How to Use Windows Copilot (AI Assistant)

Tap each step to see how to open and use Windows Copilot.

  1. Open Copilot with Windows + C

    Press the shortcut, or click the Copilot icon in the taskbar.

  2. Type or speak your question

    Type a question or request into the chat box, or tap the microphone icon to ask by voice.

  3. Try system commands, like "switch to dark mode"

    Copilot can carry out real actions like changing a setting, not just answer questions.

  4. Get help summarizing or drafting text

    Paste in a long passage and ask for a summary, or have it help draft an email or other piece of writing.

  5. Why it helps

    Instead of hunting through settings menus, you can just describe what you want in plain language or get a quick answer to a simple question, which makes everyday computer use noticeably smoother.

Skip the settings menu and just ask

Windows Copilot is built to handle both quick lookups and real actions from a single chat window. Rather than remembering which settings page controls a particular toggle, you can type or say what you want changed and let Copilot find and apply it, which saves time on tasks you don't do often enough to remember the exact menu path.

It works alongside your other apps, not instead of them

Copilot can read text you paste in from a document, browser, or email and act on it immediately -- summarizing it, rewriting it, or answering questions about it -- without needing to switch to a separate AI tool. That makes it useful as a quick assistant layered on top of whatever app you're already working in, rather than a separate destination you have to remember to visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use it without an internet connection?

No. Copilot relies on cloud-based AI processing, so it needs an active internet connection to respond.

The Copilot icon isn't showing in my taskbar.

Right-click the taskbar, choose taskbar settings, and check that the Copilot toggle is turned on.