Windows 11 Photos App Gains AI Tool to Automatically Categorize Images

Microsoft has begun testing a new AI-powered feature in its Photos app for Windows 11 that automatically categorizes images into predefined folders, aiming to make photo libraries easier to manage and search.

The feature, dubbed Auto-Categorization, is initially limited to sorting screenshots, receipts, identity documents, and notes. It is rolling out to Copilot+ PCs across all Windows Insider channels with Microsoft Photos version 2025.11090.25001.0 or later.

According to Microsoft, Auto-Categorization uses a language-agnostic AI model that can recognize document types regardless of the language in the image. It automatically groups images by visual content, while allowing users to adjust categories manually or submit feedback to improve accuracy.

“This release brings a powerful new feature on Copilot+ PCs that leverages AI to organize photos into categories for easier recall,” Microsoft senior product manager Ronnie Myers wrote in a Friday blog post. “It’s designed to save time, reduce clutter, and make your photo library easier to navigate.”

The company has not clarified whether the feature relies on local AI models or sends data to Microsoft servers.

Alongside Auto-Categorization, Microsoft also began rolling out super resolution to AMD and Intel Copilot+ PCs, an AI tool that can enlarge and enhance images up to eight times their original size.

These upgrades build on Microsoft’s ongoing push to expand Copilot across Windows and its apps. In March, the Photos Viewer received a Copilot button offering editing tips and framing suggestions, followed by new photo search capabilities and dynamic Relight lighting controls for Copilot+ PCs in June.

Beyond Photos, Microsoft is also testing AI integrations in Windows 11 File Explorer, expanding Copilot Chat to Microsoft 365 business users, and automatically installing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on eligible Windows devices outside the EEA region.