How to add support for HEIC and HEVC media files on Windows 11

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

If you use Windows 11, you may have noticed that you cannot open HEIC or HEVC media files by default. Windows does not ship with an app that supports the file types by default.

While it is possible that the manufacturer of a PC adds support for these file types, there is a good chance that the files won’t open by default on your devices.

Thankfully though, there is an easy solution. One that does not require that you download a full-blown codec package to your system.

Heil file previews in Windows 11's File Explorer

The details:

  • Both codecs are available on the Microsoft Store free of charge.
  • When you search for them, you may not get them.

Some third-party apps may support the media file types out of the box. Any app that relies on the codecs that Windows provides needs the Extensions that Microsoft provides or a codec from a third-party source.

Here are the steps that you need to undertake to install the required codecs to open the files on your Windows 11 PCs:

  1. Open the HEVC Video Extensions from Device Manufacturer Microsoft Store page.
  2. Click on the install button.
  3. Select “Open Microsoft Store” when the popup appears.
  4. Click the Install button to install the codec on the system.
  5. Open the HEIF Image Extensions Microsoft Store page.
  6. Click on the install button.
  7. Select “Open Microsoft Store” when the popup appears.
  8. Activate the install option on the page to install the codec on the system.

You should now be able to play the media files on your system.

Note: Default Windows apps like the Photos app and also third-party solutions such as Paint.Net will load the files from that moment on. File Explorer will also show previews of the media files, if you select one of the thumbnail view modes.

The extensions install like any other app, which means that you can remove them from Settings > Apps > Installed Apps at any time. Third-party tools like the excellent O&O AppBuster work as well.

Have you encountered HEVC or HEIF files before? What did you do to load them on your devices? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Firefox

Mozilla removes Adjust marketing integration from Firefox Mobile

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla has used Adjust in Firefox for mobile products for years for a very specific purpose: to determine if the installation of the mobile browser originated from an advertising campaign.

In other words, Adjust helped Mozilla track conversions of its advertising campaigns. It also send anonymous usage summaries occasionally, according to Mozilla.

Starting in Firefox 129.0.2 for Android and iOS, Adjust appears no longer integrated in the Firefox browser.

When you check Settings > Data Collection after upgrading to the latest version, you will notice that the Adjust option is no longer listed.

Firefox Mobile Adjust Marketing
Left side: Firefox with Adjust. Right side: Latest Firefox without Adjust

The Marketing data option is no longer available. It allowed Firefox users to enable or disable the sharing of usage data with Mozilla.

Mozilla did not mention the removal in the official release notes. It is therefore unclear why it has been removed, if you just look at the changelog.

Bugzilla listings confirm that this has not been done in error. Bug 1913363, for example, confirms the removal of the “metric service” and the toggle in Firefox. (via Sören Hentzschel)

Closing words

The removal addresses a major issue that some users have with Firefox: that the browser’s defaults are not ideal for a browser that strives to protect the privacy of users.

With Adjust gone, there is one less thing to worry about in this regard.

Which browser do you use on your mobile devices? Why do you use that browser and not another? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Super God Mode for Windows gives admins what Microsoft does not give them

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

When it comes to managing a single Windows device, you often have to juggle between various administrative tools. Two of the most-used ones are the Control Panel and the Settings app.

There are dozens more, however, from the Device Manager and Registry to the Task Manager and Group Policy Editor.

Super God Mode is a free open source script for Windows that creates links to virtually all system tools and options that are linkable. Think of it as a next level God Mode.

What is God Mode? For those unaware, God Mode refers to a secret menu that you may create by naming a folder GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}. This folder includes about 200 links to various tools and settings in Windows when opened.

The developers describe Super God Mode in the following way:

This PowerShell script creates shortcuts to all special shell folders, named folders, task links, system settings, deep links, and URL protocols in Windows, providing easy access to a wide range of system settings and features.

Using Super God Mode in Windows

Super God Mode for Windows
Super God Mode’s setup window gives you numerous options

Super God Mode is open source. A PowerShell script sits at the core of the project. The easiest option to use it is the following one:

  1. Download the latest version of the PowerShell script using this link.
  2. Download the latest version of the Batch launcher using this link.
  3. Double-click on the launcher.

This opens the user interface. You can hit the “run script” button right away or use the customization options to change the output.

Tip: if you want all links that exist, check “include third-party app URL protocols” before you run the script.

Other options include changing the output folder name and directory, skip the grouping of tasks, or allowing duplicate links.

