A harvest of new Windows 11 features

Plus: Solving the Windows 10 mystery  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 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! ​ Brought to you by: =​ We've got a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure situation this week. Which path you'll take depends on which version of Windows you're using: Windows 10 or Windows 11. (I've got PCs running both.) If you're using Windows 11, that update I've been talking about for the last few weeks is almost certainly running on your PC by now. It's time to check out all the new features — there are a bunch of easy-to-miss things that can make you even more productive. I'll take you on a tour. Just scroll down to this week's Things to Try section. If you're using Windows 10, it's time to think about the future a bit. Windows 10 still has nearly two years of life left! So you have plenty of time. Still, the clock is ticking. I've got an in-depth look at what's actually going on with Windows 10 — and what you can do. Just scroll down a tiny bit to this week's Things to Know section. Chris Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 2 minutes ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 2 minutes ⌚ Top Thurrott Thoughts: 30 seconds ⌚ Just for Fun: 30 seconds [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Know This Week 1. A billion Windows 10 PCs are marching toward the end ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: All one billion Windows 10 PCs will stop getting security updates in two years. That sounds like a lot, but some Microsoft employees want you to know Windows 11 is doing just fine. 🔎 KNOW MORE: In just under two years, you'll have to stop using your Windows 10 PC — or keep using it without security updates. - Microsoft told me that it "has nothing further to share at this time" beyond the October 14, 2025 deadline for Windows 10, a sign the company is serious about withdrawing security support from most of the PCs in the world in just under two years. - Some Microsoft employees leaked internal documents to Windows Central showing that Windows 11 is now on 400 million PCs. Those sources say everything is going great and Windows 11 is growing faster than Microsoft expected. - Windows 10 still has nearly two years of life left in it, but it's hard to escape the conclusion that a billion still-useful PCs will soon be on a fast track for the dump. (But did you know you can unofficially upgrade many Windows 10 PCs to Windows 11?) 📌 READ MORE: Read more about exactly what's happening to Windows 10 and what you can do in [my latest article for PCMag](=). Or, check out that [Windows Central report]() about Microsoft's internal Windows 11 figures. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. WinRAR was patched, but it's still under heavy attack ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: WinRAR got a patch for a major security flaw months ago. But WinRAR is still under heavy attack from "government-backed hacking groups," according to Google. 🔎 KNOW MORE: The popular file-archiving program WinRAR has a major flaw that is still being exploited. If you download and open a specially crafted archive file, attackers can execute malicious code on your computer. - It's 2023 and WinRAR still doesn't have a built-in auto-updater. It's likely that most people who ever installed WinRAR haven't ever heard of this flaw and haven't bothered updating WinRAR, leaving their PCs vulnerable. - The latest Windows 11 update added built-in support for RAR files and other archive formats, so I recommend just uninstalling WinRAR if you have an up-to-date Windows 11 PC. (You can check if your PC has WinRAR installed by searching for it in your Start menu.) - If you are going to keep using WinRAR, you should ensure you have an updated version straight from the [official WinRAR website](). (And remember that WinRAR won't notify you about critical security patches in the future. Yikes.) 📌 READ MORE: Read the detailed report from [Google's Threat Analysis Group](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Windows 11 will support hearing aids ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft is testing support for hearing aids that have Bluetooth LE Audio technology in the latest Insider Preview version of Windows 11. 🔎 KNOW MORE: On a Windows 11 PC, you'll soon be able to pair compatible hearing aids with your PC to listen to audio, take phone calls, and also control audio presets right from your PC. - This feature will require hearing aids with Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) Audio technology, as well as a Windows PC that supports Bluetooth LE Audio. - Android phones and iPhones have both supported pairing with hearing aids for years, so it's great to see Microsoft doing something similar. - Thanks to recent changes in government regulation in the US, you can now buy over-the-counter hearing aids without a prescription. Tech companies have seemed more interested in hearing aids after these regulatory changes. 