Microsoft Photos App Gets AI-Powered Relight and Semantic Search on Windows Copilot+ PCs

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence continues to reshape even our everyday desktop experiences, and few tools exemplify this trajectory more clearly than the latest update to the Microsoft Photos app for Windows Insiders. As of this week, select users running Copilot+ PCs — notably those powered by Qualcomm’s newest hardware — can test an innovative suite of AI-powered features designed to make photo editing smarter, more intuitive, and distinctly Windows-centric. This feature-rich release isn’t merely a cosmetic upgrade; it reflects Microsoft’s deepening commitment to integrating on-device AI with core Windows capabilities, propelling the flagship Photos app into the next era of intelligent creativity.

Understanding Copilot+ PCs and the Windows AI Vision​

To appreciate these updates, it’s important to establish the context that brought them to fruition. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a new category of Copilot+ PCs, a hardware and software initiative promising the “most AI-accelerated” Windows experience yet. Spearheaded by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series and soon joined by AMD and Intel, Copilot+ devices offer dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs), opening the door for next-generation AI features that prioritize privacy and responsiveness by running directly on-device.
This hardware leap is at the heart of Microsoft’s AI transformation for Windows. The company’s vision, as outlined at its recent Surface event, centers on infusing everyday productivity apps and system functions with advanced neural AI, leveraging local processing for instant user feedback without relying solely on cloud computation. The Photos app, a staple for millions, is now a vanguard of this strategy.

Relight: Bringing Studio Lighting to the Desktop​

One of the most notable features introduced in this latest Photos app preview is “Relight.” AI-based relighting has existed in the domain of mobile photo editing for some time, but Microsoft’s approach brings a new level of control, making advanced photographic techniques accessible to everyday Windows users.

How Relight Works​

Relight allows users to manipulate the lighting of a photograph as if they were in a professional studio. According to Microsoft’s Windows Insider team, this feature enables you to:

• Position up to three virtual light sources within a scene.
• Set individual light colors for each source, creating nuanced effects.
• Adjust the focus point, where all lights converge for maximum emphasis.
• Fine-tune with brightness and intensity controls to achieve the desired mood or highlight specific details.
• Apply one-click presets for commonly used lighting setups, offering speed and consistency.

Crucially, these changes are not merely superficial overlays. By leveraging the dedicated NPU on Copilot+ PCs, the Photos app analyzes the image’s structure and depth, intelligently projecting light in a way that respects facial features, textures, and the interplay of shadows and highlights. This means portraits can be subtly warmed with golden hour tones or dramatically transformed with stark backlighting, and users maintain detailed control every step of the way.

Why Relight Changes the Game​

Traditional photo editors, even powerful ones like Photoshop, require significant expertise — and often third-party plugins — to approximate this control. Windows Photos’ integration democratizes relighting, making it possible for anyone with a Copilot+ PC to create studio-quality edits in seconds. The on-device AI ensures these advanced calculations happen almost instantly, free from the lag or privacy concerns of cloud-based alternatives.
However, it’s worth noting that Relight, at least in its current Insider preview, is only available for photos stored locally and indexed by the system. The feature is also initially exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel models scheduled “in the coming months.” Users eager to experiment who are running legacy hardware may feel left behind for now, but Microsoft’s staggered rollout indicates broader access is on the horizon.

Semantic Search: Natural Language Meets Photo Discovery​

Beyond creative editing, the updated Photos app delivers another quietly powerful feature: semantic search with natural language. Building on the same core technology that powers Windows Search in the taskbar, this enhancement lets users query their photo libraries the way they speak, not just with keywords or rigid tags.

How Semantic Search Works​

Instead of scrolling endlessly through folders or relying on memory, users can now type (or dictate) queries such as:

• “Photos from my trip to Tokyo”
• “Pictures of birthday cakes”
• “Images where Anna is smiling”

Behind the scenes, the AI interprets these phrases, leveraging machine vision and metadata analysis to surface relevant images. The search is contextually aware, recognizing objects, places, people, and even moods within stored photos. This shift streamlines digital photo management, a persistent challenge as personal libraries balloon into the tens of thousands.

