How to Try Copilot’s New Vision and File Search Updates
Microsoft announced a slew of Copilot updates earlier in the week, and now we’re starting to see some of them roll out—at least for Windows Insiders. The Copilot app for Windows has now been updated to support Copilot Vision and file search, so the AI bot can better interact with everything on your computer.
Copilot Vision first appeared on the Internet last year, but it’s a new app for Windows: it essentially lets AI “see” what’s going on on your computer, so you can ask it about the websites you’re browsing, or the documents you’re editing, or the songs you’re listening to, without having to take a screenshot or copy-paste.
This is somewhat similar to the Windows Recall feature , which is in limited testing and which also gives the operating system more access to what is displayed on your screen. This of course raises some privacy concerns, but Microsoft promises that users retain full control over what is available and that all data is deleted after each Copilot Vision session .
Microsoft envisions users using Copilot Vision to discuss travel plans or help with online shopping. Because the AI can see what you see, it can pick out ideas and give feedback on what you’re talking about, with the interaction mostly done through voice.
There’s also file searching, which means Copilot can find, open, and discuss files stored locally on your system. For example, you can search for your resume or view the slideshow you worked on last month—all of which can be handled using natural language queries.
You can even ask about the contents of your files to, for example, force Copilot to pull expense data from a spreadsheet. Again, Microsoft says you’ll have complete control over what Copilot can and can’t access regarding your files: everything will be handled using the permissions configured in Copilot’s settings.
How to start testing
These features will eventually roll out to the stable version of Windows for all users, although it may take some time (Microsoft hasn’t announced an exact time frame). In the meantime, you can test these new Copilot features ahead of time if you’re willing to sign up for the Windows Insider program. You can do it for free here .
The Windows Insider program is like any other beta program: you get access to new features before everyone else, but you’ll likely encounter a few more bugs. As a general rule, it is not recommended to run Insider versions of Windows on a laptop or desktop computer that is critical to your daily work.
Once you’re a Windows Insider, you’ll find that you can sign up for the Windows 11 Beta channel through the Windows Update section of Windows Settings. Shortly after this, you will receive a new download that will install the beta version on your computer (you can revert to the stable version at any time).
After all this, you will need the latest version of Copilot on your computer: look for version 1.25034.133.0 or later in the Microsoft Store. Microsoft says these features will roll out to Insiders in the US first and then roll out to everyone else, with the features being “gradually rolled out” over time.
Copilot Vision can be launched by clicking the glasses icon to the right of the main input field inside Copilot for Windows. You’ll then be asked to specify which app or browser window you’d like to share with Copilot, after which you’ll be able to chat with the bot using your voice. Press the “Stop” or “X” buttons to end the session.
File search is built right into the Copilot Windows app, so you can simply type or speak a query like you would in any other chat—something like “what places did I shortlist in my vacation plan document last week?” For example. As always with AI, I would recommend double-checking the responses you receive for anything important.