Windows Insider: Canary Channel

Microsoft has introduced a new update channel for Windows Insiders called the "Canary Channel." This channel will provide the earliest access to new Windows builds almost daily, but it comes with the risk of more bugs and instability.

The Canary Channel is intended for developers, early adopters, and advanced users who want to test new features and provide feedback to Microsoft. The company plans to release new builds to the Canary Channel every day but will be starting slowly and building up the schedule , making it the fastest way to get access to new features and improvements.

However, Microsoft are warning that the builds released in the Canary Channel are not be stable and may contain bugs that could affect system performance, Therefore, it is recommended that users only install these builds on test machines or in virtual environments.  

But those currently subscribed to the Dev Channel will be moved to the Canary Channel automatically which is why Microsoft are recommending you check the insider channels you are on.

If you are an Insider in the Beta Channel who wants to be closer to the latest new features and experiences, we recommend you switch to the Dev Channel today.

It is important to note that when switching channels, Insiders can’t switch to a channel that is receiving builds with lower build numbers without doing a clean installation of Windows 11 due to technical setup requirements.

Meaning if you do not check now and you need to switch later you will need to reinstall Windows again.

What’s coming for the Windows Insider Program in 2023 | Windows Insider Blog

Windows 10/11 Hybrid Boot (Fast Boot) - Why rebooting is better then shutting down to fix an issue

When you choose to shut down your Windows 10 or 11 system, it actually goes into a hybrid boot mode. This means that your system saves some information in a special file on your hard drive and then turns off most of its components to conserve power. When you turn your system back on, it quickly reloads that information and wakes up from this hybrid mode. This process is faster, so makes the system feel quicker on start-up 

On the other hand, when you choose to reboot your Windows 10 or 11 system, it completely powers down and then starts back up again from scratch. This means that any temporary files or processes that were open before the reboot will be closed and the system will start fresh. Rebooting your system is a good way to refresh it and make sure any updates or changes are properly applied.

So, if you want to completely power down your Windows 10 or 11 system and start fresh, choose the "Restart" option.

Windows 11 22H2 Moments 2 update

 Microsoft has pushed its latest build to the Insider program and its expected to be released fully in March.

The first feature drop, Moment 1, was released in October 2022 and introduced new experiences such as Android app support, Teams chat integration, widgets personalization, snap layouts improvements, and more.

This feature release will bring more enhancements and capabilities to Windows 11 users, such as:

• Windows Studio effects: This feature allows users to access various effects for their camera and microphone directly from quick settings on the taskbar. Users can apply effects such as background blur, portrait lighting, voice enhancement, noise cancellation, etc. to improve their video calls or recordings. This feature requires a device that has a supported neural processing unit (NPU).
  
  
• Energy Recommendations: This feature helps users optimize their battery life by providing personalized recommendations based on their usage patterns and device settings. Users can access these recommendations from Settings > System > Battery > Energy Recommendations.
  
  
• Touch-optimized taskbar: This feature improves the tablet experience on Windows 11 by introducing a new taskbar design that automatically transitions to tablet mode when disconnecting or folding the keyboard on a convertible device. The taskbar offers two modes: collapsed and expanded. In collapsed mode, the taskbar shows only icons for pinned apps and quick settings. In expanded mode, the taskbar shows labels for pinned apps and additional buttons for Start menu, Task View, Search box, etc.
  
  
• Improved system tray: This feature updates the system tray icons to match the new design language of Windows 11. It also adds new icons for Focus assist and Nearby sharing.
  
  
• Other features: Moment 2 will also include other features such as improved File Explorer context menus with Fluent design elements; updated emoji picker with skin tone selector; redesigned Snipping Tool app with modern UI; improved touch keyboard with swipe gestures; revamped Microsoft Store app with more content and categories; etc.

The next big Windows 11 feature drop is imminent, here's everything that's new (msn.com)

Releasing Windows 11 Build 22621.1343 to the Release Preview Channel | Windows Insider Blog

Windows 11 Start menu, Metro is dead, long live Fluent

Change is never good or is it better to say change is never welcomed.  with the end of life of Windows 10 only 2 years away we are starting to see more and more devices coming with Windows 11.

This brings with it a host of changes; one of them is a change in direction of the design of its UI.  this newer design principle is called Fluent, its goal is to drive accessibility across all platforms (Windows, IOS, Android, and so on)

Windows 11 design principles - Windows apps | Microsoft Docs

This means that the Metro UI is gone and the Start menu has returned to a simpler design that mirrors more of a mobile UI design then the Windows 7 / Windows 8.1 live tile design that Metro took in the end.

You can still pin your applications to the Start Menu but gone are the live tiles and resizing of icons.

For business looking to upgrade to Windows 11 who wish to unify the Start menu like you could with the XML layout data, this has changed to JSON instead.

Add or remove pinned apps on the Start menu in Windows 11 - Configure Windows | Microsoft Docs

But the principle are still the same, export and link to GPO.

Windows 11 - Windows Terminal will not open after upgrading

 After upgrading to Windows 11,  the new Windows terminal will not open.  to sort this you will need to open the Microsoft store and install it from there.

https://www.microsoft.com/store/productId/9N0DX20HK701

Windows 11 - Windows Defender will not open

 After upgrading to Windows 11, Windows Defender can stop opening and may give the below error

To fix this open PowerShell as admin and type "Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage"