Windows may be a timeless OS, and practically synonymous with modern PCs, but that doesn't mean it's well-loved by its users. In fact, the opposite might be true in some instances, according to anecdotal evidence as well as reports by publications like Windows Central.

While the development world is far from a homogeneous blob, anecdotal consensus suggests that Windows 11 is the least enjoyed mainstream platform for developers, with systems like macOS and Linux overwhelmingly preferred. But why does Windows 11 have such a bad reputation among developers, anecdotally at least?

Whether it's on internet forums, in blog posts, or in our conversations with experts, Windows 11 is often snubbed in favour of macOS or Linux, depending on the context. In fact, one of the best advantages of Windows, developers say, is the capacity to run Linux on mainstream hardware. There are, of course, some advantages to using Windows 11 for development – but what could Microsoft do to get more developers on board?

Which OS do coders and programmers really prefer?

ITPro consulted with more than a dozen programmers, engineers, and developers to understand why they use the platforms they do, and whether Microsoft has the potential to transform Windows into an attractive destination for coding.

Little research exists into which OS developers truly prefer, although Stack Overflow findings suggest that Windows is the dominant platform in which they work; nearly half (49.5%) use it over alternatives, including macOS (32.9%) and Ubuntu (27.7%), among others. But just because Windows is the "primary [OS] in which you work" — that doesn't mean it's the OS of choice, with organizations and administrators usually calling the shots more often than not.

The developers we spoke with were divided evenly between the three major systems – Windows, macOS, and Linux — with some even using all three depending on the task. However, when we asked which OS they prefer to code on, none answered Windows.

The vast majority say they preferred using macOS when coding, including Mike McQuaid, project lead of Homebrew, the open source package manager. "Apple and the wider ecosystem seem to care more about design and building high-quality applications for free or a reasonable one-off price."

What's the trouble with Windows 11?

McQuaid tells ITPro that "Microsoft’s developer experience on their platforms has never been great", with critique among those we spoke with ranging from concerns with the tools available to the notion that Microsoft is simply less easy on the eye. Where developers use Windows, it's largely because "that's the corporate choice", as Egor Danilkov, global development director at Innowise, neatly summarized it.

The OS is, however, "cumbersome", according to Nikita Kuznetsov, founder and developer of GameAP, an open-source game server management panel, and "ships with tools I don't need"; "the ones I do need have to be installed and configured manually". Some tooling is built for POSIX systems (Linux and macOS) first and is then ported to Windows, so these versions don't always behave as expected.

Many complaints center on inconsistency, with the notion that different developers on identical Windows hardware may end up with environments that behave differently. Windows is also a massive target and attracts far more malicious attention.

There's also the question of how "managed" company machines are. That's something that Jessica Kerr, engineering manager of developer relations at Honeycomb, an observability platform, can attest to.

"Companies can put more restrictions on Windows machines, and these restrictions hamper developers. As a software engineer, I install software. I run unverified, unapproved apps (for instance, when I’m writing them)," she says. "I access the file system from the command line and write scripts and run ad-hoc programs. Windows computers can be locked down, and Macs… if they can be locked down like that, I’ve never seen a company do it."

Much of the feedback around Apple's flagship OS is around the Unix-based terminal, which feels more natural to use and can be very powerful, as well as the fact that shell scripting, SSH, and command-line tooling all behave as you'd expect. Some of the positive feedback also centers around the user interface, which is universally considered intuitive, clean, and well-designed – not that Windows 11 doesn't have its fans. An additional benefit for Danilkov is the way that Apple devices work so well together.

Windows has its problems – but is the criticism unfair?

Danilkov describes some of the criticism as "outdated", suggesting Windows 11 is "leaps and bounds better" than its predecessors and that "many reactions to Windows are based on a version of the platform used years ago". This is an idea that Jitesh Keswani, managing director at e intelligence, a digital marketing agency, expands on.

"In the past, developers found it difficult to get their development environments up and running," he explains. "This typically involved a plethora of command-line tools. In addition, many of the development environments set up on a developer’s Windows desktops would not work in the same way on the Linux-based production servers that they were deployed to. This is a legacy problem that Windows still has to overcome."

Windows does have its advantages – and that primarily comes in the form of Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which lets developers run full Linux environments directly on Windows 11 platforms without the need for a dual-boot setup or virtual machine (VM). Dwellwell Analytics' data science engineer, Olga Kuzmich, humorously quips: "The best feature for developers on Windows is the one that lets you run Linux."

This system repeatedly came up in our conversations. Many of the compatibility issues simply aren't relevant anymore thanks to this platform. It also means developers can run Windows applications, Linux tools, Docker containers, and more, all on the same machine. The next iteration, WSL3, is also getting a major upgrade, with new features such as the ability to take full advantage of your machine's GPU and NPU without a "performance tax".

The other advantages come in the form of Visual Studio, which Danilkov and Taimur Ijlal, information security leader at Proxy Coupons, UK, both describe as one of the strongest Integrated development environments (IDEs) available. Ijlal also describes Windows Terminal as "top shelf". The advantages of coding on Windows also extend to certain development platforms. As Jiří Fabián, co-CEO & founder of TopMonks, put it: "I would choose Windows only if I were a .NET developer working on Windows desktop applications or a game developer."

Giving Windows a new lease of life for coding and programming

With so much hesitation and opposition to using Windows as a system for coding, barring the ability to run WSL, is there anything that Microsoft can do to tempt the developers that ITPro spoke with?

There isn't a clean fix, says Omari Wright, web development manager at digital marketing agency seoplus+. "A lot of what makes macOS work well for development teams is structural, and changing it would mean Microsoft moving away from the openness that Windows users value," he says, adding that the tech giant could push harder on WSL and "make it feel less like a workaround and more like a first-class development path".

Nothing, however, would pull Kuzmich back. "Linux is just too natural now, and I think a lot of developers feel the same. That's exactly why, in my opinion, Microsoft had to ship WSL in the first place, and this is very telling."

Doubling down on WSL and improving this as a feature is where the majority of developers we spoke with centered their feedback around. Microsoft could make the remaining gaps between Windows and Linux file systems less noticeable, for example, and improve performance when working with larger repositories, containers, and some tools.

Keswani also suggests that Microsoft should push Windows as close as possible to a native Linux environment without sacrificing the user-friendly elements. This focus on user-friendliness is great "for end-users who don't need to know much about what's going on under the hood," Fabián adds, but to win more developers over, "Microsoft would need to base the core of Windows on Unix, which will never happen".

He continues: "With the rise of AI and heavier terminal usage, I need all core Unix utilities bundled with the system, without having to install and maintain them myself — tools for file manipulation, SSH, search, and so on."

McQuaid, meanwhile, centers his criticism on the direction that Microsoft has been taking Windows in the last few years, lamenting: "Stop trying to overrule my preferences on how to use my computer". He tells ITPro: "I use Edge and Bing there now just because they keep overruling or pressing me to change my defaults.

"There are ads (or what feels like ads) and upselling all over the OS. It’s gross and feels bargain-basement compared to Apple. I'd love to see Microsoft make Windows feel like “spammy” and more of a cohesive, overall pleasant developer experience."

There are various reasons why developers prefer other systems over Windows 11, macOS especially, with the main benefit of Microsoft's flagship OS, according to the programmers that we interviewed, being the fact that it lets you run Linux and bypass Windows entirely.

Nobody, Microsoft included, would describe Windows 11 as perfect, hence why there's such an active Insider program with updates shipped frequently and continuously. There are some unrealistic demands on developers' wish list, like making Windows Unix-based, but more realistic seems to be giving WSL more love – making it streamlined, more functional, and more powerful so that developers feel more supported by their devices at work.

A range of new AI features are coming to Ubuntu over the next year, according to maintainers, but only providing they’re of “sufficient maturity and quality”.

In a blog post detailing AI plans for the operating system, Jon Seager, VP of engineering at Ubuntu’s parent company, Canonical, said the firm is exploring the prospect of a dual approach to integration.

This approach centers around improving OS functionality with AI models running “in the background” while the implementation of “AI native” features will also be rolled out - but only to those who opt in.

“Over the past few weeks I’ve begun to develop a framework to help think about different kinds of AI adoption within Ubuntu," Seager wrote. “At the center of that is the idea of explicit and implicit AI features.”

Implicit AI, according to Seager, aims to enhance existing features within the operating system without sweeping changes. One example touted included the launch of speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionalities within the OS.

“I don’t see these as “AI features”, I see them as critical accessibility features that can be dramatically improved through the adoption of LLMs with minimal (if any) drawbacks,” he noted.

Seager added that these features will rely on local inference, using open weight models. Local inference is an area in which Canonical has been expanding capabilities recently, he noted, particularly with regard to “inference snaps”.

Inference snaps provide “simplified local access” to inference using models catered specifically for user hardware.

“The combination of Ubuntu’s widespread adoption and Canonical’s partnership with silicon companies has enabled us to deliver a high performance foundational inference capability for the distribution with very little cognitive overhead for our users,” he wrote.

‘Tasteful’ agentic functionality in Ubuntu

With agentic AI firmly in the spotlight over the last 18 months, Seager noted there are plans afoot on this front. These fall firmly under the “explicit” aspect of the firm’s plans.

Agentic capabilities within the operating system have huge potential, he noted, helping in tasks such as “authoring new documents or applications”, as well as personal automated tasks and troubleshooting support.

“I love the idea that all the power and capability that Linux has acquired over the past few years could become more accessible to more people,” Seager wrote.

In this case, there will be strict guardrails. A strong focus has been placed on privacy and security when considering integration of agentic workflows.

“We’re making plans on how to integrate agentic workflows into Ubuntu for those who want it in a way that feels tasteful, aligned with our user base and respectful of our privacy and security values,” Seager wrote.

“With this comes a big responsibility for us to ensure that the relevant security and confinement controls are in place to prevent unwanted side-effects.”

On the topic of confinement, Seager noted that the aforementioned inference snaps will be subject to the “same confinement rules as other snaps”.

These confinement rules limit the amount of access applications have to system resources. By adopting this approach, Canonical aims to improve user confidence and prevent “indiscriminate access” to machines and data.

A "strictly opt-in” basis

Reaction to Seager’s post appears to have been mostly positive, albeit bordering on apprehensive, with one user describing it as “one of the most sensible posts relating to the use of AI I have read”.

Limited backlash prompted Seager to publish a clarification post confirming details on user controls and consent.

On the prospect of a potential “kill switch” for AI features, Seager noted this won’t be included. However, given AI functionalities will be delivered using snaps, users will have the option of removing these.

“Which I supposed acts as a sort of kill switch for the features we’re planning on shipping,” he wrote.

Moreover, any AI features will be launched in a preview format on a “strictly opt-in basis” upon the launch of version 26.10. Future versions will also have an opt-in function for AI features, he noted.

“In subsequent releases, my plan is to have a step in the initial setup wizard that allows the user to choose whether or not they’d like the AI-native features enabled,” Seager commented.

“Because of the size of most LLMs, we simply couldn’t ship them in the installer anyway, so opting out at first run is simple: they just won’t be there.”

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IBM has issued patches for four major flaws in IBM AIX and VIOS that allow a remote, unprivileged attacker to achieve arbitrary command execution on an exposed IBM Network Installation Manager (NIM).

The four vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE‑2025‑36250, CVE‑2025‑36251, CVE‑2025‑36236, and CVE‑2025‑36096, affect IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3 as well as IBM VIOS 3.1 and 4.1 environments, with three of the four receiving a critical CVSS score.

All four flaws allow an attacker to 'hijack' unattended operating system installations and updates to deploy malicious payloads onto AIX hosts, move laterally, and persist in broader environments, according to an advisory from Mondoo.

“These four vulnerabilities on IBM AIX present a very serious threat because they allow a remote attacker with no privileges to perform arbitrary commands on an IBM Network Installation Manager (NIM) that’s exposed to the internet (which NIM servers typically are)," said Patrick Münch, Mondoo CSO.

"This means that they could 'hijack' unattended operating system installations and updates to deploy malicious payloads onto AIX hosts, move laterally, and persist in the broader environment."

How the IBM flaws work

CVE-2025-36250 carries a 10.0 CVSS score and affects the NIM service by allowing remote arbitrary command execution through improper process controls.

Researchers warned that an attacker could run commands of their choosing on the target AIX or VIOS system, gain full system control, install malware, create backdoors, move laterally and potentially pivot from the compromised system into other parts of the network.

Similarly, CVE‑2025‑36251 allows remote arbitrary command execution through improper process controls, affecting the SSL/TLS implementation in the NIM service.

With a critical CVSS score of 9.6, it could be used by a remote attacker to execute commands on the system, potentially without authentication. This could lead to a compromise of system integrity, data loss, or service disruption.

CVE‑2025‑36236, meanwhile, is a path-traversal vulnerability in the NIM service, allowing a remote attacker to send a specially crafted URL request to traverse directories or write arbitrary files on the system.

Researchers noted this could allow an attacker to drop malicious payloads in system directories, overwrite or inject into configuration files, or place web shells to facilitate further exploitation.

This particular flaw carries a CVSS score of 8.2, ranking it as high severity.

Finally, CVE‑2025‑36096 is a vulnerability in credential storage with a CVSS score of 9 (Critical). NIM private keys in IBM AIX are stored insecurely, meaning these can be accessed by an attacker via man-in-the-middle (MitM) techniques.

An attacker intercepting these communications or otherwise gaining access to the private keys could impersonate the NIM server or services or decrypt communications, which could result in system takeover.

Worst case scenarios

Researchers point out that, in combination, the four vulnerabilities could allow attackers to gain full access, impersonate services, move laterally, and persist or compromise broader network environments.

Moreover, the use of the operating system is widespread in critical industries, meaning the impact of a successful attack could be devastating.

"What makes this even more concerning is that IBM AIX is widely used in enterprise IT environments in critical sectors such as finance, insurance, retail, and healthcare, where high availability and security are essential," said Münch.

"Patch cycles are often delayed on IBM AIX because uptime is so critical for these enterprises. We haven’t seen any reports of active exploitation yet, but due to the high risk of these vulnerabilities, we strongly advise organizations to patch immediately.”

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Extended support for Windows 10 could cost enterprises billions according to new research, prompting questions over why many are still plugging away with the operating system.

Analysis by Nexthink, released just weeks before Microsoft cuts off support for Windows 10, found maintaining custom versions of the operating system could cost in excess of $7.3 billion globally.

While businesses can choose to pay for extended support, this will set them back $61 per device for the first year. That price then doubles every year, for a maximum of three years, further compounding costs.

Enterprises and consumers alike have been moving away from Windows 10, albeit slowly, Nexthink found. Researchers at the company observed a 33% decrease in Windows 10 devices between 19 May 2025 and 1 August.

Figures from Statcounter also show the operating system still holds a 43% market share, with Windows 11 only recently overtaking it in popularity.

Based on current trends, this means even by the 14 October deadline around 121 million devices would still be running the operating system globally.

Sticking with Windows 10 poses risks

With this in mind, Nexthink said organizations need to ramp up efforts to switch operating systems ahead of the deadline, as failing to do so puts them at risk of cyber threats like malware and ransomware.

From a productivity perspective, failing to upgrade also has a marked impact on business efficiency, Nexthink noted. Similarly, partial upgrades can create their own issues, causing friction across teams due to “inconsistent experiences” between the two operating systems.

Tim Flower, digital employee experience strategist at Nexthink, said shifting to a new operating system “shouldn’t feel like a disruption”.

“It should be an opportunity to improve how employees work every day,” he said.

“That means understanding how devices and applications perform before the migration, anticipating issues and problems, and taking steps to ensure migrations and upgrades run smoothly.

“The goal is to avoid productivity being interrupted by an IT event, and help organizations see clear benefits from their investment.

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• Here’s what businesses should do to prepare for Windows 10 end of life
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Tiny11 is a stripped-down version of Windows 11. Where the full-fat OS requires 4GB of RAM and 64GB of drive space, Tiny11 can manage with 2GB and 8GB respectively. It looks like the perfect solution for older machines that fall short of Windows 11's specs as, in the developer's words, it will run on "basically any computer that also ran Windows 10".

That might leave you wondering why Microsoft, with all of its resources, didn't manage the same. The answer is most likely that Microsoft didn't want to: its goal was to ship a feature-rich operating system that was a genuine step up from Windows 10, rather than a minimized working environment.

Tiny11 developer NTDev hasn't stripped out everything. Accessibility features and smaller apps such as the Calculator and Notepad, plus Windows Terminal and PowerShell, have all been retained. Microsoft Store is also in there, so you can manually update applications and add new ones as required. 

The most obvious benefit of Tiny11 is that it should continue running efficiently on older hardware over the longer term, not merely the next year or two. Nor does it come with Microsoft bloatware: both Edge and Teams have been removed. You can add them from the Microsoft Store, or choose an alternative browser and log in to Teams on the web.

Tiny11: Installation 

There are two versions of Tiny11 available for download, one of which is designed for older hardware that lacks support for TPM2; this handles on-device encryption and was a key requirement blocking many users from upgrading incompatible machines. It's worth noting that Tiny11 does not require a secure boot.

You could install a regular build of Windows 11 and strip out the features you don't require. There are utilities to help you achieve this, such as Debloos/BloatyNosy, which can analyze your system and automatically remove what it considers bloatware, or give you the option of manually removing components you don't need and have no plans to use.

However, you can only access post-production apps such as BloatyNosy if you've already successfully installed Windows 11, which won't always be possible. Tiny11, on the other hand, is an all-in-one solution where installation is possible precisely because it's been stripped down in advance.

The benefit of sticking with an operating system based on Windows 11 is that you can continue running the applications you already use. There's no need to use a workaround such as WINE under Linux, and nor is there any need to learn how to use a new OS or apps. You can avoid converting your data from its original formats, too.

By default, Tiny11 uses a local account, rather than a Microsoft account, so your activities are less intimately linked to your profile (you can revert to a Microsoft account if you prefer). If you're particular about your privacy, this could be a reason to switch on your own – particularly as Microsoft is now encouraging Microsoft account login as the standard option. 

Tiny11 hasn't come out of nowhere: it's a follow-on from Tiny10, so has been in active development for several years. As such, it's improving over time. The first release achieved its small size through the removal of the Windows Component Store, which made it impossible to add new features and languages.

However, release notes for the latest build state that the Windows Component Store is back, in a release that also sees the removal of sponsored apps.

Tiny11: Is it worth it? 

So, are there reasons not to switch to Tiny11? For sure. First of all, it isn't an official build. It's not supported by Microsoft and there's no guarantee it will keep working in the future. Neither is Tiny11 a free operating system.

If you don't already have a code to activate Windows 11 Pro, you won't be able to activate Tiny11, so if you're installing it as a money-saving measure it could be worth taking another look at Linux. Unless you have to run Windows, that's still what we would recommend people do.

Tiny11 may be the best-known stripped-down build of Windows 11, but it isn't the only option. Ghost Spectre 11 likewise lets you install a debloated build on machines without TPM support.

ReviOS is another stripped-down OS, removing common tools such as Photos and Windows Mail. It also avoids pre-installed apps such as Disney, plus core features such as the Telemetry Client, screensavers, and themes. All of which is to say you have a choice. Download, play, and consider your options.

Open source giant Red Hat has announced a new strategic partnership with Cohesity that will see Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) become the foundational operating system for Cohesity Data Cloud. 

Cohesity specializes in combining AI-powered data security and management to provide users with security features, operational simplicity, and scalability. The firm’s Data Cloud platform offers a single interface that unifies the security posture of data across sources, services, vendors, and technologies. 

As part of the company’s new collaboration with Red Hat, the Enterprise Linux operating system will now underpin Cohesity Data Cloud, replacing CentOS Linux 7. 

In an announcement, the pair said the move will help drive innovation across data security and management, providing customers with Red Hat’s support and domain-specific expertise and allowing Cohesity staff to place a greater focus on the Data Cloud’s customer experience. 

