Latest news with #WindowsInsiders
The Verge
5 days ago
- The Verge
Microsoft is testing tighter integration with 1Password's passkeys in Windows.
Posted Jun 27, 2025 at 7:44 PM UTC Microsoft is testing tighter integration with 1Password's passkeys in Windows. The idea is to make using passkeys a little more seamless. But this isn't available to everyone just yet: Microsoft is initially rolling it out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel and you need to install the 1Password beta.
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Business Standard
24-06-2025
- Business Standard
Microsoft Mu model brings on-device AI agent to Copilot+ PCs: How it works
Microsoft has detailed a new lightweight language model called 'Mu,' which has already been deployed to power agentic AI Settings features on Copilot+ PCs. This AI model runs entirely on-device using the Neural Processing Unit (NPU), and according to Microsoft, delivers response speeds of over 100 tokens per second—fast enough to power AI agents in certain scenarios. For context, Microsoft added an AI-powered agent to the Settings app earlier this year, which lets users control their PCs using simple prompts like 'make my mouse pointer bigger' or 'how to control my PC by voice.' The agent can then guide users through solutions—or take the necessary actions automatically, with permission. This feature is currently available to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel on Copilot+ PCs. How Microsoft's Mu model works Mu is a specially designed AI model that's small and efficient enough to run directly on a PC's NPU, instead of relying on cloud-based servers. Microsoft says this makes it faster and more private since your data doesn't leave the device. The model is built using a technique called encoder–decoder architecture. In simpler terms, it first reads your input (like a question or command), understands its meaning, and then produces a response based on that understanding. Microsoft says this approach is more efficient than traditional models because it separates the task of understanding the input from generating the output—saving both memory and processing time. Mu was also custom-built to take advantage of how NPUs work, using hardware-friendly tweaks and smart memory-saving tricks like 'weight sharing' to reduce its size without sacrificing performance. As a result, Mu is optimised to deliver quick, reliable results while using fewer resources. Mu model's training process Microsoft trained Mu using its Azure cloud platform and powerful NVIDIA A100 graphics processors. The training process involved exposing the model to hundreds of billions of text samples—mostly educational content—to help it understand grammar, language patterns, and general knowledge. Mu builds on techniques from Microsoft's previous small models, like the Phi family. Although Mu is much smaller—about one-tenth the size of Phi-3.5-mini—it delivers similar performance thanks to better efficiency and training techniques. To make sure Mu runs smoothly on a wide range of Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft also worked closely with chip makers like Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD. They used advanced techniques like model quantization, which shrinks the model further while preserving its abilities.
The Hindu
24-06-2025
- The Hindu
Microsoft introduces small language model Mu to change settings in Windows 11
Microsoft on Monday (June 23, 2025) unveiled its on-device small language model, Mu, that allows users to change settings through natural language queries. The company said Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel with Copilot+PCs can access Mu. The AI agent for Settings in Windows 11 was included in the existing search box for a seamless user experience, the company said. 'Mu is fully offloaded onto the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and responds at over 100 tokens per second, meeting the demanding UX requirements of the agent in Settings scenario,' Vivek Pradeep, VP, Distinguished Engineer at Windows Applied Sciences noted in a company blog. Trained over multiple phases using Nvidia's A100 GPUs on Azure Machine Learning, Mu followed a similar technique as Microsoft's previous small language model family, Phi. It was pre-trained on 'hundreds of billions of the highest-quality educational tokens, to learn language syntax, grammar, semantics and some world knowledge.' Mu was then distilled from the Phi models to enhance accuracy.
The Verge
13-06-2025
- The Verge
Microsoft has started testing its AI agent in the Windows 11 Settings app.
First announced last month, the feature lets users describe what they need in Settings, like 'my mouse pointer is too small.' The AI agent will then provide suggestions about how to address the issue, and can even fix it for them if users give permission. Microsoft is bringing the AI agent to Windows 11 Insiders in the Dev Channel, but only for Snapdragon-based Copilot Plus PCs to start.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft Brings Notepad Closer to Word With New Features
Microsoft has started rolling out an update to Notepad for Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11. The updated version 11.2504.50.0 brings lightweight formatting options to the classic text editor. With this update, Notepad now supports Markdown-style input and files, meaning that if you prefer to work directly with this markup language, you can do so more easily. The new formatting toolbar lets you apply text styling such as bold and italics, add hyperlinks, and create simple lists and headings. All this means that Notepad is now more effective for organizing notes or documents with basic formatting without needing to switch to a full word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, now that WordPad is gone. You can switch between a formatted Markdown view and a plain Markdown syntax view from the View menu or by using a toggle button in the status bar. If you want to return to plain text at any time, you can clear all formatting using the toolbar or the Edit menu. And for those who prefer the original Notepad experience, there is an option in the app settings to disable formatting entirely. Microsoft has asked users to share their thoughts and suggestions through the Feedback Hub under Apps > Notepad.
