Tag: Windows 11

Snipping Tool feature now in testing will sort you out in a jiffy

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• Windows 11 is powering up the Snipping Tool in testing right now
• A new feature allows you to copy all the text from an image straight away
• There’s no need to take a screenshot first, as was previously the case, so this is a neat time-saver

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Microsoftis making it even easier forWindows 11users to be able to extract text from images (or any content) on the screen.

Windows 11 already has this OCR-powered (Optical Character Recognition) ability, as you may be aware, but at the moment, it’s necessary totake a screenshot first with the Snipping Toolbefore you can extract text from that image.

With a new update for the Snipping Tool that’s just been released (which was leaked previously), you don’t need to grab a screenshot to perform text extraction any longer – although bear in mind this is still in testing at this point (so may still be wonky).

AsNeowin reports, with previewversion 11.2503.27.0of the Snipping Tool, you can simply hit theWindows + Shift + Skeys together, and this will pop up the capture bar for the tool.

However, instead of having to create a snip (screenshot), the ‘text extractor’ option will be right there in the bar, so you can just click that, with no need to save a screen grab first.

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(Image credit: Microsoft)

Analysis: Power(Toys) to the people

Essentially, this is directly integrating the ability to extract text from images (or any screen content) into Windows 11, with no additional steps needed, mirroring the functionality present in Microsoft’sPowerToys suite of tools(for advanced Windows users) – and it’s definitely going to be appreciated by folks who use this capability.

It’s obviously less of a hassle than having to clear the hurdle of actually grabbing a screenshot, if all you’re interested in doing is copying all the text that’s currently visible on your monitor.

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I sayallthe text, but that’s only what happens if you use the ‘Copy all text’ option provided. If you just want a specific portion of text, you can manually select and extract only those words (it’s also possible to remove line breaks if you want).

Microsoft is slowly expanding Windows 11’s OCR powers, and you may recall that late last year, thePhotos app got Optical Character Recognition built into pull text from images directly within the application.

Windows takes a step backward to move forward

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone whoisn’tdispleased withWindows11 in some shape or form, but Microsoft is developing a newWindows 11Start menu that’s bound to make a lot of people happy.

Bluesky userphantomofearth, who dives into Windows Insider builds, discovered the new Start menu in a recent build. The menu offers a larger, more streamlined look that finally displays all of your apps in one place. More importantly, you can finally axe the Recommended feed.

The new Windows 11 Start menu

PreviousWindows 10users have been asking for this back forever now, which makes sense why people are so excited. Going a step backward is obviously a step forward for Windows, which surprises (let me check) no one.

To be clear, I am still using Windows 10 for my gaming PC for these exact issues… and also Microsoft put aridiculous hardware requirementon Windows 11. (At least I get to experience the silliness on each laptop I review.)

Again, I love that I don’t need to go through two different menus just to see my appsandthat I don’t need to see the (generally) useless Recommended section anymore. However, a list of all the apps in alphabetical order isn’t exactly clean, either. It just makes it more accessible.

Getting the apps front and center is nice and all, but I’m more excited about the overall customization.

With the new UI, you can easily switch between seeing “All” apps alphabetically, all apps in a Name Grid, and then in Categories. This isn’t anything new, but the Category setting previously felt useless because I’d have to click into the Start menu, click All, then click on the category with the app I want, and finally click the app.

However, now with Categories, you’d get an instant, clean look at all my apps in the Start menu on one page with little-to-no scrolling. This isn’t revolutionary by any means, but Microsoft makes Windows hard to love. Heck, that’s why some folksditched Windows 11 for Linux.

But if the Categories aren’t your style, you can now pin more apps, up to 8 per row. And you’re not stuck with 3 rows anymore, you can technically customize all the apps you see on your Start menu by doing this. So, folks who are very particular will have a field day customizing their Start menu.

If all you care about is ditching the Recommended section, however, you can disable it in the Personalization section in the Settings. Or at least whenever this update becomes available.

