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Apple is not the only company with big software announcements today. Microsoft is dropping two preview builds for Windows 11 users, which introduce major changes to the Start menu. Those in the Dev Channel can download build 26200.5641 (KB5060824) and try the much-improved Start menu and other changes. Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel receive build 26120.4250 with the same changelog. The new Start menu features several changes that make it easier to launch your favorite app. It no longer uses a two-page view, focusing on a single scrollable view instead. At the top, you have your pins, then the Recommended section (you can now turn it off completely), and a list of all apps presented as a grid or categories. Also, the Start menu is now more adaptive, which means users with bigger displays will have a larger Start menu to display more apps (up to eight columns of pinned apps, six recommendations, and four category columns). Finally, it has a new button that lets you expand or collapse the Phone Link pane. By the way, you can check out this article if you want to take a look at other Start menu variants that Microsoft considered when working on the new Start menu. Other changes in build 26200.5641 include the ability to select what widgets appear on the lock screen and the so-called Screen Curtain for Narrator. The latter blacks out the display, keeping the content of the screen available only to those using the Narrator. You can turn on or off the Screen curtain by pressing Caps Lock + Ctrl + C. Also, Narrator now has a new welcome experience that guides users through its features and recent changes. The Settings page is getting two sections fused into one: Searching in Windows and Search Permissions are now just Search in the Privacy & Security section. The gamepad keyboard now has improved navigation and improved focus handling for child keys, flyout menus, word suggestions, language switching, settings, etc. It also works on the lock screen when you have to enter your PIN. Here are other fixes that Microsoft is rolling out gradually to Windows Insiders: [General] This build should fix an underlying issue in the previous flight which was causing input to not work for some Insiders, including when typing into Search, and with the Chinese pinyin IME candidate window, clipboard history, and the emoji panel. [Recall (Preview)] The following fixes are rolling out for Recall on Copilot+ PCs: Fixed an issue causing Recall to crash for some Insiders in the last couple flights. [Taskbar] Fixed an issue where in some cases taskbar icons might appear small even though the setting to show smaller taskbar buttons was configured as “never”. [File Explorer] Fixed an issue where restoring a File Explorer search result from Recall would open File Explorer but not show your search string. [Windowing] Fixed an issue where ALT + Tabbing out of a full screen game could lead to other windows freezing (like Windows Terminal). [Login and lock] Fixed an issue causing the lock screen to crash for some Insiders in the previous flight. [Graphics] Fixed an issue causing some displays to be unexpectedly green after the latest flights. [Settings] Fixed an underlying issue which could lead to the Settings window hanging and no longer responding to input or resizing unless you closed and reopened it. Fixed an issue in System > Display, where if UAC was set to Always Notify and you tried to click the button to do color calibration for your display and cancelled, it would crash Settings. Fixed an issue in System > Display, where a chevron might display for Brightness even if there were no additional settings to display. Fixed an issue where if you changed to a custom mouse cursor in Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch, it could make Settings crash. There is also a single fix that is rolling out to everyone right here, right now: [General] We fixed the issue where you might see severe discoloration when connecting your PC to some older Dolby Vision displays. Here are the known bugs in both Dev and Beta Channels: After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue. [NEW] Some Windows Insiders may experience a rollback trying to install this update with a 0x80070005 in Windows Update. We’re working on a fix for the next flight. [Start menu] The following are known issues for Windows Insiders with the new Start menu: [NEW] Using touch to navigate the new Start menu may not work reliably. For example, it currently does not support the swipe-up gesture. [NEW] Drag and drop capabilities are limited from “All” to “Pinned.” [NEW] In some cases, duplicate entries may appear in folders on the Start menu. [Xbox Controllers] Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on “View” and then “Devices by Driver”. Find the driver named “oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)” where the “XXX” will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click “Uninstall”. [Click to Do (Preview)] The following known issues will be fixed in future updates to Windows Insiders: Windows