Microsoft is rolling out a fresh Windows 11 Start menu redesign and a wide range of AI features, with updates arriving first on Snapdragon X Copilot Plus PCs. These include the new Surface devices and will expand later to other systems with Intel and AMD chips.
The revamped Start menu, spotted earlier in a preview build, is more spacious and functional. It now includes a scrollable “All Apps” view organized by categories — a much-needed upgrade, especially for large displays. This refreshed layout aims to improve both aesthetics and usability.
New Companion Panel and Smart Integration
A standout addition is the phone companion panel, which offers instant access to synced iPhone or Android information. Users can check messages, call logs, battery levels, and even contact recent people, all directly from the Start menu.
But this is just the start. Microsoft is turning Windows 11 into a smarter, AI-powered platform. Several core system apps are getting significant upgrades that make use of on-device AI for speed and privacy.
Among the most interesting is a new AI agent in the Windows Settings menu. Users can ask this assistant to adjust settings or troubleshoot issues like a small mouse cursor. Though helpful, Microsoft does caution users that these suggestions are “AI-generated and may be incorrect,” reminding users to double-check before applying major system changes.
AI Features Across the Entire OS
Microsoft’s goal is to make Windows 11 more intuitive, accessible, and useful. Key AI upgrades include:
- Click to Do: New text and image actions integrated across apps
- Copilot Vision: A visual search function for identifying elements on your screen
- Enhanced Windows Search: Smarter results and context-aware responses
- File Explorer AI: Right-clicking a file opens shortcuts for actions like summarizing text or editing images
- Narrator improvements: Rich image descriptions for screen readers
- AI writing tools in Notepad: Assistive writing and suggestions for better productivity
In creative tools like Photos, Paint, and Snipping Tool, the upgrades are even more dramatic. The Photos app gets a Relight feature, which allows users to place up to three virtual light sources in an image for custom lighting effects.
Paint, long considered basic, will soon feature a content-aware selection tool for smarter editing. It also introduces generative fill and the ability to turn text prompts into digital stickers — making it more like a mini Photoshop.
The Snipping Tool also steps up its game. A new Perfect Screenshot feature automatically identifies and crops the main content in a screenshot. You’ll also be able to extract text from screenshots, and use a built-in eyedropper tool to sample any color on screen.
Rollout Timeline and Compatibility
For now, the updates are exclusive to Windows Insiders running on Snapdragon X-powered Copilot Plus PCs, but Microsoft has confirmed that Intel and AMD Copilot Plus PC users will get access later. This staggered rollout ensures AI tools are optimized for Windows on Arm, a key focus area for Microsoft’s future.
While Microsoft is pushing bold innovation, it’s balancing ambition with caution. That includes adding disclaimers where AI might impact system-critical settings and ensuring these features run locally for privacy and speed.
These updates represent one of the largest functional overhauls Windows has received in years — a strong signal that AI will be central to Windows 11’s future.
