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Customize Your Copilot Key: Reassigning the Action in Windows 11

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Microsoft has introduced a dedicated Copilot key on new Windows 11 devices, initially intended to directly launch the Copilot application. This physical key was designed to provide quick access to the AI-powered assistant. However, Microsoft’s strategy for integrating AI into Windows evolved, moving towards a web-based Copilot app rather than a deeply embedded operating system feature. This shift in approach meant the dedicated Copilot key’s default functionality became less central to the user experience. To address this, Windows 11 now offers users the flexibility to customize the action associated with this key.

Customize Your Copilot Key: Reassigning the Action in Windows 11

Understanding the Copilot Key Customization

While the Copilot key retains its original function of launching the Copilot app on systems where it is installed, users are no longer restricted to this single action. Windows 11 provides options to redefine what happens when you press the Copilot key, enhancing its utility and aligning it with individual user workflows. This customization extends to two primary alternative actions:

  • Opening Windows Search: Reassigning the key to launch Windows Search provides immediate access to system-wide search functionality. This can be particularly useful for users who frequently use search to find files, applications, settings, or information online.
  • Launching a Custom Application: The most flexible option allows users to assign the Copilot key to open any application packaged in the MSIX format. MSIX is a modern Windows app package format, and this option opens up possibilities for quickly launching frequently used applications directly from the dedicated key.

This ability to customize the Copilot key allows users to tailor their keyboard shortcuts to their specific needs and preferences, making the dedicated key a more integrated and valuable part of their Windows 11 experience.

Changing the Copilot Key Action Using the Settings App

The Settings app in Windows 11 provides a straightforward graphical interface for customizing the Copilot key action. This method is user-friendly and suitable for most users who want to quickly change the key’s functionality. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Open the Settings App: Begin by pressing the Windows key + I on your keyboard simultaneously. This action will immediately launch the Settings application, providing access to various system configurations.

    Win + I to Open Settings

  2. Navigate to Personalization: Within the Settings window, locate and click on the Personalization option in the left-hand navigation pane. Personalization settings allow you to modify the visual aspects of Windows and adjust input methods.

    Personalization Option in Settings

  3. Access Text Input Settings: In the Personalization settings pane, scroll down and click on Text input located in the right-hand side. Text input settings manage various keyboard and input related options, including the Copilot key customization.

    Text Input Settings

  4. Customize Copilot Key: Look for the setting labeled ‘Customize Copilot key on keyboard’. You will find a dropdown menu associated with this option. Click on this dropdown menu to reveal the available actions you can assign to the Copilot key.

    Customize Copilot Key Dropdown

  5. Select Your Desired Action: The dropdown menu presents three options for the Copilot key action:

    • Copilot: Selecting this option retains the default behavior, launching the Windows Copilot application when the key is pressed. This is useful for users who frequently use the Copilot AI assistant.
    • Search: Choosing this option reassigns the Copilot key to open the Windows Search interface. This allows for quick access to search across your system and the web.
    • Custom: This option provides the most flexibility. Selecting ‘Custom’ allows you to assign the Copilot key to launch a specific application of your choice. This is particularly useful for quickly opening your most frequently used programs.

  6. Choose a Custom Application (If ‘Custom’ is Selected): If you select the ‘Custom’ option, a popup menu will appear. This menu displays a list of applications that are eligible to be assigned to the Copilot key. These are typically applications installed via the Microsoft Store or those packaged in the signed MSIX format. Browse through the list, select the application you want to launch with the Copilot key, and click the Select button to confirm your choice.

    Select Custom App

  7. Close the Settings App: Once you have made your selection and confirmed your choice, simply close the Settings application. The changes are typically applied immediately, and there is no need to restart your computer for the setting to take effect.

  8. Test the Copilot Key: Press the physical Copilot key on your keyboard to verify that it now launches the action you have configured, whether it’s Copilot, Windows Search, or your chosen custom application.

Note: If you do not see the ‘Customize Copilot key on keyboard’ setting in the Text input settings, ensure that your Windows 11 installation is up to date. You may need to install the KB5044380 update or a later cumulative update to gain access to this feature. Check for updates in Settings under Windows Update.

