Microsoft Previews Copilot Actions for Local Files in Windows 11

Microsoft is expanding Copilot Actions beyond the web with a new preview in Copilot Labs for Windows Insiders. To catch you up, Copilot Actions already lets users perform tasks like booking tables or ordering groceries online.

Now, the new experimental feature allows the assistant to take action directly on local files stored on your PC. Users can now ask Copilot to sort vacation photos, extract information from PDFs, or handle other desktop-based tasks simply by describing what they want to accomplish.

Copilot acts as a general-purpose agent, working across desktop and web apps while letting you focus on other work. At any point, you can check the progress or take control of the task yourself.

The rollout starts with a limited set of use cases while Microsoft optimizes performance and collects real-world feedback. Users may encounter occasional errors or limitations with complex interfaces, but these tests will guide improvements to make the experience more reliable and capable over time.

This update builds on previous enhancements to Windows 11, including the “Hey Copilot” voice activation and the Ask Copilot taskbar integration, which bring AI directly into your workflow.

With these features, you can wake Copilot hands-free or access it instantly from the taskbar to manage files, explore apps, or use Copilot Vision for on-screen insights, all in one seamless experience.