Microsoft Tests AI‑Powered Auto‑Categorization in Windows 11 Photos App
Key Points
- Microsoft is testing AI‑driven auto‑categorization in the Windows 11 Photos app.
- The feature creates dedicated folders for receipts, screenshots, identity documents and handwritten notes.
- It identifies image types based on visual content, not text language.
- New folders appear under the "Categories" section in the app’s navigation pane.
- The test is available to Windows 11 Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs.
- Currently, users cannot create custom categories, but future updates may allow this.
- Microsoft aims to streamline photo library management and reduce manual sorting.
Microsoft is trialing an AI feature for the Windows 11 Photos app that automatically groups images of receipts, screenshots, identity documents and handwritten notes into dedicated folders. The capability, available to Windows 11 Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs, identifies visual content without relying on text language, placing the new categories under the app’s left‑hand navigation. The test aims to streamline photo library management by reducing manual sorting, and Microsoft says the feature could expand to additional categories in the future.
Feature Overview
Microsoft has introduced a test of an artificial‑intelligence driven capability inside the Windows 11 Photos app. The feature automatically creates folders for specific types of images—receipts, screenshots, identity documents and handwritten notes—and sorts each picture into the appropriate category. These folders appear beneath the existing "Categories" section in the app’s left‑hand navigation pane, giving users a clear, organized view of the newly grouped content.
How It Works
The AI analyzes the visual elements of each image to determine its type, independent of any text that may be present. This means that documents in languages other than English, such as a passport from another country, are still recognized and placed in the correct folder. The system focuses on four initial categories: receipts, screenshots, identity documents, and handwritten notes. For now, it does not allow users to define custom categories, but Microsoft suggests that broader functionality could be added later.
User Experience
Participants in the Windows 11 Insider program on Copilot Plus devices receive the update automatically. Once enabled, the Photos app begins scanning the user’s library, generating the new folders and populating them with matching images. Users can then browse these folders to quickly locate relevant documents without manually searching through their entire photo collection. The feature is designed to reduce clutter and save time for people who regularly capture a mix of personal and professional images on their devices.
Future Outlook
Microsoft frames the test as a step toward more intelligent organization tools within Windows. While the current rollout handles only a limited set of image types, the company hints that future versions may let users specify additional categories—such as pet photos or travel snapshots—and perhaps offer deeper integration with other Microsoft services. The outcome of the insider trial will inform whether the feature becomes a standard part of the Photos app for all Windows 11 users.