Insiders on AMD or Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs may experience long wait times on the first attempt to perform intelligent text actions in Click to Do after a new build or model update. [Improved Windows Search] [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows. [File Explorer] The following are known issues for AI actions in File Explorer: Narrator scan mode may not work properly in the action result canvas window for the Summarize AI action for Microsoft 365 files when reading bulleted lists. As a workaround, you can use Caps + Right key to navigate. [Widgets] Until we complete support for pinning in the new widgets board experience, pinning reverts you back to the previous experience Note that the Dev build has two more known issues: The option to reset your PC under Settings > System > Recovery will not work on this build. We’re investigating an issue causing a small number of Insiders to experience repeated bugchecks with KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE after upgrading to most current Dev Channel builds. You can find the official announcement for the Dev build here and for the Beta build here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

In addition to iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, Apple announced macOS 26 Tahoe, a new desktop operating system. Like the other operating systems made in Cupertino, macOS Tahoe features a redesigned UI with Liquid Glass, translucent icons, and other visual upgrades. There are also plenty of new features, such as a new Phone app for Mac, Live Activities on Mac, a massive Spotlight update, and a lot more. However, not all Mac owners will get to enjoy macOS 26. Like with iOS and iPadOS, Apple is dropping a few Macs with the release of macOS 26. You will be able to update to the new operating system if you own one of the following Apple computers. MacBook Air M1 and newer MacBook Pro M1 and newer MacBook Pro 13-inch 2020 (four Thunderbolt 3 ports) and newer MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019 iMac 2020 and newer Mac mini 2020 and newer Mac Studio 2022 and newer Mac Pro 2019 and newer Note that although Apple still supports Intel-based Macs, not all features will be available on systems that do not have Apple Silicon chips. Now-unsupported Macs that cannot upgrade from macOS Sequoia to macOS Tahoe are the following computers with Intel processors: Intel-based iMac 2019 Intel-based Mac mini 2018 iMac Pro Intel-based MacBook Air 2020 Intel-based MacBook Pro 2018 macOS 26 Tahoe is now available for developers to try in the beta program. Apple plans to launch the first public beta in July, alongside the release of public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and other operating systems that the company announced earlier today. You can find all the new features in macOS 26 Tahoe on the official Apple website. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

The speculation can finally end, as the rumors about the name turned out to be completely true. At its Worldwide Developers Conference today, Apple officially christened the next version of its desktop operating system macOS Tahoe. This release, part of the new "26" family of operating systems like iOS 26, is bringing more than just a new name to the table. The most significant and immediate change is a system-wide visual redesign Apple is calling "Liquid Glass." Let's talk about this new design, because it is the first thing you will notice. Apple is taking the translucent, layered look from its visionOS and bringing it everywhere. It is a fundamental change to how macOS looks and feels, which some Neowin readers are definitely not a fan of. Sidebars, toolbars, and menus all have this frosted glass effect, where their color and texture shift based on the window or wallpaper behind them. The menu bar is now completely transparent, and Apple is also adding more customization. You can now change the color of folders, which is a feature people have wanted for nearly forever, and add little symbols or emojis to them. The bigger story for day-to-day use might be how much tighter the Mac and iPhone are becoming. Last year, macOS Sequoia saw the release of apps like the dedicated Passwords app, and this year, with Tahoe, we get a full-blown Phone app on the Mac. It is not just for getting call notifications anymore. You can see your recent calls, check your voicemail, and access your contacts list just like you would on your iPhone. New features like Call Screening, which can figure out who is calling before you answer, are also included. Live Activities from your iPhone, like the status of an Uber ride or a food delivery, will now show up right in your Mac's menu bar. Spotlight search is also getting a massive update. For years, Spotlight has been a simple tool for finding files and launching apps. Now, Apple is trying to turn it into an action center. You will be able to perform tasks directly from the search results, like creating a new note or sending an email, without ever opening the corresponding application. The search results themselves