Acronis International has announced the availability of True Image 2013 Update 1, a major release which extends the popular backup program with a host of essential additions and fixes.

The new build is now officially certified for Windows 8, for instance. In particular, this means Windows 8 secure boot will no longer prevent Acronis recovery media from starting. And new support for Windows PE 4.0 allows you to create a bootable WinPE 4.0 disc which includes True Image 2013.

USB support has been made notably more robust, with the program properly handling the unplugging of a removable drive, even if you just unplug it while in the middle of a Nonstop Backup.

This new True Image 2013 update delivers some very important additions and fixes

True Image 2013 by Acronis Update 1 now has better communication with users. System tray alerts will prompt you if your destination drive runs out of space, for instance, or there’s a program upgrade available, while new panel notifications and log messages deliver extra clarity.

The Email Backup function now includes support for Outlook 2013.

And a lengthy list of tweaks and fixes – more than 80 in total – covers some very fundamental issues, with significant exFAT problems resolved, and the program now better able to browse network shares when using the True Image recovery environment.

If you’re interested in the low-level details then they’re available on the Acronis site. Otherwise, though, this is an essential collection of fixes which every True Image 2013 owner should install immediately.

True Image 2013 by Acronis is currently available from the Downloadcrew Software Store for $24.99, which is 50% off the regular MSRP.