In our tests, Windows Latest previously observed that Device Encryption is turned on by default. Over the weekend, users also noticed that Microsoft has already enabled it in Windows 11 24H2 RTM preview builds, suggesting the feature is likely coming this year when the update rolls out to everyone.

When we asked Microsoft, the company confirmed to Windows Latest that it recently adjusted the prerequisites to enable device encryption.

“We have adjusted (removal of Modern Standby/HSTI validation and untrusted DMA ports check) to enable device encryption so that it is automatically enabled when doing clean installs of Windows 11,” Microsoft said in a statement.

As Microsoft explains in its documentation, Device Encryption uses BitLocker to encrypt the data applied to all system drives. You must backup your BitLocker key to your Microsoft account or save it to an external USB disk. Without this, you cannot access your data.

Windows can request the BitLocker recovery key while resetting or reinstalling the operating system. However, procuring the recovery key can be challenging if the feature is enabled without the user’s approval. If you lose access to your Microsoft Account, you will also lose access to the PC.

BitLocker has a list of hardware requirements, including a TPM 1.2 or newer chip and UEFI. Since Windows 11 checks for these changes during installation, escaping BitLocker is impossible. However, there are workarounds.

How to turn off automatic Device Encryption in Windows 11

During installation, you can disable Device Encryption using a Registry hack:

1. Press Shift + F10 to open the Command Prompt window. Type regedit and press Enter to launch Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BitLocker subkey.
3. Right-click the empty side and select the New > Dword (32-bit) Value option from the context menu.
4. Name the value “PreventDeviceEncryption”.
5. Set the value date to 1 and click on the OK button.
6. Close the Registry Editor.

You can also create a bootable USB drive with Rufus. It can prepare a modified Windows 11 installation media to bypass system requirements and disable BitLocker.

With Rufus, you can interact with the GUI interface, which is more accessible for less tech-savvy Windows users.

The post Microsoft confirms Windows 11 24H2 turns on Device Encryption by default appeared first on Windows Latest

Microsoft already has ample ways to inform you that Windows isn’t activated, including the Settings app, desktop, and other places. Microsoft wants to take things up a notch. In a recent Microsoft Edge build, Microsoft has started testing several flags that may allow the company to block browser’s capabilities when Windows 11 is not activated.

These features identify whether Windows is activated:

• msEdgeActivatedStateCheckAndUpdate
• msEdgeNonActivatedOSTrigger
• msEdgeLockSettingsInNonActivatedOS

Windows Latest tried running the Edge Canary version with these features enabled individually. We got the “msEdgeLockSettingsInNonActivatedOS” working, which locks you out of some settings in the Edge browser.

After opening the Settings page in Edge, we noticed a banner at the top informing us that “We notice your Windows is not activated, some customization has been limited”. We dug deeper and opened all the subpages inside the Settings app.

After enabling this feature, we couldn’t find any other blocked setting. However, Microsoft might add more restrictions in Edge’s upcoming builds. For example, the company may not let you change the new tab settings, hide the MSN feed, change accent, dark theme, or other features.

Does it even make sense to block Edge settings?

Locking users out of Edge browser settings because they use a non-activated Windows version doesn’t make sense. Since the Edge browser is available for Mac and mobile devices, why is the activation popup only for Windows users?

We don’t see any benefit from these restrictions other than irking users into switching to Chrome or Firefox.

Browsers shouldn’t nudge you to purchase a Windows license. It’s one of those features we sincerely hope will never be approved. Meanwhile, Microsoft is testing a resource control feature in the browser.

Edge will get a RAM limiter feature

Windows Latest tested the Resource Control feature hidden inside Edge Canary. It lets you set a maximum size of RAM that Edge can use. So, if you have a low-end PC that flatlines after running Edge, you can allocate a fixed amount of RAM.

Limiting RAM usage of the browser won’t improve the performance but will ensure that other apps and Windows have the bare minimum system resources that they need.

The post Microsoft Edge experiment blocks access to settings if Windows 11 is not activated appeared first on Windows Latest

This new memory-saver policy will discard all the tabs that have been in sleep mode for more than 1.5 days. However, this policy only works when the “SleepingTabsEnabled” policy is active. If that isn’t the case, then configuring this policy won’t have an effect.

