Hello Windows Insiders,
Today marks the beginning of an exciting rollout for the Microsoft Photos app, reaching Windows Insiders on both Windows 11 and Windows 10 within the Release Preview Channel. As we gradually introduce this update, not every Insider will receive it immediately, but here are some noteworthy enhancements to look forward to.
Search the web with OCR-extracted text
The Photos app now boasts a robust Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature, supporting over 160 languages. This functionality, which began its rollout at the end of January, allows users to extract text from images effortlessly. By clicking the Scan Text button in the Photos Viewer, the app highlights recognized text, enabling easy selection and copying to your clipboard. The latest update introduces a “Search in Web” feature, allowing users to swiftly search for any selected text directly from the app.
This enhancement simplifies the process of extracting and locating online information from documents, notes, and screenshots, ultimately streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity.
Quick access to AI editing and visual search from File Explorer and your desktop
New shortcuts in File Explorer provide direct access to AI editing and Visual Search, eliminating the need to open the Photos app. By right-clicking an image, users can select “Create with Designer” to enrich their images with text, adjust compositions, or enhance colors. Additionally, the “Erase Object” shortcut allows for the quick removal of unwanted elements, while the “Visual Search with Bing” option facilitates easy lookups for similar images and related products directly from the desktop.
Show subfolder images and videos in the Photos Gallery
Users can now refine their viewing experience by enabling the “Show subfolders” option, which allows images and videos from subfolders to appear in the Gallery. This feature enhances navigation, providing a more comprehensive view of content.
Introducing the new Copilot button in the Photos app
We are thrilled to introduce the Copilot button within the Photos app, bringing AI assistance directly to users. This feature, rolling out soon, allows users to share photos with AI for:
- Photo Editing Tips: Receive expert advice on enhancing images.
- Image Insights: Uncover intriguing details about your photos.
- Framing Suggestions: Improve photography skills with tailored recommendations.
Other fixes and improvements
- In response to user requests, the Photos app now supports JXL files.
- Bug fixes have been implemented for the Image Creator and Restyle Image features on Copilot+ PCs, enhancing overall quality and performance. This includes improved loading times for the Image Creator upon launching the Photos app and the ability to save generated images under different file names.
To access these new features, ensure your app is updated to version 2025.11030.20006.0 or higher through the Microsoft Store. As this update is being rolled out, it may take some time for all users to receive it. We welcome your feedback, so please share your thoughts in the Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps > Photos.
Lydia Ko,
Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Photos
