KB5032190: Copilot in Windows (Preview)

Improvements

Highlights

• Copilot in Windows (Preview)
• New! This update adds a preview of centralized AI support, called Copilot in Windows. This makes Windows 11 the first PC platform to add centralized AI support to help you get work done. This first preview focuses on the integrated user interface.
• To launch, select the Copilot in Windows button on the taskbar (or press WIN +C). Copilot in Windows uses the same Microsoft account (MSA) or Azure Active Directory account (Azure AD) that you used to sign in to Windows. Note that Azure AD will be changed to Microsoft Entra-ID.
• Copilot in Windows is displayed as a sidebar on the right side of the screen. It does not overlap with desktop content or block open app windows.
• You can ask questions or take actions, e.g:
• "Switch to dark mode."
• "Activate do not disturb."
• "Take a screenshot"
• "Summarize this website." (This works for the active tab in Microsoft Edge.)
• "Write a story about a dog that lives on the moon."
• "Take me a picture of a serene koi fish pond with lily pads."
• Copilot in Windows with Bing Chat generates contextual responses and enhances your experience in Windows.
• For information about what Bing does with your data, see Microsoft privacy policy. For information on how Microsoft is responsibly developing AI technology, see Microsoft's commitment to responsible AI.
• Note The update to Windows 11 version 22H2 will be available to Windows customers around the world on September 26, 2023. Copilot on Windows will be released in preview for select global markets. It is our intention to further expand availability over time.

Start menu

• New! This update provides a richer preview when you point to Files in the Start menu under Recommended. In this first version, thumbnails are not available for all files. If you right-click on cloud file recommendations, you also have the option to quickly share these files.
• Taskbar, taskbar and notifications
• New! This update adds an advanced volume mixer to the quick settings. This allows you to adjust the audio for each app separately. You can also swap audio devices whenever you want. The new key combination (WIN+CTRL+V) takes you quickly to the volume mixer.
• It's also easier to activate the Windows Spatial Audio experience. A new quick access list shows you all the spatial audio technology installed on your device. Other spatial audio technologies such as Dolby and DTS can be found in the Microsoft Store.
• New! This update adds the "Never combined" mode. In this mode, you can display application windows and their labels separately on the taskbar. To find this feature, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behavior and set Combine taskbar buttons and Hide labels to Never. There is also a separate setting to enable this option for other taskbars when using multiple monitors.
• New! As of this update, desktop labels are displayed when you switch between desktops in the task view (WIN + CTRL + LEFT or RIGHT key). New sliding animations will also appear when you change your desktops using trackpad gestures, touch gestures, keyboard shortcuts and by clicking on the Task View flyout box.
• New! You can now hide the time and date in the taskbar. To enable this, right-click on the taskbar clock and select Customize date and time.
• New! Notifications are now displayed as a bell icon in the taskbar. When new notifications are displayed, the icon has a fill color based on the accent color of your system. If there are no notifications and the clock is visible, the icon has no fill color. The number of notifications is not displayed.
• New! This update adds a "Show notification" button for urgent or important notifications that you receive when you enable Do not disturb. Select the button to view the content of the notification. This button will appear when you are using an app in full screen mode.
• New! To minimize distractions from notification pop-ups, Windows now detects whether you are interacting with pop-ups from an app. If not, a suggestion to disable the pop-up banner for that app will be displayed. This will only prevent the banner from being displayed. You can still find the pop-ups in the notification center.
• New! You can now right-click on an app on the taskbar and end the task. This update adds a new setting in Settings & System & Developers can enable this feature.
• New! This update adds the option to start network problem diagnostics from the taskbar. To display this option, right-click on the network icon in the taskbar.