After a tab is discarded, it no longer uses system resources. It must be reloaded to use the webpage again, and Edge won’t close the tab automatically.

You might be confused between Sleeping Tabs and Discarded Tabs. A sleeping tab consumes very little memory but keeps the page alive. A discarded tab releases all the system resources, and you must reload the page.

The new Edge policy graciously gives 1.5 days before removing all the system resources from the tab. Unless you use Edge for 1.5 days straight without closing any tabs, this policy won’t help much.

Microsoft has not mentioned whether the 1.5-day duration is configurable in the Edge Release Notes page. The company recently announced the depreciation of two CSS features that allowed websites to adjust themselves as per the user’s default system themes.

Forced colors will make the contrast theme experience better

The Forced Colors debuted in 2020, but Microsoft retained the old—ms-high-contrast query. It also extended support to other Chromium-based browsers and Firefox. After four years, Microsoft wants websites to adopt the new Forced Colours scheme to improve accessibility for Windows users.

This won’t be an abrupt transition. Microsoft plans to slowly deprecate the old media query with Edge browser version 138. Currently, Edge 124 is available in the stable channel, so we have a year before the change happens.

To test the feature, type edge://flags/#edge-deprecate-ms-high-contrast in the URL bar, set the flag to Enabled, and restart Edge to apply the changes.

Microsoft is also experimenting with a resource control feature in the Edge browser, which Windows Latest has covered extensively. The feature allows you to set the maximum amount of RAM the Edge browser can use.

It is designed to help users manage resource control for the browser on low-end systems. RAM limiter won’t make your Edge browser faster, but it can free up resources for other apps running on your PC.

The post Microsoft Edge will save memory on Windows by auto-discarding sleeping tabs appeared first on Windows Latest

Windows April 2024 security updates have been rough for everyone, including consumers and businesses. Windows Latest has already flagged as many as three critical issues in the April 2024 Patch, and the fourth new bug has been spotted in Windows Server 2022.

In an update to its support document, Microsoft warned about the issues in Windows Server 2022. According to Microsoft, you might notice an abrupt blowup in NTLM authentication traffic if you are an administrator. For those unaware, it is an authentication protocol to verify the user’s identity to establish a connection.

NTLM is a legacy protocol that’s not as heavily used as Kerberos but was mangled by April’s security update. In addition to the NTLM traffic surge, Microsoft informed that Windows Server PCs acting as a Domain Controller could encounter a service crash issue.

The abrupt crash of the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) can force your PC to reboot. This problem exists in Windows Server 2022 and affects all older editions, including Windows Server 2008.

Here’s a full list of affected Windows edditions:

• Windows Server 2022 (KB5036909)
• Windows Server 2019 (KB5036896)
• Windows Server 2016 (KB5036899)
• Windows Server 2012 R2 (KB5036960)
• Windows Server 2012 (KB5036969)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB5036967)
• Windows Server 2008 (KB5036932).

If you are looking for a resolution, you must wait until Microsoft rolls out a patch. As always, you can choose to uninstall the update via PowerShell.

To remove April 2024 update from Windows Server 2022 using DISM, use these steps:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator. Run this command:
2. dism /online /get-packages
3. Look through the list for a package name that includes “KB5036909“. Note the full name of the package.
4. Replace PackageName with the exact name of the update package and run the following command:
5. dism /online /remove-package /packagename:PackageName
6. Example, if the package is listed as Package_for_KB5036909~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.0,  your command would be:
7. dism /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB5036909~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.0
8. As you can see, it must have full name. Once done, run Restart-Computer to finish removing updates.

You can follow the same steps for other Windows editions, but replace the KB ID. Also, you should pause the updates until the fixes are ready.

It’s worth noting that Windows Server is also plagued with two other issues in the April 2024 update.

Profile Photo and VPN connection errors

You might encounter an error if you try changing the profile photo on your Windows Server PC. The selected image is often applied as the new profile picture and the 0x80070520 error appears after that.

It warns that the profile picture couldn’t be saved, which is incorrect.

On Windows 11 consumer editions, the problem is associated with a local account, as confirmed by our tests in another post.

VPN software might fail to connect, making using the PC in a secure environment challenging. Both these issues remain unresolved, and it’s been almost a month since the update went live.

