Microsoft is giving Copilot a new taskbar UI and keyboard shortcut on Windows

Microsoft is updating its Copilot feature on Windows, replacing the Progressive Web App (PWA) version with a "native" experience that includes a new keyboard shortcut and quick view UI. The quick view floats above the taskbar and can be triggered using the Alt + Space keyboard shortcut or through the system tray. The new keyboard shortcut may cause conflicts with other apps that use the same shortcut. Microsoft notes that the app launched first in the background will be invoked when using Alt + Space. The company had previously used the Windows key + C shortcut for Copilot, but gave it up when it downgraded the experience to a web app. The new keyboard shortcut and Copilot quick view will be available on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs. Despite Microsoft's plans to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025, the company reopened beta testing for new Windows 10 features earlier this year. Copilot originally started as Windows Copilot in Windows 11, but was later demoted to a basic web app. Microsoft claims this latest iteration is a "native version," but it's still just a web view of Copilot wrapped in a slightly more native implementation. The update is currently rolling out to Windows testers.