- PowerToys preview 0.101.2211.0 adds Microsoft’s Phi Silica local AI model to Advanced Paste, with new prompts, provider selection, and custom actions.
- Phi Silica is designed for compatible Copilot+ PCs with an NPU, so the new AI capability isn’t available on every device.
- Mouse Jump has been moved from WinForms to WinUI, while Command Palette and several other PowerToys utilities receive reliability and performance improvements.
- Microsoft is improving how PowerToys previews are managed, replacing the prerelease checkbox with Stable and Insider update channels and adding a better bug-reporting workflow.
On Windows 11, Microsoft is expanding PowerToys with the release of preview version 0.101.2211.0, adding its Phi Silica local AI model to Advanced Paste, alongside a major Mouse Jump update and a long list of fixes. The preview is available now through GitHub, but the new AI capability is aimed at compatible Copilot+ PCs with an NPU.
Advanced Paste gets Microsoft’s local AI
The biggest addition is a new on-device Phi Silica provider for Advanced Paste.
Phi Silica is a Microsoft small language model designed to run locally on Copilot+ PCs using the device’s NPU. With the new PowerToys integration, Advanced Paste can use the model for AI-powered paste actions without requiring users to configure a separate third-party provider.
The company is also giving Advanced Paste more control over how those AI actions work. The update adds per-action prompts, provider selection, and additional custom actions.
The hardware requirement is important, though. Installing this PowerToys preview doesn’t bring Phi Silica to every device. Users need compatible hardware capable of running the model through the Windows AI stack.
Mouse Jump gets a major technical update
Mouse Jump is also getting a significant overhaul. Microsoft has moved the utility from its remaining WinForms interface to the newer WinUI architecture and included the updated binaries in the release signing process.
The change isn’t simply about appearance. It brings Mouse Jump onto the same newer application technology already being adopted across parts of PowerToys.
Command Palette is another major focus of the release, with numerous fixes targeting memory usage, icon loading, dialogs, themes, and performance monitoring. Microsoft also improved cleanup when commands and extensions are removed or reloaded.
PowerToys gets better preview controls
The release also changes how users manage preview builds. The development team has replaced the previous prerelease checkbox in settings with an update channel selector for stable and Insider builds. Dedicated preview-release versioning also allows preview builds to be published and tested separately from stable releases.
Settings also gets a better bug-reporting workflow, including progress information, saved-file details, an Open folder option, and a shortcut for creating a GitHub issue.
Other fixes improve shutdown behavior for FancyZones, Grab And Move, and Always On Top, while Keyboard Manager and Quick Accent receive smaller corrections.
Pureinfotech’s Take
PowerToys is becoming an increasingly interesting place for Microsoft to introduce practical AI features, and Phi Silica makes more sense here than another AI feature bolted onto Windows. Advanced Paste is already designed to manipulate text, so adding a local AI option feels like a natural extension rather than an unnecessary addition.
The Copilot+ PC requirement will limit who can use it, though. I wouldn’t recommend installing a preview build on a primary device just to try Phi Silica. There are plenty of other improvements in this release, but none justify taking unnecessary risks with a system you rely on every day.
The change to Stable and Insider update channels is also a welcome improvement. PowerToys has accumulated enough features and moving parts that having a clearer distinction between testing and stable releases should make the project easier to manage for both Microsoft and users.
Now I’m curious to see whether Phi Silica becomes something I actually use regularly or just another AI option that sounds more useful than it turns out to be in practice.
What are your thoughts about Phi Silica coming to PowerToys? Would you use local AI in Advanced Paste? Let me know in the comments.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 23 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
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