Microsoft Edge is getting new AI features and magnifying images on Windows

Microsoft Edge has a new “Magnify image” feature that improves how you zoom images in the browser. Traditionally, you can right-click on the image and then select the “Open image in new tab” option, which would load a high-resolution version. Then, you can zoom in on the image.

After a recent update in the Edge stable version, you can use the Magnify feature to zoom into an image. Right-click on any image and select the “Magnify image” option from the context menu.

You can also press the Ctrl key twice to open the image in Magnify mode. A sub-window will open in the tab, and you can dive into the image details without opening a new tab.

Finally, you can left the image to zoom in. As shown in the screenshots below captured by Windows Latest, you can also zoom in, zoom out, and reset icons using the controls in the bottom left corner.

Edge Copilot gets Notebook AI and Designer

Edge already has a Copilot icon in the sidebar, which you can use to open the AI chatbot. However, it still lacks the Notebook AI option, which is much better than the normal mode.

This feature is better because you can enter a much larger prompt (18,000 characters) at once and describe it in detail.

Earlier, you could only access the Notebook AI option in the web version of Copilot. But Microsoft is testing placing that option in the Edge’s Copilot context menu. However, you need to change the browser’s startup type to activate the Notebook option.

Remember that this method will only work in the Edge (Canary) version, so you must download and install it. Then repeat the following steps:

1. Type Edge Canary in the Start menu and click the Open file location option.
   
2. Right-click on the Microsoft Edge Canary shortcut and select Properties.
3. Go to the Target field and type –enable-features=msEdgeChatNotebookHeaderIcon after the path.
   
4. Click on the Apply button and then click OK.
5. Now, launch the Edge Canary and click on the Copilot icon.
6. Click on the ellipses icon and select the Notebook option.
   

Now, you can enter bigger and more detailed prompts into Copilot. If you don’t want to modify the startup type permanently, you can also launch Edge in this mode by opening a PowerShell mode and running the following command:

start “C:\Users\Test\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge SxS\Application\msedge.exe” –enable-features=msEdgeChatNotebookHeaderIcon

Microsoft Edge will get Designer integration

If you open an image in Edit mode on Microsoft Edge, you can perform basic actions. The existing UI resembles the editing mode of the Photos app, and you can save the image or copy it to the Clipboard.

However, Microsoft intends to move all this to the Designer app. When you click the Edit image option in the Edge Canary version, Microsoft Designer opens in a sub-window inside the tab. You can use AI tools like Background Remover and Blur or perform simple image editing actions.

To enable this hidden feature, install Edge Canary and repeat the following steps:

1. Revisit the Edge Canary shortcut location as you did in the previous section and open its Properties.
2. Go to the target field and type –enable-features=msEditImageWithDesigner after the path.
   
3. Click on the Apply button and then click OK.
4. Launch Edge Canary and open a webpage. Right-click on any image and select the Edit image option.
   
5. Microsoft Designer will load. Here, you can use the AI tools, edit the image, and save it.
   

The loading time is one major difference between the current image editor and Microsoft Designer’s editor. The latter takes a while to load the image.

The other functionalities are the same except for the two AI tools. However, Microsoft might add more tools to the new Edit window.

Alternatively, run the following command in an elevated PowerShell window to add the Microsoft Designer option:

start “C:\Users\Test\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge SxS\Application\msedge.exe” –enable-features=msEditImageWithDesigner

Microsoft is trying to improve the AI experience in Edge while also adding similar stuff to other Windows apps.

Additionally, as first spotted by browser researcher Leo, a future release of Edge will better support media controls in taskbar thumbnails.

The company is currently A/B testing these features in Edge Canary, and it may be a while before they roll out in the stable branch.