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Microsoft Edge will not bother EU users anymore
Microsoft has announced some major changes for Windows 11 for users in the European Economic Area. The operating system will no longer pester you to set Microsoft Edge as the default browser, if you don’t launch it. If you uninstall Edge, Microsoft won’t bother you to reinstall it.
Users in the EU will be able to uninstall the Microsoft Store app, by right-clicking the icon in Start, or from the apps list in the Settings. Microsoft says that apps that rely on the Microsoft Store will continue to receive updates even if the Store itself has been removed.
Windows Search will open web results in your default browser instead of opening them in Microsoft Edge. And as for the sources where the results are fetched from, you can control that too, by setting a different search provider instead of Bing. If you don’t want to see results from the web, you can disable the feature completely.
Microsoft says that these changes have begun rolling out to users. These are great improvements, but will be available only for people in Europe, while the rest of the world watches with envy.
Windows 11 will save your laptop’s battery, by throttling the PC when idle
Microsoft is testing a new power-saving feature that is designed to prolong the battery life on laptops. Windows 11 will automatically throttle the computer when there is no input from the user. Microsoft says that the feature is called User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management, and it is an OS-level enhancement that helps reduce power consumption. It explains that the amount of power saved will depend on various factors such as the power mode, battery state (plugged in or on battery), and the manufacturer-defined Processor Power Management (PPM) settings.
A report about the feature suggests that it will be different to the existing power-saving settings in Windows 11. The new feature will automatically lower the clock speeds or voltages to drop to a lower performance state, and activate a sleep-like mode similar to a C-State. When it detects input from the user, the operating system will restore the full performance. Microsoft is currently testing the new power-saver in Windows 11 Insider Builds, it is unclear when it will bring the feature to the stable channel, but rumors suggest that it will be available for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2.
Windows 11’s Notepad is getting Markdown formatting
Over the past few years, Notepad has gained features like tabs, spell check, and even text generation via Copilot AI. Microsoft is now testing something different in the text editor, Notepad is set to gain support for Markdown formatting. This could change how the plain text editor is used, as Markdown is a simpler alternative for HTML, and lets you format text using options like Bold, Italics, and also offers the ability to add numbered lists, bulleted lists, hyperlinks, and headings in documents.
Microsoft says that Markdown is completely optional, and can be disabled from Notepad’s settings if a user does not want the feature. Those who do want to use it, will be able to access the new formatting options from the Edit menu, View menu and the status bar. This feature is currently available for Windows Insiders.
YouTube Premium Lite will start showing more ads
In what seems to be a bizarre move, YouTube Premium Lite will soon start displaying more ads for paying users. The Lite version already displays ads for users in some genres, i.e. when you watch some music videos, or browse or search the streaming service. Now, YouTube has begun sending mails to subscribers that YouTube Lite will display ads in Shorts. Users have criticized YouTube for focusing heavily on maximizing revenue from advertising, even for those who subscribe to YouTube Premium Lite for $7.99 per month.
The service’s truly ad-free experience is only available in the more expensive YouTube Premium, which is nearly twice as expensive at $13.99 per month. The Lite plan is only available in the following Countries: United States, Australia, Thailand, Germany, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and Great Britain. YouTube’s decision to display more ads could be a tactic to push users towards the costlier subscription. Google’s aggressive stance towards ad blockers have drawn criticism from users, privacy experts, but the company refuses to budge.
Microsoft launches Bing Video Creator powered by OpenAI’s tech
Microsoft has announced Bing Video Creator, it is now available for all users. This AI-powered video generator uses OpenAI’s Sora model, which was launched in December 2024. Unlike Sora, which is only available for ChatGPT subscribers, Bing Video Creator offers video-generation for free. Well, there is a catch. You get 10 fast creations for free, after which the model switches to Standard Creation speeds, and these are really slow. Users can spend 100 of their Microsoft Rewards points for one Fast creation.
As for the video generation process, it is fairly similar to how one can create images in Copilot. Type “Create a video of”, add your query to it, and wait for the AI to generate the video. The videos that Bing Video Creator makes are just 5 seconds long, and only available in 9:16 aspect ratio, though Microsoft says that 16:9 format is coming soon. Bing Video Creator is now available via the Bing app for iOS and Android, a web version of the tool is being planned.
KDE welcomes Windows 10 exiles to Linux
Linux software group, KDE, has criticized Microsoft’s suggestion for users to abandon their old computers. KDE thinks this could add to the Earth’s pollution, and damage air, earth and water as old systems rot in landfills. It is welcoming Windows 10 exiles to Linux, pointing out that the open-source operating system is free, lightweight, and that it can run on computers that are 10 or 15 years old. KDE also advised Windows 10 users not to stick with the outdated operating system, as it could become prone to new bugs that are discovered and remain unpatched.
Plasma, KDE’s desktop environment, looks and works similar to Windows. But there are other options out there for users who may be planning to switch to Linux. The End of 10 Project, which was backed by KDE, also tries to help Windows 10 users migrate to Linux as Windows 10’s end of support date draws closer. Microsoft will discontinue support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025.