File Explorer

• New! This update adds a modernized Explorer Home supported by WinUI. Recommended files are displayed as a carousel. This carousel is only displayed if you are logged in to Windows with an Azure AD account. To disable this and display pinned folders instead, select the ellipsis. To open the Folder Options dialog box, select Options. In the Privacy section, select the new checkbox next to the How recommended.
• New! Explorer's newly designed address bar recognizes local and cloud folders. It also displays the status of your file. For Microsoft OneDrive users, the address bar now includes your OneDrive synchronization status and a quota flyout field.
• New! A new details pane in Explorer (ALT+ SHIFT+P) helps you access related content, stay up to date with file activity, and collaborate without opening a file. When you select a file in Explorer and activate the pane, the pane displays contextual information about the file. This includes a file thumbnail view, sharing status and buttons, emails and more. To activate, select the View menu and then the Details pane. Then use the button on the right-hand side of the command bar to activate the pane.
• New! This update introduces the Catalog in Explorer. The gallery makes it easier to access your photo collection. The content in the catalog corresponds to the content you see in the All Photos view in the Photos app. Your most recently taken photos are displayed at the top of the catalog. This includes photos from your smartphone if you have set up oneDrive Camera Roll Backup.
• You can select the folders that appear in the catalog by using the Collection drop-down menu. You can also add subfolders of existing sources to filter by a subset of your content. This includes desktop wallpapers, SD cards and camera imports.
• The catalog also works through the file selection dialog box. This makes it easier to insert attachments, create PowerPoint slides or create social media posts.
• The new "Add phone photos" button is located in the command bar. Use it to make your PC ready to display photos from your smartphone in the gallery. Selecting this button will display a URL with a QR code that you can scan with your smartphone to get started.
• New! This update adds native support for reading additional archive file formats with the open source libarchive project, e.g:
• .tar
• .tar.gz
• .tar.bz2
• .tar.zst
• .tar.xz
• .tgz
• .tbz2
• .tzst
• .txz
• .rar
• .7z
• Note These features do not support password-encrypted files.
• New! You can now remove and merge tabs with an existing Explorer window.
• New! This update improves the performance of the calculation phase when you send a large number of files to the recycle bin in Explorer at the same time.
• This update fixes an issue that caused Explorer to stop opening.

Windows Sharing

• New! You can email your files directly from the Windows Sharing window using Outlook. Select the Outlook icon in the "Share with" section of the Windows Sharing window.
• New! The Windows sharing window now has a search field. Therefore, you can now search for contacts in Outlook to share a file. The Windows sharing window also displays 8 to 10 suggested contacts that can be shared quickly, including emailing yourself a file.
• New! Instead of a drop-down menu in the Windows sharing window, there is a button to enable sharing nearby.
• New! For Nearby Sharing, your own PCs will appear at the top of the discovered devices under "Nearby Sharing".
• New! Sharing files from one PC to another is faster when you use Wi-Fi Direct.
• Note These features work for apps that use the built-in Windows sharing window. This includes sharing local files from the desktop, Explorer, Photos, Snipping Tool and Microsoft Xbox.

Backup and restore

• New! This update introduces the Windows Backup app. Use it to quickly back up your current PC and switch to a new PC.
• New! The Microsoft Store apps from your previous PC will be pinned to the place where you left them on the taskbar and in the Start menu. Desktop apps that you did not install from the Microsoft Store are also where you left them.
• New! Settings from your previous device will be restored to your new PC. This will help you get back into your workflow as quickly as possible.
• Note This update does not support all settings and app types for Windows backup. Backing up a business, school or university account is not supported.

Emoji

• New! This update adds support for Unicode emoji 15. You can now view, search and insert new emojis in the emoji area. To open the emoji area, press the Windows logo key + . (dot).
• New! With the update of our color font format to COLRv1, Windows now displays emojis with a 3D-like appearance. This feature is only displayed if it is supported by an app.

Windows Viewpoint

• New! This update improves the Windows Spotlight experience. You can view images in full screen mode by using the More info button. This update also provides a minimized Windows Spotlight experience. There are many ways to learn more about each image. To open the Windows Spotlight flyout panel, right-click on the Spotlight icon on the desktop. To learn more about each image, double-click on its icon to open a Bing landing page.

Voice output

• New! This update adds new natural voices for speech output. These voices use modern speech synthesis on the device. After you download it, it will work without an internet connection. The new natural voices are:
• Chinese
• Japanese
• Korean
• Portuguese
• Spanish (Spain, Mexico)
• English (United Kingdom, India)
• French (UK, India)
• German, English
• New! When the language edition is opened, Outlook support is updated. After the download is complete, you will receive a notification. Currently, Outlook support for voice output is only available for English (USA).
• New! In Microsoft Excel, speech to text provides a more concise and efficient reading experience. It prioritizes announcements based on what you need to skip a workbook. You can use keyboard shortcuts to customize it. For more information, see the Excel Enhanced Speech documentation. This new interface is available in the Microsoft Store. So it may take a few minutes for it to be available on your device.
• New! This update improves how well the speech output reads traditional Chinese characters and words when you use the Input Method Editor (IME) candidate window. This is only available for the Taiwan language pack. It is not available for the Hong Kong language pack.

