Microsoft is introducing more abilities to Copilot in Windows, starting with plugins to integrate with other services, as well as a series of skills that lets it integrate more deeply with your PC settings. Next month, Microsoft will introduce even more features, including AI photo editing, additions to Windows Ink, and a closer connection with Android phones.
In a blog post, Microsoft executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer Yusuf Mehdi wrote that “many” of these new features will start showing up today through Windows Update or, in the case of individual apps, through updates to the Microsoft Store. The new features will be available to Windows 11 users running versions 22H2 and 23H2.
Plugins and Skills
Copilot, to date, has largely been used on its own. With plugins, Copilot will be able to interact with other services. To start, Microsoft is highlighting OpenTable to make restaurant reservations through Copilot, and Instacart to shop for ingredients in recipes. The company says that in “the next month” more services will come on board, including Kayak, Klarna, and Shopify.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has discussed plugins for Copilot, but it’s the first time we’re seeing them show up in Windows. In May 2023, when Copilot was being discussed as part of Microsoft 365, the company also listed many other partners, including Adobe, Asana, Trello, Spotify, TeamViewer, Box, Jira, Cloudflare, Monday.com, Thomson Reuters, SAP, Redfin, and more.
In addition, Microsoft is adding new skills to Copilot, allowing you to adjust PC settings and access information about your computer. These are set to show up in “late March.” Here’s Microsoft’s full list:
Settings:
- Turn on/off battery saver
- Show device information
- Show system information
- Show battery information
- Open storage page
Accessibility:
- Launch Live Captions
- Launch Narrator
- Launch Screen Magnifier
- Open the Voice Access page
- Open Text size page
- Open the contrast themes page
- Launch Voice input
Device information:
- Show available
- Wi-Fi network
- Display IP Address
- Show Available Storage space
- Empty Recycle Bin
Accessibility, Creativity, and More
Microsoft is also adding more features to Windows. Some of these, unsurprisingly, are focused on AI. In Photos, you’ll be able to remove “unwanted objects or imperfections” with a Generative Erase feature, which sounds similar to Google‘s Magic Eraser on certain Google services and Android phones. In Clipchamp, Microsoft is adding a “Silence Removal” feature that removes gaps in audio tracks, which it says should make resulting videos more natural.
There are also new accessibility features revolving around voice commands. Microsoft is adding custom voice commands, which it suggests you could use for features like “pasting text and media, pressing keyboard keys or mouse clicks, [or] opening folders, files, apps or URLs”. Voice Commands will work across multiple-monitor setups, allowing you to move apps and files between different screens.
Meanwhile, some existing Windows 11 features are getting beefed up. For Android users, they’ll get a deeper connection to Windows 11, including the ability to use their phone as a webcam (which sounds like Apple’s Continuity Camera between Mac and iPhone).
Windows 11’s Snap Layouts are still one of my favorite parts of the OS, and now Microsoft is adding “Snap Suggestions” to organize your apps based on usage. I’m curious to check this one out — hopefully it reminds me to minimize Spotify more often.
Microsoft is also adding more support to Widgets and Photos. The former will get a more organized Widget Board, and you can move widgets into categories. Windows Ink will be added to more software, including Photos, Paint, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Microsoft is also adding more apps to its file-sharing options, including Snapchat and Instagram.
Getting the new Windows features
Several of these new features are available today via Windows Update. If you want to be among the first to try them and are already running Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2, you’ll need to go to Settings > Windows Update and choose “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available,” and then search for updates.
If not, you may wait a bit, as Microsoft runs through its usual controlled rollout to see how eligible computers work with the new features.
“We anticipate broad availability for most new features by the April 2024 security update release for all eligible devices,” Mehdi wrote in his blog post.