are supposed to be smarter and are no longer separated into rigid categories. Everything just shows up in one big list, ranked by what the system thinks is most relevant to you. Despite Apple's ongoing AI challenges, Apple Intelligence is getting new abilities. The AI features introduced last year are being expanded. A new Live Translation feature can translate text in Messages or audio during a phone call or FaceTime, all on the device, to maintain privacy. The Shortcuts app is also getting more powerful. You can now build automations that tap directly into Apple's AI models to do more complex tasks, like summarizing an audio recording of a lecture and comparing it to your typed notes. And yes, Apple is still trying to make gaming on the Mac a serious thing. A new dedicated app called Apple Games is being introduced. It acts as a central library for all your games, similar to launchers you might see on a PC. It also includes a new Game Overlay, which lets you mess with system settings or chat with friends without leaving your game. Apple announced that titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Crimson Desert, and Lies of P: Overture are on their way to the platform. Other mainstays are getting refreshed as well. Safari has a redesigned tab layout, Messages is getting polls, and the Journal app is finally making its way from the iPhone to the Mac. The first developer beta for macOS Tahoe is available today, June 9, 2025. A public beta is expected to follow next month, with the final version being released for free to everyone with a compatible Mac this fall. You can check out all the details in Apple's official macOS announcement on the Newsroom. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

After months of swirling rumors, Apple kicked off its WWDC 2025 event today. The event was mostly focused on a slew of new AI-driven features for Apple devices and the company's new operating systems, which carry the Liquid Glass design. However, iOS 26 was the flagship of the event as it posed to alter the user experience of Apple's best-selling product, the iPhone. During the event, Apple announced the list of compatible iPhone models with iOS 26. Here is the list: iPhone 16e iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhone 14 Plus iPhone 14 Pro iPhone 14 Pro Max iPhone 13 iPhone 13 mini iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 12 iPhone 12 mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) If you own any of these iPhone models, you can expect to receive the first iOS 26 public beta next month via the Apple Beta Software Program. Also, developers can already access iOS 26 beta through the Apple Developer Program. The stable version is expected to drop in September with the iPhone 17 series. The above list of compatible iPhones with iOS 26 also signifies the end of software support for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. It's important to note that these models might still receive security updates from Apple to safeguard the device against potential threats. Apple calls iOS 26 "our broadest design update ever." It includes significant upgrades and changes compared to the previous version, though the final thoughts about the experience will be determined after the first beta hits users' devices next month. iOS 26 is also heavily focused on AI capabilities as Apple has expanded the footprint of its Apple Intelligence suite to almost every corner of the operating system. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

At WWDC 2025, Apple announced iOS 26, a major software update with the biggest redesign since iOS 7 in 2013. With iOS 26 (other Apple-made operating systems now also carry the number 26 for more unified naming), Apple is introducing "Liquid Glass," a new material across the operating system, featuring Windows Vista-like glass material with translucency, reflections, light refraction, parallax, and more. Here is what Apple's senior VP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, said about the release: The redesigned UI is available on the Lock Screen and Home Screen, giving you more ways to personalize your iPhone and iPad. The Lock Screen can now generate a 3D effect for your photos and keep the most interesting parts of them as you receive notifications. With iOS 26, Apple is introducing new Apple Intelligence capabilities like Live Translation in iMessage, FaceTime, and Phone, allowing users to communicate across languages and translate text on the fly. You can also ask ChatGPT questions about what is happening on the screen, and Genmoji can mix your favorite emojis. Apple also redesigned the Phone app with a new UI and Call Screening feature, which eliminates interruptions by gathering information from the caller to let the user decide if they want to pick up the call. iMessage can filter out messages from unknown callers, set backgrounds for your chats, add polls, and display typing indicators in group chats. Apple Music now features Lyric Translations so you can understand music in foreign languages, and Lyrics Pronunciations will help you sing along regardless of language. Additionally, iOS 26 features a new Apple Games app, a single place for all your games, improved parental controls, new accessibility features, and more. You can read more about iOS 26 in the official announcement post on Apple Newsroom. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

