version, even though there is a separate channel with the same name. Microsoft clarified that that is not an indicator of your current channel. Instead, the inscription indicates that you use an in-development Windows build that is not tied to any specific Windows version.

What is also confusing is a not-so-new feature coming soon to Windows 10. Users noticed that the latest preview build has the so-called "Account Manager," which replaces traditional user-related buttons in the Start menu with a Microsoft 365 ad. For now, it is hidden and turned off, but considering the same feature is now in the stable version of Windows 11, it will probably make its way to Windows 10 soon.

What is not confusing is the new webcam settings in build 26120.1542. The latest Dev release finally allows video streaming to multiple apps at once. Also, you can toggle on a special basic camera mode that should make it easier to troubleshoot webcam issues.

Updates are available

This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.

Skype Insider has been updated to version 8.127. Unlike the previous update, which made the messenger completely ad-free, the latest build focuses on performance improvements, bug fixes, and stability. Check out the full release notes here.

Microsoft also released two 2.0 updates for its apps, Loop and Clipchamp on iOS. Loop received a revamped UI and various improvements, and Clipchamp got an improved editor with AI-based features and other changes.

Teams, one of Microsoft's flagship apps, is finally available as a unified app for Windows 10, 11, and Mac users. You can now use a single application for work, school, and personal accounts. Things just got simpler, which is always nice.

Speaking of Office apps, Cisco Talos recently discovered several vulnerabilities in Microsoft 365 apps for macOS. These vulnerabilities allow hackers to bypass macOS permissions and then take over the victim's system.

Microsoft's Edge browser received a bunch of updates this week. Version 128 arrived in the Stable Channel with Edge Bar improvements, the SSE3 instruction set requirement (no Edge for you if your ancient computer does not support SSE3), and other changes. Users also noticed that Microsoft quietly deprecated the rounded tab feature. While it is still available and working, the feature description says it will soon be out.

In the Dev Channel, Edge received version 129.0.2779.0 with various fixes and patches.

On the third-party side, Stardock released a feature update for Fences, an app that helps you keep your desktop tidy. Version 5.81 is now available for all users with a new feature and a bunch of quality-of-life improvements.

Start11 is another Stardock-made application that received a notable update. Version 2.1 is now available for all users with native Windows on ARM support. That means you can run this Start menu alternative on your Copilot+ PC without having to sacrifice performance or battery life.

Mozilla released another small update for Firefox 129 in the Release channel. Version 129.0.2 landed this week with an accessibility fix and another drag-and-drop improvement.

Other notable updates include the following:

• Dev Home app has been updated to version 0.17 with widget and environment improvements.
• The US government version of Copilot for Microsoft 365 now has an October 2024 launch date.

• Microsoft reveals changes to its financial reporting for the 2025 fiscal year.

• Microsoft SharePoint received a new AI-powered Design Ideas feature.

• Microsoft Forms now lets you generate answers to quiz questions via Copilot.

• Microsoft announced general availability of Text to Speech Avatar in Azure AI Speech Service.

• Microsoft announced new updates for the Message Recall feature in Exchange Online.

• Microsoft is reportedly making more branding changes for Copilot business services.

And here are the newest drivers released this week:

• AMD Radeon Software 24.8.1 with Black Myth: Wukong, Star Wars Outlaws support, and more.
• Nvidia 560.94 WHQL Game Ready with optimizations for the same games.
• Intel 32.0.101.5972 WHQL with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Beta support and more.
• Intel Wi-Fi 23.70.2 with Wi-Fi 7 support for Windows 11 version 24H2.

To finish the update section, check out this week's Microsoft 365 Roadmap Weekly, where we track the latest features coming soon to Microsoft's productivity apps.

On the gaming side

Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.

The recently announced new versions of Microsoft's Xbox Series X|S consoles are now available for pre-order. You can now purchase a white Xbox Series X with 1TB of storage, a white Xbox Series S with 1TB of storage, and a special edition of Xbox Series X with a unique finish and 2TB of space.

In addition, Microsoft unveiled a new adaptive controller for people with disabilities. The Xbox Adaptive Joystick has four button inputs on the front, a standard Xbox thumbstick, and two additional buttons that mimic the bumper and trigger placement on a traditional controller. All these buttons are customizable, providing the flexibility to play in a way that’s most comfortable. Microsoft also published files for 3D printing a variety of Adaptive Thumbstick Toppers that fit specific needs.

Xbox Insiders in all four channels can now test the upcoming Xbox Game Pass Standard tier. During the testing period, it will be available for $1 per month, including renewals. Once launched, Xbox Game Pass Standard will charge you $14.99 for access to console games, online multiplayer, and exclusive deals.

Speaking of Game Pass, check out the latest additions to the catalog here. They include Black Ops 6 Beta, Atlas Fallen, Core Keeper, and more.

Another thing available to Xbox Insiders is a beta version of 33 Immortals, an indie game from Thunder Lotus Game. You can still participate in the test, which ends on August 26, 7 AM Pacific Time.

At Gamescom 2024, Microsoft Flight Simulator received its eighteenth city update. This time, the game received reworks of multiple cities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There is also a new premium plane, the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor.

Forza Horizon 5, another Microsoft-owned game, is getting a new free game mode for all players. "Hide and Seek" is launching next month, and it will offer a unique way to play this racing game with your four friends or random players from the internet. In addition, Turn 10 Studios unveiled a Jordan Luka 3 collaboration, which will bring a new exclusive car and a racing suit to both Forza Horizon 5 and Forza Motorsport.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will launch on December 9 on Xbox and PC. What is interesting is that the game is also coming to the PlayStation 5 console. The specific date is not known yet, but owners of Sony's current-gen console can rest assured that they will also be able to play this much-anticipated game.

Nvidia announced an update for the Xbox integration in its cloud streaming service GeForce NOW. Now (get it?), users playing PC games that require a Microsoft Account can sign in and forget it. GeForce NOW can remember your credentials and save you some time and clicks by not requiring signing in every time you want to play a game running in Nvidia's cloud.

Besides that, Nvidia added a whopping 25 new games to the catalog, which include Black Myth: Wukong, Skull & Bones, Civilization V, Wreckfest, and more.

Also, Nvidia announced that over 20 future games will use RTX and DLSS graphics technologies.

Valve has released a new update for the review section on Steam. Now, it is much easier to spot reviews from customers who played the game on the Steam Deck. Therefore, if you want to purchase this handheld but are unsure if your favorite game runs well on it, look out for a special Steam Deck icon in the review section.

Deals and freebies

The Epic Games Store is giving away The Callisto Protocol and Gigantic: Rampage Edition. These two games are free until the next Thursday. As usual, if you are looking for more deals, check out this week's Weekend PC Game Deals, which features rhythm festivals, a Resident Evil bundle, and more.

Other gaming stories from this week include the following:

• Starfield: Shattered Space expansion is coming on September 30.

• Civilization VII gameplay was finally revealed at Gamescom.

• Avowed from Obsidian will launch on Xbox consoles at 30 FPS to improve visuals.
• Rare reportedly sold over a million copies of Sea of Thieves on PlayStation 5.

• Developers of Ara: History Untold revealed the extra content for Deluxe and Premium editions.

• Goat Simulator is getting a remaster ten years after the initial release.

• Microsoft confirmed Black Myth: Wukong is coming to Xbox Series X and S.

• Gearbox revealed Borderlands 4 with the launch date somewhere in 2025.

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