What you need to know
- Microsoft began testing a new way to open Copilot on Windows 11 late last year.
- Swiping from the right on a screen now summons Copilot rather than opening the notifications tray.
- The behavior entered testing with Insiders in December 2023 and is rolling out to Windows 11 version 23H2.
Microsoft is testing yet another way to open Copilot on Windows 11. Recent Insider builds of the operating system let you summon Copilot by swiping in from the right. That gesture used to open the notifications tray, but Microsoft is trying a new behavior for it.
"We are trying out a change where when swiping from the right edge of the desktop on a touch display will open Copilot instead of notifications," explained Microsoft in its blog post about Windows 11 Build 23601. That update shipped to the Dev Channel on December 7, 2023. Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc clarified that the behavior is also rolling out to Windows 11 version 23H2.
Copilot opening following a gesture became a hot topic online after our Senior Editor Zac Bowden shared a video of the behavior.
Huh, the swipe gesture to open notifications now opens Copilot instead on Windows 11 build 26100 pic.twitter.com/ymcUCPef9cApril 3, 2024
Many criticized the change on X. "This obsession to squeeze in AI stuff is getting unbearable on practically all platforms. I'm certainly not questioning AI itself, but I dislike when products are bent into directions I don't want. Maybe the make it configurable some day," said Thomas Künneth.
More ways to use Copilot
Microsoft is clearly eager to get people to use Copilot on Windows. The tech giant continues to roll out new ways to summon the AI-powered tool, even though it's in preview. Copilot now lives in the Taskbar, can be brought up with a keyboard shortcut, and can be opened with the Copilot key on new PCs. Microsoft is also testing swiping in from the left to use Copilot, as discussed above. Hovering over the Copilot icon in the Taskbar to open the tool is also being tested at the moment.
Usually, I'm in the camp of "more options are always better," but Microsoft comes off as desperate with Copilot. The tool is already accessible on Windows and in Microsoft Edge. Heck, it's halfway to taking over the Edge Sidebar as it is and is now replacing gestures that show notifications (albeit in testing). How many shortcuts does Microsoft need to push Copilot? Surely if the tool is worthwhile, people will just use it.
In a recent poll about Copilot, more than half of participants said they don't use Copilot at all, stating:
- I never use Copilot on Windows 11 - 54.6%
- I use Copilot occasionally but less frequently than daily - 16.79%
- I use Copilot daily - 13.49%
- I rarely use Copilot but I have used it to some extent - 13.11%
I know some people dislike AI for a variety of reasons, such as it being used to write books accused of plagiarism. But I think another group of people are fine with AI as a general concept and just dislike when Microsoft is pushy about it. We've seen similar pushback when Microsoft started showing prompts for Xbox Game Pass when installing Windows 11. A recent viral video discussing how to fix Microsoft discussed the company being pushy with its services.
I hope Microsoft keeps the option to open notifications with a swipe on Windows 11. If the company must add another shortcut to Copilot, the folks at Microsoft should make it optional. I know plenty of people who would be happy if they never used Copilot or saw it on their PC. I wonder if Microsoft is aware of those users.
