Microsoft is working on a new method to launch Copilot in Windows 11. In addition to its dedicated keyboard shortcut (Win + C) and the ability to click the Copilot button on the taskbar, Microsoft wants its new AI assistant to open whenever you hover the cursor over the button. The company announced this change in the latest Windows 11 preview build released on Monday in the Beta Channel:
We are trying out a new hover experience for Copilot in Windows. When you move your mouse cursor over the Copilot icon on the taskbar, it will open the Copilot pane. The Copilot pane will close unless interacted with after it opens. This will begin rolling out slowly over the next few weeks to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel.
Technically, this is not a new concept for Microsoft. You may remember how Microsoft once experimented with opening Windows Search the same way. However, that thing was never released to the public.
In addition, Microsoft Edge has a dedicated Copilot button, which does not require a click to open the assistant; just hover the cursor over it to open Copilot. When first introduced, this feature received mixed feedback from users, but the company still pushed it into production. Now, the same fate awaits Windows 11 users.
Opening Copilot on hover is not the only experiment Microsoft is currently conducting among Windows Insiders. The company wants to auto-open Copilot when on boot on systems with 27-inch or larger monitors with a horizontal resolution of 1920 pixels or more.
In addition to changes that quite a few users consider slightly head-scratching, Microsoft is working on several features to make Copilot more useful for Windows 11 users. For example, smart actions with neat animations and better integration with system settings, device information, and accessibility features.