Category: Software

Microsoft Edge for Android: more extensions now available, but one group is missing entirely

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

When Mozilla — finally — introduced support for extensions in Firefox, years to late, but still, it unlocked a whole new world for users of the mobile open source browser.

Up until that time, no major browser supported extensions no mobile. While there were some dedicated projects that supported mobile extensions, all major browsers did not. Imagine having to browse the Web without a content blocker.

The next best thing were browsers with integrated ad blockers. Vivaldi, Opera, or Brave come to mind.

Now that Firefox supports extensions, Microsoft has also moved on that front and integrated support for extensions in Edge for mobile.

Like Mozilla’s offering initially, Microsoft is limiting available extensions right now. Unlike Mozilla, Microsoft is not offering a single content blocker at this point.

Extensions in Edge Stable for Mobile

Once you have upgraded Edge Stable to the latest version on Android, you gain access to extensions with a click on Menu > Extensions. There you find the list of supported extensions. Some good ones are available, including Tampermonkey, Dark Reader, or Bitwarden Password Manager. There is also a video downloader, cookie manager, and some other useful extensions.

What you do not get is a content blocker. Granted, with Google’s decision to stop Manifest V2 extensions from working in Chromium and Chrome, popular choices like uBlock Origin are no longer compatible. But the lite version is also nowhere to be found. The same is true for other content blockers.

Microsoft does not explain why that is the case, only that more extensions “are coming soon”. So, the good news is that Edge is getting support for a wider range of extensions. The bad news is that no extension of, probably, the most popular extension type is available.

Closing Words

Support for extensions is a welcome feature on mobile, as it gives users more options to customize their experience while using the browser. Content blockers are a must, and it is puzzling that Microsoft has not added a single one to the list of supported extensions at this stage.

So, for now at least, you might want to stick to Firefox, the one browser with excellente mobile extensions support. Or, at least a browser with a proper content blocker, like Brave.

Copilot key

Copilot: I see some use for the assistant on Windows at the horizon, finally

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

The integration of the Copilot AI in Windows has been lackluster up to this point, if you ask me. It felt rushed and Microsoft is still scrambling to improve its use for users. The same is true for any other AI that is available as an application.

While there are plenty of options to use AI on Windows, the tools do not really offer much in terms of usability that is not also available elsewhere.

Microsoft seems to have forgotten a key ingredient regarding the successful launch of a new product: the benefit for the user.

The initial Copilot offered some of that, as it supported the tiniest amount of Windows-specific control options. It demonstrated what could have been, even though the implementation itself was cumbersome. Even Microsoft did not publish the full list of commands that Copilot supported back then.

Microsoft changed its strategy suddenly and replaced the integration with a copy of the web version. Windows-specific options were gone and the clear signal was that they would not be back anytime soon.

Two new Copilot for Windows features were shown this week. While I would not call them gamechangers, some Windows users may find them useful.

Number 1: Gaming

Copilot for Gaming. Source: Microsoft

Microsoft describes Copilot for Gaming as “the ultimate gaming sidekick that helps players get to play faster, sharpen skills with expert coaching, and enjoy a more social gaming experience”.

The key feature is helpful coaching, not game recommendations, maintaining connections with friends, or seamless game setups.

One particularly exciting area which Kardar demonstrated on the podcast is a future feature of Copilot for Gaming: in-game assistance. In example scenarios, players were presented using natural language, where Copilot was able to provide situation-specific advice to assist players in overcoming challenges and improving their gameplay.

So, when you are stuck in a game currently, you may fire up a web browser to find a solution. Maybe it is a YouTube video or a tutorial that explains how to beat a particularly difficult boss in the game you are playing.

Clearly, it remains to be seen how useful this AI assistance is really going to be, but it is finally something specific and not just a feature that everyone is also offering.

Number 2: Press to talk

Copilot push to talk. Source: Microsoft

The main mode of interaction with AI is typing currently. Microsoft, Google, and other major players are evolving their AIs to allow different means of communication.

Talking offers advantages in some situations, for instance when you have your hands busy or do not want to leave an app or game that you are using at the moment.

Press to talk is a new feature of Copilot for Windows that is rolling out currently to Windows Insiders. Microsoft mapped the function to the Alt-Spacebar shortcut of Copilot. Press the two keys for two seconds to start a conversation with Copilot.

Ask anything over the microphone and you get an answer from the AI. Copilot ends the conversation automatically when there is no speaking for several seconds.

This may be useful in several scenarios, from gaming over other fullscreen applications to asking for contextual help without having to do a lot of typing.

Closing Words

Yes, these features may not persuade the majority of Windows users to give it a try or buy a new Copilot+ PC. What I like about them is that they introduce usefulness to Copilot when using Windows in particularly.

I expect more features like these to become available in the future.

