ViveTool Archives

Winsage

June 16, 2025

Microsoft Weekly: redesigned Windows 11 Start menu, Xbox handheld is here, and more

Microsoft has released Patch Tuesday updates for June 2025, with Windows 10 receiving KB5060533 and Windows 11 receiving KB5060842 and KB5060999. The Windows Insider Program has unveiled several new builds, including a redesigned Start menu in build 26200.5641 and various enhancements in other builds. Microsoft has introduced Copilot Vision with Highlights for Windows, currently available in the U.S. for two applications. A quirky bug in the latest builds causes Windows 11 to play the Windows Vista startup sound. Microsoft Edge received an update in the Dev Channel, while Firefox rolled out version 139.0.4. Microsoft announced enhancements to Outlook and OneDrive for Mac. New Xbox handhelds, the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, were unveiled, optimized for gaming. Steam's Next Fest allows free trials of hundreds of games until June 16, 2025, and the Epic Games Store is offering Two Point Hospital for free.

Winsage

June 15, 2025

Windows 11 finally gets a small, but long-requested Windows 10 taskbar feature

Windows 11 is nearing its fourth anniversary, and Microsoft has reintroduced the clock in the calendar flyout, a feature that users missed since its initial release. This feature allows for a larger clock display with seconds, visible whether the calendar is collapsed or expanded. Users can toggle the clock off in the Settings menu, but the feature is being rolled out gradually. To enable it sooner, users can use the ViVeTool app with specific commands. However, the taskbar calendar still lacks advanced functionalities like displaying user agendas or creating new events.

Winsage

May 29, 2025

Microsoft engineer confirms Windows 8 Redpill feature lockout was named after The Matrix

Redpill was a mechanism in Windows 8 designed to activate disabled features for authorized users, inspired by the red pill from The Matrix movie. It utilized the licensing subsystem to shield under-development features from both internal employees and the public. Microsoft engineer Raymond Chen confirmed the origin of the Redpill codename. The mechanism aimed to restrict access to hidden features, which included enhancements like a new Start menu and a redesigned logon interface. Critics argue that this approach may have limited valuable feedback, contributing to the perception of Windows 8 as a misstep. In contrast, current Windows development trends favor transparency and collaboration.

Winsage

May 20, 2025

Microsoft is giving Windows 11 power users and developers new Advanced Windows Settings

Microsoft has introduced Advanced Windows Settings, replacing the previous For Developers segment, aimed at enhancing user control for developers and power users. This feature consolidates various options into a single interface, making it easier to access settings that were previously hidden or difficult to find. Key features include easy toggles for displaying file extensions, options to show folder paths in Explorer’s top bar, and a method to run software as a different user. The Advanced Windows Settings will allow users to customize their experience with powerful settings, such as enabling File Explorer with GitHub version control, currently available in the Windows Insider Program. To access these features, users must install the latest Beta or Dev build of Windows 11 and activate the new settings page using the command: vivetool /enable /id:56005157.

Winsage

April 19, 2025

Your Windows 11 Calendar flyout finally knows what time it is but only if you do this

Windows 11 has reintroduced the clock feature in the Calendar flyout, which was removed in a previous update. This feature is currently available only to users on Insider build 22635.5240 (23H2) within the Beta Channel, and is not accessible to those on stable versions of Windows 11. To enable the clock, users must use a tool called ViveTool, execute a command in the Command Prompt, and adjust settings in the Date & time settings page.

Winsage

April 9, 2025

Another blow to Windows 11’s Control Panel as Microsoft pushes more settings migrations

Microsoft is transitioning mouse settings from the Control Panel to the Settings app in Windows 11. Recent updates in the Dev and Beta builds have moved options like pointer trails and hiding the pointer while typing to the Accessibility page in the Settings app. This change simplifies access to mouse customization options for users. Similar features were previously available in the Windows Server Preview Build 26376. To enable these new mouse settings in the latest builds, users must use ViveTool to activate id:54273186 and restart their PC for the changes to take effect.

Winsage

March 20, 2025

Windows 11’s Hidden FAQ Could Tell You Why Your PC Is So Slow

Microsoft is testing a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) feature in Windows 11 that aims to analyze system specifications and provide tailored advice on performance issues. This feature is located within the System tab of Settings and addresses common queries related to device specifications and performance. Examples of questions include the sufficiency of a GPU for high-end gaming and the impact of RAM on PC performance. The FAQ section aims to offer personalized information based on each user's specific system, making it a more accessible resource compared to the current basic list of system specs. However, the responses are currently somewhat generic, and Microsoft must ensure accuracy to avoid misleading users regarding potential performance improvements from upgrades.

Winsage

March 19, 2025

Windows 11 has a hidden FAQ page in testing that tells you why your PC is slow

Windows 11 will introduce a new FAQ page in its Settings app to help users identify potential limitations of their PCs. This feature, currently hidden in Dev Channel builds, will answer questions about the OS version and evaluate GPU adequacy for gaming and video tasks. It will also analyze the impact of having 4-8GB of RAM on performance. The feature can be activated using the third-party utility ViVeTool with ID “5530588,” but its effectiveness may vary across systems. Microsoft has faced criticism for Windows 11's strict minimum hardware requirements, which may prevent many PCs from upgrading from Windows 10. This situation may force users to upgrade hardware or consider alternatives like ChromeOS. Microsoft aims to enhance user experience with Windows 11, which may lead to increased hardware sales and user satisfaction.

Winsage

February 5, 2025

Microsoft finally allows customizing Windows 11 lock screen widgets, here is how to do that

Microsoft has released a new preview build of Windows 11, designated as 22635.4870 (KB5050087), in the Beta Channel. This build introduces the ability to customize lock screen widgets, allowing users to select which widgets are displayed when their PC is locked. The customizable feature is currently being rolled out to Windows Insiders using this build. To enable it manually, users need to download ViVeTool, run specific commands in Command Prompt, and restart their computer. The customization requires an activated Windows installation.

Winsage

February 5, 2025

Windows 11 lock screen widgets get a much-needed boost, while desktop pinning remains ignored

Users can now customize lock screen widgets in Windows 11 with the latest Insider update on the Beta Channel, allowing them to select, reorder, and remove specific widgets. This feature is part of the Windows 11 23H2 Beta Channel build 22635.4870 (KB5050087). IT administrators can disable lock screen widgets through the Local Group Policy Editor without affecting their availability elsewhere. Currently, this feature is available only to Beta Channel Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA), with plans for broader access in other regions. Users have requested additional features, such as the ability to pin widgets to the desktop, but Microsoft has not provided a timeline for these enhancements.