Microsoft Replaces Native Copilot With Web App on Windows 11, RAM Usage Spikes

Microsoft is rolling out a redesigned version of Copilot for Windows 11, but the change comes with a major shift under the hood. The app is moving away from a native experience and back to a web-based architecture.

Copilot Drops Native WinUI App for Web-Based Version

According to Windows Latest, Microsoft has replaced the native WinUI Copilot app with a web-powered version. The new app closely mirrors the experience of using Copilot in a browser.

However, this is not a typical lightweight web app. Instead, Microsoft bundles a full version of Microsoft Edge directly inside the Copilot app.

Built-In Chromium Engine Changes Everything

The updated Copilot includes a complete Chromium-based environment, powered by WebView2 and an embedded Edge runtime. This means the app ships with its own browser components, including executables, DLL files, and DRM modules.

The embedded Edge package alone reportedly takes up around 850MB, making the app significantly heavier than before.

Faster Experience, But at a Cost

From a usability standpoint, the new Copilot feels smoother than traditional progressive web apps. The dedicated embedded browser helps improve responsiveness and consistency. But this comes with a trade-off.

Idle memory usage now sits around 500MB, while active usage can climb close to 1GB. The previous native version used less than 100MB, making this a substantial increase.

Growing Concerns Over “Web App Bloat”

This move adds to ongoing concerns about web-based apps increasing system resource usage in Windows 11. Critics argue that bundling a separate Edge instance duplicates existing system components and contributes to unnecessary bloat.

The approach also aligns with a broader trend of Electron-style apps, where performance often takes a back seat to development speed and cross-platform compatibility.

Interestingly, this change comes as Microsoft reportedly builds a new internal team focused on improving Windows 11 performance. The initiative aims to prioritize fully native apps and reduce system overhead.

If that effort delivers, Copilot could eventually return to a native implementation. For now, though, the app is heading in the opposite direction.