Based on a lot of new options being rolled up inside new “Release Preview” updates for Windows 11, Microsoft seems to be readying a push for AI-powered enhancements within the coming weeks.
Although Microsoft usually reserves main characteristic releases for the autumn, April 2025 is a key month for the software program big as a result of it marks the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding. With two preview releases of Windows 11, Microsoft has tipped off what options your PC might be receiving quickly—most probably in April.
Both Windows 11 Build 26100.3613 and Windows 11 Build 26100.3624 are a part of the Release Preview Channel for Windows 11 Insiders, that means you may attempt them out early your self by joining the Windows Insider program. If you do, notice that Microsoft isn’t releasing all of those options in a single fell swoop. Some of them might be launched “normally” whereas others are rolled out in a “gradual” cadence.
Optional non-security characteristic releases usually launch on the fourth week of each month, normally on a Tuesday. (In this case, that’d be April 22, 2025.) Those options then usually roll out to everybody else about two weeks later. Nothing ensures this timeline, in fact. It’s our greatest guess primarily based on previous releases and once they’ve occurred.
Remember, although, Microsoft’s emphasis is on the “new”—and the sexiest new Windows options use AI. That means you’ll need a Copilot+ PC, and Copilot+ PCs mean NPUs. (But NPUs are solely accessible on a subset of PCs, and even then sure options are solely accessible for sure NPUs.) Basically, if you need the whole lot that Microsoft has to supply, you can purchase a laptop computer with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip in it, just like the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition.
New AI options coming to Windows 11
Right now, it seems that semantic search might be Windows’ flagship AI characteristic for the close to future. Semantic search, which was first shown off back in January, lets you forego the precise phrase or title you’re trying to find and describe it as an alternative. For instance, you would seek for “photo of children at school” with out understanding the precise file title.
Microsoft
Semantic search may assist offset Copilot’s lack of ability to watch and management your PC, one thing that was initially deliberate however fell by the wayside. In its place, you’ll have the ability to describe what you need Windows to do contained in the Settings menu.
Put one other manner, semantic search might be part of Windows Search in addition to Settings. Unfortunately, semantic search will solely be accessible for Windows on Snapdragon PCs; customers with AMD- or Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs should wait. But since it is going to run regionally in your PC, you received’t need to be linked to the web for it to work.
Microsoft can be kinda-sorta bringing semantic search to pictures—however solely in File Explorer, not the Photos app. The Photos app already lets you search through phrases like “snow” to determine pictures of snowy mountains. Going ahead, File Explorer will now assist you to search utilizing phrases like “summer picnic,” Microsoft says.
Microsoft
File Explorer, like Photos, will now present pictures saved on OneDrive within the cloud alongside pictures saved regionally in your PC. It’s not fairly clear whether or not Microsoft is utilizing the PC’s NPU to carry out these searches… nevertheless it have to be since this characteristic is reserved for Snapdragon PCs, too. It’s “coming soon” to Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel inside.
That mentioned, should you do personal a Copilot+ PC powered by both AMD or Intel processors, right here’s some excellent news: stay captions and real-time translation are going to be accessible.
Live Captions first debuted within the Windows 11 2022 Update, although it used the ability of the CPU again then, not the NPU. Now, as much as 44 completely different languages will be captured and translated into English on AMD and Intel Copilot+ PCs through video calls, recordings, and streamed content material. If you personal a Snapdragon PC, the alternative is true: now you can translate English (or 25 different languages) into Chinese utilizing real-time translation.
Chris Hoffman / IDG
Your voice will also be used to higher impact in Voice Access, too. One of the problems I’ve had with Voice Access is that it’s unbearably inflexible—you both know the instructions otherwise you don’t. Now, Microsoft is utilizing AI to “loosen up” Voice Access by permitting you to explain what you need to do as an alternative of utilizing the precise syntax. Chinese assist for Voice Access is being added, too.
If you employ an app with assist for Windows Studio Effects, you need to see an icon on the system tray that exhibits when Windows Studio Effects is in use. It’s a bit redundant since Microsoft already indicated that the icon would appear in a February Windows update.
Other adjustments coming to Windows
Microsoft can be altering the way it displays your system. You could begin seeing “cards” that showcase your PC’s key specs, such because the CPU, reminiscence, and storage. This is a reorganization of kinds because the Windows Settings app already consolidates these options, however these “top cards” will merely pull this info out and put them on the high of the Settings > System > About portion of Windows Settings.
Microsoft additionally says that it’s going to monitor CPU utilization a bit in another way in Task Manager, although it’s not clear how this can play out. A separate, hidden tab will showcase the outdated manner of measuring it.
Microsoft
You’ll see new methods of interacting with Windows, too. Laptops place a keyboard proper below your fingers, however desktop PCs don’t. You would possibly find yourself in a state of affairs the place your desktop’s keyboard is off to the facet (maybe should you’ve turned your PC into an arcade or digital pinball cupboard). In that case, you should utilize a brand new Xbox gamepad keyboard interface, the place you should utilize an Xbox gamepad to kind similar to on the console.
A brand new emoji interface is being added, too. You would possibly know that you could entry the Windows emoji menu through the Windows key + Semicolon shortcut, however apparently nobody else does provided that Microsoft is including a brand new system tray icon to the taskbar to spotlight the emoji panel.
Chris Hoffman / IDG
Microsoft can be working with builders so as to add improved widgets, one thing that’s been promised for some time now. But one change you need to see on this launch, given what Microsoft has introduced, is larger management over which widgets you see in your lock display. How will that work? We’ll know quickly sufficient.
We’d wish to assume that options similar to Windows’ new battery icons might be launched quickly—however these are nonetheless caught within the Dev Channel, in order that they most likely nonetheless have a methods to go. We additionally haven’t heard a lot about Windows Recall these days both, which has already been launched for testing. Remember, there’s at all times extra to return.