Category: Software

Windows 11 is removing an option to bypass Microsoft account and internet during setup

Microsoft confirms reset and recovery issue in Windows 10 and 11

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

When Microsoft released the August 2025 security updates for Windows, it listed not a single known issue for any of the supported operating systems. Now, a week later, Microsoft had to confirm several issues already.

The latest to be added to the growing list is that reset and recovery operations may fail on some older versions of Windows.

Microsoft confirmed the issue for the latest version of Windows 10, which is version 22H2, and for Windows 11, version 23H2 and earlier. Only client operating systems are affected, according to Microsoft.

​Client: Windows 11, version 23H2; Windows 11, version 22H2; Windows 10, version 22H2; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2019

If you still run one of these and have the latest security updates installed for the operating systems, you may run into issues when you try to reset or recover the PC.

Microsoft says that three processes are affected by the issue:

  • System >Recovery > Reset my PC
  • System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update
  • RemoteWipe CSP

Run any of those, and the reset or recovery operation may fail, provided that the most recent update is installed. To get around this, you could uninstall the security update before running reset or recovery actions on the Windows PC.

Microsoft confirmed that it is working on a resolution and that it plans to release an out-of-band patch for affected versions of Windows to address the issue. The company plans to release the update “in the coming days” according to the confirmation on the Release Health website for affected Windows editions.

Windows updates

Windows 10: script to join ESU (Extended Security Updates) without Microsoft account

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

If you still run Windows 10 on one or multiple of your PCs, you may be aware that Microsoft is ending support for the operating system in about two months.

Come October 2025, Microsoft won’t release updates for the consumer editions of Windows 10 anymore. Windows 10 users may join the Extended Security Updates program to receive another year of support, but this requires becoming active.

If you do not do anything, you won’t receive any updates anymore for the operating system after October 2025.

Joining ESU is a simple process, but you still need to pick one of the available “payment” options: pay with Microsoft Rewards points, enable cloud backups, or pay with money.

Consumer ESU Enrollment is a new script for Windows that simplifies the process. It does require an administrative account and Internet connectivity, but that is about it.

When you run it without parameters, it will enroll using the free backup option and use a Microsoft account or a local account for that, depending on which you used to sign in to the operating system.

Here is what the developer Abbodi says about the order on GitHub (via Deskmodder):

By default, the script will run in the following order, if a step failed, the next is executed:

  • Enroll using Microsoft account currently logged-in as Windows user.
  • Enroll using Microsoft account currently logged-in with Microsoft Store.
  • Enroll using current Local account.
  • Acquire Consumer ESU license manually as last resort.

You may run the script using optional parameters to force one of the available options. If you use a local account, you can run .\Consumer_ESU_Enrollment.ps1 -Local to make sure that you are enrolled using the local account and not a Microsoft account.

Note that you may need to run Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force prior to that to allow the execution of unsigned scripts temporarily.

While you may enroll manually as well, using the script may speed up things significantly, especially if you use a local account to sign in to Windows.

Now You: do you still run Windows 10 on a device that you use regularly? Did you join ESU? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Microsoft changes popular option to block Microsoft Store application updates, makes it worse

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Up until now, if you did not want Microsoft to update the installed default apps of the Windows operating system via the Microsoft Store, you had to disable the “App Updates” option of the store. Once set, it would prevent the automatic updating of Microsoft Store applications on the system.

This option is being removed, according to tests conducted by Deskmodder. While the option is still there, flipping it to off displays a new prompt now that gives you the choice to block app updates for one to five weeks only.

Afterwards, application updates will get enabled again automatically. This option may remind you of the pause Windows updates functionality that Microsoft introduced a long time ago. It too does not let you disable updates indefinitely, but only for a certain period.

Here is how the screen looks like on Windows 10 currently.

To make matters worse, the corresponding Registry entry will also be temporary in nature according to Deskmodder.

This leaves the Group Policy option as the only one left for blocking automatic Microsoft Store updates.

Here is how it works:

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Type gpedit.msc and press the Enter-key.
  3. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store
  4. Double-click on “Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates”.
  5. Set the status to Enabled.
  6. Click on the ok-button.
  7. Restart the computer.

