Microsoft is pushing the envelope yet again with its latest updates to Windows 11’s in-box apps, Snipping Tool and Phone Link. These upgrades, currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels, promise to redefine the user experience, making it more intuitive and seamless than ever before.
Text Actions with Snipping Tool: A New Frontier in Screen Capture
The Snipping Tool’s new update (version 11.2308.33.0) introduces a feature called Text Actions, which automatically detects text within your captured screenshots. This functionality makes it incredibly easy to copy text from any image and paste it into another app. Users can activate this feature by clicking the “Text Actions” button in the toolbar.
But that’s not all. Text Actions also offers a “Quick Redact” option, allowing you to automatically hide sensitive information like emails and phone numbers in screenshots. A separate “Redact Text” option from the right-click menu enables users to manually select and hide specific text.
Twitter user @CyberCakeX reacted, saying, “This is super cool! And the text redaction feature 👏.”
Phone Link: Bridging the Gap Between Your Android Device and PC
Phone Link (version 1.23082.123.0 or greater on PC) is getting an upgrade that enhances your ability to access and edit your most recent photos from your Android device directly on your PC. When a new photo is captured on your connected Android device, you will receive instant notifications on your PC, giving you the opportunity to open it in the Snipping Tool for markup.
Twitter user @MridunGupta chimed in with enthusiasm, exclaiming, “Woo! 😎”, to which the Windows Insider Program responded, “Can I get a woo woo?! 🥳.”
Feedback Is Welcome
Microsoft encourages users to file their feedback in the Feedback Hub under Apps > Snipping Tool and Apps > Phone Link to help fine-tune these new features further.
The Buzz on Social Media
The Windows Insider Program’s Twitter update about these rollouts has already garnered significant attention, with 39.8K views and counting. User @Gianotti5 exclaimed, “MY GOSH THIS IS AWESOME,” while @emiukabe stated, “Now this is some good stuff, I might actually upgrade my main drive whenever’s the next version releases.”
Raising the Bar
These updates are a testament to Microsoft’s commitment to continually enhancing user experience and functionality. Whether it’s making text in screenshots more interactive or bridging the gap between your PC and mobile device, these updates make Windows 11 a compelling upgrade for users on the fence.
As technology evolves, Windows 11 seems more than ready to adapt and lead, offering features that are not just incremental improvements but significant steps toward a more integrated and user-friendly digital environment.
