• New Windows 11 preview build is almost entirely about bug fixing
• There are some important fixes delivered for the Start menu and more
• Microsoft is working hard to firefight all the glitches in Windows 11 24H2

Windows 11 has been hit by a whole load of bugs in recent times, with the move to version 24H2, as you’ve probably noticed – but the more positive news is that Microsoft is busy fixing a fair few of those gremlins in the works.

We’ve got evidence of this courtesy of the latest preview release of Windows 11 pushed out to the Dev channel, namely build 26120.2213.

Microsoft lists the work underway in terms of bug fixing in the usual blog post, and while there’s a whole lot of resolving glitches going on, some of it’s more mundane – so let’s pick out some of the highlights.

A notable bug we’ve recently reported has hit Task Manager, resulting in it showing that there are zero apps and processes running on the host PC – which, of course, can never happen (otherwise Windows 11 itself wouldn’t be working, never mind anything else). Microsoft informs us that it has resolved this issue where Task Manager is claiming a zero count for running processes.

On top of that, an ‘underlying issue’ with the most recent 24H2 preview that meant some games were completely failing to launch has been cured here.

Multiple bugs with the Windows 11 Start menu have been fixed with build 26120, including one where people were seeing a large amount of spacing between the apps present in the menu’s list of applications. There also a broad cure for an issue “impacting Start menu reliability” we’re told.

There’s a similar problem with File Explorer where items in the navigation pane were also becoming too spread out, with too much spacing between them for some users, and this has been remedied too. A more minor issue where RAW images taken in portrait mode were displaying in landscape mode with File Explorer’s thumbnails has also been fixed.

Furthermore, Microsoft has applied a clutch of fixes for various minor problems with the taskbar, including a glitch where the ‘X’ button to close a window off the taskbar preview (that pops up when you hover over the app on the bar) wasn’t working.

Analysis: It’s all about the bug squashing

This preview release of Windows 11 is notable because there’s hardly anything at all here in terms of feature additions (just a minor change for the IME toolbar which won’t make any difference to most users).

Almost all of this build is about fixing bugs, and aside from that, there are a couple of known issues flagged which haven’t yet been resolved. One of those is the bugs with the new gamepad keyboard layout for Windows 11 users that have meant it has been put on ice for the time being, and the other is a problem where those running multiple monitors are seeing corruption with their desktop background (with “big black areas” appearing mysteriously).

Microsoft is still working on the cures for those issues, and a fair few other problems besides that are affecting the latest incarnation of its desktop OS. To say Windows 11 24H2 has got off to a rocky start in terms of bugs is something of an understatement, in fact, but it does appear that Microsoft is working hard to firefight these various problems.

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• Paint 3D won’t be available from the Microsoft Store after today
• Microsoft warned us the app was on the way out a few months ago
• If you install it, you can keep Paint 3D, but it won’t be patched up

Windows 11 (and 10) users should be aware that it’s the final day for one of the optional apps for Microsoft’s operating system, namely Paint 3D.

We should clarify that this is the ‘3D’ spin on Paint, not the vanilla Microsoft Paint app which remains a core part of Windows 11 to this day (and is still being actively developed).

The scrapping of Paint 3D isn’t a surprise, mind, as we’ve had ample warning about the impending demise of the application.

To recap the tale of Paint 3D, you may recall it first graced Windows 10 as a new stock app in 2016, not long after the OS launched, as part of the first update. (This was the ‘Creators Update’ back when Microsoft had a plan to run themed feature updates for Windows 10, an idea that rapidly ran out of steam and evaporated into nothingness).

However, Paint 3D never really got off the ground (we’ll come back to why in a moment), and was removed from the collection of stock apps installed with Windows by default in 2021.

Since then, you could still grab Paint 3D from the Microsoft Store if you wanted the app, but now the final curtain is being drawn. After today, it will no longer be available to download as an option from the store (a fact that Microsoft warned us about via a pop-up back in August 2024).

So, if you want Paint 3D, grab it now, before today is over – and be aware that this is the final nail in the coffin for the venerable app.

Who cares about Paint 3D anyway?

Well, it’s a fair question. Indeed, you may have forgotten about Paint 3D completely. It wasn’t a big hit with the Windows 10 audience in general – or indeed Windows 11, though it had been dropped by that time – hence the reason for it getting the elbow.

Paint 3D tried something different in offering the functionality for creating 3D models, as the name suggests, so you could for example use it to turn a photo into a 3D model.