Now, if you do not have access to the Group Policy Editor, which means that you are running a Windows Home edition, then you may make the changes in the Registry directly.

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Type regedit.exe and press the Enter-key.
  3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore
    • Note: If one of the keys do not exist, right-click on the previous one that still exists and select New > Key. Name it accordingly to create the structure.
  4. Right-click on WindowsStore and select New > Dword (32-bit) value.
  5. Name it AutoDownload.
  6. Double-click on AutoDownload and set its value to 2.
  7. Close the Registry Editor.
  8. Restart the PC.

Closing Words

Microsoft has not documented the change anywhere to my knowledge. It is unclear, therefore, why it is being made. Maybe Microsoft wants that most Windows users run the latest versions of the integrated applications on their devices.

However, considering that this is the default, Microsoft is taking away an option that Windows customers have set deliberately. Those who have set automatic updates to off have done so for a specific reason though.

Now You: What is your take on this? Good thing that the majority of users will run the latest version of the pre-installed apps on Windows soon? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Google Search

Google Messages is checking any image for nudity to potentially blur it

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Google Messages is a dominant messaging app on Android devices. Installed and enabled on many devices by default, it is used to send messages. It supports several message formats, including SMS, MMS and Rich Communication Services (RCS), with RCS being the default protocol.

Google is rolling out a new protective feature in Google Messages that is designed to detect and blur images of nudity. It is enabled by default for non-adult accounts, but can be enabled for adult accounts as well.

When you receive an image in Google Messages, it may be blurred if the processing determines that it contains nudity and if the feature is enabled on the device.

You have multiple options in that case:

  • Block the sender’s number.
  • Open the image and confirm that you want to view the image.
  • Open a resource page that offers information on “why nude images can be harmful”.
  • Go back.

Google says that the entire processing of images happens on the local device and that no personal or identifiable information is submitted to Google servers as part of the processing.

Here is how you control the feature on an unmanaged device:

  1. Open Google Messages.
  2. Click on the profile icon.
  3. Select Messages settings.
  4. Tap on Protection & Safety.
  5. Activate Manage sensitive content warnings.
  6. Toggle “Warning in Google Messages” to on or off.

If you set it to on, incoming photos with nudity are blurred. Furthermore, sending a photo with nudity requires an extra step as well.

Is it a useful protective feature? It may blur images with nudity and includes an option to block the sender from sending more. There is a chance for false positives, but it is easy enough to turn off the feature if that is the case.

What is your take on this? Should services like Google, Meta, or Microsoft scan user images to blur, block or report them? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Firefox

Mozilla plans to drop support for very-old Android versions

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla plans to drop support for Android versions older than Android 8. Android 8 was released in 2017, which means that the move will affect users who use Firefox on mobile phones that are nearly a decade old or older.

Current mobile versions of Firefox require at least Android 5.0, which was released in 2014.

Mozilla announced the intention to raise the system requirements for Firefox on Android on the organization’s bug tracking website. And the organization has good reasons for wanting to drop support.

It allows Mozilla to “implement newer technologies” and prevents engineers from “being burdened by fixing bugs that only emerge on a small population of people using old devices”.

Also worth noting is that libraries that Mozilla is using are dropping support for Android 5, which causes additional problems for Mozilla.

With Android 15 (API 35) official release last Oct 15, 2024 (for Pixel devices), we should be considering bumping up the min Android OS version of the Firefox Mobile Browser up to Android 8 (API 26). Doing so allows us to implement newer technologies, and prevents us from being burdened by fixing bugs that only emerge on a small population of people using old devices. By bumping the min Android OS version, users on those devices will no longer receive app updates.

Additionally, we are increasingly finding that libraries we use are dropping support for obsolete versions like Android 5. This causes us big problems for ongoing maintenance of our apps.

Mozilla is not the only browser maker that bumped Android version requirements recently. Google dropped support for Android 7 and 8 recently with the launch of Chrome 139 for Android. Most Chromium-based browsers for Android are likely affected by the change going forward.

So, if you are still using an Android device that is no longer supported, and has not been for a few years at least, you may find yourself without a supported browser as well.

