In the latest Windows 11 preview build 26120.3576 from the Dev Channel, Microsoft is quietly experimenting with a hidden feature that could redefine how our everyday apps function. Dubbed “Actions,” this newly discovered settings menu provides an intriguing glimpse into what the future of Windows might hold—especially for the emerging class of Copilot+ PCs.
• In the Photos app, users can leverage advanced editing functions like Blur Background, Erase Objects, and Visual Search with Bing.
• For Paint, there’s an option simply labeled Removes Background, hinting at capabilities usually reserved for more sophisticated photo-editing software.
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill features; they represent a leap toward deeper integration of AI-driven functionalities in everyday tools. While these functions currently appear as part of an experimental rollout, their sophistication suggests they could eventually become a standard component on AI-enabled, or Copilot+, Windows PCs.
What makes these features stand out is their reliance on dedicated hardware. To fully benefit from these enhancements, systems must include a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of performing at least 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second). This requirement underscores Microsoft’s push toward integrating advanced AI capabilities directly into the PC experience, ensuring that both the software and hardware work in tandem to deliver smarter, more responsive systems.
• The unique Recall feature
• Enhanced To Do functionalities
• A new AI in Windows Search component launching in the summer
• Additional proactive Copilot features slated for later in the year
This progressive rollout indicates that Microsoft is not just experimenting with a few extra settings—they’re reimagining the very foundation of app interaction. The goal is to create a seamless, AI-augmented ecosystem where every action can be both intuitive and intelligent. For many users, this is reminiscent of the leap from basic word processing to modern, AI-aided productivity tools. It begs the question, are we witnessing the dawn of a new era in personal computing?
• Enhanced Productivity: Imagine having AI-powered tools at your fingertips to edit media or manage tasks on the fly. These features can simplify workflows and reduce the need for third-party software.
• Intuitive Interactions: The shift toward a more natural, context-aware computing experience means that the tools you use daily might soon become smarter, almost anticipating your needs.
• Future-Proofing Your Hardware: With Microsoft setting a benchmark that includes a specific NPU performance (40 TOPS), users might soon prioritize hardware that supports these advanced features, ensuring their systems remain relevant in an AI-forward ecosystem.
Moreover, the potential integration of third-party apps into the Actions settings could dramatically expand the creative and practical possibilities for Windows users. Picture being able to extend similar AI functionalities to your favorite photo editor or even your productivity suite—the possibilities are as expansive as the imagination of developers armed with this new tech.
• Click To Do typically appears when you highlight text to bring up a contextual menu, offering suggestions based on what you've selected.
• Actions, on the other hand, seem to be a more proactive tool, giving users preset options directly within app settings to alter or enhance content.
This parallel evolution suggests that Microsoft is focused on tightening the synergy between software ingenuity and hardware capability. The integration of these AI features is expected to be more seamless on devices that meet the hardware threshold, essentially crafting a new class of PCs built explicitly for a smarter, AI-centric environment.
• Wider App Support: As Microsoft collects user feedback, there’s a good chance that more native and third-party apps could adopt these dynamic functions.
• Enhanced AI Integration: The gradual rollout of Copilot+ features hints at even tighter integration between AI and everyday tasks—from search and reminders to real-time content editing.
• User Experience Evolution: With these advancements, the traditional separation between “app” and “OS” may blur, resulting in a more unified computing experience where intelligent features work across the board.
These improvements not only excite tech enthusiasts but also compel us to consider the broader implications of an AI-powered OS. Are we about to enter an era where even routine tasks are streamlined by proactive, intelligent systems? Predictions indicate that in time, what starts as hidden settings could become core features that define the next generation of Windows.
• Usability: Will these features be as intuitive and user-friendly as they appear in the preview, or might they initially overwhelm users with too many options?
• Performance: Relying on specific hardware features like a 40 TOPS capable NPU could potentially limit widespread adoption, at least in the short term, until more devices are equipped with the necessary technology.
