First, let's look at what Microsoft announced. In a lengthy press release confirming Windows Recall and other AI features, Microsoft mentioned that it plans to add AI actions to File Explorer. Since the press release was mainly focused on these great AI features, many people didn't notice the mention of File Explorer.
In future versions of Windows 11, users will be able to use AI to interact with files and images in File Explorer. When you right-click on a file, you'll see actions like "Summary" for a document or "Edit" for an image. This doesn't necessarily mean that "AI" or Copilot will be loaded into File Explorer.
It's possible that Microsoft wants to make it easier to send files from File Explorer to apps that already have AI integrated into them.
Microsoft said that the AI integration in File Explorer will not disrupt the process because it will leverage existing AI editing tools. "[File Explorer AI actions] will leverage the power of AI to leverage editing tools in apps like Paint and Photos, as well as the Copilot feature in Microsoft 365, without having to open the file," the company explained in a blog post section on Windows Latest News Discovery.
Does this mean that the File Explorer AI action will send your file or photo to one of these AI apps, giving you access to the AI without having to open a browser? Yes, it can. It's unlikely that Microsoft will embed AI directly in File Explorer, but don't be surprised if you see an updated Copilot/AI button in the context menu or elsewhere.
At this time, it's unclear whether AI operations in File Explorer will require you to meet minimum AI hardware requirements, including a 45+ TOPS NPU.
Microsoft has been considering Copilot/AI integration in File Explorer for over a year. In March 2024, when Windows 11's Copilot integration was locked to the sidebar, Microsoft tried to add a Copilot button to the File Explorer right-click menu.
In one of the experimental builds, when you right-click on a document and select Copilot, File Explorer sends the file to the Copilot sidebar window, where you are prompted to summarize the document's contents.
Similarly, you can use AI to edit images.
Although Copilot in the sidebar is gone, the AI features are now available through other applications, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Microsoft 365 Copilot has all the features you need to roll up your files. Upcoming AI actions in File Explorer may look similar to the screenshot above in March 2025. However, they may be much better than what we saw in the early preview build.