Get a future Windows feature, today

Plus some taskbar tricks  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Thanks for reading this special early preview edition of Windows Intelligence, brought to you in partnership with [Thurrott.com](=). This design is merely a placeholder for what's to come. Stay tuned! ​ Microsoft has a big fall season planned for Windows. Windows 11 is getting a substantial update in the next few months, and Microsoft recently announced a Surface hardware event in New York City this September. I hear Microsoft doesn't plan on talking about Windows 12 at this event, but rumor is that Windows 12 may arrive sometime in 2024. This week, I want to take one of those rumored far-off features coming to Windows and show you how to get it right now, today, in just a few seconds. While it may be considered an "AI" feature these days, it's something both Android and iPhone have had for a long time — and something I always miss on my Windows PCs. Scroll down to this week's Things to Try for the details. Chris Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 1 minute 30 seconds ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute 30 seconds ⌚ Top Thurrott Thoughts: 30 seconds ⌚ Just for Fun: 30 seconds [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Know This Week 1. WinRAR is being attacked, but soon you won't need it ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: The popular WinRAR file archiver for opening RAR files, ZIP archives, and other compressed files has been under attack for months. But a big improvement to Windows 11, happening soon, means most people won't need it anymore. 🔎 KNOW MORE: WinRAR, which may have around 500 million users, has dangerous security bug that lets attackers compromise your PC if you open an archive file designed to exploit it. Criminals have been using this to attack PCs since April to withdraw money from brokerage accounts. - If you have WinRAR installed, you need to [update it]( — or uninstall it. If you're looking for an alternative, I've always liked [7-Zip](=), which is totally free and open-source, without the upsells you'll find in commercial tools like WinRAR and WinZip. - The security flaw was fixed in WinRAR version 6.23, which was released on August 2, 2023. - Windows 11 is about to get built-in support for more types of archive files, including RAR, 7Z, and GZ files. They'll work just like ZIP files. The change is already part of Insider testing builds of Windows 11, and it should arrive for everyone in the fall. 📌 READ MORE: For information about the attack on WinRAR and how it works, take a look at [this detailed piece](. Microsoft has [a list of all the archive formats](=) Windows 11 is about to support. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Edge is slowly taking over the Windows 10 experience ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: While we've been talking about Windows 11, the Microsoft Edge team is slowly taking over the Windows 10 desktop with features that escape the Edge browser itself. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Microsoft Edge is built-in as part of Windows 10, and recent Edge updates are making Edge pop up even more — even if you never use it. - Earlier this year, Edge gained a "search bar" that starts at boot and plops itself in the middle of the Windows desktop. - A new Edge update now lets you detach the Edge sidebar from the Edge browser window itself and pin it to the side of your desktop. (At least this isn't enabled by default, unlike that search bar.) - These new Edge desktop-takeover features are only arriving on Windows 10 PCs, for some reason. 📌 READ MORE: The sidebar announcement was buried in [these release notes](). Here's [how to get rid of that search bar]() if you don't want to see it. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Everything is getting AI, including Microsoft Paint ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft is experimenting with adding AI nearly everywhere in Windows 11, including Microsoft Paint. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Windows 11 is already getting Microsoft Copilot — think of it as a Bing Chat on steroids that's integrated with your Windows desktop so it can access files and change PC settings, too. Microsoft is experimenting with other AI features, too, including: - Microsoft Paint adding the ability to generate images for you, just like the [Microsoft Bing Image Creator]( you can use online. - The Photos app gaining a tool that will let you identify people and objects in photos so you can copy-paste them, a feature already found on Android and iPhone. - Snipping Tool and the Camera app getting optical character recognition (OCR) features, letting you copy text directly from screenshots and photos — again, a feature already found on Android and iPhone. 📌 READ MORE: Read [this exclusive report]( for more details. ​ [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Try This Week 1. Copy text directly from anything on your screen I often wish I could just copy-paste text directly from photos and other images on Windows, like I can on Android and iPhone. Microsoft is working on adding this to Windows, but you don't have to wait thanks to Microsoft's Text Extractor PowerToy. ⌚ Using this tool will take you 5 seconds if you already have PowerToys installed, or 45 seconds if you need to install PowerToys first 💻 This tool is available for both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ First, install the free Microsoft PowerToys package from [the Microsoft Store](). To use this tool after installing PowerToys, just press Windows+Shift+T. You can then draw a box anywhere on your screen. Windows will copy anything that looks like text found in that box. Use the Paste function or press Ctrl+V to paste it anywhere. [Using the Text Extractor PowerToy.] To customize Text Extractor and learn more about installing support for additional languages, open the PowerToys Settings app from your Start menu and click "Text Extractor" in the sidebar. