(Credit: Microsoft)
The rumors are true: Microsoft’s Copilot generative AI tool is coming to Windows 10.
Copilot in Windows 10 will be available soon to those running Windows 10 version 22H2 Home and Pro editions, but it will debut as a Windows Insider Preview for users in the Release Preview Channel. Managed PCs at organizations, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 10 won’t get the Copilot preview yet.
Though Microsoft previously claimed that Windows 10 was done getting updates, it’s not that surprising that the company wants its shiny new AI toy in front of the billion or so users of Windows 10. In particular, the company knows that a large portion of those billion are business users, Microsoft’s bread and butter and primary audience for Copilot.
Yesterday, at the company’s Ignite business software conference, Microsoft went all-in on Copilot. CEO Satya Nadella went as far as saying that “Microsoft is the Copilot company.” And the company changed the name of the generative AI tool in its Bing search engine from Bing Chat to, simply, Copilot, sharing that name with the AI tool in Microsoft 365 and Windows.
In my testing of Copilot on Windows 11, I found it to be an engaging, useful, and impressive tool to turn to when standard search didn’t provide an answer. It was less good at controlling PC functions than Cortana was in the past. When, for example, you ask it to change a setting, you get a button taking you to the setting rather than having it changed instantly. That’s not an issue for Windows 10 Copilot users yet, though, since Microsoft says it won’t let you customize preferences and settings or open applications.
I also noticed that Copilot’s results take a lot longer to roll in than standard search. Microsoft seemingly is addressing this issue by developing its own silicon microchips to handle AI processing—in particular the new Azure Maia AI accelerator chip.
Nevertheless, having an AI tool that can generate text as well as images (from DALL-E 3) in the same chat box is quite a feat. Just as with the Copilot in Windows 11, you can either type or speak text prompts in the new Windows 10.
Copilot in Windows 10 is currently in preview, though with the Dec. 1 general availability announced for Copilot in Microsoft 365, Windows 11, and Bing at Microsoft Ignite, we may see this "preview" label lifted in the not-too-distant future.
An Update on Updates
(Credit: Microsoft)Alongside the Copilot news for Windows 10, Microsoft also announced that a small but important Windows 11 setting is coming to the earlier OS: Get the latest updates as soon as they're available. In fact, choosing this setting will upgrade eligible machines to include Copilot.
The update also adds the modified app-pinning and default app system found in Windows 11. Windows 10 users will also get a larger view option for the News & Interests panel.
Microsoft reiterated that the end-of-support for Windows 10 is still scheduled for Oct. 14, 2025—something some analysts are none too thrilled about.