Miscellaneous Windows Insider Program Updates

Microsoft Copilot Update

An update for the Microsoft Copilot app for Windows is beginning to roll out via the Microsoft Store that introduces the following changes and improvements:

It’s native: With this update, the previous Copilot progressive web app (PWA) is replaced with a native version. After installing the Copilot app update, when you run Copilot, you will see it appear in your system tray.

New quick view: You can access the new quick view for Copilot by using the Alt + Space keyboard shortcut on Windows 10 and 11 PCs. You will be able to move the quick view window and resize it to suit your workflow and you can use Alt + Space to open and close Copilot’s quick view whenever you need. To flip back to the main Copilot app window, just press the icon at the top left corner of the quick view window. PCs with the dedicated Copilot key will open the Copilot app up the main window. Copilot will continue to explore options related to the keyboard shortcuts for the app.

Note: The Copilot app for Windows uses the RegisterHotKey function for the Alt + Space keyboard shortcut. Many apps use this keyboard shortcut today. For any apps installed on your PC that might utilize this keyboard shortcut, Windows will register whichever app is launched first on your PC and running in the background as the app that is invoked when using Alt + Space.

This Copilot app update (version 1.24112.123.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. This is a gradual roll out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Copilot.
 
Phone Link Update

Gradual rollout of the ability to seamlessly share files between your iPhone® and Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC when they are connected via Phone Link.

To use this feature, you'll need to meet the following requirements:
  • An iPhone® that is running iOS 16 or higher.
  • The Link to Windows app on your iPhone (version 1.24112.73 or higher).
  • Phone Link version 1.24112.89.0 or higher.
  • You are registered for the Windows Insider Program.

If you haven't used your iPhone® with Phone Link before, you'll be offered file sharing during the Phone Link setup process.

If you already have your iPhone® paired with Phone Link, you can set up file sharing by going to aka.ms/addAccount on your PC.

To share a file from your iPhone® to your PC:
  • Navigate to a file or set of files you want to share on your iPhone®.
  • Tap the share icon.
  • Tap "Link to Windows".
  • Tap the device you would like to share your file or files with.

To share a file from your PC to your iPhone®:
  • Select the file or files you want to share on your PC (local files only).
  • Right-click on the file and select "Share."
  • Select "My Phone"
Note: If you do not see "My Phone", select Phone Link.

Feedback: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Phone Link.
 
Update for Copilot on Windows begins rolling out to Windows Insiders with new features and improvements

An update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store is beginning to roll out. It introduces the following changes and improvements:
  • Native XAML app and new UI: Includes a new side panel where you can easily start a new conversation and see your conversation history.
  • Ask questions about your PC, like “How do I set up a Bluetooth headset on this device?” and Copilot provides information tailored to your current version of Windows.
As a reminder, you can get quick access to the Copilot app using the Alt + Space hotkey across all PCs and the Copilot Key for those using a Copilot+ PC.

This Copilot app update (version 1.25023.101.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. This is a gradual roll out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience for Windows.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Copilot or directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”.
 
Copilot on Windows: Press to talk begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

An update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store is beginning to roll out. It introduces the following changes and improvements:

Press to talk: Allows you to interact with Copilot using your voice by using a hotkey, providing instant responses while staying in your current workflow and continuing tasks without interruption. To start a voice conversation with Copilot, hold the Alt + Spacebar for 2 seconds on your PC. To end your conversation, press the Esc key. If there is no speaking for several seconds Copilot will automatically end the conversation. When the conversation is over the microphone on the screen will disappear.

This Copilot app update (version 1.25024.100.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Copilot or directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing "Give feedback".
 
Snipping Tool and Notepad app updates begin rolling out to Windows Insiders

This update is for the Snipping Tool and Notepad to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

Snipping Tool (version 11.2502.18.0)

Draw & Hold

In this update, we are making improvements to the inking markup experience by introducing draw & hold, which helps you draw neat lines and shapes with ease. To get started, open Snipping Tool and capture a screenshot of any content on your screen. If the image does not automatically open in the app, click on the toast notification to “Mark up and share” your image. Select the pen tool and draw a line, arrow, rectangle, or oval over the image – before letting go of the shape, hold your cursor or pen still for a moment to convert your stroke into a well-formed shape. Resize, move, or adjust your shape as needed before clicking away to let the ink dry.

