A better way to install Windows software

Plus: Our shiny new design is here!  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Windows Intelligence](#) [Windows Intelligence](#) Wow! We made it. After months in "preview" form, we finally have the shiny new design for Windows Intelligence — and [a new brand](), too. But this is still the same newsletter you know and (hopefully) love — or at least think is pretty useful. I'm incredibly proud of Windows Intelligence and the work we're doing here at The Intelligence as a whole. We've gotten so much positive feedback. Much of it has compared our work to old-school magazines. In one email that sticks in my mind, one person said Windows Intelligence was "an anachronism" — something that feels out of place in the current day and age, like it belongs to an earlier time. That's one of the best things I could hear: Yes, we are bringing old-school tech journalism and advice back — without all the ads, clickbait, and piles of affiliate links. We're able to do that thanks to the support of our readers. We've got big plans for the future, and we'd like to deliver even more trustworthy, high-quality information. We don't want to compromise on our values. If you value this work, please consider supporting our approach to independent journalism and [joining our upgraded and expanded Intelligence Insider resource community](). You'll get all sorts of awesome benefits, including a power-packed and fully customizable (even ad-free, if you want!) version of this newsletter and free or discounted access to $200+ of our favorite premium apps and services. And all of that's [just the start](). This week, we're offering a [mega bundle]() of our Intelligence Insider membership plus a Thurrott Premium membership thrown in. On top of our resources at The Intelligence, you'll get exclusive insights, ad-free reading, and more awesome benefits on Thurrott. There's never been a better time to make the leap and give yourself an incredibly reading upgrade both here at The Intelligence and Thurrott — while also giving us the gift of a sustainable future and supporting Paul Thurrott's work. [BECOME AN INSIDER NOW ➜]() Thanks for giving it some thought. And rest assured that the Windows Intelligence newsletter you've been getting is still free for everyone. That's important to me, too. Now, let's get to the good stuff! [Chris Hoffman, AUthor] Chris Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 2 minutes ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 2 minutes ⌚ Top Thurrott Thoughts: 30 seconds ⌚ Just for Fun: 20 seconds [] [3 Things to Know This Week] ​ 1. Copilot will head to Windows 10 — and replace Bing Chat ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft is bringing Copilot to Windows 10 PCs. Meanwhile, Microsoft is rebranding Bing Chat as "Copilot,"' too. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Microsoft is all-in on Copilot. "We are the Copilot company," said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at Microsoft Ignite this week. - Copilot's rumored launch on Windows 10 is a go! It'll arrive on Windows 10 taskbars soon. Unfortunately, Microsoft still insists it won't be extending security support for Windows 10 past the planned date of October 14, 2025. (Maybe they'll change their minds.) - Back in September, Microsoft unveiled "Copilot" on Windows 11 and named most of its AI assistants "Copilots." The "Bing Chat" name was the odd one out, so it's not surprising Microsoft is tidying up this naming. - Copilot still uses Bing, but Microsoft is investing in the shiny new name rather than sticking with the stale old Bing brand. 📌 READ MORE: Check out [the news about Copilot on Windows 10](=). You can now also [access Copilot on its own website](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The "Windows App" runs on phones, tablets, and… PCs? ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft just unveiled the "Windows App." It runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, web browsers, and even Windows PCs. (It doesn't run on Android yet, but that's coming soon.) 🔎 KNOW MORE: The surprisingly named "Windows App" is a gateway for Microsoft's cloud PC ambitions. You can use it to connect to Windows 365 cloud PCs running on Microsoft's servers — or to access other PCs via the traditional remote desktop feature. - Microsoft really wants to "move Windows to the cloud," making it not just a PC operating system but also a powerful service and application platform you can access from any device. - Windows 365 cloud PC subscriptions are only for businesses right now, but word is Microsoft wants to offer them to consumers, too. - The Windows App is just available in preview form, but it demonstrates part of Microsoft's vision for the future of Windows. 📌 READ MORE: See more of [the Windows App]( in this quick report. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Microsoft lit a firestorm of news at Ignite ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Microsoft had its Ignite 2023 event this week, and there were a lot of other interesting announcements. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Microsoft Ignite is a more IT and developer-focused event, but there was plenty of interesting news. - Microsoft Teams will soon let you use AI to clean up and decorate your background in video meetings — a big upgrade to those fake-looking virtual backgrounds in video-meeting tools today. - The new Windows AI Studio will make it easier to set up and run AI models locally on Windows PCs. It's not out yet, but it's coming soon. - Microsoft has now officially launched Loop, its Notion-like collaborative note-taking and productivity application. 