Microsoft is testing a new feature that will add AI to File Explorer on Windows 11, but the nature of the integration remains unclear. I am not surprised by this announcement. We have been reporting on Microsoft’s plans to integrate Copilot into File Explorer for a year now, but the idea was never confirmed until now.
I’ll get into more details later, but let’s first take a look at what Microsoft announced. In a lengthy press release confirming Windows Recall and other AI features, Microsoft noted that it plans to add AI Actions in File Explorer. Since the press release is all about the fancy AI features, many didn’t notice the note about File Explorer.
In a future release of Windows 11, you’ll be able to interact with your files and images using AI in File Explorer. How does that work? It appears that you need to right-click files, and then you’ll see “actions”, such as summarise for documents and edit for images. This doesn’t necessarily mean “AI” or Copilot will load inside File Explorer.
Microsoft probably wants to make it easier to send files from File Explorer to one of the apps that already have AI integration.
Microsoft noted that File Explorer AI integration won’t disrupt the flow because it leverages the existing AI editing tools:
“[File Explore AI actions leverages] the power of AI to take advantage of editing tools in apps like Paint and Photos and Copilot functionality across Microsoft 365 without having to open your file,” the company noted in a blog post section spotted by Windows Latest.
Does it mean File Explorer’s AI action will send your file or image to one of these AI-powered apps, so you don’t have to open a browser to access AI? Possible. I don’t think Microsoft is baking AI inside File Explorer, but don’t be surprised if the context menu and other places are updated with Copilot/AI buttons.
At this point, it’s not yet clear whether AI actions in File Explorer require you to meet the minimum AI hardware requirement, which includes 45+ TOPS NPU.
AI integration in File Explorer isn’t a new idea
As I mentioned at the outset, Microsoft has been exploring Copilot/AI integration in File Explorer for more than a year now.
In March 2024, when Windows 11’s Copilot integration was locked to the sidebar, Microsoft experimented with a Copilot button for the right-click menu in File Explorer.
In one of the experimental builds, if you right-clicked a document and selected ‘Copilot’, File Explorer would send the file to the Copilot sidebar window with a prompt to summarise the content of the document.
Similarly, you could edit the image using AI.
While the sidebar Copilot no longer exists, AI features are now available via other apps, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Microsoft 365 Copilot has all the features you need to summarise files. It’s likely that the upcoming AI actions in File Explorer would be similar to the above screenshot from March 2025. However, it could be much better than what we have spotted in earlier preview builds.
Microsoft says the integration works without opening the file or image.
We don’t know if Microsoft will allow users to turn off “AI in File Explorer,” but if I had to bet, I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