Protocol Launch

For developers, Snipping Tool now supports a new and improved protocol launch experience! App callers can now customize which Snipping Tool capture features are shown when invoked from their experience. The protocol is designed to offer improved flexibility, security, and ease of use, aligning closely with familiar HTTP-based interactions. This shift can make use of the protocol more intuitive for developers, and it expands support for better integration with web technologies. To learn more and get started, check out the Launch Snipping Tool developer documentation page.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.

Notepad (version 11.2501.29.0)

With this update, we are introducing the ability to summarize content in Notepad with the help of generative AI. We are also adding recent files to the File menu, a highly-requested feature, allowing you to quickly reopen recently closed documents.

Summarize

To get started, select the text you want to summarize, then right-click and choose Summarize, select Summarize from the Copilot menu, or use the Ctrl + M keyboard shortcut. Notepad will generate a summary of the selected text, providing a quick way to condense content. You can experiment with different summary lengths to refine the output.

If you prefer, you can disable AI features in app settings.

To use Summarize, you need to sign in with your Microsoft personal account. Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Copilot Pro subscribers will be able to use AI credits to use Summarize in Notepad.

Recent Files

With recent files, you can now reopen your recently closed files directly within Notepad. To access Recent Files, open Notepad and go to the File menu, where you will find a list of your recently used documents. Click on any file to instantly reopen and continue editing.

You can also clear the Recent list at any time or turn off the Recent Files feature in app settings if you prefer not to keep a history of recently closed files.

FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad.

[These features in Snipping Tool and Notepad are beginning to rollout in these updates, so it may not be available to all Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels just yet as we plan to monitor feedback and see how it lands before pushing them out to everyone.]

As always, we love getting feedback from the community and we will be looking out for your thoughts and suggestions on these updates!
 
Paint update begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

UPDATE 3/20: The following update for Paint is now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are beginning to roll out an update for Paint (version 11.2502.121.0) to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

In this update, we are improving the Cocreator side panel user experience with a simplified and more intuitive layout. To get started, click on Cocreator in the Copilot menu and describe what you would like to create. Start drawing on the canvas with your mouse or pen to start generating the artwork with AI.

You can use the Creativity slider and the Select style dropdown as it is today. The newly introduced Try again button can be used to generate a new version of the image, and the Apply button can be used to apply the generated content to the Paint canvas once you are satisfied with the final result.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.
 
March 2025 Microsoft Photos update now rolling out to Windows Insiders

Today we are beginning to roll out a Microsoft Photos app update to Windows Insiders on Windows 11 across all Insider Channels and also to Windows Insiders on Windows 10 in the Release Preview Channel. Not all Insiders will see this update right away or the features noted below as we roll things out to more Insiders over time. Here are some highlights of what is new and improved in this update!

Search the web with OCR-extracted text

The Photos app now comes with a powerful Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature which supports over 160 languages, which began rolling out again for Windows Insiders on Windows 11 and Windows 10 at the end of January. To use OCR, simply click the Scan Text button in the Photos Viewer. The app will highlight the recognized text with an overlay, allowing you to easily select and copy it to your clipboard. With this update, we’re adding “Search in Web” functionality so you can quickly search for any selected text from your images right from the app.

This enhancement makes it easier than ever to extract and find online results of text from documents, notes, screenshots, and more. Whether you’re capturing text from a document or simply exploring the contents of an image, the Photos app’s OCR and online search features streamline your workflow and boost your productivity.

Quick access to AI editing and visual search from File Explorer and your desktop

Introducing new File Explorer shortcuts that give you direct access to AI editing and Visual Search without needing to open the Photos app.

Right-click an image in File Explorer and select “Create with Designer” to add rich text, adjust composition with object selection, or enhance colors with color pop.

Plus, use the “Erase Object” shortcut to quickly remove unwanted elements. And with “Visual Search with Bing” shortcut, you can easily look up similar images, related products, and more right from your desktop.

Show subfolder images and videos in the Photos Gallery
Now you can use filters to adjust how your subfolder and gallery content show up. By enabling “Show subfolders”, you can now see all the images and videos from subfolders in the Gallery, making it a richer navigation experience.

