Microsoft Photos Archives

Winsage

March 25, 2025

Windows 11’s Photos app is about to get a big update, and it’s all about AI

The Photos app on Windows 11 is undergoing significant updates, currently available for Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. Key features include Optical Character Recognition (OCR) supporting over 160 languages, allowing users to extract and search text from images. A new "Search in Web" function enables users to find online results for selected text. The update also introduces a Copilot button within the Photos app for image enhancement tips, insights, and framing suggestions. Additionally, new shortcuts in File Explorer provide direct access to AI editing and Visual Search, allowing users to create with Designer and erase unwanted elements. The app now supports JXL files and includes bug fixes for improved performance. Users can enable the "Show subfolders" option to view images and videos from subfolders in the Gallery.

Winsage

March 25, 2025

Microsoft Photos app on your Windows PC just got a major upgrade, and you’ll love it

The Microsoft Photos app has received an update that introduces new features for photo organization and editing for Windows 11 and 10 users. Key features include web search functionality with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to extract text from images, and a Copilot button that provides expert advice on image enhancement. The update also allows quick access to AI editing tools and visual search from File Explorer, with options like "Create with Designer," "Erase object," and "Visual Search with Bing." Users can customize the display of subfolder and gallery content by enabling the "Show subfolders" option. These enhancements are currently being rolled out to Windows Insiders, and users must update to Photos app version 2025.11030.20006.0 or higher to access them, although the rollout may not be immediate for all Insiders.

Winsage

March 25, 2025

Huge Microsoft Photos update adds amazing new web search with OCR-extracted text feature and makes AI options easier to access

Microsoft Photos has received a significant update that enhances its capabilities, including improved Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and the ability to conduct web searches for extracted text directly within the app. The update also integrates AI-driven photo editing tools, allowing users to start an AI editing session from the Windows context menu and introducing a new Copilot button with features such as photo editing tips, image insights, and framing suggestions. This update is being rolled out to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 and to Windows 10 users in the Release Preview Channel.

Winsage

March 25, 2025

March 2025 Microsoft Photos update now rolling out to Windows Insiders

The Microsoft Photos app is rolling out updates for Windows Insiders on Windows 11 and Windows 10 within the Release Preview Channel. Key enhancements include: - An Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature that supports over 160 languages, allowing users to extract text from images and search the web for selected text. - New shortcuts in File Explorer for AI editing and Visual Search, enabling users to edit images and search for similar images directly from the desktop. - A "Show subfolders" option that allows images and videos from subfolders to appear in the Photos Gallery. - Introduction of a Copilot button in the Photos app for AI assistance, offering photo editing tips, image insights, and framing suggestions. - Support for JXL files and bug fixes for the Image Creator and Restyle Image features. Users should update to version 2025.11030.20006.0 or higher to access these features.

Winsage

December 18, 2024

How to extract text from screenshots with the Snipping Tool in Windows 11

Microsoft's Snipping Tool in Windows 11 now includes Optical Character Recognition (OCR) capabilities, allowing users to extract text from screenshots and images. This feature enables direct copying of text, formatting as a table, or redacting sensitive information. To use it, users must have version 11.2308.33.0 or higher, which can be confirmed in the app's settings. The process involves opening the Snipping Tool, taking a screenshot or opening an existing image, clicking the Text actions button, and then copying the extracted text to the clipboard. Similar OCR functionalities are also available in Microsoft Photos and PowerToys.

Winsage

December 6, 2024

Previewing More Copilot+ Experiences with Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.2510 (KB5048780) has been released to the Dev Channel, introducing new features for AMD and Intel®-powered Copilot+ PCs, including the Recall feature and an expansion of Click to Do (Preview). To join the Dev Channel, users must register for the Windows Insider Program, link their Microsoft account, select the Dev Channel, and check for updates. The Recall feature allows users to find apps, websites, images, or documents by describing their content and includes timeline control for revisiting past activities. The Cocreator feature in Microsoft Paint enables AI-assisted artwork generation from text prompts. The Photos app has been updated with Image Creator and Restyle Image features for generating new images and applying artistic styles to existing photos, respectively. Click to Do has been enhanced with new activation methods and intelligent text actions, allowing users to summarize or rewrite text. Additional changes include a modernized Windows Hello experience, improvements to the system tray, and various fixes for audio and application stability. Known issues include problems with Recall and Click to Do functionalities, which will be addressed in future updates. The Microsoft Store now supports direct updates for Win32 apps.

Winsage

December 6, 2024

Microsoft expands Recall preview to Intel and AMD Copilot+ PCs

Microsoft is testing its AI-powered Recall feature on AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs within the Windows 11 Insider program. Recall captures screenshots of active windows at regular intervals, analyzes them, and allows users to retrieve specific snapshots through natural language queries. It is an opt-in feature that requires user authentication via Windows Hello and filters out sensitive information like credit card numbers and passwords. Users can exclude specific applications or websites from being saved and have options to manage storage settings, delete snapshots, or disable the feature. Recall will support multiple languages and is expanding its availability to the European Economic Area. Additionally, Microsoft is enhancing the Microsoft Photos app with new features such as Image Creator, Restyle Image, and Click to Do for Recall, which allows text rewriting and summarization. These updates are being rolled out to Windows Insiders following the installation of a specific Windows 11 Insider Preview Build.

Winsage

November 12, 2024

6 core apps Microsoft Needs to fix on Windows

Microsoft has been enhancing its default applications since the launch of Windows 11, but several core applications still do not meet user expectations. 1. File Explorer: Despite a modern UI and tab addition, it struggles with performance, especially with large files and OneDrive, and retains outdated design elements. 2. Microsoft Photos: The app has performance issues with high-resolution images and lacks native support for the HEIC format, requiring a paid extension for access. 3. Microsoft Store: Users experience slow browsing and page loads, and the app selection is inferior to the Mac App Store. The review system also needs improvement. 4. Outlook: The web-based version is slow, resource-intensive, and lacks features from the previous desktop version, frustrating users. 5. Copilot: The initiative is web-based and disrupts workflow, lacking integration and useful features, which diminishes usability. 6. OneNote: It has synchronization speed issues, missing edits when switching devices, and lacks support for Aptos fonts, with AI features feeling less fluid compared to competitors.

Winsage

October 24, 2024

Microsoft Photos adds a tool to enhance your low-quality pictures – but there’s a catch

Microsoft has introduced a super resolution feature in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview, which uses artificial intelligence to enhance and enlarge images up to eight times their original size. This feature is available to all Windows Insiders and is particularly useful for improving low-quality images for printing or display on larger screens. Users can crop images while maintaining resolution, but the feature requires a Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PC and the latest versions of Windows 11 Insider Preview and Microsoft Photos. Initial testing revealed mixed results, with some users reporting minimal improvements in blurry or grainy images. Additionally, Microsoft has added Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to its Photos app, allowing users to extract text from images, supporting over 160 languages. Access to these features requires participation in the Windows Insider Program.

Winsage

October 24, 2024

Microsoft creates a new reason to buy an AI-powered Copilot+ PC — image upscaling in Microsoft Photos

Microsoft has introduced a preview of its super resolution feature for Copilot+ PCs within the Photos app, specifically for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users. This image upscaling feature is exclusive to Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 or higher, and is available in the Canary, Dev, and Release Preview Channels. The super resolution uses AI to enhance and enlarge images up to 8x the original size, ideal for improving low-quality photos and preparing images for large prints or displays. It processes enhancements using the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) on the device. Additionally, a robust optical character recognition (OCR) feature is available to all users, supporting over 160 languages for text extraction from images.