Microsoft Store Archives

Winsage

May 23, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 (Beta Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.4161 (KB5058515) has been released to the Beta Channel for Windows 11, version 24H2. This update includes new features such as the Microsoft 365 Text Action in Click to Do, allowing users to draft content in Word by selecting recognized text. Lock screen widget personalization is now available globally, enabling users to customize their lock screens. The update introduces support for multiple dashboards in Widgets, enhancing organization and access to favorite widgets. Improvements include recommendations from the Microsoft Store in the "Open with..." dialog and a new PC-to-PC migration experience in the Windows Backup app. Various fixes have been made to the Start Menu, Task Manager, Narrator, and Voice Access. Known issues include incorrect build version display post-PC reset and Bluetooth issues with Xbox Controllers. Users are encouraged to provide feedback through the Feedback Hub.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Samsung’s Galaxy apps now work on non-Galaxy Windows computers

Samsung has expanded the availability of its applications, previously exclusive to Galaxy laptops, to non-Galaxy Windows devices. Users can now download apps such as Galaxy Notes, Gallery, and Cloud from the Microsoft Store. Some applications require a Samsung Account for full functionality, and Galaxy Notes has been optimized for Galaxy Books, which may affect performance on other devices. The available applications include Galaxy Notes, Cloud, Gallery, Screen Recorder, Galaxy Buds, Bixby, Samsung Studio, and Phone.

BetaBeacon

May 22, 2025

Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is Out Now on PC, iOS and Android

Netmarble has released Game of Thrones: Kingsroad on PC, iOS, and Android platforms in various regions.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Screw the Windows Search Bar, and Use Command Palette Instead

Mac users utilize Spotlight for searching applications, files, calculations, and web browsing, while Windows users have the Search Bar, which is less versatile. Command Palette is a new keyboard launcher for Windows, replacing PowerToys Run, allowing users to execute commands, search the web, find files, and create custom bookmarks with global keyboard shortcuts. Command Palette is part of PowerToys, which can be downloaded from GitHub, the Microsoft Store, or via the Windows Package Manager. After installing PowerToys version 0.9 or higher, users can enable Command Palette in the settings and customize its keyboard shortcut. Users can search for files by selecting the File search option and typing the desired term, and they can switch between open windows and execute commands in the Terminal. The hidden package manager WinGet allows users to install applications via Command Palette without opening the Terminal. Users can also enhance Command Palette with third-party extensions, which are currently limited but may expand in the future.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Microsoft makes the Windows Subsystem for Linux open source after almost a decade of development

Microsoft has announced that the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is now open source, marking a significant milestone in its development. The company has closed issue #1 on its GitHub issue tracker, which asked if WSL would be open source since April 6, 2016. WSL allows Windows users to run Linux distributions alongside their operating system and has evolved from WSL 1, which used a pico process provider, to WSL 2, which introduced a dedicated Linux kernel and various enhancements such as GPU support, graphical applications, and systemd support. In 2021, WSL was decoupled from the Windows codebase and made available via the Microsoft Store for Windows 11 users. Future updates will further refine the installation process for Linux distributions.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Windows 10 and 11: Microsoft removes Store fees for individual app developers

Microsoft announced that starting June 2015, individual developers will no longer incur fees to register and submit their apps to the Microsoft Store. This makes the Microsoft Store the first global digital store to offer free app publishing. Corporate developers will still face charges. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing enhancements such as improved hosting for privacy policies, expanded support resources, a policy update for Win32 app installations, promotional campaign capabilities for developers, enhanced health reports, and visibility on when apps were last updated. Microsoft has previously allowed developers to retain all revenue from non-game apps using their billing system, while charging a 12 percent fee for games and a 15 percent fee for apps using Microsoft's retail platform. In 2021, Microsoft expanded the types of applications that can be submitted to the store.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Microsoft Makes Individual Developer Accounts Free Next Month

Microsoft is removing all onboarding fees for individual developers to publish applications on the Microsoft Store, effective next month. This change allows developers to publish without a credit card, making the platform more accessible. Company accounts will still incur a fee, but individual developers can utilize the built-in developer mode on Windows 10, 11, and Xbox consoles to create unsigned applications. The Microsoft Store will also see improvements in discovery, delivery, and user acquisition processes. While developer mode is popular for running emulation software, it remains limited by the deprecated UWP application platform, affecting Xbox console applications.

Winsage

May 17, 2025

Best Windows apps this week

In this week's roundup of applications for Windows 10 and 11, it is noted that consumer support for Windows 10 will end in October 2025, but users can purchase a year of extended support and receive three years of security updates for Microsoft 365 apps. New applications highlighted include: - DiskCopy: Free disk and partition cloning software for backing up partitions or entire disks, facilitating data migration. - IrfanView: An image viewer that now includes batch file multithreading and new hotkeys in its latest version. - Registry Finder: A freeware tool for managing the Windows Registry, with improved search capabilities and usability.

Winsage

May 16, 2025

I made the Windows 11 taskbar truly my own with these customizations

Windows 11 offers taskbar customization options that enhance user experience. TranslucentTB is a free tool that allows users to change the taskbar's color and transparency, adapting its appearance based on different scenarios. ExplorerPatcher enables users to restore the Windows 10 taskbar design, providing individual buttons for features and customizable flyouts. Windhawk is a modding tool that offers unique themes for the taskbar, transforming its appearance into styles reminiscent of other operating systems. Start11 allows users to pin folders to the taskbar for easier access. Windhawk also provides mods to enhance taskbar labels and customize the clock. ObjectDock offers a macOS-style dock as an alternative to the traditional taskbar, featuring animations and visual customization options.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

WSL is the best feature added to Windows in the last decade

Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update in August 2016, initially as a tool for developers. WSL debuted as a beta version with a native-kernel translation layer, allowing Windows to run unmodified Linux ELF binaries. Its early performance was limited, leading users to prefer Linux virtual machines for full compatibility. The launch of WSL2 in May 2020 replaced the translation layer with a lightweight, real Linux kernel running in a Hyper-V utility VM, providing near-native performance and comprehensive syscall coverage. WSL2 has since seen continuous improvements, including GPU-compute and CUDA support in 2021, full GUI support for X11 and Wayland applications in 2022, and systemd support in September 2022. WSL2 approaches the performance of bare-metal Linux while integrating seamlessly with Windows, allowing users to launch a Linux shell easily. It enables developers to access the C drive and interact between Windows and Linux environments without dual-booting. WSL2 enhances productivity for data science workflows, allowing the use of tools like PyTorch with CUDA. It also offers features for non-developers, such as creating aliases for launching Windows applications and running Linux GUI applications. WSL's integration into Windows represents a significant shift, providing opportunities for users across various domains to explore Linux functionalities.