The script generates hundreds of links based on the configuration after you hit the run button.

It created more than 1300 links on a Windows 11 test system. Once done, open the Super God Mode folder on the device to use the links.

Super God Mode folder on Windows 11

If you did not disable the grouping, you find the following categories:

  • Hidden App Links — Deep links in various apps, e.g., Microsoft Store, Gamebar, or Xbox.
  • URL Protocols — These launch apps or tools for the most part, e.g., Notepad, PC Health Check, or Microsoft Defender.
  • System Settings — Deep links that point to the Settings app. These enable you to jump to specific Settings pages quickly.
  • Deep Links — Another list of links that launch tools or configuration options, for instance to troubleshoot issues.
  • All Task Links — Includes links to various tools, such as Control Panel applets, Power Options, Folder Options and many more.
  • Special Named Folders — Links to special folders, e.g., Downloads, 3D Objects, Startup, or SendTo.
  • CLSID Shell Folder Shortcuts — Even more links, some of them point to File Explorer folders, others to settings, e.g., Speech Recognition or User Accounts.

If there is one thing to criticize, it is that there are so many links that it will take time to go through them all.

It is easy enough to create a new folder to put all the links that you require into. Still, with more than a thousand links to check, it will take a while.

Closing Words

Super God Mode is a useful tool for Windows administrators who want direct access to Windows tools, directories and settings. It may be overwhelming at first, due to the sheer number of links it produces, but that is only temporary.

Instead of sifting through them all to find the ones you need, you could also use search to find them this way.

Have you used God Mode before on Windows? What is your take on Super God Mode? Feel free to write a comment down below. (via Neowin)

Office

LibreOffice 24.8: you can now block active content in documents

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

An update for the open source cross-platform office suite LibreOffice is now available. LibreOffice 24.8 is available for all supported systems.

The new version includes over a hundred improved or new features. Several are important from a security point of view.

The details:

  • An option to disable active content and OLE automation is now available.
  • Improved WebDAV/HTTP UCP authentication with Microsoft SharePoint.
  • Improved CMIS UCP authentication with Microsoft SharePoint.
  • Option to remove personal information on saving.
  • ODF Wholesome Encryption is now available. It improves tamper and brute-force resistance, offers improved performance, and improved hiding of metadata.

Several of these options are interesting from an end-users point of view. The ability to disable active content improves security, as it prevents attacks that exploit these options.

LibreOffice 24.8 new security settings

Here is how you enable it:

  1. Open Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Security > Security Options and Warnings > Options-button.
  2. Check “Disable active contents from OLE Objects, DDE and OLE Automation”.

Note: this may impact documents that rely on these technologies.

Here, you may also enable the removal of personal information on saving.

Check “remove personal information on saving” and then what you do not want included. This is supported at the time of writing:

  • Changes information.
  • Document user information.
  • Author name and date of notes.
  • Document version information.
  • Printer settings.

You can check out the full changelog on the official Document Foundation website.

The latest version is available for download already. You can download it from the official website or from within LibreOffice by selecting Help > Check for Updates.

Do you use LibreOffice or another Office program? What is your take on the new security features? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Is Microsoft really, finally killing the Windows Control Panel?

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Almost a decade ago, Microsoft said that the Settings app of the then-new operating system Windows 10 would replace the classic Control Panel of the operating system.

While Microsoft did move some options from the Control Panel to the Settings app over the years, it has, to this day, failed to migrate them all.

On the System configuration tools in Windows help page, Microsoft is now confirming what everyone knew for a long time: the classic Control Panel is deprecated.

Microsoft writes:

The Control Panel is a feature that’s been part of Windows for a long time. It provides a centralized location to view and manipulate system settings and controls. Through a series of applets, you can adjust various options ranging from system time and date to hardware settings, network configurations, and more. The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated in favor of the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience.

While the support page is new, it has not really been a secret that Microsoft has plans to kill the Control Panel.

The classic Windows Control Panel

Now, it is official. But that does not really answer any other questions that users may have:

  • When is Microsoft removing the Control Panel from Windows?
  • Will there be Control Panel features that won’t be ported to the Settings app?

It is quite possible that it will take years, maybe another decade, before the Control Panel is finally removed. Microsoft engineers are busy adding AI features and redesigning Recall. Moving options from Control to Settings is probably very low on the priority list at Microsoft.

Still, some of you may still live when Microsoft is pulling the plug and giving Windows what it deserves: a single app to control options and settings.

