Microsoft gives Windows Copilot a native makeover

Microsoft is finally fixing one of the most awkward parts of Windows 11: its AI assistant is no longer just a disguised web wrapper.

Nearly a year after downgrading Copilot into a barebones web app, Microsoft has started rolling out a brand-new native version to Windows Insiders via the Microsoft Store. It is expected to arrive on all Windows 11 PCs in the coming weeks.

A native rebuild with macOS parity

The new app is built with native XAML, ditching the clunky feel of the old web wrapper for a significantly improved UI.

Design-wise, it now matches the recently launched Copilot app for macOS. Users get an updated side panel to quickly browse conversation history, alongside familiar capabilities like uploading images, generating text and pictures, and talking to Copilot via microphone.

Microsoft originally introduced Copilot as an integrated personal assistant inside Windows 11, only to pull that integration a year later in favor of a basic web app that felt out of place, especially on shiny new Copilot Plus PCs. While keyboard shortcuts were added as band-aids over time, this native rewrite looks and feels much sharper.

Why it matters

Microsoft’s flip-flopping on Windows AI has been frustrating to watch. Shipping Copilot Plus hardware while offering a second-class web wrapper for the flagship AI feature made little sense.

We think going back to native XAML is a necessary course correction. For everyday users, it means faster launches and smoother interactions instead of waiting on a sluggish web frame. If Microsoft wants AI to feel like the core of the OS rather than an afterthought, getting the basic desktop app experience right is table stakes.