Also, as Ghacks – which reminded us about today’s deadline – points out, it was built to be more touch-friendly than vanilla Paint (with larger icons and sliders that make it easier to use with your fingers).

There was a niche audience that appreciated Paint 3D, certainly, but it was just that, a pretty small number of fans – so Microsoft didn’t push forward with any real drive to further develop the app as a result.

We should note that if you’ve installed Paint 3D, it won’t go anywhere, or be removed from your PC. But if you don’t have it, this is your last chance to get the app.

Bear in mind, though, that Microsoft won’t be doing any work with the client going forward, so if vulnerabilities pop up for example, they’ll remain unpatched. (In theory anyway, though if something particularly huge and gaping opened up exploit-wise, the software giant might take action). In short, you can continue using Paint 3D at your own risk, should you wish to do so.

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Windows 11 version 24H2, the latest major feature update for the operating system (OS), is acting up again with a peculiar menu glitch in File Explorer, an important part of the OS that allows you to browse through file systems.

This new issue affects the “See more” menu, which flies out when you press a button labeled with three dots (or ellipses) and shows various actions you can do within File Explorer like "Select All" or "View Properties." Originally, the menu was meant to open as a dropdown menu below your mouse cursor.

Unfortunately, a newly discovered bug causes this menu to appear at the very top of the screen, often out of sight, making the menu difficult or impossible to read and use because some options are rendered outside of your screen. Windows Latest reports that this glitch appears while using File Explorer in full screen mode, providing screen recordings of the bug in action.

An easy way out of the woods (or back into the screen)

It’s not the most fatal flaw, but it does have plenty of potential to be incredibly annoying. The good news is that a fix is luckily pretty straightforward. To access the ‘See more’ menu fully, you’ll need to use File Explorer in window mode, then adjust the size of the File Explorer window so that the ‘See more’ menu is visible, even if it opens in its new unusual spot in your display.

Also, it seems like Microsoft is aware of the problem and working on a fix, according to Windows Latest, who asked the company about the bug, and this will be added to a future Windows 11 cumulative update. You can learn more about what Microsoft has in store in Windows Latest’s outline of future Windows 11 updates.

I understand that this isn’t a major issue for Windows 11, but this kind of baffling (and annoying) error is now considered pretty common for 24H2 and Windows 11 in general. Most people will probably get used to this state, but it also creates an opportunity for users to be lured away by the promise of an intuitive, functional OS that doesn’t malfunction as often.

While Windows 10 now enjoys the biggest user base out of Microsoft’s OSs, it also garnered a reputation of being buggy sometimes after updates, and it looks like Windows 11 isn’t escaping that fate – for now at least, unless Microsoft puts a little more effort into countering that.

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Windows Hello, Microsoft’s biometric authentication feature that enables Windows 11 users to sign into their devices and apps using facial recognition, their fingerprint, or a PIN, is getting a new look in a fresh Beta Channel preview build that’s now available to members of the Windows Insider Program.

The upgraded Windows Hello has a more visually appealing sign-in experience, better matching the design style of Windows 11’s modern look in a bid to make signing in and authenticating via Windows Hello feel easier and more seamless.

You’ll be able to see Windows Hello’s updated visuals in places like the Windows 11 sign-in screen, when using passkeys (another password-free sign-in method that makes use of Windows Hello), and in the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft is also adding a new Windows Hello credential experience for passkeys. With Windows Hello allowing you to authenticate passkeys more easily, you can switch between authentication methods and choose which passkey or device you’d like to log in with.

More changes and fixes in this Beta build

If you use Windows Hello, you’ll also have more options when choosing how you log in and authenticate permissions on your device, and there are other feature updates you can read more deeply about in the changelog for Beta Channel Preview Build 22635.4440 (KB5045889).

Other changes this upgrade brings include overall tweaks and fixes aimed at improving the overall experience of Windows 11, temporarily disabling a new game controller keyboard to address issues (after which, the feature will be included in a future update), and bug fixes.

These developments are currently being tested and monitored for feedback from members of the Windows Insider Program, which any Windows user with an eligible device can enroll in. You can join if you’re keen to experience Microsoft’s freshest features, albeit sometimes prone to glitches, or you can wait a little while longer until these changes and features are included in a future update after being fully tested.

I hope Microsoft gets Windows Hello and passkeys right g, as I would probably use something like this. Like almost every device user on Earth, I’m sick of having to remember multiple complex passwords. Something like Windows Hello has the potential to make a lot of people’s lives a little easier and steps like this redesign could open up the possibility to more people than before.

