Super Resolution upscaling has made its debut across all Windows 11 24H2 Insider Channels, specifically for Copilot+ PCs powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. This innovative feature empowers users to enhance an image’s resolution by up to eight times while preserving its clarity. However, it’s worth noting that Snapdragon-based PCs constitute a relatively small segment of the Windows user base, which may limit the feature’s widespread adoption. Microsoft attributes this exclusivity to the reliance on the Neural Processing Unit (NPU), although many contemporary laptops and desktops possess sufficient power to support upscaling functionalities.
Expanding AI Capabilities
For some time now, select smartphones have showcased locally-processed AI applications designed to edit and enrich photos. With the rollout of Snapdragon X Elite SoCs and other NPU-enhanced processors, Microsoft has begun to integrate similar capabilities into its native Windows applications, such as Paint and Photos. The latest addition to this suite is the Super Resolution upscaling feature.
Upscaling proves beneficial for a variety of tasks, including:
- Cropping images while maintaining high resolution
- Enhancing low-quality photographs
- Zooming in on images without encountering pixelation
- Preparing visuals for large displays and prints
To activate Super Resolution, users need to click the icon located at the far right of the top row in version 2024.11100.17007.0 of the Photos app. This feature utilizes NPUs to perform generative AI tasks, and while it currently supports only Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs, there are plans to extend compatibility to Intel Core 200 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 CPUs in the near future.
In addition to Super Resolution, the Insider update has introduced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) support within the Photos app. This enhancement allows the image viewer to recognize text in over 160 languages, enabling users to select and copy text directly to their clipboard. Once text is detected, users can simply click the OCR icon at the bottom of the window to activate this feature.
Additional Features and Improvements
Microsoft has also rolled out several smaller yet notable changes. Users now have the option to open images with a single click instead of the traditional double-click. Furthermore, large images will automatically resize to fit the window by default. The Image Creator and Restyle Image features have undergone bug fixes as well. Beta testers are encouraged to share their feedback via the Feedback Hub, accessible using the Windows + F keys under Apps > Photos.
Earlier this year, a GenAI-based eraser for the Photos app began testing, and Insiders have recently gained access to fill and erase functionalities in Microsoft Paint. While Adobe applications like Photoshop have been promoting extensive new AI editing features, Paint aims to provide some fundamental tools without requiring a subscription. The public rollout is anticipated to commence in November, making these features available on Snapdragon, Intel, and AMD Copilot+ PCs.
Moreover, generative AI will soon assist users in searching for photos based on text prompts. To foster exploration of this technology, a feature dubbed “Click to Do” will offer editing suggestions for images, text, and websites detected on the screen.