A few weeks back, Microsoft accidentally installed Copilot app on Windows Server PCs with an update for the Edge browser. Unlike consumer editions, Copilot isn’t available for Windows Server.

However, Microsoft took cognizance of the incident and removed the app with a new update for the Edge.

The post Microsoft confirms KB5036909 issues in Windows Server with NTLM traffic, LSASS appeared first on Windows Latest

Starting with the File Explorer, you will find a duplicate tabs option when you right-click on an open tab in the File Explorer. The feature creates another tab with the same folder location. Earlier, it required a Vivetool trick to enable it, but now it is available by default.

KB5037008 patches a File Explorer memory leak while accessing archive folders. In addition, it fixes the spacing between desktop icons, which was unusually wide otherwise. File Explorer’s Home section loads faster, and the accidentally appearing address bar drop-down menu won’t bother you anymore.

The Task Manager now displays the RAM speed in MT/s instead of MHz which describes the amount of data it can transfer per second. You can check out the Performance section in the app. The sort feature has been improved, and processes will be released faster after receiving the End process request.

If you have trouble resizing the Task Manager window, grab the top bar to adjust its size. This build also irons out a bug that blocked the “Safely Remove Hardware” option for ejecting USB devices if the Task Manager was open.

Several more improvements to the app’s accessibility have been made. The complete list of fixes is on Microsoft’s announcement page.

The beta update (KB5037008) also hides an upcoming upgrade to File Explorer’s archive feature.

You can create archives in 7z and TAR format

Windows Latest extensively covered the support for compressing files in new formats when it first surfaced in the Windows 11 24H2 build. We expected Microsoft to roll out the feature with the 24H2 update for stable channel users, but the feature is now spotted in the Beta build.

Unlike the tab duplication feature, archive support for 7z and TAR is disabled by default. You will need Vivetool to enable it, or you can wait for a few weeks until Microsoft makes it available in the Beta channel. Since this feature is backported from 24H2, the chances of arriving in 23H2 are very high.

You can compress files and folders in three formats, including the ZIP format, which has been available for decades. Microsoft has yet to find common ground with WinRAR, so the native support for RAR format compression is out of the picture, at least for now.

The post Windows 11 KB5037008 beta makes Task Manager and File Explorer faster appeared first on Windows Latest

VPN connections failure

On the second Tuesday of April, Windows 11 received the KB5036893 update, while Windows 10 received the KB5036892 update. After installing the update, users began reporting issues when connecting to their VPN network.

We don’t think the issue is widespread, but Microsoft has still updated the KB5036893 support page to confirm VPN issues.

Windows Latest tested the April 2024 Update with our Windscribe VPN but had no problems connecting to a network. We also tested several other VPN apps with Windows 11 KB5036893 and KB5036980 updates, but there were no visible performance issues.

The support page still mentions the VPN issues, meaning that it hasn’t been fixed for everyone in the April 23, 2024 update.

According to the official release health status page, this VPN problem affects numerous Windows 10 and 11 editions. The list includes Windows 11 (23H2, 22H2, and 21H2), Windows 10 (22H2 and 21H2), and multiple Windows Server builds.

Blank White Screen Error

Many users contacted us about their problems with the KB5036893 update.

For many, the update failed to install and produced multiple error codes. Windows Latest also noticed a white screen after applying the update. It was a blank white screen with no elements, leaving us scratching our heads.

However, the problem disappeared after disconnecting the WiFi, and the PC successfully booted onto the desktop. The white screen problem didn’t occur after restarting the PC.

A user found success after switching to safe mode and then turning off a few services.

Even the Feedback Hub app, which lets you submit problems with your PC, stopped working for many.

Changing Profile Picture Produces Errors

Microsoft’s April security update also breaks the ability to change user account profile. If you try to change the user account profile picture, you might encounter the 0x80070520 error message.

This issue is present in all April 2024 updates, including security and optional updates.

In our tests, Windows Latest observed that the profile picture can be changed smoothly when Windows 11 is connected to a Microsoft account. However, when we tried to change the profile picture on a local account, Windows 11 refused to apply changes with the following error:

Windows 11 April 2024 updates have been available for a month now, but there’s still no patch in sight. Microsoft says it’s working on fixing these problems, but for now, the only resolution is to remove the April 2024 update from your Windows PCs.