“The chain of modern IT security is only as strong as the most basic link, which frequently is Linux,” commented Red Hat president and CEO Matt Hicks. “With Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Cohesity will bring the strong capabilities of the world’s leading enterprise Linux platform to its customer base. 

“This foundation provides greater confidence that the Cohesity Data Cloud is working to address security at a fundamental level in support of modern hybrid cloud infrastructure.”

Changing needs

Cohesity made the decision to switch from CentOS Linux 7 to RHEL after experiencing challenges around the growth of its Data Cloud product. As both the platform's user numbers and capabilities grew, the firm said it particularly noticed issues with the weight of maintenance and patching burdens that this growth placed on its product engineers. 

With RHEL's hybrid cloud-ready platform, Cohesity said it will now be able to utilize OS-specific full-time customer support and engineering resources, as well as speedier response to security vulnerabilities thanks to Red Hat’s incident response teams.

The move is also expected to bring Linux consistency around skills, commands, and capabilities to IT environments, whether that’s in the datacenter or public clouds, while also offering a streamlined migration process through Red Hat’s range of transition tools.

With the migration journey already underway, Cohesity said the underlying security capabilities of Red Hat Enterprise Linux complement its own approach to data security. 

“Enterprises look to Cohesity as the leading solution for cyber-resilient data security and management for hybrid and multi-cloud environments,” said Sanjay Poonen, CEO and president, Cohesity. “Cohesity forged a strategic partnership with IBM earlier this year, and we are thrilled to now also collaborate with Red Hat. 

“With Red Hat Enterprise Linux, our engineering teams can innovate faster on our leading data security and management platform, helping our customers stay ahead of modern-day challenges.”

The Canonical Kernel Team is abandoning its update cadence in favor of a four-week cycle, and will add an additional update every two weeks for the most urgent fixes.

A move to a four-week cycle with a midpoint update will result in regular upstream stable updates, including security patches, bug fixes, and feature requests coming every four weeks. Critical fixes that can’t wait will arrive on a two-week cadence.

In the past, the Canonical team worked to a three-week kernel update cycle. This, according to Kleber Souza, Linux kernel engineering manager at Canonical, made for reasonable responsiveness but was “prone to interruptions from urgent CVEs, urgent customer requests and regressions found in -updates or during testing.”

The result was that the cycle tended to be extended, and delivering CVE fixes promptly was challenging.

Souza noted that OEM kernels would follow a more flexible schedule in terms of their deadlines for the acceptance of new patches.

Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions, and the changes will interest engineers charged with maintaining fleets of hardware running the operating system - on-premises or in the cloud - in light of the pace of vulnerability discovery and patching.

The move was described by one user on the company’s forums as “ambitious” and comes in the wake of a relatively easy-to-exploit privilege escalation vulnerability disclosed recently.

The vulnerability in the OverlayFS module used in Ubuntu was documented in CVE-2023-2640 and CVE-2023-32629 and was exclusive to the operating system following changes made by the Canonical team in 2018.

CVE-2023-2640 permits an unprivileged user to set privileged extended attributes on mounted files. CVE-2023-32629 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability where permission checks are skipped.

Those changes only became an issue in 2020 when a security vulnerability patched in the Linux kernel did not make it into Ubuntu due to the earlier changes.

One report stated that the vulnerability could affect 40% of Ubuntu cloud workloads. Ubuntu fixed the vulnerabilities on 24 July 2023, and users were instructed to update their kernels.

With the revised cycle schedule, Souza said: “The Canonical Kernel Team is expecting to deliver more predictable updates with quicker turnaround for time-sensitive fixes”.

AlmaLinux has dropped its aim to be 1:1 compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and will instead target application binary interface (ABI) compatibility.

The move follows Oracle’s announcement of a way forward for its own distribution which, while critical of IBM and Red Hat’s decision to restrict access to RHEL source code, will also result in a loss of binary compatibility.

The company insisted that the decision would mean “very little change in [customers’] use of AlmaLinux”. 

It also said that Red Hat-compatible applications would continue to run and the security updates would continue to flow.

However, by dropping the binary compatible aim it is difficult to see how a guarantee of all compatible applications continuing to run can be made, even with the ABI promise. 

AlmaLinux also noted that users might also encounter bugs not in Red Hat, but not being bound to Red Hat’s release cycle means the distro can release fixes as expeditiously as it needs to.

What is application binary interface compatibility?

While 1:1 binary compatibility of the operating system is achieved through use of the source code - something Red Hat is discouraging through its restrictions - ABI refers to how an application works with the underlying operating environment.

Red Hat defines ABI as “a set of runtime conventions that interact with a compiled binary representation of a program”.

Applications that are ABI-compatible should therefore continue to work on AlmaLinux. However, applications that are not - or make use of features outside of the ABI - might not function correctly. 

It is also worth noting that at this point, ABI compatibility is presently an aim. As AlmaLinux says itself: “ABI compatibility in our case means working to ensure that applications built to run on RHEL - or RHEL clones - can run without issue on AlmaLinux”.

What does this mean for customers?

The fate of RHEL clones such as AlmaLinux has been in the balance since Red Hat’s decision to restrict access to the RHEL source. 

Today’s announcement by AlmaLinux, and the earlier Oracle post, is an indicator that if a customer needs full RHEL binary compatibility, then a Red Hat subscription will likely be required.

Alternatives, such as Rocky Linux, still exist and intend to make use of UBI container images and leverage pay-per-use cloud instances in order to obtain the source and maintain 1:1 compatibility. 

However, observers such as Matt Yonkovit, head of open source strategy at Scarf, told ITPro that Red Hat would likely find a way to close the loophole being exploited by Rocky Linux.

What has the reaction been?

The user community has mostly reacted positively to the news, mainly due to the removal of uncertainty over what AlmaLinux would do to deal with Red Hat’s decision. However, while there is empathy for AlmaLinux’s position, some users regarded the dropping of 1:1 compatibility as a “blow”.

“As much as I like Alma, the whole point of installing it for me was to be 1:1 with the RHEL I support at work. Warts and all.”

Another described AlmaLinux’s decision as “a very well thought out response to the changes”.

The furor surrounding Red Hat’s decision to restrict access to RHEL sources is set to continue despite the clarification given by AlmaLinux thanks to the differing approaches taken by distributions seeking to fill the space left by CentOS.

When the death knell finally rang out for Windows XP, there were still many organizations either scrabbling to update to Windows 7 or 8, or making their peace with running an out-of-date operating system on some of their machines.

While there were some companies in the latter group able to work out a bespoke continued support deal with Microsoft, for others it was a case of crossing their fingers and hoping for the best when it came to fending off cyber attacks.

Since then, things have been relatively stable, even as end of life for Windows 7 and Windows 8 have rolled round. But there’s now a new Windows-shaped headache looming on the horizon.

In 2025, Windows 10 will reach end-of-life. Dubbed the “last version of Windows” when it was released in 2015, it turns out that Microsoft has a somewhat elastic interpretation of the word “last”. Come 14 October, the new and improved ‘last’ version of Windows – Windows 11 – will become the only kid on the block. At least until the next one is released…

Windows 11 update problems

So why the big deal? The main issue is the hardware requirements for Windows 11, which are more stringent than those for Windows 10. This isn’t unexpected, given Windows 10 was released in 2015, but nevertheless it’s causing headaches for IT administrators and decision makers already.

The primary hurdle to Windows 11 adoption is the need for a TPM 2.0 chip. While it enhances the security of any machine – undoubtedly a good thing – it isn’t ubiquitous. For larger businesses that refresh their IT estate on a regular basis (every five years, for example), their hardware is likely to already be in line with Windows 11 requirements by the deadline. For those in the public sector, education, and smaller businesses, however, the prospect of replacing their entire IT estate is daunting. Indeed, in the words of one member of the ITPro Network, the public sector can be “laggy in places”, giving the example of one Windows 7 roll-out completing “just as everyone else was working on projects for Windows 10”.

Is Windows 10 EOL as bad as Windows XP?

One of the reasons so many organizations clung to Windows XP for so long was the significant differences in compatibility between that operating system and Windows 7 or Windows 8.

For Paul Watts, distinguished analyst at the Information Security Forum, while there are hardware compatibility challenges when upgrading to Windows 11, they’re not as significant as those of the past.

“The hardware requisites will be a problem for many.  And we still have the odd flutter of supply chain issues from the past few years causing additional challenges there. I don't think this is as big a crisis as Win XP EOL,” he says.

“[There] seems to be a narrower compatibility 'leap' from 10 to 11, as opposed to XP to 10.”

Nevertheless, he believes Windows 10 won’t go gentle into that good night, pointing not only to the hardware challenges but also the changes to the Windows 11 user interface (UI) that in his opinion make it somewhat less pleasant to use than its predecessor.

Gerard McGovern, director of digital strategy at a large NGO, says he “[doesn’t] really see the crisis”.

“2025 will be 10 years after Windows 10 launched. This is fairly standard from Microsoft. There will be a small number of machines that can’t run 11 in 2025 but the majority will,” he says. “Worst case, Microsoft will offer extended support, just like they did with Windows NT/2000/XP/7.”

The certification stumbling block

When it comes to the public sector and higher education, IT decision makers may find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Cyber Essentials Plus certification, which almost all such organizations want to have, requires the use of up-to-date software that’s fully supported by the manufacturer. Equally, though, many may find their IT estate isn’t currently up to the job, while a wholesale hardware refresh may be out of reach.

Peter O’Rourke, assistant director of IT operations at the University of Sussex said a “substantive part of [the university’s] Windows PC estate will not allegedly run Windows 11”.

“Across the University we have a diverse group of stakeholders, students, academics, active researchers, and professional services staff. While a lot of these groups will … spend a lot of their time using fairly traditional business applications, we do have our fair share of expensive academic and research equipment attached to ancient computers. This will never change for us,” he explains.

“We do have thousands of devices that are in everyday use both personally and in lab, teaching, or study spaces. A lot of these are not Windows 11 compatible.”

Should the university opt to simply overhaul its IT estate, within the limitations outlined above, it would present “a large refresh bill”. There are, however, other options as O’Rourke points out.

“We are also taking the time to consider how we wish to deliver applications and services in the future. i.e. Not simply assuming these must always be locally installed on an end user device,” he says.

“Desktop as a service might be another option, but a potentially costly one,” says Watts. “And it's not just about the endpoint anyway; it's the whole backwards compatibility with bespoke and aged software issue to be dealt with as well.  Although I'd warrant that it won't be as painful as previous EOL events.”

Happy birthday, Windows 11?

Windows 11 adoption has been slow. According to StatCounter, only 24% of all Windows computers were running Windows 11 in June 2023 and while this is an increase on the 10% adoption rate of June 2022, it’s still meager growth. Windows 10, on the other hand, continues to ride high with a 71% market share.

Our experts think this may change in the coming months, though.

Chris Madden, IT and operations director at Kreston Reeves, suggests that “businesses will wait until the first anniversary update is released before jumping on Windows 11”.

Watts agrees, saying: “Microsoft would argue that 11 has already benefited from updates and enhancements of course, but yes there is always a temptation to stay n-1 in the interests of stability – stay away from the bleeding edge and all that.  Certainly when operating at scale.”

If Madden and Watts are right, this could lead to a significant boost in adoption of Windows 11. While the Windows 11 first anniversary update release date is yet to be set officially, it’s generally expected to be before the end of the summer.

The Windows 10 cliff edge doesn’t seem to be quite as steep as that of Windows XP but there are still challenges to be overcome for many organizations. Our ITPro Network members indicate there’s hope even in tricky situations and when considering your own strategy a straightforward hardware refresh doesn’t have to be the only option.

Microsoft has been busy in the past few days with a series of announcements and patches, including new features for the Windows Subsystem for Android and critical security updates.

We’ve listed some of the top features included in the new Windows 11 updates, including details of the latest vulnerabilities affecting devices that haven’t yet been updated.

File sharing with Android

Windows Insiders can now share files directly from their user folder to the Windows Subsystem for Android.

Windows Subsystem for Android allows users to run Android apps directly on their device, provided they are downloaded directly through the Amazon Appstore.

Much like Windows Subsystem for Linux, it negates the need for manual virtualization and allows developers to debug Android APK files directly on their PC.

Apps must request file viewing and editing permission through a system dialog each time they are connected to a compatible device, and this can be revoked at any point. System folders and hidden folders are excluded from file sharing.

Microsoft also stated that potential threats from an app will be scanned and blocked via the user’s antivirus software, regardless of whether the app was installed through the Amazon Appstore or 

A full release date for the feature has yet to be announced, but is expected in the near future.

Microsoft also stated that potential threats from an app will be scanned and blocked via the user’s antivirus software, regardless of whether the app was installed through the Amazon Appstore or another platform.

A full release date for the feature has yet to be announced, but is expected in the near future.

June 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes

This month, Microsoft’s Patch Tuesday security release included a total of 94 patches, inclusive of 14 Chromium flaws and five GitHub vulnerabilities.

Six critical vulnerabilities were included in this list, including three Windows Pragmatic General Multicast (PGM) vulnerabilities carrying near-maximum severity scores of 9.8 on the CVSS v3.1 scale. 

The high severity scores were assigned because exploiting them could have led to remote code execution (RCE) via the Windows messaging queue.

The PGM vulnerabilities were tracked as CVE-2023-29363, CVE-2023-32014, and CVE-2023-32015 respectively.

Microsoft also patched a SharePoint vulnerability that could have allowed a threat actor to obtain administrator powers through privilege execution, tracked as CVE-2023-29357.

Unlike every Patch Tuesday for the past year, this month’s contained no zero-day vulnerabilities.

“This is the third month in a row where Patch Tuesday features at least one critical RCE in Windows PGM, and June adds three to the pile,” said Adam Barnett, lead software engineer at Rapid7.

“Microsoft hasn’t detected exploitation or disclosure for any of these, and considers exploitation less likely, but a trio of critical RCEs with CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 will deservedly attract a degree of attention.”

While Microsoft has not identified any of the vulnerabilities as having been exploited in the wild, there are some that have been highlighted as “exploitation more likely”, underlining the need to patch them as soon as possible.

Moment 3

Windows has also dropped a fresh cumulative update for Windows 11 22H2 (KB5027231), which had been known under the codename ‘Moment 3’ prior to release.

A significant feature of the update is a fix for 32-bit apps that use the CopyFile API and support the large address aware memory usage option. The error affected file copying and attachment in commercial and enterprise environments.

The update also comes with a number of quality-of-life improvements, including support for Bluetooth low energy (LE) audio and a new section in the settings menu for USB-4 and Thunderbolt devices connected to a device.

Microsoft rolled out accessibility improvements within the release, including a fix that allows the narrator tool to correctly describe file attributes.

Even more features in a cumulative update

In addition to KB5027231, Microsoft also rolled out another update named KB5027223 for Windows 10 21H2.

In addition to all of the patches from Moment 3, KB5027223 includes a number of other improvements such as general improvements for the taskbar search box.

The update fixes an error that prevented users from accessing the Server Message Block (SMB) shared folder, one that prevented the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) from working, and an audio issue affecting certain CPUs.

It also addresses a Windows kernel vulnerability that could have allowed attackers to view heaped memory from secure processes.

Sometimes your Windows 11 operating system (OS) needs a complete reinstallation. Where you may have once booted Windows from an installation disk, you can replicate this by downloading a Windows 11 ISO file and writing that to a USB drive or even a physical disk. There’s even a way to install Windows using the ISO file in a virtual machine (VM).

While some hardware manufacturers make it fairly easy to request a disk version of your Windows install, the vast majority of users will use the Microsoft website to download a new version of the OS. There are also tools out there that let you download files from Microsoft’s update server and put together a custom ISO that’s up-to-date with a Windows Insider build. There are several ways to get started, but regardless of the method, you should be able to follow these instructions and perform a clean Windows 11 install with ease.  

Why should I download a Windows 11 ISO file?

What is an ISO file?

A Windows 11 ISO file, named after the data system used on CDs, is most commonly used to create a bootable USB drive, CD, or DVD. Take, for example, if you have just built a brand new PC from scratch and want to get your system running or if your laptop has an issue so significant it refuses to cooperate with alternative options to update or restore the OS.

A clean install of Windows can help reduce the system bloat that comes with the long-term use of a PC. It can also be a troubleshooting step to take if you have an unidentifiable and sudden Windows issue that isn’t easily resolved through something like a restore point. 

Microsoft points out that an ISO file is not the ideal solution to update your system if everything is running as expected. For that, you’ll want to use Windows Update. 

Can I use a Windows 11 ISO file to upgrade from Windows 10?

An ISO can be used to update your Windows system without a boot drive or disk of some kind – known as mounting the ISO – but Microsoft recommends you use their Windows 11 installation assistant if your goal is to upgrade the OS on the device you’re using at the time. In other words, don’t use the ISO method if you’re trying to update from Windows 10.

Preparing your PC for a reinstall

While refreshing your system with a clean install isn’t complex, it does require some preparation. First, make sure that your computer meets the system requirements for Windows 11. Secondly, if using a USB drive or a DVD, you’ll need to obtain a blank one. If you are using a USB that has data on it, be sure to back that information up as the ISO download process will wipe that information. Finally, remember to back up any sensitive data. While a fresh Windows install, like on macOS, shouldn’t erase any of your data, backing up sensitive data is always a good idea before any kind of significant OS change. 

How to download a Windows 11 ISO File

Start by clicking through to Microsoft’s dedicated page for downloading the Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO). 

The next step depends on your intended purpose. If you want to perform a reinstall of Windows 11, download the media creation tool by clicking ‘Download now’ under ‘Create Windows 11 Installation Media’. To create a bootable installation media or a VM to install Windows 11, choose the ‘Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO)’ option from the dropdown menu under ‘Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO)’. Then click Download. 

In both cases make sure to read the ‘Before you begin’ section. For the ISO image option,  click Download and select your appropriate language. This file is 5.2GB and the speed at which it downloads will depend on your internet connection.

From there, follow the  installation Instructions provided on the website

If you are looking to create installation media, click download now and run the file titled “mediacreationtool.exe”.

First, read and then accept the terms of conditions.

Choose the language and system type.

Choose whether you are looking to create a DVD or a USB Drive.

Choose where you will be saving your ISO media creation media – either a place to put your file before burning to a DVD or a USB drive that you have plugged in.

From there, you will be waiting while Windows 11 downloads onto your hardware. Finally, click Finish, and your device will be ready to install the OS.

Far be it from me to start dispensing lifestyle advice, but if I can offer one tip it’s this: don’t put the bins out in the snow while wearing your slippers. For it was this kamikaze scenario that resulted in me slipping on ice, dislocating my shoulder, and spending the next few weeks either in a sling or with very limited use of my right arm. 

As a freelance journalist, taking more than a couple of days off to recuperate wasn’t an option. And so, in pretty short order, I was looking for ways to continue working with only one functioning arm.

Coincidentally, we’d previously written about the accessibility features in both Windows and macOS, so I had a good grasp of where to start hunting. Within minutes I’d turned on the Voice Control feature on my MacBook Pro, saving me from having to slowly hunt and peck with one hand when trying to write passages of text.

I don’t deny that the option to dictate prose to your Mac and have it automatically transcribe what you say is awesome. But it has limits. 

First, correcting mistakes isn’t easy. You’ll normally be at the end of a sentence before you see the transcription appear on screen, meaning you’re about 12 words past where a mistake appears. Trying to go back to the location of the error using voice commands alone is like playing the world’s most boring version of Battleships. “Move to beginning of line, move forward six words, select next two words, fire!” Fortunately, I still had a working left hand to shove the cursor around the screen.

Dictating prose to a computer is an entirely different discipline than writing with a keyboard. When I’m writing a column like this, I write a line or two, jump back to the previous paragraph and fiddle with a few words here and there, scream profanities at my screen when I see an alert displaying the West Ham score, tweak the opening one-liner, go back to the fifth paragraph, et cetera. It’s not a linear process.   

