Microsoft quietly rolls out hidden feature for Windows 11 insider builds

One of the biggest features of the gaming industry was the introduction of super-resolution upscaling, and now that feature appears to be coming to all Windows applications.

Windows 11 insiders have discovered an option for Super Resolution within the Windows settings, which is an indication that Microsoft, at the very least, is exploring the possibility of implementing upscaling technologies for applications. The new feature was found in the Windows 11 insider build of 24H2, the update that is pegged to be the company's big annual feature update slated to release in the second half of 2024. The update has been described as being so big it could even be called Windows 12.

As for Super Resolution within Windows, users discovered the options to enable "automatic super-resolution" that will "use AI to make supported games play more smoothly with enhanced details" or the option of enabling this setting per application. Reports indicate this new feature will run on NPU/AI-cores, which should include GPU tensor cores. What does super-resolution at an operating system level mean for Windows users?

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It's not immediately obvious what the advantages of enabling this technology would be besides an increase in visual fidelity, but Videocardz has some ideas. Having the option to enable super-resolution at the driver level means games that don't have an inbuilt resolution upscaling technology will now have something to bump up those pixels.

These titles would likely be retro games. The other advantage of super-resolution at a Windows level is removing the reliance on special applications that support technologies such as RTX Video Super Resolution or FidelityFX Super Resolution.

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With the new feature, users could simply enable Super Resolution for their required applications, such as media players.