To do that, search for Uninstall updates in the Start Menu and click the Uninstall button next to the most recent security update.

Other notable problems with the April 2024 Update include performance issues, inability to recognize external monitors, and laggy mouse and other system elements.

The post Windows 11 April 2024 Update is causing three major issues appeared first on Windows Latest

If you don’t understand how this File Explorer works in Windows 11, here’s a simple explanation: If enabled, the feature restores all your open File Explorer windows when you restart or log into your PC. It doesn’t work when you shut down your PC.

After updating to Windows 11 22H2, many users found themselves in a predicament. The “Restore previous folder windows at logon” stopped working, which forced them to reopen all the File Explorer windows again manually.

A workaround emerged, which required turning off the tabs feature in File Explorer using third-party tools. The workaround worked for some time, but it backfired with the Moment 4 update, which started causing problems with the File Explorer when tabs feature was forcefully turned off.

Windows Latest also received feedback from several users and spotted a lengthy Reddit thread on the File Explorer problem.

There are several complaints on Microsoft forums, too. However, in Windows 11 23H2 after recent updates, the problems do not occur anymore.

We enabled the “Restore previous folder windows at logon” settings and signed out of the PC. After logging in, all the previously opened File Explorer windows reappeared. The same was the case after restarting the PC.

You don’t have to turn off the tabs feature to fix the issue. If you are on Windows 11 22H2, updating to 23H2 can fix this problem. Also, remember that Microsoft won’t support Windows 11 22H2 after October 8, 2024, which is just six months away from now.

Meanwhile, several new changes are arriving to File Explorer in 24H2

File Explorer will get duplicate tabs, context menu labels, and more

Windows Latest noticed multiple File Explorer features being tested in the Windows 11 24H2 Insider channel. One of them is adding labels for common actions in the File Explorer’s context menu so that clicking on any icon won’t be confusing.

Another significant change is the ability to create archives in more new formats. File Explorer currently supports ZIP archives, but soon, you can create TAR and 7z archives without needing a third-party app like WinRAR.

A duplicate tab option in the tab’s context menu and Copilot integration are also among the upcoming feature upgrades for File Explorer.

The post Microsoft fixes restore previous folder feature in Windows 11’s File Explorer appeared first on Windows Latest

After facing a lot of flak, Microsoft has decided to roll back the change in the Windows 11 Beta Build 22635.3566. Now, the Show desktop icon will appear in the extreme right corner of the Taskbar like it used to, and the Copilot icon will revert to its original position to appear before the Show desktop.

Windows Latest spotted this change while testing Beta build number 22635.3566. The official post has also been updated to reflect this change. Originally, the Copilot icon appeared with other taskbar icons.

In our opinion, the right side of the Taskbar feels bloated when it has two icons. If you want, you can keep both the Copilot and Show desktop icons. However, you might accidentally click the Copilot icon when trying to show the desktop, which is why the company turned off the Show Desktop button to pin Copilot instead.

Microsoft has now rolled back the changes, and the Show Desktop button will now appear by default.

Since this change is exclusive to the beta build, you’ll still need to visit the Settings > Personalization > Taskbar section to re-enable the Show Desktop button in the stable builds.

Then, under Taskbar behavior settings, enable the “Select the far corner of the desktop to show the desktop” option. After that, hide the Copilot icon to restore the Show desktop icon’s original decluttered look.

It could be a while before Micorosft delivers this change in an update for Windows 11. We previously covered Microsoft’s accidental addition of the Copilot app with a Microsoft Edge update.

The Copilot app has a purpose

Users noticed a new Copilot app after updating the Edge browser to version 123. This app appeared in the list of Installed apps and was 16 KB in size. Moreover, it didn’t appear in the Start menu search results.

In our conversation with Microsoft, we learned that the app doesn’t do anything now. It isn’t designed to replace the current Copilot app and only exists to add new AI features in the future.

Microsoft has been working on multiple changes for Copilot in Windows. For example, we recently spotted that Microsoft doubled the characters limit to 8,000 from 4,000. If you’ve Copilot Pro, you can now use up to 16,000 characters. Additionally, you can directly upload documents – PDF, .doc, .xls, and .ppt to summarize.