iPadOS 26, announced at WWDC 2025 on June 9, introduces many upgrades to the iPad experience, which brings it a few steps closer to the long-promised "laptop replacement." The operating system now has a much better window management system that lets you place any window wherever you like it, a proper menu bar, and the classic window controls straight from macOS. On top of that, iPadOS 26 features the redesigned user interface with "Liquid Glass" elements that resemble the UI of Windows Vista and Windows 7 back in the day. Overall, the update looks promising, but not all iPads will be able to upgrade from iPadOS 18 to iPadOS 26. Here is a list of iPads that are compatible with the new operating system: iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation (A12X) and newer iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation (A12X) and newer iPad Air 3rd generation (A12) and newer iPad 8 (A12) and newer iPad mini 5th generation (A12) and newer With iPadOS 26, Apple is dropping only one iPad: the iPad 7 with the A10 Fusion. From now on, iPadOS is only compatible with iPads running an A12 chip (regular or X). The first developer beta of iPadOS 26 is now available. Apple plans to start public testing in July, but exact dates are not available as of right now, so stay tuned for future announcements. You can also check out the full list of iPadOS 26 features on this page. If you have an iPhone and you also want to know what models are supported by iOS 26, check out this article. It lists all the iPhones that can upgrade to the new operating system and those that will remain forever stuck on the current iOS 18. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

As expected, today, at WWDC 2025, Apple announced iOS 26 and other operating systems that now carry the 26 version number (for simplicity). iPadOS is also part of the big redesign, and it is now official with the new Liquid Glass design, improved window controls, a Mac-like menu bar, file management enhancements, and more. In addition to the general Liquid Glass redesign, which is now present across all of Apple's operating systems, iPadOS 26 received several iPad-exclusive upgrades. It now has a reworked windowing system that helps you organize and switch between apps. You can finally place and resize apps exactly how you want. Plus, iPadOS now has familiar window controls: three buttons for closing, minimizing, and resizing your app. Straight from macOS. Apps can now remember their previous size and position, and Expose can show you all open windows. Finally, iPadOS now has a menu bar, which is another thing that comes from macOS. It gives access to common actions, commands, and features. Developers can customize the menu bar in their apps and specify what features are available there. Apple is also upgrading the Files app with a reworked List view, which now shows more details about your files and the ability to expand or collapse folders. Plus, you can customize folders with colors and emojis, pin folders to the dock, and set default apps for file types. When working with long-running processes, background tasks show up as live activities, so that you can track Final Cut exports or the Files app moving stuff around. Other changes in iPadOS 26 include improved audio controls and the ability to select audio input source and record audio with voice isolation. The Journal app is now available on the iPad, Notes received markdown support, and Calculator now supports 3D graphing capabilities. You can learn more about iPadOS 26 in the official announcement post here. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Apple has unveiled watchOS 26, another operating system under the new naming scheme (all of Apple's systems now feature the same version number to match the current/upcoming year) and "Liquid Glass" Redesign. The latter is a dynamic interface that features translucency, reflections, parallax, and other visual candy. Aside from the redesign and a new number, Apple is introducing new health and workout features. Workout Buddy is a feature that offers personalized, spoken motivation during workouts. It analyzes your pace, heart rate, and fitness history, delivering real-time encouragement and more engagement, like having someone else work out next to you, providing useful information and cheering you up. Here is an example of what you will hear with Workout Buddy: The Workout app also has a more streamlined interface with four buttons in the corners for quick access to favorite features during workouts. You can set up music and podcasts right in the Workout app so that your favorite content starts playing when you begin your workout. In addition, Apple announced a new one-handed wrist flick gesture that allows users to dismiss notifications with a quick flick, which is convenient when you cannot use your both hands to interact with your watch. Other changes include the Notes app, which now lets you access notes on the Apple Watch, Hold Assist and Call Screening in the Phone app, Live Listen with real-time Live Captions of what the iPhone hears, improvements to the Photos face, and more. watchOS 26 will be available later this year, and the first developer betas are expected soon. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

