mouse cursor Archives

Winsage

July 11, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 (Canary Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27898 has been released to the Canary Channel. Key features include: - Taskbar Icon Scaling: Icons on the taskbar can automatically resize when the taskbar is full, with options to keep them at original size or always small. - Quick Machine Recovery: This feature identifies and resolves common issues automatically via the Windows Recovery Environment, reducing downtime. - Custom Words in Voice Access: Users can add custom words to the voice access dictionary to improve dictation accuracy. - Screen Curtain in Narrator: This feature blacks out the display for privacy while using Narrator. - Privacy Dialogs Update: Privacy dialogs for app permissions have been redesigned for better focus. - Accessibility Enhancements: Text descriptions for assistive technologies have been added to the Accessibility flyout. - File Explorer Improvements: Dividers have been added to the context menu for better organization. - Adaptive Energy Saver: An opt-in feature that manages energy saver settings based on power state and system load. - Windows Share Updates: Visual previews are now shown when sharing links or web content. - Expanded Voice Access Support: Voice access now supports Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese. - Narrator Guidance: Narrator will guide users through its features with modal windows. - Settings Adjustments: The selected country or region during setup is now displayed in Settings. Fixes include performance improvements in File Explorer, resolution of input issues with the touch keyboard, and fixes for crashes in Settings. Known issues involve potential loss of Windows Hello PIN on new Copilot+ PCs and graphical issues with Remote Desktop on Arm64 PCs.

Winsage

July 9, 2025

New Windows 11 update delivers a host of new features and fixes – here are 4 things I’m looking forward to

Windows 11's July update includes several new features and fixes, particularly benefiting gamers by resolving issues with mouse cursor behavior when Alt-Tabbing and addressing app freezes and display resets during full-screen gameplay. The update automatically resizes taskbar icons to fit more applications, with an option to disable this feature. Accessibility improvements include the ability to add custom words to the Voice Access dictionary and a new privacy feature for the Narrator tool that blackens the display while reading aloud. For European users, the update allows the chosen default browser to be linked to all file types, reducing unexpected launches of Microsoft Edge. Additionally, a new PC-to-PC migration feature is being introduced in the Windows Backup app to facilitate file and installation transfers over a shared network, with a full rollout expected before the end of Windows 10 support in October 2025.

Winsage

February 24, 2025

Microsoft admits Windows 11 File Explorer can be slow when using title bar buttons

Windows 11's File Explorer has performance issues, affecting users even on high-end devices like the HP Spectre with 32GB of RAM. Users report slow responses and partial loading, particularly when using the close, minimize, or maximize buttons. Microsoft has acknowledged these concerns with the release of Windows 11 Build 22635.4950 (KB5052078) in the Beta Channel, indicating they are working on a fix for the slow closing issue. While some users have noted minor improvements, many feel that significant enhancements are still needed compared to Windows 10's File Explorer. Feedback from users highlights ongoing frustrations with sluggish opening times and modern design elements that seem to exacerbate the loading process. Microsoft is investigating these performance issues further.

Winsage

February 12, 2025

Windows 11 Patch Tuesday tweaks taskbar and adds handy icon in system tray for AI effects

Windows 11's latest Patch Tuesday updates include several enhancements and fixes: - Taskbar: Improved visual previews and smoother animations for taskbar applications. - Windows Studio Effects: New system tray icon for applications using Windows Studio Effects, with access to the Studio Effects page in Quick Settings. - Fonts: Introduction of Simsun-ExtG, a new simplified Chinese font supporting 9,753 ideographs. - File Explorer: New "New Folder" option in the context menu, restoration of previously open tabs, automatic activation of specific settings, and several fixes related to search functionality and icon updates. - Settings: Users can change time zones without administrative privileges. - Mouse: Fixed issues with cursor disappearance, transparency, and performance. - Pinyin IME: Bug fix for language switching. - Snipping Tool: Resolved distortion issues for multi-monitor screenshots. - Microsoft Excel 2016: Fixed loading screen issue for certain files. - Game Bar: Fixed recording failure issue. - HDR: Corrected oversaturation issues in some games. - DAC: Fixed playback issues with USB audio devices. - USB audio device drivers: Resolved code 10 error message. - Chinese Pinyin IME: Bing no longer provides automatic suggestions for certain search engines. - USB cameras: Fixed recognition issues post-January 2025 security update. - Passkey: Eliminated one-minute timeout for mobile device passkeys. - Power: Improved shutdown times with connected controllers. - Wi-Fi: Resolved unresponsive Windows Security dialog when signing into certain networks.

Winsage

February 8, 2025

More Windows 11 patch woes, this time with mouse pointers acting up

Last week, the optional Windows 11 update KB5050094 was released to enhance USB audio playback and improve Auto HDR for gaming. However, users reported issues with the mouse cursor getting stuck in a loading animation every thirty seconds, and the previously resolved "disappearing cursor" issue has returned, affecting users in light theme mode. Additionally, File Explorer has become unresponsive, and users have faced difficulties with dialog windows and decreased performance during login. Some users experienced increased CPU, GPU, and RAM utilization while idle, leading to higher temperatures. It is advised to roll back the update if installed or to avoid it until the next comprehensive update scheduled for Patch Tuesday.