Introducing the new Copilot button in the Photos app
We are excited to unveil the Copilot button in the Photos app that brings AI directly to your fingertips.

This Copilot integration is rolling out soon and with this new feature, you can effortlessly share your photos with AI to receive:

  • Photo Editing Tips: Get expert advice on enhancing your images.
  • Image Insights: Discover interesting details about your photos.
  • Framing Suggestions: Improve your photography skills with personalized recommendations.
New Copilot button at the top of Photos Viewer highlighted in a red box.

Other fixes and improvements
  • Due to popular requests, the Photos app now supports JXL files.
  • We implemented bug fixes for the Image Creator and Restyle Image features on Copilot+ PCs to improve overall quality and performance. This includes successfully loading Image Creator in the Photos app on the initial launch of Photos and being able to Save generated images under a different file name.
To get these new features, update your app to version 2025.11030.20006.0 or higher via the Microsoft Store. This update is currently rolling out, so it may not be available right away. As always, we love getting your feedback so please share your thoughts in Feedback Hub (Win + F) under Apps > Photos.
 
Copilot on Windows: Vision and file search begin rolling out to Windows Insiders

An update for the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows via the Microsoft Store which introduces the following changes and improvements is beginning to roll out:

File search: You can now find, open and ask questions about the contents of a file on your device from the Copilot on Windows app. You can adjust your permissions for what Copilot can access, retrieve, or read in Copilot Settings under Permission settings. File search supports most file types and can read .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, .txt, .pdf, .json files. Ask Copilot questions like "Can you find my resume", "Open the trip planning doc I was working on last week", or "Look at my budget file and tell me how much I spent on dining last month".

Copilot Vision on Windows: You can share any browser or app window with Copilot. Copilot can then help analyze, offer insights, or answer your questions, coaching you through it aloud. To get started click the glasses icon in your composer, select which browser window or app you want to share, and ask Copilot to help with whatever you're working on. To stop sharing, press 'Stop' or 'X' in the composer.

This Copilot app update (version 1.25034.133.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. Copilot Vision on Windows will first roll out to Insiders in the U.S., and file search will roll out to Insiders worldwide. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows.

FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing "Give feedback".
 
Text extractor in Snipping Tool begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

Snipping Tool (version 11.2503.27.0)

Text Extractor
In this update, we are adding text extractor in the Snipping Tool capture bar – designed to minimize the number of steps it takes to copy text to your clipboard without having to take a screenshot of your screen.

To get started, open Snipping Tool via Win + Shift + S or launch the app and click the new “Text Extractor” button in the toolbar.

Select the region you would like to scan for text (just as you would for standard rectangle snip), and you will be able to manually select the text to copy to clipboard, or you can click on the “Copy all text” button in the toolbar to quickly copy all text in the region. You can also explore the “More options” dropdown menu to “Remove line breaks” from copied text or simplify the experience entirely with the “Automatically copy text” selection, which will dismiss Snipping Tool earlier and automatically copy all text in your selection region directly to your clipboard.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.
 
Copilot on Windows: "Hey, Copilot!" begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

An update to the Copilot app via the Microsoft Store is beginning to roll out to Windows Insiders with changes and improvements.

Copilot wake word: Windows Insiders can now invoke Copilot with the phrase “Hey, Copilot!”. This opt-in feature gives people a new way to easily start a conversation with Copilot Voice, anytime the feature is enabled, and their PC is unlocked. With this new hands-free experience, you can stay in your flow when you need answers to a question or just need someone to bounce an idea off of.

To get started, enable “Hey, Copilot” in the Settings of your Copilot app, then simply ask a question starting with “Hey, Copilot…”. You’ll see the Copilot microphone appear on your screen, along with a chime to indicate that Coplot is listening. To end a conversation, tap ‘X’ or Copilot will end the call automatically after a few seconds of no interaction. You will hear a chime confirming that the conversation has ended.