What is your take on this? Do you see your “future you” using Copilot or another AI? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Microsoft is not done yet, adds more “Recommendations” to Windows 11

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

One of the new features of Windows 11 was the recommendations section of the start menu. Windows displays recently added programs or opened files in the section.

Microsoft likes it that much, that it made it a mandatory feature. You can reduce the number of recommendations or even display none at all, but you can’t remove the entire section to make room for more pinned items and other useful things.

Note: third-party programs or Start menu replacement apps do away with this, but that is another story.

The latest Windows 11 Insider preview build adds another recommendations section to the operating system. It is not really a new feature, considering that Microsoft tested it in the year 2023 already. It does come with a new design though.

File Explorer: Recommendations

This time, it is File Explorer that is going to show a recommended section when you launch it or display the home section.

Here is how Microsoft describes the feature:

These files will provide you quick access to relevant files based on your activity in the Recommended section which is displayed as a carousel with thumbnail previews. This includes content such as files you frequently use, have recently downloaded, or added to your File Explorer Gallery.

It is interesting to note that Home is already showing recently used files on the very page. Even Microsoft’s screenshot shows the same file under recommended and recent.

The new section is displayed only for users who sign-in with a personal Microsoft account or a local account. Users from the European Economic Area do not get the feature at this point.

It is unclear at this point whether this section will also be mandatory, or if users may disable it. There is an option to collapse it.

Registry hacks exist to remove the entire Home section in File Explorer. This could be another option for users who do not really need the recommendations there.

What is your take on these recommendations? Is it a useful feature that you would like to use? Or do you prefer to hide these whenever possible?

Microsoft is finally giving Edge Game Assist a necessary feature

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

If you do play games on your computer, you may have tabbed out of the game before to launch a web browser and run a search for clues or information. Steam users can use the integrated browser for that, which has been around for a long time.

Game Assist is Microsoft’s universal answer to the Steam browser, at least on Windows. It is an in-game browser that is available as a preview currently. It uses Microsoft Edge to render webpages and browse the Internet without leaving the game.

While that is theoretically also possible without the browser, as you can tab-out of most games to use other programs, some gamers may find the integration useful.

One of the most interesting features up to this point is the ability to display Game Assist information while you are playing. You can watch a video or display guides while playing the game.

One major downside up until now was that Game Assist did not support extensions. This meant that you had to endure ads and other unwanted elements while using it.

This changed with this week’s Game Assist update. The major addition is support for extensions. Install extensions in Edge and you can use them on Game Assist as well. Most extensions should work according to Microsoft.

Microsoft writes:

We heard your feedback that ad blockers are crucial, so we’re thrilled to bring initial support for extensions to Game Assist! Game Assist currently supports many extensions that automatically run on the webpage, like ad blockers. Extensions can be installed and managed using the desktop version of Microsoft Edge.

It is a good addition to Game Assist. The release notes highlight several other features of interest. More games are supported, there is a new menu that offers common browser controls such as opening a new tab, right-click support for certain page elements, an option to pin the current tab, and more.

The list of supported games is still relatively short. To become a truly universal option, Microsoft needs to improve game support significantly.

4K Video Downloader+ Review: solid program with a big weakness

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Internet users have plenty of options when it comes to the downloading of videos. From online services over browser extensions to programs.

Problem is: not all of them have the best interest of the user in mind. Some may be riddled with ads, track users, or limit downloads in one way or another.

You may be especially wary when it comes to programs to download. There are malicious programs out there that claim to be downloaders.

My favorite program is Internet Download Manager, but it is a commercial application. 4K Video Downloader+ offers an alternative. This review looks at the feature set and compares it to Internet Download Manager.

4K Video Downloader+ is the successor of 4K Video Downloader, which has been retired this year. The version has been around for some time. It is a freemium program that limits free use, but it does not contain any ads.

Let’s talk about the limitation first: you can use it to download 10 videos per day. All paid versions do away with the limits. A lifetime version is available for about $30.

Why download videos? Downloading videos offers several advantages:

  • Offline playback: watch videos, even if there is no Internet.
  • Backup: videos may get pulled or deleted, but offline copies remain.
  • Bad Internet reception: if Internet connectivity is not great, you may have a bad experience with stutters and pauses.
  • Save bandwidth: watch videos over and over again without using bandwidth.

4K Video Downloader 4K+: the features

The video downloader is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. You can start using it right after installation and do not need to create an account first. I used the Windows version exclusively for this review.

As far as features are concerned, there are plenty. You can paste video URLs into the interface or use the integrated browser to pick videos while you browse.

The app supports “all popular sites” according to the website. This includes YouTube, but also sites such as Facebook, SoundCloud, and others. The list of supported sites is relatively short and there is just one adult site supported. Limited support may not be a problem for some users, but it may be a dealbreaker for others.

