Microsoft is even adding AI to the Notepad app on Windows 11
A new AI cowriting feature has been spotted in recent preview builds.
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What you need to know
It’s an open secret at this point that 2024 is going to be a big year for AI in Windows. We knowMicrosoft is working on a major AI update for Windowsthat is expected to launch later this year, that will introduce deeper AI integration across the OS. It’s also expected to come to more apps, and that appears to include Notepad.
In a screenshotposted on X by @PhantomOcean3, the latest Notepad app has a hidden menu with an early implementation of a new feature called “Cowriter,” which uses AI to rewrite text, make text shorter or longer, and change the tone or format of text in a Notepad text file.
It appears the AI features don’t actually work yet, but it’s a sign that Microsoft is indeed planning to bring AI integration to the Notepad app on Windows 11 soon. It will likely be implemented in a similar way to howAI has been added to Paint,using an online service that requires logging into your Microsoft account to use.
Hidden in the Notepad build is a hero image showcasing what the cowriter interface will even look like, suggesting Microsoft is close to making an official announcement for this feature. Notepad has seen a lot of love from Microsoft since the launch of Windows 11, with a new interface, tabs, dark mode, and much more.
Microsoft is currently hard at work on thenext major Windows OS update, codenamed Hudson Valley. It’s expected to focus primarily on next-gen AI features, including an AI powered Windows Search and user history/timeline feature that will make finding previously opened apps, files, and webpages much easier. There’s also a new Super Resolution feature in the works that will use AI to upscale the resolution of video games, and more.
Last week, Microsoft announced that 2024 will be the era of the AI PC, and unveiled that upcoming Windows PCs wouldship with a dedicated Copilot buttonon the keyboard. Microsoft is just getting started with adding AI to Windows, after a year of implementing it in Office and its other online services.
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Zac Bowden is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. Bringing you exclusive coverage into the world of Windows on PCs, tablets, phones, and more. Also an avid collector of rare Microsoft prototype devices! Keep in touch onTwitterandThreads
