How to customize Copilot keyboard key action on Windows 11

• To change the action when pressing the Copilot physical key on Windows 11, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard and customize the keyboard key using the “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” setting.

On Windows 11, you can change what the Copilot key does to launch virtually any app, including other chatbots like ChatGPT. In this guide, I’ll explain how to set it up.

When Microsoft unveiled Copilot AI, it was first available as Bing Chat on the web, and the company later integrated the chatbot into Windows 11 with a side-panel interface that appeared on the right side of the screen.

Soon after, as part of a marketing campaign, the software giant announced it would add a dedicated physical Copilot key to new keyboards for faster access to the chatbot, which it described as the most significant change to the PC experience in the last three decades.

Shortly after, new devices such as the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 began shipping with the new Copilot, and the company shifted its AI approach, removing the chatbot integration in favor of the Copilot web app, which no longer launches with the Copilot key.

Since the Copilot key on the keyboard lost functionality starting with Windows 11 build 22635.4225 (KB5043186), the system now offers an option to customize its action. This setting lets you open the Windows Search experience or any app, as long as it’s a signed MSIX package. You can also configure the Copilot key to open the content menu or restore the right “Ctrl” functions starting with the October 2026 Security Update.

In this guide, I will explain how to change the action of the Copilot key on Windows 11.

Change the Copilot key on the keyboard for Windows 11

To change the action of the physical Copilot key on your keyboard, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

2. Click on Bluetooth & devices.

3. Click the Keyboard page.

4. (Option 1) Choose the Search option to launch the Windows Search experience with the Copilot key on your keyboard in the “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” setting.

5. (Option 2) Select the Context menu option to open the context menu when you press the Copilot key on your keyboard.

6. (Option 3) Select the “Right control” option to restore the Ctrl function on the right side of the keyboard.

7. (Option 4) Choose the Custom option in the “Customize Copilot key on keyboard” setting.

   

8. Select the application you want to launch with the physical Copilot key.

   Quick note: When I configured this feature on my computer, I noticed Microsoft doesn’t add an option to find another app if it’s not already on the list. Also, you cannot use web apps you install from Edge or Chrome.

9. Click the Select button.

   

10. (Option 3) Choose the “None selected” option to disable the key (if applicable).

Once you complete the steps, the next time you press the Copilot physical key on the keyboard, it will launch the specified app.

You can only set apps you acquired from the Microsoft Store or that use the signed MSIX package format, so many apps you may have installed on your computer won’t be available. For example, on my computer, I couldn’t find Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or VLC. I also noticed that while you can’t set up a web app you installed in your web browser, you can select Copilot, which is a web app.