FAQs:

How do I use ‘Hey Copilot’ once enabled?
  • Anytime your PC is unlocked, and the feature is enabled, simply say “Hey Copilot” or “Hey Copilot, what is the weather in Palm Springs this weekend?” (or whatever question you have) and Copilot Voice will respond.
  • Anytime the wake word is detected you will see the Copilot Voice Floating UI appear on the bottom of your screen and either hear a small chime, or a voice greeting or response from Copilot.
  • You can end a conversation by tapping the X on the Copilot Voice Floating Call UI or wait a few seconds without speaking and the call will end automatically. You will hear a hang up chime or a voice confirmation that the call ended.
Is ‘Hey Copilot’ on by default?
No, you must enable this feature within Copilot’s settings to use it.

To configure:
  1. Open Copilot
  2. Tap your avatar in the bottom left corner,
  3. Tap Settings
  4. Scroll down to Voice mode
  5. Toggle “Listen for ‘Hey, Copilot’ to start a conversation” on or off. It is off by default.
Why does Windows show my microphone in use when I turn on ‘Hey Copilot’?
Windows will show Copilot in use of the microphone via the Windows System Tray when either of these are true:
  • ‘Hey Copilot’ is enabled and the Copilot app is running in (open, minimized, or running in the background)
  • Any Copilot Voice conversation is going on
How do I tell the difference between if Copilot is only listening for the wake word or if I’m in a Copilot Voice conversation?
If you see the Copilot Voice interface, you are in a conversation with Copilot Voice.

Is my data/voice/recordings sent to the cloud when ‘Hey Copilot’ is enabled?
No. When ‘Hey Copilot’ is enabled, Copilot uses the microphone with an on-device wake word spotter that only detects the ‘Hey Copilot’ phrase.

The wake word spotter uses an on-device 10 second audio buffer in memory. This audio buffer is never recorded or stored locally.

When the wake word is detected, the Copilot Voice Floating UI will appear and begin to establish a Copilot Voice conversation. In parallel, the audio buffer will send audio from when “Hey Copilot” was detected to the cloud so it can be used to help answer the question you asked.

Will ‘Hey Copilot’ work when my PC is off or locked?
No, your PC must be powered on and unlocked. It will respond to any voice it hears when unlocked.

Will ‘Hey Copilot’ work if I’m offline?
Recognition of the wake word is always performed locally and will try to establish a Copilot Voice call when detected. If you are offline you will see Copilot attempt to establish a connection but will not able to and see the call end. Copilot Voice responses require internet access and cloud processing, similar to typed interactions.

What languages work with ‘Hey Copilot’?
Today, the ‘Hey Copilot’ wake word is only trained and available in English.

This Copilot app update (version 1.25051.10.0 and higher) is beginning to roll out across all Insider Channels via the Microsoft Store. Hey Copilot will first roll out to Insiders worldwide, who have their display language in Windows set to English. The above-mentioned features are gradually rolling out so not all Insiders will get the update right away. We are excited to be previewing improvements with our Insiders to ensure all our customers have a great Copilot experience on Windows.

FEEDBACK: Please provide feedback directly within the Copilot app by clicking on your profile icon and choosing “Give feedback”.
 
Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad updates with new features begin rolling out to Windows Insiders

Updates to Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11 are beginning to roll out.

Paint (version 11.2504.451.0)
This update brings three exciting enhancements to elevate your creative experience. First, we’re introducing sticker generator, a new AI-powered feature that lets you create custom stickers by simply typing a prompt. To get started, click on the Sticker generator button in the Copilot menu. From there, you can type in a description of the sticker you want to create, like “a cat wearing sunglasses”, and hit the Generate button. Paint will then generate a set of unique stickers based on your prompt. Once the stickers are generated, you can click on any one of them to instantly apply it to your canvas, copy the sticker for use in other applications, or save it for later. To access your recently generated stickers, click on the new Stickers option in the Paint toolbar.

We’re also adding object select, a smart selection tool that uses AI to help you isolate and edit individual elements in your image. To get started, click on the Object select tool in the toolbar and simply pinpoint specific elements on the canvas to select and make edits instantly.

Sticker generator and object select will be available only on Copilot+ PCs. To use sticker generator, you will need to sign in with your Microsoft account.

Lastly, we are introducing a new welcome experience in Paint designed to help users discover and learn about the app’s latest and most useful features. This dialog provides a quick overview of what’s possible in Paint and serves as a helpful starting point for both new and returning users. You can close it anytime and revisit it later by clicking the megaphone icon in the top-right corner of the toolbar.

We hope you enjoy these updates and look forward to seeing what you create in Paint!

