Microsoft rolled out a new Release Preview update today that embeds AI-powered image editing and document summarization directly into File Explorer’s right-click menu. The update, delivered as KB5065789, targets both Windows 11 version 25H2 (build 26200.6713) and version 24H2 (build 26100.5061), and is now available to Insiders in the Release Preview channel.
The headline feature is a new “AI actions” entry that appears when you right-click supported files. For images, that means one-click access to Visual Search, Blur Background, Erase Objects, and Remove Background. For documents stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, a “Summarize” action invokes Copilot to generate a quick text synopsis without opening the file. It’s a clear signal that Microsoft intends to weave AI into the fabric of everyday desktop tasks, moving beyond demo-stage features and into real productivity workflows.
AI actions land in File Explorer
The AI actions menu surfaces context-sensitive tools that previously lived inside separate apps. Right-click a .jpg, .jpeg, or .png, and you’ll see four options: Visual Search uses Bing to find similar images on the web; Blur Background opens Photos and applies a portrait-style blur; Erase Objects works its generative magic to remove unwanted items from the scene; and Remove Background launches Paint to produce a clean subject cutout. Each action is designed to strip away app-switching friction—edits that once required launching a full editor are now a single click away.
For Microsoft 365 files, the Summarize action leans on Copilot’s cloud-side models to extract highlights, key sentences, or bullet-pointed takeaways. It works on Word documents, PowerPoint decks, Excel spreadsheets, and other supported text formats, provided the files are stored in OneDrive or SharePoint. The output appears in a Copilot pane, letting you triage content without ever opening the file. Microsoft’s intent is obvious: turn File Explorer into a lightweight content triage hub for knowledge workers buried in document libraries.
Copilot Summarize: licensing, accounts, and privacy
Summarize won’t appear for everyone. It requires an active Microsoft 365 subscription and a Copilot license tied to the account accessing the files. Both consumer Microsoft accounts and Microsoft Entra ID accounts are supported, but tenant policies and license assignments ultimately control availability. That means enterprise and commercial customers can flip it on immediately, while home users without a Copilot add-on won’t see the option.
The privacy implications deserve scrutiny. Because Summarize processes file content on Microsoft’s cloud, any document you right-click could trigger server-side analysis. Microsoft points to existing Copilot for Microsoft 365 governance controls, but organizations must verify how summaries are logged, whether they persist, and how data residency is handled. For regulated industries, this feature should be treated as an operational change that requires a compliance review before enabling it widely.
Image edits: quick, local, but not always perfect
The image actions are primarily local edits that hand off to Photos or Paint. Blur Background and Erase Objects use generative models within Photos, while Remove Background opens Paint with the cutout already applied. Visual Search, on the other hand, sends the image to Bing, so it carries web-service privacy considerations.
Accuracy depends on the image. A portrait with a clean foreground subject and simple background should blur nicely; erase objects works well on small distractions against uniform backgrounds. But complex edges—flyaway hair, translucent objects, busy compositions—will still require manual touch-ups. The tools are meant for quick, good-enough fixes, not professional-grade compositing.
Beyond AI: developers and gamers get attention too
KB5065789 also polishes several non-AI corners of Windows 11. The old “For Developers” page has been reborn as a redesigned Advanced Settings hub under Settings > System > Advanced. It centralizes developer toggles, system controls, and a notable new option: Git metadata in File Explorer. When you browse a Git repository folder, File Explorer now displays the active branch name, diff count, and last commit message—small details that cut context switches for devs who live in the file system.
The Windows Share window now lets you pin favorite apps for faster sending. Emoji 16.0 arrives with a handful of new pictograms. Click to Do, the context-aware helper, gains table detection and can push recognized tables straight into Excel. And on Copilot+ Snapdragon PCs, Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) gets a friendlier launch notification and dedicated settings in Graphics. Gamers will also find tweaks to Xbox controller handling and overlay performance, while Narrator now includes a Braille Viewer for accessibility.
Rollout model: regional gates and hardware hints
Microsoft is staging the AI features gradually. Some Release Preview Insiders will see the new File Explorer actions immediately; others will have to wait as telemetry and feedback roll in. The company also confirms that the AI actions are not available to customers in the European Economic Area at rollout, a recurring pattern tied to regulatory sensitivity.
Earlier preview notes hinted that some AI capabilities were optimized first for Copilot+ PCs—particularly Snapdragon-powered devices—with Intel and AMD support following later. The KB5065789 announcement doesn’t explicitly mandate Copilot+ hardware for File Explorer AI actions, but the cautious rollout suggests that on-device models, driver support, or NPU availability might influence who gets what and when. For now, the only firm requirement is a Copilot license for Summarize.
Privacy, compliance, and the enterprise checklist
System administrators should approach KB5065789 with a checklist. First, inventory Microsoft 365 and Copilot license assignments and confirm tenant policy settings. Second, pilot the build in a test ring to observe data flows: does Summarize leave audit logs? Are summaries cached? Does Visual Search leak corporate network traces? Third, update user documentation so employees understand when and how their file content is processed. For organizations bound by data residency or industry regulations, treating summarization as a new data-processing pipeline is the safest course.
Organizations that block Copilot or restrict cloud-based AI services may want to disable the feature via policy or simply wait for a broader rollout with more granular controls. Microsoft’s gradual deployment means there’s time to evaluate before it hits general availability.
The two-sided blade of AI integration
The productivity upsides are tangible. Inline edits and document summaries save clicks and mental context, especially for workers who handle large batches of creative assets or document repositories. Discoverability also improves: many users never open Photos or Paint to perform these edits, and now the tools are right where they browse files. Developers get genuine convenience from Git metadata and the streamlined Advanced Settings. For the AI-curious, it’s a low-friction way to integrate machine assistance into daily tasks.
But the trade-offs are real. Licensing fragmentation means casual users see an inconsistent experience; right-click menus could feel cluttered; and the privacy overhead of cloud-based summarization shifts responsibility onto admins and tenants. Regional gating and hardware dependencies risk splitting the user base into haves and have-nots, undermining the promise of a unified Windows experience. Microsoft’s balancing act—monetizing AI while democratizing it—will take time to get right.
How to test it now
If you’re on the Release Preview channel, verify your build in Settings > System > About: you should see 26100.5061 or 26200.6713. Grab a .jpg file, right-click, and look for “AI actions.” Try each edit on a copy, noting which operations stay local and which hit the web. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription and a Copilot license, right-click a OneDrive document and attempt Summarize. Don’t be surprised if it’s missing; Microsoft is turning the feature on in waves.
Admins should approve KB5065789 in WSUS or update rings only after validating behavior in a sandbox. Watch for new Group Policy or CSP options that might appear in future builds to govern these AI features.
A practical pivot for Windows AI
KB5065789 marks a shift from AI as a headline-grabbing novelty to AI as a slab of everyday utility. Embedding tools directly into the file manager reflects a deeper understanding of user workflows than standalone Copilot panels or web-based experiments. The execution isn’t seamless—licensing hoops, regional blocks, and privacy questions remain—but the direction is clear. For knowledge workers and creators, it’s a meaningful step toward a desktop that anticipates and accelerates routine tasks. For everyone else, it’s a preview of the Windows experience Microsoft is building, one right-click at a time.