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Microsoft is giving Copilot more control over Windows and your files
Confirmed
In Short: Microsoft is expanding Copilot's capabilities, allowing it to interact more deeply with local files and take actions across the Windows operating system.
Microsoft is expanding Copilot's capabilities, allowing it to interact more deeply with local files and take actions across the Windows operating system. At a recent event, the company showcased an upgraded Copilot AI system that will have access to local files and the ability to perform actions across the OS.
Administrators will have 28 new Group Policy settings in Windows 11 version 26H2, giving them more control over taskbar modifications, updates, and onboarding experiences. However, these new settings could lead to increased configuration drift and delayed security patching.
Microsoft is also phasing out the Copilot+ PC branding on its latest Surface devices. The company launched the Copilot+ PC brand two years ago to identify AI-first computers with exclusive AI features, but it is no longer using the term on recent devices.
Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrom told Windows Central that the new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop, which meet the system requirements for Copilot+ PCs, will not be called by that name anymore. Ostrom said, “These are not called Copilot Plus PCs.”
The Copilot+ PC branding required 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an integrated neural processing unit (NPU) with performance rated at 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS) or better. However, the brand struggled to differentiate itself in a market where AI features were becoming standard.
Microsoft is taking a more intentional approach to how it uses Copilot in Windows 11, reducing unnecessary entry points in apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad. The company is also listening to user complaints and is being more cautious about how it integrates AI into the operating system.
Microsoft is betting on local AI, with Nvidia as its partner, and is set to reveal more at its surprise fall event on October 7, 2026.
The company is also facing competition from Google's Gemini App, which is now available for Windows users.
Microsoft is rebranding Scout, the “always on personal agent” it launched within its 365 suite of apps, as Copilot, framing it as a one-stop-shop for AI-assisted work.
What this adds
Microsoft's decision to phase out the Copilot+ PC branding reflects the company's evolving strategy in integrating AI into its products.
The new Copilot features are expected to be rolled out over the next couple of months, according to Microsoft.
What's confirmed
- “These are not called Copilot Plus PCs,” Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrom told the publication.
- "probably without just using terminology now."
What's still developing
- The new default behaviors (such as Windows Ready Print ‘s preference for Microsoft’s IPP Class Driver) could also affect environments that rely on vendor-specific printer capabilities.
- Some settings disable conveniences that Microsoft designed to improve usability, while others may require extensive testing because Microsoft has not fully documented their behavior.
- However, keep in mind that tighter controls can reduce flexibility and user choice.
- Features powered by Hybrid Intelligence will be coming to Copilot over the “next couple months,” Andreou said.
- Share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more tech updates.
- Microsoft called Copilot+ PCs "the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built" and said they were "the most significant change to the Windows platform in decades," when they were launched.
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- On Oct. 7 We'll See If It Pays Off Googlebooks Can Run a Custom OS Through Unlockable Bootloader Whatever Microsoft reveals at its surprise fall event, which starts on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m.
- Microsoft and Qualcomm have acknowledged that they and their PC partners are dropping the label from their systems.
- He called out marketing issues, saying, “The idea that Copilot+ PCs are a transformative new product—that their local AI features are enough to encourage you to buy a new PC with an NPU—is just plain misleading."
- Now Copilot+ got off to a rough start after being announced when researchers discovered its user assistant recall feature was virtually a security nightmare.
- From OpenAI to ChatGPT or Claude, there are plenty of options for those seeking to use AI, but it appears that Copilot+ is on the way out the door, at least in 2026-2027 anyway.