During Microsoft’s much-anticipated Surface Event, the tech giant unveiled a plethora of new features and updates that promise to redefine the Windows 11 experience. Among these innovations, one of the most compelling and potentially revolutionary is the introduction of Copilot, an all-in-one AI assistant set to debut on Windows 11 on September 26, 2023.
Microsoft Copilot represents a significant leap forward from its predecessor, 365 Copilot, as it extends its AI-powered assistance to a wide array of Windows 11 programs, including popular applications like Paint, Snipping Tool, and Photos. The standalone Copilot app is poised to become an essential upgrade for Windows OS, promising an enriched user experience.
In a recent blog post authored by Yusuf Mehdi, Chief Marketing Officer for Consumer, Copilot’s capabilities across various Windows programs were detailed. For example, the Paint Cocreator app, available to Windows Insiders starting September 26, empowers users to input a text prompt, select a style, and generate unique images. These images can be further customized through the new layers feature for Paint or by adding manual modifications.
Microsoft Clipchamp, another exciting addition, serves as an AI companion for video editing. It harnesses advanced AI tools like Auto Compose, guiding users in creating compelling videos. By answering a few questions about the video’s nature, Clipchamp provides recommendations for scenes, edits, and a narrative based on user input and creative assets. The final video can be seamlessly uploaded to platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, OneDrive, or Google Drive.
The revamped Snipping Tool has also received several notable upgrades. Users can now capture audio along with visuals, simply by pressing Win + Shift + R or Print Screen. Additionally, two new text actions, text extraction, and text redaction, have been introduced. Text extraction enables users to scan content from various sources and copy it directly into documents like Word or PowerPoint. Text redaction, on the other hand, offers enhanced privacy by completely blacking out sensitive text within screenshots.
The Photos app has not been left behind, boasting a novel feature known as Background blur. This feature enhances image resolution and applies blur effects, providing a fresh perspective on photo editing. Enhanced search capabilities simplify the process of locating photos in OneDrive, with users able to search using keywords related to objects, locations, or dates. Furthermore, a new slideshow feature organizes photos into a presentation for sharing with family and friends.
Voice functionality has also received an upgrade, expanding its usage across various aspects of Windows 11, including during the login process. Users can now dictate complex and nonstandard words through the improved spelling experience, with corrections being made for any inaccuracies. Narrator, Microsoft’s screen-reading tool, now supports additional languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and English (UK, India).
Incorporated into Windows OS, the Passkeys tool creates unguessable credentials, enabling users to sign in using facial recognition, fingerprints, or a device PIN. This functionality extends to multiple browsers, including Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and more.
Adaptive Dimming is yet another novel feature designed to help users conserve energy. When the PC presence sensor detects a lack of user attention, it gradually dims the screen, reducing energy consumption. It can also serve as a gentle alert to refocus if attention has wandered.
John Cable, Microsoft’s Vice President of Program Management for Windows Servicing & Delivery, has provided guidance on accessing these groundbreaking features and updates. Windows 11 devices will receive these updates gradually over the coming weeks. Users with Windows 11, version 22H2 can access these tools as soon as they become available by navigating to Settings > Windows Update and enabling ‘Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.’
The broad availability of all these Copilot updates is expected with the November 2023 security update release. As for the Windows 11 23H2 update, it is slated for release in Q4 2023, potentially as early as October.
