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Microsoft introduced Copilot Mode in Edge in 2025 as an optional, AI-focused browser experience. It later added tools for working across tabs and completing tasks—but Microsoft announced on May 13, 2026, that it was retiring Copilot Mode as a separate mode and bringing Copilot experiences directly into Edge. The features continue in different forms, with availability varying by device, market, language, and account.
What was Copilot Mode in Microsoft Edge?
Copilot Mode was an opt-in Edge experience that brought conversational search, browsing, and AI assistance into a streamlined new-tab page. It paired that entry point with a contextual pane that could use the page you were viewing, and Microsoft said it could reason across multiple open tabs.
In its October 23, 2025 announcement, Microsoft illustrated cross-tab context with a recipe task: Copilot could compare recipes open in separate tabs, summarize their instructions, and make a cooking schedule. Microsoft also described returning to earlier sessions, help with multi-step tasks, and optional use of browsing history. These were Microsoft’s descriptions of the product, not independent measurements of its accuracy or productivity benefits. Microsoft’s Copilot Mode announcement
Did Microsoft remove Copilot Mode?
Yes—as a distinct mode. On May 13, 2026, Microsoft said it was retiring Copilot Mode and making its associated experiences available directly in Edge. Sean Lyndersay, Microsoft’s vice president for Edge, put it plainly: “As part of today’s update, we’re retiring Copilot Mode.” The change did not mean that Copilot features were removed from the browser; Microsoft described them as continuing through Edge settings and experiences instead. Microsoft’s May 2026 Edge update
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How the experience changed
| Aspect | Copilot Mode at launch | Edge after the May 2026 update |
|---|---|---|
| Entry point | An opt-in, AI-oriented new-tab experience combining chat, search, and navigation. | Copilot experiences incorporated into Edge; users can choose which experiences to enable in Edge Settings. |
| Browser context | A dynamic pane for the current page, with reasoning across open tabs and optional browsing-history context. | Microsoft listed cross-tab context among the Copilot features available in Edge; context features are permission-based. |
| Additional tools | Microsoft described Actions and Journeys, along with help for multi-step tasks. | Microsoft listed Journeys, Vision and Voice, Study and Learn mode, Writing assistant, Copilot quizzes, and Podcasts, with availability caveats. |
The comparison reflects Microsoft’s announcements, not a claim that every feature is available to every Edge user. The launch announcement described Actions and Journeys as free, limited previews in the United States at that time; those launch-era terms should not be treated as current availability.
What Copilot features are in Edge now?
In its May 2026 update, Microsoft described a selection of experiences rather than one replacement toggle. Depending on the feature and where you use Edge, these include:
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- Cross-tab context: Copilot can use information from multiple open tabs, subject to permissions.
- Journeys: A way to revisit and organize related browsing activity. Microsoft listed desktop availability in specified English-language markets and mobile availability in the United States.
- Vision and Voice: Visual and spoken interaction with Copilot, described by Microsoft as permission-based.
- Study and Learn mode: Learning support, alongside Copilot quizzes.
- Writing assistant: Writing help; Microsoft’s May announcement listed it as U.S.-only.
- Podcasts: Available in Copilot markets in English and requiring a Microsoft Account. Microsoft said Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Premium subscribers receive extended usage.
Microsoft said multi-tab context, Vision and Voice, long-term memory, Copilot quizzes, and the redesigned new-tab page were available across Copilot markets on desktop and mobile. Some features have usage limits. These are the availability statements in Microsoft’s May 13, 2026 update; check current Edge settings and Microsoft’s live information for changes since then.
How do you turn on Copilot Mode in Edge?
There is no separate Copilot Mode to turn on under Microsoft’s May 2026 update: the company said it was retiring the mode and moving its experiences into Edge. To configure the Copilot experiences that are available in your version and region, open Edge Settings and review the Copilot-related options there. The exact controls may differ by build, device, and market, so Microsoft’s announcements do not establish a single current menu path or a universal set of switches.
