[News Article] Microsoft’s AI-powered Copilot for Windows 10 is now available to test
The Copilot (in preview) update for Windows 10 strongly resembles the Windows 11 Copilot, which was released in September this year, in appearance as well as features, except for some differences due to varying operating systems.
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023: Microsoft has finally made its AI-powered Copilot available for select users running the Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 22H2. With this update, such users who are part of the Windows Insider Program can access Copilot as part of the program’s Release Preview Channel.
The news came on Monday, November 20, as a follow-up to the company’s earlier announcement in the preceding week that suggested a Copilot release was on the horizon following the update (KB5032278) for Windows 10 Build 19045.3754.
The launch marks a notable shift from the company’s former plans regarding the future of Windows 10. In its April 2023 client roadmap update, Microsoft asserted against the possibility of any new feature updates for Windows 10 and reaffirmed that the final version 22H2 will “reach end of support on October 14, 2025.” While the latter remains a part of the plan, Windows 10 users are surely all set to get another major feature upgrade with Copilot.
Windows Insiders reviewing Preview builds in the Release Preview Channel can get Microsoft Copilot on their Windows 10 22H2 (Home or Pro) systems by installing the latest update on their devices. Or better yet, they can go to Settings >> Updates & Security >> Windows Update and toggle on the “Get updates as soon as they are available” feature so they don’t miss the update when it becomes available for them.
Once the preview update is installed, users might need to reboot their devices to access the new features. The Copilot icon will then appear at the right end of the taskbar. Clicking on this icon will launch the Copilot chatbot as a vertical panel on the right-hand side of the screen. The panel appears and works side-by-side with other applications without overlapping or blocking content from other windows.
The Copilot (in preview) update for Windows 10 strongly resembles the Windows 11 Copilot, which was released in September this year, in appearance as well as features, except for some differences due to the difference in the operating systems.
Copilot can carry out simple tasks like playing songs and asking questions, as well as perform more nuanced operations like organizing multiple windows and simplifying, explaining, or summarizing written content on the screen. What’s more, it also lets users tap into the possibilities of generative AI to write paragraphs and essays on any topic, edit pictures, and do many other interesting tasks.
It’s worth noting that Microsoft will be launching the feature in phases via a controlled feature rollout (CFR). As a result, it might take a while for all eligible users to get access to this feature. However, some devices may not receive the feature despite being in the selected market and having the correct OS version installed.
Microsoft mentioned in its recent announcements that only devices having more than 4GB RAM and supporting +720p display resolution are eligible for the update. The update is also not available for multi-monitor setups and devices managed by Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or Windows Update for Business.
The extension of Copilot support to Windows 10-based systems is another step towards an AI-based future, given that over 70% of Windows users are still on Windows 10.
With Microsoft planning to expand Copilot to more markets in the coming months, the majority of Windows users are set to get access to the incredible possibilities of AI and everything it entails for personal life, work, and beyond. In the words of Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Modern Work and Business Apps at Microsoft, “Copilot is a whole new way of working.”