The default configuration downloads video in best quality. You can modify the preference, for instance by switching to audio-only or a specific quality that you want downloaded to the local system.

Apart from the base functionality, 4K Video Downloader+ supports a few nice-to-have features.

Here are the highlights:

  • Subscribe to YouTube playlists or creators, and download new videos automatically as they are published.
  • Download entire YouTube playlists or channels.
  • 3D Video download support.
  • Support for login-protected media (by signing in).
  • Extract annotations and subtitles and download them along with YouTube videos.
  • Download dubbed audio on YouTube.

Free users are limited to downloading 10 videos per day. If that is not enough, you either have to wait a day or purchase a license to download an unlimited number of videos.

Verdict: 4K Video Downloader+ is an easy to use download app. The integrated browser makes downloading videos a breeze, as you do not have to juggle around with video URLs. Main downside is the 10 video limit for free accounts and the fairly limited list of supported sites.

Lack of site support is a deal-breaker for my use cases. Internet Download Manager supports hundreds if not thousands of video and audio sites. But, if all you need is support for a site that 4K Video Downloader+ supports, then it may be worth a try.

Now You: do you use video downloaders at all? If so, which is your favorite app or extension for the job and why?

How to add HEIC image file format support on Windows 10

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system does not support the HEIC image format natively. The same is true for Windows 11. You can check out my guide on adding HEIC and HEVC support to Windows 11, if you run that operating system.

Microsoft is offering a paid extension to add support, but there is a way to add support for free. This guide explains how to do that.

Note that this still installs an official Microsoft extension and does not rely on third-party codec packs at all.

Here is how you go about it:

  1. Open the Adguard website in a web browser.
  2. Set the first field to ProductID.
  3. Paste the following string into the second field: 9n4wgh0z6vhq
  4. Keep the third field at RP.
  5. Click on the checkmark icon on the right.
  6. Wait for the results.
  7. Right-click on “Microsoft.HEVCVideoExtension_2.2.33.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appxbundle” in the results and select the save option of the browser.
  8. Pick a directory.
  9. Double-click on the file after it has been downloaded to install the extension.
  10. Click on the install button to install it.

Note: Some browsers may refuse to download the file as it is delivered via a regular (insecure) HTTP connection and not HTTPS. You may need to open the download manager of the browser and select the “Keep” option or something similar.

This depends largely on the browser, but if no file is downloaded after you have selected the save option, then this is your best bet to get the file downloaded.

Once installed, many programs are capable of opening HEIF and HEVC media files. This is true for all built-in image viewers, e.g., Photos or the preview of File Explorer, but also third-party apps such as Paint.net or Adobe Photoshop.

Nvidia releases patch for GeForce black screen issues

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Nvidia released an unscheduled hotfix driver that it says is fixing black screen issues on older generation GeForce graphics cards.

The details:

  • GeForce Hotfix display driver version 572.65 is available for 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and 11.
  • It is designed for non-RTX 5000 graphics cards.
  • The patch is only available as a direct download.

Nvidia fixed black screen issues in the Game Ready driver 572.60 last week, but only for RTX 5000 graphics card. The hotfix fixes the issue for older video cards now as well.

The hotfix driver is available here. It makes a single change according to the release notes: “PC may boot to a black screen when connected via DisplayPort with certain monitors [5131002]”.

This update should only be installed on Windows PCs that are affected by the black screen issue. Users who do not experience black screens after booting should not install the update according to Nvidia. This hotfix driver is considered beta by Nvidia, and it may may be integrated into future GeForce drivers as a final update.

Nvidia users plagued by the black screen issues should fix it by installing the new driver. It is recommended to create a system backup before installing new drivers on Windows systems.

The GeForce Game Ready Driver 572.60 included the following changes:

  • Improved gaming experience for DLSS 4 games such as NARAKA BLADEPOINT or Monster Hunter Wilds.
  • Fixed apps stuttering on GeForce RTX 50 series cards.
  • Fixed two issues in Adobe Substance 3D.
  • Fixed black screen issues on systems with GeForce RTX 50 series cards.
  • Fixed an audio issue.
  • Fixed an image corruption issue in apps.

You can check out the full changelog here.

ThisIsNot11: another open source Windows tweaker for

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

There is certainly no shortage of tweaking tools for Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system. If I had to guess, Windows 11 is probably the Microsoft operating system with the largest number of programs of this kind ever.

Serial developer Belim has created a new tool. It is a bit difficult to keep track of all of Belim’s tools. First, because there are so many, and second, because Belim loves to change the names of his tools.

Windows 11 Tweaker: ThisIsNot11

ThisIsNot11 is a small open source tool. Designed as a follow-up tool after using the developer’s FlyBy11 tool to upgrade systems to new Windows 11 versions — even those deemed not compatible — it is quite easy to use. At the same time, it is not as feature-rich as crowd-favorite tweakers such as WinAero Tweaker.

