Microsoft is testing a new voice-activated feature for its built-in AI assistant, Copilot, on Windows 11. Much like Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Alexa, users will soon be able to initiate conversations by simply saying “Hey Copilot!” This experimental feature is currently available to Windows Insiders, as revealed in a recent Microsoft blog post.
Microsoft Enters the Voice Assistant League Again
Voice commands like “Hey Google!”, “Hey Siri!”, and “Alexa!” have been mainstream for years. Now, Microsoft is preparing to join the voice assistant race once again with “Hey Copilot.” This isn’t Microsoft’s first attempt; years ago, the company introduced “Hey Cortana!” when Cortana was its default virtual assistant. However, Cortana was phased out from the Windows ecosystem starting in 2014.
How the “Hey Copilot” Feature Works
According to an FAQ section in Microsoft’s blog, the “Hey Copilot” functionality relies on an on-device wake word detector with a 10-second audio buffer. Microsoft assures users that no audio is uploaded to the cloud or stored locally. The wake word detection works offline, but to utilize Copilot Voice features, an internet connection is required, as the processing happens in the cloud.
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Availability for Windows Insiders
This voice-activated AI assistant is not yet available to all Windows Insiders. Only users whose display language is set to English will receive the update initially. To use the feature, Insiders must manually enable it. Once activated, a floating Copilot microphone icon appears at the bottom of the screen, along with a chime sound to indicate that the system is actively listening.