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Windows 11 users who were keen to get the new gamepad keyboard layout – to facilitate easy typing using an Xbox controller on your PC via the on-screen keyboard – will be disappointed to learn that the feature has been put on hold.

That probably includes a fair few handheld owners, who were doubtless excited to see this functionality appear in testing back at the start of September 2024, before it started to roll out with the latest Windows 11 update for 24H2 at the end of October (we should note that this is a preview update).

However, PhantomOfEarth, a well-known leaker on X, noticed that the mention of the gamepad keyboard layout has been removed from this preview update for 24H2, and that it’s being disabled on PCs which have already installed that update.

Neowin reports that Microsoft actually mentioned the rollout has been paused in a recent Beta channel preview build, informing us that: “We have temporarily disabled the new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11 that began rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel with Build 22635.4145 to address some issues. This feature will be roll out again in a future flight.”

Analysis: Patience is a virtual keyboard

In theory, with the gamepad keyboard appearing in last month’s preview update for Windows 11 24H2, the full rollout should have kicked off next week – with the release of the finished November patch 24H2. However, Microsoft appears to have taken the feature back to the drawing board for now, as clearly there are problems here – though Microsoft doesn’t drop any hints as to what these stumbling blocks might be.

What this means is that it’ll probably be a fair bit longer before the feature actually rolls out to Windows 11 users outside of testing. After all, Microsoft seemingly has a lot of fixing to do with Windows 11 24H2, which has encountered more than its fair share of bugs so far – and this appears to be another hitch to throw on the growing pile.

So, you’ll have to be patient for the feature to come to fruition, most likely, and we’ll be keeping an eye on the test channels to see when the controller keyboard layout returns into the mix with Windows 11 preview builds.

The gamepad on-screen keyboard allows you to type swiftly with the controller, and includes shortcuts to use buttons for functions like backspace, or pressing the spacebar (which Microsoft calls ‘button accelerators’). The keyboard also benefits from a tweaked layout that’s optimized for typing with your gamepad.

It’ll doubtless be a useful addition for those who regularly game with their controller on their PC, or indeed owners of Windows 11-powered handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally X.

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It looks like Microsoft’s grand AI schemes have hit another snag, with the release of the controversial Recall feature being pushed back again. Recall is one of Microsoft’s new AI-powered offerings, intended to record your desktop activity in Windows 11 by taking screenshots at regular intervals and making them searchable.

When presented, Microsoft painted a picture of a futuristic ‘instant replay’ of sorts that could help you remember what you were doing, like helping you find a specific document you were working on or backtracking to a tab you closed a while ago.

Quickly following Recall’s announcement came a swift current of criticism about the possible security and privacy-related risks that would come with an AI constantly monitoring your PC. It sounds obvious to say, but Recall would presumably capture a great deal of personal and private information - which in turn would be a lucrative prize for the likes of hackers, scammers, and other malicious actors. Researchers and experts in cybersecurity were quick to point out Recall’s flaws, such as captured information being stored on your PC without encryption.

Yet another delay - but it's for the best

Microsoft took note of the reaction to the announcement of Recall and postponed it once already to add new privacy and security protections, like requiring log-in using Windows Hello and making Recall a strictly opt-in feature. The show was seemingly back on the road after that, with Microsoft readying Recall to be released for testing in October 2024. However, just yesterday, on Halloween no less, Microsoft announced that the release of Recall will be postponed again to continue to improve its privacy and security.

I would rather Microsoft really put as much thought and effort into this as possible, of course, but these numerous postponements make me wonder what the state of Recall’s privacy and security was initially. If it was lacking, that’s pretty worrying and makes me think that Microsoft greatly underestimates how ironclad Recall’s security measures would have to be and that it’s now trying to settle on a minimum.

I understand that even Microsoft’s resources and funds aren’t infinite, but exploitable parts of Recall could have devastating consequences for users.

So when will Recall finally arrive?

When speaking to The Verge about the delay, Microsoft said that Recall’s initial release will be delayed to December 2024. In December, it will be released to testers in the Windows Insider Program with Copilot+ PCs, hoping to achieve ‘‘a secure and trusted experience.’’

Microsoft has put out a Windows Blog post explaining the current state of Recall and how it’s working on beefing up Recall’s privacy and security architecture, including allowing users to have control over data collection and ensuring that data is stored securely on devices. I know Microsoft’s not big on making it easy to disable parts of Windows you may not like, but again, it’s pretty frustrating that this wasn’t considered from the beginning.

