Windows 11 Update Brings New AI Capabilities to Copilot, Improvements to Widgets, More

Windows 11 has received a new update for March 2024 that will bring new features and major improvements to supported PCs, laptops, and workstations. Microsoft announced the long list of features on Thursday and stated that the update has started rolling out to users. However, not all the features will be available immediately, with the new Copilot features coming later this month. Some of the notable features include improvements to Widgets, new skills for the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot Copilot, and new features for multiple apps.

Announcing the new features via a Windows blog, Yusuf Mehdi, Executive Vice President, Consumer Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft highlighted that the Copilot features build on the introduction of the Copilot key on the keyboards powering Windows PCs from earlier this year. He also said that Snap, Widgets, and Inking are receiving major upgrades.

Copilot is getting new plugins that will enable it to perform tasks such as making restaurant reservations via OpenTable and grocery ordering via Instacart. In the coming months, support for Shopify, Klarna and Kayak will also be added. Apart from plugins, Copilot can also do more tasks. By just typing a prompt users can make it turn on the battery saver, launch the narrator, empty the recycle bin, launch the screen magnifier, show available Wi-Fi networks, and more. These features will be shipped in late March.

Windows 11 will also bring new AI upgrades for creativity apps. Generative Erase is being introduced to the Photos app which can remove unwanted objects or imperfections from images. This works similar to how the AI feature in Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Google Pixel 8 series. Another improvement is coming to ClipChamp which will now be able to remove awkward silences in audio tracks.

One really interesting feature being added through this update will let users use their Android smartphone as a webcam for video calls. This will require a smartphone running Android 9 or higher and it needs to be linked with a Windows app that is version 1.24012 or higher. This feature is being rolled out to Windows Insider for testing currently. Improvements are also coming to Widgets and the Snap layout feature. Users will have more control over Widgets and can create their own board based on their preferences. Snap is also getting smarter and will remember user preference for apps, and will quickly organise it accordingly.

Finally, an accessibility feature is also being added. Users can now create custom tasks and add Voice Shortcuts for them, enabling more efficient verbal commands. Some of these tasks include pasting text and media, pressing keyboard keys or mouse clicks, opening folders, files, apps or URLs, and more.