• Integration: For third-party developers, the challenge will be to integrate similar AI functionalities into a cohesive ecosystem, ensuring compatibility without sacrificing stability or performance.
The industry’s reaction so far has been a mix of excitement and cautious skepticism—a sentiment that often accompanies revolutionary, yet unproven, advancements. Only time will tell how these features evolve from close-to-the-bone experiments into something that everyday Windows users will take for granted.
For Windows enthusiasts and IT professionals alike, the key takeaway is clear: the future might not just be about faster hardware or sleeker designs, but also about smarter, more intuitive software that learns your preferences and anticipates your needs. As Microsoft continues its rollout of Copilot+ features throughout the year, one thing is certain—Windows is ready to embrace an AI-powered era, and it might just change the way we interact with our PCs forever.
Source: Digital Trends Copilot+ PC exclusive settings teased in Windows 11 preview
A Closer Look at “Actions”
The hidden "Actions" settings, tucked away under Settings > Apps > Actions, are currently being trialed on a couple of built-in applications. Early findings reveal that:• In the Photos app, users can leverage advanced editing functions like Blur Background, Erase Objects, and Visual Search with Bing.
• For Paint, there’s an option simply labeled Removes Background, hinting at capabilities usually reserved for more sophisticated photo-editing software.
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill features; they represent a leap toward deeper integration of AI-driven functionalities in everyday tools. While these functions currently appear as part of an experimental rollout, their sophistication suggests they could eventually become a standard component on AI-enabled, or Copilot+, Windows PCs.
Unpacking the Tech Behind the Tease
At first glance, the Actions settings seem like a set of just a few extra options. However, there’s a broader narrative at play here. This functionality is linked to the “Click To Do” intelligent text actions feature already highlighted in the Windows 11 preview. Much like Click To Do—which allows users to interact with text in a dynamic, almost context-aware manner—the Actions settings are geared toward giving applications an extra layer of smart behavior.What makes these features stand out is their reliance on dedicated hardware. To fully benefit from these enhancements, systems must include a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of performing at least 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second). This requirement underscores Microsoft’s push toward integrating advanced AI capabilities directly into the PC experience, ensuring that both the software and hardware work in tandem to deliver smarter, more responsive systems.
The Path to Copilot+ and AI Integration
Windows Central has noted that Click To Do is exclusive to Copilot PCs—a hint that the Actions settings might follow a similar trajectory. Microsoft is gearing up to roll out several Copilot+ features starting in May, which will include:• The unique Recall feature
• Enhanced To Do functionalities
• A new AI in Windows Search component launching in the summer
• Additional proactive Copilot features slated for later in the year
This progressive rollout indicates that Microsoft is not just experimenting with a few extra settings—they’re reimagining the very foundation of app interaction. The goal is to create a seamless, AI-augmented ecosystem where every action can be both intuitive and intelligent. For many users, this is reminiscent of the leap from basic word processing to modern, AI-aided productivity tools. It begs the question, are we witnessing the dawn of a new era in personal computing?
Navigating the Settings: Where to Find “Actions”
For those eager to explore these experimental features, the path is straightforward. Within the Windows 11 preview, navigating to Settings > Apps > Actions is all it takes to access the new options. Here’s a brief guide:- Open the Windows 11 Settings menu.
- Click on Apps from the sidebar.
- Locate and select the Actions menu.
- Observe the available options for different apps—Photos and Paint are the first beneficiaries of this feature.
Why This Matters for Windows Users
For long-time Windows users, the unveiling of Actions settings is more than just an aesthetic upgrade—it's a signal that Microsoft is actively fusing AI into the fabric of the operating system. Here are some reasons why this matters:• Enhanced Productivity: Imagine having AI-powered tools at your fingertips to edit media or manage tasks on the fly. These features can simplify workflows and reduce the need for third-party software.
• Intuitive Interactions: The shift toward a more natural, context-aware computing experience means that the tools you use daily might soon become smarter, almost anticipating your needs.