Will there be browsers that continue to support Android 8 or earlier? That remains to be seen. For now, both Vivaldi and Opera support Android 8, as will Firefox going forward.

Windows 11

Windows 11 finally overtakes Windows 10 as the most popular desktop operating system

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft’s newest — if you consider four years new – has finally done it. It has passed Windows 10 as the most popular desktop operating system last month.

The consumer versions of Windows 10 have less than three months of support left. While you can extend that by a year, the end is inevitable at this point.

Statcounter reports that Windows 11 made a big jump to more than 53 percent usage share while Windows 10 dropped to a still respectable 43 percent share.

It appears that users are finally moving from Windows 10 to 11, either by upgrading compatible devices to the new version of Windows or by buying new PCs with Windows 11. There is also a third possibility. Since Statcounter does not reveal totals, Windows 10 devices could just have been taken offline by their respective owners or users.

Is the change in leadership the big win that Microsoft hoped Windows 11 would become? Or just born out of necessity, considering that Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 in a short while?

It seems likely that the trend will continue in the following months. Windows 10 will drop, Windows 11 will rise as a consequence.

It is interesting to note that Windows 10 managed to keep the lead until last month. Almost half of all desktop devices ran the operating system and users have started to migrate mere weeks before the official end of support.

In related news, Windows 7 still holds about 2 percent of the desktop market, more than two years after Microsoft ended the ESU program and more than five years since support ended officially.

Windows 8 and 8.1 are also listed, with a combined share of about 1 percent of the desktop market. May not sound like much, but if you assume more than 1 billion desktop PCs, you end up with 10 million Windows 8 and 8.1 devices still in use.

As far as desktop operating systems are concerned, Windows continues to have a commanding lead of more than 71 percent of the market. Unknown, meaning device with unidentifiable operating systems, macOS and Linux follow behind, each with less than 10 percent of the usage share.

Now You: do you run Windows on your devices or another operating system? Let me know in the comments below.

Windows 11 is removing an option to bypass Microsoft account and internet during setup

Windows 11, version 23H2: Support ends this year as well

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

While Windows 10’s official end of support later this year is the big Windows-topic of 2025, an earlier version of Windows 11 is also put to rest by Microsoft on the same day.

Windows 11, version 23H2, released almost two years ago, will reach end of support in November 2025 shortly after Windows 10 reaches its end of support.

To be clear, the end of support affects the Home and Pro editions of the operating systems only. Microsoft supports Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 for two years (24 months), while Enterprise and Education editions get an extra year of support.

So, if you have not upgraded a Windows 11, version 23H2 Home or Pro device to version 24H2 yet, you may want to consider doing so to keep it supported.

Systems that meet the official system requirements should get the upgrade offer in Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. Potential upgrade blockers could prevent the upgrade offer via Windows Update, but only a few confirmed issues remain.

If the upgrade to version 24H2 is not offered, you could try Microsoft’s official Installation Assistant. It can start the upgrade, even if it is not offered via Windows Update.

If that fails as well, your best bet is to use third-party tools like Rufus or FlyOobe (formerly known as Flyby11), which can also be used to bypass most of the system requirements of Windows 11.

Here is the list of Windows versions and editions, and their upcoming end of support later this year.

  • Windows 10, version 22H2 (latest) — Home and Pro : October 14, 2025.
  • Windows 11, version 22H2 — Enterprise and Education: October 14, 2025
  • Windows 11, version 23H3 — Home and Pro: November 11, 2025

Now You: do you run any of these? Let us know in the comments below.

Windows-11-Upgrader Flyby11 renamed to FlyOobe: new features in the pipeline

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

He has done it again. The developer of several useful open source tools, Belim, has changed the name of another of his applications. The useful open source Windows-11-Upgrader Flyby11 is now known as FlyOobe.

The program itself makes it easier to upgrade Windows 10 systems to Windows 11, especially if the computer does not meet major system requirements of Windows 11. While you can bypass most requirements manually, using FlyOobe simplifies the process significantly as it requires just a few clicks to start the upgrade.

The new name reflects the nature of the program better, according to the developer. Thankfully, that is not all that is new. The latest version includes a few changes already, like improved upgrade logic or automatic compatibility checks before selection of the ISO.