Hence, my first few stabs at dictating prose weren’t exactly fit for print. In fact, they looked something like:

The problem with Windows 11’s taskbar is that you can’t expand it vertically coma. Return to beginning of sentence. I mean go back to beginning of sentence. No don’t transcribe that. Or that. Lucy can you pass me the painkillers.

After a day or two I started to get the hang of the dictation thing, but only for replying to emails, not for writing anything at great length. That would take months of practice to get right, maybe years. When I was a student, I had the great fortune to shadow the legendary football correspondent Brian Glanville at a football match, and I was absolutely awestruck as he dictated a 1,000-word match report over the phone to copytakers off the top of his head, using only a few pre-prepared notes. It’s an art form, and anyone who can dictate copy without stumbling, erring, or losing their thread entirely is a better journalist than me.

That’s not to disparage what Apple and Microsoft have achieved in terms of usability, because it’s absolutely remarkable. For example, both macOS and Windows can label each onscreen option, button or icon with a small number. If you want to click a link in a browser, center the text in Word or open Slack from the Taskbar, you just speak the corresponding number. Again, it’s not flawless. Sometimes the little number labels obscure the option beneath, and switching to inactive windows is often a pain, but could I use either system if I found myself in the unfortunate position of not being able to use either arm. Yes, I think I could. 

In macOS, there’s even a “head pointer” facility. Instead of using your hand to move the mouse, the webcam can track the position of your head, using that to control the direction of the pointer. Even after a few minutes of practice, I was able to make that work with a good degree of accuracy. And don’t forget that all of these accessibility features can be used in combination with one another. So, if the little number labels mentioned above are obscuring icons in, say, Excel, you can rely on the head pointer.  

To say this experience has been an eye-opener is an understatement. As an able-bodied person, you can write about these accessibility features all you like, but it’s not until you actually need them on a day-to-day basis you appreciate their value. They’re not perfect, I wouldn’t want to rely on them long term, but I’m glad they’re there for those who do. 

For IT professionals managing or deploying Secure Boot on Windows 11 systems, its activation is a cornerstone of a robust security posture. Secure Boot is a critical UEFI firmware feature designed to ensure that your PC boots using only software trusted by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or the user. This mechanism provides a vital defense against malware that might attempt to compromise the boot process, such as rootkits or bootkits. 

As a mandatory requirement for Windows 11, understanding how to verify and enable Secure Boot is essential. This guide will walk you through checking its status, activating it via the system's firmware (BIOS/UEFI) settings, and troubleshooting common hurdles.

Having Secure Boot enabled on Windows 11 is a critical step for users wanting to run Microsoft's latest operating system in a protected environment. Secure Boot is a security standard developed by members of the PC industry to help make sure that your device boots using only software that is trusted by the PC manufacturer. It’s part of the stringent hardware and software requirements introduced with Windows 11, alongside the need for a compatible CPU, TPM 2.0, and sufficient RAM and storage.

Although most modern PCs ship with Secure Boot enabled by default, some configurations, especially on custom-built machines or older systems upgraded to support Windows 11, may show it as inactive. This often relates to specific BIOS or UEFI firmware settings, such as the Compatibility Support Module (CSM) being active. While enabling Secure Boot significantly strengthens a machine's overall security, there are niche scenarios — such as working with certain older Linux distributions or specialized legacy hardware — where temporarily disabling it might be considered, albeit with increased security risks

Turning on Secure Boot for Windows 11

Secure Boot works by verifying the digital signatures of all boot software, including firmware drivers (Option ROMs), UEFI applications, and the operating system. Before diving into firmware settings, it's prudent to check if Secure Boot is already active, as accessing and navigating the BIOS/UEFI can vary between manufacturers.

1. Access UEFI/BIOS Settings:
   • The most reliable method is often via Windows Recovery Environment: Go to Settings > System > Recovery. Under "Advanced startup," click Restart now. Once the PC restarts to the blue recovery screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings, then click Restart.
   • Alternatively, restart your PC and wait for the manufacturer's splash screen. As it appears, repeatedly press the specific key to enter the BIOS/UEFI setup. Common keys include Delete, F2, F10, F12, or Escape. This key can vary significantly by manufacturer (e.g., Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS often use F2 or Delete). Consult your PC or motherboard manual if unsure.

2. Navigate the Firmware Menu: Once in the UEFI/BIOS, look for a Boot, Security, or Authentication tab. The exact naming and location differ based on the motherboard manufacturer.

3. Locate the Secure Boot option: Within the relevant section, find the "Secure Boot" setting. It might be a direct toggle or within a sub-menu.

4. Enable Secure Boot: Set the Secure Boot option to Enabled.

5. Ensure UEFI Mode: Secure Boot requires the system to be in UEFI mode, not Legacy BIOS or CSM (Compatibility Support Module) mode. If you see an option for "CSM," "Legacy Boot," or similar, it must be Disabled for Secure Boot to be available or to function correctly. Note: Switching from Legacy/CSM to UEFI mode might make existing OS installations unbootable if the OS was installed in Legacy mode. This often requires an OS reinstall or conversion of the boot disk from MBR to GPT partition style.

6. Save and Exit: Save the changes (usually via a key like F10 or an option in the "Exit" menu) and restart your PC.

Once enabled, your system will use Secure Boot to verify the integrity of the boot process, helping prevent unauthorized software from running during startup.

What is Secure Boot and why is it so important?

Secure Boot acts as a critical system safeguard by meticulously verifying the digital signatures of firmware, bootloaders, and the operating system kernel before they are allowed to run. When your PC starts, Secure Boot ensures that the UEFI firmware itself is signed and trusted, then checks each subsequent piece of critical software in the boot chain.

This process is highly effective against sophisticated malware like rootkits and bootkits. These types of malicious software attempt to load before the operating system, embedding themselves deep within the system to gain privileged access and evade detection by traditional security software. By ensuring that only cryptographically verified and trusted software can execute during the boot sequence, Secure Boot protects the foundational integrity of the operating system.

Introduced with Windows 8, Secure Boot is now a non-negotiable system requirement for Windows 11. Microsoft mandates that all certified x86-based Windows 11 devices must ship with Secure Boot enabled by default, trust Microsoft’s certificates, and, importantly, allow users to manage Secure Boot settings, including the ability to trust non-Microsoft certificates or disable the feature if absolutely necessary (though this is strongly discouraged for general use).

Why would you disable Secure Boot?

Although Secure Boot significantly enhances system security, there are specific, limited scenarios where disabling it might be considered:

It's crucial to understand that turning off Secure Boot reduces your system's protection against pre-boot malware and unauthorized software. It should only be done if essential for a specific task and ideally re-enabled afterward.

Troubleshooting common secure boot issues

Encountering issues when enabling Secure Boot is not uncommon. Here are some frequent problems and their potential solutions:

Secure Boot option is grayed out in BIOS/UEFI:

System won’t boot after enabling Secure Boot:

Secure Boot is enabled in firmware, but Windows still reports it as off:

Further reading on Windows 11 and security

To learn more about Windows 11 security features, check out our other guides. We cover everything from how to boot into Windows 11 Safe Mode to managing encryption tools like BitLocker, ensuring your PC meets the latest security standards. For those exploring Linux or other OS setups, see our articles on comparing Windows 11 with Linux, UEFI settings, and switching to Linux from Windows.

With the Windows 10 end of life having come and gone, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Windows 11 system requirements.

Many businesses are still using Windows 10 via the Extended Security Update (ESU) support, but this ends on 13 October 2026. Overall, the cost and the risk of not migrating will only continue to increase. One of the reasons for holding on is the inevitable hardware refresh, which could be costly up front, but a new fleet of Copilot+, AI-enabled Windows PCs will be more affordable in the long run with future-proofed capabilities and regular security updates.

Businesses looking to upgrade their devices to Windows 11 should bear in mind that the operating system comes with strict requirements, including CPU compatibility and an enabled Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip. How do you check if your system is compatible with Windows 11? We’ve laid out the minimum requirements in full and how to test for them below.

Windows 11 minimum requirements

Microsoft can’t ship Windows 11 to customers whose devices wouldn’t be able to satisfactorily run the operating system. As such, it’s set out the following minimum requirements.

• A CPU of at least 1GHz, with two cores
• At least 4GB of RAM
• 64GB of free hard drive space
• Support for Secure Boot
• Support for Trusted Platform Module 2.0
• Meet the UEFI standard
• A graphics card (GPU) that supports DX12
• Support for Windows Display Driver Model 2
• An active internet connection
• A display resolution of at least 720p

Bear in mind these are simply the absolute minimum requirements to even install Windows 11 and in no way guarantee that Windows 11 will run optimally. Leaders will also need to keep track of the list of incompatible processors that Windows 11 doesn’t support, even if the machine otherwise meets the remainder of the requirements. This includes 7th-Gen AMD and Intel Core processors and older.

Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) standard were all included to bolster Windows security, but it may not be immediately obvious if your system supports them.

There are also a number of non-essential hardware requirements for specific features that you may or may not want to use, too. For example, multiple tools and services require you to have a webcam and microphone, including Microsoft Teams and voice features within Microsoft 365 Copilot.

How do I check if my system meets the Windows 11 minimum requirements?

There are two main methods to check if your system meets the minimum requirements for Windows 11.

First, you can simply request the update and see if it will progress. To do this:

1. Press the Windows key.
2. Click ‘settings’.
3. Select ‘Update & Security’, then ‘Windows Update’ and 'Check for Updates'.
4. The checker will inform you if your device is compatible or not. If it is, follow the instructions to go through the full Windows 11 installation process.

For a faster route to the same solution, you can search ‘Check for updates’ in the start menu.

For a more detailed look, you can instead use the PC Health Check app, which can be downloaded via the Microsoft Store. In addition to helping users alter OneDrive backup settings or free up hard drive space, the app can be used to check Windows 11 minimum requirements.

Simply open the app and click the 'Check Now' to find out if your system meets the requirements for Windows 11. If it’s not, the app will break down what the issue is including an incompatible CPU, GPU or if you lack a TPM.

From there, you can move on to learn more about Windows 11 from Microsoft’s website, or return to the app’s home screen.

For more on Windows 11, check our guides on the most exciting features in Windows 11 or the fixes for common Windows 11 problems.

The team behind the Kali Linux project has released a brand-new version called Kali Purple, designed specifically for defensive security practitioners - a first for the project.

Kali Purple was released as a technical preview this week and marks the first time the platform has catered to defenders, previously being used as a tool for red teamers and penetration testers.

As of now, Kali Purple is a proof of concept distro for security testing, described by Kali as a “reference architecture for the ultimate SOC In-A-Box”.

It will allow teams to engage in internal wargames, learn how to protect small-to-medium-sized IT environments, and practice threat hunting, among other activities.

The name references the addition of blue and purple team capabilities to Kali Linux’s existing suite of red team testing tools, expanding the distro from its offensive testing pedigree to encompass the entire security testing spectrum.

More than 100 defensive tools are included within Kali Purple. These include CyberChef, which can encrypt or decrypt data as well as compression and data analysis, Elastic’s security information and event management (SIEM), and the open source network intrusion detection system Zeek.

Kali Autopilot, a script builder for automated attacks is also included in Kali Purple. Through a community hub developers will be able to share scripts for blue teams to go up against, as well as practice packet captures to train in network analysis.

The developers outlined their goal of making Kali the best Linux distro for security tests, and expanding enterprise-grade security to all.

“Remember what we did a decade ago with Kali Linux? Or with BackTrack before that? We made offensive security accessible to everyone,” Kali wrote in its blog post.

“No expensive licenses required, no need for commercial grade infrastructure, no writing code or compiling tools to make it all work… just download Kali Linux and do your thing. We are excited to start a new journey with the mission to do exactly the same for defensive security: Just download Kali Purple and do your thing.”

Kali Purple has been structured around the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) five functions as outlined in the Cybersecurity Framework: “identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover”.

In addition to the announcement of Kali Purple, the firm highlighted eight new tools included in Kali Linux 2023.1.

These include the aforementioned Cyberchef, as well as packet capture system Arkime, DevSecOps and vulnerability management tool DefectDojo, network scanner Dscan, Kubernetes package manager Kubernetes-Helm, password analysis and cracking kit 2 (PACK2), pen test data management tool RedEye, and cryptographic algorithm interface Unicrypto.

The update also brings a visual refresh to the distro, with new wallpapers and Kali Purple themes, as well as a new tiling and widget system with the introduction of the graphical workspace environment KDE Plasma 5.27.

Kali Purple is available as a pre-launch technical preview now, with a dedicated Discord server and wiki. Further details on its full launch are expected in the future.

Upgrading to Windows 11 is a somewhat contentious issue. Although the flagship operating system has been generally available for more than a year, not everyone can access it. If you are lucky enough, not everyone can take advantage of its most exciting features.

First, there is a whole raft of perfectly serviceable computers that can’t upgrade, due to various reasons often related to the TPM security chip capabilities – or the wrong CPU – or a banana, or something.

Second, for those that have upgraded their systems, there’s a glaring issue with the rollout of major updates like 22H2 in September, or the forthcoming 23H2, expected sometime this year. “Fallout” is too precise a term; I prefer “dribble”. At one stage last year, my Dells had the Windows 11 upgrade for roughly a month, while my Samsung Galaxy Book Pro, which I bought for its excellent Wi-Fi 6E implementation, was still waiting for the green light. Some say it’s down to specific printer drivers, but that can’t be the case because my Samsung had no printers installed on it. It must have been something else, but what?

Anyway, I later decided to upgrade my trusty rugged Dell laptop to 22H2. It was delivered via a regular check-up on Windows Update, but I only let it kick into action once I had a quick trundle around Dell Update, Office Update, Chrome and Firefox. Best to start a session at a known updated state, after all.

I anticipated that this would be a quick update so didn’t even bother to fire up the coffee machine. For some reason, though, it took the Dell the best part of an hour to go from fully patched 21H2 to 22H2. This is not a bargain basement device, but one with plenty of RAM, CPU and fast storage.

Given that I decided at 15 minutes in that this had been a really bad idea, my mood went downhill from there. Since I was locked out of the computer for all of this time, my mind drifted to considering just how many billion CPU cycles were being consumed. For what? I can’t fathom why it takes so long, when a raw Windows 11 installation is so much faster. The lack of any deep clarity on the update progress is, of course, a slap in the face. Getting stuck at 44% for minutes of time means that either something is broken; or stuck; or that the dialogue is just badly written. Or maybe all three.

Years ago, in the now-long-discarded Windows Style Guide, was Microsoft’s rule that anything that took longer than a few seconds had to be properly handled and communicated. I fear that in today’s world it’s deemed acceptable to just make the user wait. The digital equivalent of “let them eat cake”.

Linux kernel 6.2 has been released, enabling mainline support for the operating system (OS) on Macs running Apple’s in-house M1 chips.

With the new release, users can make use of upstreamed support for the Apple M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra. The ARM-based chips have been a core element of the Apple ecosystem since November 2020, but until now support for the architecture within Linux kernels has been scant.

6.2 brings support for M1 CPU speed scaling within Linux, devicetree support to enable the operating system to run as intended on Apple’s hardware, as well as Bluetooth driver compatibility on both M1 and M2 chips.

Linux has a strong user base, and is particularly popular among those who seek greater levels of control over the look, feel, and operation of their hardware. But, there has been strong demand for Linux support from Mac users who have embraced the speed improvements of Apple silicon.

Linux creator Linus Torvalds first announced his intention to get Linux running on Apple silicon back in July 2022, but it’s not until now that it’s become possible for the wider user base.

Those with Apple devices using the company’s own silicon chips have been able to run Linux on their systems since July with the popular Asahi Linux distro, a project led by Hector Martin and graphics developer Alyssa Rosenzweig. Their work has now been upstreamed

The project has also enabled some support with M2 chips, which appear on devices such as the M2 MacBook Pro, though full compatability remains a developmental goal.

“Nothing unexpected happened last week, with just a random selection of small fixes spread all over, with nothing really standing out,” stated Linux founder Linus Torvalds in a post marking the release.

Full upstream support for the chips is still down the line, and some users took to the Y Combinator forums to caution against abandoning distributions such as Asahi Linux just yet.

“Note that Linux 6.2 does not include anything like a full upstreaming of Apple Silicon support. You'll still want to run the downstream Asahi kernel for a while,” said one user.

6.2 is an experimental build of the operating system, but is expected to be made the default kernel for Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution.

The release of 6.2 follows Microsoft’s announcement that Windows 11 will be officially available on Macs running M1 and M2 Apple silicon via Parallels Desktop version 18.

What else is included in the new version?

Kernel 6.2 has also brought a number of highly-awaited features to Linux users. These include support for Intel Arc graphics, the chip giant’s graphics processing units (GPUs) marketed for high-spec creative work and gaming.

A key security update included in the new version is support for Intel’s Call Depth Tracking on older Skylake CPUs. Call Depth Tracking is a process intended to prevent Intel’s ‘Retbleed’ hardware-level flaw, a hardware vulnerability that allowed the root password hash for Linux systems to be leaked from Intel and AMD CPUs.

To date, Skylake CPUs have used a less-efficient mitigation for Retbleed known as Indirect Branch Restricted Speculation (IBRS), which resulted in between 14% and 39% overhead on systems.

6.2 also bundles in support for Nvidia RTX 30 Series GPUs through nouveau, an open source device driver for Nvidia cards.

The update also brings a diverse range of support for Wi-Fi 7, the next generation, extreme-high-throughput wireless network. This and other kernels have laid the groundwork for the network technology’s eventual release, which is expected in 2024.

Microsoft has announced that users running Macs equipped with M1 and M2 Apple silicon chips will now be able to install Windows 11 on apple hardware via Parallels Desktop version 18.

Windows 11 will be limited to the Arm versions of Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise, delivered through a virtualised instance of the operating system (OS).

Parallels has been used by Mac owners for years to get virtualised instances of previous Windows OSs working on Apple hardware.

The virtualisation software has been supported on Apple silicon Macs since 2021, but Windows installs have always required unofficial workarounds. Microsoft officially authorised Windows 11 arm installs on Thursday.

Before Apple’s M1 chip was released, its Macs were powered by Intel CPUs and supported Apple’s Boot Camp Assistant - software that allowed users to partition their hard drives to install Windows 10 on the computer natively.

With this method, users could choose which OS to launch when booting. Apple has never suggested it will be bringing Boot Camp Assistant to Macs powered by its own chips.

Parallels was still a viable and popular option for those who wanted to run Windows on Macs, but didn’t want to dedicate substantial space on their hard drive for a disk-partitioned setup.

Windows 11 Arm on Mac: Limitations

One of the main drawbacks for users wanting to run Windows 11 on Mac is that the Arm version occasionally encounters issues where applications built for windows don’t run correctly.

This is because drivers for software need to be developed specifically for Windows 11 for Arm-based PCs, not just for Windows 11 generally.

This could potentially impact the smooth running of antivirus and antimalware products, printing software, other virtualisation software, and various peripherals.

Some software that ‘modifies the Windows experience’ may also encounter issues on Windows 11 Arm.

Microsoft said applications like input method editors (IMEs), assistive technologies, and cloud storage apps may fall under this category.

Applications that require an additional layer of virtualisation aren’t supported either. Windows Subsystem for Android and Windows Subsystem for Linux - software that allows Windows users to run Android and Linux apps from inside Windows respectively, will not work on the Parallels Windows experience.

For cyber security professionals, Windows Sandbox also won’t work, nor will Virtualisation-based Security (VBS).

Windows Fax and Scan won’t be available, and Microsoft also warned that some third-party antivirus software may not work, but assured Windows Security will protect the system from cyber security threats.

Users will still be able to run software that’s built for Windows machines but isn’t available on the Microsoft Store.

Windows 11 Arm on Mac: Licensing

Parallels said that “users can purchase Windows 11 through their normal Windows procurement process”.

