Microsoft announced a major Windows 11 update on February 28, 2023, led by the addition of AI-powered Bing to the taskbar search box. The announcement’s “arrives today” referred to that 2023 date—not a new rollout in 2026. The update also introduced changes to Phone Link, widgets, Quick Settings, Chat, and Quick Assist, with availability varying by feature and device.
What the February 2023 Windows 11 update changed
The headline feature put the new Bing experience in the Windows taskbar search box. Microsoft said users could use it for search, answers, chat, and creation. The change built on Windows Search, which Microsoft’s then-Chief Product Officer for Windows and Devices, Panos Panay, said had more than half a billion users each month at the time. That was Microsoft’s reported 2023 figure, not an independently audited or current usage estimate.
Microsoft described the change as part of a broader effort to make Windows features easier to reach. The update also included the following additions and refinements:
- Phone Link for iOS: a preview that began bringing iPhone connectivity to Phone Link.
- Touch and widgets: improved touch interactions and a full-screen widgets experience, along with additional widget options.
- Windows Studio Effects: easier access to its settings from Quick Settings. The effects depended on compatible hardware.
- Chat: a redesigned experience.
- Quick Assist: a redesign that made it easier to switch between screen sharing and full control.
These were announced features, not a promise that every device would receive every capability at once. Some were previews, and availability could depend on hardware, market, or staged rollout.
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How to get Bing on the Windows 11 taskbar
At announcement, Microsoft said the experiences would begin becoming available on February 28, 2023, through Windows Update and Microsoft Store app updates. The announcement applied to eligible devices running Windows 11 version 22H2, required a restart, and noted that availability could vary by market. Microsoft anticipated broad availability of features delivered through Windows Update in the March 2023 monthly security update.
- Install the Windows update. On an eligible Windows 11 version 22H2 device, check Windows Update and install available updates. Restart when prompted.
- Allow for staged availability. Microsoft said rollout timing could vary by market; not seeing a feature immediately did not necessarily mean the device was ineligible.
- Check Bing preview access separately. At launch, the taskbar Bing feature was available to users already in the Bing preview. People still on the waitlist had to wait for preview access.
Installing the Windows update alone did not guarantee that everyone could use the new Bing preview. Windows update installation and Bing preview access were separate conditions.
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How the taskbar Bing feature differed from Windows Copilot
The February 2023 announcement was about bringing the new Bing experience into the taskbar search box. Microsoft later announced Copilot in Windows as a preview of centralized AI assistance in an October 2023 update, initially rolling out to select global markets. Copilot was a later product stage; it was not the name of the February taskbar feature.
Microsoft’s later support overview notes that feature availability and timing can vary by device and market. That guidance is useful for understanding Windows rollouts generally, but it does not change the specific scope or date of the February 2023 announcement.
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Microsoft’s announcement and rollout details
In the February 28, 2023 announcement, Panay wrote: “Today, we take the next major step forward adding to the incredible breadth and ease of use of the Windows PC by implementing a typable Windows search box and the amazing capability of the new AI-powered Bing directly into the taskbar.” The statement captures the announcement’s emphasis: make Bing’s new AI-powered experience accessible from Windows Search, while introducing several other features through a staged update.
For Microsoft’s original feature list and rollout qualifications, see the Windows Experience Blog announcement. Bing’s explanation of the preview and taskbar integration is in the Bing blog post. Microsoft’s later announcement explains the subsequent Copilot in Windows preview; its current overview provides later Windows 11 feature-availability context.
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