HomeWindows Tests Hey Copilot! Voice Activation from Microsoft
Microsoft is trialing a new "Hey Copilot!" voice activation feature for its Copilot Voice app on Windows 11. Insiders who receive the update can enable the setting to start conversations with the assistant using this wake phrase.
Wake commands have been a standard feature for assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, and Microsoft's own retired Cortana for years. This new hands-free option provides another way to launch Copilot, building on the recently introduced, more conversational Copilot Voice experience beyond dedicated keyboard shortcuts.
Related
- Microsoft equips Copilot with popular features from other AI assistants
- Microsoft's major Copilot redesign introduces voice and vision capabilities
As detailed in a blog post, users must enable the feature for it to respond to the wake word. The rollout is currently limited to Windows Insiders with English set as their display language, and it is not immediately available to all testers. You can check if you have the update by verifying your Copilot app version is 1.25051.10.0 or newer.
Image: MicrosoftOnce enabled, a floating Copilot microphone icon will appear at the bottom of the screen, accompanied by an audible chime to indicate it's actively listening.
The FAQ clarifies that an on-device wake word detector with a 10-second audio buffer is used. Audio is not sent to the cloud or stored locally. While the wake word can be recognized offline, an internet connection is required for the full Copilot Voice functionality, as it relies on cloud processing.
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Comments (2)
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![DennisGarcia]()
Interesting move, but I'm a bit concerned about privacy. Always listening features can be tricky. Hope Microsoft has strong safeguards in place for this one. 🤔
![WilliamGonzalez]()
Hmm, the 'Hey Copilot!' feature sounds super convenient for hands-free use 🤔. But it also makes me wonder if my laptop will accidentally wake up in a noisy office full of voices and start responding to random conversations... Hope they fine-tune the sensitivity well! Privacy is another thing—always on standby listening... a bit unsettling, frankly.
Microsoft is trialing a new "Hey Copilot!" voice activation feature for its Copilot Voice app on Windows 11. Insiders who receive the update can enable the setting to start conversations with the assistant using this wake phrase.
Wake commands have been a standard feature for assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, and Microsoft's own retired Cortana for years. This new hands-free option provides another way to launch Copilot, building on the recently introduced, more conversational Copilot Voice experience beyond dedicated keyboard shortcuts.
Related
- Microsoft equips Copilot with popular features from other AI assistants
- Microsoft's major Copilot redesign introduces voice and vision capabilities
As detailed in a blog post, users must enable the feature for it to respond to the wake word. The rollout is currently limited to Windows Insiders with English set as their display language, and it is not immediately available to all testers. You can check if you have the update by verifying your Copilot app version is 1.25051.10.0 or newer.
Image: MicrosoftOnce enabled, a floating Copilot microphone icon will appear at the bottom of the screen, accompanied by an audible chime to indicate it's actively listening.
The FAQ clarifies that an on-device wake word detector with a 10-second audio buffer is used. Audio is not sent to the cloud or stored locally. While the wake word can be recognized offline, an internet connection is required for the full Copilot Voice functionality, as it relies on cloud processing.
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Interesting move, but I'm a bit concerned about privacy. Always listening features can be tricky. Hope Microsoft has strong safeguards in place for this one. 🤔
Hmm, the 'Hey Copilot!' feature sounds super convenient for hands-free use 🤔. But it also makes me wonder if my laptop will accidentally wake up in a noisy office full of voices and start responding to random conversations... Hope they fine-tune the sensitivity well! Privacy is another thing—always on standby listening... a bit unsettling, frankly.