A Windows 11 Pro key costs £219.99 directly from Microsoft and Windows 11 Enterprise licenses are purchased through Microsoft 365 Enterprise. It isn’t immediately clear how these licenses will work with Parallels.

“Licensing the Windows 11 operating system that runs on the Mac device is straightforward,” said Parallels in a blog post.

“The same volume licensing system that addresses enterprise licensing, such as Key Management Services, can be used to provide Pro or Enterprise licenses to the Windows 11 guest operating system.”

Windows 11 Arm on Mac: The Windows 365 Cloud PC alternative

Microsoft also highlighted how Mac users can access Windows 11 through their browser on any device with its Windows 365 Cloud PC service.

Business users can access a Windows 11 instance for as little as $31 (approximately £26) per user per month (with a maximum of 300 users).

The Basic plan offers access to a cloud-driven Windows instance with access to two virtual CPUs, 4GB RAM, and 128GB storage. Prices rise in the Standard and Premium tiers, which offer 8GB RAM and 16GB RAM respectively. The Premium tier also doubles the number of virtual CPUs to four.

Microsoft has released scripts in an attempt to help users fix an issue caused by a faulty Windows Defender update issued on 13 January.

The tech giant pushed a Microsoft Defender for Endpoint update which caused users to experience a “series of false positive detections” for the Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rule: 'Block Win32 API calls from Office macro'. The result had the unintended effect of deleting Windows shortcut (.lnk) files, and only affected update builds between 1.381.2134.0 and 1.381.2163.0.

Microsoft published instructions on 14 January detailing how to help system administrators restore shortcuts that were accidentally deleted by the update. First, the tech giant is advising customers to update to build 1.381.2164.0 or later. However, this will not restore deleted files.

When the update was initially deployed and system administrators were looking for ways to repair their systems, one of the suggested fixes suggested by administrators was to turn “Block Win32 calls from Office macros” into audit mode. Microsoft has now said this can safely be turned back into block mode once the new update has been installed and deployed.

The tech giant has also outlined steps clients can take to retrieve deleted Windows shortcuts. It said this works for “a significant subset of the affected applications that were deleted". The steps are provided in a PowerShell script, with Version 1.1 available on GitHub.

Microsoft has provided Microsoft Defender advanced hunting queries (AHQs) to help administrators find shortcuts that have been affected by the rule "Block Win32 API calls from Office macro". There are three AHQs in total:

1. The first retrieves block events from devices running the ASR rule which has block mode enabled
2. The second retrieves events from devices running the ASR rule, which have enabled both block and audit mode
3. The third AHQ retrieves the number of devices running the ASR rule and finds out whether it exceeds 10,000 devices

Some administrators have voiced concerns about the scripts provided by Microsoft, claiming that they don’t report all the shortcuts that have been lost.

“We have many devices that have lost at least all office shortcuts. The AH[Q] only reports a few of them,” wrote one user on the Microsoft community website.

“This script isn't a definitive fix, it misses various apps as discussed by others. You cannot simply customise it/add all your apps as indicated and does not really 'restore' anything - it just creates a new shortcut as the original folders in start menu [and] programs still exist but the shortcut is not restored there,” said one user.

“Also doesn't address anything other than the start menu [such as] quick access [or] toolbar shortcuts. Three days on and [this is] the best Microsoft can do? And the next update is 8pm tonight UTC.”

Since users have experienced problems with the scripts, members of the community have developed their own solutions and are sharing links to GitHub with their own scripts.

Tech workers have been engaged in online discussions, trying to fine-tune the crowdsourced solutions to the Windows Defender issues.

The community-developed scripts are lacking in functionality for non-English speaking countries, however, a large list of applications have been added with more being added throughout Monday.

At the time of writing, major applications from Microsoft, Adobe, Google, Mozilla, Dell, Nvidia, RingCentral, and many more are supported with users reporting positive results.

A new Windows Defender update has caused issues for IT admins, deleting Start Menu, Taskbar, and desktop shortcuts on Windows devices.

One user raised the issue in a Microsoft community support thread, saying that after the morning update of security intelligence to version 1.381.2140.0, Defender appears to be deleting clients' links to applications.

The issue appears to stem from an attack surface reduction (ASR) rule made in the latest Defender update. Users reported that the problem is with the specific ASR rule: Block Win32 API calls from Office macros.

Discussions began during the late morning on Friday in an online community for IT system administrators, where a number of users have reported that applications went missing from their devices.

“I've seemed to have lost all Microsoft apps, outlook/excel/word,” wrote one user. “an error message comes up saying it's not supported and then the app seems to have uninstalled.”

Another said: “...looks like that all shortcuts which are located in ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs will be deleted instantly".

Wider complaints revealed all .LNK files were being automatically deleted. Some reported seeing them all send to OneDrive's Recycle Bin.

“We're investigating an issue where users are unable to access application shortcuts on the Start menu and Taskbar in Windows,” Microsoft said on Twitter. “For more details and updates, please follow the SI MO497128 in your admin center.”

Microsoft said it has identified the specific rule which was “resulting in impact” and has reverted the rule to prevent any further impact while it investigates further.

To fix the issue, some users advised that changing the "Block Win32 API calls from Office macro" rule to audit only worked for them. Others said deleting the ASR rules, specifically 92e97fa1-2edf-4476-bdd6-9dd0b4dddc7b, also remedied the situation.

However, it remains unclear whether after implementing the fix, whether the shortcuts will automatically return. Some users have had to manually recreate their shortcuts again.

"IT administrators have reported that users of Microsoft Defender have lost desktop and taskbar application shortcuts," said Muhammad Yahya Patel, security engineer at Check Point Software, to IT Pro.

"The immediate reaction is to think the machine has been breached, as this would be a classic sign of files and shortcuts disappearing, especially on a large scale. That means IT admins are rushing to perform virus scans to detect the attack.

"The impact of this update is huge as IT teams do not know if they will be able to recover all the deleted icons and shortcuts, or if they are going to have to recreate this for all endpoints in their organisation.”

IT Pro has contacted Microsoft for comment.

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Microsoft has warned that some Windows 10 users may encounter the infamous ‘blue screen of death’ (BSOD) after installing its latest 'Patch Tuesday' security updates.

In an update on the Windows Health Dashboard, the company revealed that the blue screen issue could affect selected users who downloaded the KB5021233 update in this month’s recent raft of security fixes.

KB5021233 was initially intended to resolve an issue affecting the Camera app after users reported that the app stops responding when memory is low.

The issue has so far affected users operating several different versions of Windows 10, the firm revealed, including 22H2, 21H2, 21H1, and 20H2.

Impacted users have been met with the BSOD and error code 0xc000021a upon startup, and have been unable to access devices.

“After installing KB5021233, there might be a mismatch between the file versions of hidparse.sys in c:/windows/system32 and c:/windows/system32/drivers (assuming Windows is installed to your C: drive), which might cause signature validation to fail when cleanup occurs,” Microsoft confirmed in its update over the weekend.

How to fix the issue

Microsoft revealed it is currently “working on a resolution” for the issue and said it will provide an update in an upcoming release.

However, for users currently affected by the problem, the firm offered a temporary workaround using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

“To mitigate this issue on devices already experiencing it, you will need to use Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE),” Microsoft said.

The firm outlined the following steps for affected users:

1. Enter Windows Recovery Environment. If your device has not automatically started up into WinRE, please see Entry points into WinRE.
2. Select 'Troubleshoot'
3. Select the 'Start recovery, troubleshooting, and diagnostic tools button
4. Select 'Advanced Options'
5. Select 'Command Prompt' and wait for your device to restart, if needed.
6. Your device should restart to a Command Prompt window. You might need to sign into your device with your password before getting to the Command Prompt window
7. Run the following command (Important: If Windows is not installed to C:\windows you will need to modify the command to your environment): xcopy C:\windows\system32\drivers\hidparse.sys C:\windows\\system32\hidparse.sys
8. Once the previous command completes, type: exit
9. Select 'Continue'

After following these steps, Microsoft said Windows should now startup “as expected” for users. The firm also warned users against finding alternative workarounds.

“It is not recommended to follow any other workaround than those recommended above. We do not recommend deleting the hidparse.sys from your Windows\System32 folder,” the company said.

Patch Tuesday

This particular issue comes as a result of Microsoft’s recent Patch Tuesday update, issued on 13 December.

As part of the update, Microsoft patched a number of critical vulnerabilities along with fixes for two critical zero-day vulnerabilities.

49 vulnerabilities were disclosed in the bulletin last week. Six were rated as ‘critical’ while another was identified as having been actively exploited in the wild.

The exploited bug, tracked as CVE-2022-44698, was found to affect Windows SmartScreen and enabled threat actors to bypass Mark of the Web (MOTW) protocols.

Apple has revealed that its recent software update fixed a critical zero-day vulnerability used in attacks against iPhone users.

In a security bulletin issued for iOS, iPadOS, Safari, tvOS and macOS Ventura, Apple said the update fixed a critical flaw in the 16.1.2 patch which affected WebKit.

WebKit is used to power the Safari web browser and a host of other apps.

IOS 16.1.2 was rolled out to users on 30th November and saw the introduction of new security tools, including the Advanced Data Protection for iCloud feature, which allows end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups.

In the initial update notes, Apple said this also included “important security updates”.

Security disclosure

According to details in this recent disclosure, Apple described the flaw as a “type confusion issue” in the WebKit engine.

This means that threat actors could use malicious web content to insert code on a user device, insert malware or spyware, or execute malicious OS commands.

Apple warned that it is aware of reports that the issue “may have been actively exploited” against versions of iOS released before the 15.1 update in October.

As such, the tech giant advised users to install the recent security update as soon as possible.

Tom Davison, senior director of Engineering International at Lookout told IT Pro that the recent vulnerabilities raise concerns for businesses, with organisations increasingly relying on mobile devices in daily operations.

“The news of these recently patched zero-day vulnerabilities in iOS should not be a surprise. We have already seen several examples of this in 2022, with 15.3, 15.6.1, and 16.1 all introducing fixes to critical vulnerabilities alleged to have been exploited in the wild,” he said.

“The real concern lies with business. Mobile devices are now an integral part of the employee toolkit. Sensitive data freely flows between the organisation and employee phones. It is absolutely imperative that enterprises take this into account,” Davison added.

WebKit Vulnerabilities

WebKit vulnerabilities have been frequently targeted by threat actors as a means to access device operating systems and exfiltrate sensitive data. This particular method can also be used to exploit other device vulnerabilities.

The WebKit bug, tracked as CVE-2022-42856, was discovered and subsequently disclosed by Clément Lecigne at Google’s Threat Analysis Group.

Additional information from the group on this discovery is yet to be revealed.

Zero-day fixes

This latest update marks the 10th zero-day vulnerability fix issued by Apple in 2022. In February, Apple security updates addressed another WebKit-based zero-day bug which had been used to target iPhone, iPad and Mac users.

September also saw a raft of updates issued to affect critical vulnerabilities, including four code-execution flaws and one serious zero-day affecting iOS and iPadOS.

Tracked as CVE-2022-32917, the flaw enabled hackers to executive arbitrary code with kernel privileges.

Just one month later, Apple released an additional update which once again included patches for iOS and iPadOS due to an actively exploited zero-day.

The vulnerability was caused by an out-of-bounds write error in the kernel, which could be used by threat actors to execute malicious code.

Apple and Microsoft might have once seemed akin to two children squabbling over attention, pitting their flagship macOS and Windows operating systems against one another for decades. Indeed, the two tech giants have enjoyed a significant rivalry, exemplified by the infamous television spot nearly 20 years ago.

Not everyone needs to choose between the two, however. There are, after all, a handful of ways to install Windows on a Mac. There are a number of reasons why anyone would wish to upgrade to Windows 11, but, for Mac users, this isn’t a simple process and isn’t recommended for novice users, nor those using a managed device with heavy restrictions.

What are the benefits of installing Windows on a Mac?

The biggest reason to install Windows on a Mac is to dual-wield the capabilities of both systems. Some industries use tools that only work on one framework over the other. The theatre industry standard software Qlab, for example, is only available on macOS. Perhaps you’re a video editor or music producer who can’t bear to part with Final Cut Pro and Logic, but also want to live within the Windows ecosystem. Many also prefer to use the Adobe suite of creative apps on M1 and M2-fitted macOS devices but prefer the Windows 11 user interface (UI).

Although Windows stopped accepting app exclusivity requests in 2020, there are still a fair few reasons to stay on Microsoft’s side of your machine, not least of all the easier integration of tools like remote desktop, if you’re using your Mac away from your Windows-based office. There are also a handful of handy Windows 11 tips and tricks IT professionals can take advantage of.

The third reason is that developers can use a dual OS system to test applications natively. With the endless coding issues that come with app development, being able to replicate the issue with the machine in your own hands can ease stress and increase the speed of production and testing.

With the integration of macOS on Windows machines – otherwise known as a Hackintosh – rife with challenges, installing Windows on a Mac remains the way to go. Actually doing so, however, might vary depending on your Mac’s specific architecture.

How to prepare your Mac for Windows 11

1. Figure out what variant of Mac you have

Apple machines were, until recently, fitted with Intel chips before Apple produced its own line of CPUs, first with the M1 and now the M2. To figure out which edition you own, click the small Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen, and open About This Mac. The windows will then display your machine’s CPU under Processor.

1. Check if your Mac is compatible with Windows 11

Next, you must make sure your macOS system can run Windows 11 at all before you delve into the installation process. Microsoft’s latest flagship operating system has enhanced security features, including Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and secure boot requirements, both of which can be challenging for Apple machines.

A handful of macOS devices, although they’re nearly ten years old, can't even run the newly released Chrome Flex OS, which is a much lighter lift than a Windows 11 installation.

Most experts suggest using tools like Parallels to install an additional OS, regardless of your machine’s architecture, because of the ability to run both installations at once. Using other tools with previous versions of Windows, like Boot Camp with Windows 10, means having to reboot your computer every time you want to switch operating systems.

1. Ensure you’ve met the following requirements

There are a number of additional requirements you need to ensure you’ve met in order to proceed with installing Windows 11 onto your macOS device.

Firstly, regardless of the machine onto which you’re installing Windows 11, you will need a Windows 11 licence. Ensure you’ve purchased one, or your organisation has given you access to a legitimate license.

While Parallels can manage Windows 11 on an M1 and M2 Mac, it can only do so with the Arm-based variant of the OS rather than the x86 that is available on Intel machines. For full compatibility information, click here. Parallels also runs both systems concurrently, meaning more load on your machine. Older hardware might become overworked and struggle to cope.

Finally, be wary of any workarounds that mention a custom ISO to get around the need for TPM 2.0 compatibility. Like with the slew of issues that can arise from trying to install Apple software on a PC, things like system updates may disrupt your experience post-installation.

Installing Windows 11 on a Mac using Parallels

Parallels creates a virtualised Windows machine that you run from your Mac. As of February 2023, Microsoft officially supports the virtualisation of Windows 11 on Macs via Parallels, but only the Arm version.

You'll need Parallels Desktop version 18 to get the officially supported version, as well as a valid Windows product key. The officially supported Windows 11 versions are Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Enterprise.

If it's a first-time setup, you can select to easily download and install Windows 11 on a Mac when Paralells runs for the first time. Click on the Parallels icon in the Mac menu bar, then New > Get Windows 11 from Microsoft > Install Windows.

To install Windows 11 outside of this automatic workflow, you need to download an ISO image and have a valid product key to hand. You can start this process by navigating: File > New > Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file > Continue. The rest of the process is self-explanatory and involves minimal effort. It requires you to select the correct Windows version corresponding to your ISO image, enter your product key, and specify a name and location for your virtual machine.

Installing Windows 11 on Mac using Boot Camp

An alternative method of installing Windows on a Mac has been to use Boot Camp, a free utility that allows you to load into either OS on startup, and switch between the two when rebooting your machine. Boot Camp, however, is not supported by Apple machines fitted with an M1 or M2 chip.

You can still install Windows 11 onto older Mac devices fitted with Intel CPUs, however. Apple has devised a set of guidelines you can follow to install Windows 10 on older Mac devices, although users are recommended to opt for Windows 11 where possible.

Microsoft has made its Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) generally available, widening the number of Windows users that can now run Linux apps natively.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 users can now download WSL from the Microsoft Store to run Linux distros and Linux GUI apps without the need for virtualisation software.

The launch marks a major milestone for the project that's been in development for years. WSL can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store provided the user is running Windows 10 version 2004 or higher.

With WSL now being on the Microsoft Store, it's expected that users will receive faster updates to the subsystem rather than having to wait for an update to the Windows operating system itself.

Users of Windows 10 will also be able to use Linux GUI applications with the Microsoft Store version for the first time, a feature previously reserved only for Windows 11.

"Today the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in the Microsoft Store is dropping its "Preview" label and becomes generally available with our latest release," said Craig Loewen, program manager at Windows Developer Platform in a blog post.

"We are also making the Store version of WSL the default for new users who run wsl --install and easily upgradeable by running wsl --update for existing users. In response to the WSL community's requests, WSL in the Store will now also be available on Windows 10 in addition to Windows 11. So, Windows 10 users will also be able to enjoy all of the latest features for WSL, including systemd and Linux GUI app support!"

WSL was released by Microsoft in 2018 as a compatibility layer enabling Windows users to run Linux binaries on their systems either natively, or via Windows 10 command prompt and PowerShell. In 2021, Microsoft made Windows Subsystem for Linux a Windows 11 app.

More information on installing and launching Linux GUI apps can be found on the official WSLg GitHub page, while a separate Microsoft page provides instructions for installing Linux on Windows using WSL.

Josep Prat, open source engineering director at Aiven, told IT Pro that making WSL generally available is “great news” for the developer community.

“Linux systems, or Unix-compatible ones for that matter, provide an excellent set of command-line tools that make developer’s lives easier. Developers appreciate its portability, knowing that scripts working on their system would also work on production systems, which are almost exclusively Linux based,” he said.

“We need to acknowledge that Linux systems, despite having great command line tools, were not always the most UX-friendly ones. With general availability for WSL under Windows, developers can now enjoy all the power of Linux command line tools while having an operating system with 'batteries included' when it comes to UX and ease of use. Kudos to Microsoft for investing in Linux and Windows interoperability.”

Windows 11, like many operating systems of the present and past, has a habit of hiding the good stuff. When it comes to productivity, it’s often easier to search the web for something you assume must exist, rather than it being a matter of the user interface (UI) organically pointing you in the direction of said feature.

Many businesses, and professionals alike, will be mulling over whether it's worth upgrading to Windows 11. Alongside a swathe of exciting features that have arrived with Windows 11, what might push users over the edge are a handful of useful tips and tricks that may be slightly difficult to stumble on, but that can ramp up your productivity if you successfully tap into them.

Custom snapshots

There are multiple ways to take a snapshot in Windows 11, but perhaps the most versatile is the snipping tool. Rather than using the 'Print Screen' button, which takes an image of the entire screen and requires pasting into another programme, click Windows + Shift + S.

Your screen will darken and four options will appear, all denoting a different way to select the image you want to capture. Once you decide between rectangle, freeform, window, or full screen, you can then select what you’d like to capture and save it through the snipping tool window that will open once you click on the notification on the right-hand side of your screen.

Know your keyboard shortcuts

There are hundreds of keyboard shortcuts embedded into Windows 11, and while you could go full productivity guru and have an entire keyboard dedicated to Windows 11 macros – like some video editors – it’s perhaps more practical to memorise the ones you use most often.

For many professionals, that means using combinations like Windows + the number that corresponds to the order of the shortcuts in your taskbar. Some of the most useful include pressing Windows + I to open your settings, and Windows + U to open accessibility options. Here’s a more complete list of shortcuts as curated by Microsoft itself.

Turn on window shake

We could make a joke about hiding what you’re doing from shoulder surfers, but this window shake trick will be really useful in letting you focus on just one window at a time, minimising everything else on your screen.

