Windows 11 Update Adds Copilot Integration, AI Features to MS Paint and Snipping Tool, More

Windows 11 has been updated with support for Copilot — Microsoft's new AI-powered assistant — as part of the company's latest operating system update. Aside from integrating a chatbot into Windows 11, Microsoft is also updating the MS Paint app with support for layers and graphics generation, while the built-in Snipping Tool for screenshots is getting AI-based features such as text extraction and redaction. Windows Backup will allow you to move information across computers when switching to a new Windows 11 PC.

Microsoft detailed the changes coming to Windows 11 in a blog post on Tuesday and revealed that the Copilot feature is finally making its way to the platform. Copilot will bring the company's revamped Bing Chat to Windows 11, allowing you to perform various tasks such as taking a screenshot, toggling Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and other system controls, and generating a summary of a web page.

Copilot will also use generative AI responses to provide text and image responses based on your queries. After updating to the latest version of Windows with Copilot, you can press the Windows key and C or click on the Copilot icon on the Windows 11 taskbar to get started with the feature.

Microsoft is also updating the MS Paint app with some of the most notable upgrades it has received in nearly four decades. MS Paint will now let you work with multiple layers, just like Adobe Photoshop. You will also be able to easily remove the background from any picture using the built-in image editing tool, according to the company.

MS Paint is getting a new Cocreator mode that uses artificial intelligence
Photo Credit: Microsoft

Meanwhile, a new Paint Cocreator preview will roll out to testers on the Windows Insider in the coming weeks, with support for entering a text prompt to create unique images, Microsoft says in the blog post. The blog post states "50 credits available for initial use of Paint Cocreator. One credit applied per use" — suggesting that the feature will not be free to use when it is rolled out. 

The Snipping Tool — Microsoft's built-in screenshot and markup tool for Windows 11 — is getting new AI-powered features too. After installing the latest Windows 11 update, you will be able to access two new features via the Snipping Tool — text recognition and redaction. While the former uses optical character recognition (OCR) to detect text, the latter will allow you to black out any text from a screenshot such as an email address or a phone number.

Finally, Microsoft is updating the Windows 11 File Explorer with an improved home interface with bigger thumbnails for favourites or recent files and documents. You will also be able to open RAR and 7-zip files natively, without the need for third part file compression apps. 

According to the company, you can open the Windows 11 settings app and navigate to Windows Update, and then enable the option titled Get the latest updates as soon as they're available. You will then need to wait for the update to roll out to your laptop or desktop computer.