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By Copernic · Posted
ExplorerPatcher 26100.8457.70.3 by Razvan Serea ExplorerPatcher is a versatile and free tool that allows you to tweak and enhance the Windows Explorer. It comes with a range of useful features, including the ability to add new context menu items, change file name colors, and enable hidden features. Feature summary Choose between Windows 11 or Windows 10 taskbar (with labels support, small icons and lots of customization). Disable Windows 11 context menu and command bar in File Explorer and more. Open Start to All apps by default, choose number of frequent apps to show, display on active monitor and more. Choose between the Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows NT Alt-Tab window switcher with customization. Lots of quality of life improvements for the shell, like: Skin tray menus to match Windows style, make them behave like flyouts and center them relative to the icon. Choose action when left and/or right clicking the network icon. Revert to the Windows 7 search box in File Explorer, or disable Windows Search altogether. Disable immersive menus and use mitigations that help you run the real classic theme without glitches. Discover the program's full range of features by reading this wiki article. ExplorerPatcher 26100.8457.70.3 changelog: Tested on OS builds 22621.4317, 22631.7079, 26100.6899, 26100.8037, 26200.8246, 26200.8457, 26300.8493, and 28000.2113. TIP: Windows Defender no longer flags ExplorerPatcher. It is no longer needed to configure Defender exclusions. Enjoy! Important Update for Windows Insider Users If you're running Windows 11 Beta build 26220.8474 or Experimental build 26300.8493, updating ExplorerPatcher is highly recommended. Microsoft has removed parts of the old Windows 10 Start menu from these builds, which caused ExplorerPatcher's Windows 10-style taskbar and Start menu to crash. This update fixes those issues and ensures Explorer starts correctly after future Windows updates. Because the required components are no longer included in Windows, the Windows 10 Start menu option has been disabled on these builds and future builds that lack the necessary files. A temporary workaround is to replace StartTileData.dll with a version from build 26xxx.8457, but this solution may stop working in future releases. The good news: development on the Windows 10 Start menu isn't over yet. More updates are planned. Highlights Fixed crashes affecting the Windows 10 battery flyout on Windows builds 25951 and newer. As part of that fix, network flyout buttons now behave like they did before Windows 11 version 24H2. Changes to the Primary taskbar location on screen setting now apply instantly without requiring a restart. ExplorerPatcher no longer modifies Windows 11 taskbar auto-hide settings when Explorer starts. The Open Start in All apps by default option is now hidden when the new Windows 11 Start menu is enabled. Fixed Windows 10 Start menu crashes on very early Windows 11 builds (21996–22000.51). Fixed a crash in Registry Editor when switching to thumbnail view during registry import/export operations. Improved compatibility with recent Windows builds, especially ARM64 and upcoming 26H1 releases. Improved overall ARM64 performance. Added Greek language translations. Thanks to @KonVetsos! ep_taskbar Improvements ep_taskbar now supports all 43 Windows 11 display languages. Fixed several issues in the system tray and other taskbar components. For mod developers: DLL naming has been simplified and made easier to understand. For mod developers: internal TrayUI changes provide better stability across Windows builds that use different taskbar implementations. Windows 10 Start Menu Improvements To help preserve compatibility, ExplorerPatcher now includes a newly recreated version of the tile layout engine that Microsoft removed in build 26xxx.8474. Current limitations: Tiles may occasionally overlap when pinned in certain ways. Restarting StartMenuExperienceHost.exe or Explorer usually corrects the layout. Further improvements are planned. Additional Fixes Added a blacklist that prevents ExplorerPatcher's shell extension from loading inside specific applications where it may cause problems. Updated Windows 10 Start menu animation support for newer ARM64 Insider builds. Fixed a rare taskbar initialization deadlock that could occur during startup. Start10 Updates Addressed a new compatibility issue caused by Microsoft's ongoing removal of tablet mode code in Windows 11 25H2 Experimental builds. Pinned tiles are no longer reset after repeated crashes. Various wording and interface text improvements throughout the application. Translation and UI Several interface strings have been cleaned up and clarified. Thanks to @sefinek for wording improvements. Please consult the README for more details. Download: ExplorerPatcher 26100.8457.70.3 | ARM64 | ~11.0 MB (Open Source) View: ExplorerPatcher Home Page | Features | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware -
By Zeromus2003 · Posted
This author may be AI..... we just...... don't know.... lol AI is taking over.....run for the hills! -
By David Uzondu · Posted