Did you know? You can still open the existing Control Panel applets directly.

Do you still use the Control Panel in Windows? Or do you prefer the Settings app, or even a third-party solution? Feel free to write a comment down below. (via Neowin)

Opera One: first look at the new dynamic themes feature of the browser

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Opera Software has launched a new Opera One developer update that introduces a new feature in the browser.

Called Dynamic Themes, it is adding animation to themes in the Opera browser.

Opera explains:

The new dynamic Themes are built using the Shaders technology and are rendered using your device’s GPU. You can configure each Theme using the configuration page’s multi-dimensional color picker – meaning you can play with endless combinations to find your favorites.

The initial version launched with three dynamic themes:

  • Classic
  • Aurora – dark mode theme.
  • Polar Winds – light mode theme.

The Classic theme is the only one that has not shaders. As such, it should have “zero impact” on the computer’s performance, according to Opera. The two other themes do use shaders.

Here is how Aurora looks like:

Aurora theme Opera

And here is Polar Winds:

Polar Windows Theme Opera

Note that you can customize the theme when you select it. Here is how that works:

  • Make sure you have the latest Opera Developer build installed.
  • Open a new tab in the browser.
  • Click on the “Easy Setup” icon in the browser’s address bar.
  • Select Choose Theme.

Here you get to choose one of the three themes. Remember, the only one supporting light and dark mode is the classic theme.

Once you have picked a theme you are taken to the configuration screen. Here you can modify certain parameters and use a slider to pick a color theme.

Other options may include disabling animations, or, in the case of Polar Winds, keyboard and browser sounds. The classic theme gives you options to set a custom wallpaper.

Opera saves the custom themes automatically and displays them as options whenever you launch easy setup again. It is an easy way to switch between different themes in the browser.

To make things even easier, you may also use the keyboard shortcut Alt-Shift-T to switch between the last ten theme configurations on Windows (Alt-Shift-T on Mac).

Opera plans to launch more themes before the feature gets released to stable builds.

What is your take on sound, animations, and other visuals in web browsers? Is that something you like and (would) use, or turned off immediately instead? Let us know in the comments below.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp: set an optional username and Pin for protection against unwanted messages

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

WhatsApp is working on a new feature that is intended to improve the privacy of its users. The main idea adds two new features to the messaging service:

  • Let users create a username, which they then may share with others instead of their phone number.
  • Add a Pin to the username to block unwanted messages to that username.

Any WhatsApp user may contact any other user on the platform currently. All that is required for that is a phone number. While the contacted user has the option to block any further messages or communication attempts, it is still a major nuisance.

WhatsApp users who want to communicate with someone on WhatsApp need to hand out their phone number to do so currently. This may not be a problem for someone trusted, but it could very well end in disaster for others.

Did you know? WhatsApp is also working on limiting spam messages by blocking messages from unknown accounts that exceed a certain limit.

The optional username addresses this. Instead of handing out the phone number, you could create and then hand out the username only. This protects the phone number, but still allows others to communicate with you on WhatsApp.

The pin adds a second layer of protection. While completely optional, it will prompt anyone for the pin when trying to contact WhatsApp users using their username.

WhatsApp users who pick a popular or common name for their username may want to add a pin, as spammers may start to send messages to these names in the hope that they have been created by someone on the platform.

WABetaInfo reports that the feature is in testing in the latest Beta version of WhatsApp. Not every beta tester is given access to new features and it may take some time before a feature is rolled out to more users.

There is also the chance that a feature is never making it into stable WhatsApp. Only time will tell if and when we are going to see the new username and pin option.

Closing Words

Adding a username option to WhatsApp makes a lot of sense from a user’s privacy point of view. WhatsApp is no longer just used to communicate with friends or family. Even in some of those cases, you may prefer not to hand out your phone number.

What is your take on this new feature? Would you create a username, if WhatsApp would launch it? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Advertising

Oh look, Google ads are again used to scam Google Search users

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Threat actors have launched another malvertising campaign on Google Search. While that is not really anything to write about anymore in this day and age, this time is special.

Not only did the threat actors manage to plant scam ads on Google, they did furthermore impersonate Google’s entire product line and used Google domains for the scams. If that is not something to write about.

The story comes from Malwarebytes. Security researchers at Malwarebytes discovered the campaign.

