Table of Contents
- How to Use the New Universal Writing Assistant in Windows 11: Is It the Death of Grammarly?
- The New “Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot” in File Explorer
- What is changing?
- The Benefit
- “Ask Copilot” vs. “Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot”: What’s the Difference?
- Expert Note
- The Universal Writing Assistant: An Editor for the Entire OS
- How it works
- The Catch: Hardware Requirements
How to Use the New Universal Writing Assistant in Windows 11: Is It the Death of Grammarly?
Windows 11 is evolving from a simple operating system into an active partner in your daily workflow. Microsoft is currently testing two significant features that promise to streamline how you manage files and polish your writing: a deep integration of Microsoft 365 Copilot directly into File Explorer and a Universal Writing Assistant powered by on-device AI.
Here is everything you need to know about these upcoming changes and how they affect your PC experience.
The New “Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot” in File Explorer
For many users, File Explorer is the hub of productivity. Microsoft is testing a feature that transforms this hub from a storage space into an intelligent workspace.
What is changing?
A new option, “Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot,” is being tested within the Home tab of File Explorer. When you hover over a file in your “Recommended” or “Recent” list, you can click this button to instantly send the file to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.
The Benefit
Instead of opening a heavy document just to check its contents, you can request a quick summary, extract key insights, or ask specific questions about the file without leaving the Explorer window.
“Ask Copilot” vs. “Ask Microsoft 365 Copilot”: What’s the Difference?
It can be confusing to see two similar options. Here is the breakdown:
| Feature | Ask Copilot (Existing) | Ask M365 Copilot (New) |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Right-click context menu. | Home tab (hover over recent files). |
| Access | Available to most Windows users. | Likely requires a Microsoft 365 Subscription (Commercial/Personal). |
| Best For | General chat or questions about a selected file. | Deep analysis of Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) using your M365 graph data |
| Tech | Standard Copilot (Cloud). | M365 Copilot (Cloud + Enterprise Graph). |
Expert Note
While Microsoft claims this keeps you “in context,” essentially both features rely on cloud processing. The request is sent to Microsoft’s servers (via the ChatGPT API) to process your file and return the answer.
The Universal Writing Assistant: An Editor for the Entire OS
Perhaps the more exciting update is the Universal Writing Assistant. Unlike previous tools limited to the Edge browser or specific Office apps, this feature aims to bring professional proofreading to every text field in Windows 11.
How it works
Imagine typing a post on LinkedIn, a comment on Reddit, or a quick note in Notepad. With this feature, a small “Writing Assistance” popup appears, offering to:
- Proofread: Fix grammatical errors instantly.
- Rewrite: completely rephrase your text using AI.
- Adjust Tone: Choose between Professional, Concise, or Friendly tones to suit your audience.
The Catch: Hardware Requirements
Unlike the File Explorer update, this feature is not for everyone. It is currently exclusive to Copilot+ PCs.
Why? It relies on the NPU (Neural Processing Unit) found in newer chips (Snapdragon X Elite, Intel Core Ultra 200V, AMD Ryzen AI 300).
The Benefit: Because it uses the NPU, much of the processing can happen locally on your device. This means lower latency (faster suggestions) and better privacy compared to cloud-only tools like the old Microsoft Editor.
These updates signal Microsoft’s shift toward an “AI-first” OS, where assistance isn’t just an app you open—it’s a layer that lives on top of everything you do.