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Microsoft enhances photo editing with new AI features in Windows app

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By Noah Newsroom

Saturday, 26 October 2024 3:07PM UTC

Microsoft introduces super resolution capabilities and Optical Character Recognition in its Photos application, aiming to transform the user experience for photo editing on Windows devices.

Microsoft has unveiled a new technological advancement within its Photos application that could transform the experience of photo editing on certain Windows devices. Introducing super resolution capabilities, the update leverages artificial intelligence to upscale images to as much as eight times their original size. This feature, however, is exclusively available for Windows Insiders using Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 and above.

The super resolution feature utilizes the device's Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to efficiently perform image enhancements locally. This capability is expected to attract significant interest due to its potential applications, including the enhancement of low-quality photos, preparing images for large-scale prints or displays, and enabling tight cropping without sacrificing resolution. Users will be able to access this feature from the Photos Editor and enhance their images in seconds.

While the super resolution feature might generate substantial excitement, it is currently limited to a specific subset of users. It is available in the Canary, Dev, and Release Preview Channels for Windows Insiders equipped with the necessary hardware and software configurations.

In addition to super resolution, Microsoft has introduced a new Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature to the Photos app, accessible to a broader range of users across both Windows 10 and Windows 11 platforms. This powerful feature can extract text from images, offering the ability to use this text in other documents. The OCR currently supports over 160 languages, with further language support expected in future updates. This enhancement opens up numerous potential applications across various industries and personal use cases.

These updates represent Microsoft's continued investment in integrating AI technology within its software ecosystem to enhance user experience and accessibility. More information about these features and other updates can be found on Microsoft's official Windows blog. However, for now, the focus remains on how these advancements might reshape tasks and enhance productivity with the aid of artificial intelligence.

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/super-resolution-in-photos-1e55d7b6-d62c-460b-a957-fc01d896c334 - Corroborates the introduction of super resolution in Microsoft Photos, its exclusive availability for Copilot+ PCs, and how it enhances images using AI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kh4P7tsXgo - Confirms the super resolution feature is available for Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and its ability to enhance images up to eight times the original size.
https://www.heise.de/en/news/Microsoft-introduces-Super-Resolution-for-the-photo-app-on-Copilot-PCs-9994903.html - Supports the introduction of super resolution for the Photos app on Copilot+ PCs and its use of AI for image enhancement.
https://windowsforum.com/threads/microsoft-photos-app-update-ai-super-resolution-and-ocr-features.344324/?amp=1 - Details the super resolution feature's ability to upscale images by up to eight times and its availability for Windows Insiders on Copilot+ PCs.
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/upscale-and-enhance-images-with-super-resolution-in-photos-app-in-windows-11.29830/ - Provides a tutorial on how to use the super resolution feature in the Photos app on Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/super-resolution-in-photos-1e55d7b6-d62c-460b-a957-fc01d896c334 - Explains that the super resolution feature uses the device's Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to perform image enhancements locally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kh4P7tsXgo - Mentions the availability of the super resolution feature in the Canary, Dev, and Release Preview Channels for Windows Insiders.
https://windowsforum.com/threads/microsoft-photos-app-update-ai-super-resolution-and-ocr-features.344324/?amp=1 - Discusses the introduction of the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature in the Photos app, accessible on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kh4P7tsXgo - Details the OCR feature's ability to extract text from images and its support for over 160 languages.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/super-resolution-in-photos-1e55d7b6-d62c-460b-a957-fc01d896c334 - Highlights Microsoft's commitment to integrating AI technology to enhance user experience and accessibility.
https://www.heise.de/en/news/Microsoft-introduces-Super-Resolution-for-the-photo-app-on-Copilot-PCs-9994903.html - Supports the broader context of Microsoft's investment in AI technology within its software ecosystem.
https://betanews.com/2024/10/24/microsoft-creates-a-new-reason-to-buy-an-ai-powered-copilot-pc-image-upscaling-in-microsoft-photos/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data