Microsoft is currently piloting innovative AI-driven features within File Explorer, designed to enhance the user experience for Windows 11. These features, referred to as “AI actions,” empower users to interact with images and documents seamlessly, eliminating the need to open files for basic edits.
AI Actions in File Explorer
At present, the AI actions allow users to perform several tasks on JPG, JPEG, and PNG files, including:
- Removing backgrounds
- Erasing unwanted objects
- Blurring backgrounds
Additionally, a reverse image search tool is integrated, enabling users to easily search for images using Microsoft’s Bing search engine. This functionality exemplifies the growing trend of integrating AI capabilities into everyday tasks, making workflows more efficient.
According to Amanda Langowski and Brandon LeBlanc from Microsoft, “With AI actions in File Explorer, you can interact more deeply with your files by right-clicking to quickly take actions like editing images or summarizing documents.” They further emphasized that these features allow users to maintain their workflow while harnessing AI’s power for editing and summarization without the hassle of opening individual files.
Windows Insiders can access these new AI actions by right-clicking on a supported image file and selecting the “AI actions” option from the contextual menu. This feature is currently available to users in the Canary Channel who have installed Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27938.
This latest build also introduces enhancements to user privacy and security, including a new section in the “Settings > Privacy & security > Text and image generation” dialog. This feature provides transparency on which third-party applications have recently utilized Windows’ generative AI models, allowing users to manage permissions effectively.
In a related development, Microsoft announced new AI agents in May that simplify the process of changing settings on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs. These agents leverage natural language processing, enabling users to request changes to settings with minimal effort, streamlining the user experience even further.
