Microsoft has introduced AI actions in Windows 11, expanding File Explorer's capabilities to include shortcuts for AI-powered tasks. These tasks trigger from the right-click context menu, enabling users to open files with applications like Photos, Paint, Edge, and Microsoft 365 for specific AI functions. Initially released earlier this year, these AI actions are being gradually rolled out.
Features and Functionality
AI actions in File Explorer enable various tasks with just a few clicks. Users can perform image searches using Bing, blur backgrounds, remove unwanted objects, cut out image subjects, and get system-generated image descriptions. For documents, Microsoft 365 apps provide options to summarize, offer insights, and convert tables without opening the full applications. The supported image formats for these actions include JPG, JPEG, and PNG, while supported document formats span DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, XLSX, PDF, TXT, RTF, ASPX, and HTML.
Managing AI Actions
To enable or disable AI actions, users need to navigate to Settings, click on Apps, go to the Actions page, and toggle the AI features on or off. While users can deactivate individual actions, the empty AI actions menu may still appear in File Explorer. It's important to note that these actions launch external apps and only consume system resources when active.
Availability and Requirements
The rollout of AI actions is ongoing, and the feature may not yet be available in all regions. To use document AI actions, Microsoft 365 must be installed locally, as tasks like document summarization require its programs. The AI actions do not apply to system files but focus on user-generated content such as photos and documents. Users should not experience any performance impact from having these options in the menu.
