accessibility enhancements Archives

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Windows 11’s Patch Tuesday for May finally brings Recall into the mix

Microsoft's Recall feature is set to debut after a delay due to security concerns. The update for Windows 11, released on May 13th, includes AI-driven tools to enhance user interactions and productivity. Key features integrated from the April 25th Preview update include: - Recall (preview): Allows users to retrieve information from various applications, websites, and documents using AI for quick searches based on content descriptions, with options to save snapshots of activities and manage them through Windows Hello. - Click to Do (preview): Enables immediate action on items displayed on the screen using a keyboard shortcut for editing or summarizing content. - Improved Windows Search: Enhanced search capabilities allow natural language queries to locate documents and settings. - Phone Link: Facilitates interaction between Windows PCs and mobile devices for calls, messages, and content sharing. - Widgets: Web developers can create interactive widgets with customization options for lock screen widgets. Additional updates include improvements to File Explorer, accessibility enhancements, and new settings management options for app recommendations. The update for Windows 10 focuses on a fix for Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) and Linux Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) to improve detection of Linux systems. Detailed patch notes and download links are available through the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Winsage

March 26, 2025

I’ll admit, Microsoft’s new Windows 11 update surprised me with its usefulness, providing accessibility fixes, a gamepad keyboard layout, and PC spec cards

Microsoft has released an optional update for Windows 11, known as KB5053657, currently in its preview phase. This update includes significant accessibility enhancements in File Explorer, ensuring uniform text scaling across all elements. It introduces PC spec cards in the Settings app, providing insights into CPU, RAM, storage, and graphics card. A new gamepad keyboard layout allows typing via an Xbox controller, and a new emoji button has been added to the taskbar for emojis, GIFs, and clipboard access. Voice Access now supports Simplified and Traditional Chinese. The full release of these features is expected on April 8 as part of the April cumulative update.

Winsage

March 24, 2025

Windows 11’s File Explorer UI could soon scale better when you change OS settings

The Windows 11 23H2 build update KB5053648 in the Beta Channel of the Insider Program improves accessibility by addressing issues with dialog box text scaling in File Explorer. Previously, text size adjustments did not uniformly apply, but the update ensures that all elements within dialog boxes reflect the new text size consistently. Additionally, the update resolves issues with the search indexer causing crashes in File Explorer and fixes the date display of files and folders in the Home section. Users in the EEA region will no longer see account-based recommendations in the Home section, simplifying the interface. There are also discussions about a faster unarchiving experience, although slow loading times persist in File Explorer. Users are encouraged to report glitches through the feedback hub.

Winsage

March 13, 2025

Lilbits: Microsoft keeps adding AI to Notepad, a fix for broken Chromecasts, and Android 16 Beta 3

Microsoft Notepad has introduced new features, including a spell checker and an AI-powered Rewrite utility, aimed at enhancing user experience. The latest update includes a Summarize tool for generating concise summaries of selected text, available to Windows Insiders with a Microsoft account and a subscription to Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro. Notepad version 11.2501.29.0 is rolling out in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11. Additionally, the Windows Snipping Tool (version 11.2502.18.0) has been updated to allow users to draw straight lines during screen capture annotations. Android 16 Beta 3 is introducing "platform stability" and accessibility enhancements. Google is working on a fix for 2015 Chromecast devices affected by an expired certificate.

Winsage

February 21, 2025

Microsoft Paint’s AI features for Windows 11 out in more regions, including Image Creator

Microsoft is expanding the accessibility of its MS Paint application on Windows 11, introducing an update that enhances the Paint Creator mode for users outside the United States. This update includes the "Image Creator" button, which uses Bing's AI capabilities to generate images, now available to a broader audience. Users need a Microsoft 365 subscription and Copilot Pro to access the Paint Image Creator, which operates on OpenAI’s DALL-E technology. The process involves entering a text description, selecting a style, and generating three image variants. Users must have a Microsoft account to track usage and a Microsoft 365 subscription to utilize the Paint Image Creator with an increased limit on AI credits. The Paint Creator operates on an “AI Credits” system, providing 60 credits monthly for image generation. Additionally, Microsoft is rolling out the Generative Erase feature, allowing users to remove objects from images using AI.

Winsage

December 11, 2024

Quest v72 Brings Improved Hand Tracking & Keyboard Cutout

Meta Quest v72 is being rolled out to users, featuring improved hand tracking capabilities with the upgraded Hand Tracking 2.3 model, which enhances stability, accuracy, and reduces latency. Key improvements include a more stable hand cursor, better cursor stabilization during pinching, improved pinch-and-drag responsiveness, easier hand use in confined spaces, and a new hand ray visualization. The update also introduces experimental integration with Windows 11, a passthrough cutout feature for any keyboard, automatic call captions for live transcripts during calls, a Travel Mode indicator to prevent accidental activation, a streamlined home environment that defaults to a stationary boundary, and integration of direct messaging in the Instagram app on Horizon OS.