microsoft has announced that Copilot mode in Edge will be retired. Its main functions are now built directly into the browser in both the desktop and mobile versions. The announcement was made on the Microsoft Edge Dev blog.
The removal of co-pilot mode does not mean less AI integration in Edge; instead, it distributes it more evenly throughout the browsing experience.
Copilot features move to Edge on desktop and mobile
The desktop version of Edge introduces several new AI-powered features that were previously part of Copilot mode. These include a study and learn mode, a writing assistant, Copilot tests, and a feature that turns open tabs into a podcast to listen to. All of these features are now built directly into the default Edge interface, eliminating the need for users to switch to a dedicated mode.
The mobile versions of Edge for iOS and Android have been updated to bring them closer to the features available in the desktop browser:
- Copilot can now analyze open tabs to answer questions and gather information from multiple sources.
- Journeys, which organizes your browsing history by topic and suggests next steps, is now available on mobile devices. Support for
- Vision and Voice have been added, allowing users to interact with Copilot using voice commands while the assistant analyzes the content on the screen.
Additionally, the new tab page layout of the desktop version of Edge has been implemented on mobile devices.
What Microsoft’s Edge Copilot changes mean for users
The update changes Copilot from an optional browser feature to a permanently integrated part of the Edge experience. Microsoft describes these modifications as part of an effort to simplify Edge, similar to its recent decision to remove the web app pinning feature from the sidebar while keeping Copilot active.
Users who preferred the previous Copilot Mode workflow will need to adapt to the new setup, as Copilot Mode is no longer a standalone option. Microsoft has not provided a way to disable the built-in Copilot features with a single setting, although there may be some specific options available in Edge settings.
These changes are currently rolling out to the desktop and mobile versions of Microsoft Edge.