Here's how to grab your share of Apple's $4 billion lawsuit payout (if you qualify) by David Uzondu Image via DepositPhotos.com A UK tribunal has approved a collective legal action letting a $4 billion (£3 billion) claim against Apple proceed to trial after consumer rights group Which? formally accused the company of violating competition laws. The tribunal recently set a full trial date for October 2028. Which? filed the lawsuit way back in November 2024, accusing Apple of trapping users in iCloud by restricting rivals from fully accessing iOS. Apple gives users only 5GB of free space, and once that limit vanishes, the system drives upgrades by repeatedly nudging users through notifications. The group claims Apple overcharged millions who bought plans ranging from 99p a month for 50GB to £54.99 a month for 12TB. If Which? wins the now-greenlit lawsuit, the court will force Apple to pay out damages to roughly 40 million UK consumers, with each person receiving around £77 for the pricing abuse. Apple has already put out a statement telling Reuters that the allegations are completely false and that consumers do have choices. "We work hard to make iCloud a great experience, but no customer is required to use it, and customers in the UK have plenty of alternatives to choose from," it told the outlet. The good thing is that if Which? wins, claiming your share requires almost no effort due to the automatic structure of the litigation. You are eligible if you used Apple's iCloud services between November 8, 2018, and June 8, 2026, and paid for upgraded storage during that time. The tribunal automatically enrolls everyone living in the UK on June 8, 2026. The system operates on an "opt-out" basis, meaning you do not have to register right now, and you will just verify your details to collect your cash. However, if you want to leave the claim, you must notify Which? by October 8, 2026. But if you lived outside the UK on June 8, 2026, you must manually register on the official Which? website before October 8, 2026, to opt into the action. If you ignore this deadline, you will lose your chance to grab a share of the settlement. On a related note, Google recently had to resolve a massive data privacy fight by agreeing to a payout of over $170 million to Android users. In that lawsuit, plaintiffs argued that Google programmed the Android system to transmit user data without permission, wasting cellular data. To settle, Google agreed to pay a $135 million nationwide settlement alongside an extra $35 million in California. Eligible Android users must submit online claims to secure their cash, with the final approval hearing literally taking place today (June 23, 2026). -
By hellowalkman · Posted
Microsoft outs Windows 11 KB5095093 with long list of new features by Sayan Sen Microsoft today has released its newest preview update (C-release) for the month of June 2026 under KB5095093, builds 26200.8737 (for Windows 11 25H2) and 26100.8737 (on Windows 11 24H2). The update brings new features across various elements of the OS including the Windows update, the Recovery, Widgets, File Explorer, and more. The full changelog is given below: First up we have the features rolling out gradually: [Point-in-time restore for Windows] New! This flexible recovery feature helps you quickly roll back your PC, including apps, settings, and personal files, to a recent automatic restore point. It helps reduce downtime and simplifies troubleshooting when issues occur. To learn more, see Point-in-time restore for Windows. [Windows Update] New! A calendar experience in Windows Update Settings (Settings > Windows Update) lets you pause updates by choosing an end date, for up to 35 days. You can extend the pause by selecting a different end date and re‑pause updates as needed. For more information, see Pause updates in Windows. [Widgets] New! A quieter, more focused Widgets experience helps reduce interruptions and improves default settings and notification controls: Reduce distractions: Widgets no longer open on hover. Notifications and taskbar badges are minimized by default. Simpler: Open to the Widgets dashboard by default on first use. Customize: Configure Widgets how you want by selecting Settings in the navigation bar, then changing any of the default settings. Stay informed: Dashboard icons show the number of alerts, and badges clear automatically when you leave a dashboard. Adjusted defaults: Some default settings are preserved based on usage, while others adjust to reduce interruptions. Performance improvements: This update provides improved reliability, responsiveness, and visual quality across the Widget experience. [Accessibility] New! This update makes your screen easier to see and customizes your zoom experience: Screen tint: Apply a full-screen color overlay to help reduce eye strain and improve readability. Choose from preset tint options, adjust the intensity, or turn it on automatically. Find this feature in Settings > Accessibility. Magnifier: Enter a zoom percentage directly and change it in increments in the Magnifier window for more precise, flexible control. Magnifier settings menu: You can now also modify zoom increments directly from the magnifier bar instead of navigating to Windows Settings each time. [File Explorer] New! When you hover over a file in File Explorer Home, commands such as Open file location and Ask Copilot appear as quick actions. This experience is now supported for work and school accounts (Entra ID).1 Improves the speed and performance of File Explorer launch.2 Fixes an issue where the OneDrive shortcut in File Explorer stops working when File Explorer is run with administrative mode. The address bar now supports paths containing double backslashes and quotation marks (for example, C:\\Users\\user or "C:\Users\user"), improving compatibility with a wider range of inputs. The address bar suggestion dropdown is more reliable and now consistently closes after an item is selected. This update addresses an issue on File Explorer Home where OneDrive files could appear duplicated in the Favorites section. This update includes several refinements to the Rename experience: Addresses an issue where text was repeatedly selected when renaming items in folder views. Addresses an issue where case-only name changes were not immediately reflected in folder views for items stored locally or in the cloud. [Bluetooth] This update improves reliability and performance when connecting to and using Bluetooth devices: New! Windows now keeps the microphone mute state in sync