When Microsoft launched the Copilot key, all we might suppose was – it is a waste of treasured laptop computer keyboard real-estate, frankly – and for these of you who’ve the important thing, and really feel this manner, right here’s some excellent information: now you can reconfigure it, at the very least in testing.
Within the new Beta channel preview construct 22635 for Home windows 11, Microsoft has made it potential to remap the Copilot key to launch an app quite than invoke the AI assistant.
As Microsoft explains in a weblog submit, there’s a slight catch, although: “You possibly can select to have the Copilot key launch an app that’s MSIX packaged and signed, thus indicating the app meets safety and privateness necessities to maintain clients secure.”
We’ll come again to debate the precise implications of this momentarily, however the gist is that you would be able to’t remap the important thing to any utility you’d like – solely MSIX apps.
There’s no change to the default habits of the Copilot key as you may anticipate – if you first get your shiny new Copilot+ laptop computer, it’ll nonetheless summon the AI assistant when pressed. You’ll have the ability to reconfigure it within the Settings app, in Personalization > Textual content enter, at the very least when this alteration involves the discharge model of Home windows 11 – and we are able to’t see why it will get lower in testing.
That MSIX configuration caveat
As famous, the caveat is that you will need to remap the Copilot key to launch an MSIX app, which is a Home windows app package deal cooked up by Microsoft, with the purpose of tighter safety (amongst different advantages). In brief, many Home windows apps aren’t MSIX-packaged, and if any given utility you need a shortcut to isn’t, then you definately’re out of luck.
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This function is simply in testing in the intervening time, so it’s potential Microsoft might change this requirement – we will should see down the road. The explanation for stipulating MSIX, as famous, is the higher safety offered on this set up format over and above MSI (its predecessor).
Those that are pissed off with the limitation can at all times redefine the Copilot key utilizing third-party key mapping software program, naturally, however that isn’t as handy as having a local possibility. (If that native possibility has a full vary of performance in terms of the apps you may hyperlink the important thing to, that’s).
We don’t have a Copilot key on our keyboard, and don’t need one, as you may most likely guess from how this text began – these on TechRadar who’ve been enjoying with this key have discovered it lower than revolutionary, too.
All in all, having to introduce an choice to reconfigure the important thing could possibly be seen as a bit embarrassing for Microsoft, contemplating the fanfare when the Copilot key was revealed. In the event you recall, the transfer was trumpeted because the ‘first vital change’ to the Home windows keyboard in some 30 years, and that the Copilot key can be a ‘core half’ of the keyboard on a par with the Home windows key itself.
All that stated, if the Copilot assistant itself turns into rather more helpful in Home windows 11 sooner or later, perhaps the devoted key might but carve out extra of a real raison d’etre, versus feeling extra like a crowbarred-in addition, at the very least for us.