WWDC 2025 is now live, and Apple has finally renamed all of its operating systems to version 26. This year, we have tvOS 26 for the Apple TV, featuring the freshly-baked Liquid Glass software design. Apple explained that Liquid Glass brings a fresh and vibrant look to Apple TV, "delivering a fresh and expressive design that beautifully reflects and refracts its surroundings using real-time rendering." Content is the primary focus of the experience when you fast-forward, rewind, or change a setting from the Control Center. The redesigned Apple TV app now features new poster art for movies and TV shows, with a touch of Liquid Glass. Users can now choose whether to display the profile switcher UI when their Apple TV wakes up, allowing them to quickly access their Watchlist and recommendations in the TV app, as well as playlists in Apple Music. Speaking of Apple Music, your iPhone can now double as a handheld microphone for Apple TV. The new karaoke mode allows multiple users to queue up songs from their iPhones and sing along, with support for lyrics translation and pronunciation. Apple has updated the FaceTime experience to make it consistent with iPhone. Contact Posters introduced with iOS 17 are now available on Apple TV, which display a contact's customized photo and name when starting a FaceTime call. Live Captions support on FaceTime now includes French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish. FaceTime on Apple TV has been updated to display phone and voice call notifications for active profiles. Users can use their connected HomePod speakers or iPhone to answer them. Apart from that, tvOS 26 also brings new Aerial screen savers, featuring India's Goa and Kerala. Users can also personalize their screensaver experience and designate any AirPlay-enabled speaker as the permanent speaker for Apple TV. tvOS 26 has also made the sign-in experience a bit easier for users. Developers can link app logins to an Apple account, making it quicker for users to access their apps and content when setting up a new device. The new tvOS update is now available for testing through the Apple Developer Program, supported on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and later). Meanwhile, the updated sing-along feature is available on iPhone 11 and later with Apple TV 4K (3rd generation). Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

ICANN, the organization responsible for ensuring the stability of the internet's Domain Name System (DNS), has published advice for all entities involved in DNS blocking. Three key recommendations arrive as part of a comprehensive report from ICANN's Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) on the technical means of DNS blocking and its effects - both intended and unintended. In 2006 alone, Russia-based AllOfMP3 reportedly banked $30 million from sales of an unauthorized music product for which the major labels received no payment. The unlikely stage for the industry’s response to global sales of cheap, unlicensed DRM-free music, was Denmark. Under pressure from industry group IFPI, ISP Tele2 blocked AllofMP3’s domain, an event that will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary. While never likely to threaten the site’s overall traffic, the Danish block was at once symbolic and historic. Nineteen years later, Denmark has almost 2,800 domains on its current blocklist, a figure that’s easily eclipsed by the tens of thousands of domains and subdomains blocked globally every month, largely without report or fanfare. ICANN Publishes DNS Blocking Report The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the non-profit organization whose management of the internet’s name and number spaces (domains and DNS / IP addresses) helps to provide a stable internet. In a recently published report, ICANN provides a comprehensive view of the Domain Name System (DNS) and the effects of its antithesis: DNS blocking. Published by ICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC), ‘DNS Blocking Revisited’ aims to raise awareness among all internet users, but especially those whose decisions can make a real difference. For those considering DNS blocking as a potential solution, to the authorities with the power to permit or deny its use, ICANN’s message is clear. Full comprehension of the potential repercussions of DNS blocking is a prerequisite to limiting harm. “The aim of this report is to advise the Internet community, and especially policymakers and government officials, of the implications and consequences of using DNS blocking to control access to resources on the Internet,” the report begins. “DNS blocking can have serious