The clipboard is a very convenient feature that you can find in most types of smart technology today - from tablets to smartphones and even Windows PCs and Macs. The clipboard allows you to store multiple objects for pasting, but it doesn't always get the formatting right. That's where Microsoft's new artificial intelligence system comes in, which can adjust the formatting for you and even change what you paste.
This new feature is called Advanced Paste, and it's only available as part of the easily customizable PowerToys app. You can perform a few different actions via its menu, which can be invoked with Windows key + Shift + V. While the title feature is an AI-powered formatting aid, some other examples include using AI to summarize the text you've copied, translate it, generate code based on it, and even stylize or transform it. For example, you can copy and paste this passage, then ask Advanced Paste to rewrite it in Shakespeare's voice without going to Copilot or ChatGPT first.
There are also ways to use Advanced Paste without AI. While it can't rewrite copied text for you, you can still format the text yourself by choosing between plain text, JSON, and Markdown from the drop-down menu.
If you're interested in giving Advanced Paste a try, you'll need to complete a few steps first. For AI functionality, you also need to open your wallet. Here's everything you need to do before you get started.
How to try advanced paste in Windows
First, download and install Microsoft PowerToys. There are several ways to do this, including using the official GitHub page, PowerToys' Microsoft Learn page, or just visiting the app's Microsoft Store page. Make sure to install at least version 0.8.0.1 as this is the first version to offer advanced paste functionality. It's also worth noting that PowerToys supports many other advanced features - check out our favorites here.
After installing PowerToys, activate Advanced Paste. It should be visible on the first page of options, but if you can't see it, the search bar should be able to find it. Once enabled, you can start using Advanced Paste immediately by bringing up the menu by pressing Windows Key + Shift + V. But if you really want to take full advantage of the system's AI capabilities, you'll have to pay and enable them first.
How to enable AI functionality in Advanced Paste
This is where things get a little confusing, as you need to purchase an OpenAI token and set up an API key to truly take advantage of Advanced Paste's AI capabilities.
First, navigate to the OpenAI API Keys page and log into your account. Keep in mind that having ChatGPT Plus does not give you any GPT tokens. Instead, you must purchase them directly from OpenAI.
After logging into your OpenAI account, click on the "Create new key" option and name it "Windows Advanced Paste". This will let you track which API keys are using your token in case you notice any unusual usage.
After creating the key, copy it and return to PowerToys. Find "Advanced Paste" and click the "Enable" button next to "Enable AI Paste". Paste your API key and click Save.
At this point, you're ready to start using advanced AI-enabled paste.