Technically, this feature was found in both the 23H2 and 24H2 versions of Windows 11. All that means is that we’ll likely see these new features soon, ideally in the coming weeks.

Fresh round of emails encourages upgrades to Windows 11, but I’m not happy with the way some of this messaging is angled

Image Credit: Microsoft(Image credit: Microsoft)

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• Microsoft is sending out emails to push people to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11
• While on the face of it, that seems a useful move to help some users, Microsoft’s angling of the email is far from ideal
• It also runs the risk of making Windows 10 users feel spammed, particularly as they’re still getting nudged numerous times within the OS itself

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Microsoftis once again trying to persuadeWindows 10users that they need toupgrade to Windows 11, ahead of the impending cessation of support for the older operating system later this year.

This time, though, the nudge to upgrade isn’t being delivered within Windows 10 itself, but via email – although it isn’t the first time Microsoft has tried this approach.

I received an email from Microsoft (sent to the email address linked to my Microsoft account) regarding my Windows 10 PC needing an upgrade at the end of November 2024, a few months back, but now the software giant is sending out fresh messages to upgrade this month.

I didn’t get this latest mail (not yet, anyway), butWindows Latestdid, and although it carries the same title, a warning that ‘End of support for Windows 10 is approaching,’ the email itself is somewhat different.

The overall thrust of the content is similar though. There’s a prominent reminder of the exact date that Microsoft halts support for Windows 10 – which happens on October 14, 2025 – and some suggestions of what to do with your old PC (trade it in, or recycle the machine). You can also click a link to check your upgrade eligibility forWindows 11.

Microsoft also clarifies that your PC will continue to work, it’s just that there will be no more support – as in software updates – piped through. There’s also a link to some blurb on how Windows 11 is more secure (which is certainly true), and a nudge to use OneDrive to back up your files if you plan to use Windows 10 after the deadline has passed, heading into 2026.

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Analysis: Overstepping boundaries and taking some odd angles

There are a couple of things that strike me as odd here. Firstly, the plug for OneDrive feels very gratuitous, and hardly a solution to counter the prospect of having your PC compromised by running an out-of-date OS. Where on earth is the stern warning that it really isn’t a good idea to run Windows 10 on your PC when support for theoperating systemexpires?

As you may be aware, without security updates, your computer will be left vulnerable to exploits, as when holes appear in Windows 10, they will no longer be patched up – a recipe for disaster, potentially.

Of course, if you really want to stick with Windows 10, then for the first time ever, consumers can pay to extend support, and I’d recommend you do so. Oddly enough, Microsoft doesn’t mention this extension of support in its email.

I say it’s odd, but then, Microsoft would really prefer you upgrade to Windows 11 anyway, either on your current PC – if it’s eligible – or by purchasing a new Windows 11 computer. And to that end, there’s a link in the email to ‘explore new computers’ which is something Microsoft has been urging us to do for a while now.As I’ve discussed before, there’s arguably merit to the suggestion in some ways, but a whole lot of other concerns outweighing that around the environmental toll that aton of Windows 10 PCs ending up on the scrapheapmight usher in.

These are serious worries, and likely why Microsoft is sending the other message in this email advising on recycling (or trading in) your old Windows 10 PC if you do upgrade.

The other point here is do you want to be getting emails direct from Microsoft about Windows 10 upgrades? Well, in some ways, I guess it’s better (or at least slightly less annoying) than being pushed to upgrade within the operating system itself, but the problem is,Microsoft is doing that as well– so Windows 10 users are getting both barrels, as it were. Sigh…

We can likely expect several further barrages of these kind of emails as 2025 progresses, and the October support deadline draws nearer – messages that folks may well be wanting their spam filter to deal with, frankly.

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Don’t get me wrong here: I’m not saying it isn’t important to warn consumers about the dangers of an out-of-date operating system – it definitely is – but Microsoft is rather overstepping with its broad approach here, and worse still, this particular email actually undersells those dangers (while overselling other Microsoft products).