Microsoft has just announced the addition of a new key to its official keyboard designs, in the shape of the Microsoft CoPilot key. The new key will, just like the Windows key before it, bring a new range of functionality to Windows devices via a dedicated new button.
While unlikely to change the face of the best gaming keyboards any time soon, the new Windows CoPilot key will however be mandatory for all OEMs shipping new laptops, Windows 11 PCs, and it will of course feature on new Microsoft Windows Surface devices. Though, again, it will be some time before the best gaming laptops are affected.
The key will sit in place of the right Windows key on current keyboards and offers quick access to the company’s CoPilot AI services. These include using search with Copilot in Bing, using Copilot with Microsoft 365, and speeding up access to Windows features, such as being able to use natural language to search for PC settings.
While we expect many manufacturers – particularly of more enthusiast-grade keyboards – to be slow on the uptake of the new key, Microsoft specifically highlights on its blog introducing the key how there will be many products showcased at next week’s CES 2024 trade show that will feature the new design. We’ll be getting hands-on with many of those devices to see just how useful or disruptive the key is to normal PC usage.
In turn, these new products are expected to arrive from February 2024 onwards. Have you used Microsoft CoPilot yet? If so, do you feel the addition of a new key will elevate the experience? Let us know your thoughts via the PCGamesN Facebook and X (Twitter) pages.