While you can set all of the items on your screen to skedaddle by using Windows + M, activating the window shake function allows you to move a window back and forth to make it the only thing on your screen. Although this setting isn’t enabled by default, you can enable it by opening Settings, scrolling down on the right-hand side to the multitasking area, and toggling window shake to on.

Customise your quick settings

We all have those tools that we return to again and again. For many, they might be Network settings, Bluetooth devices, Focus mode indicator, and Audio settings. To look at this handy menu, click on the bottom right-hand of your screen, next to the date and time.

From there, you can add different options, including Airplane mode and Keyboard inputs. You can also go straight from this smaller menu to the broader settings area by clicking the corresponding gear icon.

Rename your audio sources

It may seem simple, but actually knowing which audio source you’re plugged into, rather than the generic name of your monitor or headphones, can really help shifting from deep quiet work to a broader presentation.

There are, after all, many times when you might be using multiple audio sources over the course of the day – such as your laptop, headphones, external monitor, and bluetooth speakers – which might cause confusion when logging into, say, a video conferencing meeting and encountering audio issues. First, go to Settings, then Sound, before selecting the little arrow next to the device you want to change.

There are multiple options here, from changing the quality of audio you’re sending to your headphones to enabling spatial sound, but renaming your device is as simple as clicking the Rename button just below your device icon.

Voice typing

Microsoft isn’t a stranger to voice recognition technology. For one, it acquired Nuance – the makers of the Dragon Naturally Speaking software – in 2021. Voice typing, which was once known as dictation, can be used as both an accessibility tool as well as a way to speed up your workflow.

To activate voice typing, press Windows + H and then click on the little mic icon in the window that appears. You will hear a small bleep to indicate the programme is listening. Privacy-wise, you can choose whether or not to send voice clips to the window and you can also choose whether the software automatically provides punctuation for you.

Expanding the Start menu

Sometimes referred to as ‘the secret Start Menu’, if you right click on the Windows icon, a simple menu will appear that allows you to do things like go straight to your power options, open PowerShell, or task manager, without having to click through multiple menus. You can also access this feature by pressing Windows + X.

Show file types

There are many times in every person’s journey they encounter a mishmash of different files with confusing, clashing names, created using a variety of software, ranging from Microsoft Word to Adobe InDesign. Knowing which type of file you’re looking for can be helpful, as it can be for Windows 11’s file explorer to tell you. To enable this, click on the View tab, scroll down to Show, then click on File name extensions. No matter the view you’re using, you’ll be able to tell what file type something is.

Activate accessibility settings

Rather than picking out just one accessibility feature, let’s look at the entire menu. To access it, open up your settings window and scroll down the list on the left-hand side. There, third from the bottom you’ll see the universal symbol for accessibility in tech: a little humanoid.

Click on that menu and you will see a plethora of options. You can do things like change the text size on your screen, enable eye tracking if that’s a need for you, and also change your screen’s contrast and colour filters.

Bind the Snippet tool to Print Screen

Many of the hidden Windows 11 tips and tricks centre around accessibility, and with good reason, but there’s one particular setting that’s invaluable regardless of whether these settings are normally part of your workflow. By clicking the toggle named ‘Use the Print screen button to open screen snipping’ you can make saving those screenshots just a little bit easier.

Snap Groups

As the demands on our time have gotten more intense, and our screen real estate has expanded to match, wrangling the items that clutter our digital workspaces can be complicated.

With Windows 11 you can snap windows to various layouts by hovering over the window icon in your top right. Once you’ve snapped those windows, they also appear as a snap group in your bottom bar. Segmenting your work in this way can allow you to quickly change how your screen appears depending on your tasks and workflow.

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I received a question this month from somebody who's having problems upgrading his Raspberry Pi 400 to the latest operating system (OS) version. He’d tried to follow several websites advising on the steps needed, but had ended up with a Pi that kept giving configuration errors when trying to do stuff via the command line, and where the mouse had become very sluggish and kept overshooting when using the Raspberry Pi Desktop. He wondered what the best course of action would be.

The first thing to say is not to feel bad about being in this situation. I’ve been there myself, including the sluggish mouse thing which sometimes seems to happen when trying to upgrade from Buster (version 10) to Bullseye (version 11).

Unfortunately, there’s only really one sure-fire way to recover from this and that’s to re-image the SD card in your Pi and start again from scratch. I know that’s a real pain, especially if you have lots of software installed on the machine, but it’s the only option when your Raspberry Pi goes haywire like this. Otherwise, if you try to upgrade in-situ you’ll just end up with a shedload of things that won’t work properly and broken dependencies. You’ll also have lots of pain when you try to do future updates.

For all that people complain about Windows Update, and to a lesser degree the update process on a Mac, in my experience Unixy type systems just can’t compete. I always laugh when people say things like “I wish Windows had apt-get available”. Yes, it’s fine for small regular incremental updates within one major OS version, but if you leave too big a gap between these updates, or try to upgrade to a newer base version, then you’re often lining yourself up for a world of pain. People will tell you to just edit this word in a config file and it’ll all work perfectly, but I’m here to tell you that so often it won’t.

If you find yourself in this position, I’d very strongly recommend starting over. It’s a bit like how Windows was a decade or two back – it was always best in those days to completely reinstall the operating system every year or two, to keep things running fast and smoothly. Windows is a lot better now, and will usually avoid getting itself into a mess, but the various flavours of Unix haven’t quite caught up.

So, my advice would be to download the latest copy of the Raspberry Pi Imager. Please don’t use New Out Of the Box Software (NOOBS), which was the previous SD card-based installer. NOOBS is no longer supported and the Imager is so much better.

Another top tip is to make sure you’re using a decent microSD card for this. If the one you’re currently using is a no-name brand, or was labelled something good like SanDisk but suspiciously cheap when you bought it, or if the card has previously had lots of wear and tear – perhaps sitting inside something like a security camera – then chuck it in the bin and buy a new one. SD cards aren’t expensive, but make sure that you are buying from a reliable source as there are so many fakes around these days. Even on websites like Amazon you need to ensure that the seller, which isn’t always Amazon, is reputable. Early Raspberry Pis had limitations on what size cards could be used, but the Pi 400 doesn’t. Still, unless you’ll be using the machine for massive documents, video editing or audio work then a 16GB or 32GB card is probably ideal.

From within the Raspberry Pi Imager you get a choice of operating systems that you can download. The default is a 32-bit copy of Debian with the Raspberry Pi Desktop software installed. It’s a good choice for many people, but perhaps not the best one for the reader’s Raspberry Pi 400. If you click on the “Raspberry Pi OS (other)” you’ll see several options. The main 32-bit OS is available in both “lite” and “full” options, and there are also things like 64-bit versions and legacy versions (which are basically Buster rather than Bullseye). The 64-bit versions are fairly new, having only come out of beta this year, and they have advantages for some applications, but for most users, right now, I’d recommend sticking with the 32-bit OS versions. That advice will probably change in the future, but you’re less likely to run into problems for the moment.

The Raspberry Pi 400 is the “Pi 4 built into a keyboard” model, and it’s the one that people often use as a lightweight desktop replacement. For this reason, I’d recommend ignoring the default OS recommended by the Raspberry Pi Imager and instead selecting “Raspberry Pi OS Full (32 bit)”. The full version includes the various recommended applications (including the LibreOffice suite and Claws Mail) as well as a bigger range of packages that will be useful when installing other software. The full installation is much better suited to a Pi that’s going to be used in a desktop environment.

There’s an option within the Raspberry Pi Imager to preset things like your wireless network details (click on the small cog to access this), but I’ve found that it doesn’t always work so I normally ignore it – you still get the chance to set the Wi-Fi and other stuff up on the initial boot of the machine. On the initial boot, it will also go off and grab the latest updates because the files the Imager uses aren’t always up to date.

Once you’re up and running, it will be like having a new machine. You might also find that Bullseye seems a bit faster than Buster – that’s true with new machines like the Raspberry Pi 400, which is built on the Pi 4 platform, but you might not notice any speed increase with some older Pis.

My final bit of advice is to keep the OS updated regularly. If you only switch the machine on once every six months then you’ll find you might have missed several updates, and it’s in cases like that where things can start to go horribly wrong again. Regular updating is the key to a happy Raspberry Pi.

Apple released the new macOS Ventura operating system this week bringing with it a score of new features including a fresh approach to passwords that could be significant for businesses.

There are myriad new features spanning use cases related to productivity, use of multiple devices, and general functionality improvements across apps like Mail and Messages.

After first being announced at Apple's annual WWDC 2022 event on 6 June, Ventura is available as a free software update and is the 19th major release of macOS.

Improvements specific for businesses are sometimes negligible in the annual macOS releases however the introduction of Passkeys, and other security improvements, may be transformational for businesses looking to experiment with passwordless identity and access management.

What are the key business features in macOS Ventura?

A key feature that may interest organisations is passkeys, a new method for signing in to websites and apps across all Apple devices.

Apple claims that the new passwordless approach will eliminate the possibility of breaching user accounts through data breaches since the digital passkey that replaces alphanumeric passwords are never stored on a server, only on Apple's hardware.

Passkeys function like FIDO hardware-based keys. Apple said a different passkey is generated every time a user creates an account with a website or app and is unique to both that service and the user.

Whenever users create a passkey, a unique digital key is created that stays on the device and is never stored on a web server, so hackers can’t leak them or trick users into sharing them, Apple said.

The new feature will also allow owners of Apple hardware such as an iPhone to use passkeys to log in to services on non-Apple devices using their iPhone, for example.

Although passkeys are unique to each service and user, and are stored on hardware, they work with Apple Keychain technology meaning the same passkey can be stored across multiple devices.

Passkeys also present a way to prevent phishing attacks. Phishing websites, for example, will not be able to steal passkeys because the digital key will only be registered to the legitimate domain.

Aside from passkeys, Apple is also beefing up collaboration by introducing Shared Tab Groups. This allows users to easily share websites with colleagues, family, or friends, and see what tabs others are looking at in real time.

Users are also able to build a list of bookmarks on a shared Start Page to help kickstart any group project. They’re also able to start a Messages conversation or FaceTime call with everyone in the group, in Safari.

The tech giant is also introducing Stage Manager which automatically organises apps and windows so users can concentrate on the task at hand and still see everything in a single glance.

When enabled, the current window they’re working on is displayed prominently in the centre, while other windows appear on the left so they can seamlessly switch between tasks. Users can also create groups of windows or apps when working on specific tasks or projects.

Lastly, Apple also claims that macOS security is even stronger, which organisations will be pleased to hear. The tech company said this makes the Mac more resistant to attacks with new tools like Rapid Security Response, which works between normal updates to easily keep security up to date.

What other features are in macOS Ventura?

There is a range of new features Apple is introducing with the new operating system. It has revealed Continuity Camera, where Mac users can use their iPhone as a webcam. When the device is nearby, a user’s Mac should be able to automatically recognise and use the iPhone’s camera.

Desk View taps into the Ultra Wide camera on the iPhone to simultaneously show the user’s face and an overhead view of their desk, which Apple says is useful for DIY videos, hands-on presentations, and more.

Moreover, a feature called Handoff is now available on FaceTime, so users are able to begin a FaceTime call on one Apple device and seamlessly transfer the call to another Apple device nearby. This means users can start a call on their iPhone or iPad and move the call to their Mac once they get to their home or office.

Mail now gives users the ability to schedule messages, cancel delivery of a message before it reaches a recipient’s inbox, and add links for better content previews. It can also detect if an attachment or recipient is missing and remind the sender to add them. Search in Mail has also been improved to make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for as soon as they click search.

Apple has also made improvements to Messages. Users are also able to edit or undo a recently sent message or even mark a message as unread if they’re unable to respond at the time.

Collaborating is easier as users now have the option to share a file in Messages and automatically give everyone on the thread access. Activity updates appear at the top of the thread as everyone goes in and makes edits to the shared document.

Spotlight has also been updated to include new features and an updated design. Users can now use it to find images in their photo library, the web, and across the system in apps like Messages or Notes.

Should businesses consider upgrading to macOS Ventura?

Business owners should probably upgrade to macOS Ventura purely for the new security features, especially passkeys.

Considering how cyber attacks are a constant threat to organisations, having an extra layer of security should be warmly welcomed. Additionally, the upgrade is free, so there’s no reason to complain when it comes to affordability.

Moreover, the new collaboration and organisation tools could make it easier for teams to work with each other. This includes Shared Tab Groups and Stage Manager.

Instead of having to send links constantly to each other, teams can simply work from a shared tab group and access the information they need. If they need help organising their screen layout, the Stage Manager should be a welcome addition too.

Microsoft’s latest flagship operating system (OS) first hit digital shelves in October 2021, but businesses weren't too keen to upgrade to Windows 11 on day one, instead favouring a cautious approach. Given the good health of Windows 10, and seemingly little differences at launch, many questioned whether the upgrade was worth the time, notwithstanding the perceived risks in any major system upgrade.

The fact Microsoft touts that 1.4 billion devices use both platforms each month means the tech giant still sees both Windows 10 and Windows 11 as very much in tandem in the market. Windows 10, however, has a concrete expiration date, and businesses will, sooner or later, need to take the plunge. There are a handful of reasons it might be too soon to upgrade to Windows 11, but several great new features and processes might tempt many as we tick over into 2023.

Counting the costs of upgrading to Windows 11

The first reason to not upgrade to Windows 11 at this time is the sheer amount of friction inherent in moving your business’ systems over – at least if you’re doing it at scale. PCs and laptops need to meet a minimum specification that includes TPM 2.0 and secure boot support. Your bottleneck here is likely to be your motherboard or CPU. Make sure you check not only using the PC health check app – which Windows will remind you to use on the OS’ update screen – but also by checking against Microsoft’s own lists of supported processors.

If you’re having to shell out large amounts of money to spec out newer systems, then you may want to upgrade in waves, or commit significant budget towards a future upgrade. This will be less of a concern if you are working with a small number of machines, or if your equipment is ready to go.

To get a better sense of where you might be on your journey, Microsoft recommends checking in with Microsoft Endpoint Manager to “understand your organisation’s compatibility at scale”. The tech giant has also provided a checklist to consider before you commit fully.

If you do decide to upgrade your device fleet, we recommend having a look over our best Windows laptops list, which will give you an idea of what's available.

Windows 10 still has legs until 2025

This leads us to another reason why you may not want to change over to Windows 11 just yet. Microsoft is known for giving long lead times for final updates to its operating systems. Windows 7, which was released in 2009, saw its final update in January 2020. Windows 8.1 will follow in 2023 and Windows 10 won’t be phased out until 2025.

Although we’re mostly over the new operating system jitters – less early adoption catastrophes to see here – it’s understandable if you’re looking to wait. Maybe an app that’s core to your business processes isn’t fully compatible with Windows 11, like we saw with Apple’s M1 architecture. Perhaps, even, committing to an upgrade will involve your staff putting in valuable working hours they just can’t spare. There’s also the question of whether your business can commit to training staff up on the new operating system. For such businesses, it’s probably better to delay any mass upgrade until a medium-term timeframe.

Windows 11 will require a little getting used to

On training, many of Windows 11’s most obvious changes – to regular users anyway – are aesthetic and user interface (UI) based. A refresh in the way the Settings are organised and behave, the increased availability of focus tools that don’t require third-party interventions – like pomodoro timers – and a deeper integration and update of Microsoft Teams are all reasons your staff may either jump for joy, or yearn for previous iterations of earlier operating systems.

Even though adapting to change may come like second-nature to those more technically minded, many among us need a little more hand-holding when it comes to digital systems. Something as simple as the taskbar being centralised rather than justified to the left can throw a certain user out of the loop. Be prepared, like with any large-scale shift of this type, for a fairly substantial level of simple training to get people reoriented. Now, if your team is tech-savvy this is less of a concern, but buyer beware if your workplace employs a mix of people from all kinds of backgrounds and levels of technical aptitude.

It's also worth considering that Microsoft's new operating has its share of issues. There are quite a few Windows 11 problems that new and experienced users will run into from time to time, so it's worth having a look over our guide to familiarise yourself ahead of a migration.

Upgrading to Windows 11 means you’re on the front line of innovation

There’s something to be said for being on the bleeding edge of tech. Marketing overuse of that phrase aside, there is tangible value to knowing that you have the latest updates available for your operating system – in terms of feature upgrades and security patches. There are two major areas where the value of Windows 11 shines through: its user-side features and its tangible focus on security.

Newer features with Windows 11

There are a handful of exciting new features in Windows 11 that can improve your workflow and the day-to-day productivity of employees. The OS does have tangible quality of life improvements over its predecessor, including those as subtle as softening the noise environment. The dings and beeps that alert you to notifications, for instance, are much less harsh right out of the box. Focus and dark mode integrations, too, are a boon for users who are zeroed in on productivity, while increased security protections are bound to be a keen selling point for system administrators.

Microsoft also believes a deeper integration with tools like Microsoft 365, and power automate, will be a plus for those who choose to upgrade their systems. Windows 11 boasts a robust compatibility mode and the ability for some to even use select Android apps. If you’re concerned that an application may not behave as it is supposed to, Microsoft also suggests using their App Assure programme.

Better security with Windows 11

Unlike previous generations of the OS, Windows 11 requires the use of the TPM 2.0 framework and Secure Boot. This, in fact, seems to be one of the biggest blockers preventing businesses from upgrading to Windows 11, although it’s been implemented in order to add a guaranteed layer of hardware-level protection to systems making that jump.

With the malware attacks in the first half of 2022 recorded at 2.8 billion – and with significant ransomware attacks and data breaches hitting a swathe of companies – it’s no wonder Microsoft is focused on integrating ‘security by design’. This is especially true for the way the company is attempting to market Windows 11. Part of that marketing includes better Windows Hello integration for business, although businesses will need to make sure users have the correct hardware to run the feature. Not just any webcam built into your laptop will allow you to unlock your device through facial recognition. There’s also the added benefit of integration with Microsoft Azure, an authentication platform, and a commitment to a process that adheres to zero trust. With people often touted as being the weakest points in a business’ cyber security posture, Windows 11 is designed to save its users from themselves.

Ultimately, the shift from Windows 10 to Windows 11 mostly centres around evaluating whether the small quality of life improvements are worth the cost. Windows 10, indeed, is still effective, although Windows 11 offers a new wave of productivity benefits. Depending on what business you’re running, different niche changes – like a redesigned Windows store or an updated clock that allows for focus timers – might mark a significant change to your workflow, or might be irrelevant. The biggest plus, for all businesses, is a stronger security foundation, but if you’re happy with your current solution, and your CEO isn’t dying to have the latest and greatest, it may just be worth waiting a little longer to transition.

Microsoft launched the first major update to Windows 11 on Tuesday, bringing with it a score of new features to enhance security and the overall Windows experience.

The Windows 11 2022 update, also known as the 22H2 update, focuses on four key innovation areas, said Panos Panay, EVP, chief product officer at Microsoft’s Windows and Devices division.

Microsoft aimed to make the PC experience easier and safer for all, deliver productivity improvements, bring new features for communication and gaming, and improve security controls for those working in hybrid environments.

There are numerous features that will appeal to the everyday consumer, such as faster and more accurate search in the Start menu, improvements to snap layouts, and improved accessibility features such as system-wide live captions.

There are also several business-focused features that users will appreciate spanning productivity, collaboration, security, and the updates themselves.

Windows 11 2022 Update: Productivity improvements

New Focus features such as the focus sessions are designed to make the PC less distracting for periods of work that require deeper concentration.

Starting a focus session enables the Do Not Disturb mode, eliminating notifications and taskbar badges. It also syncs up to the Windows Clock app the time from which can be configured to break up work periods and small breaks, when needed.

Snap Layouts have been a part of Windows 11 since its launch last year but small tweaks in the new update aim to make the feature a little more usable.

