Microsoft launches an AI-powered copy-and-paste tool. Here’s how you can use it

Copying and pasting textual content in Home windows has stayed largely the identical over time. Now, Microsoft is increasing the characteristic with a hearty dose of AI. Added to the free PowerToys utility on Tuesday, the brand new Superior Paste device not solely allows you to select the format for pasted textual content, however presents AI powers to summarize, rewrite, or translate the textual content.

To take Superior Paste for a spin, you may want the most recent model of PowerToys. Should you do not but have this system, browse to Microsoft’s Study web page for PowerToys, the Microsoft Retailer web page for PowerToys, or the GitHub web page, and set up it. If you have already got the utility, open it from the Home windows System Tray and set up the most recent replace, to get model 0.80.1.

In PowerToys, open the settings web page for Superior Paste. Ensure the swap is turned on for “Allow Superior Paste.” The swap for Clipboard historical past must also be on. Utilizing the device’s built-in AI abilities requires an API key from OpenAI, so we’ll get to that shortly. Proper off the bat, although, you’ll be able to entry a menu that allows you to select the way you need to paste any copied textual content.

Open a plain textual content file or doc and duplicate some textual content. Subsequent, press the default shortcut of Home windows key + Shift + V. The Superior Paste menu offers you three selections: 1) Paste as plain textual content, 2) Paste as markdown, and three) Paste as JSON.

Pasting as plain textual content removes any formatting. Pasting as markdown preserves the formatting for HTML content material by changing it into the Markdown format. This selection is useful when you write web-based content material that it is advisable to use in an software or system that helps Markdown.

Pasting as JSON converts the textual content into the JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format utilized in many programming languages and recordsdata. Until you are working with HTML or programming languages, you may doubtless discover plain textual content probably the most helpful.

Another choice allows you to entry your clipboard historical past, which ties into the cloud-based common clipboard constructed into Home windows 10 and Home windows 11. Click on this feature to see an inventory of latest objects that you have copied. Choose the one you need to paste after which select Paste as plain textual content from the menu.

The true energy of Superior Paste comes from its AI capabilities. To set this up, you may want that API key from OpenAI in addition to accessible credit in your account. Should you do not have already got a spare key, browse to the OpenAI API Keys web page. Check in together with your account or create one if essential.

Click on the button for “Create new secret key.” On the secret key window, click on the button for “Create secret key.” You may also identify the important thing if you want. Clip Copy to repeat the important thing to the clipboard.

Return to the PowerToys settings display screen for Superior Paste. Click on the Allow button subsequent to Allow Paste with AI. Paste the API key and click on Save. Now you are able to attempt the device’s AI abilities.

Open a textual content file or doc and duplicate some textual content. Press Home windows key + Shift + V to show the Superior Paste menu. Within the subject for “Describe what format you need,” now you can kind a request that makes use of the AI options. Listed here are a number of examples from Microsoft:

• Summarize textual content: Copy prolonged textual content from the clipboard and ask the device to summarize it.
• Translate textual content: Copy the textual content from the clipboard in a single language and ask the device to translate it into one other language.
• Generate code: Copy an outline of a operate from the clipboard and ask the device to generate the code for it.
• Rework textual content: Copy textual content from the clipboard and ask the device to rewrite it in a particular fashion, similar to knowledgeable e-mail or an informal message.
• Stylize textual content: Copy textual content from the clipboard and ask the device to rewrite it within the fashion of a well known creator, e-book, or speaker. For this instance, Microsoft recommended that you just ask the device to stick the textual content as if it have been written by Mark Twain or Shakespeare.

After you submit your request, the generated textual content ought to seem within the subject, from the place you’ll be able to paste it into your present file or doc.

I ran a number of requests. In a single, I requested Superior Paste to summarize an article. In one other, I requested it to translate an article from English into Italian. And in a 3rd, I requested it to rewrite the textual content as if it have been written by Shakespeare. In every case, the outcomes have been attention-grabbing, amusing, and doubtlessly helpful. It’s best to attempt Superior Paste for its AI abilities alone.