Microsoft is altering up how Copilot works on Home windows but once more. After demoting Copilot to a Progressive Internet App (PWA) earlier this 12 months, Microsoft is now rolling out an replace to Home windows testers that replaces the PWA model of Copilot with a “native” expertise that features a new keyboard shortcut and fast view UI.
The brand new fast view for Copilot floats above the taskbar, very like Microsoft’s new Companion apps that it’s presently testing for recordsdata, contacts, and calendar entries. The short view might be triggered utilizing a brand new Alt + House keyboard shortcut, or by the system tray. The short view doesn’t do something particular right here, but it surely does float above all of your different apps and stays at all times on high till you dismiss Copilot to the taskbar or set off the Alt + House shortcut once more.
The brand new keyboard shortcut right here might get slightly difficult although, relying on what apps you employ. Different apps already use the Alt + House shortcut, and it seems like they’re going to be preventing Copilot for management right here. “For any apps put in in your PC that may make the most of this keyboard shortcut, Home windows will register whichever app is launched first in your PC and working within the background because the app that’s invoked when utilizing Alt + House,” says Microsoft.
I’m not certain why Microsoft made the selection to maneuver Copilot to this Alt + House shortcut when it beforehand reused the Home windows key + C shortcut from Cortana with Home windows Copilot earlier than downgrading the expertise to an online app and giving up on the keyboard shortcut in favor of a devoted Copilot key. Microsoft even says “Copilot will proceed to discover choices associated to the keyboard shortcuts for the app,” which certain reads just like the AI assistant is all of a sudden calling the photographs over at Microsoft now.
This new keyboard shortcut and Copilot fast view may even be obtainable on Home windows 10 in addition to Home windows 11 PCs, regardless of Microsoft’s insistence that Home windows 10 finish of assist actually is occurring in October 2025. Microsoft reopened beta testing for brand new Home windows 10 options earlier this 12 months as a approach “to ensure everybody can get the utmost worth from their present Home windows PC.”
Copilot initially began off life as Home windows Copilot in Home windows 11 final 12 months, built-in into the working system as a aspect bar that would seem throughout all apps. Microsoft then made Copilot much less helpful with its new Copilot Plus PCs, slicing the app again to a primary net app. Microsoft says this newest iteration is “a local model,” but it surely’s nonetheless only a net view of Copilot wrapped in a barely extra native implementation.
