Snag the Surface Pro 9 for $600 off with this crazy Prime Day deal
Grab Microsoft's latest Surface Pro 9 PC at a mouth-watering discount this Amazon Prime Day sale.
Readers like you help support XDA Developers. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.
latest
Microsoft's Surface PCs are up to $720 off in these crazy Prime Day sales
The summer edition of Amazon Prime Day is here, and the two-day event is significantly cutting prices on all kinds of Surface devices.
If you're looking for a new great laptop or a fancy new Windows convertible, the summer edition of Prime Day is a great time to shop. Running from July 11 to July 12 for Amazon Prime subscribers exclusively, Prime Day brings some steep discounts on plenty of premium Windows devices. In particular, Amazon is slashing prices on some of the best Microsoft Surface devices.
Microsoft fixes camera problems on Arm-based Windows devices
If you use an Arm-based Windows device and are running into camera issues, keep an eye out on Windows Update.
Microsoft releases Windows updates on a monthly basis bringing new features, improvements, and bug fixes. In fact, updates for supported versions of Windows are expected today as well, as the firm initiates these rollouts on the second Tuesday of each month, known as "Patch Tuesday". However, sometimes, its releases cause unforeseen issues that are usually patched in the subsequent monthly update or through out-of-band updates. Now, Microsoft has announced that it has resolved one such niggling issue affecting Arm-based Windows devices.
Windows 11 version 21H2 is reaching end of support soon
If you are still on the original release of Windows 11, you may want to consider upgrading sooner rather than later.
Windows 11 was announced back in June 2021 and began rolling out to the public on October 5 of the same year. Since then, the operating system has received multiple major updates including the Windows 11 2022 Update (version 22H2), and Moment updates in October 2022, February 2023, and June 2023. With numerous versions of Windows 11 now available, Microsoft has announced that it is ending support for the original version of the operating system soon.
Access powerful workstations in the cloud through Microsoft Dev Box, now generally available
Microsoft Dev Box offers cloud-powered workstations with up to 32 vCPU, 128GB RAM, and 2TB of storage for $629/month.
Although Microsoft already offers Windows PCs powered by the cloud through multiple solutions including Windows 365, these workstations do not usually cater to specialized use-cases and have long deployment times. One scenario that Microsoft felt that it had been missing for several years is offering powerful cloud-based workstations to developers, pre-configured and ready for building applications. To tackle this problem, the Redmond tech firm announced Microsoft Dev Box in May 2022, and now, the solution is generally available.
Now anyone can put their Android app on Windows 11
Amazon is encouraging Android developers to reach the desktop market through its Windows 11 Appstore support.
Although support for Android apps on Windows 11 was one of the headlining features when the operating system was announced back in 2021, users quickly found out that only a handful of apps in the Amazon Appstore are officially supported in the preview. Even with this limited scope, the associated experience offered by Android apps on Windows 11 wasn't good, and the implementation had a lot of notable issues. However, Amazon and Microsoft have been working out some kinks and the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 has now hit general availability for developers.
Explaining the Windows Insider Program channels for Windows 11 betas
Microsoft's Windows Insider Program can be confusing if you're new, so here's everything you need to know for testing the Windows 11 beta.
It's been a few years since Windows 11 first launched, and just like Windows 10 before it, the operating system is always evolving. Microsoft has committed to updating Windows 11 every so often with "Moment" updates, which are basically feature drops every few months. The most recent one was the Moment 3 update, with delivered features like seconds on the clock in the Taskbar, as well as tweaks to the widgets experience.
How to change or tweak keyboard layouts in Windows 11
The Windows 11 settings app makes it easy to change your keyboard layout in just a few clicks.
Just like macOS, iOS, and even Android, Windows 11 is an operating system that's friendly to many languages. While you already can go into the Windows 11 settings app and add a new language to your operating system, you also can change and tweak keyboard layouts, too. This might be useful if you have an external or internal keyboard that uses a different layout from the standard QWERTY style that's popular in Western and English-speaking countries. And all it takes is a few simple clicks.
Best Android phones in 2023
Need a new phone? Look no further than this selection of best Android phones you should buy, including the best from Google, Samsung and more!
The Android flagship space has already seen some good smartphones in 2023 so far. Samsung and OnePlus kicked things off with their respective flagships, and we've also received some solid mid-rangers in the form of Galaxy A54 5G and Pixel 7a. Samsung's foldable phones also continue to dominate the market, so there's no shortage of reliable Android phones in 2023. So if you are in the market to buy a new Android flagship and can't figure out which one's better, then you've landed on the right page. I have highlighted some of the best phones in each category in the roundup below, so check out the listings to find the one that suits your needs and budget.
How to show hidden icons in Windows 11
Desktop or taskbar looking bare? You can add back the classic Windows icons in a few clicks.
Windows 11 brings plenty of cool features. You can enjoy Snap Layouts to multitask with efficiency, play with Android apps on your PC, and even link your iPhone to your laptop. One thing that's missing from Windows 11, however, is desktop icons. You might have noticed that desktop icons for some classic system features are missing. Even in the taskbar, some icons might be missing for your favorite apps. There's no icon for My PC, for example. Well, it's super easy to bring these hidden icons back.
