However, some of the most talked about features are coming to Microsoft Notepad. The app has been a staple for quick editing since its release in 1985 and hasn’t had a major update in years. Build 17713 introduces some major improvements, including line and column numbers when word wrap is enabled. Notepad also supports wrap-around find and replace, and the window will now remember previously entered values and checkboxes. The find bar is also populated automatically when you have text selected and open the dialog. Finally, Notepad supports Ctrl + Backspace to delete the previous word, can be zoomed with Ctrl + mouse wheel, and has improved performance when opening large files. In general, it removes many of the niggles that have bugged users for years.
Security, Edge, and Inking
However, much more important is those security improvements mentioned earlier. Microsoft is doing some interesting things to increase safety but also convenience. When using a remote desktop connection, for example, Windows Hello for Business users can now authenticate with biometrics. Build 17713 also debuts web sign-in capabilities for non-ADFS federated providers such as SAML and faster sign-ins on shared PCs. It’s joined by enhancements to Windows Defender Application Guard, which standalone users can now install and configure without the need for registry key changes. Key additions come to Edge, too, with the ability to disable autoplay on a per-website basis, lookup definition in Reading View, and several improvements to PDF viewing. Finally, the embedded handwriting panel introduced in the April 2018 update will now be the default going forward. Users will be able to simply write in any search box or text area and have it converted to digital characters. There are a ton more changes, mostly minor, as well as some significant known issues. You can read about both on the Windows blog.