📌 READ MORE: The Verge has an in-depth stream of [all the news from Ignite 2023](=). [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Upgrade your PC's application-installation experience The Windows Store isn't what we hoped it would be — well, it's not what I hoped it would be, anyway. I wanted a centralized place where you could install software and get updates without opening a browser, if you liked — something a lot like package managers on Linux. (It would also be a lot like the Play Store on Android and App Store on iOS — one place you can get and update your applications.) Well, guess what: That one-stop-shop experience for app installation and updates already exists on your Windows PC. Microsoft built it! But it's hidden. ➜ It's called Winget, a.k.a. the Windows Package Manager. Microsoft only offers it in command-line form, but I'll show you a shiny graphical interface that makes it easy to use. ⌚ Setting this up and installing your first application will take about 30 seconds. 💻 This is included on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Discover [how to use the secret software installer on your Windows PC]() in my latest Computerworld column. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Remove and blur image backgrounds with AI Microsoft has been adding advanced image tools to Windows 11. You can now remove the background from any image — or blur the image's background instead. Both tools use AI to identify the "foreground" part of an image and modify the background. ➜ You can do it in just a few clicks with tools built into Windows 11 — but these tools are scattered across different applications. I'll show you where to find them. ⌚ Each tool will take you 5 seconds to use. 💻 These features are only on Windows 11. 📌 Learn [how to remove and blur the background in any image](=) in my latest quick guide. [A pblurred background in the Photos app on Windows 11.] --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. See your files in File Explorer's sidebar File Explorer has useful "Preview" and "Details" panes, but they're hidden by default. These panes will let you see lots more information about your files — you can even read Word documents, scroll through PDFs, and view images — right in File Explorer, without opening them first. ➜ Microsoft just gave them a visual upgrade in Windows 11's 2023 Update — but they're available on Windows 10 PCs, too. ⌚ Turning on these panes will take you 3 seconds. 💻 You can do this on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 See [how to turn on this useful sidebar](=) in this quick piece. [A Preview pane in Windows 11's File Explorer] ​ [] [Top Thurrott Thoughts] Some standout links and expert analysis from our friends at Thurrott, who have been covering Windows since 1994: - ​[November Patch Tuesday Updates Are Available for Windows 11 Versions 23H2 and 22H2](=) - Another month, another Patch Tuesday! - ​[OneDrive Will No Longer Ask Windows Users Why They’re Closing the App](=) - Good, that was annoying. - ​[Microsoft Celebrates 20 Years of Patch Tuesday Like It Can’t Be Bothered]( - Has it really been twenty years? - ​[Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 First Impressions](=) - Another solid-looking ThinkPad. A lot of things change in life, but that red "nub" survives! - ​[AI is Our Copilot (Premium)](=) - Paul Thurrott has a thoughtful take on Microsoft's AI Copilot ambitions and the sea change we're seeing in technology. Get the best Thurrott reading experience with Thurrott Premium as part of [our mega membership bundle](). Unlock exclusive Premium articles, enjoy ad-free access, and more — plus get access to our Intelligence Insider community and its benefits. [] ​ [And Just for Funsies...] I've had mascots on my mind lately. (See our new one? His name is Lenny!) Microsoft just axed Cortana, which was once the name and face on its virtual assistant. And, despite some [fun Clippy references](=) over the past few years, Microsoft is very much not resurrecting Clippy as a consumer product. But forget Clippy and Cortana — there's a forgotten Microsoft assistant no one talks about. His name was Rover. He was an animated dog, and he was also an integral part of Windows XP's file-search tool. [The Rover assistant on Windows XP.] Rover first debuted back in Microsoft Bob — Microsoft's strangest product — where he guided you through a virtual house, which was meant to be a more user-friendly interface for Windows. While people generally look on Windows XP fondly now, many people at the time said it had a "Fisher-Price interface." I can't help but wonder if the presence of a cartoon dog in a file-search window had something to do with that. Until next time... Thanks for reading the inaugural issue of Windows Intelligence with our shiny new design! Just a heads up: I'm off for Thanksgiving next week, so you won't receive an issue next Friday. But you will still receive the usual Top Tips email on Monday, and the Cool Tools issue on Wednesday if you subscribe to those. Have a great week! I'll be back in your inbox soon. 🤚 Wait! Before you go: What'd you think of this issue? [Thumbs Up](=) [Thumbs Down]( Hit the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to cast your vote and let me know. Want less email? [Update your reading preferences](=) to opt out of any individual publications or unsubscribe entirely. New here and not yet subscribed? 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