side effects. A block may affect users outside the jurisdiction of the party doing the blocking. Users may not know that a block is in place, and can interpret it as a site outage or other error, encouraging potentially insecure behavior to ‘fix’ it. A block may affect domains that provide services for other domains, causing collateral damage beyond the intended scope of the block.” Motivation and Expectation ICANN takes no position on whether DNS blocking is good or bad, or whether specific motivations to block tip the scales one way or another. Whether supported by local law, justified on morality grounds, or mandated by governments purely for the purpose of censorship, the report focuses on the technical aspects of DNS blocking, the consequences, and advice to limit harm. The report defines DNS blocking as an approach to regulating or restricting access to information on the internet by interfering with the normal process of responding to DNS queries about domain names or IP addresses. This is usually achieved by “denying that a name or address exists or by providing false information about it.” While easy to implement, DNS blocking is only effective against users of the DNS where blocking is implemented, and has no effect on the existence of the targeted content, which remains accessible by alternative means. These limitations should be well understood since they help to determine whether DNS blocking can fulfil the stated objectives. Having weighed the benefits and considered the implications, DNS blocking may not be needed at all. “It is important that any entity mandating or implementing DNS blocking understands the implications of the technology. For example, DNS blocking in one jurisdiction can affect the accessibility of content in another jurisdiction. Legal authorities should form technically informed views about DNS blocking, and understand if, or the extent to which, DNS blocking may accomplish their goals and how it may affect parties outside their jurisdictions,” the report adds. Bad DNS Blocking is Bad DNS blocking often amounts to the protection of business interests, yet blocking for security reasons is encountered by millions of internet users every day. They include shielding minors from harmful or adult content, use of domain blocklists by major web browsers to warn users about unsafe sites, and DNS filtering to prevent exposure to malicious domains. An example cited by ICANN suggests that DNS blocking may even be a less restrictive alternative to avoid the global consequences of suspending an entire domain name. Yet, regardless of motivation, DNS blocking measures of any kind should have clearly defined scope. “While one jurisdiction may find that it is allowable and desirable to block a domain name, another jurisdiction may consider blocking that domain to be a violation of human or civil rights,” ICANN says. The report highlights legal action by rightsholders against Quad9 and Cloudflare. Where DNS blocking by ISPs targets a specific, clearly defined local ‘audience’, DNS blocking at public resolvers used by a global audience risks overblocking on a much bigger scale. In a case involving Quad9, a court order to block specific sites on copyright grounds offered no guidance on key technical issues, leaving Quad9 to block the sites globally, to avoid being held in contempt. DNS Blocking Weakens The Battle Against Security Threats ICANN’s report highlights issues involving internet security that are either caused or exacerbated by DNS blocking measures. For example, redirects due to DNS blocking can cause browser TLS errors that ordinarily signal a potential security threat. ICANN suggests that over exposure effectively ‘trains’ users to ignore certificate mismatches. In the wider fight against global threat actors, DNS block circumvention reduces visibility of both traffic patterns and security threats. “DNS data gives Internet Service Providers (ISPs) an important and accurate picture of both traffic patterns and security threats on their networks,” ICANN reports, adding that DNS data can help ISPs diagnose denial-of-service attacks, identify infected hosts, compromised domains, and vulnerable customers. “When users turn to alternative DNS servers, some network operators, ISPs, and enterprises may experience decreased ability to manage security threats and manage certain network operations. For example, if a user accesses the third party recursive resolver via an encrypted connection using DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT) and is infected with malware, the user’s ISP may not be able to detect that and notify the infected user, since DNS telemetry is being diverted away from the ISP.” Disclosure, Transparency, Blocking Infrastructure While reduced visibility of threats is cited as a concern, the view of DNS blocking itself is often obscured by a lack of disclosure and limited transparency. “[DNS] blocking policies and actions are often not disclosed to affected parties, including to end users. This can make it difficult for end-users to understand when they are being blocked, or why,” ICANN warns. “Absent