Changing the Copilot Key Action Using Group Policy Editor

For more advanced users, particularly system administrators, the Local Group Policy Editor provides an alternative method to customize the Copilot key action. This method offers system-wide application, affecting all user accounts on the device. However, it is essential to note that the Group Policy Editor is only available in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. It is not accessible in Windows 11 Home editions unless you manually enable it through unofficial methods, which is generally not recommended for stability and security reasons.

Furthermore, using Group Policy Editor requires administrator privileges. You must be logged in as an administrator to make changes to system policies.

Here are the steps to change the Copilot key action using the Group Policy Editor:

  1. Open Local Group Policy Editor: Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type gpedit.msc in the text field and press Enter or click OK. This command will launch the Local Group Policy Editor.

    Run Dialog - gpedit.msc

  2. Navigate to the Windows Copilot Policy: In the Local Group Policy Editor window, use the left-hand panel to navigate to the following location:

    User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot

    Expand each folder by clicking on the arrow next to it until you reach the Windows Copilot folder.

    Group Policy Editor Navigation

  3. Modify the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ Policy: In the right-hand panel of the Group Policy Editor, locate and double-click on the policy setting named ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’. Double-clicking will open the settings window for this specific policy.

    Set Copilot Hardware Key Policy

  4. Enable the Policy and Enter Application User Model ID (AUMID): In the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy window, you will see three options: ‘Not Configured’, ‘Enabled’, and ‘Disabled’.

    • Select the ‘Enabled’ option to activate the customization of the Copilot key action through Group Policy.
    • Once ‘Enabled’ is selected, an ‘Application User Model ID (AUMID)’ text box will appear below. In this box, you need to enter the AUMID of the application you want to launch when the Copilot key is pressed.

    Enabled Policy and AUMID Input

  5. Find the Application User Model ID (AUMID): The Application User Model ID (AUMID), also sometimes referred to as AppID, is a unique identifier for applications installed on Windows. To find the AUMID of an application, you can use PowerShell commands or third-party tools. For example, using PowerShell, you can use the Get-StartApps cmdlet to list installed applications and their AUMIDs.

    Get-StartApps | Format-Table Name, AppID

    Execute this command in PowerShell, and it will display a table listing the names of installed applications and their corresponding AppIDs. Locate the application you wish to assign to the Copilot key and note down its AppID.

  6. Apply and OK: After entering the correct AUMID in the ‘Application User Model ID (AUMID)’ text box in the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy window, click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to save the changes.

  7. Close Group Policy Editor and Reboot: Close the Local Group Policy Editor window. For the changes made through Group Policy to take full effect, you need to reboot your PC. Restart your computer to apply the new Copilot key action.

After rebooting, the Copilot key will now launch the application you specified using its AUMID.

Registry Storage: The configuration made through the Group Policy Editor for the Copilot hardware key is stored in the Windows Registry. Specifically, the setting is saved as a String Value (REG_SZ) named ‘SetCopilotHardwareKey’ within the following registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CopilotKey

Setting the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy back to ‘Not Configured’ in Group Policy Editor will remove the ‘SetCopilotHardwareKey’ string value from the registry, reverting the Copilot key action to its default behavior or the setting defined in the Settings app.

Disabling the Copilot Hardware Key Entirely

If you prefer to completely disable the Copilot hardware key and prevent it from launching any application, including Windows Copilot, you can achieve this through the Group Policy Editor. Disabling the key effectively makes it non-functional.

Here are the steps to disable the Copilot hardware key:

  1. Open Local Group Policy Editor: Follow the same steps as mentioned earlier to open the Local Group Policy Editor (Run gpedit.msc).

  2. Navigate to the Windows Copilot Policy: Navigate to the same policy location within the Group Policy Editor:

    User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot

  3. Modify the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ Policy: Double-click on the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy in the right-hand pane to open its settings.

  4. Disable the Policy: In the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy window, select the ‘Disabled’ option.

    Disabled Policy Option

  5. Apply and OK: Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to save the changes.

  6. Reboot Your PC: Close the Group Policy Editor and reboot your computer for the changes to take effect.

Once your system restarts, the Copilot hardware key will be disabled. Pressing it will have no effect; it will not launch Copilot, Windows Search, or any other application.

