- Windows 11 has a brand new preview model within the improvement channel
- Features Proactive Memory Diagnostics, which goals to repair the problems inflicting your PC to crash.
- Microsoft has additionally closed a safety gap in File Explorer, however not everyone seems to be glad about it
Windows 11 simply received some nifty new adjustments throughout testing, one in every of which might assist make your PC extra dependable, and Microsoft additionally mounted a safety subject.
Let’s begin with the new preview model launched on the Dev channel, the place Microsoft has integrated a function known as Proactive Memory Diagnostics.
Here’s the way it works: The concept is that in case your PC suffers what Microsoft calls a ‘bug verify’ – that’s, a crash that causes the system to crash and reboot (often with a black display of demise, the brand new coloration of this dreaded error) – it’s possible you’ll obtain a notification suggesting you run a fast reminiscence scan after the following reboot.
This reminiscence diagnostic course of will run in the course of the subsequent reboot of your PC. The draw back is that it may take about 5 minutes, however on common it is lower than that, Microsoft assures us. If the scan finds one thing associated to a reminiscence subject, Microsoft goals to repair it and you’ll obtain a message informing you of any profitable decision.
With an underlying reminiscence subject mounted this manner, the hope is that your system can be extra dependable sooner or later. But for those who do not wish to look ahead to a scan to finish in your subsequent PC reboot, you may all the time choose out of this performance after an entire system crash.
Another helpful change with preview 26220.6982 is the power to “copy and search”, which does what it says. That is, for those who copy any textual content inside Windows 11, what’s known as a paste glow (spotlight) will seem within the taskbar search field; Click on the glow and the textual content you simply copied can be robotically inserted into the search field.
So this can be a shortcut to search out one thing you simply copied, saving you the motion of getting to stick it into the taskbar field. Sounds like a helpful time saver.
In this preview, Microsoft additionally restarts the implementation of fancy animations (transitions) for whenever you hover over teams of apps on the taskbar, a function that was beforehand paused.
Windows Studio Effects can now additionally use an alternate digicam, along with the principle webcam, on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon and AMD CPUs, whereas beforehand this was solely allowed on Intel-powered laptops.
Another latest improvement, this time within the ultimate model of Windows 11 (24H2 and 25H2), which isn’t being examined, is that, as Latest Windows ReportsMicrosoft has disabled the preview pane in File Explorer for recordsdata downloaded from the Internet.
So, for those who click on on a file downloaded as a doc, as a substitute of seeing a preview of the textual content throughout the doc within the preview pane on the suitable, you’ll obtain the next message: “The file you are attempting to preview might harm your laptop. If you belief the file and the supply from which you acquired it, open it to see its contents.”
As Microsoft makes clear, the explanation for the blocking is that the file might be doubtlessly dangerous. Because? This solely applies to recordsdata you’ve got downloaded from the Internet (versus these created domestically on the PC), and Microsoft took the motion upon discovering a vulnerability that an attacker might exploit through the File Explorer preview pane.
So this can be a protection towards that, however Microsoft additionally instructed Windows Latest: “If you belief the safety of each the file and its supply, you may take away the Internet Security Block.”
Analysis: positive, not sorry
Old Windows 95 icons displayed on a Windows 11 desktop.
Windows Latest shouldn’t be very impressed with the brand new block for downloaded recordsdata in Windows 11 File Explorer. This is as a result of it virtually ruins the comfort of rapidly previewing a file, since it’s important to click on 3 times to manually take away the safety lock. (Right-click the file, choose Properties, after which click on the “Unlock” field.) This is extra difficult than merely opening the file, so it is best to do that as a substitute.
However, I do not assume Microsoft had a lot alternative right here after a safety flaw was found. It’s finest to not take any danger of Windows 11 PCs being compromised, despite the fact that it is unlikely. I feel it is wiser to be secure quite than sorry: simply open the file for those who’re positive about it.
Windows Latest shares a Powershell command so extra superior Windows 11 customers can get round this safety lock, however I would not advocate utilizing it.
I’m trying ahead to seeing the brand new Proactive Memory Diagnostics function in motion, assuming it is not eliminated throughout testing. That might fall into one in every of two classes: it might be a extremely helpful option to make a Windows 11 PC extra steady (fingers crossed), or it might be a type of processes that very not often adjustments something. Obviously it is too early to name, however I’m hopeful and it is actually a good suggestion in idea; Anyway, Windows 11 does not crash a lot (in my expertise, it is extraordinarily uncommon).