Windows 11 File Explorer Gets AI Superpowers

Microsoft is enhancing Windows 11 by integrating Artificial Intelligence directly into its File Explorer. These new "AI actions" provide convenient shortcuts, allowing users to right-click on files and access a range of AI-powered capabilities for both images and documents.

New AI Image Editing Directly in File Explorer

Currently undergoing testing in the latest Windows 11 Dev Channel builds, four image-specific AI actions are being introduced. These include:

• Bing Visual Search: Find similar images across the web.
• Background Blur: Easily blur the background of your photos, a feature borrowed from the Photos app.
• Erase Objects: Remove unwanted elements from images, also from the Photos app.
• Remove Background: A quick way to isolate subjects using Paint's background removal tool.

These tools aim to streamline common image editing tasks by making them accessible with a simple right-click in File Explorer.

Smart AI Features for Your Office Documents

Microsoft isn't stopping at images. The company is also planning to roll out similar AI actions for Office files. Users will soon be able to:

• Summarize Documents: Quickly get summaries of documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint.
• Create AI-Generated Lists: Generate lists from file content using AI.

Initially, these Office AI actions will be available to Microsoft 365 commercial subscribers who have a Copilot license. Microsoft has indicated that support for consumer accounts will be "coming later."

Integration and Customization Questions

It remains to be seen whether users will have the option to disable these new AI actions from the increasingly populated context menu. These new features join the "Ask Copilot" option, which Microsoft recently added to the File Explorer's right-click menu, further deepening AI integration into the core Windows experience.

Windows Widgets Get an AI Boost Too

Beyond the File Explorer enhancements, Microsoft is also testing visual and functional updates for the widgets feature in Windows 11. According to the Windows Insider team, these changes are designed to create "a more organized, personalized, and engaging feed." A key part of this revamp is the introduction of "Copilot-curated stories" directly into the widget feed.

Smarter Power Management for Laptops and Tablets

The latest Dev Channel build also introduces a significant under-the-hood improvement: a new "User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management" feature. Microsoft describes this as an OS-level change aimed at reducing power consumption on laptops and tablets. The Windows Insider team explains, "After a period of inactivity on your PC, Windows now conserves power by automatically applying efficient power management policies. This happens seamlessly to save energy while you’re inactive, with full performance instantly restored the moment you get back to it." This promises better battery life without compromising performance when needed.