Here is the full changelog:

Improved upgrade logic for bypassing Windows 11 requirements
Automatic compatibility checks before ISO selection
New hybrid UI with dark main window and a light sidebar. Drop a comment: full dark, back to light, or keep the hybrid look?
More intelligent handling of setups with and without Internet
Hundreds of fixes, cleanups, and refinements under the hood
Clippy was killed. Again.
The old FAQ was removed (a new one will appear in the repo soon)
Localizations are currently offline because they no longer fit with the core features. I still need to figure out how to move forward with this

More interesting than that is what is coming next. The developer is working in integrating ISO preparations and bypass patching directly from ISO images into the application.

Means, it is future proofing the program to make sure that it continues to work, even when Microsoft decides to disable the existing bypass options.

With Windows 10 going out of support in two months, it will be interesting to see if the downloads of tools like this will explode. While users may be able to sign up for extended security updates, this is delaying the death by just a year. Enough time for some, but there will be millions of perfectly working Windows 10 PCs in October 2026 that could be used for years or even decades, if their owners would get some help migrating to Windows 11 or Linux, or another option.

Chrome PlayReady DRM

Google Chrome is getting PlayReady DRM support in Windows 11

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Most web browsers support some form of digital rights management (DRM), which is used to play DRM-protected content on the Internet. Services like Netflix, Disney+, and most paid ones use DRM,

The functionality provided by a service may depend on the DRM technology that is supported by the browser. Microsoft’s PlayReady DRM, for example, supports 4K playback at Netflix and other popular streaming services.

Google’s PlayReady DRM, on the other hand, does not. That’s probably the main reason why Google is working on adding support for PlayReady DRM to its Chrome web browser. With it, Chrome users can play up to 4K video streams at services such as Netflix or Disney+.

It may be a welcome addition for users who watch streaming services in the browser, use Windows 11 and have the device connected to a display that supports the higher resolution.

Good news is that you may enable the new feature already, provided that you run the latest stable version of the browser, Chrome 138.

Here is how you do it:

  • Load chrome://flags/#enable-hardware-secure-decryption in the Chrome address bar.
  • Set the flag to Enabled.
  • Restart Google Chrome.

The feature should be supported after the restart. Note that this is still in testing and that you may run into issues after enabling the feature. If you do, try disabling the flag again to resolve those issues. You could also disable it manually, if you do not want to make use of it.

This seems to be coming to Chromium-based browsers in general. If you use a different flavor of Chromium, you may also be getting this new feature, provided that the change is introduced.

Backup App: Here is what you need to know about the transfer to a new PC option

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft has updated the official Backup app of the Windows operating system recently with PC transfer functionality. It is designed to move files and data from an older PC, e.g., a Windows 10 device, to a newer PC.

The new option addresses a common issue that users face when they buy or a build a new PC: how do you get your files, data and settings from the old system to the new?

Microsoft’s transfer option sounds like a good option, as it is baked into the operating system. While it can be useful indeed, it is important to understand that it has limitations.

What is transferred? Microsoft says that you can use the option to transfer “all files”, settings and preferences from one PC to another.

What is excluded? System and operating system files, OneDrive files, installed applications, saved passwords and credentials, encrypted drives with BitLocker.

Are there other limitations? There are three. First, you need a Microsoft account and use it to sign in to both PCs. Second, while you can run the Backup app on Windows 10 and 11 devices, you can only use it to transfer data to a PC with Windows 11, version 24H2 or newer. Also, ARM-based PCs are not supported currently. Third, both PCs need to be connected to the same network.

In other words, you can use it to move files, such as documents or photos, from the older PC to the new system. You may also use it to move settings and preferences, such as your wallpapers, to the new system, provided that it runs the latest version of Windows 11 and is not ARM-based.

Installed applications are not transferred, which is probably the biggest shortcoming. This means, that you will have to install your favorite apps manually and configure them manually as well, unless they offer imports of settings from another device or do so via the cloud.

Some Windows users may find the tool useful, despite its obvious limitations. You can check out a detailed tutorial on how to use the tool on the Microsoft Support website.

Now You: how do you handle migrations from one system to another? Do you use tools for that or a manual approach?