Local and Private​

A key strength here — and one that Microsoft emphasizes — is privacy. Semantic search runs entirely on-device, analyzing and indexing only the photos saved locally; nothing is sent to the cloud unless users opt into additional online services. For privacy-conscious users or organizations bound by regulatory standards, keeping sensitive imagery and their analyses local is a critical advantage.
At launch, this feature is available to all Insider channels on qualifying Copilot+ PCs, though expansion to AMD and Intel-based machines is pending. As with Relight, cloud-backed libraries and OneDrive content are currently excluded from these AI-powered searches, a limitation likely to be addressed as the technology matures.

Restyle Image and Image Creator for Entra ID Accounts​

In a nod to business and education users, Microsoft is simultaneously enabling its Restyle Image and Image Creator features for individuals signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). These tools harness generative AI capabilities — already familiar to many through tools like DALL-E and Midjourney — to transform and generate entirely new visuals from simple prompts.

What Restyle Image Does​

Restyle Image can take an existing photograph and, within a few clicks, apply advanced artistic transformations. Whether crafting a cartoon variant of a group photo for a team event or giving profile images a more professional, painterly finish, Restyle leverages on-device neural networks to interpret user instructions and deliver results quickly.

About Image Creator​

For digital professionals and creative teams, Image Creator enables the generation of new visuals from text prompts. By describing the desired image (“a blueprint style skyscraper at sunset”), users receive unique AI-generated artwork — useful for presentations, brainstorming, or simply expressing ideas where stock photos fall short. Access is tied to enterprise and education accounts, positioning Photos as a legitimate tool for institutional creativity and communication.

How the Insider Program Shapes Windows AI Development​

These features arrive first through the Windows Insider program, Microsoft’s long-standing public beta initiative. This rollout serves three important purposes:

1. Real-World Feedback: By observing how everyday users employ Relight and semantic search, Microsoft can refine features, squash bugs, and prioritize enhancements before a full public release.
2. Performance Benchmarking: The company can measure how effectively on-device AI leverages new Copilot+ hardware under varied real-world conditions, helping optimize for speed, battery life, and device compatibility.
3. Ecosystem Development: Early access for developers and IT professionals helps seed a broader ecosystem of creative and productivity tools that leverage the same underlying AI platforms, from NPU-accelerated photo editors to third-party plugins.

Given Microsoft’s stated ambition to “empower every user and organization” with neural AI, the Insider track is a vital proving ground — and a harbinger of what’s coming for all Windows 11 (and likely Windows 12) users.

Critical Analysis: Promises and Pitfalls​

While this update marks a significant leap for the Photos app and underlines Microsoft’s lead in AI-powered user experiences on the desktop, it also raises several critical questions that Windows enthusiasts and professionals alike should consider.

Notable Strengths​

• On-Device Privacy and Speed: By prioritizing local processing, Microsoft tackles two longstanding critiques of AI-enabled experiences: privacy risk and network dependency. Fast, offline computation means edits aren’t delayed by cloud roundtrips or hobbled by unreliable connections.
• Accessibility of Advanced Tools: With drag-and-drop relighting and natural language search, complex photo editing and organization become accessible to novice users, reducing reliance on expensive, expert-level software.
• Enterprise and Education Integration: The addition of Entra ID features demonstrates Microsoft’s strategic commitment to making creative AI not just a consumer novelty but an institutional staple.
• Hardware Optimization: Restricting early access to Copilot+ PCs enables engineers to leverage the full potential of Snapdragon X NPUs (and soon, next-gen AMD/Intel chips), delivering a genuinely next-level experience compared to general-purpose CPUs alone.

