Microsoft turns Copilot into a mini browser on Windows 11 – helpful AI upgrade or another Edge push?

• Copilot now opens web links in a side pane inside the app instead of launching Microsoft Edge.
• You can read web pages and ask Copilot questions without leaving the conversation.
• The chatbot can analyze information from open tabs to summarize content or help draft text.
• Tabs opened during a conversation remain attached to that chat, so you can revisit the same research.

Microsoft is testing a new feature that effectively turns the Copilot app on Windows 11 into a lightweight browser, allowing you to open web links inside the app rather than switching to Microsoft Edge.

The change is rolling out to devices enrolled in the Windows Insider Program (any channel) with Copilot app version 146.0.3856.39 or newer, and it aims to eliminate one of the biggest friction points when using AI tools alongside web content. Constant app switching.

Instead of launching a separate browser window when a link is clicked, Copilot now opens the webpage in a side pane next to the conversation. Microsoft says the new experience keeps you in context, which is particularly useful for tasks such as researching a topic, summarizing articles, or drafting responses based on information from multiple webpages.

Copilot can now see your tabs

The feature goes a step further than simply embedding a webpage since (with your permission), Copilot can access the context of tabs opened inside the conversation, allowing the AI to analyze content across pages.

Tabs opened during a session are also saved with the conversation, making it easier to revisit a research session later without reopening every page manually.

The company also added the option to sync passwords and form data for the browsing pane, making it easier to sign in to sites while working inside Copilot.

Productivity feature with an Edge angle

Although this may not be for everyone, the feature solves a real usability issue. AI tools are most useful when they can analyze and reference web content directly, and opening links in a side pane removes the need to juggle multiple applications.

However, the update also reinforces Microsoft’s broader strategy of weaving AI into its ecosystem. Since the Copilot app relies on Microsoft’s browser technology, using the feature effectively means interacting with Edge in Copilot.

That dynamic may raise questions about whether the feature is primarily a productivity improvement or another way to nudge users to use Microsoft Edge more.

Other features coming to Copilot

Alongside the side-pane browsing experience, Microsoft is also bringing several capabilities from the Copilot web experience into the app, including Podcasts, Study, and Learn modes.

The update is currently rolling out gradually across all Insider channels, with availability expanding over time.