Microsoft Refines Copilot Key Experience in Windows 11 for Businesses

Microsoft has outlined enhancements to the Copilot key experience in Windows 11, tailored to better meet the needs of commercial customers based on their feedback. The company suggests that organizations reconfigure the Copilot key to launch the Microsoft 365 app.

Microsoft announced the Copilot key for new Windows 11 PCs back in January. The Copilot key is configured to launch the Copilot app on Windows 11. Last month, Microsoft added the ability to reprogram the Copilot key to open other apps instead. The company has also started testing a native Copilot app that opens as a more compact view and can be opened using the Alt+Space shortcut. Users can reprogram the Copilot key by heading to the Settings app under personalization.

However, this new version of the Copilot app is only available for consumers authenticating with a Microsoft account. It doesn’t work for commercial customers with Microsoft Entra ID accounts.

“While the Copilot key was originally intended to invoke Copilot in Windows, this has shifted as we’ve evolved Microsoft Copilot experiences on Windows to better address your feedback and needs,” Microsoft explained. “With this change, IT admins will need to take steps to ensure employees authenticating with a Microsoft Entra account can still access Copilot via the Copilot key.”

Copilot key on new Windows 11 PCs

Microsoft advises organizations to remap the Copilot key to launch the Microsoft 365 app, which supports authentication via Microsoft Entra ID and enables access to Copilot features. Additionally, the company suggests pinning the Microsoft 365 app to the Windows 11 Taskbar for easier access.

Additionally, Microsoft advises that commercial customers should uninstall the Copilot app that comes pre-installed with Windows 11 PCs in order to avoid confusion. Enterprise admins must use AppLocker to prevent employees from reinstalling the Copilot app.