• Future-Proofing Your Hardware: With Microsoft setting a benchmark that includes a specific NPU performance (40 TOPS), users might soon prioritize hardware that supports these advanced features, ensuring their systems remain relevant in an AI-forward ecosystem.
Moreover, the potential integration of third-party apps into the Actions settings could dramatically expand the creative and practical possibilities for Windows users. Picture being able to extend similar AI functionalities to your favorite photo editor or even your productivity suite—the possibilities are as expansive as the imagination of developers armed with this new tech.
Comparing “Actions” with “Click To Do”
It’s interesting to note the similarity between Actions and the already known Click To Do feature. Both are designed to enhance in-app interactions offering intelligent prompts and actions based on the context. However, there are subtle differences:• Click To Do typically appears when you highlight text to bring up a contextual menu, offering suggestions based on what you've selected.
• Actions, on the other hand, seem to be a more proactive tool, giving users preset options directly within app settings to alter or enhance content.
This parallel evolution suggests that Microsoft is focused on tightening the synergy between software ingenuity and hardware capability. The integration of these AI features is expected to be more seamless on devices that meet the hardware threshold, essentially crafting a new class of PCs built explicitly for a smarter, AI-centric environment.
The Road Ahead: What Can We Expect?
While it’s still early days, the experimental nature of the Actions settings leaves room for a host of future developments:• Wider App Support: As Microsoft collects user feedback, there’s a good chance that more native and third-party apps could adopt these dynamic functions.
• Enhanced AI Integration: The gradual rollout of Copilot+ features hints at even tighter integration between AI and everyday tasks—from search and reminders to real-time content editing.
• User Experience Evolution: With these advancements, the traditional separation between “app” and “OS” may blur, resulting in a more unified computing experience where intelligent features work across the board.
These improvements not only excite tech enthusiasts but also compel us to consider the broader implications of an AI-powered OS. Are we about to enter an era where even routine tasks are streamlined by proactive, intelligent systems? Predictions indicate that in time, what starts as hidden settings could become core features that define the next generation of Windows.
Balancing the Hype with Practical Considerations
As always, while early previews are exciting, they come with a dose of cautious optimism. Not every experimental feature makes it to the final release, and the Actions settings are no exception. Determining the practical utility of these functionalities will depend on real-world usage scenarios. Future tests and feedback from a diverse user base will be crucial:• Usability: Will these features be as intuitive and user-friendly as they appear in the preview, or might they initially overwhelm users with too many options?
• Performance: Relying on specific hardware features like a 40 TOPS capable NPU could potentially limit widespread adoption, at least in the short term, until more devices are equipped with the necessary technology.
• Integration: For third-party developers, the challenge will be to integrate similar AI functionalities into a cohesive ecosystem, ensuring compatibility without sacrificing stability or performance.
The industry’s reaction so far has been a mix of excitement and cautious skepticism—a sentiment that often accompanies revolutionary, yet unproven, advancements. Only time will tell how these features evolve from close-to-the-bone experiments into something that everyday Windows users will take for granted.
In Conclusion
Microsoft's hidden Actions settings within the Windows 11 preview build signal a bold step into the future of AI-enhanced computing. With enhanced editing features in apps like Photos and Paint, the experimental integration of AI-prompts akin to Click To Do, and strict hardware criteria ensuring top-notch performance, Windows is setting the stage for what could be a complete reimagining of user interaction. Whether these additions will become a staple of everyday computing or remain an interesting footnote in the evolution of Windows remains to be seen.For Windows enthusiasts and IT professionals alike, the key takeaway is clear: the future might not just be about faster hardware or sleeker designs, but also about smarter, more intuitive software that learns your preferences and anticipates your needs. As Microsoft continues its rollout of Copilot+ features throughout the year, one thing is certain—Windows is ready to embrace an AI-powered era, and it might just change the way we interact with our PCs forever.
Source: Digital Trends Copilot+ PC exclusive settings teased in Windows 11 preview
