How to customize Copilot keyboard key action on Windows 11
- To change the action when pressing the Copilot physical key on Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Text input and customize the keyboard key using the “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” setting.
On Windows 11, it’s possible to change the action when you press the Copilot key on your keyboard to launch virtually any app, and in this guide, I will explain this configuration.
When Microsoft revealed the Copilot AI, it was first available as Bing Chat on the web, and then the company integrated the chatbot into Windows 11 with a side panel interface that appeared from the right side of the screen.
As part of a marketing campaign, soon after, the software giant announced that it would be adding a dedicated physical Copilot key on new keyboards for faster access to the chatbot, which was defined as the most significant change to the PC experience in the last three decades.
Shortly after, new devices like the Surface Pro 10, Surface Laptop 6, and others began to ship with the new Copilot, and the company changed the direction of the AI implementation, which also removed the chatbot integration in favor of the Copilot web app that no longer launches with the Copilot key.
Since the Copilot key on the keyboard ended up without functionality, starting on Windows 11 build 22635.4225 (KB5043186), the system now offers an option to customize the action of the dedicated key for the chatbot. The setting allows you to open the Windows Search experience or any app as long as it’s a signed MSIX package. (MSIX is a modern packaging format for Windows applications that prioritizes security and privacy.)
In this guide, I will explain the steps to change the action when you press the Copilot key on Windows 11.
Change the Copilot key on the keyboard for Windows 11
To change the action of the physical Copilot key on your keyboard, use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 11.
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Click on Personalization.
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Click the Text input page.
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(Option 1) Choose the Search option to launch the Windows Search experience with the Copilot key on your keyboard in the “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” setting.
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(Option 2) Choose the Custom option in the “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” setting.
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Select the application you want to launch with the physical Copilot key.
Quick note: When I was configuring this feature on my computer, I noticed that Microsoft isn’t adding an option to find another app if it’s not already on the list. Also, you cannot use web apps you install from Edge or Chrome.
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Click the Select button.
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(Option 3) Choose the “None selected” option to disable the key (if applicable).
Once you complete the steps, the next time you press the Copilot physical key on the keyboard, it will launch the specified app.
If you can’t find this setting, it’s because you may not be running the version of the operating system that includes the option. At the time of this writing, this option is available through the Beta Channel, and it may become available to everyone with the release of Windows 11 24H2. Also, the option only works for a keyboard designed with the dedicated key for the chatbot.
Furthermore, consider that you can only set apps you acquired from the Microsoft Store or those using the signed MSIX package format, meaning that many apps you may have installed on your computer won’t be available. For example, on my computer, I couldn’t find the Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or VLC. I also noticed that while it’s not possible to set up a web app you installed through your web browser, it’s possible to select Copilot, which happens to be a web app.
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