Microsoft Adds Keyboard Shortcut to Quickly Launch Voice Chat with Copilot

Microsoft has added a new setting for its AI assistant, which is now available to Windows Insiders. To initiate a voice chat with Copilot, hold down Alt + Space for two seconds.

Image source: blogs.windows.com

The new feature is available in the Copilot app from the Microsoft Store, and will soon be available to all Windows Insiders. Instead of typing a request, a keyboard shortcut brings up a small microphone icon on the screen, indicating that you can start a voice conversation with Copilot, asking the AI ​​assistant questions and giving commands. If you don’t make a voice command within a few seconds, the microphone icon will disappear and Copilot will shut down.

Over the past year, Microsoft has repeatedly improved the AI ​​assistant client for Windows. First, the web application was replaced by a native one, and now a quick call to the voice format has appeared – it will allow users to get answers to their questions without being distracted from the work process, Microsoft noted.

Previously, the keyboard shortcut for launching Copilot in Windows was “Win ​​+ C.” Many modern computers now come with a dedicated Copilot key, which would be an obvious choice for launching voice functions. But most machines don’t have one yet, so Microsoft needed a universal alternative. Notably, the “Alt + Space” combination also launches the PowerToys Run component of the Microsoft PowerToys utility suite. The Siri voice assistant also has its own keyboard shortcut on Apple macOS computers.