Your ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac, and Linux just got more flexible and more reliable

techradar.com Sep 24, 2026

Your ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac, and Linux just got more flexible and more reliable

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 24, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

ExpressVPN released version 14.3.1 of its desktop applications for Windows, macOS and Linux on September 22. The update expands the Advanced Protection suite—ad, tracker and malicious‑site blocking—to operate under every VPN protocol supported by the service. Additional enhancements include a rebuilt speed‑test tool, more intelligent split‑tunneling controls, and a series of reliability patches aimed at reducing connection drops. The rollout follows a busy 2024 for the provider, which earlier introduced a visual redesign and a stable multi‑connection point (MCP) server for AI‑driven tools. ExpressVPN, priced from $2.49 per month on a two‑year plan with a 30‑day money‑back guarantee, continues to be highlighted by TechRadar as one of the most user‑friendly and fast VPN options.

💡 Why It Matters

· By making its ad‑blocking features protocol‑agnostic, ExpressVPN strengthens privacy safeguards for users regardless of connection method, addressing a common gap in competing services.

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Meta’s Muse is outpacing ChatGPT’s early mobile launch

Meta’s new AI app Muse surpassed ChatGPT in early U.S. and Canada mobile downloads, with 1.8 million installs versus ChatGPT’s 1.3 million in the first 12 days. Muse also achieved higher daily active users—642,000 overall and 359,000 on iOS—compared to ChatGPT’s 231,000. The app climbed to No. 1 on the U.S. App Store, overtaking ChatGPT, and has 2.8 million global installs. Meta’s cross‑promotion via Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp likely fuels Muse’s rapid uptake.

💡 Muse’s swift lead in downloads and active users signals Meta’s potential to dominate the AI app market, challenging OpenAI’s foothold and reshaping how users engage with AI across its ecosystem.

pcworld.com · Sep 21

This free Windows app makes file conversion ridiculously easy

File Converter is a free Windows application that embeds file‑conversion tools directly into the File Explorer context menu. After installation, users can right‑click any supported file—such as Word documents, PDFs, or images—and select “File Converter” to choose a target format. The app handles the conversion instantly and supports batch processing, allowing multiple files to be converted simultaneously. It eliminates the need for separate software, online services, or complex menu navigation, streamlining the workflow for professionals who frequently switch between document and image formats.

💡 By integrating conversion into the native file manager, the tool cuts down on time and reduces reliance on third‑party services, enhancing productivity for writers, designers, and office workers.

9to5mac.com · Sep 19

Indie App Spotlight: ‘GasPulse’ lets you keep an eye on gas price…

GasPulse, a free iOS app, delivers weekly gas price averages from the Energy Information Administration, offering state‑by‑state charts, up to five years of historical data, and forecast outlooks. Users can compare regional trends, set price alerts for up to six areas, and view updates via home‑screen and lock‑screen widgets or Siri. The app runs on iOS 18+, is ad‑free, and requires no subscription. It provides a comprehensive, data‑driven view of fuel costs without locating the cheapest station.

💡 By aggregating official data into an intuitive interface, GasPulse empowers drivers to anticipate price swings and plan fuel purchases, potentially saving money and reducing unnecessary trips.

wired.com · Sep 19

Tired of Cluttered Productivity Apps? This One’s Just a Text Document

A new free Mac application called Tasks.txt, created by Ukrainian developer Yevhen Kharkivskyi, offers a minimalist alternative to feature‑heavy to‑do list apps. Built on the todo.txt format pioneered by Gina Trapani, the app stores tasks in plain‑text files and organizes them into three sections—Next, Backlog, and Done—allowing users to focus on daily priorities and archive completed items each night. Keyboard‑centric navigation lets users add, edit, and complete tasks without leaving the window, while mouse interaction remains intuitive. An Archive tab retains a searchable history of finished tasks, and a Scratchpad provides a simple note‑taking space. All data resides in editable text documents, ensuring transparency and easy migration to other tools.

💡 By stripping away complex UI layers, Tasks.txt revives the efficiency of plain‑text task management for users overwhelmed by modern app bloat.

9to5mac.com · Sep 19

Meta’s new Muse AI agent app overtakes ChatGPT as top iPhone app

Meta’s newly released Muse AI agent app has climbed to the top of the free iPhone charts in the U.S. App Store, surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Launched earlier this month, Muse has gained traction beyond its initial release, with recent installs driving it to number one. Meta extended Muse’s availability to Mac the day before, though the desktop version does not affect App Store rankings. The app’s agentic design mirrors SpaceXAI’s Grok Bot, offering a conversational interface with personified agents.

💡 The shift signals a competitive edge for Meta’s AI strategy, positioning Muse as a leading alternative to established chatbots. It underscores the growing importance of agentic AI experiences in consumer app ecosystems.

windowscentral.com · Sep 19

Microsoft fixes Excel’s copy-paste bug, but only for a small group of…

Microsoft has released a targeted update that resolves a long‑standing copy‑paste malfunction in Excel, which caused certain cells to lose formatting or data when transferred between worksheets. The fix, rolled out through the Office Insider program, is currently available only to a limited cohort of users participating in the early‑access channel, while the broader public will receive the patch in a later cumulative update. The issue, first reported in early 2023, affected power users and enterprises that rely on complex spreadsheet operations, prompting work‑arounds that slowed productivity. Microsoft’s engineering team confirmed the root cause was a regression in the clipboard handling code introduced in a recent build, and the interim fix includes a rollback of the offending component. Full deployment is slated for the next quarterly update cycle.

💡 By addressing the bug now for insiders, Microsoft demonstrates a commitment to restoring trust among heavy Excel users before the fix reaches the wider audience, preventing further workflow disruptions.