Microsoft has unveiled a suite of innovative Windows experiences tailored for Copilot+ PCs, introducing AI agents designed to streamline the process of adjusting settings on Windows computers. This development aims to alleviate one of the most prevalent user frustrations: the difficulty in locating and modifying settings.
Enhanced User Experience with AI Agents
According to Navjot Virk, Corporate Vice President of Windows Experiences, the new agents leverage on-device AI to interpret user intent. With the user’s consent, these agents can automate and execute tasks, transforming the way users interact with their devices. “We set out to solve one of the most common frustrations we hear – finding and changing settings on your PC – using the power of agents,” Virk explained.
Users will soon be able to communicate their needs in natural language, such as asking, “How do I control my PC by voice?” or stating, “My mouse pointer is too small.” The AI agent will then guide users through the necessary steps or, with permission, execute the changes directly, minimizing the need for manual intervention.
This feature will initially be available to English-speaking users and will roll out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with plans to extend support to those using AMD and Intel devices in the future.
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Improvements Across Windows Applications
In addition to the AI agents, Microsoft is enhancing Windows search capabilities and expanding the range of Click to Do actions. Users will soon be able to schedule meetings via Teams, send messages through Teams, consult M365 Copilot, convert data into tables in Excel, and draft documents with Copilot in Word. Several new features, including Ask Copilot and Practice in Reading Coach, are already accessible to Windows Insiders.
Creative tools such as Photos, Paint, and the Snipping Tool are also receiving significant updates on Copilot+ PCs. These enhancements include:
- Photos Relight: Introduces dynamic lighting controls for images.
- Paint Sticker Generator: Allows users to create digital stickers through text prompts.
- Paint Object Select: Enables the selection and instant editing of specific elements on the canvas.
- Snipping Tool Perfect Screenshot: Offers adjustments to the capture area, eliminating the need for post-capture cropping.
The Snipping Tool will also feature new capture capabilities, enabling users to extract text from images and select color values from any screen element.
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Upcoming Features for Windows 11 Insiders
In the coming weeks, Microsoft plans to roll out additional Windows 11 experiences for all Insiders. These will include a phone companion for the Start menu, AI-driven actions in File Explorer to assist with image editing and content summarization, and a new writing function in Notepad that allows users to generate text from prompts.
Earlier this year, Microsoft began testing a “Draw & Hold” feature in the Snipping Tool, designed to help users create perfect shapes, along with an AI-powered text summarization feature in Notepad. Furthermore, a text rewriting tool, previously known as CoWriter, was introduced in November, now rebranded as “Rewrite.”
