Windows Copilot is about to become more than a glorified shortcut to Bing Chat

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Windows Copilot on Windows 11 won't be so limited for long.

Windows Copilot
(Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft announced a new AI assistant called Windows Copilot earlier this year.
  • Windows Copilot is powered by Bing Chat and can be brought up at any time on the Windows 11 desktop.
  • The new AI assistant has been in testing among Insiders for over a month, but integration with Windows 11 has been limited to date.
  • A savvy Twitter user spotted a new set of features that appear to be on the way to Windows Copilot, including launching apps.

Windows Copilot is a new AI assistant that's on the way to Windows 11. The tool is powered by Bing Chat and allows you to access the chatbot directly from your desktop. Microsoft is also working on ways to integrate Windows Copilot with Windows 11, giving you control over your PC through the assistant. Microsoft announced Windows Copilot earlier this year and rolled it out to Insiders near the end of June.

Even in its preview state, Windows Copilot can already perform certain tasks on your PC. For example, it can swap your system to dark mode, enable do not disturb mode, and take a screenshot. But when it comes to integrating with Windows 11, the tool is rather limited. It's essentially Bing Chat that can be summoned to your desktop plus a few handy add-ons.

The feature set of Windows Copilot is set to expand, and we appear to have a glimpse of what's in store. Windows sleuth Xeno, known on X (formerly Twitter) as @XenoPanther, spotted some new functionality for Windows Copilot in a Dev Channel build of Windows 11. Based on Xeno's findings, Windows Copilot will soon be able to launch apps, perform task manager actions, open settings, and be used to provide feedback to Microsoft.

Microsoft made it clear from the start that Windows Copilot would gain more functionality over time. But it's nice to see a specific set of features that could make their way to Insiders soon. Xeno spotted the options in Windows 11 Build 23516, which rolled out to the Dev Channel two days ago. That could mean that Insiders will be able to test new integrations between Windows Copilot and Windows 11 in the near future.

Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_. 

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • BINARYGOD
    good - just being a hidden browser windows that behaves the same as the bing feature makes it basically pointless - either you dont care about that bing bot and this will not change that, or you do, but hey, you need the net connection anyway and have some browser installed, but how does a local thing that is not actually local help? (it doenst - for anyone)
    Reply