Microsoft was announced On Friday a series of changes focused on improving the quality of the Windows 11 operating system, which mainly includes returning the number of entry points to the AI assistant, Copilot.
The company said it will reduce Copilot AI integrations in some apps, starting with its Photos, Widgets, Notepad and Snipping Tool.
Under the heading ’embedding AI where it matters most’, Pawan DavuluriEVP of Windows and Devices, wrote on the company’s blog that Microsoft is becoming more intentional about “how and where Copilot is integrated into Windows.” His goal, he explained, is to focus on AI experiences that are “really useful.”
This less-is-more approach to integrating AI into existing platforms may reflect growing consumer push towards AI. While many people today understand that AI is a useful tool, there are also concerns about trust and security. For example, a Pew Research published this month noted that half of US adults are more worried than excited about AI by June 2025, up from 37% in 2021.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has revisited its Copilot integrations. Earlier this month, the news site Windows Central said the company’s plan to ship Copilot-branded AI features in Windows 11 had been quietly scrapped. This, the site said, included some system-level integrations in the Settings app, File Explorer and elsewhere.
Before that, Microsoft had delayed the launch of its AI-powered memory feature, Windows Recall for Copilot + PCs, for more than a year as it tried to address user privacy concerns. The Recall feature was released last April, but there are security vulnerabilities still being discovered.
It’s clear that user feedback is influencing Microsoft’s moves around artificial intelligence in Windows. Davuluri wrote that he and his team spent the last few months listening to the community about how they would like to see Windows improved.
Resetting Copilot is just one of the changes being made.
The company also said it’s introducing the ability to move the taskbar to the top or sides of the screen, giving users more control over system updates, speeding up File Explorer, improving the Widgets experience, updating the Feedback Hub and making it easier to navigate the Windows Insider program — a community that offers feedback on the future of Windows.
