file previews Archives

Winsage

December 1, 2025

5 Essential Windows Apps Everyone Should Be Using In 2025

Everything is a free application from Voidtools that indexes file and folder names quickly, allowing searches of up to a million files in a minute. It can index mapped network drives and supports Boolean operators and wildcards for advanced search needs. Flow Launcher is an open-source application that serves as a quick launcher and search utility, integrating with Everything for fast file searches and allowing users to open applications, search for files, and perform calculations from a single interface. NanaZip is an open-source archive manager derived from 7-Zip, supporting various archive formats and offering faster processing times, improved encryption, dark mode, and context menu integration. Microsoft PowerToys is a suite of utilities for power users that includes tools like Command Palette, PowerRename, and FancyZones, available for free from the Microsoft Store. Ferdium is an open-source tool that consolidates web applications into a single platform, allowing users to manage multiple web apps within one window, supporting multiple instances of the same app and offering workspace management and a built-in To-do list panel.

Winsage

November 28, 2025

3 Windows frustrations Microsoft PowerToys finally fixed for me

Windows 11 has a sleek interface but comes with some quirks. Integrating Microsoft PowerToys can alleviate minor irritations and improve productivity. FancyZones allows users to create custom layouts for window management, enabling better organization of the desktop. PowerToys Peek lets users preview file contents in File Explorer using the shortcut Ctrl + Space, reducing the need to open multiple files. Advanced Paste enables pasting text as plain text or Markdown, helping maintain consistent formatting and eliminating issues with unwanted formatting from web content. PowerToys may not be necessary for users with basic computing needs, as the built-in features of Windows 11 might suffice. However, for daily users, the tools provided by PowerToys can enhance workflow and efficiency by addressing small annoyances that accumulate during multitasking.

Winsage

October 26, 2025

Microsoft Warning—Do Not Open These Files On A Windows PC

Effective October 14, Microsoft will automatically disable the preview feature in File Explorer for files downloaded from the internet that are marked with a "Mark of the Web (MotW)." This measure addresses vulnerabilities related to "NTLM hash leakage," which could allow attackers to exploit the preview feature to capture sensitive credentials. Users must manually unblock these files by accessing the Properties settings. The change will take effect after the next login, and users can also unblock all files from a specific file share address, although this will relax security measures for those files.

Winsage

October 24, 2025

Microsoft Enhances Windows Security by Turning Off File Previews for Downloads

Microsoft is introducing an update to Windows File Explorer, effective with security updates released on or after October 14, 2025, which will automatically disable the preview pane for files downloaded from the internet. This change aims to enhance user security by mitigating vulnerabilities that could expose sensitive NTLM hashes used for network authentication. The update utilizes the "Mark of the Web" (MotW) attribute to tag files from untrusted sources, preventing previews and displaying a warning message. Local documents and trusted shares remain unaffected, and no additional setup is required for the protection to activate. Users can override the preview restriction by unblocking files in their properties. IT administrators can manage file shares by adding addresses to the Local Intranet or Trusted Sites zone, although this may lower defenses for all files from that source. The update encourages users to verify the legitimacy of sources before engaging with unfamiliar content.