Microsoft Windows 11 update: Key new features you should know

Microsoft Windows 11 update coming with more than 150 new features including generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI)-based smart assistant Copilot, AI-infused tools such as Paint, Photos, Snipping tool and more.

Microsoft has announced to roll out the major Windows 11 update of the year next week from September 26.

Touted to be the biggest Windows 11 update to date, it is coming with more than 150 new features including generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI)-based smart assistant Copilot on PC, AI-infused tools such as Paint, Photos, Snipping tool, and more.

Here are key aspects of the upcoming Windows 11 update:

Windows Copilot: It is fully replacing the old Cortana smart assistant. It can do almost every task the user asks on the tab. Going forward, he/she never has to browse through settings to activate a feature. For instance, you can just ask Copilot to turn on the music player to play a particular track on a particular app. As seen in the video teaser, a user can even ask Copilot to just turn on the dark mode. If you are working on a presentation or school project, it can get the story done in a few minutes. Just ask it--Write a short essay explaining aerodynamics in simple terms. Or people can ask them to write a summary of the meeting. The work will be done in no time. The Copilot taskbar will open on the right. Just press the Win+C keyboard shortcut to trigger the Copilot assistance. It will be there alongside all the apps, on all screen sizes of compatible devices.

Bing gets OpenAI's latest DALL-E image creator: With this, users will be create amazing images with almost no effort. He/she can type a text and the DALL-E-powered Bing search engine will be able to create a perfect photo that matches the description mentioned in the text prompt tab.

AI Paint app: With the power of gen AI, drawing and digital creation will become easy on the Paint app. Users get many customization and editing tools in addition to background removal. Users can even add layers as well and show a preview to see how it looks. He/she can continue the work or reject it and begin from scratch.

AI Photos app: Besides the basic editing tools, users will now get the feature to blur the background to create the bokeh effect. The Photos app will app automatically find the background in the photo, and with a single click, it can instantly highlight the subject and blur out the background. Also, Microsoft has improved the search feature for photos stored in OneDrive (home or personal) accounts. Going forward, he/she can quickly find the photo based on the content of the photo. For instance, a photo with a pet dog.

Users can also now find photos based on the location where they were taken. For instance, users can mention a famous landmark and the app will bring out that particular photo.

Snipping tool: With the new Windows 11 update, the snipping tool will do more than cut and paste screenshots. It will be able to extract specific text content from an image to paste into another application. Also, it can even capture sound using audio and mic support, to help users to create compelling videos and content from the screen.

Clipchamp: Based on the available images and footage, the new editor now offers helpful suggestions on how to create scenes, edits, and narratives, so he/she can create and edit videos to share with family, friends, and social media like a pro.

Notepad: The long-awaited auto-save feature is finally coming to the Notepad. Also, it will be replacing the WordPad after you upgrade your PC to the latest Windows 11 update.

New Outlook mail: With the latest Windows 11 update, users will be able to link all their mailing accounts (such as Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and more) in one app. It also comes with new intelligent tools to help users write clear, concise emails and seamlessly attach important documents and photos from OneDrive.

Also, Microsoft noted that the new Windows 11 update will make the transition from the old PC to the new Windows 11 computer faster and less hassle. With Windows Backup, people can transfer most files, apps, and settings from one PC to another.

Passkeys: Like the Google and Apple, Microsoft is now offering cross-platform Passkeys feature. It is improved version and with this, users can login to any online account without the passwords.

Read more | Here's how passwordless login works on Windows 11 PC

Besides the new Windows 11 update, the company also announced new features coming in the Microsoft 365 productivity service. In addition to access to Word, PowerPoint, and other apps, customers will get new apps to create stunning visuals, social media posts, invitations, and more using the power of the latest gen AI technology.