Microsoft testing new AI features in Windows 11 File Explorer

Microsoft is testing new File Explorer AI-powered features that will enable Windows 11 users to work with images and documents without needing to open the files.

Known as “AI actions,” they can currently only be used to remove the background, erase objects, and blur the background in JPG, JPEG, and PNG image files.

The complete list of File Explorer AI actions also includes a tool designed to help users easily reverse search any of their images using Microsoft’s Bing web search engine.

“With AI actions in File Explorer, you can interact more deeply with your files by right-clicking to quickly take actions like editing images or summarizing documents,” said Microsoft’s Amanda Langowski and Brandon LeBlanc.

“Like with Click to Do, AI actions in File Explorer allow you to stay in your flow while leveraging the power of AI to take advantage of editing tools in apps or Copilot functionality without having to open your file.”

Windows Insiders can try the new AI actions in File Explorer by selecting the “AI actions” entry from the contextual menu that appears after right-clicking a supported image file.

The new AI features are rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel who have installed Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27938.

This new Windows 11 build also introduces a new entry in the “Settings > Privacy & security > Text and image generation” dialog, which displays which third-party applications have recently utilized Windows’ generative AI models and allows users to control which apps are allowed to use them.

In May, Microsoft also announced new AI agents that make changing settings on your Windows computer easier on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs.

As the company explained at the time, users can utilize these agents to find settings they want to change using natural language and instruct them to do so without requiring any user involvement beyond the initial prompt.