Microsoft is adding an in-app browser to the Copilot app on Windows 11 and macOS, which opens links provided by the AI in a panel next to the chat. While the feature offers convenience, some users see it as an attempt to indirectly push Edge.
The Copilot app on Windows 11 is getting its own browser that will let you stay within the app when you click on links provided by the AI. According to Windows Central, Microsoft is preparing to roll out an in-app browser for the Copilot app on Windows 11 and macOS. With this feature, links will open in a panel next to the chat.
Normally, links open separately in your default web browser, but with this change, Microsoft aims to keep more activity within the Copilot app. The feature has been in testing since the beginning of the year and can currently be enabled by administrators. A broader rollout is expected by the end of November.
If you use the Copilot app, you can expect this capability to appear within a few months (or a bit longer depending on the rollout pace).
Analysis: Marching Toward Edge
Of course, there is a convenience factor here; you can view web pages highlighted by Copilot directly within the app window. Some users may like this idea, but feedback shared on Reddit has been quite negative.
Windows Central asks in its headline: "Will this upcoming update make Copilot your preferred browser on Windows 11?" Reddit users who couldn't resist answering this question have overwhelmingly negative views.
One reply says: "No. Copilot is a nuisance I avoid at every opportunity. Having a browser inside Copilot sounds like hell."
Another user states: "Absolutely not. In its current state, when I click a link in Copilot, I have it open in my real web browser. The built-in browser would have to be really good for me to change that."
Undoubtedly, this is a loaded question that AI skeptics eagerly pounce on and dissect. However, the audience Microsoft is considering is not these people. The company is offering this feature for those who use the Copilot app and are not part of the anti-AI crowd that quickly fires at anything related to the topic.
On the other hand, this is not something Microsoft is doing entirely with good intentions. As noted, it is a way to keep more activity within the Copilot app and also a method to indirectly promote the Edge browser. Because naturally, the in-app browser is also Edge-based (what else could it be?).
Still, this doesn't mean the feature isn't useful. If you like the idea of an in-app browser for Copilot, you won't have to wait very long.