some level of transparency, DNS blocking can be difficult to recognize for what it is. It can be misdiagnosed as a hosting outage, a misconfiguration, or a malicious attack.” Before concluding with ICANN’s recommendations, an issue touched on briefly in the report but worth highlighting again, concerns the construction and embedding of online infrastructure to facilitate blocking of piracy, fraud, ransomware, and botnets. Citing a 2023 open letter written by TCP/IP co-developer Vinton Cerf, “Concerns Over DNS Blocking” warns that the same infrastructure could be easily adapted “to suppress internal dissent, censor outside information, and surveil dissidents and journalists.” ICANN Recommendations Listed here verbatim are three rock-solid recommendations from ICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Committee. Recommendation 1: SSAC recommends that any entity implementing or mandating DNS blocking understand the implications of the technology. Recommendation 2: SSAC recommends that DNS blocking implemented by any entity — by a government or any organization that has policy, legal, or operational control over a network or service—follow these guidelines: A. The entity should determine whether DNS blocking will fulfill its objectives. B. The entity should have a clear policy about what and how it will block, with well-defined review and decision-making processes that minimize risk. C. The entity should implement the policy using a technique that minimizes overblocking or collateral damage that could affect its users. D. The entity should not affect networks or users outside its administrative control. Recommendation 3: SSAC recommends that operators of recursive servers use DNS Extended Error codes (see section 6.6 Extended DNS Error) to indicate to end users and troubleshooters that DNS blocking is taking place The report DNS Blocking Revisited is available here (pdf) Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

You can (sort of) get the classic Notepad experience back by disabling its extra features. Notepad is one of those classic apps that stayed virtually unchanged for decades. For years, Microsoft shipped only minor tweaks and small improvements, with little attention to its development. The real transformation began with the release of Windows 11 when the company finally started upgrading the Notepad interface. The app received a visual overhaul that introduced acrylic effects, rounded corners, and dark mode, along with functional enhancements like auto-save and a tabbed interface. However, lately, Notepad has been shifting away from its original simplicity. What started as a simple note-taking app is now turning into a more capable tool, with spelling and AI features (like text rewriting and content generation) built right in. Microsoft is even testing light formatting capabilities through Markdown support. While these additions aim to enhance usability, many users still prefer the clean, distraction-free experience that made Notepad a favorite in the first place. The good news is that the software giant is not forgetting those who like simplicity. For most of these new features, Microsoft is providing options to turn them off, allowing users to restore the classic experience. In this how-to guide, I'll outline the steps to turn off key features to make Notepad a simpler app on Windows 11. Bring back the classic experience of Notepad to Windows 11 To remove the AI and the other extra features in Notepad, use these steps: Open Notepad. Click the Settings button in the top-right. (Image credit: Mauro Huculak) Turn off the Copilot toggle switch under the "AI Features" section to disable all the AI features and remove the Microsoft account requirement. (Image credit: Mauro Huculak) Turn off the Spell check under the "Spelling" section to completely disable the app's ability to highlight misspelled words. Turn off the Autocorrect toggle switch to prevent Notepad from correcting typos automatically. (Image credit: Mauro Huculak) Turn off the Formatting toggle switch to disable the Markdown support (if applicable). (Image credit: Mauro Huculak) Click the Turn off button to complete the process. Once you complete the steps, you will end up with a version of Notepad that includes modern elements but with a more decluttered experience. If you find the Spell check useful but only want to stop the feature from checking specific file types, you don't have to turn off the feature. Instead, select the "Spell check" setting and turn off the feature on the specific formats. It's important to note that the spelling features won't interfere with log and source code files. Microsoft is still in the early days of development to bring text formatting to Notepad. However, the company is already testing the feature through the Windows Insider Program, and if you have it, Notepad includes a new toggle to disable it from the Settings page. Do you like the new design direction of the Notepad app? Let me know in the comments. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of May): 2,377 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend