This new Windows 11 trick uses to AI to tame your chaotic photo library – how to try it now

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Photos app will auto-arrange your photos into categories.
• The feature is rolling out to Windows 11 insiders.
• You’ll need a Copilot+ PC to try it.

The Microsoft Photos app for Windows lets you track down your photos by name, date, or search. But sometimes you need a helping hand to find a certain type of image. A new option aims to assist you by organizing your photos based on specific categories.

Also: Microsoft Copilot 3D turns your 2D images into 3D models for free – how to try

Now rolling out to Windows 11 insiders on Copilot+ PCs, the new Auto-Categorization feature will place your photos and images into categories such as screenshots and receipts. The idea is to save you the time and hassle of scouring or searching your entire photo library to find a particular image.

Pre-defined categories

Your photos are grouped into predefined categories. For now, those categories are limited to screenshots, receipts, identity documents, and notes. The categories themselves appear in the left pane of the Photos app so you can easily jump from one to another.

Also: 8 ways I use Microsoft’s Copilot Vision AI to save time on my phone and PC

Using AI, the Photos app can identify images regardless of the language of any displayed text. As one example cited by Microsoft, a Hungarian passport will still be categorized as “Passport” even if the text isn’t written in English.

How to try this now

If you’d like to try this out, you’ll have to sign up for the free Windows Insider Program if you’re not already on board. For this, your best bet is to use your Insider account on a spare PC or a virtual machine so as not to interfere with your main Windows environment. I use a VMware Workstation Pro VM to check out Insider builds.

Also: Microsoft Copilot now offers Claude models – how to try them

Next, you will need a Copilot+ PC, which has typically been the sole recipient of many of Microsoft’s newest AI-powered innovations. Equipped with a neural processing unit capable of 40 TOPs (trillions of operations per second), Microsoft has argued that only Copilot+ PCs can handle advanced AI functions. But limiting such features to this lineup is also a way to boost sales of these systems. I have a Microsoft Surface notebook that I use to check out the latest AI skills.

Also: Microsoft’s new Windows AI Labs lets you try experimental features first – how to opt-in

Microsoft has been steadily beefing up the Photos app with more AI capabilities. Outfitted with Microsoft’s Designer tool, the app offers an eraser tool to remove unwanted people and other elements. You can use AI to remove or change the background of an image. Plus, a super resolution mode taps into AI to improve and enlarge your images, but this is another feature that requires a Copilot+ PC.