Microsoft has unveiled a series of upcoming features for Windows 11, coinciding with the launch of its new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models. Among the highlights is a redesigned Start Menu, which has recently been spotted in Windows Insider builds. Additionally, enhancements to Click to Do, improvements in Windows Search, and more functionalities are on the horizon.
“We recently made improved Windows search, Recall (preview), Click to Do (preview), and more generally available across Copilot+ PCs, allowing users to find what they need, resume tasks seamlessly, and accomplish more with less effort,” stated Navjot Virk, Corporate Vice President of Windows Experiences. “Today, we’re excited to share additional features that will soon be available to Windows Insiders over the next month.”
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New Copilot+ PC features:
Here’s a glimpse of the innovative Windows 11 experiences set to roll out to Windows Insiders using Qualcomm-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel models to follow:
- AI Agent in Settings: Users can describe their needs within the Settings app, and the AI Agent will provide recommendations and even execute actions on their behalf.
- New Click to Do Actions: Insiders will soon be able to use Click to Do for scheduling Teams meetings, sending messages, querying Microsoft 365 Copilot, converting data into Excel tables, and drafting content in Word.
- Photos relight: This feature will introduce dynamic lighting controls and automatic styles to enhance photo appearances.
- Paint sticker generator: Users will have the ability to create custom digital stickers from simple text prompts.
- Paint object select: This upcoming feature will simplify the process of highlighting and isolating elements within images without the need for manual tracing.
- Snipping tool perfect screenshot: This tool will intelligently adjust capture areas for better framing, while a new text extractor will enable users to copy text directly from images and screenshots. A color picker tool will also allow for capturing exact color values from anywhere on the screen.
- Rich image descriptions in Narrator: An accessibility enhancement that will recognize charts, photos, and UI elements on Qualcomm-powered Copilot+ PCs.
Other upcoming Windows 11 features
In addition to the features mentioned above, several new functionalities, including the redesigned Start Menu with a phone companion sidebar, will be available to Windows Insiders in the coming months without requiring a Copilot+ PC:
- New Start menu with phone companion: The revamped Start Menu features a larger layout and offers three different views for the all apps list: a classic Name list view, a spacious Name grid view, and a new Category view that organizes apps into folders intelligently. The Phone Link sidebar facilitates easy access to essential phone features.
- AI actions in File Explorer: Right-clicking on files in File Explorer will prompt relevant action suggestions, such as summarizing content or editing images in Paint and Photos.
- Notepad updates: The long-standing note-taking app will introduce a new Write function for generating text from prompts, a Summarize feature, and lightweight formatting options.
- Copilot improvements: Copilot Vision, currently available for Windows Insiders in the US, will analyze on-screen content and answer questions about visible elements. Microsoft plans to enable users to invoke Copilot with the phrase “Hey, Copilot.”
- Microsoft Store AI Hub: This new section in the Store will showcase AI experiences on Windows 11, offering personalized recommendations and highlighting apps designed for Copilot+ PCs.
Virk emphasized, “This is just the beginning of what’s possible, and we’re excited to shape the future together with you — one innovation at a time.” However, it is important to note that Copilot+ PC experiences are not yet available in all markets, with flagship features like Recall and Click to Do expected to arrive in the European Economic Area later in 2025.