Voice Access

• New! This update adds commands to correct words that Voice Access does not recognize. You can say "correct [text]" to correct specific text. Use "correct them" to correct text that you dictated last. The correction window is displayed with a list of words labeled with numbers. You can say "Click [number]" to select any word from the list. When you select a word from the window, that word will replace the text you want to correct. You can also say "Spell that" or "spell out" to dictate the correct spelling of the text. You will receive suggestions as you spell the text. All words and phrases you write will be added to the Windows dictionary. They will appear as suggestions when you try to spell the text again.
• New! Speech access now works directly when starting the PC. You can enable voice access via the accessibility flyout box on the lock screen. To enable it automatically, go to Settings > Accessibility > Speech. Select the setting "Start speech access before you log in to your PC". You can then use speech access to log in to your PC and access other areas on the lock screen.
• Follow the instructions on the voice access bar to focus on the password field. Use your voice to dictate your password or PIN. You can say "Show keyboard" to display the on-screen keyboard with number labels. Specify the number on the key to enter the associated letter. This will mask the password entered to be heard by someone near you. You can also use other commands, such as "Show numbers" or "Click on [item name]" to access other items on the on-screen keyboard.
• New! Voice access now works for apps running with Microsoft Defender Application Guard enabled.

Security

• New! Passkeys are an easier and more secure replacement for passwords when you sign in to a website or app that supports them. You can now go to any app or website that supports passkeys to create a passkey that uses Windows Hello. Once you have created a master key, you can use Windows Hello (face, fingerprint or PIN) to sign in. In addition, you can log in with your smartphone or tablet.
• New ! View and delete identifiers saved for your favorite apps and websites in Windows settings. Go to Settings > Accounts > Passkeys. The passkey list is displayed. You can search for any key on the device and delete it.
• Note If the browser user interface with the master keys is displayed in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, select "Windows Hello or external security key".
• New! This update adds advanced phishing protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. It helps protect school and work passwords from phishing and unsafe use on websites and in apps. This works if you have the Windows security alert options enabled. Go to App & Browser control > Reputation-based protection > Phishing protection. When enabled, a dialog box will appear warning you about using a password in a way that is not secure. For example, reusing a password is not secure.
• New! Enterprise customers can now set the EnablePasswordlessExperience policy. After you set the policy, passwords will be hidden for some Windows authentication scenarios. This applies to logging on to a device and authentication scenarios in the session. These include Web Browser Password Manager, Run As Administrator and User Account Control (UAC). This policy applies to computers linked to AAD. Users can recover their passwords using a Windows Hello for Business PIN reset or by logging on to the web. They can do this without the help of the IT helpdesk.

Graphics

• New! You can enable Auto Color Management (ACM) on the Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) screen. ACM ensures that all colors of all Windows apps are displayed accurately and consistently on any supported display. This also applies if the apps are not color managed. To activate ACM, go to Settings > Display > Advanced display. Select theSDR display and activate Manage color for apps automatically. The requirements for using ACM can be found in the following table.
• Driver
• Supported GPU
• WDDM driver version 3.0 or higher
• AMD:
• AMD RX 400 series or higher
• AMD Ryzen processors with Radeon graphics
• Intel:
• Integrated: Intel 12th Gen (Alder Lake) or higher
• Discrete: Intel DG1 or higher
• NVIDIA:
• NVIDIA GTX 10xx or higher (Pascal+)
• There are no hard requirements for the display or the connection. ACM can also offer advantages with 8-bit sRGB panels. However, it is strongly recommended that ACM devices have panels with a larger gamut than sRGB. It is also recommended to use ten bits (10 bits) per color channel or higher as an option.

