Microsoft is dropping a new Windows 11 preview build for insiders in the Dev channel and it has a new feature that allows handwriting entries directly in fields across the operating system, and previously converting handwriting to text worked pretty well in certain programs, like OneNote, or within a special box to recognize Handwritten text.
The new Ink feature also includes improved text recognition from handwriting and a scratch gesture feature that helps users fix the error. While Microsoft only enabled this feature for US English, other languages are on the way
And for Windows 11 users who aren't in any preview channel, this week's Patch Tuesday brought KB5027231 for everyone, which includes tweaks like updated Widgets Board layouts, Bluetooth LE, smart 2FA code recognition in notifications, USB4 settings, and animated weather icons for the taskbar
Microsoft is rolling out the upgraded Windows Ink feature to users in Preview Build 23481, but it won't be immediately available to everyone, even if they're in the Dev channel. You can check to see if it's available by going to Settings, Bluetooth, devices, Pen & Windows Ink, located under "Handwriting on Shell"
And be warned since the feature is in testing there are a few known Windows Ink bugs in this release, and currently you can't use handwriting to erase text within Microsoft Edge - and the address box might "not work right" too
The search boxes and comment fields in Microsoft 365 apps can also be buggy, and finally, although you can type within the fields, you cannot convert handwriting to text within some 365 apps such as Word documents and Excel spreadsheets
And if you've seen a feature like this before, it's because tablets like the iPad already support typing directly into text boxes and fields, the native operating system takes care of quickly converting it to text and entering it for you, and even budget devices like the new Amazon Fire Max 11 allow users to type in the fields