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Microsoft is preparing a major redesign of OneDrive for Windows, transforming it from a simple taskbar utility into a full-fledged application. The upcoming version, expected next year, will introduce a fresh interface, advanced AI tools, and new ways to organize and edit photos across devices.
The redesigned OneDrive app will feel much closer to its mobile counterpart, offering a complete photo gallery and a dedicated people view. This new layout will automatically recognize faces in pictures, allowing users to label and organize them with ease. Beyond cloud images, Microsoft plans to add support for local photo editing, letting users modify pictures directly on their devices or upload them to OneDrive.
AI will play a central role in this update. Microsoft is introducing a Photos Agent, a new Copilot-powered feature available for Microsoft 365 Copilot and Premium subscribers. This virtual photo assistant can fetch memories on demand, like finding holiday snapshots or building custom albums. Users will be able to ask Copilot to recall specific events, and the AI will curate results in seconds.
OneDrive’s mobile apps on iOS and Android are also getting smarter. Soon, users can expect AI-based editing tools that enhance photos with animated effects and automatically clean up blurry or duplicate shots. A Moments tab is also rolling out, surfacing nostalgic “on this day” memories and older highlights for easy rediscovery.
Microsoft is simultaneously updating OneDrive’s sharing system to make collaboration smoother. A new “hero link” feature now lets users copy and share a document’s direct URL, eliminating the need for special share links, according to the data. This mirrors how Google Docs works, finally ending the frustration of “access denied” errors when files are shared.
With these updates, Microsoft is clearly positioning OneDrive as more than just a cloud storage platform. It’s evolving into a smart, AI-powered content hub designed to make managing photos, memories, and documents far more intuitive across all platforms.