Potential Risks and Limitations​

• Hardware Exclusivity: Early adopters with existing AMD and Intel machines cannot access the headline AI features until a future update, which may foster frustration. Historically, staggered rollouts have been a pain point for Windows users, and Microsoft must balance showcasing leading-edge experiences with inclusivity.
• Insider Channel Reliability: As with all preview software, bugs are inevitable. Users relying on Windows Photos for production workflows should be wary, especially since AI-driven features can introduce subtle errors in image processing or results that diverge from user intent.
• Unverifiable Processing: While Microsoft asserts all analysis occurs locally, the technical specifics — including how models are updated and how data is or isn’t shared with cloud services — remain somewhat opaque outside official documentation. Users with strict privacy needs should await deeper technical audits or independent reviews before full adoption.
• Content Integrity: AI-powered relighting and restyling can alter original photographic intent or authenticity. This raises questions for journalistic, legal, and archival environments where image integrity is non-negotiable.

The Road Ahead​

Microsoft’s ambitions for deep, on-device AI in Windows are clear, but the success of this vision will depend on execution, transparency, and a careful balance between innovation and user empowerment. As new hardware expands, and backward compatibility improves, expect a rapid acceleration of AI features not just within Photos but across the broader Windows ecosystem.

Practical Implications: Who Stands to Benefit?​

• Casual Users: Social media aficionados and amateur photographers gain pro-level control without mastering complex editing suites.
• Professionals: Marketers, educators, and content creators enjoy faster workflows and richer options for creative expression — especially those using Entra-aware devices.
• Enterprises: By integrating creative AI tools with enterprise identity and compliance solutions, organizations can enable innovation without sacrificing oversight.
• Privacy Advocates: For the first time, users can access advanced search and editing capabilities without exposing their photo libraries to remote servers.

User Guide: How to Access and Explore These Features​

Interested Insiders can access these updates in a few straightforward steps:

1. Join the Windows Insider Program: Enroll your device, and ensure you’re on a Copilot+ PC running the latest Insider Preview.
2. Update Microsoft Photos: Visit the Microsoft Store to ensure you have the latest version compatible with your Insider build.
3. Explore Relight: Open any locally stored image, and look for the Relight option in the Edit menu. Experiment with light sources, colors, and presets for immediate results.
4. Try Semantic Search: Use the search bar to find photos with conversational queries — “beach sunset from last August” or “pictures of my red car.”
5. Sign in with Entra ID: If using a work or school account, access Image Creator and Restyle Image from within the app for prompt-based and generative editing.

For those on AMD or Intel hardware, keep an eye on Insider blog updates; broader hardware support is expected soon.

Conclusion: A New Era for Windows Photos​

The release of Relight, semantic search, and next-level generative features within Microsoft Photos marks more than an app update — it's a glimpse of the future Microsoft envisions for Windows as a living, expressive, and genuinely intelligent platform. While the current focus on Copilot+ PCs and Insider channels may feel exclusive, the rapid pace of development suggests mainstream users will not have to wait long. The Photos app, once a basic image viewer, is maturing into a creative studio powered by AI, privacy-aware processing, and seamless integration with the broader Windows ecosystem.
Long-time Windows enthusiasts will recall the days when adding a vignette or removing redeye felt groundbreaking. Today, through AI, relighting a portrait or searching thousands of photos in natural language takes only seconds — and all without leaving the desktop. As Microsoft continues to push the envelope with on-device intelligence, expect to see similar transformations across other core apps, turning Copilot+ hardware into the beating heart of a new, smarter Windows experience.
For now, Windows Insiders are the vanguard, putting tomorrow’s features to the test. The AI-powered Photos app for Copilot+ PCs is a testament to how far — and how fast — the Windows platform is evolving, ensuring that creativity, productivity, and privacy can thrive together in the age of AI.

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Source: Thurrott.com Microsoft Photos Adds New AI Features for Insiders on Copilot+ PCs