In addition to the different quick-select layouts to which Windows 11 users are accustomed, when users drag a window a new bar that looks like Apple’s Mission Control will appear at the top of the display.

The small new feature gives users an additional method of snapping windows into the desired position on the screen which may prove easier and more intuitive for some people.

Windows 11 2022 Update: Collaboration and video call enhancements

Business users familiar with collaboration apps and tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom, will be familiar with the built-in settings that can be tweaked to add blurred backgrounds and other enhancements to improve virtual meetings.

The latest Windows 11 update adds similar features to the operating system’s (OS) settings itself under the name of Windows Studio Effects. Camera effects can be configured such as automatic framing, background blur, and a setting where the front-facing camera will use AI to alter the image so that eye contact is always made, even if looking elsewhere on the screen.

AI is also used with the Voice Focus feature which computationally removes background noise to make the speaker’s voice clearer.

Microsoft made the small-print caveat that some of these features will only be available to some users who have the required hardware to support them.

Windows 11 2022 Update: Anti-phishing and other new security tools

New improvements to Microsoft Defender SmartScreen offer a range of new benefits, including new protections against phishing attempts.

Phishing remains the top attack method for gaining an initial foothold in an organisation’s IT estate via credential theft and one new SmartScreen capability aims to automatically detect when users enter their Microsoft credentials into a malicious website, then delivering clear prompts explaining the threat.

Another hardware-dependent feature is presence sensing in Windows Hello for Business. Devices that are equipped with the necessary hardware can be set up to securely log in and log out when the user approaches and leaves the vicinity of the device.

Smart App Control will also now block untrusted or unsigned applications and script files from running. Supporting Microsoft’s push this year to crack down on VBA Office macros, Smart App Control will additionally provide another layer of protection, blocking macro commands from executing on Windows 11.

“As a result, your employees can use the tools they want and need, while you can relax knowing your organisation is protected,” said Panay. “Built on the same AI used in Windows Defender Application Control, Smart App Control can predict the safety of an application in real-time before it runs on your device.

“This is a great solution for organisations who are not yet using a modern device management (MDM) tool like Microsoft Intune.”

Microsoft will be enabling several other features by default for business users. PCs and laptops equipped with 8th generation Intel CPUs and higher will have virtualisation-based security (VBS) and hypervisor-protected code integrity (HVCI) enabled as standard after the update is applied.

Neither are new features to Windows but both aim to offer greater protection against malware and vulnerability exploits.

VBS is a feature that allows users to make use of hardware virtualisation, placing certain apps such as security tools in a “virtual secure mode” that protects against exploitation via security vulnerabilities.

HVCI is one type of security tool which uses VBS and is sometimes referred to as ‘memory integrity’ and works in tandem with VBS to create a secure, isolated environment.

“VBS leverages the Windows Hypervisor to create an isolated virtual environment that becomes the root of trust of the OS that assumes the kernel can be compromised,” Microsoft explained in technical documentation.

“HVCI is a critical component that protects and hardens this virtual environment by running kernel mode code integrity within it and restricting kernel memory allocations that could be used to compromise the system.”

There are numerous other security controls that Windows 11 now supports, designed specifically for hybrid workers, that are detailed in a separate blog post.

Windows 11 2022 update: Reformed updates

Microsoft has embarked on a mission to make its updates more efficient and performant for users by making changes to its feature and monthly cumulative updates.

A “significantly reduced download size” and a more “streamlined” approach are the two key methods Microsoft has used to improve its updates, it said.

“We have significantly reduced the download size for feature updates by redesigning how we handle the "in-box apps' that ship with Windows 11,” said Microsoft.

“We estimate that these and other changes, like the restructuring of Unified Update Platform (UUP) files reduce the overall download size by [around] 450 MB. We've also streamlined cumulative updates by making them smaller to download, faster to install, and consuming less disk space.”

Microsoft also introduced ‘carbon aware’ updates to the OS as part of its big 2022 update. Windows will now schedule update installations at times that it calculates to result in fewer carbon emissions used.

When devices are connected to the internet and able to retrieve carbon intensity data, Windows may attempt to install updates, which typically use more electricity, at times when energy is being sourced from lower-carbon sources.

Microsoft Windows 11 is here, and the company's updated operating system is promising a range of new features and design tweaks aimed at modernising the user experience. As with pretty much all major software revisions, however, there will inevitably be those who prefer the comfortable familiarity of the existing software they've gotten to know over the last several years.

Windows 10 will be retired in October 2025, at which point the OS will cease to be officially supported. While users are advised to upgrade to the latest version of Windows as soon as reasonably possible, you still have a few years before it becomes a safety issue, and many will likely cling to their current OS until that point.

But what if you've already upgraded to Windows 11, and decided that it’s not for you? Thankfully, Microsoft allows you to change your mind, and rolling back to Windows 10 is quick and easy - as long as you don't wait around too long.

Microsoft gives you a pretty small window to make the choice to revert back to Windows 10 — just ten days. After that, you can still downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10, but you may decide that it’s more trouble than it’s worth, and you’ll just learn to love the upgrade instead. You can, after all, make Windows 11 feel a lot more like Windows 10 if you like.

If the clock is ticking on your decision window, here’s how to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10.

How to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 within your first ten days

If you’ve only just made the upgrade to Windows 11 and decided it’s not for you, the journey back to Windows 10 is pretty straightforward. Just be aware that any changes you’ve made to Windows in the intervening time — from settings tweaks to installed software — won’t carry over.

1. Press the Start button, and then select the Settings icon in your pinned apps. If you can’t see it there, just type “Settings” in the search box at the top, and click the familiar cog icon when it appears.

2. You’ll find yourself automatically in the ‘System’ submenu. Scroll down to near the bottom of the list, and click “Recovery”.

3. Click “Go back” — it’s the third option down on the list.

4. To its credit, Microsoft won’t try to guilt you into staying, but you can give some honest feedback if you like. Otherwise, just tick a random box and press “Next”.

5. As a last-ditch attempt to convince you not to execute a roll-back, Microsoft advises that installing the latest Windows 11 updates may fix any issues that are prompting you to go back to the previous version. If you’re still sure you wish to proceed, just press “No, thanks”.

6. Almost there! Microsoft will warn you that anything you’ve changed won’t carry over. It also advises you to back up files — these shouldn’t be impacted, but you can never be too careful. Press “Next” when ready.

7. The system will then remind you that you'll need to know the password you used to sign in to your previous Windows 10 installation in order to log back in once the roll-back is complete. Got it? Press “Next” again.

8. At the final confirmation page, press “Go back to Windows 10” and the downgrade process will begin. Make sure not to turn off your PC, and if you’re on a laptop, make sure it’s plugged in.

How to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 if you’ve missed the roll-back period

If you’ve gone longer than ten days with Windows 11, Microsoft assumes you’re happy with your choice, and closes this particular door, blacking the option out instead:

But what if you’re not? Well, there are two more options for downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10, but they’re pretty dramatic, and you may just decide to stick with what you have instead.

If you’re comfortable with command prompts, you could try this Microsoft command line tool, which lets you amend the number of days for which the downgrade window remains open. Once amended, just follow the same steps as above.

If that feels too much like black magic, the alternative is a fresh installation of Windows 10, which is very much the nuclear option. Be sure to back up all your files and then download Windows 10 from Microsoft, and install it to a USB stick in the usual manner.

Once you're on Windows 10, you will want to get the most out of the operating system. A good place to start is to migrate away from your slower hard drive and install Windows 10 on an SSD instead. We've put together a handy guide on how to move Windows 10 from an HDD to an SSD, which includes a handful of steps on how to protect your data in the process.

Beyond that, it's worth taking a look at our guide to speeding up Windows 10 for a host of other clever tricks you can use to get the most out of the ageing operating system.

Microsoft has officially started rolling out Windows 11 as a free upgrade to eligible devices, as well as shipping it preinstalled with new machines. The upgraded OS includes a number of key benefits for users, and with much of the DNA between Windows 10 and Windows 11 shared, it’s hardly surprising that the two operating systems feel instantly familiar.

For the most part, starting off in Windows 11 should be a doddle for veterans of Microsoft’s software, just as the company intended. However, there are some ways in which it feels that Microsoft has deliberately made Windows 11 different for the sake of it, and none of these are more obvious than the arbitrary relocation of the Start Menu from the bottom left-hand corner to the middle of the taskbar.

Fortunately, putting that right takes less than a minute if you know where to look. Here’s how to move the Start Menu in Windows 11 to where it belongs, as well as a few other tips to make the new OS feel more familiar to those who are missing Windows 10.

How to move the Start Menu in Windows 11 to where it belongs

Putting the Start menu and taskbar in the middle of the screen does make a certain amount of sense from a design perspective; it makes it more of a central focus, and may make it more convenient to access on larger displays. On the other hand, long-time Windows users will likely feel more at home with its original positioning in the left-hand corner of the screen, so it's a good job Windows 11 allows you to switch it back without any hassle.

1. Press the Start button, from its current home in the middle of the taskbar, and then select “Settings.” If you can’t see it for any reason, type “settings” in the search box, and then click the cog icon when it appears.

2. Select “Personalisation” from the list of categories on the left-hand side.

3. Click “Taskbar” from the menu that appears on the right. It’s the seventh option down.

4. Select “Taskbar behaviours” — it’s the last option in the list.

5. Click the dropdown next to the words “Taskbar alignment” and change “Centre” to “Left”. Sadly there’s no option to go crazy and move it out to the right.

How to disable Windows 11's new icons

Microsoft has made the new taskbar quite a bit more cluttered, pushing Search, Task view, Widgets and Chat onto unsuspecting upgraders. While this may potentially be convenient for some, for those that like to keep a large number of apps pinned to their taskbar, this could quickly get frustrating. It’s very easy to get rid of these, thankfully.

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 above.

2. At the top of the page you’ll see a list of “Taskbar items.” Flick the toggle on each from ‘on’ to ‘off’ for a less cluttered interface.

How to replace the original Windows 10 wallpaper

The original default wallpaper that shipped with Windows 10 was an eye-catching piece of photographic art which underlined the software's new, modern sensibilities, and while it's not quite as iconic as Windows XP's 'Bliss' wallpaper, it had a distinct charm.

Sadly, Windows 11 comes with a new default background, and the old Windows 10 wallpaper isn't included as an option by default. As with all modern operating systems, however, you can install your own custom wallpapers - and if you want to put the original Windows 10 one back, you can download it from here, and reset it as your desktop background in Windows 11's personalisation menu.

How to bring back the original windows 10 Start Menu design

Another element that's different in the latest version of Windows is the start menu itself, which ditches many of the design elements and interactions available in Windows 10 and earlier. This is another thing that old-school Microsoft fans may wish to restore to its previous look and feel.

The bad news is that this isn’t something Microsoft lets you do directly within Windows 11. The good news is that you can sidestep this with a few bits of software — though you’ll have to pay if you want flawless results.

One option is Open Shell Menu, which brings back the classic Start Menu layout. It’s open source and free to use, but it can be a bit fiddly, and the general consensus is that it doesn’t always work flawlessly. If you want a bit more stability, or a few extra features not offered by Open Shell, you may be better off paying a one-off fee for an alternative. Start All Back and Start 11 will both cost you around $5 and offer a similar feature set.

Google is aiming to include connectivity for satellite internet in Android 14, a move that would put it at the forefront of networking technology.

Google senior vice president of Android, Chrome, Chrome OS & Play, Hiroshi Lockheimer, expressed admiration for how far connectivity on Android has come and hinted towards the future of the mobile operating system, in a Tweet on Monday.

“When we launched G1 in ‘08 it was a stretch to get 3G + Wifi working. Now we’re designing for satellites. Cool! Excited to support our partners in enabling all of this in the next version of Android!”

The release of Android 14 remains firmly on the horizon, with Android 13 having only just dropped for many Pixel users, and many more across the Android ecosystem yet to receive it. Despite this, Google has indicated that the beta could be available for use as soon as April 2023.

In the meantime, Google is working with partners on multiple avenues of networking innovation. It recently announced a successful network slicing test with Nokia, in which a phone running Android 13 was able to connect to multiple 5G network slices simultaneously, for improved security and optimised network performance.

Last month, T-Mobile announced plans with SpaceX to provide satellite coverage for texts and eventually calls to some of the most remote areas in the US. With its low Earth orbit (LEO) Starlink satellite constellation, SpaceX is able to give its customers download speeds of up to 104 Mbits/sec in areas that lack even basic broadband coverage.

At present, devices such as phones can only access SpaceX Wi-Fi through a router that connects directly to a Starlink dish, which is the hardware that transfers data to and from the constellation. Phones that can connect directly to satellites could experience unprecedented network stability, and access high-speed broadband across the globe.

Satellite internet is a rapidly growing sector, with competition already hotting up between nation states and companies alike.

SpaceX’s Starlink constellation continues to expand at pace, with over 3,000 satellites in orbit at time of writing and FCC approval to eventually increase this number to 12,000. Starlink is the most widely supported satellite broadband provider currently, operating in over 40 countries and having recently secured exclusive deals to provide Wi-Fi for the Royal Caribbean cruise fleet, and for JSX airlines.

Meanwhile, the UK could receive home-grown satellite broadband coverage in the near future, as London-based OneWeb faces a merger with French satellite operator Eutelsat. This could greatly boost the rollout of OneWeb satellites to its own constellation, which currently consists of 428 satellites.

Despite living in the age of the paperless office, there are still plenty of reasons to connect a printer to a Mac computer.

Whether you're a small business with printing needs, or an organisation using all-in-one machines, printers are still very much in season.

However, the way an Apple machine connects to external hardware is different to a Windows laptop or PC. To use a printer on any Apple computer, you must first add it to your list of printers, and you do this through the Printers and Scanner Preferences menu.

Normally, macOS will use AirPrint to connect to the desired printer, or it will download said printer’s software – or ‘printer driver’. Apple advises not to install the software that comes with your printer or what is recommended on the manufacturer’s website. Instead, follow the instructions below for USB and wireless connections.

Setting up a printer on Mac via USB

As mentioned above, in most cases macOS will automatically detect the new printer – it may just be a case of updating your software and then selecting the new external hardware.

However, this might not work for all printers, and so you will need to do the following:

1. Start by updating the software on the printer: you may need to check with the manufacturer, via its website, to see what updates are available for the printer you have.
2. Then connect the printer to your mac device with a USB cable. If you have a Macbook with a USB-C slot, you may need to use a multiport adapter and it is also worth connecting your laptop’s power capable and keeping it charged while you print.
3. Make sure your printer is on and ready to go – check it has ink or toner cartridges and paper.

Once it's all plugged in, you should see a pop-up message prompting you to download the new software. Go ahead and download it. Once finished you should be ready to start printing.

Setting up a printer on a Mac wirelessly

Things should be a bit more straightforward for printers that connect over Wi-Fi; if both printer and laptop are using the same Wi-Fi then theoretically they should be able to see each other.

If you need to check, however, go into ‘System Preferences’ and click on ‘Printers and Scanners’. If there is no printer listed here then you will need to add it yourself.

Start, again, by updating the printer to the latest software that’s available. If it’s a Wi-Fi printer, you may still have to connect it via a USB cable initially to set up ‘Wi-Fi printing’.

Once it is connected, you need to install the Mac software that came with the printer and use the setup assistant to connect the printer to your Wi-Fi network. Once that is completed you can remove the USB cable.

To add the printer to your list of printers, you need to go back into System Preferences, then Printers and Scanners and select it from the drop-down list. If it still doesn’t appear you can click the add button, which appears as a ‘+’, and all available printers should appear in a dialogue box.

If, however, your printer still doesn't appear, you may need to add the device via its IP address. However, it must support printing protocols - AirPrint, HP Jetdirect, Line Print Daeman, or the Internet Printing Protocol.

Click the add button and select the IP button, which should have the globe symbol. Then input the printer's information into the table.

MacOS users have been warned that a new spyware has been discovered using a previously undocumented backdoor to steal sensitive data from compromised Macs.

Lifting sensitive data such as keystrokes, screen captures, and email attachments, the spyware uses public cloud storage such as Yandex Disk, pCloud, and Dropbox as its command and control (C2) channel. Although such use of cloud storage has been observed in Windows malware, researchers noted that this is an unusual tactic in the Mac ecosystem.

The malware, coded in Objective-C, was discovered by ESET researchers who named it 'CloudMensis' in a blog post. The method by which the malware first compromises the Macs of its victims is still unknown.

Lack of clarity around this delivery mechanism, as well as the identity and goals of the threat actors, has prompted researchers to warn all MacOS users to be cautious and keep systems up-to-date. However, as it has currently been seen to affect only a limited number of systems, CloudMensis has not currently been labelled high risk.

Once present on a victim’s Mac, the first stage of CloudMensis downloads a second stage from public cloud storage, and both are written to disk. Once installed, CloudMensis receives commands from its operators through this cloud storage, and sends encrypted copies of files through it.

A total of 39 commands can be activated allowing the malware to, among other things, change its configuration values, run shell commands, and list files from removable storage.

To bypass macOS’ privacy protection system Transparency, Consent and Control (TCC), CloudMensis adds entries to grant itself permissions. If the victim is running a version of macOS predating Catalina 10.15.6, CloudMensis will exploit a known vulnerability (CVE-2020-9943) to load a TCC database that it can write to.

Metadata uncovered by ESET indicated that the threat actors behind the spyware are individually deploying CloudMensis to targets of interest, rather than spreading it as far as they can.

No clues to the intended targets have been found in the metadata, and the use of cloud storage as its C2 makes the threat actors behind it difficult to identify. ESET accessed metadata from the cloud storage services in use that indicates that the unknown threat actors began to send commands on February 4, 2022.

“We still do not know how CloudMensis is initially distributed and who the targets are,” said ESET researcher Marc-Etienne Léveillé, a member of the team that is looking into CloudMensis.

“The general quality of the code and lack of obfuscation shows the authors may not be very familiar with Mac development and are not so advanced. Nonetheless, a lot of resources were put into making CloudMensis a powerful spying tool and a menace to potential targets.”

No zero-day vulnerabilities have been identified as in use by the group, so Macs that are regularly updated are potentially at lower risk.

MacOS malware is typically rarer than Windows malware, for a multitude of reasons including the fact that the larger market share of Windows PCs gives cybercriminals a better target.

Apple has acknowledged the threat of spyware such as Pegasus, and is set to introduce a new ‘Lockdown Mode’ on iOS, iPad OS and macOS in the autumn.

Dell and Canonical have made the new Dell XPS 13 Plus Developer Edition the first laptop officially certified for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

The move is a continuation of Project Sputnik, an initiative that started in 2012 to create high-end Dell systems with Ubuntu preinstalled, built for developers and guided by input from the developer community.

From August, developers in the US, Canada, and selected European countries will be able to buy Dell’s flagship 13-inch laptop with the latest version of Canoncial’s Linux distro preinstalled. Additionally, XPS 13 Plus owners can install the operating system from today or can wait until Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS is released on 4 August.

“XPS is an innovation portal for Dell – from its application of cutting-edge technology to experimentation of new user interfaces and experiential design,” said Jaewook Woo, product manager of the Linux operating system at Dell Technologies. “By bringing the enhanced performance and power management features of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS to our most advanced premium laptop, Dell and Canonical reinforce our joint commitment to continue delivering the best computing experience for developers using Ubuntu.”

The Dell XPS 13 Plus Developer Edition is the latest release in this long-standing partnership. Barton George, developer community lead from Dell, said in 2017 that the idea behind the Project Sputnik programme was to create an open source based laptop that appealed to a large audience of developers. The initial offering was one system and one configuration, which then expanded into an entire line of systems. This includes devices such as the Dell Precision 5720, Dell Precision 5520, and Dell Precision 7520 laptops.

What is Ubuntu certification?

The Ubuntu certification programme ensures that all of the components in a certified computer work as expected, so users can look forward to it working out of the box. Ubuntu certified devices are based on Long Term Support (LTS) releases and receive updates for up to 10 years.

