Microsoft moves Copilot into Edge

Microsoft on May 13 pushed Copilot further into the core interface of Edge on desktop and mobile, ending the need for a separate “Copilot Mode” entry point and moving the assistant into standard browser surfaces. The company said the updated browser can work across open tabs, surface summaries and comparisons, and add mobile features including voice and vision tools. The change lands alongside broader Microsoft 365 interface adjustments that make Copilot easier to reach in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, according to Microsoft support documents. Some users and outside coverage also focused on a persistent Copilot icon in Office apps that can be hidden but not fully removed in some cases. ### Where did Copilot Mode go in Edge? Microsoft said in its Edge developer blog that it is retiring the separate Copilot Mode experience because the features are now built directly into the browser. The company’s public Edge pages now describe “Copilot in Edge” as a built-in feature that works from the browser itself rather than a distinct mode users enter first. (blogs.windows.com) Engadget and other outlets reported the same shift on May 14, describing Microsoft’s move as the end of Copilot Mode as a standalone concept while keeping the underlying AI tools in place. Microsoft’s own product page says users can click the icon in the top-right corner of Edge to start using Copilot. ### What can the new Edge version actually do? Microsoft said the updated Edge desktop and mobile experience can “reason across your open tabs” with user permission. (blogs.windows.com) In practice, the company said Copilot can compare information from multiple pages, summarize articles, and answer questions without forcing users to switch back and forth between tabs. (engadget.com) The Verge reported that the tab-based feature lets users ask Copilot to compare products, summarize reading across open pages, and pull information from several tabs at once. Microsoft’s Edge marketing page also says the browser can use prior activity to become more personalized over time, though the company frames that as permission-based. ### What changed on phones? Microsoft said the May 13 update brings Edge desktop-style Copilot features to Edge mobile. (blogs.windows.com) The company said mobile users can ask Copilot questions across open tabs and use added voice and vision capabilities from within the browser. The company presented the mobile update as a way to reduce tab switching on phones. (theverge.com) Its Edge page says Copilot in Edge is available “wherever you go,” and the blog post says the mobile app now carries over the same comparison and summarization tools highlighted on desktop. ### What is happening inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook? Microsoft Support pages updated in April 2026 say Copilot is available in the Home tab of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook on the web for Copilot subscribers, with corresponding access in desktop apps for eligible Microsoft 365 users. (blogs.windows.com) Separate support documents say Copilot Chat appears side-by-side in some Microsoft 365 apps, and Outlook users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on can still use Copilot Chat for inbox and calendar tasks. (microsoft.com) Microsoft also says editing features are now embedded directly inside documents and workbooks in Word and Excel. Support pages for those apps describe Copilot as an in-place assistant that can create, edit and refine content inside the file rather than sending users to a separate destination. ### Why are some users talking about the Copilot button? (support.microsoft.com) WinBuzzer reported on May 13 that users and critics focused on a “Dynamic Action Button” tied to Copilot in Office apps, describing it as persistent even as Microsoft simplified access across the suite. The report said users can hide the icon, but some complaints centered on how visible the button remains in everyday workflows. (support.microsoft.com) Microsoft’s own support guidance addresses a related issue from the other direction: how to find or enable a missing Copilot button in Microsoft 365 apps. That document says the button should appear in the Home tab for eligible users, underscoring that Microsoft is treating Copilot access as a standard part of the app layout rather than an optional add-on buried in menus. (winbuzzer.com) ### What comes next for users and administrators? Microsoft’s current Edge documentation says Copilot in the browser is already available and can be controlled by enterprise policy. A Microsoft Learn policy page says administrators can allow, block or prevent users from turning off Copilot in Edge, depending on how the policy is configured. (support.microsoft.com) Microsoft’s support and product pages now point users to the built-in Copilot entry points in Edge and Microsoft 365 apps rather than to a separate Copilot Mode destination. The next practical step for users is the rollout already underway in Edge and the app-specific guidance Microsoft has published for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. (blogs.windows.com) (learn.microsoft.com)