PCWorld speculates that while Microsoft still appears to be pretty committed to Recall, there’s still a chance that it could be scrapped altogether. If Microsoft can’t get the privacy and security aspects of Recall right, that wouldn’t be the worst idea.

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• Another day, another Windows 11 24H2 update bug – this time, Task Manager shows zero apps running
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It’s Halloween and while some people are getting treats, others are getting new Windows 11 24H2-related issues – this time a glitch in Task Manager. Microsoft has confirmed as much, but luckily it’s reportedly not as much a cause for concern as other recent 24H2 issues have been.

Microsoft’s acknowledgement of the glitch was spotted by Neowin in a new notification in Windows 11 24H2’s Health Dashboard, which catalogs the issues and other things of note that Microsoft has publicized about the new feature update. Normally, Task Manager lists how many apps and background tasks are currently running on your device to help you quickly see what’s using up your computer’s resources.

Neowin explains that after installing the latest build version of 24H2, KB5044384, some users have been shown the incorrect number of apps and background processes, with Task Manager claiming they have zero apps or processes running - which is impossible.

What this means and what to watch out for next

If this sounds familiar, there are two things to note. First, we don’t currently know if there’s an easy fix for this. Second, it seems like this glitch doesn’t impact Task Manager’s functionality much further. You’ll still be able to do things like see all the programs, apps, and processes you have running, check details about them, and stop them if necessary even if the group headings say that you have zero apps and processes running.

Microsoft’s acknowledgment also states that it’s working on a fix and I expect it’ll be added to a future update soon.

As far as we know, this only affects those using Windows 11 24H2 and if you use an earlier version of Windows, like 23H2, you should be unaffected. Furthermore, this is seemingly only a visual glitch and the running of Task Manager and your PC are also unaffected.

This Task Manager bug is another item on the list of problems that we’ve learned about since Windows 11 24H2’s release - including network connectivity issues and blue screens of death. This isn’t the most extreme error, but it undermines the entire purpose of Task Manager, which is intended to provide a clear and easy-to-interpret breakdown of all your running apps and background processes. Updates like 24H2 are intended to provide improved stability and introduce new features, and as new bugs keep cropping up, that’ll be less and less likely to be the impression users get while trying to use it.

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Microsoft’s new Windows 11 24H2 update has caused Intel Z890 motherboards to constantly crash or reboot, requiring users to change BIOS settings for a solution. This is another entry in the growing list of issues Windows users have faced with the major update.

According to a post (in Spanish) from El Chapuzas Informatico, who have closely monitored the situation, the issue with the Z890 motherboard appears to stem from an apparent conflict between dedicated and integrated GPUs. It doesn’t seem to be limited to one specific mobo, either; this glitch is reportedly occurring with boards from multiple brands including MSI and Gigabyte. It’s unclear at this point whether the blame lies directly with Microsoft’s update, or if Intel bears some responsibility here too.

The solution to the crashes requires users to enter the motherboard BIOS and disable their system’s integrated graphics before proceeding with any necessary BIOS updates. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound as though this issue will cause any irreparable damage to users’ boards, but it’s clear that Microsoft needs to release a patch ASAP to avoid any more potential problems.

The 24H2 nightmare update continues for Microsoft

The 24H2 update is proving to be a nightmare for many Windows users so far, with issues such as random BSODs (Blue Screen of Death) for those utilizing Western Digital SSDs, even before the current Z890 problem. This is especially frustrating for users since Windows updates are often automatically pushed when restarting or powering off their system (something that is still a major point of contention for many users).

While the current issue apparently isn’t bricking boards or causing any major damage, there’s no telling what other troubles the beleaguered Windows update could cause - there are plenty of PC users who maintain specific system configurations, and given the range of odd hardware-specific bugs with 24H2, it’s possible that some users could be hit with multiple issues that are hard to troubleshoot independently.

Fortunately, in this case, motherboard manufacturers are already pushing urgent BIOS updates to alleviate the problem, meaning there are solutions available - our hope remains that Microsoft acts fast to fix all the ongoing bugs, so we can properly appreciate the improvements that Windows 11 24H2 brings.

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• Finally: Microsoft catches up to Apple with its integration of OCR in the Windows Photos app - a major leap for accessibility

Microsoft is adding Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to Windows' Photos app, enabling users to scan and copy text directly from images. This feature will be available on Windows 11 and Windows 10 when it is officially released.

On 22 October 2024, Microsoft announced upcoming updates to its Photos app, some of which are already available for preview to Windows Insiders via Windows 11’s Insider Channel. This allows Insiders to test and provide feedback on the new features before a full rollout.

For Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft also plans to introduce 'super resolution' to enhance its Photos app. These updates aim to improve the overall user experience by using AI to enhance and enlarge images by up to 8x their original size through the super resolution feature.

How does OCR work?

OCR will essentially allow users to effortlessly extract text from images. Whether you’re dealing with notes, pictures, documents, or screenshots, the app can automatically detect and copy text straight to your clipboard. This will streamline your workflow by letting you paste the extracted text into other apps, reducing the need for manual data entry.

Using the OCR feature is pretty simple: just tap the icon below an image to extract text. Microsoft designed the tool to make tasks like managing information in images easier and improve productivity. It’s particularly valuable for accessibility, as users with visual impairments or similar disabilities can have text read aloud or converted to formats compatible with screen readers.

The OCR feature can also benefit professionals, students, and researchers by enabling them to copy and paste text from images into emails or documents thus streamlining their work. Additionally, it supports over 160 languages.

Despite Windows 10 reaching its End-of-Life support on 14 October 2025, Microsoft will roll out these features to both Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs. Microsoft is obligated to provide Windows 10 updates until support officially ends, and the operating system still has a significant user base due to hardware limitations, business needs, and personal preferences. As users eventually transition to Windows 11, they will already be familiar with many of the new features.

More improvements incoming for Windows users

There are additional updates coming too, like bug fixes for the Restyle image features on Copilot+ and Image Creator designed to improve overall image quality. If users want these new features, they’ll need to update their Photos app to version 2024.11100.17007 or higher via the Microsoft Store.

These features aren’t fully available yet, but Insiders are encouraged to send feedback to Microsoft. Their feedback can help resolve any issues and refine the features before they’re fully rolled out. For example, it was due to user feedback that Microsoft announced it is also introducing single-click support in the Photos app gallery, allowing for more efficient navigation.

While it’s great that Microsoft has introduced OCR to its Photos app, it is long overdue. Accessibility should be at the forefront of any modern app, especially given that leading tech companies like Apple integrated similar features, such as Live Text in iOS 15, quite some time ago. Features like this, along with other accessibility tools, should be standard across all platforms, not only to improve general productivity but more importantly to support users with disabilities.

Hopefully, this is a sign that Microsoft will make a greater effort to prioritize accessibility in the future, with more tools and updates designed with inclusivity in mind.

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Windows 11 users, I have some good news (for a change) about the new feature update for 2024, version 24H2. Thanks to major improvements to how the Windows Update app works, 24H2 will be installed faster than previous major updates.

Microsoft published a blog post explaining how it’s been working on changes behind the scenes that speed up how updates are installed, and the process will draw significantly less system resources as well, contributing to the speeding up of the installation process.

Thanks to 24H2’s servicing stack, a crucial software component that is responsible for installing updates in the operating system, installation is 45.6% faster and restart time is 39.7% faster than we saw with Windows 11 version 22H2 (and 23H2, as both versions have the same servicing stack) when installing cumulative updates for devices that were up to date and regularly maintained.

Systems that were running older versions of Windows 11 also saw big improvements, according to tests carried out by Microsoft. On a computer that hadn’t been updated for a year a half, Microsoft claims improvements of installation being 43.6% faster and taking 33.5% less time to restart. Good news all around.

As described by Microsoft, this was done using a couple of methods. First, Microsoft implemented parallel processing, allowing Windows PC devices to handle multiple parts of the update simultaneously. Second, it used smart caching, meaning that when Windows 11 processes part of an update, it stores (or ‘caches’) that information so it doesn’t redo the same parts of the process twice.

This helps speed things along when the same parts of the update show up repeatedly. Finally, updates will now make better use of RAM (your computer’s temporary memory storage), by checking if your PC is low on RAM and adjusting the update process accordingly to avoid slowing things down.

Faster, more efficient updates all around for Windows 11

Faster cumulative security updates aren’t the only improvement, with larger feature updates (that bring new tools and features) being made more efficient as well. This will include Edge, Microsoft’s default browser for Windows 11, saving about 200MB of space during bigger feature updates. You can read more in to the technical details of all of these processes in Microsoft’s blog post.

If Microsoft has its numbers right, you should feel that updates install significantly faster. The time it takes to download and install updates is one of the biggest complaints you hear from Windows 11 users and this will mean less down time and less frustration due to having to wait for your device to update or restart. Using fewer system resources during the update process means that you should be able to use your computer for various tasks while updates are installed, allowing you to get on with your activities.

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