How to see how much data you've used in Windows 11
Are you on a limited data connection? You can check to see how much data Windows 11 is using up by going to your settings app
Browsing the internet on a Windows 11 PC can be similar to browsing the internet on a phone in that not all internet connections have unlimited data. If you have a great 5G laptop, for example, you might be on a limited data plan. Or, if you're on a more affordable home internet plan, you might have a certain amount of data each month before your connection speeds are throttled. So, if you're concerned about how much data Windows 11 is using, the Settings make it easy to find out which apps are using the most data.
Replacing the Mail app will only make Windows 11 worse for touchscreens
Microsoft wants to use a web-based app to replace the Mail app in Windows 11, but it will take away what makes the current app good.
For the past few years, we've been hearing about a unified Outlook client for Windows desktops, and we finally started seeing it last year, when it entered preview for Microsoft 365 Insiders (formerly Office Insiders). Microsoft plans to replace both the full-fledged Outlook app and the built-in Mail app in Windows 11 with a web-based alternative, which the company has been taking its time to build up. While that may seem like a good thing, I believe that this update, based on the previews we've gotten to try, will just make Windows 11 worse for touchscreens — an area where Microsoft already struggles somewhat.
Here are all the new features Microsoft added to Teams in June 2023
Microsoft added a whopping 45 features and enhancements to Teams during June 2023, including Spatial audio and a new chat density.
Microsoft Teams gets new features on a regular basis to enhance online communication and collaboration. Back in May 2023, Microsoft added loads of features to the software in order to attract new customers and facilitate the existing ones. Now, the company has published a roundup of all the capabilities it introduced to Teams in June 2023, with the features totaling a whopping 45 in number.
How to enable Windows Copilot in Windows 11 previews
Windows Copilot, a new AI assistant for Windows 11, is now up for testing in the Dev channel of the Windows Insider program. Here's how to enable it.
There's a new feature up for testing if you're a Windows Insider running the Dev channel version of Windows 11. It's Windows Copilot. A bit like Clippy from the good old days, this is a new AI assistant, designed to help make your PC even easier to use. It has a chat-based UI that currently integrates with some Windows features like taking screenshots, enabling dark mode, and even access things from Bing Chat from it.
Here are all the new features Microsoft added to Excel in June 2023
Microsoft has added a boatload of features to Excel this month across multiple platforms including web, Windows, and Mac.
Microsoft Excel is heavily utilized both in enterprise environments and personal use for multiple scenarios like data crunching, visualizations, testing, documentation, and planning, among many other things. As such, the Redmond tech giant regularly adds new features to the software to make sure it meets emerging use-cases and enhances existing ones. It also publishes a roundup of all the capabilities it added to Excel on a monthly basis, and now, it has done the same for the month of June 2023.
How to set up voice access on Windows 11
Voice access makes it easier to use your Windows 11 PC using just your voice. Here's how to set up this feature.
Technology is getting more accessible as time goes on, and Microsoft has made accessibility a big point of many of its products. Products like the Xbox Adaptive Controller or the Surface Adaptive Kit help all kinds of users make the most of their devices. And on the software front, Microsoft recently added a big feature to Windows 11: voice access, which made its debut with Windows 11 version 22H2.
Copilot brings AI to the latest Windows 11 preview
Windows Copilot is finally making its debut for Windows Insiders, giving us a first look at AI in Windows 11.
It's taken some time, but Windows Copilot is finally available for Windows Insiders to try starting today. Microsoft is rolling out Windows 11 build 23493 to Insiders in the Dev channel, and the headlining feature is the introduction of the company's new AI assistant, simply called Copilot. We've seen Copilot used for Microsoft 365 and GitHub, but this is the most widespread implementation of it yet. The new build includes a lot more changes, too.
How to enable night light on Windows 11
A step-by-step guide to help you enable night light on your Windows 11 system.
Windows 11 retains plenty of accessibility from Windows 10, with night light being one of them. It was first introduced in Windows 10 in 2017 to lower the amount of blue light on your computer screen, which can cause eye strain if you use your system for hours in dark surroundings. It can even disrupt your circadian rhythm and sleep cycle by lowering the amount of melatonin produced by your body.
Microsoft announces new AI-powered shopping tools in Bing and Edge
Microsoft claims that Edge has offered $3.7 billion in savings to shoppers worldwide in the last one year.
As part of its push to incorporate AI into most of its products and services, Microsoft has now announced new AI-powered shopping tools in Bing and Edge in a move that the company claims will help shoppers save more while buying goods online. In a statement, the company said that the new tools harness the power of AI to make it "easier to discover, research and complete your purchase, all in one place with information you need from expert sources." The new features include Buying Guide, Price Match, and Review Summaries.
New Clippy app gives us a taste of AI in Windows 11
While we wait for Copilot, an unofficial Clippy app has launched for Windows 11, bringing ChatGPT-like features to your desktop.
Remember Clippy? The assistant found in Microsoft Office in the late 90s and early 2000s is making a return, albeit unofficially, with a new app for Windows 11. The new Clippy app brings the idea of a smart assistant to the modern era thanks to the power of AI, specifically leveraging OpenAI's GPT 3.5 large language model.
DeskScapes 11 lets you use video and animations as your Windows 11 background
Stardock's latest customization tool for Windows 11 aims to bring your desktop to life with animated backgrounds.
Stardock is launching yet another customization tool for Windows 11 today. With tools like WindowBlinds and Groupy 2 under its belt, Stardock has just announced DeskScapes 11, an app for finding and managing Windows 11 wallpapers. It's more than that, though, because it also supports animated wallpapers, something Windows 11 can't do.