Here are the details:

  • The campaign was run on Google Search.
  • The threat actor used Google’s Looker Studio service to show the google.com domain as the address.
  • The ads targeted Google {product}, e.g., Google Translate or Google Flights.

Even after Malwarebytes reported the ads to Google, ads that impersonated official Google products continued to show up on Google Search.

Locker Studio is a service by Google that creates “interactive dashboards and beautiful reports” from data.

The scammers used the service to display a copy of the Google Search homepage. The homepage is just an image with a hidden link. When the victim clicks on the image, the link is triggered.

The user is then redirected to fake Microsoft or Apple alert pages. These go into full screen mode and play a recording according to Malwarebytes. The alerts suggest that something is not right.

They display a number to call for support and also a form to type the Microsoft account name and password.

Calls land in overseas call centers that try to scam the callers into purchasing gift cards or logging into their bank accounts to pay for the support.

The URL used in this case is on a Microsoft Azure domain, which is designed to instill further trust.

Closing Words

There is not much to like about ads nowadays. They slow down web browsing, use additional bandwidth, collect data about users, and may be distracting. If that is not enough, they may also push ads, as seen over and over again.

The only thing that is positive about ads is, in my opinion, that they allow certain services or publications to exist. There are not viable alternatives. While subscriptions are picking up, this won’t work for everyone as users seem to be fed up already with the ever increasing list of services that is asking for a monthly or yearly payments.

More safeguards need to be in place to prevent blatant abuses like the one discovered by Malwarebytes.

What is your take on this? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Brand Love: Google’s unethical attempt to get only positive Pixel reviews

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Influencers play an important role in marketing today. They tend to have a certain reach that makes cooperations with them attractive to companies.

It should not come as a surprise that influencers get offers to test devices. Companies send them the devices free of charge in the hope that they get a review by the influencer in question.

This cooperation should not come with any requirements, or only light requirements, such as disclosing that the device was not paid for.

Reports suggest that Google has altered the terms for influencers recently. To get a new Pixel device for testing, influencers had to acknowledge and agree to the following:

By opting into this program, do you acknowledge that you are expected to feature the Google Pixel device in place of any competitor mobile device? Please note that if it appears other brands are being preferred over the Pixel, we will need to cease the relationship between the brand and the creator.

In other words, Google tried to influence reviews of influencers with the new terms.

At least some YouTubers who joined “Team Pixel” in the past have quit citing that the new terms were not giving them the editorial freedom that they needed and their audiences deserved.

The Verge asked Google about the new terms and Google said that they “missed the mark” and that “it has been removed”.

Still, the agreement was in place for a time and it seems likely that the participating influencers would make sure that their reviews and takes on the new Pixel devices would not violate it.

All in all, it is a new low. It is good to see that some influencers decided to quit the program because of the changes.

Do you check out what creators or influencers have to say about a certain device before you make a buying decision? Or do you get your information from elsewhere instead? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp: the end of Spam? New feature is a tiny step towards that goal

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will block messages from unknown accounts. Before you get too excited about it, there is a big but coming up soon.

If you are using WhatsApp, you may have experienced your fair share of spam. Be it messages from unknown accounts or even calls.

Over the past couple of weeks, I received a significant number of spam calls and also messages. The chat messages promised work, money, a girlfriend, and other things.

It is simple to block interactions with certain accounts on WhatsApp once they try to reach out to you. There are not that many options to block spam before it reaches your device though.

Soon, WhatsApp users will have another weapon in their arsenal to fight spam before it reaches the user’s device. (via WABetaInfo)

The details:

  • A new option to block unknown account messages is being tested in the WhatsApp beta.
  • It blocks messages from unknown accounts, but only if they “exceed a certain volume”.
  • Not every beta tester has the feature at this point.

In other words: If WhatsApp notices a certain amount of spam from a particular user, it will block that user’s ability to send more spam.

WhatsApp does not say how it detects spam messaging attempts. It is possible that it is using spam reports by users for that. This would mean, and here comes the aforementioned but, that spam will still land on user devices.

Not necessarily as much as before, as WhatsApp will pull the plug on the account’s ability to send messages once the threshold is reached.

Even if WhatsApp uses an automated system, it still means that spam will land on user devices, albeit less than before presumably.

Closing Words

All in all, it is a welcome new option that may reduce spam on the platform. It appears that the feature is disabled by default. You may need to enable it under Settings > Privacy > Advanced.

Do you use WhatsApp? Did you receive spam in the past? Would you enable the new feature once it becomes available? Let us know in the comments below.