The company’s certification lab tests hundreds of certified devices to ensure they work, and continue to work, to a high standard throughout their lifecycle.

Certified devices also include specific software or drivers that differ from the default distribution where required. These are defined in a meta-package that automatically installs the optimal configuration of packages, drivers, and kernel to deliver the best experience on that device.

Ubuntu said that through Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, users will benefit from increased desktop performance with triple-buffering, more control over their power management settings, and intuitive new workspace layouts and touchpad gestures, as well as expanded customisation options.

It comes with the latest toolchains for the most popular programming languages, including Python, PHP, Ruby, Perl, GCC, Go and now Rust, as well as the latest versions of default productivity apps like LibreOffice, Thunderbird, and Firefox.

While increasing digitisation of our workloads might have brought the dream of the paperless office closer than ever to reality, the fact remains that printing out physical documents is still something that most of us will need to do every so often.

Having a shortcut to your printer can save time, especially when you need to manage your print queue or hardware settings on a regular basis, and don’t want the hassle of selecting your printer through options menus each and every time you do so. Thankfully, creating a shortcut to your printer in Windows 10 is a relatively smooth and straightforward process.

First, open your control panel by pressing the start button and searching ‘control panel’, then clicking on the control panel application.

Next, under ‘Hardware and Sound’ select ‘View devices and printers’. Once this is open, right click on your printer of choice and select ‘create shortcut’. You will be prompted with an option to create a desktop shortcut: select ‘yes’.

Once this is complete, you should have a shortcut for your printer right on your desktop, from which you can check the print tray and access its settings at any time. In the print tray, one can see all documents currently sent to the printer, as well as cancel documents from printing and reorder the print queue.

If you would like to rename the shortcut, simply right click on the icon and select ‘Rename’, or alternatively click twice on the name it has and then enter your own (not a double click — click on the name to select it, and then a second or two later click again to highlight the text itself).

For ease of access, the printer shortcut can also be added to the taskbar. To do this, simply right click on your newly created printer shortcut and select the option ‘add to taskbar’.

Additionally, the printer shortcut you created does not have to stay on your desktop. The icon, like any program shortcut, can be moved or copied to any folder on your computer. One way to do this is to open windows explorer and navigate to the folder of your choice.

Next, move Windows Explorer so that the shortcut is not obscured behind it on the desktop (this may require pressing the maximise button to make explorer a smaller window, if you have it in full screen). Then simply drag the shortcut from the desktop into the folder of your choice.

Alternatively, you can click once on the printer shortcut to select it, and use the keyboard shortcut Control + C to add the printer shortcut to the clipboard. Then, navigate to the folder of your choice and press Control + V on your keyboard to paste it into the folder.

Any number of reasons could arise for you to take a screenshot on your MacBook or iMac. Perhaps you want to save evidence of a business expense, or capture images of an IT issue that you can attach by email. Luckily, there are several ways to take a screenshot in MacOS, with a range of options to cater to your individual needs.

Different types of macOS screenshot

To see all your screenshotting options, use the shortcut Shift + Command + 5. This opens up the screenshot menu (pictured below) from which you can select a range of choices.

These include a button to capture the entire screen, capture a manually-selected window, or capture a selected portion of a window by clicking and dragging. Also included in the menu are options to take a screen recording of the entire screen, or of a selected portion of the screen.

Any screenshots or screen recordings will by default be saved directly to the desktop, but you can change this to any folder of your choice by selecting 'options' from the menu and selecting your folder of choice under the 'Save to' heading.

Screenshot shortcuts in MacOS

If you want to take screenshots without first opening the screenshot menu each time, all the actions within the menu have a dedicated keyboard shortcut.

To capture the entire screen, press Shift + Command + 3. This will take a screenshot of the entire screen or, if you have multiple monitors connected, separate screenshots of every screen at the same time.

If you just want to quickly take a screenshot of part of the screen, say a portion of a webpage, you can use the shortcut Shift + Command + 4.

To access the menu, as covered above, press Shift + Command + 5.

If you need to take a screenshot of the touch bar on your MacBook, perhaps to show off your shortcut layouts, use the shortcut Shift + Command + 6.

To take a screenshot of a particular portion of the screen, press Shift + Command + 3 and the mouse cursor will change into a small target symbol. Once this has happened, click and drag anywhere on your screen and a grey box will appear. Drag further to increase its size and change its shape. Everything inside the box will be converted into a screenshot.

What apps can I use to take a screenshot on my Mac?

If the built-in tools Apple includes within macOS aren't doing it for you, you're in luck - there are a range of third-party apps and utilities that offer additional functionality beyond the default options. Many are completely free, and you can find some of our favourites below.

Shottr

Don't let the fact that it's free fool you: Shottr is worth a mention for its powerful range of features. These include scrolling screenshots, the ability to pixelate portions of your screenshots, and even the ability to work as a screen ruler.

Skitch

Another free app, Skitch is produced by the makers of Evernote and boasts good compatibility with its parent app. It's a good option for anyone already familiar with the functionality of Evernote, which works well in the Mac architecture as a result of its clean design and organisational capabilities. It offers good annotation options, with an easy-to-use UI for editing screenshots to your heart's content.

CleanShotX

Where CleanShotX falls down against the others in price, costing a comparatively large $29, it more than makes up for it in functionality. It currently boasts over 50 tools including scrolling screenshots, recording GIFs, powerful screen annotation, pinning screenshots and even hiding select desktop icons from your screenshots at will. The app is quite the silver bullet for any screenshot and screen annotation task.

LightShot

This free option is similar to Skitch in many ways, running as an extremely lightweight program available through the App Store. One notable quality of life feature that comes as default with LightShot is users being asked to choose a folder to save each screenshot in whenever they're taken, which could either be seen as a hurdle to fast-paced screenshotting or as a powerful antidote to the desktop clutter that the native screenshot settings on macOS generates.

Microsoft is experimenting with new user interface changes for the Windows 11 taskbar, according to its latest Insider Build.

The tech giant will test an iteration of the Windows 10 taskbar, as well as notification badges for the widgets section in Windows 11.

Since Windows 11 launched last year, the taskbar has been a target for criticism, particularly its lack of functionality, with many users complaining that it can't be moved to other screen edges and that its search function is limited.

This could be seen as a very minor U-turn from Microsoft, which has previously said it wasn't something it saw as a priority. Testing the more familiar Windows 10 taskbar on Windows 11, however, hasn't specifically been categorised as Microsoft fixing the problem around mobility, although it does signal intent to examine what worked well in the previous operating system (OS).

Instead, it appears to be centred more around the aesthetic of the the search icons. Build 25158 will offer an experimental user interface (UI) for how the search button is presented on the taskbar, with three new designs. The first will be the traditional search icon, the second will be a short search bar and the third will be a slightly longer search bar.

There are other changes on the way too, including notifications for the widgets panel which will feature on the taskbar when breaking news alerts go live. A new Camera app for Windows 11 with QR code and barcode scanning functions and a new Media Player are also available for testing.

It's worth noting that these are merely experiments and are unlikely to go through to full deployment if they're poorly received by Microsoft's developer community. An example of functions that didn't quite land with testers is the search bar widget from the desktop, which has been removed. Microsoft said it had concluded that experiment.

Developers will need to reboot their machines after updating to the new build, though Microsoft notes that not all Windows Insiders will have the new experiences enabled even after rebooting.

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The rollout of Windows 11, earlier this year, has given system administrators and IT managers a lot of food for thought. Many businesses probably feel like they only just finished upgrading to Windows 10 (and indeed, many have).

Windows 10 was previously billed as the “last” edition of the venerable operating system, so it’s quite possible that quite a few hearts sank when the announcement came. With Windows 10 being developed alongside Windows 11 until October 2024, there’s no huge rush, but when the time comes, you have one important decision to make – Windows 11 Home or Pro?

Since the heady days of Windows 7 and its whopping six basic editions, Microsoft has been working on keeping the choice simpler – there are two basic options for most Windows laptops and desktops, namely Windows 11 Home, and Windows 11 Pro. But are they really all that different? Do you or your team actually need to go Pro? We’ve taken a look at the differences so you can judge for yourself.

Are there only two editions of Windows 11?

Technically, there are actually more than two versions of Windows 11, however the others are aimed at specific use cases; there’s a stripped down version for the education sector, pitched as a rival to Google’s Chrome OS, and specific editions for IoT and embedded devices. We’re not really worrying about those here, as our focus is on the difference between the two primary retail editions.

A third edition called “Windows 11 Pro for Workstations” is aimed at high-end machines, such as those used by graphic designers and game developers, and for the purposes of this article, we’re folding that into Windows 11 Pro. We’re also not considering the stripped down “S Mode” as this can be switched on and off regardless of which licence you choose and shouldn’t be a buying consideration.

Windows 11 for home workers and small businesses

Although this article is primarily aimed at business users, first a quick word about individuals, sole traders, and smaller businesses. Do you need Windows 11 Pro? Unequivocally, you don’t. Although so-called “upgrade culture” tells us that only the version with all the whistles and bells will do, the same logic doesn’t apply to Windows.

Most of the differences we’ll be talking about are completely irrelevant unless you’re working in an enterprise environment. Windows 11 Home is the right version for you if you use your machine in isolation, and you’re missing nothing by opting out of the pro version.

Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Security features

When it comes to security, both Windows versions offer basic device encryption as standard, as well as tools like Find my Device and Secure Boot. They also both offer the standard internet protections you'd come to expect, such as firewalls and network protection.

The extra features in Windows 11 Pro fall into two basic camps: security, and deployment. In terms of security, there are two extra features – BitLocker Encryption, and Windows Information Protection (WIP). Both are aimed primarily at home workers and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) users as part of Microsoft’s attempts to embrace the “new normal” of work.

BitLocker

BitLocker is a full volume encryption feature to prevent unauthorised access to data held on the hard drive of lost and stolen machines. It has been around since the days of Windows Vista.

When activated, it uses the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a separate chip in the individual machine, to encrypt the hard disk sector by sector. The decryption cypher is kept completely separate to the BIOS, and is only released when the user either types a code at the pre-boot stage, types in their Windows PIN, or uses a USB stick – this can either be a conventional type, or for extra security, a FIDO standard two-factor authentication key.

Without the key, the entire drive is locked down with banking grade 256-bit AES encryption, making it nigh-on impossible to crack. Think of it like ransomware in reverse – the computer gets locked down and the thief or finder can only access the disk with the correct key. While this could be considered a handy feature for the average users, with so many other security options included in Windows already, unless your users keep extremely sensitive information on a drive, and more importantly, the device is portable (ie a laptop), it’s a “nice-to-have” and not necessarily a justification for the additional cost of the Pro Edition.

Windows Information Protection

The second security feature is Windows Information Protection (WIP), previously known as Enterprise Data Protection (EDP). This is a sort of “safety net” to ensure that in the event that computers that are introduced to the network environment, such as BYOD machines, these don’t leak sensitive data due to the lack of other safeguards.

It’s not aimed at stopping hackers, but rather it protects what Microsoft refers to as “honest employees” from accidentally transferring data onto the local drive, or an external USB stick. It works best in conjunction with a second feature installed on Windows Azure-based servers called Azure Rights Management, which helps identify what is considered sensitive in the first place. While it has some protection without Azure, the two tools complement each other well, giving system administrators granular control about what is safe to transfer and what isn’t.

Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Network Deployment Enhancements

The biggest difference between Windows 11 Home and its Pro Edition is the massive feature-set focusing on deployment to networks.

Overhauled for the new hybrid working culture, it’s these features that will primarily decide if you should go Pro or not. If the features in the next few paragraphs don’t mean anything to you, then you probably don’t need Pro at all.

Assigned Access: This allows sysadmins to select which apps an individual machine can use. It can be configured for a whole machine, or for particular users, letting the same computer act as both a personal and a business machine, without compromise.

Dynamic Provisioning: Allows organisations to setup machines with specific permissions and levels of security from an administration app, with the admin then able to apply the exact same settings to every machine with one click, rather than on a machine-by-machine basis. This can either be done through the cloud, or from a USB-stick.

Enterprise State Roaming: Offers Azure users a way of offering a virtualised experience that is echoed on any machine, effectively making any enrolled machine their work computer, with minimal configuration. This is only available to organisations with specific Azure licences.

Group Policy: This is the classic deployment tool, giving all users access to the same files, printers and other peripherals, when paired with a Windows Server.

Kiosk Mode: This locks down machines for use as public information terminals, such as tourist information points and building sign-in points. This can be done individually, or through cloud deployment through mobile device management (see below).

Microsoft Store for Business: This is a configurable version of the standard Microsoft Store, which can allow employees to download only the apps you want them to – for example an administrator can set it not to offer any games, or alternative OS sub-systems like Linux and Android.

Mobile Device Management: A way of securing individual devices through a range of third-party apps. Microsoft offers its own InTune package, but if you’re using a third-party server environment, most are based on the MDM protocol. This is where some businesses could trip up – you may think that your vendor has you covered and therefore you don’t need this feature – however, it is a dependency for many deployment environments and therefore it should be ignored with caution.

Active Directory and Azure Active Directory Support: These tools are another popular way of provisioning, allowing a single log-in across all Windows devices, with the same access to data and peripherals. They are required for Windows Server and Windows Azure based systems, respectively.

Windows Update for Business: This gives the system administrator complete control over when and if certain updates are deployed to enrolled devices. Microsoft’s track record on releasing bug-free updates is less than stellar, so this can be a great way of delaying the rollout of updates that could do more harm than good. Equally, it significantly simplifies the deployment when the time comes, allowing every machine in the fleet to receive the update with a few clicks.

Is there anything missing in Windows 11 Pro?

The short answer is no. There are no ‘cons’ to using Windows 11 Pro.

That said, both versions have all the new front-end whistles and bells, such as enhanced game support, access to the Android sub-system, deep integration with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft’s built-in security and anti-malware services. In fact, for the end user, Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro are almost imperceptible.

Just as the “Pro” versions of modern smartphones often offer features that many users will never use, Windows 11 Pro only really offers advantages to machines being used in enterprise network environments.

Plus, Windows 11 Home can be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro by purchasing an upgrade key. So before you commit to paying extra, consider if Windows 11 Home is actually the right version for your business too. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Microsoft has blocked the downloads of Windows 10 and Windows 11 for users inside of Russia without warning, local news outlets have said.

Copies of both operating systems (OS) are reportedly unavailable when users inside of Russia attempt to download them from official Microsoft servers, but downloading when using a VPN, with the IP address set to outside of Russia, allows the download to take place.

A correspondent from the Russian news agency TASS said that users were greeted with Error 404 messages, saying the file or directory was not found when trying to download either OS.

The news agency said Microsoft has not yet commented on the matter and the company did not immediately reply after IT Pro contacted them for clarity on the matter.

It is currently unclear if the situation is an “error”, as TASS reported, or if it was a deliberate decision taken by Microsoft.

The company took the decision early into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to suspend sales in Russia and commit millions in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as well as doubling all donations made by Microsoft employees.

“Like the rest of the world, we are horrified, angered and saddened by the images and news coming from the war in Ukraine and condemn this unjustified, unprovoked, and unlawful invasion by Russia,” said Brad Smith, president and vice chair at Microsoft, at the time.

The initial reports about failing download have been corroborated by IT experts since TASS reported the issues on Sunday morning.

Although Microsoft has not confirmed if the situation was a mistake or a deliberate act, the company has been vocal about its sustained efforts to stifle Russian forces against Ukraine since the conflict broke out earlier this year.

The company’s efforts have included threat intelligence - identifying new strains of cyber tools used by Russian threat actors, providing financial aid to Ukraine, and active attempts to stifle Russian state-affiliated media’s reach and state-sponsored cyber attacks.

Big Tech companies have joined Microsoft in taking a stand against the Russian invasion of Ukraine with numerous large companies such as Apple, Cisco, SAP, AMD, Intel, and more publicly pulling out of the region.

Other companies like Meta were already banned by Russia itself - the country has previously labelled the company ‘an extremist operation’.

According to research from earlier this year, the majority of technology workers are in favour of companies pulling out of Russia, although the level of support varied wildly depending on the business.

After a somewhat limited initial release, Microsoft has announced that it considers Windows 11, the latest version of its venerable operating system, ready for general deployment. Yet, that doesn't mean it's right for every business.

So, before taking the plunge, it's worth asking: Is Windows 10 or Windows 11 the best operating system for your business? Let’s take a look at how things stand right now, and what the pros and cons of making the change are.

Can my business upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 at all?

The first, rather large caveat is that although Windows 11 is ‘ready’, that only applies to a limited range of Windows laptops and desktops. If your office inventory is more than a couple of years old, there’s a good chance that there’s no official upgrade path.

Windows 11 only appears as an upgrade option for computers running recent chipsets. In addition, they need hardware assisted security - that is to say support for UEFI firmware, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, and support for secure boot. On top of that, your machine needs to have at least 4GB RAM installed and a whopping 64GB of spare storage to run the upgrade.

It may be that a machine is capable of meeting these criteria, but has them switched off by default. That could mean rooting around in the BIOS of each and every machine to activate them, so you’ll want to be confident it’s worthwhile to make the change. It could even require BIOS updates, which are time-consuming, not to mention nerve wracking.

Is Windows 11 better than Windows 10?

The short answer is that Windows 11 is a primarily cosmetic change for the average user, so it's not necessarily a better operating system for most.

Windows 11 begins to move the Windows environment towards its Fluent Design standards, which better integrates Universal Windows Platform apps alongside traditional Win32 programs, and introduces a few consumer nice-to-haves.

Business users will need a more compelling argument, and there’s been a lot of work under the hood that will help workflows and improve security too - so let’s dive into that.

Windows 11's new business features

Microsoft could clearly see which way the wind was blowing, even before COVID-19, because much of the new stuff is aimed at helping system administrators manage workforces who have moved to part-time and home working.

The biggest boost in this regard is that deployments of upgrades, patches, and software can all be managed in the cloud. That means you can continue to service, upgrade, monitor, and protect machines that haven’t been on company property in months.

For teams, there’s... Microsoft Teams, which has finally superseded Skype for Business, with tight integration in Windows 11. If your company is already invested in Slack, or another collaboration suite, this probably won’t sway you, but if you’re still using Skype for Business, or even still straggling with Lync, both these products have reached end-of-life, so there’s a strong argument for killing two birds with one stone with a Windows 11 deployment.

Azure Virtual Desktop is another new addition with Windows 11 that could be game changing for businesses that use virtual apps. Unlike Windows 10 environments, it allows virtualised apps to appear seamlessly alongside those on the local machine, which can save a lot of time on the phone trying to explain the difference to your co-workers.

But perhaps the biggest advantage to Windows 11 is what hasn’t changed. Anyone who remembers mass deployment of Windows Vista (which admittedly, most companies didn’t bother with) or Windows 8 (an OS so bad that many businesses paid to downgrade back to Windows 7) will be delighted to hear that in terms of driver and software compatibility, the move from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is almost flawless. In theory, after upgrade, there shouldn’t be any aftercare to get printers working or afternoons of wrangling with mysterious Windows 11 BSOD incidents - though of course, your experience may differ.

Aside from this, businesses can also choose between two versions of Windows 11, Windows 11 Home or Pro. These are the two most basic options for most Windows laptops and desktops, but make sure you research carefully to find out which is right for your organisation. There are a few differences between Windows 11 Home vs Pro but, depending on your business's size or goals, you might find you don't need to change at all.

What does Windows 10 have that Windows 11 doesn't?

Surprisingly, Windows 11 drops the universal Timeline feature introduced only a couple of years ago. The feature, which allowed users to check their activity from all their devices, going back up to 30 days, was much delayed and is either proving too much for Microsoft developers to maintain, or simply wasn’t as popular as they hoped.

