Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 36, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, hello, I’m thrilled you found us, the Installerverse loves you, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) I missed you all last week! I was at a [...]read moreArc is the best new browser for Windows
Microsoft’s latest Windows Insider blog posts say that when it comes to testing new Copilot features in Windows 11, “We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback.” For people who already have the feature, “Copilot in Windows will continue to work as expected while we [...]read moreMicrosoft needs some time to ‘refine’ updates for Copilot AI in Windows
Microsoft says it’s investigating reports of VPN connection failures after installing the April 2024 Windows 11 update. The KB5036893 security update was issued on April 9th for all supported Windows 11 versions, and some users have reported that VPN connections with TPM-backed certificates aren’t working after the patch was installed. Reddit user Flo-TPG says the [...]read moreMicrosoft investigating VPN issues with latest Windows 11 update
The Browser Company, makers of the Arc web browser, released its Windows version today. The company started testing the Windows client in December, and it said that more than 150,000 people have been using it. The startup, which aims to replace your current browser, recently raised $50 million at a $550 million valuation. Today, The [...]read moreThe Browser Company releases Arc for WindowsA
Microsoft is starting to enable ads inside the Start menu on Windows 11 for all users. After testing these briefly with Windows Insiders earlier this month, Microsoft has started to distribute update KB5036980 to Windows 11 users this week, which includes “recommendations” for apps from the Microsoft Store in the Start menu. “The Recommended section [...]read moreWindows 11 Start menu ads are now rolling out to everyone
Spoilers for Final Fantasy XVI and its expansions follow. Rarely has a game confused me as much as Final Fantasy XVI. Though I loved most of my time with it, thanks to its pulse-pounding action, heartfelt performances, luscious visuals, and impeccable score, it undoubtedly faltered. Final Fantasy 16 abandoned its most controversial and consequential storyline—centering [...]read moreFinal Fantasy 16’s DLCs Offer Windows Into What Could’ve Been
Microsoft is starting to improve the experience of downloading Windows store apps from the web. The software giant has built what it calls an “undocked version of the [Microsoft] Store” that works like a typical executable to install apps from the Microsoft Store. It should cut down on the complexity involved in finding Windows store [...]read moreMicrosoft makes it easier to install Windows store apps from the web
A couple of weeks ago, I ran out of screen on the one external monitor my work-issued MacBook Air can run. So I switched to my five-year-old Windows desktop and plugged in another monitor. Love it. Productivity through the roof. But it means that I’m finally spending significant time in Windows 11, and gosh, is [...]read moreWhy is Windows 11 so got dang annoying?
Microsoft says it’s starting to test ads inside the Start menu on Windows 11. The software maker will use the Recommended section of the Start menu, which usually shows file recommendations, to suggest apps from the Microsoft Store. “This will appear only for Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel in the US and will not [...]read moreMicrosoft starts testing ads in the Windows 11 Start menu
Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14th, 2025, and you’ll need to pay yearly if you want to continue using the operating system securely. Microsoft will offer Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 users, with pricing starting at $61 for the first year. The pricing for additional security updates will be [...]read moreMicrosoft reveals how much businesses will have to pay to keep using Windows 10 securely