Microsoft is seamlessly integrating AI into Windows 11’s File Explorer, revolutionizing the way users interact with files. This enhancement allows users to perform tasks without needing to open external applications, streamlining the file management experience.
Unveiled in the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5603 (KB5058488) for the Dev Channel on May 19, 2025, this feature marks a pivotal step in Microsoft’s ongoing AI evolution within its flagship OS.
AI-Powered File Interaction
The “AI actions in File Explorer” feature provides users with deeper interaction capabilities through an enriched context menu. With a simple right-click, users can explore the new “AI actions” menu, unlocking a range of AI-driven options tailored to the specific file type.
Microsoft’s “AI actions in File Explorer” feature enables users to stay in their workflow while harnessing the power of AI, offering access to editing tools and Copilot capabilities without needing to open files, the company shared in its announcement.
The first phase of this rollout emphasizes image editing functionalities with four key actions:
- Bing Visual Search: Utilize an image to search the web for related images, products, landmarks, plants, and even well-known faces.
- Blur Background: Automatically detects and blurs photo backgrounds, offering customizable intensity levels.
- Erase Objects: Leverages generative AI to remove unwanted elements from images with ease.
- Remove Background: One-click background removal that isolates the subject, leaving a clean cutout.
Currently, these image-related tools support .jpg, .jpeg, and .png file formats.
Expanding to Microsoft 365 Integration
In the near future, Microsoft plans to expand AI actions to Microsoft 365 documents. New features will include:
- Summarize: Automatically generates brief summaries for documents stored in OneDrive and SharePoint, allowing users to get an overview without having to open each file individually. This feature supports a variety of file formats, including .docx, .pptx, .xlsx, .pdf, and .txt.
Create an FAQ: This feature simplifies complex documents by converting them into easy-to-navigate question-and-answer formats. It supports a wide range of file types, such as .xlsx, .ppt, .docx, .pdf, and .html.
To unlock Microsoft 365 AI actions, users need to meet the following criteria:
- For Summarize: A Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot (compatible with both Microsoft account and Microsoft Entra ID).
- For Create an FAQ: A commercial Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot (currently supporting Microsoft Entra ID, with Microsoft account compatibility coming soon).
- Enrollment in the Microsoft 365 Insider Program, with your PC set to receive Beta Channel updates.
These new AI tools in File Explorer are part of a broader set of AI features launched in this update, including “Click to Do” and a revamped widgets board featuring “Copilot-curated stories.”
These innovations are in line with Microsoft’s overarching goal to transform file management, leveraging advanced machine learning models that focus on analyzing and categorizing files based on their actual content, rather than relying solely on filenames.
This integration marks a pivotal move in Microsoft’s mission to weave AI into every aspect of the Windows ecosystem, reshaping the way users manage their files and paving the way for a new era of smart file management systems.
For those eager to explore these advancements, they can join the Windows Insider Program and update to the newest Dev Channel build. However, Microsoft advises that features currently in development could undergo changes before the official release.
