Items tagged with creators update
One of the things Microsoft focused on when developing the original Creators Update for Windows 10 was playing games. Features such as Beam (now called Mixer) and even a dedicated Game Mode intended to make gaming performance better were introduced with the update. Unfortunately, so were some bugs that had the opposite effect—users have been complaining of stuttering and random drops in frames per second in games such as Overwatch and Rocket League. Now several months later Microsoft says it is working on fixes. Yes, fixes, as in plural. There is not just one issue causing these problems, but several different ones that Microsoft has identified. Hopefully it will have stomped out all of the bugs...
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Microsoft first announced the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update in May, and has pushed out Insider Preview builds of the software on a continual basis. However, Microsoft has finally put a shipping date on the Fall Creators Update, and the big day is scheduled for October 17th. “Our mission at Microsoft is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more,” said Windows Chief Terry Myerson. “One of the ways we’re supporting that mission is by taking this next step in our Windows journey and empowering the creator in all of us with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.” The Fall Creators Update will bring with it a number of enhancements to the Windows 10 experience including...
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Microsoft’s Beam game streaming service was just formally integrated into Windows 10 with the Creators Update last month, but the company is already rebranding the service. Beam launched in January 2016, and was acquired by Microsoft in August of that year. A real clear reason wasn’t given for the name change, but Beam Mixer co-founder and Engineering Lead Matt Salsamendi stated, “This was a tough decision, and not one that we made lightly. We believe so much in the power of the platform and want to grow it in every major market around the world. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t something we could do with the Beam name. We chose Mixer as our new name because it represents what we love...
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Earlier this month, Microsoft launched the Creators Update, the latest and greatest version of Windows 10. First launched during the summer of 2015, Windows 10 has seen continual updates that have increased security, privacy, performance and functionality. But as Microsoft has found out through extensive Windows Insider testing, the Creators Update doesn’t exactly play nice with some systems. John Cable, Microsoft’s Director of Program Management for Windows Servicing and Delivery, took to the Windows Blog today to explain that although the Windows 10 Creators Update is a big step forward for consumer operating systems, it has purposely rolled out the major system update in waves to ensure that...
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Users are reporting success activating clean installations of Windows 10 using old license keys, and specifically those that apply to Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. This method continues to work even after the Creators Update, which is the second major upgrade to Windows 10 since it was made available to the public in July 2015 (the first one was the Anniversary Update).Microsoft made it known that Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 users would have a full year to upgrade their PCs to Windows 10 at no cost. Technically that offer expired around nine months ago. Be that as it may, users have been finding ways to install Windows 10 for free or at a lower cost than purchasing a brand new license.One...
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You do not need an advanced degree in engineering to know that cranking up the brightness on your laptop's display will shorten its battery life. That boils down to common sense. Be that as it may, Windows 10 with the Creators Update installed feels compelled to persistently warn users who max out their display's brightness level of the potential negative impact it can have. Grrr.The warning is part of a Health report generated by Windows 10's Device performance & health section. This is actually a beneficial thing for users, especially less savvy PC owners, as it scans for issues that could impact a system's ability to function properly. Issues it looks for include missing Windows updates,...
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We are just weeks away from Microsoft releasing its Creators Update for Windows 10, one of two major Windows platform updates scheduled for 2017. Microsoft will use the remaining time to clean up code and stomp out bugs, hence why it continues to dish out preview builds to Windows Insiders. In fact, Microsoft began this week by releasing a new preview build (15063) to Insiders in the Fast ring. At this late stage, it is not likely that Microsoft will inject any major new features into the Creators Update. Even minor feature additions will be rare at best. Rumor has it Microsoft will release the Creators Update on April 11, and if that holds true, it is running short on time. That means the remaining...
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The latest preview build for Microsoft's upcoming Windows 10 Creators Update includes language that would allow the company to push out security updates and bug fixes over metered connections even though charges may apply for some users. However, Microsoft said in a statement it will practice restraint by not issuing large updates on metered connections, and instead will only send out fixes it deems critical. The change in policy was noted earlier this week in a preview build issued to Windows Insiders. Before that build arrived, Windows 10 presented the following language with regards to updates for users on metered connections: Available updates will be downloaded and installed automatically,...
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Just a week ago, Microsoft was facing criticism for its decision to include Windows OneDrive ads within File Explorer — even for Windows 10 users that are already paying for the service. Today, Microsoft is once again fighting some pushback for a wording change that was discovered in the newest build of the upcoming Windows 10 Creators Update. The change only pertains to users that have a metered connection, either through a wired ISP like Comcast or Cox, or via wireless means (i.e. AT&T or Verizon Wireless). Previously, Windows 10 presented the following language with regards to updates for these users: Available updates will be downloaded and installed automatically, except over metered...
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Microsoft continues to release new Windows 10 preview builds to Insiders at a steady clip, the newest of which is build 15055 for both PC and mobile. As we approach the release of the forthcoming Creators Update, these preview builds bring less to the table in terms of major new features and upgrades, and are more focused on crushing bugs and tidying things up. That is the case with build 15055.The latest preview build is available to Insiders subscribed to the Fast ring. It introduces a bevy of fixes, one of which makes the update play nicer with systems running antivirus software from Symantec. Anyone who has Norton installed should no longer get a 0x80070228 error when attempting to download...
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There is no question that Windows 10 is a superior operating system compared to its predecessors like Windows 8.1 and Windows 7. However, policies that Microsoft have enacted in the operating system with regards to things like user privacy and cross-promotion have come under fire. One other area that has been thorn in the sides of users has been Windows 10’s insistence on performing updates whenever it feels like it — no matter what important work you may be doing at the time. Microsoft is attempting to change its ways with the Windows 10 Creators Update, as the company has announced new policy changes that will gives users more control over how updates are installed on their PCs. For starters,...
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With the release of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15046, Microsoft is publicly bringing its Win32 app blocking feature to the forefront. We first talked about the feature earlier this week, and Microsoft has officially dubbed it Application Installation Control. As we stated before, the feature is disabled by default, but when enabled allows you to completely block the installation of legacy Win32 apps. With this setting, only apps that are downloaded from the Windows Store can be installed; no exceptions. “The warning will direct you to the Store where you can download an alternate app if available,” explains Windows and Devices Group software engineer Dona Sarkar. “In some cases, when there’s...
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For a period of time, Microsoft's hyper focus on its Xbox game system made it seem like PC gamers were a forgotten bunch in Redmond. That all changed with Windows 10 and Microsoft's desire to unify different platforms under a single ecosystem. Microsoft has renewed its commitment to PC gaming and to prove it, there are some exciting features included in the upcoming Creators Update for Windows 10, one of which is a performance enhancing Game Mode. "Last year, we set out to make Windows 10 the best Windows ever for gaming. With Game Mode, it’s our goal to now take things a step further to make the gaming experience on Windows even better. Our vision is that Game Mode optimizes your Windows 10...
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Some big changes are coming to the Xbox One. Microsoft will introduce them all to the Xbox One community at large when its Creators Update arrives in the spring, though in the meantime gamers who are members of Microsoft's Xbox Insider Preview program can take an early look at some of the feature upgrades by downloading the latest Insider update. If you're a member and don't see it yet, hang tight—Microsoft starting rolling out the update to a small subset of gamers on Monday and will make it available to all other Insiders in the coming weeks. "For gamers, the Creators Update is about performance, people, competition and streaming – getting you to the things you care about most as quickly as...
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