Windows Latest has extensively covered upcoming AI features in Windows 11 24H2, which includes AI Explorer, Super Automatic Resolution, Paint NPU, and more. Some of these features will need an NPU and might remain exclusive to upcoming AI PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite.

The post Microsoft rolls back a Windows 11 feature that replaced Show Desktop with Copilot appeared first on Windows Latest

In a statement to Windows Latest, Microsoft previously confirmed that 123.0.2420.65, released on March 28, 2024, accidentally installed the web package for “Copilot”.

While the company refused to explain what the 8KB shortcut does, Windows Latets understands that the Copilot web package allows users in Europe to use an upcoming feature called “chat provider”. This web app was shipped in an MSIX package called “Microsoft Chat Provider for Copilot in Windows”.

This package was rolling out to everyone with Microsoft Edge 123, including systems where Copilot is not supported. As a result, some users on Windows Server 2022 noticed the new Copilot package in the Apps & Features > Installed apps section.

In a new update to its support documentation, Microsoft has confirmed that Edge 124 removes the Copilot app from Windows Server. The company has released a new update for the Edge browser updating it to version 124.0.2478.67. The update uninstalls the ‘Microsoft chat provider for Copilot in Windows’ package from the PC.

All you need to do is check and install the recent update for the Edge browser on your Windows Server machines. Copilot isn’t supposed to exist on Windows Server PCs, and this unwanted installation sparked curiosity among users.

The app can be uninstalled on Windows Server 2022. To do so, go to the Apps & Features app list and select the Uninstall option.

You can also turn off this Copilot app by changing the policy in User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot > Turn off Windows Copilot.

Regarding other Windows Server changes, Microsoft recently added Microsoft account sign-in alerts in the Start menu.

Another useless feature of the Windows Server

It was questionable to ask admins to sign in with a Microsoft Account in Windows Server 2025.

Similarly, Microsoft added Sudo to Server editions only to clarify that it won’t be part of the operating system in the future.

Windows Server doesn’t need the bloatware shipped with Windows 11 because it is designed for a different use case. Copilot is already inside multiple system apps in consumer editions and soon it will appear in every corner of the OS.

The post Microsoft removes the Copilot app from Windows Server after installing it accidentally appeared first on Windows Latest

As noticed by PhantomOcean on X, Microsoft has been working on a new “duplicate tabs” button. This hidden experimental feature is in Windows 11 KB5037002, available to testers in the Beta channel. In our tests, Windows Latest observed that the “Duplicate Tab” button shows up when you right-click the tab you want to duplicate.

As shown in the screenshot below, when you right-click on any open tab in the File Explorer, the context menu shows a new “Duplicate tab” option. Previously, the context menu only had the options of Close tab, Close other tabs, and Close tabs to the right.

The “Duplicate tab” option opens another tab in the File Explorer window with the same folder location. This works only when the tab is in the focus, which means you cannot duplicate tabs that are not actively used. You need to click the tab and right-click it to create its copy.

For example, if you have a “Downloads” folder tab open in File Explorer and want to dig into it, but you also want to keep the primary Downloads folder open, you can now duplicate it.

Microsoft is testing the feature in the Windows 11 KB5037002 update, but in our tests, we observed that it also works in Build 22635.3500. Windows Latest understands that the company may also add a keyboard shortcut for this duplication feature to make it more convenient.

Although the Windows 11 24H2 release is far away, Microsoft is testing numerous feature add-ons for File Explorer in the upcoming update.

For example, Microsoft is also planning to bring back the address bar drag and drop in the next cumulative update.

File Explorer will get an improved context menu, archive format support, and more

Windows Latest spotted multiple useful features in the File Explorer in the last few Insider builds.

The first change improves the File Explorer’s context menu. It adds labels below popular action icons like copy and delete, making them much easier to identify now.

Additionally, Microsoft is working on bringing Windows 11 a full-fledged “Create Archives” feature with multiple archive formats.

While it’s already possible to create a zip file on Windows 11, you can soon create archives in TAR and 7z formats in addition to the usual ZIP format. Sadly, WinRAR support remains missing as Microsoft hasn’t reached an agreement with WinRAR.

You will also see Copilot in the File Explorer’s context menu, which shows suggestions for actions like summarizing or sending the file to Copilot.

The post Windows 11 KB5037002 tests a new duplicate tabs feature in File Explorer appeared first on Windows Latest