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At launch, Microsoft said users could enable browsing-history access through Page Context in Settings. Its later update said users could customize which experiences they wanted in Edge Settings. Check the labels in your installed version rather than relying on launch-era steps for a mode that has since been retired.
Can Copilot in Edge read your open tabs or browsing history?
Microsoft says Edge’s Copilot experiences can use context from multiple open tabs, and describes cross-tab context and Vision and Voice as permission-based. At launch, history access was a separate option: Microsoft said users had to grant permission and could enable it through Page Context in Settings. Do not assume that tab context and history access are the same setting.
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- WITH AI BUILT IN — With a dedicated AI chip (Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite), this Copilot+ PC[5] on Windows 11 helps you work smarter and faster. Prompt, create, and automate with ease - ready for even your most demanding tasks.
- A 15" TOUCHSCREEN YOU'LL ACTUALLY USE — Sharp colors, real detail, smooth 120Hz scrolling on the PixelSense touchscreen[1] with LCD display[2]. Tap, scroll, or pinch to zoom - whichever feels right for streaming, editing photos, or daily work.
- 19 HOURS OF BATTERY (LEAVE THE CHARGER) — Up to 19 hours of video playback[3] on a single charge. Work from a coffee shop, take it to class/work, or binge an entire season on a long flight — it'll keep up.
- Two USB-C / USB4[4] ports and a microSD card reader for fast charging, big file transfers, or hooking up to three 4K monitors when you want a full desktop. Wi-Fi 7 keeps you online and fast wherever you are.
Microsoft also said the interface would show visual cues when Copilot was taking an action, listening, or viewing. These statements describe Microsoft’s controls and product design; they are not an independent privacy or security audit. Review the permissions and settings shown in your own Edge installation before enabling context features.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Copilot Mode available on Windows, Mac, or mobile?
At launch, Microsoft listed Copilot Mode for Edge on Windows and Mac in Copilot markets and said a mobile app was coming soon. Those details describe the October 2025 launch, not the current status of a separate mode. Microsoft’s May 2026 update instead described Copilot experiences across desktop and mobile, with access varying by feature.
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- Brilliant Display – Stunning 13.8" PixelSense touchscreen[1], with brilliant LCD display[2], unleashes luminous whites, deeper blacks and colors so richly saturated bringing vivid life into every frame – perfect for work, school, streaming and creative tasks.
- Power that lasts all day – With 20 hours of battery life[3], the new Surface Laptop powers through your entire day, so you can create, work and stream from morning to night without reaching for a charger.
- Work at the speed of your ideas – Built with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite (12 Core) processors, Surface Laptop delivers fast, AI‑accelerated performance—making it the most powerful Surface laptop for everything from multitasking to demanding workloads.
- The ports you need – Charge on-the-go, transfer data fast, or create the ultimate desktop set up with two USB-C / USB4[4] ports.
- Built-in AI Companion – Work smarter, create freely, and communicate with confidence—Copilot[5] on Windows 11 is always there to help.
For example, Microsoft listed Journeys for desktop in specified English-language markets and for mobile in the United States. Podcasts were listed for English in Copilot markets and require a Microsoft Account. Because feature access can change, consult Microsoft’s current Edge information and the options in your device’s Edge settings before relying on a particular capability.
How does Edge for Business differ?
Consumer availability and business administration are separate questions. In a May 20, 2026 Edge for Business announcement, Microsoft described policy-based administration, tenant protections, and Purview controls. It said agentic browsing was in limited preview, could be restricted by IT to designated sites, and showed user-facing cues with options to pause or stop.
Microsoft said the shadow-AI protections described in that announcement applied to Microsoft 365 E5 and pay-as-you-go pricing. These business controls and licensing terms do not determine whether a consumer feature is available in a particular market. See Microsoft’s Edge for Business announcement for its description of those protections. Microsoft’s separate configuration page is Configuring Copilot Features; its access requirements may affect whether administrators can consult it.
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