Windows 11 makes a small but seriously handy change to make your life easier
>
Windows 11 has a new preview version, but there’s only one real change (aside from bug fixes and the like), though it’s a useful one to speed up logins that use a double layer of security.
We’re talking about two-factor authentication (or 2FA for short), which uses a second verification measure in addition to a password in the form of a code that is sent to the person who logs in. In this case, even if a hacker has a hold of your password, they will not get this code.
Now, as of preview build 25295 of Windows 11, when this code appears in the notification panel on the right, that notification comes with a little popup that lets you simply click on it to automatically paste the code numbers into the clipboard.
So instead of having to enter the code manually, you can simply paste it, saving you time and effort. As we said, it’s a small change, but a useful one.
What else is new in build 25295? Just expanding the rollout of a previously introduced feature (from build 25252), which is the taskbar search box (as seen in Windows 10). This is now available to all Windows 11 testers in the Dev channel, as opposed to just a select few.
Additionally, there are a number of bug fixes here, including the fix for a slow update installation issue, and a fix for an issue where apps may crash when used while a game is running. For the full list of fixes and remaining known issues, visit Microsoft’s blog post (opens in new tab).
Analysis: a paste of convenience
The ability to grab the 2FA code directly to the clipboard for instant pasting is a handy time saver, and it’s something that will definitely make it to the full version of Windows 11 eventually. (Remember, not every feature sees the light of day during testing).
It will be especially useful for those who have their Android phone connected to their Windows PC (using Phone Link) as that means they will get through codes sent to that smartphone (which is often the case). It will still be a useful feature for those with apps installed on the Windows 11 PC and of course also using 2FA.
It’s good to see bug fixes coming in for some annoying issues, but there are also a few new introductions in terms of bugs. If you have an ARM PC and Windows Hello facial recognition has stopped working, don’t panic – this is a known issue (and you should just use the PIN option instead for now). Likewise, if you’re alarmed that the system tray clock has stopped showing seconds, don’t worry, this functionality will return in a future build, Microsoft promises.