What you need to know
- Microsoft stopped the rollout of Edge version 123 recently.
- The rollout was paused to give Microsoft a chance to ensure compatibility with certain enterprise configurations.
- Despite initial thoughts by some that the pause of the update was related to Copilot, Microsoft has confirmed it was only related to enterprise compatibility.
Microsoft began shipping an update to Edge earlier this week that brought the browser to version 123.0.2420.53. That update rollout, however, has been paused. When the stop was first noticed, some believed that it was related to Copilot, but it turns out the pause was only related to enterprise compatibility.
Some around the web noticed that a Copilot app seemed to appear in the Windows 11 Settings app after updating Edge to version 123.0.2420.53. But the two are unrelated. I'm running Edge version 122.0.2365.92 right now and still have the Copilot app in the Windows 11 Settings app on my system.
Microsoft also confirmed that the reason it pulled the latest Edge update was not related to Copilot in a statement to Neowin.
"The rollout for Microsoft Edge 123 was paused to ensure compatibility with certain enterprise configurations related to storage of user profile data. It was not related to Microsoft Copilot. We plan to resume the rollout of Edge 123 as soon as March 27, 2024."
The pause seems to have occurred for a relatively mundane, albeit important, reason. Microsoft needs to ensure compatibility with certain enterprise configurations. If all goes to plan, the tech giant will resume the rollout of Edge 123 today, March 27, 2024, though it could be later.
Copilot rolling out to more PCs
Microsoft Copilot began rolling out in preview in the final quarter of 2024, but the AI tool is now available on more PCs. Last week, Microsoft announced that Copilot is now rolling out to an increased number of devices running Windows 11 and Windows 10. Copilot is enabled by default in Windows 11 23H2 but disabled by default in Windows 11 version 22H2.
Microsoft expects Copilot to "reach most of its targeted Windows 11 and 10 devices by the end of May."
When Microsoft made that Copilot announcement, the company also shared that it's now possible to access Copilot up to 10 times without having to sign in with a Microsoft account or Microsoft Entra ID. That change should give users a chance to try Copilot without having to hop through any additional hoops.
Microsoft is aggressively pushing Copilot these days. There are several ways to summon the AI tool, including a Copilot key that is now a requirement to meet Microsoft's definition of an AI PC. A recent poll of ours showed that 54% of polled participants never use Copilot but an interview with people who use Copilot daily shows that the tool is useful for some who integrate it into their workflow.
