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Microsoft Rolls Out 'Hey Copilot' Voice and Vision on Windows 11, Trials Agentic Actions

Microsoft details isolated workspaces with strict permissions for AI agents.

Overview

  • Microsoft says the new 'Hey Copilot' wake word is now available to all Windows 11 users, with voice activation off by default and enabled in Settings.
  • Copilot Vision is live across Copilot-supported markets, letting users share a desktop or app window for on-screen analysis, answers, and step-by-step guidance via Highlights.
  • Windows Insider participants are testing Copilot Actions from Copilot Labs, which can perform human-like clicks, typing, and scrolling to complete tasks across local apps and files.
  • Copilot Actions runs in an isolated Agent Workspace implemented as a Windows remote desktop sub-session, with agents operating under non‑admin accounts, ACL‑restricted file access, digital signatures, and a manual opt-in.
  • Microsoft is planning an opt-in taskbar experience that replaces the search box with a Copilot chat interface using the Windows Search API for local results, and it describes an Agentic OS vision enabled by the Model Context Protocol.