The magical AI eraser hidden on your PC

And more new Windows features this week  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Windows Intelligence](#) [Windows Intelligence](#) Brought to you by: [Heyday logo](=)​ Have you heard? Google is bringing its cutting-edge AI image editing tools like Magic Eraser to Chromebooks — but only to fancy "Chromebook Plus" devices. The company was at the forefront of powerful web apps, but Google isn't offering these latest tools to PC users on the web. No matter: Your Windows PC already has a magical AI eraser tool. Microsoft has been slowly sneaking it onto Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs recently. I'll show you where to find it in this week's Things to Try section. [Chris Hoffman, AUthor] Chris Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 2 minutes ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 2 minutes ⌚ Top Thurrott Thoughts: 30 seconds ⌚ Just for Fun: 30 seconds ​ [] [3 Things to Know This Week] ​ 1. Windows PCs are poised to trounce Macs, say leaks ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: I don't know about you, but I've heard enough about how great M-series Macs are. Now, I want ARM-based PCs that deliver that kind of performance and battery life. And it sounds like we're about to get them! 🔎 KNOW MORE: These ARM PCs arriving in the coming months supposedly beat Apple's Macs on performance — both CPU performance and NPU-powered AI performance — all while delivering incredibly speedy emulation for your traditional Intel-based Windows applications. - Microsoft will unveil its vision at an event on May 20 next month. At that time, the company will launch new Surface PCs with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite ARM processors. - The company supposedly plans to a variety of demonstrates that will show these PCs beating M3-powered MacBook Air laptops. - These will be the first PCs with access to Windows 11's new AI-powered desktop features, which Microsoft will finally show off at the event. 📌 READ MORE: Check out [this look at Microsoft's internal plans]() or read about [Paul Thurrott's hands-on experience with PCs using this hardware](). --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Windows 11's Moment 5 update is here ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: The latest Windows 11 update with a selection of convenient new features just landed in Windows Update for all Windows 11 users earlier this week. 🔎 KNOW MORE: As usual, your PC won't get all the new features at once: Even if you install the update, it may take some time for Microsoft to slowly activate the new features one-by-one on your PC. That's how things work these days! - New features include Snap suggestions for more convenient window arranging, more Copilot actions for things like emptying your recycle bin with AI, and improvements to Nearby Sharing for sending files between PCs. - I'm highlighting a Generative Erase feature in the Photos app today. Some people report this as a Moment 5 feature in the latest update, but I've seen it on PCs that aren't running Moment 5 yet — and this particular feature is coming to the Photos app on Windows 10 soon, too! - While Windows 11's Moment 4 update was huge — it added Copilot to the taskbar — this update is more restrained. The huge update will be 24H2 later this year, when Microsoft will launch a bundle of new AI features it hasn't even announced yet. 📌 READ MORE: Here's [a list of the big (and small) features in this release](). --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Microsoft is coming for tweaking apps on Windows 11 ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Windows 11's upcoming 24H2 update later this year won't install if you have system-tweaking tools like ExplorerPatcher or StartAllBack installed. 🔎 KNOW MORE: These tools restore classic features to the Windows 11 taskbar and Start menu. But they do it by activating old Windows code that's still hidden in Windows 11. - Microsoft may remove the old code in Windows 11's next update, breaking these applications. That would explain why Microsoft is blocking upgrades on systems with these applications. - The next update has a big focus on AI features — an "AI-powered Explorer" desktop interface — so this would ensure more people will use the new stuff. - Some good news: Stardock's Start11 Start menu replacement still works because it's not dependent on that old Explorer code buried in Windows. 📌 READ MORE: Here's [a list of applications that will "block" upgrading to Windows 11's next big update](). SPONSORED MESSAGE Your personal AI copilot awaits 🫡 [Minions flying a plane](=)​ Need to crank up your productivity? Don’t settle for generic AI and generic outputs — [use Heyday instead!](=)​ Heyday turns everything you’ve read, said, or written into a hyper-personalized, queryable database. Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Feed Heyday your info: Notes, emails, web articles, Zoom meetings, PDFs, etc 2️⃣ Ask any question, like “What are 3 value propositions we can tell customers?” 3️⃣ Heyday generates insights instantly: Emails, shareable quotes, meeting agendas, and more! “It basically functions as an extension of my memory that's searchable, shareable & easily manipulated.” - Kyle O'Brien, Founder, Startup ROI (Oh yea, did we mention that Heyday was rated #1 on Product Hunt?) ➜ [PRODUCTIVITY WIZARDS: Turn your information overload into actionable insight with Heyday!](=) [​​​TRY HEYDAY FREE FOR 14 DAYS​​​​​ ➜](=) ​ ​ [] [3 Things to Try This Week] 1. Erase objects from photos with AI Windows now has a built-in "generative erase" feature that will let you easily erase objects from images in just a few clicks. It's completely free, and you just need to know where to find it. ➜ It's the kind of thing that once required serious Photoshop skills — and the kind of thing that Google isn't offering to us PC users on the web. Google isn't even offering it to most Chromebook users yet. ⌚ You can erase an object from an image in just 10 seconds. 