Winsage

December 13, 2024

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702 (Dev Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2702 (KB5048761) has been released to the Dev Channel. New features include: - An advanced camera options page under Settings, offering configurations for multi-app camera access and basic camera functionality. - API support for third-party passkey providers to enhance login security, along with updates to WebAuthn APIs for a plugin authentication model for passkeys. Changes and improvements: - Enhanced filtering for recommended websites on the Start menu based on browsing history. - The ability for standard users to change time zones under Settings. Fixes include: - Resolved issues with pointer trails making the mouse cursor invisible and mouse cursor stuttering. - Addressed oversaturation issues in some games using Auto HDR. - Fixed a rollback issue that displayed an incorrect app control dialog. Known issues: - Incorrect build version display after a PC reset. - Issues with Recall functionality and Click to Do features that will be addressed in future updates. Microsoft Edge Game Assist (Preview) is available for Insiders, providing an in-game browser experience tailored for PC gaming. Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2, with features gradually rolled out and subject to change based on feedback.

AppWizard

December 12, 2024

This 83-year-old Japanese erotic game producer playing Stalker 2 while blasting a cig is an impossibly big mood

Stalker 2 is an ambitious game that has gained popularity, particularly in Eastern Europe, despite its imperfections. One notable fan is an octogenarian Japanese game studio president, Nakamura-san, who enjoys playing Stalker 2 on his new gaming rig. He has a history with the original Stalker games, having played them with numerous mods, and has expressed a desire for modifications to improve the user interface and subtitle size due to his age. Nakamura has been inspired by the original Stalker series, the novel Roadside Picnic, and Andrei Tarkovsky's film Stalker, appreciating the emotional depth and atmospheric elements of the game.

Winsage

December 11, 2024

Windows 11 build 27764 is out with Start menu improvements and more

Microsoft has released a new preview build for Windows Insiders, designated as 27764, in the Canary Channel. Key enhancements include: - Start Menu: Users can access jump lists by right-clicking pinned apps. - Dynamic Lighting: A placeholder message appears when no compatible devices are connected, and new directional options have been added to the Wave and Gradient effects. - Input: The IME toolbar will be hidden in full-screen mode for Chinese or Japanese typing. - Narrator: New shortcuts allow users to skip links and jump to lists in scan mode. - Speech in Windows: Improvements to speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionalities, with prompts for manual language file updates. Resolved issues include: - A bugcheck issue causing PAGEFAULTINNONPAGEDAREA errors. - File Explorer improvements to prevent hanging with numerous media files. - Fixes for widget text overlapping on secondary monitors. - Resolution of mouse cursor visibility issues when pointer trails are enabled. - Corrections for HDDs being misidentified as SSDs in Task Manager. - Addressing lag and screen tearing on secondary monitors. - Fix for Excel hanging when opening certain files. Known bugs include: - Issues with Windows Hello PIN and biometrics for users transitioning to the Canary Channel. - Rollbacks during installation of Canary builds. - Ongoing work to resolve issues with accent-colored window borders, window shadows, and animations.

Winsage

December 5, 2024

Microsoft confirms Windows 11 24H2 now rolling out to more PCs despite major issues

Microsoft has announced the rollout of Windows 11 24H2 to a broader range of PCs, now available for eligible devices running versions 22H2 and 23H2. Users can check for the update by navigating to Settings, selecting Windows Update, and clicking on Check for updates. The update may not appear on all configurations, especially those with incompatible applications or drivers. Users have reported persistent bugs, including a glitch that causes the mouse cursor or text highlighter to vanish when selecting the address bar in browsers like Chrome and Edge.

Winsage

December 5, 2024

Windows 11 Canary build 27758 is out with several fixes for taskbar, File Explorer, and more

Microsoft has released a new preview build of Windows 11 for Canary users, specifically build 27758, which includes several enhancements: - File Explorer: The search box has been adjusted to prevent it from extending beyond the window's edge. - Taskbar: A fix has been made to prevent crashes of explorer.exe when right-clicking app icons. - Input: An issue with the mouse cursor becoming invisible over text fields in certain applications has been resolved. - Desktop: Improvements ensure desktop backgrounds display correctly across multiple monitors. - Task Manager: Work is ongoing to correct the alignment of the Mica background when resized with settings open. - Narrator: A crash issue at launch when using natural voices has been addressed. - Audio: Fixes prevent USB audio devices from going to sleep after one minute of inactivity and address unexpected mute/unmute sounds in certain headsets. - Settings: Crashes when selecting a default audio device have been rectified. - Other: An issue causing an unexpected black line along the top border of windows has been resolved. Known bugs include: - Users on Copilot+ PCs may experience issues with Windows Hello PIN and biometrics, leading to error 0xd0000225. - Rollbacks during installation of the latest Canary builds are under investigation. - Microsoft is addressing issues related to accent-colored window borders, shadows, and animations. - A new bugcheck issue with error PAGEFAULTINNONPAGEDAREA has been identified.