How to Customise the Copilot Key on the Keyboard in Windows 11 to Open Any App

Modern Windows laptops, Copilot+ PCs, and updated standalone Microsoft keyboards now feature a dedicated physical Copilot key situated to the right of the spacebar. For users who prefer alternative generative AI services, use local productivity tools, or do not routinely interact with Microsoft Copilot, this dedicated hardware key often feels like wasted keyboard real estate. Starting in Windows 11 24H2, Microsoft introduced native system settings allowing users to reconfigure and customise the action executed by the physical Copilot key without requiring complex registry edits or third-party key remapping software.

How the Copilot Key Functions Internally

To maintain backward compatibility with legacy keyboard firmware, the physical Copilot key does not broadcast an entirely new low-level HID scan code. Instead, Microsoft configured the hardware key to emit a compound keyboard shortcut sequence:

Left Windows Key + Shift + F23

When Windows 11 detects this sequence, the operating system intercepts the event and launches the preconfigured Copilot action. Because this interaction is handled at the OS shell layer, Windows 11 allows users to redirect this shortcut trigger to alternative applications packaged securely under the MSIX packaging standard or default to native Windows Search.

Method 1: Customising the Copilot Key via Native Windows 11 Settings

If your PC is running Windows 11 version 24H2 (Build 26100 or later) and contains a physical Copilot key:

1. Press Win + I to launch the Settings app.
2. In the left navigation sidebar, select Personalisation.
3. Scroll down and click Text input.
4. Locate the setting labelled Customise Copilot key on keyboard.
5. Click the dropdown menu beside “Choose what the Copilot key does when pressed”:
   • Select Search to transform the key into an instant desktop search launcher.
   • Select Custom to bind the key to a specific application installed on your PC.
6. When selecting “Custom”, click Choose an app to review the list of installed MSIX-packaged applications (such as Windows Terminal, Spotify, Slack, or Visual Studio Code) and select your preferred tool.
7. Press the physical Copilot key on your keyboard to test that your chosen application launches immediately.

Method 2: Remapping to Any Traditional Application via Microsoft PowerToys

Because the native Windows 11 setting currently restricts custom targets to packaged MSIX apps, users wishing to launch traditional Win32 .exe files or custom shell scripts can leverage Microsoft’s official PowerToys Keyboard Manager:

1. Download and open Microsoft PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or via winget:

   winget install Microsoft.PowerToys

2. In the PowerToys dashboard, click Keyboard Manager in the left pane and toggle it On.
3. Under “Shortcuts”, click Remap a shortcut.
4. Click the Add shortcut remapping (+) button.
5. Under the “Physical Shortcut” column, click Type and press the physical Copilot key (PowerToys will capture Win (Left) + Shift (Left) + F23). Click OK.
6. Under the “Mapped To” column, select Run Program from the action dropdown.
7. Click Browse, select any executable path on your system (e.g. C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe), and click OK.
8. Click OK in the top-right corner to save the mapping.

Troubleshooting and Limitations

• Setting Not Visible in Windows Settings: The native “Customise Copilot key” menu only appears on systems with a certified physical Copilot key present in the hardware device ACPI table. On standard legacy keyboards, use the PowerToys method.
• Domain / Managed Device Policies: In enterprise environments, corporate IT administrators can enforce Copilot behaviour via Group Policy (Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot). If the dropdown is greyed out, enterprise device management may be active.
• Third-Party Keyboard Modifiers: If you use external mechanical keyboards with custom QMK/VIA firmware, you can assign any key to send Win + Shift + F23 directly to trigger the Windows 11 custom action seamlessly.