Windows 11 Dev preview adds Copilot writing tools and new widgets
The Windows 11 development preview has introduced significant enhancements, particularly with the integration of Copilot’s writing tools and the expansion of its widget ecosystem. These updates aim to streamline user workflows and provide more dynamic information access directly on the desktop. Early adopters and developers in the Windows Insider Program have been instrumental in testing these new functionalities, offering crucial feedback that shapes the future of the operating system.
Copilot’s Advanced Writing Capabilities
Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant, is becoming increasingly sophisticated, particularly in its text manipulation abilities. A notable development allows Copilot to rewrite, refine, and edit text in real-time during “Copilot Vision” sessions. This feature enables a more fluid and collaborative editing process directly within applications.
To utilize these advanced text editing actions, users must first enable “Copilot Actions” within the Copilot settings. Subsequently, enabling Copilot Vision and sharing the active application allows Copilot to analyze the content on screen. Users can then issue commands such as “rewrite this to be more formal” or “make this clearer” directly within a text field. Copilot will then present suggested edits, which can be previewed and accepted or further refined. This functionality requires Copilot app version 1.25121.60.0 or later and a Windows 11 build of 26200.6899 or higher.
Microsoft is also integrating a universal writing assistant that leverages Copilot to automatically correct grammatical errors or rewrite text. This tool can proofread text, identify errors, and even adjust the tone of the writing to be more concise, friendly, or professional, depending on user preference. This feature is currently exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, which are equipped with Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to accelerate AI tasks. The underlying AI models for these features are cloud-based, likely utilizing variants of GPT-4 accessed via the Copilot platform.
Notepad, a long-standing application in Windows, is also receiving AI-powered writing features. These include text summarization, rewriting, and generation capabilities, previously tied to Microsoft 365 subscriptions but now available without extra cost for Copilot+ PC users. Users can opt for local or cloud AI models if they have a Microsoft 365 account, but even without one, the local model offers AI writing support for English content. These new tools can be disabled if users prefer the traditional Notepad experience, or the app can be uninstalled to revert to notepad.exe.
Widgets: Enhanced Customization and Functionality
The Windows 11 Widgets panel has seen considerable evolution, moving beyond a simple information feed to a more personalized and interactive experience. A key improvement allows users to preview widgets before adding them to their board, providing a visual representation of what the widget will look like. This feature is available in both the Dev and Canary channels of the Windows Insider Program.
Deep linking is another enhancement, enabling users to jump directly to specific widgets for services like Spotify or Microsoft’s own offerings such as Sports, OneDrive, and Outlook. Additionally, a “Find more widgets” link directs users to the Microsoft Store for discovering new widgets. These updates aim to make the widget discovery and management process more intuitive and efficient.
Customization has also been extended to the lock screen, where users can now select and arrange widgets. Before the 25H2 update, the lock screen offered limited customization, primarily a “Weather and more” toggle. Now, users can choose from various widgets, including news, sports, stocks, traffic, and weather, and adjust their layout. While the size of lock screen widgets cannot be changed, the ability to personalize this display offers a more useful at-a-glance information hub.
Microsoft is also exploring new layouts for the Widgets panel itself, experimenting with different header placements to optimize the user experience. Monoline icons are being introduced to ensure consistent, clean, and accessible visual communication of actions and features. Furthermore, the Widgets board is receiving updates that include numbered badges on navigation bar icons to indicate the number of alerts, which clear automatically when a dashboard is left.
The Windows Insider Program and Future Development
The Windows Insider Program remains the primary avenue for testing and providing feedback on these emerging features. This program allows users to access early builds of Windows 11 across different channels: Canary, Dev, Beta, and Release Preview. Each channel caters to different user needs, from highly technical users in the Canary channel to early adopters in the Beta channel.
Microsoft’s overarching vision for Windows 11 is to transform every PC into an “AI PC,” with Copilot at its core. This involves integrating AI more deeply into the operating system through features like Copilot Voice, Copilot Vision, and Copilot Actions. Copilot Actions, in particular, allows AI agents to perform multi-step workflows with explicit user permission, interacting with apps and files to complete tasks.
Recent developments indicate a slight recalibration of Microsoft’s approach, with a stated intention to reduce “unnecessary Copilot entry points” in certain applications like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad. This move aims to improve usability and reduce AI clutter, focusing on genuinely useful and well-crafted AI integrations. While the aggressive push for Copilot in everyday consumer workflows is being tempered, developer-facing tools and background AI capabilities remain on the roadmap.
The evolution of Windows 11, driven by these preview builds and user feedback, highlights a continuous effort to balance innovation with user experience. The integration of advanced AI writing tools and the enhanced widget system are key components of this ongoing development, promising a more intelligent and personalized computing environment.