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Tame your taskbar's search box Windows has a nice big search box on your taskbar by default, and that box has gotten increasingly obnoxious with logos for Bing — and soon, it'll even pop up a search interface when you so much as mouse over it on your taskbar. There's a better way to prevent distractions. ⌚ Changing this setting will take you 5 seconds. 💻 This applies to both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ I recommend just disabling that search bar entirely and cleaning up your taskbar. On Windows 11, right-click an empty spot on your taskbar and select "Taskbar Settings." Click the box to the right of "Search" in the Settings window that appears and select "Hide" (or "Search icon only" if you want an icon.) [Hiding the taskbar search box in Windows 11's Settings.] On Windows 10, right-click an empty spot on your taskbar, point to "Search" in the context menu that appears, and select either "Hidden" or "Show search icon." You can still search after doing this, and you can do it just as quickly! To quickly start a search, either click the Start button or press the Windows key and start typing. (You can also press Windows+S to open the "search" interface, if you like. There's no need for the full box on the taskbar.) --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Quickly switch sound devices from the system tray Microsoft is working on tweaks to the notification area that make it easier to find various options found there, but one of my favorites was added back in the Windows 10 days with little fanfare. Did you know that you can change sound output devices in just a few clicks? This is particularly useful when switching back and forth between speakers and headphones — or a wireless audio device, like a Bluetooth speaker. ⌚ You can switch an audio device in 3 seconds. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ To switch sound output devices on Windows 10, click the speaker icon in the system tray, and then click the name of the audio device above the volume slider. If multiple devices are available, you'll see a list to choose between them. (If only one device is available at the moment, nothing will happen.) [Windows 10's system tray sound device selection menu.] On Windows 11, click one of the system icons (sound, Wi-Fi, or battery), click the speaker icon to the right of the volume slider in the popup, and then click your desired sound output device in the list. [The speaker icon to the right of the volume bar after clicking Windows 11's system tray icons.] ​ [] ❱❱ Top Thurrott Thoughts Some standout links and expert analysis from our friends at Thurrott, who have been covering Windows since 1994: - ​[New Windows 11 Settings Homepage and Backup App Come to Beta Channel Testers]() - The new app is all about backing up to OneDrive. - ​[Microsoft Issues Latest Monthly Update Preview for Windows 11 22H2]( - The changes in this preview update will arrive on stable Windows 11 PCs on Patch Tuesday in September. - ​[Tech Nostalgia: Atari 2600+ Looks Like Original VCS, Will Play 2600 and 7800 Cartridges]() - This new console will play your old cartridges on a modern TV. - ​[Roll Your Own Windows Time Machine (Premium)](=) - Paul Thurrott talks backups. - ​[Phil Spencer Says Prices for Xbox Consoles “Aren’t Coming Down”]() - Microsoft explains why the Xbox isn't getting any cheaper. - ​[Parallels Desktop for Mac 19 Brings New Design, Touch ID integration, and More]( - It's the best way to run Windows on a modern Mac. ​ [] ❱❱ And Just for Fun... Here's a fun viral post from last week: A [Reddit client]() designed to look like a Microsoft Outlook inbox, so you can browse the web while appearing like you're working on emails. It's just the latest form of a trick that goes back forty years to the first "boss keys." Boss keys were designed for the people who work in offices, where a boss is patrolling the hallways and possibly asking about TPS reports. They were generally integrated into games. When you pressed the boss key (or "panic button"), a spreadsheet or something similar would pop up, ensuring that your screen looked nice and productive when someone walks by and sees it. You can [try out the Outlook-flavored Reddit app]() for yourself. For a deeper dive, read this [entertaining and informative look at the history of boss keys](). ​ Have a great weekend Thanks once again for being a part of this journey with me! There's a lot more ahead of us in the next few months, including a graphical upgrade that will take Windows Intelligence to the next level. Enjoy your weekend! Thanks for reading Windows Intelligence and being a part of our early preview phase! We'd love to hear what you think so far. ​[Submit your feedback here]() — or just reply to this email. We'll read every single comment, and your thoughts will absolutely help shape and guide what this newsletter becomes. You received this email because your address was signed up for the Windows Intelligence early preview. If you didn't mean to sign up or no longer wish to be subscribed, you can [unsubscribe or update your preferences here](=).