Also gone is Tablet mode - which made touchscreen navigation on tablets easier by reverting to the Windows 8-esque tiled interface. Of course, touchscreen compatibility is very much front and centre of Windows 11, but there’s a more consistent experience between tablet and desktop instances, with a focus on making touchscreen use easy in any context, not just in tablet mode.

But the biggest potential showstopper for business users is that Windows 11 no longer includes Internet Explorer, which was replaced by the first version of Microsoft Edge alongside the Windows 10 launch, but continued to be bundled in the background. If your business is still relying on webapps that require Internet Explorer, there is a compatibility tab option in the newer Chromium-based Edge, which is now Microsoft’s recommended browser. However, experience tells us that compatibility modes are rarely as effective as the native app, so if your webapps are business critical, you may find that this is a good reason to hold off on the Windows 11 journey.

Should my business update Windows 10 to Windows 11?

That really depends on the circumstances at your company. It’s quite clear that Microsoft is trying to make the transition as easy as possible this time, but nevertheless, it’s always a massive undertaking for any IT department, so think carefully before you commit to what will always involve a certain amount of upheaval.

You may also find yourself doing a lot of hand holding in the early months as there are other smaller changes, too numerous to list here, which will involve some training.

For instance, the shortcut for the Settings interface has been removed from the default Start Menu, making it a little harder for most users to find their way around. It may make sense not to put such options in front of employees, but everyone needs to access the menus from time to time.

Other omissions that might lead to extra support tickets are down the the interface – for example, wallpapers and themes no longer transfer between different machines, and the taskbar can no longer be moved to different parts of the screen - it’s firmly wedged to the bottom of the screen, for the first time. However, most of these are cosmetic in nature, and Microsoft may end up reverting some of these changes if the community kicks up enough of a fuss.

There are also a plethora of Windows 11 problems that users will run into from time to time, many of which are unique to the new operating system, and so you may need to update staff support material if a migration does happen.

What's most important is that Windows 11 should easily fit into your company's domains and environments, which makes upgrading a far more attractive proposition than previous newly-hatched Windows iterations have offered. In fact Windows 11’s biggest advantage is that its ability to integrate into organisational structure is the best yet.

However, the biggest hurdle you're likely to encounter is Microsoft's fairly narrow criteria for running Windows 11, as detailed above. Technically, there are ways to install Windows 11 on a machine that doesn't meet the requirements, but this will bypass all of the OS' various security improvements, which makes it unsuitable for professional environments.

As an example, for this Windows comparison, we tested a five year old, top-of-the-range Lenovo Ideapad for compatibility. It failed the Windows 11 requirements check on three counts, namely the chipset isn’t currently supported, secure boot was switched off by default, and even if it was, the TPM is version 1.2 with no paths for upgrade available. There’s plenty of life left in our test machine, which has more than enough processing power and RAM to run Windows 11, in theory, but seems doomed to end its days on Windows 10.

So unless you replace your hardware inventory very regularly, the idea of the upgrade might be moot from the start.

What if my business can’t upgrade to Windows 11?

If your machines aren’t ready for Windows 11, and can’t be updated, don’t panic.

Windows 10 will remain in development alongside Windows 11 until October 2025 and it's likely that Microsoft will widen the deployment to older chipsets that meet the other criteria between now and then.

Even if Microsoft keeps the criteria narrow, you will likely be ready to upgrade your device fleet by 2025, if not earlier, at which time you can simply opt for devices that are Windows 11 ready.

Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has announced a new version of Ubuntu Core for Internet of Things (IoT) and edge devices.

The fully containerized Ubuntu Core 22 variant, aligned with Ubuntu 22.04 long-term support (LTS) through 2023, offers a new embedded operating system paradigm that is inherently reliable and secure, stated Canonical in a blog post.

Additionally, the new release includes a fully preemptible kernel with a low-touch OS, extending real-time compute support for time-sensitive industrial, telecommunications, automotive, and robotics applications.

As for security, Ubuntu Core 22 builds on Ubuntu Core’s advanced safety features, including but not limited to, secure boot and full disk encryption. Applications are also isolated from one another and from the system at large, permitting‌ ‌a‌ ‌high‌ ‌level‌ ‌of‌ ‌fault‌ ‌tolerance.

Ubuntu Core 22 also maintains the same partition layout as Ubuntu Core 20, ensuring backward compatibility. Commenting on performance improvements, Canonical reported optimized footprint and reduced memory usage for Ubuntu Core 22 to make up for limited storage and CPU resources in conventional IoT and embedded devices.

“Our goal at Canonical is to provide secure, reliable open source everywhere – from the development environment to the cloud, down to the edge and to devices. With this release, and Ubuntu’s real-time kernel, we are ready to expand the benefits of Ubuntu Core across the entire embedded world,” said Mark Shuttleworth, Canonical CEO.

KMC Controls’ COO Brad Kehler commented, “KMC Controls’ range of IoT devices are purpose-built for mission-critical industrial environments. Security is paramount for our customers. We chose Ubuntu Core for its built-in advanced security features and robust over-the-air update framework.”

“Ubuntu Core comes with 10 years of security update commitment which allows us to keep devices secure in the field for their long life. With a proven application enablement framework, our development teams can focus on creating applications that solve business problems,” added Kehler.

Apple has officially announced iPadOS 16, its tablet-based operating system, with a range of new collaboration and workflow features.

The next iteration of iPadOS will have a greater focus on multitasking, though this is largely saved for M1-based iPads.

Like the macOS Ventura announcements, iPadOS 16 will have a form of the Stage Manager feature that allows users to see all their open windows and apps at once. Their current tab or app will float in the centre of the display while other open applications will sit down the side, ready to be dragged and dropped into place. Up to four apps can be displayed on the iPad, with another four available with an external display or connecting to an iMac.

Collaboration features are also coming to office apps like Pages, where users can share and edit central documents, similar to services Google offers on Sheets and Docs. Apple's version will work like a thread with participants alerted to changes as and when they happen. Other apps with this new sharing tool include Files, Keynote, Numbers, Notes, Reminders and even Safari. The company is also offering an API for developers to add the same - or similar - function into their own apps.

iPadOS 16 also has a new whiteboard app - Freeform - which is basically a sharable canvas supported with the Apple Pencil. It's due for release later in the year, but users will be able to pull up a variety of files, such as PDF documents, images and web links to edit and showcase on a whiteboard.

Much of this focus on collaboration is about bringing iPadOS more in line with desktop operating systems, with Apple claiming users have requested certain features. This is also true for new functions to view folder size on iPad and the ability to change file extensions. There is also a new colour reference mode which should benefit image and video workflows.

A developer preview of the new OS is already available with a public beta following in July. A full release, however, will be available sometime in the Autumn.

When it comes to running a business of any size, having a robust IT platform is essential if you hope to maximise productivity.

Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system underpins many organisation’s IT operations and offers a number of features and tools to help drive day-to-day business tasks. The platform has found the sweet spot between retaining the familiarity of previous Windows iterations, and the successful addition of modern features.

The OS offers three main versions: Home, Pro, and Enterprise. Choosing between these can be a little confusing as there are many overlapping features, but choosing the right one will provide the foundations for a fruitful and secure IT setup.

We take a look below at the key features that each one provides and how they stack up against each other to help you make the right call for your business.

How Windows 10 licencing works

Windows Home users that decide that the Pro version is more suited to their business needs can simply upgrade from their current version at any time.

However, while Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro are distinct variations of the OS, Windows 10 Enterprise is effectively an additional licence that builds upon the Pro version to make it more suitable to larger organisations. In order to utilise this add-on, you must first have an active Windows 10 Pro licence.

To confuse things further, there are two Enterprise subscription options available – E3 and E5 – and they essentially pack in more advanced security features and functionality across the IT ecosystem. With E3, for example, Windows 10 Enterprise can be deployed on up to five devices per user covered by the licence.

With these Enterprise licences, Microsoft says its aim is to provide small- and medium-sized businesses with flexible access to Windows 10 Enterprise features, which are unavailable in the Pro version.

Windows 10 Security features

With the ever-increasing risk of malicious software attacks, security is perhaps the most important element for a business when deciding on which operating system to implement.

Windows 10 Home edition covers the basics suitable for individual users and even some small businesses - including features such as Windows Hello, device encryption, firewall and network protection, and more.

Windows 10 Pro, which is geared more towards business use, offers more on top of that, throwing in BitLocker device disk encryption, which helps protect key business information – including when devices may be lost or stolen. It also offers Windows Information Protection (WIP) for defence against potential data theft across enterprise apps, Assigned Access 8.1, as well as Windows Hello for Business.

Windows 10 Enterprise Edition includes all the features above but with additional perks to further help mid-to-large size IT teams and organisations. Ultimately, this version has been designed to protect multiple endpoints, as well as enable centralised efficient software deployment, principally through its ‘Guard’ branded tools.

One such tool is Credential Guard, which leverages features such as Secure Boot and virtualisation to protect important data, only allowing access to privileged users. It’s a handy business tool as it blocks malicious software from accessing sensitive information through use of virtualisation-based isolation, helping to prevent credential theft attacks such as Pass-the-Hash and Pass-the-Ticket.

It does this by safeguarding NTLM password hashes, Kerberos Ticket Granting Tickets, as well as sensitive domain credentials stored by applications.

To complement Credential Guard, Windows 10 Enterprise also offers Device Guard, a group of hardware and software features that work together to allow only trusted apps to run on a device.

Usually, applications are trusted unless security software actively blocks them. Device Guard essentially flips this logic on its head with a zero-trust approach, and restricts Windows 10 only allowing apps to run that have been authorised by the business’ code integrity policies.

Enterprises can implement and manage Device Guard easily through Group Policy settings, Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, Windows PowerShell, and Microsoft InTune.

Additionally, with the Enterprise E5 licence, businesses can also leverage Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, an endpoint security platform design to help tackle and prevent advanced threats across user devices.

Below is a selection of the key security features found with each version of Windows 10.

Windows 10 Productivity tools

In terms of productivity features, all three of these Windows 10 versions largely offer the same range of applications and tools, including Microsoft Search in Windows 10, the Microsoft Edge browser, Microsoft’s Cortana voice assistant, and access to OneDrive cloud storage options.

There’s also the familiar Microsoft 365 family of productivity apps – which include the likes of Word, Excel and PowerPoint – as well as Microsoft Whiteboard, OneNote, and Windows Ink.

With Microsoft 365, Home and single users can either create a free Microsoft account or sign in with an existing one to get started. For businesses, Microsoft offers three subscription plans:

• Business Basic (£4.50 user/month)
• Business Standard (£9.40 user/month)
• Business Premium (£16.60 user/month)

With the latter, you get the whole package, including advanced security and device management features not present with the Basic and Standard subscriptions.

For those that just require the apps, there’s also Microsoft 365 Apps for business at a cost of £7.90 user/month, providing desktop versions of the classic Office apps, file storage with 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage, and cross-device availability for up to five devices per user.

As Microsoft 365 is delivered as a service, these tools are available across all versions of Windows 10, with Enterprise editions of the operating system naturally allowing for greater centralised control of app visibility for its end users.

Elsewhere, Windows 10 Enterprise users also get access to SMB Direct for transferring large amounts of data with minimal CPU usage, as well as persistent memory for the most demanding apps and data.

Windows 10 Management tools

Alongside security, deployment of software and updates is a crucial part of running a successful IT department. Naturally, this is where the Pro and Enterprise versions come into their own, offering a host of features that are not present on the Home edition.

Both of these versions offer an array of management and deployment tools, which include Mobile Device Management, shared PC mode, Windows Hello Management, a kiosk mode, and more.

With the Enterprise licences, businesses also get access to a number of other features to help manage their IT landscape. These include Application Virtualization (App-V), which is designed to make applications available to end users without installing that software directly on their device.

There’s also User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) for capturing user-customised Windows settings and storing them on a centrally managed network file share, while the Managed User Experience helps customise a Windows device user’s interface to restrict it to a certain task – particularly ideal for training purposes.

Windows 10 Design and navigation

All three of these Windows 10 versions offer a design that’s at once familiar to the end user and an improvement over older iterations of Microsoft’s operating system. The customisable Start Menu and taskbar offer quick access to applications either via alphabetical listing or a quick search feature.

Those familiar with previous Windows versions will feel comfortable navigating the file system, control panel and all the usual options. For IT professionals, security and deployment features are robust and easy to deploy for those with the know-how, thanks to the plethora of tools available.

The cross-device connectivity is also fluent and intuitive, allowing for easy access to files and tools whether signed in to a laptop, desktop, tablet, or mobile, and regardless of the OS variant that’s running.

In terms of installing OS and system updates, the businesses-orientated editions of Windows 10 can utilise the Windows Update for Business service, which allows updates to be deployed from a central console.

Essentially, though, if users can find their way around one version of Windows 10, they’ll have little trouble navigating other versions thanks to the platform’s familiar design and uniformity. There’s very little difference between Home, Pro, and Enterprise in terms of design.

Instead, the key differences are found in the management tools available and security functionality offered by the licence in play - making those elements of greater importance for businesses.

Windows 10 Home vs Pro vs Enterprise

As its name suggests, Windows 10 Home is a great option for sole or home use, offering crucial security features to protect personal data or private work information. If you run a small, self-employed business, its features can help you get the most from your day-to-day activities.

Windows 10 Pro ramps things up and its more advanced selection of features and tools make it better suited to helping small- and medium-sized businesses. Security is placed at the forefront of its functionality to ensure data is protected and users can get the most from their productivity apps.

For larger organisations that require more robust and intricate security across a greater number of endpoints, Windows 10 Enterprise subscription options represent the best way of keeping business and personal data secure and ensuring the safe deployment of key software and updates.

Additionally, users who are considering upgrading to Windows 11 should be aware that Microsoft has also introduced Windows 11 Home and Pro to its new operating system. Since Windows 10 is being developed alongside Windows 11 until October 2024, there's no rush to currently change. Despite this, when the time comes, businesses will have to choose between Windows 11 Home vs Pro depending on their teams' needs.

Google Chrome Enterprise has announced a swathe of new features for the Chrome browser and Chrome OS to help IT teams deploy greater security controls across staff devices.

Leading the new announcements is an array of new integrations with popular cyber security vendors’ products allowing them to be used seamlessly in Chrome OS and in the Chrome browser.

Bundled under the moniker of Chrome Enterprise Connectors Framework, four new integrations have been announced, with more currently in testing, across three key security pillars.

Netskope’s Security Cloud is one of the new integrations in the identity and access pillar, joining Okta Identity Engine’s policy support for Chrome OS, which was already available.

BlackBerry’s UEM and Samsung Knox are also both new, sitting in the endpoint management pillar, and will allow IT teams to better manage Chrome OS devices from one area.

VMware’s Workspace ONE will soon be updating its existing integration to the new Chrome Policy API and will be available in a testing programme soon.

Splunk’s Cloud Platform integration is the final new product available to IT teams to bolder their security insights and reporting. Google said it will provide insights into risky events in the workplace environment such as malware downloads and the re-use of vulnerable passwords.

Palo Alto Netowrks and CrowdStrike integrations are also expected to join Splunk’s soon after, once they pass through the Chrome Enterprise Trusted Tester Programme.

Google has also introduced a new category for ‘security and trust’ that allows IT teams to search for other Google-validated integrations that strengthen security and assist companies in moving to a Zero Trust model.

New security improvements are coming directly to Chrome OS too, in the form of enhanced policy controls. IT admins will now be able to define rules for users actions in a way that helps prevent data leakage.

Such actions include copy and paste, screen capturing, and printing. Chrome OS will be able to trigger controls on actions that could lead to data leakage or data theft on endpoints.

The new features precede Chrome Enterprise Day on 8 June - a one-day event for IT teams interested in running Chrome OS more securely across their organisation.

The event will offer sessions for all types of Chrome users, from basic Chrome browser users to teams refreshing old hardware with Chrome OS Flex.

Microsoft has begun trialling a new feature for Windows 11 Preview users that lets users search the web directly from the desktop.

The new widget was found by users of the Windows 11 25120 build, exclusive to members of the Windows Insider programme.

Users that have registered for the program have access to early builds of Windows with features Microsoft wants to run by Windows fans before they are considered for implementation into the final public-facing version.

The new search functionality comes in the form of a widget that stretches across a large percentage of the width of a display and looks similar to the Google search bar on Android home screens.

The feature allows users to search without loading a browser but in its current state, the new widget only allows users to search using the Microsoft Edge browser and the Bing search engine, regardless of the user’s default browser/engine configuration.

The functionality differs slightly from the enhanced search bar originally introduced in Windows 10 that displayed results for a given term both from the web and on the local system.

The widget is exclusive from the Windows taskbar and only searches the web, opening an Edge browser window once the term has been entered.

Not every user running the Windows 11 25120 preview build has access to the search widget, according to user reports, but some users have been able to enable it using third-party software ViveTool.

The new feature won’t be to everyone’s liking, especially given the restrictions relating to the browser and search engine, but it’s easily disabled by right-clicking the desktop, clicking ‘Show more options’ and then unchecking ‘Show search’.

It’s important to note that the feature is only in the current preview build and many of the features Microsoft trials in these versions don’t end up making the final, stable version that is released to all users.

Microsoft recently tested a controversial feature in a previous preview build that showed adverts for other Microsoft products, such as Microsoft Editor, inside applications like File Explorer.

The Windows community criticised Microsoft heavily for trialling the feature in the March 2022 preview build and the company later told IT Pro that it was an experimental feature that was ultimately removed.

Long-time Windows users will also remember that Microsoft also attempted this in 2021 with ads in the Start Menu, and back in Windows 10 too when users were served OneDrive ads, again, within File Explorer.

Open-source specialist Red Hat has unveiled details of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, which it says will provide a springboard for more consistent innovation across the open hybrid cloud.

From bare metal servers to cloud providers and the farthest edge of enterprise networks, the operating system has been designed to drive enterprise transformation in line with the latest automation requirements.

This latest version of the platform is the first production release built from CentOS Stream, the continuously delivered Linux distribution that tracks just ahead of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The open-source giant says this approach helps the broader Red Hat Enterprise Linux ecosystem provide feedback, code and feature updates to the platform.

“As the world’s leading enterprise Linux platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 extends wherever needed across the open hybrid cloud and beyond, pairing the trusted backbone of enterprise Linux with the innovative catalysts of open source communities,” explained Matthew Hicks, Red Hat’s executive vice president of Products and Technologies.

“Linux is positioned at the epicentre of rapid technological evolution and that Linux is Red Hat Enterprise Linux.”

Red Hat says this latest iteration incorporates key enhancements specifically designed to address evolving IT needs at the edge – including comprehensive edge management delivered as a service to oversee and scale remote deployments with greater control and security functionality.

There’s also automatic container control with Podman, the platform’s integrated container management technology, which can detect if a newly updated container fails to start and then roll it back to the previous working version.

Red Hat has also introduced a new image builder service which supports image creation for customized filesystems and major cloud providers and virtualization technologies – including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and VMware.

Among its security perks, RHEL 9 incorporates features to help address hardware-level vulnerabilities like Spectre and Meltdown, as well as capabilities to help user-space processes create memory areas that are inaccessible to potentially malicious code.

That’s alongside integrity measurement architecture (IMA) digital hashes and signatures, through which users can verify the integrity of the operating system. Red Hat says this will help detect rogue infrastructure modifications and limit potential system compromises.

Elsewhere, the platform also adds an expanded set of Red Hat Enterprise Linux System Roles, as well as support for kernel live patching from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux web console.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 will be generally available in the coming weeks via the Red Hat Customer Portal and major cloud marketplaces, the firm said. The platform will also be accessible through no-cost Red Hat Developer programs.

“The platform is designed for an automated world, where the operating system forms the connection point between otherwise disparate and disconnected environments and technologies,” said Ashesh Badani, senior vice president of Products at Red Hat.

“Whether it's extending existing skills into new IT footprints or helping to bring cloud-native workloads to production, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 provides the innovation engine for the modern and future enterprise.”