Windows 11 is getting an AI-powered Smart Snap feature — here's how it works

windows 11 widgets
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Millions of PCs may never be the same again with plenty of AI features set to come to the Windows 11 operating system.

The most recent was spotted in early previews of the latest version of Windows 11 by Windows Latest, the new AI boost concerns the Snap feature, which is designed to let users have multiple windows open with windows of different sizes and custom layouts. 

The new AI-powered version of this feature (apparently dubbed “Smart Snap” internally by Microsoft staff) does exactly what you'd think. It helps organize and remember specific users' layouts for regular groups of apps.

A great tool for multitaskers, this will essentially let users create their own bespoke snap screens which they bring up can bring up and cycle through at the click of a button. While this is hardly a system-selling feature alone, there will like be a whole suite of AI upgrades soon.

Smart Snap is also a great reminder that while the likes of ChatGPT use text-based models, the future of AI integration into our daily workloads will be much more varied.

What over AI features are coming to Windows 11?

an image of Android apps on a Windows 11 laptop

(Image credit: Microsoft/Dell)

It looks like there will soon be plenty of AI integration with Windows. There has been talk of similar features to Smart Snap coming to the Windows File Explorer that could help reduce the time we spend searching for things. And AI Powertoys (a feature designed to host a bunch of power user favorites) is also confirmed and will soon be on the way. 

In fact, Microsoft has already integrated the first AI tool to Windows and you might be using it. The company has added the new Bing directly into the Windows 11 taskbar. It's a search box that even before the update Microsoft claims half a billion people use a month. 

Microsoft has also already announced its plans to integrate ChatGPT into Office 365 with Co-Pilot. This technology could attend Microsoft Teams meetings on your behalf and take notes and even help build PowerPoint presentations for you. 

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Andy Sansom
Staff Writer – VPN

Andy is Tom's Guide Staff Writer for VPNs and privacy. Based in the UK, he originally cut his teeth at Tom's Guide as a Trainee Writer (go and click on his articles!) before moving to cover all things Tech and streaming at T3. He's now back at Tom's Guide to keep you safe online, and bring you the latest news in VPN and cybersecurity.