📌 READ MORE: Learn what to expect in [this quick piece](=). #top SPONSORED MESSAGE Learn AI tools in just 5 minutes a day 🔧 While the neanderthals among us denounce AI in favor of doing things the hard way, [AI Tool Report]( is teaching people how to save time and earn more with AI. �€‹ Over 300,000+ productivity pro’s have “left the cave” in lieu of AI Tool Report’s daily newsletter, which keys you into the latest trending tools, powerful prompts, news, and more. AI is moving fast, with both Google and Microsoft announcing big AI updates recently. Keep up with the latest with AI Tool Report: 🤝 Subscribe for F-R-E-E and skim in just 5 minutes 🧠Join execs from Microsoft, Tesla, Meta, and more 🤖 Learn how to automate tasks and save hours every week! ➜ [The future won’t wait. Grab the horns of AI and subscribe to AI Tool Report today with just one click!](​ [​​READ TODAY’S AI UPDATE ➜]( [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Try This Week 1. Explore all the new features on Windows 11 Windows 11's big update this year isn't only about Microsoft's dream of artificial intelligence turning your desktop into something out of a sci-fi movie. There are a bunch of other useful new features Microsoft just added to Windows 11 — and they're easy to miss. Your Windows 11 PC has probably installed the update by now. I recommend skimming through these useful features so you can start using the important ones today. ⌚ Checking out these features will take you a minute or two. 💻 These new features are only for Windows 11, naturally. (Windows 10 isn't getting many new features these days.) 📌 Read [my latest Computerworld column]( to take a tour of all the latest features — and try them for yourself. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Zoom in or out in (nearly) any application One great smartphone feature is the universal "pinch to zoom" gesture that lets you quickly zoom in or out in any application. On Windows, it's not so obvious — many applications have zoom options buried in different places in their menus. (You can pinch to zoom on many laptop touchpads, though — or if you have a PC with a touch screen!) But there's a slightly hidden keyboard shortcut that will let you quickly zoom in and out in any application. All you need is a standard mouse and keyboard. ⌚ This will take you two seconds. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ To do this, just press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard, and then scroll up or down with the mouse wheel. You will quickly zoom in or out in the current application. [Zooming with the mouse wheel in Google Chrome.] This works almost everywhere — in any application that has a zoom feature. For example: - Use it in Google Chrome or another browser to zoom in and out on web pages and images. - Try it in Microsoft Word or Notepad to enlarge or shrink the text in a document. - Give it a go in File Explorer to make file icons larger or smaller. It even works on the Windows desktop. You'd be surprised how huge you can make those desktop shortcuts! If you're more of a keyboard-only person, you can also press and hold the Ctrl key and then tap the + and - buttons. No mouse wheel necessary. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Find your Wi-Fi password in Windows Modern operating systems have been making it easier to view your Wi-Fi password lately. Windows 11 just joined the party with a convenient button that will show you the password of any Wi-Fi network you've ever connected to. No third-party apps or technical tools necessary! ⌚ Finding your password will take you 10 to 15 seconds. 💻 You can do this on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Learn how to do this in just a few clicks on either Windows 11 or Windows 10 in [my latest guide](=). ​ [] ❱❱ Top Thurrott Thoughts Some standout links and expert analysis from our friends at Thurrott, who have been covering Windows since 1994: - ​[Stardock at 30]( - Paul Thurrott talks to Stardock's CEO on the company's 30th anniversary. Stardock makes the Windows features Microsoft won't. - ​[Numbers Don’t Lie, People Do (Premium)]() - Paul talks the inside details of Microsoft's aggressive plan for Windows 10's growth at launch. - ​[Netflix Reports Q3 Revenues and a Price Hike for Some Subscriptions]( - More price hikes. Personally, I rotate subscriptions and pay for one at a time. - ​[A Brighter Future for Xbox and All Gamers (Premium)](=) - Paul shares why he thinks Microsoft's Activation Blizzard acquisition is great for everyone. - ​[The FTC is Still Unhappy About Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Deal](​ - The deal closed, but the U.S .government still wants to undo it. ​ [] ❱❱ And Just for Fun... Did you know that Microsoft will [help you install Linux]()? This week, people are sharing Microsoft's guide with amusement. It is pretty funny if you remember the old days — back in 2001, the then-CEO of Microsoft called Linux "a cancer." (In the same [interview](, he said Microsoft was against the government funding any open-source software.) [An image reading "Microsoft (heart) Linux."] Microsoft shared this graphic about its romantic feelings for Linux quite a few years ago. These days, we live in a different world. Microsoft is a different company, and it will happily make money off Linux. Want to pay to run Linux on Microsoft's Azure cloud servers? Microsoft is happy to help. Want to run Linux software on your PC? You don't even need to install Linux — Microsoft has its own customized Linux kernel it will download and install if you use the Windows Subsystem for Linux. Yes, Windows will literally run a Linux kernel in the background so developers can use whatever Linux software they like on a Windows PC. Microsoft has found a way to live with Linux. We mostly don't even think about it — until we stumble across a helpful guide where Microsoft provides guidance for installing Linux on our PCs, and we have flashbacks to 20 years ago. These days, while the idea that Linux will take over the desktop seems farther away than ever, Linux still lives on all around us. Google's ChromeOS is based on Linux, and Chromebooks run desktop Linux apps. Valve's Steam Deck handheld gaming PC runs SteamOS, which is based on desktop Linux. Android phones are built on a Linux kernel, too. ​ Signing off for now Thanks again for reading! I hope you have a great fall season. 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](=).