Windows 11 Unveils ‘Ask Copilot’: A Smarter Way to Interact with AI
Microsoft is continuing its push to deeply integrate artificial intelligence into the core user experience, and the latest development for Windows 11 is a significant step forward. A new feature, currently rolling out to Windows Insiders, makes interacting with the Copilot AI assistant more seamless and intuitive than ever before.
This new capability, called “Ask Copilot,” intelligently anticipates when you might need AI assistance directly within your workflow, eliminating the need to manually open the Copilot panel and paste text.
What is the New “Ask Copilot” Feature?
At its core, “Ask Copilot” is a context-aware function that activates when you copy text or files. After highlighting and copying a block of text, a redesigned Copilot icon will subtly appear near your cursor with a contextual menu.
This inline menu provides several direct actions you can take with the copied content:
- Send to Copilot: This opens the Copilot sidebar with your selected text already loaded, ready for you to enter a prompt.
- Explain: If you’ve copied a complex term or a confusing paragraph, this option instantly asks Copilot to provide a clear explanation.
- Summarize: For those who need to digest long articles or documents quickly, this command instructs Copilot to generate a concise summary of the copied text.
This functionality marks a shift from a reactive AI assistant to a proactive one. Instead of you having to seek out Copilot, the tool now presents itself at the moment of need, making the entire process feel more integrated and efficient.
How to Get This Feature Today
This cutting-edge feature is currently being tested with a select group of users before a wider public release. To access it now, you must be a part of the Windows Insider Program.
Specifically, the “Ask Copilot” functionality is included in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7051, which is being delivered to the Canary Channel via the cumulative update KB5039308.
If you are a Windows Insider in the Canary Channel, you can get the update by navigating to Settings > Windows Update and clicking “Check for updates.” It’s important to note that Microsoft often performs A/B testing, so the feature may not appear for all Insiders immediately even after updating.
Streamlining Productivity and A Note on Security
The primary benefit of this new feature is the significant reduction in friction. For professionals, students, and researchers, the ability to get instant summaries or explanations without breaking concentration or switching between multiple windows is a powerful productivity booster.
Imagine reading a dense technical paper and being able to highlight an unfamiliar concept, copy it, and click “Explain” without ever leaving the page. Or, when reviewing a long email thread, you can simply copy the entire conversation and select “Summarize” to get the key takeaways in seconds.
However, with any feature that sends data to a cloud-based AI, it’s crucial to be mindful of privacy and security.
Actionable Security Tip: Always be cautious about the information you send to Copilot. Avoid copying and sending sensitive personal data, passwords, financial information, or confidential company documents. While AI services have security measures in place, the best practice is to keep private information strictly on your local machine. You will likely be able to manage or disable this feature in your Windows settings if you prefer not to use it.
This update is a clear indicator of Microsoft’s vision for the future of operating systems—one where AI is not just an add-on, but a fundamental part of how we interact with our devices.
Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-11-build-262207051-released-with-ask-copilot-feature/
