The Copilot app to interact with chatbot AI is getting a new native app, and Microsoft is previewing it on Windows 11 through the Windows Insider Program.
The new app has been built with XAML using the WinUI (Windows UI) framework, which is the primary framework that the company uses to build applications for the operating system. As a result, this makes Copilot a more native experience that features mica blur visual effects, new menu design and buttons, new animations, a new sidebar, and a new visual architecture that matches the app design experience on Windows 11.
New Copilot app design
Under the hood, Copilot is still the same AI experience that connects to the cloud to analyze your questions and provide answers. However, the interface makes it easier to interface with the chatbot. For example, there’s a left panel that allows you to start a new chat, access your chat history, and access the settings from the bottom left corner.
On the right, you will find the text box where you can interact with the chatbot. You can click the “+” button to start a new chat and upload files or a screenshot, and on the right, you’ll find the option to use voice to interact with Copilot.
Also, on the top-right, Microsoft added a button to switch to a compact mode that actually stays on top of apps.
Clicking the profile button in the bottom-left corner allows you to sign in or out of the chatbot. Inside the Settings page, you can change the chatbot’s voice, decide whether to start the app on startup, control the “Alt + Spacebar” shortcut, phone connection, and more.
On the “Privacy” page, you can control the data you share with Microsoft and choose not to send your voice and text to train the AI models, among other things.
Overall, the new app seems more native than the previous version and also matches the layout of other chatbots, such as OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity.
New Copilot app limitations
Although the app is getting a much-needed overhaul, the new experience no longer offers an option to access the Copilot home with AI-generated daily podcasts and topics to jump-start a conversation.
Also, this version doesn’t include access to Think Deeper, a new feature that provides more thorough and reliable responses to complex queries.
Think Deeper leverages OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model, designed to “think before it speaks,” breaking down complex questions into multiple steps. This process aims to minimize hallucinations and improve the accuracy of responses.
OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model is part of the ChatGPT subscription, but Microsoft now lets you access it for free without limitations. For now, you’ll have to use the web version of Copilot to access it.
Old app design
It’s interesting (but not surprising) that Microsoft didn’t use the WinUI framework from the start, and now, it has taken this long for us to say that Windows 11 is getting a “native” Copilot app.
The previous version was merely an app wrapper for the web version of Copilot that didn’t offer a cohesive experience. A lot of people were not happy (I was not pleased) with the previous experience. I remember uninstalling it from all my devices, but now, I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
macOS also has Copilot app
The new native app came just days after the company also made a Copilot AI app for macOS computers available. However, again, at least in this first release, the app is a simple app wrapper for the web version. I guess, at some point, Microsoft may also release a true app for this platform.
Getting the new app
Microsoft is releasing the first preview of the app as version 1.25023.101.0 in the Windows Insider Program’s Release Preview, Beta, Dev, and Canary Channels, which means that your computer has to be enrolled and running the latest preview of Windows 11 to access the app.
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