The clipboard is a really handy feature that you’ll find in most types of smart tech these days—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 formatting right. That's where Microsoft's new AI-powered system, which can adjust formatting for you and even alter the content you paste, comes into play.
The new feature is called Advanced Paste, and it’s only available as part of the customization-friendly PowerToys app. You can do a few different things through its menu, which can be summoned via Windows key + Shift + V. While the headlining feature is AI-powered formatting help, some other examples include using AI to summarize your copied text, translating it, generating code based on it, or even stylizing or transforming it. For instance, you could copy-and-paste this paragraph and ask Advanced Paste to rewrite it in a Shakespearean voice, without needing to go to Copilot or ChatGPT first.
There's also ways to use Advanced Paste without AI. While it can't rewrite your copied text for you, you can still format text on your own be simply selecting between plain text, JSON, and Markdown from a dropdown menu.
If you’re interested in giving Advanced Paste a spin, there are a few steps you'll need to go through first. For AI features, you'll also need to open your wallet. Here’s everything you need to do to get started.
To get started, download and install Microsoft PowerToys. There are a number of ways to do this, including using the official GitHub page, the Microsoft Learn page for PowerToys, or just by visiting the Microsoft Store page for the app. Make sure to install at least version 0.8.0.1, as this is the first to offer Advanced Paste. It is also worth noting that PowerToys enables a lot of other advanced features—check here for our favorites.
After installing PowerToys, activate Advanced Paste. It should be visible on the first page of options, though if you don’t see it, the search bar should be able to find it. Once enabled, you can start using Advanced Paste immediately by pressing Windows key + Shift + V to bring up the menu. But if you really want to take full advantage of the system's AI-powered features, you’ll have to pay for and enable them first.
This is where things get a bit more confusing, as you’ll need to purchase OpenAI tokens and set up an API key in order to actually make use of Advanced Paste's AI capabilities.
To get started, navigate to the OpenAI API Keys page and sign into your account. Keep in mind that having ChatGPT Plus does not give you any GPT tokens. Instead, you’ll have to purchase them from OpenAI directly.
After signing into your OpenAI account, click the Create New Secret Key option and then name it something like “Windows Advanced Paste.” This will let you keep track of which API keys are using your tokens, just in case you ever notice any unusual usage.
After creating the key, copy it and return to PowerToys. Find Advanced Paste and then click the Enable button next to Enable Paste with AI. Paste in your API key and click Save.
At this point, you’re ready to start using Advanced Paste with its AI features enabled.
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