When you run the tool after you have downloaded it, you are asked to give it quick access to the Start menu. It scans installed apps and settings, and bases its suggests on that scan. The app resembles the Windows 11 Start menu, which is intentional according to the developer.

From here on, it is just a matter of selecting tweaks to apply them. For apps, you need to check them and hit the “remove selected” button to uninstall them.

Important tweaks are included. You can use the app to disable advertisement, remove individual apps from the system, hide Copilot and other icons on the taskbar, or enable the full content menu of File Explorer.

All tweaks have a description, which helps identify what they do, especially for regular users who are new to optimizing Windows 11.

Verdict

ThisIsNot11 is a tiny less than 100 kilobyte tool to tweak Windows 11. It is an easy to use tool, which is great for less-experienced users. The app explains the tweaks that it supports well and everything is accessible on a single screen. While you do need to scroll a bit to access all tweaks, it is one of the easiest tools to use.

Part of that comes from the limited number of tweaks that it supports at this stage. If you want to quickly apply many important tweaks, it may be worth a shot. If you want the largest number of tweaks possible in a tool, you need to look elsewhere.

Now you: do you use tweaking tools for Windows? Or do you prefer to apply tweaks manually instead? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Microsoft is deprecating Windows 11’s Location History feature

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

After two months of not adding anything new to the list of deprecated features, Microsoft has added another feature to the list of features that will eventually be removed from its Windows 11 operating system.

This time, it is the Location History feature that has been put on the list by Microsoft.

Microsoft says that it is an API that was used by Cortana to “access 24 hours of device history when location was enabled”. With Cortona no longer playing a role at Microsoft, it is put to rest as well.

As far as the effect of the removal is concerned, Microsoft notes that location data will “no longer be saved locally”. Furthermore, the corresponding settings under Settings > Privacy & Security > Location will also be removed in the process.

Location History in Settings of Windows 11 24H2

The option to clear the Location history in the Settings will be removed.

As always, Microsoft does not say when it plans to remove the feature exactly. Best guess is that it could be removed as part of the 2025 feature update for Windows 11. For now though, it remains available on Windows 11 devices.

The end of Cortana

Back in 2023, Microsoft announced that it would retire the Cortana application for Windows later that year. The personal assistant Cortana was created at a time when personal assistants were en vogue. Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa were popular services back when Microsoft created its personal assistant.

Microsoft removed Cortana in Teams and other apps in the fall of 2023 and several other Cortana-related features in 2024 in favor of AI. It is rather funny that Cortana’s Windows-specific features have been more powerful than those of Microsoft’s AI Copilot.

Display the weather on the Windows taskbar (without Widgets)

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system displays the Widgets icon on the taskbar by default. It was updated recently to show weather information. If you do not use Widgets, but like the weather information, you can use a third-party alternative.

Tray Weather is an open source application for Windows to display weather information in the System Tray area.

Weather Tray shows two icons in this configuration (weather and temperature)

Good news is that it supports multiple weather providers, and one of them does not require an account or API access.

The details:

  • Weather Tray is compatible with Windows 7 and newer versions of Windows, including Windows 11.
  • Setup is a bit fiddly, but not too complicated.

You can download the latest version of the program from the project’s GitHub repository.

Windows will display a security dialog when you execute setup, because the application is not signed. Setup itself is straightforward, but it is necessary to make a few changes in the configuration and in Windows.

Lets talk about the program’s configuration first. Here you make a number of important decisions regarding the program:

  • Select OpenMeteo API under Weather Data Provider to get weather data without API requirement.
  • Make sure the set location is correct or change it.
  • Switch the measurement units, modify graph temperatures, and opacity.
  • Pick an icon for display on the taskbar. The default displays a representative icon of the weather, e.g., a sun or clouds. You can switch that to temperature or combinations.
  • Add or remove information from the icon’s tooltip. The default displays the location, current weather, and temperature only. You may add information such as air quality, wind speed, humidity, ground pressure, and more to it.
  • Change the time between updates from the 15 minute default.

Windows may not display the icon of the app by default in the system tray area. On Windows 11 for example, you need to enable it first so that it displays all the time.

Right-click on a blank space on the taskbar and select Taskbar Settings. Expand “Other system tray icons” on the page that opens and toggle Weather Tray to display it permanently.

That is as far as configurations are concerned.

Closing Words

Weather Tray may not have the prettiest icons, but it works well, is open source, and does not get in your way with other content that you may not want. It is an excellent option for Windows users who would like to display weather information on their systems.

What is your take on this? Do you use little helper apps like Weather Tray on your devices? Let us know in the comments down below.