Impact on Settings App: When the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy is set to ‘Disabled’ in Group Policy, the customization option for the Copilot key in the Settings app (under Personalization > Text input) will become disabled (grayed out) and no longer modifiable by individual users. This ensures that the system-wide policy set by the administrator is enforced and cannot be overridden by user-level settings.

Note on ‘Not Configured’ Policy: If the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy in Group Policy is set to ‘Not Configured’, the behavior of the Copilot key will revert to the default setting or the user-defined setting in the Settings app. In the ‘Not Configured’ state, if Copilot is available in the user’s region and installed, the Copilot key will typically launch the Copilot application.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Copilot Key Customization

Here are some common questions regarding customizing the Copilot key in Windows 11:

Q: How do I change the copilot button action?

A: You can change the action of the Copilot button using two primary methods:

  • Settings App: For a user-friendly approach, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Text input and use the ‘Customize Copilot key on keyboard’ dropdown menu to select between Copilot, Search, or Custom application launch.
  • Local Group Policy Editor: For system-wide configuration (Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education), use the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc). Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot and configure the ‘Set Copilot Hardware Key’ policy.

Q: How to change Copilot key to Control key?

A: To remap the Copilot key to function as a Control (Ctrl) key, you can utilize Microsoft PowerToys, a suite of utilities for Windows. Specifically, the Keyboard Manager tool within PowerToys allows for key remapping.

  1. Install PowerToys: Download and install PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or GitHub (https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys).
  2. Launch PowerToys and Open Keyboard Manager: Open the PowerToys application and navigate to the Keyboard Manager section in the left-hand menu.
  3. Enable Keyboard Manager: Ensure that Keyboard Manager is enabled by toggling the switch at the top of the Keyboard Manager settings page.
  4. Remap a Key: Click on the ‘Remap a key’ button.
  5. Add New Key Remapping: In the ‘Remap keys’ window, click the ’+ Add key remapping’ button to create a new remapping rule.
  6. Select Copilot Key (Original Key): In the ‘Original Key’ column, click ‘Select’ and then press the Copilot key on your keyboard. The Keyboard Manager will detect and register the Copilot key.
  7. Select Control Key (Mapped To): In the ‘Mapped To’ column, click ‘Select’ and then press the Control (Ctrl) key on your keyboard.
  8. Save Changes: Click ‘OK’ to save the key remapping configuration.

After saving, the Copilot key will now function as a Ctrl key system-wide. You can revert this change at any time by deleting the remapping rule in PowerToys Keyboard Manager.

Important Considerations and Limitations

  • Dedicated Copilot Key Requirement: The customization options for the Copilot key are only available on keyboards specifically designed with a dedicated physical key for Copilot. Standard keyboards without this dedicated key will not have these customization features.
  • Windows 11 Version and Updates: If you do not see the Copilot key customization settings in the Settings app or Group Policy Editor, ensure that you are running a recent version of Windows 11 that includes this feature. Install the latest Windows updates and preview builds to gain access to the newest functionalities. Check your Windows version in Settings > System > About.
  • Application Type Limitation (MSIX): When assigning a custom application to the Copilot key, it is important to note that only applications packaged in the signed MSIX format or installed from the Microsoft Store are eligible. Many commonly used applications, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, VLC Media Player, and others installed using traditional installers (like .exe files), cannot be directly assigned to the Copilot key through this customization feature. This limitation is due to the way Windows manages and identifies applications for this specific key reassignment feature.

Conclusion

Customizing the Copilot key in Windows 11 offers a valuable way to personalize your computing experience and enhance keyboard efficiency. Whether you prefer to keep the default Copilot launch, switch to quick access to Windows Search, or assign the key to a frequently used MSIX application, Windows 11 provides the flexibility to tailor this dedicated key to your workflow. By utilizing either the user-friendly Settings app or the more advanced Group Policy Editor, you can effectively reassign the Copilot key’s action and make it a more integral and productive part of your daily computer use.

What action have you assigned to your Copilot key? Do you find this customization feature useful? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

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