Microsoft says it’s pausing Windows Copilot UI tests

Image: Mark Hachman / IDG

Microsoft is taking a break from testing new Copilot AI features within Windows, which may mean that the company has settled on some ideas that it may eventually roll out to the majority of Windows users.

Microsoft announced the change in plans on Friday, as part of the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570 (KB5037008) to testers on its Beta Channel.

“Over the last few months, we’ve been trying out different experiences for Copilot in Windows (Preview) with Windows Insiders across the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels,” Microsoft wrote. “Some of these experiences include the ability for Copilot in Windows to act like a normal application window and the taskbar icon animating to indicate that Copilot can help when you copy text or images. We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback.”

Today, you can launch Copilot via the Copilot icon, which once lived down in the center of the Windows 11 taskbar. Microsoft has shifted it over to the lower right-hand corner of the screen, a minor change. It still carries with it the small “Pre” icon that denotes a preview, however. Clicking on it opens Copilot; likewise, highlighting a block of text allows you to access Copilot options, as well.

The Microsoft Build conference kicks off on May 21. On May 20, Microsoft will host a press event where it will talk more about AI, including Copilot, and is expected to launch new consumer versions of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, each containing a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. Microsoft released business versions of both devices in March, with an Intel Core Ultra chip inside.

Microsoft will almost certainly show off some its intended Copilot roadmap at that time. But for now, it appears to be weighing what direction to take Copilot on Windows, based on what it’s already developed.

Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor

As PCWorld’s senior editor, Mark focuses on Microsoft news and chip technology, among other beats. He has formerly written for PCMag, BYTE, Slashdot, eWEEK, and ReadWrite.

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