Settings

• New! This update adds a new start page for settings. It features interactive cards that represent devices and account-related settings. As you use your device, the page and cards will be customized to provide you with the most relevant and useful information. There are up to seven cards in this version (see below). More will be available soon.
• Recommended settings: Here you will find options to help you save time.
• Cloud storage: This shows your cloud storage usage and lets you know when capacity is approaching.
• Account recovery: You can add more recovery information. This prevents you from being locked out of your account.
• Personalization: With just one click, you can change the background design or color mode.
• Microsoft 365: View a brief overview of your subscription status and benefits. Here you can also perform some important actions instead of going to the web.
• Xbox: Here you can view your subscription status and manage your subscription.
• Bluetooth devices: You can quickly access and connect to your favorite Bluetooth devices.
• Note This experience is only available for Windows 11 Home and Pro editions. It is not available on devices managed by organizations.
• New! Dev Drive is a new form of storage volume. It provides developers with what they need to host source code, working folders and package caches. Dev Drive is based on ReFS (Resilient File System) technology. Dev Drive also features Performance Mode. It is a new Microsoft Defender Antivirus feature. Performance Mode minimizes the impact on developer workloads. You can create a Dev Drive with free space on an existing drive or create a VHD/VHDX. In System > System > For developers, go to the "Settings" app. You can also set it up via the command line. A Dev Drive must be at least 50 GB in size. It is recommended that you use at least 8 GB of RAM on your device. For more information, see Setting up a development drive on Windows 11 (Public Preview).
• New! This update adds dynamic lighting. It allows you to control lighting devices that implement the open HID LampArray standard. These devices can create millions of color combinations with red, green and blue (RGB). This update includes APIs for Windows apps to control background and foreground devices. To change the behaviour of your devices, go to Settings > Personalization > Dynamic lighting. With dynamic lighting, you can perform the following actions, among others:
• You can instantly synchronize your Windows accent color with the devices it surrounds. Use the "Customize my Windows accent color" toggle button under "Effects".
• You can select a custom color to illuminate your devices.
• For a list of compatible devices on the market, see Dynamic lighting devices. You must use the latest firmware with these devices.
• New! The update adds adaptive dimming. This works for PCs with presence sensors that support attention detection. Now your device can dim your screen when you look away and undim it when you look back. To enable, go to Settings & Privacy & Security & Presence detection. You can also activate presence detection when you set up a new device. This is an option for your privacy settings.
• New! The "For developers" settings page is now located under Settings & System. It is no longer under Settings & privacy & security.
• New! This update adds two new power recommendations under Settings > System > Power & Battery > Power recommendations. One activates the dark mode. The second adjusts the refresh rate.
• New! You can now prevent Windows from communicating with your mobile devices. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > smartphone link. There you will find an option to disable Smartphone Link.
• New! You can now join Bluetooth networks in the personal area. This option applies to paired devices such as phones that share an internet connection via Bluetooth. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > devices.
• New! This update adds a new cellular switch. It makes it easier to control whether cellular should be used when Wi-Fi is available, but it's bad. Go to Settings & Network & Internet & Cellular.
• New! On the Data usage page you have more options. They support daily and weekly data limits. The page also shows how much the data limit has been exceeded.
• New! You can quickly go to Settings to uninstall an app from a context menu. Right-click on a Win32 app in the Start menu or search for the app and select "Uninstall".
• New! This update improves the design of the "Settings" page for wheel devices such as surface Dial.
• New! This update changes the design of some lists to be more consistent with other settings pages. The lists are related to Settings > Apps > Start apps and Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings > App execution aliases. The new design also makes it easier to view more information about the apps you have.
• New! You can now access advanced properties for network adapters and Internet properties under Settings. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced network settings.
• New! You can now view Wi-Fi passwords for your known networks under Settings. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi and "Manage known networks".
• New! This update improves your experience when changing time zones. This change takes into account scenarios where location data may not be correct. A notification will appear asking you to confirm the time zone before Windows adjusts it for you.
• New! This update also improves your experience when you change the time zone in Settings > Time & Language > Date & Time. If the location settings are disabled, a warning will be displayed. It reminds you to enable location settings to ensure accurate time zone adjustments. This warning will help you understand why a time zone may not be correct so you can fix the problem.
• New! This update improves the design of the Task Manager dialog boxes and the associated settings page. It now matches the look and behavior of other settings pages. The new design also divides categories into different sections to provide a clearer user interface.
• New! Windows now recognizes camera streaming issues. If the camera does not start or the shutter is closed, a notification will be displayed. It is recommended to open the automated troubleshooting Get help to resolve the issue.
• New! The network flyout field on the lock screen now complies with Windows 11 design principles.
• New! This update changes the design of the Windows Security firewall notification dialogs. They now match the look of Windows 11.
• This update fixes a bug on the Settings home page that occurs at logon. As a result, you will not be able to view your account information on this home page.

Windows 365 Switch

• New! With Windows 365 Switch, you can sign in to your local desktop and connect your Windows 365 Cloud PC. You can then move between them using familiar keyboard shortcuts, mouse clicks or a swipe gesture. For easy access from your desktop, you can add Windows 365 Switch to Task View.

Open issues

Administrators

• When using the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings in the BitLocker Configuration Service Provider (CSP) node in Mobile Device Management (MDM) apps, you may incorrectly see error 65000 in the "Device encryption required" setting for some devices in your environment. Affected environments are those where the "Enforce drive encryption type on OS drives" or "Enforce drive encryption on hard disk drives" policies are enabled and either "Full encryption" or "Used space only" is selected. Microsoft Intune is affected by this issue, but third-party MDMs may also be affected.

Important This issue is a reporting issue only and does not affect disk encryption or reporting of other issues on the device, including other BitLocker issues.

All users

• Windows devices that use more than one (1) monitor may experience issues with unexpected switching of desktop icons between monitors or other icon alignment issues when attempting to use Copilot in Windows (in Preview).
• The color font format for COLRv1 is not rendering properly. This format allows Windows to display emojis with a 3D-like appearance.

Important note

• IMPORTANT After February 27, 2024, there will no longer be optional, non-security preview releases for Windows 11 version 22H2. Only cumulative monthly security updates will continue for supported editions of Windows 11 version 22H2.