With the new updates for Windows 11, Microsoft isn’t just taking the user experience a step further; it’s laying the foundations for a new operating system philosophy. Animated wallpapers, which have been available for years through third-party software, are finally becoming a part of the operating system, while the AI assistant Copilot gains a revolutionary ability to operate with vision and understanding. These two innovations transform Windows from a static tool into a living, intelligent platform that interacts with the user.
Wallpaper Engine is coming with the Windows 11 update!
Animated desktop backgrounds, a long-desired feature of Windows users and considered a pinnacle of personalization, will soon be a standard feature of Windows 11. According to recent discoveries, users will now be able to set any video in MP4 or MKV format directly as their desktop wallpaper. This means the dynamic and vibrant desktop experience enjoyed by millions through popular applications like Wallpaper Engine will be integrated directly and consistently into the operating system.
This move by Microsoft has a familiar ring to it for those with a strong technological memory. The company introduced a similar feature years ago in Windows Vista under the name “DreamScene” but shelved it with Windows 7. Now, the return of this beloved feature, with a much more modern and optimized infrastructure, has excited customization enthusiasts. This significant visual update is expected to reach all users by the end of the year.
But Microsoft’s real revolution lies in the integration of artificial intelligence into the operating system. Copilot is no longer a chatbot that simply listens to your commands; with Copilot Vision, it’s transformed into a proactive assistant that “understands” everything on your screen. This system, activated by a new button placed in the application previews on the taskbar, will analyze a snapshot of your screen with a single click and provide real-time, context-sensitive assistance.
So what does this mean? You can ask it to summarize a complex article on a webpage, have it give you tips by recognizing objects on the screen about a section you’re stuck on in a game, or get guidance to solve a problem you’re encountering in professional software like Adobe Photoshop. What’s more, you’ll be able to perform all this interaction not just by typing, but also by speaking naturally. Initially able to analyze a limited number of windows, this feature has now begun to scan the entire screen with recent beta versions, providing much more holistic assistance.
As Microsoft states, with Copilot Vision, you can “find inspiration for a creative project, improve your resume, or find your way through a new game.” This heralds a brand new era of computing, where the operating system understands what the user is doing and anticipates what they might need next. In short, Windows 11 is poised to become its most intelligent and interactive version yet, aesthetically revitalizing our desktops while also infusing them with artificial intelligence.
