Today we use configuration profiles and group policies, which isn’t very good translated to human language.
Could we change the game by using human language to manage devices? What would it mean if we managed devices like we talk to CoPilot or ChatGPT?
I am not trying to eliminate experience and knowledge, but if we can simplify the work, we can also reduce complexity and mistakes. Also I will say protecting your position by making it complex and difficult will not work in the long run.
Windows CoPilot can manage your device
Windows CoPilot, powered by Bing Chat, running as its own application, it can access to your device. We can then ask CoPilot to make changes to our Windows and device configuration.
Today, while in preview, we can ask Windows CoPilot to toggle between dark- and light mode in Edge, enable/disable bluetooth, enable/disable do not disturb and have clipboard (copy/paste) automatically in the chat to enhance the dialog with you. Windows CoPilot can also launch File Explorer and Snipping Tools.
Windows CoPilot is still in preview, so its fun to test, but if this becomes an option for future use I believe this will escalate before going into general availability.
Maybe to the point where device management as done using human language with Intune, although that only requires Intune to handle human language. If Intune translates to coded language, the device doesn’t need to understand human language. But this seems to come in the opposite order, so that is why I am thinking Windows CoPilot’s human language can be an “API” for device management.
Configure Windows CoPilot today
But if you want to try Windows CoPilot today, you need to run on developer version of Windows 11. That is before its available for beta testers, which is the recommended version for devices used in your daily tasks.
Developer version is not recommended on a desktop used for daily work, due to potential instability.
The latest feature is necessary for CoPilot to configure your device is inside a Update to the latest build on Dev Channel. It doesn’t require a new build, but upon GA it will come in a new build (23H2).
In the end we need to a tool to enable hidden features, so download Vivetools from this community Github repo. Unzip the file ViVeTool-v0.3.3.zip to a short path, and open a commandlet with administrative privileges.
Copy this command and hit enter, remember to reboot your device after.
vivetool /enable /id:44774629,44776738,44850061,42105254,41655236Did you reboot your device? 😉
Open Windows CoPilot
CoPilot for Windows should now be an icon on your taskbar:
Open CoPilot and it will open on the right side of your desktop. It will not overlap applications, but will shrink all apps to make space beside you applications. This will be the most productive way, and it your running a decent size monitor, it doesn’t take up much space on your screen.
Turn on dark mode
I must admit, it didn’t work for a while, and it was maybe due to not being released to the Europe market yet. I read something about the European legislations, which Microsoft was working on at time I tested it.
CoPilot still requires us to consent to the action, so chose Yes to confirm and CoPilot will make changes.
Other commands to play with: Turn on do not disturb, open file explorer and set desktop background. But some times it is not working properly yet, and set desktop background should open the exact place under Settings to change the desktop background. But it doesn’t work yet, hence this reply from CoPilot:
Windows CoPilot at this build can also open applications, but if I have to specify the full path to where the file I’d like to open is, it quicker to use the search bar or open the application and chose from recent files used by the application.
To summarize
Is Windows CoPilot really useful with current features? If we take away the ChatGPT feature of Bing/CoPilot, it does make sense for different personas. You can be more efficient using Windows CoPilot to manage your Windows, when you don’t necessary know or have to remember where the settings are.
But currently it doesn’t help me locating files, which is something I could need assistance with simple questions. Keep in mind it has to be simple, or there is more efficient ways to get it done.
Thanks for reading, and hope I got you some insight to Windows CoPilot. And perhaps sparked some ideas for the future.