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Paint.

Snipping Tool (version 11.2504.38.0)
In this update, we’re introducing two new features to Snipping Tool—perfect screenshot and color picker.

Perfect screenshot is a new AI-powered feature in Snipping Tool that allows you to precisely capture content on your screen without the need to crop or resize it post-capture on your Copilot+ PC. To get started, invoke the Snipping Tool capture toolbar from within the app or by using the Print Screen keyboard shortcut. Select the Perfect screenshot button from the toolbar when in rectangle mode and start selecting a region of your screen. Once activated, perfect screenshot will intelligently resize based on the content in your selection. You can also quickly enable perfect screenshot by holding the Ctrl keyboard shortcut after invoking Snipping Tool while selecting a region of your screen. Move or edit the area before confirming your capture, ensuring you get the perfect screenshot every time! Perfect screenshot in Snipping Tool will be available only on Copilot+ PCs.

We have also added the ability to capture more information on your screen through the introduction of color picker. To get started, invoke the Snipping Tool capture toolbar from within the app or by using the Print Screen keyboard shortcut. Select Color picker from the toolbar and then inspect or select a color code on your screen, choosing from HEX, RGB or HSL values. Need to be more precise? You can zoom by scrolling in on your pointer or using by using the Ctrl +/- keyboard shortcuts. Color picker is great for designers, developers, and anyone who might need to quickly match a color you see on your screen as part of a project.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under under Apps > Snipping Tool.

Notepad (version 11.2504.46.0)
ALT-Text: Notepad using the AI write feature to highlight text.

With this update, we are introducing the ability to write new content in Notepad using generative AI. The new write feature helps you quickly draft text based on your prompt, making it easy to start from a blank page or build upon existing content with AI-powered assistance.

To get started, place your cursor where you want to insert new text or select content you’d like to use as a reference. Then right-click and choose Write, select Write from the Copilot menu, or use the Ctrl + Q keyboard shortcut. Enter your instruction into the dialog and click Send. The AI-generated output will appear directly on the canvas.

You can select Keep text to add it to your document or Discard it if it doesn’t fit your needs. You can also continue refining the output by entering follow-up prompts to evolve your draft further.

If you prefer, you can disable AI features in app settings.

To use write, you need to sign in with your Microsoft account. Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Enterprise, and Copilot Pro subscribers will be able to use AI credits to use Write in Notepad. Learn more about AI credits.

You can learn more about write in Notepad here.

FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad.
 
Text Formatting in Notepad begin rolling out to Windows Insiders

The update to Notepad is to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

Notepad (version 11.2504.50.0)

With this update, we are introducing lightweight formatting in Notepad, providing additional flexibility in how you structure content across your files. The experience supports Markdown style input and files for users who prefer to work directly with the lightweight markup language. To get started, use the new formatting toolbar to apply formatting as you type or to selected text, including bold and italic styling, hyperlinks, and support for simple lists and headings.

If at any point you want to return to plain text, you can clear all formatting from the formatting toolbar or from the edit menu. You can switch between formatted Markdown and Markdown syntax views in the view menu or by selecting the toggle button in the status bar at the bottom of the window. If you prefer, you can disable support for formatting entirely in app settings.

FEEDBACK: Please share your feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Notepad.
 
The updates and features for Paint, Snipping Tool, and Notepad described above and on the Windows Blog are now rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Release Preview Channels.
 
GIF export in Snipping Tool begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

Beginning to roll out an update to Snipping Tool to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11.

Snipping Tool (version 11.2505.21.0)

GIF export
In this update, we are adding GIF export for screen recordings – designed to boost your productivity and turn quick captures into shareable moments.

To get started, open Snipping Tool’s screen recorder via Win + Shift + R or launch the app and toggle to screen recording mode. Record a screen recording video. Once the recording preview opens in the Snipping Tool app, click on the “Export GIF” button in the top toolbar.

You will be prompted to select a preferred GIF quality between low and high quality. Then, you can save your GIF to your files or skip this step and copy it directly to your clipboard!

Please note: GIF export is limited to videos that are 30 seconds or less. If your video is longer than 30 seconds, Snipping Tool will offer to export the first 30 seconds of your video instead.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Apps > Snipping Tool.
 

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