Microsoft is giving its Copilot AI assistant on Windows 11 a fresh coat of paint. This marks the third redesign since Copilot was first introduced in mid-2023, indicating Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to refine the user experience.
The latest update, currently available to Windows Insiders, introduces a new “quick view” with a smaller pop-up panel. This streamlined view can be accessed using the Alt + Space keyboard shortcut or by clicking the Copilot icon in the system tray. Users can switch back to the regular resizable window by clicking the icon in the top-left corner of the quick view panel. PCs with a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard can also use it to open the regular window view.
This redesign follows a series of changes to Copilot’s interface in Windows. Initially, Copilot was accessible via a taskbar button that opened a sidebar, similar to the quick settings panels in Windows 8 and 10. Microsoft then experimented with moving the button to the right side of the taskbar, replacing the “show desktop” button, but later reverted this change. Earlier this year, the sidebar was replaced with the Copilot web app running in an Edge window.
Microsoft describes this new Copilot experience as a “native version,” although it visually resembles the current Copilot website. The addition of a system tray icon and keyboard shortcut are the primary visible differences.
Despite the updates, Copilot on Windows still lags behind the ChatGPT app on Mac in terms of system integration and functionality. The Mac app offers deeper integration with the operating system and can answer questions based on screen content.
The new Copilot design is currently in testing and is expected to eventually roll out to both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