between the audio mixer and the Hands-Free Profile (HFP) for a more consistent experience with Bluetooth headphones with mute buttons or indicators. Accessory compatibility workarounds: Improves compatibility with specific Bluetooth audio devices, helping AirPods appear faster in pairing mode and improving microphone reliability on Beats Studio Pro headphones. Bluetooth audio stability: Improves overall Windows stability with certain PC manufacturer drivers (error code 0x9F). Improves Bluetooth reliability for voice calls when using Classic Audio devices with the Hands-Free Profile (HFP). Reduces time for LE Audio accessories to start playing audio while using the microphone. Device management: Windows will no longer show a “Remove failed” message when attempting to remove Bluetooth devices if the Bluetooth radio is unavailable or has changed since pairing. Settings experience: Improves stability when using the Bluetooth & devices settings page for a smoother, more consistent experience. Connection reliability and responsiveness: Reduces the time it takes for classic Bluetooth audio devices to reconnect after Windows resumes from hibernation. Improves reliability when LE Audio accessories disconnect, such as when another device (for example, a phone) connects. Improves reliability of LE Audio streaming after a connection is lost and restored. [Bluetooth and Phone Link] This update improves audio routing for calls made through a connected phone: When an outgoing call is dialed from a paired phone, audio remains on the phone while ringing and transfers to the PC only when the call is answered from the PC. When Do Not Disturb is enabled on Windows, incoming call audio from a paired phone no longer rings on the PC. [Voice access and voice typing] New! You can now use voice access and voice typing in French, German, and Spanish. As you speak, your PC improves your text in real time. It corrects grammar, punctuation, and recognition errors, and helps improve clarity—even in the presence of background noise. This makes dictation smoother and reduces the need for manual edits.3 [Audio] This update improves the reliability of the inbox HD Audio driver. [Taskbar] This update improves the reliability of opening the Start menu when selecting the left edge of the taskbar when the icons in the taskbar are left-aligned. [Networking] This update includes networking improvements for virtualized environments. Confidential Virtual Machines (CVMs) now use SR-IOV hardware acceleration by default for improved network throughput, and a configuration issue in nested Hyper-V virtualization network setup has been corrected to ensure reliable VM network provisioning. This update improves the reliability of the Windows networking stack. It reduces bug checks (blue screen errors) related to Wi-Fi power and improves cellular (WWAN) connectivity, including support for IPv6 VPNs. Compatibility with third-party VPN software and SR-IOV configurations on server hardware is also improved. Network adapter settings and bindings are now preserved across OS upgrades. [Printing] New! New printer installations use Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) by default when supported, simplifying setup and improving reliability. For details about third-party driver deprecation, see End of Servicing Plan for Third-Party Printer Drivers on Windows. To control this behavior, use the toggle in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Default install printers using Windows Ready Print. For more information, see Introducing Windows Ready Print and modernized driver selection. For more information, see Introducing Windows Ready Print and Modernized Driver Selection. [Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)] The update improves usage of WSL in mirrored networking mode with VPNs. [Display and graphics] Improves the reliability of rendering content while scrolling for certain apps spanning across multiple monitors. Improves the reliability and persistence of applying color profiles. [Location services] This update changes how some location settings are displayed in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location to help with clarity. When location services are turned off, settings like Default location and Allow location override don't immediately apply, since location information is not given to apps or services. These settings will now be greyed out when location services are off to reduce confusion over when they take effect. [Search] This update improves the reliability of setting Search related group policies. [Input] New! You can now customize the size of the right-click zone in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad. Choose from default, small, medium, or large to control how much of the bottom-right corner responds to a single-finger right-click. This setting is only available on touchpads with a pressable surface. If your device manufacturer provides customization through their own app, a Custom option will appear to reflect those settings. This update improves recognition of English characters when using Japanese handwriting. [General performance] Improves the time to shut down Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) when you turn off your PC. [General Reliability] This update improves the reliability of explorer.exe. It addresses issues on the login and lock screens related to third-party credential providers, reduces the probability of taskbar icons appearing as blank gray placeholders, and improves navigation to Home in File Explorer during OneDrive sync. It also improves explorer.exe reliability when switching between desktops, enhances app launch with shell extensions, and using acrylic blur effects in the Start menu, Settings, and the lock screen. [Apps] Resolves an issue where some installers and applications could show unexpected elevation (UAC) prompts after installing KB5089549. [Remote Desktop] This update refreshes the dialog design when you enable Remote Desktop in Settings > System > Remote Desktop. [Graphics Kernel] Improves memory-management policy that allows PCs with more than 32GB of installed memory to run larger local AI models. Up next we have the features under normal rollout: [Secure Boot] With this update, Windows quality updates include additional high confidence device targeting data, increasing coverage of devices eligible to automatically receive new Secure Boot certificates. Devices receive the new certificates only after demonstrating sufficient successful update signals, maintaining a controlled and phased rollout. [Authentication] This update improves Netlogon secure channel connections between domain controllers, enabling successful connections from member servers to domain controllers set up before 2025. [Emoji Panel Update] The emoji panel (Windows key + period (.)) now uses GIPHY for GIF content following the deprecation of Google’s Tenor API. Starting June 30, 2026, install the latest Windows update to continue using GIFs in the Emoji panel. If you don’t update, you will see a "GIF service is not available" error in the panel. Installing the latest Windows update will restore access to GIFs. [Networking] This update improves how your device connects to shared network resources. Connections used by apps and system features, such as the NetUseAdd function, now work more reliably, including unauthenticated (null session) connections. [Recycle Bin (known issue)] Fixed: This update addresses an issue where the confirmation dialog might display an internal Recycle Bin file name instead of the original file name when permanently deleting a file. This issue might occur after installing the June 2026 security update (KB5094126). [Taskbar] This update improves notification badge display across your apps. Notification counts and badge visuals now update correctly, helping you stay up to date with new activity. You can choose to manually download the update from Microsoft's update catalog website at this link. -
By TarasBuria · Posted
Hands-on with BOOX Tappy: cute little reading accessory by Taras Buria Page turners are quite popular accessories for e-readers, as they enable a hands-free reading experience, which is particularly useful with large readers featuring 10-inch or larger displays. The BOOX Tappy is a new accessory that was introduced earlier this year, and we took this cute-looking thingy for a spin. The Tappy comes in a small box, with two additional buttons and a user manual. The device is made of glossy green plastic and resembles old appliances from the nuclear age. Material quality is great, and each part feels quite premium. Plastic is high-quality, the switch is nice to flick, and the buttons are not rattly. At the bottom, four rubberized feet prevent slipping when used on a desk. Unfortunately, there are no color options, and the Tappy is only available in green. It looks good, but I wish there were other options as well. There are two removable buttons, an on/off switch, and an LED indicator that displays connection mode, charging status, and more. The buttons resemble those of an old typewriter, with quite a long travel distance and a pleasant clack. In the box, you have four buttons with different icons: heart, coffee, O, and X. You can easily swap buttons by simply pulling them upwards. Tip: buttons come with plastic covers, but they are quite tricky to remove. It is hard to call the Tappy the most ergonomic remote control, but after fiddling with it for a few hours, I managed to find a comfortable hand position. Attaching a lanyard to it can make it more comfortable in use without the fear of dropping it, but unfortunately, the Tappy does not come with one. The Tappy connects via Bluetooth 5.2, and it works in three modes, which you can toggle by pressing and holding both buttons for about five seconds: Reading Mode Multimedia Mode Browsing Mode Next / Previous page Next / Previous Track Up / Down scroll If you pair the Tappy with a BOOX device (I tested it with the BOOX Go 10.5 Gen 2 Lumi), you will get small pop-ups indicating the current mode. Plus, you can customize what each button does when pressed one time, two times, or held for a few seconds. The list of available actions and features you can use is massive, and I like that BOOX lets you map stuff like brightness adjustment, app launching, screenshot-taking, screen rotating, navigation, and more. Note, however, that while you can use the Tappy with other readers, its customization is only available on BOOX devices running firmware version 4.2 and newer. I could not connect the Tappy to my computer (Windows 11 claims a driver error when I try), but it worked with the DuRoBo Krono that I recently reviewed. My Kindle Paperwhite refused to work with the Tappy, though, just like my iPhone. The Tappy uses a non-removable Li-Ion battery, which can be recharged with a Type-C cable. BOOX rates the remote for "weeks of use," and I can say that it indeed has very good battery life. While there are no battery indicators on the remote, you can see the current level in the status bar or in Input settings in the BOOX firmware. After a few days of active use, mine still shows about 95%. Overall, the Tappy left a nice impression. It is well-made, and the integration with BOOX devices is great. I also like that BOOX decided to have some fun with its design and swappable buttons. I cannot say I am a fan of its odd shape, though. Still, I managed to find a way to use it comfortably. And when not in use, it just looks neat sitting on the table doing nothing or serving you as a small clacky fidget. Buy BOOX Tappy - $29.99 on Amazon US As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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