💻 This feature is arriving on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Check out [my latest guide to using this fancy new AI image-editing feature hidden in Windows](=). --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Snap multiple windows in a single click Snap is one of my favorite features on Windows, and Windows 11's Moment 5 enhances it with a new feature: Convenient suggestions that make it possible to Snap multiple windows in a single click. ➜ This feature should be available on all Windows 11 PCs with the recent Moment 5 update. If you don't see the below feature on your Windows 11 PC, open Windows Update in the Settings app. Check for and install any available updates. ⌚ You can find this in 3 seconds. 💻 This only works on Windows 11. You can find these suggestions in three different ways, your choice: - Click a window's title bar and drag it to the top edge of the display, near the center. - Hover your mouse cursor over the Maximize button at the top-right corner of the window. - Press Windows+Z. Now, just select a location for the window. Windows will suggest various layouts featuring other windows you're using, making it easy to snap multiple windows at once. [Snap Layouts suggestions on Windows 11.] 🔟 Using Windows 10? You can still use the Snap feature. Check out [my guide to using Snap](=) for all the details. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Control app volumes with a hidden overlay Even if you're not a gamer, read on — this tip is for you, too! The Game Bar is one of the strangest parts of Windows, and it has all kinds of interesting little features anyone can appreciate. ➜ One of those features is a convenient little volume mixer that's always a keyboard shortcut away, making it easy to adjust any application's volume and choose your audio devices. ⌚ You can find it in 5 seconds. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. To show the Game Bar, press Windows+G. Look for the "Audio" panel. (Don't see it? Click the speaker icon on the bar.) The options here will let you tweak the volume level of any of your running applications and choose your audio playback and input devices. This overlay is always just a Windows+G keypress away, even if you're using a full-screen application. Press Windows+G again — or just click in the grayed out background area — to hide it. [The Audio options in the Game Bar overlay on Windows 11.] ​ [] [Top Thurrott Thoughts] Some standout links and expert analysis from our friends at Thurrott, who have been covering Windows since 1994: - ​[The Snapdragon X Elite is Real]()​ - Paul Thurrott went hands-on with Snapdragon X-elite powered laptops. - ​[A Tale of Three AIs (Premium)](=) - Comparing Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini. - ​[Wrapping Up the Windows 11 Enterprise Experiment]( - Is the Enterprise edition better? - ​[Intel Claims Big AI Performance Gains in Next Core Ultra Chips]( - Intel's current NPUs seem a little slow. - ​[A Windows 11 Enshittification Checklist (Premium)]( - The biggest Windows annoyances. - ​[Proton Acquires Standard Notes]() - The encrypted email provider acquires encrypted notes. ​ SPONSORED MESSAGE [Astronaut cartoon and the words "The morning paper for Hacker News readers"](=) Want a byte-sized version of Hacker News? Try TLDR’s free daily newsletter! ​ TLDR covers the most interesting tech, science, and coding news in just 5 minutes. [SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE](=) [And Just for Funsies...] In weird and strangely smelly PC news, one of this week's recent stories was [a scented thermal paste](=). This new one smells like flowers, with a scent extracted from osmanthus plants. Previously, the thermal paste maker — known as Clock Work Tea Party (CWTP) — has released scented thermal pastes that smell like green apple and strawberries. Thermal paste is applied to a CPU between the CPU itself and the heat sink, helping cool the CPU more effectively. It's unclear why you'd want that compound to smell like something — you shouldn't be able to smell it while you're using your PC! [A scented thermal paste from Clock Work Tea Party.] It's an exceedingly strange product, but it's a limited edition sort of thing. It's clearly designed to get some attention for the manufacturer — and it's a successful stunt, as so many people are talking about it! Until next time... That's it for now! It's going to be an interesting few months in PC land — I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on one of those ARM-powered Surface PCs. I'll bring you everything you need to know! 🤚 Wait! Before you go: What'd you think of this issue? [Thumbs Up]( [Thumbs Down]() Hit the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to cast your vote and let me know. Want less email? [Update your reading preferences](=) to opt out of any individual publications or unsubscribe entirely. New here and not yet subscribed? Take two seconds to [sign up for our newsletters](): Windows Intelligence, Android Intelligence, or Cool Tools (or all three!). Hungry for even more? 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