How to Use Copilot Vision on Windows for Instant Answers in Any App

After Copilot Vision was piloted on Microsoft Edge, news of the feature coming directly to the Windows OS as a whole has reinvigorated its potential use cases. But what exactly is it and how to use Copilot Vision? Turns out, it’s relatively simple as long as you’re in the right place.

Requirements for Using Copilot Vision

There are two main requirements that you need to comply with to use the feature:

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 build 24H2 or newer.
• A Windows license registered to the U.S. region.

The second requirement might be partially lifted in the future, as announcements suggest that Vision will be broadly available in non-European countries.

Currently, the Vision feature in Copilot is exclusive to Microsoft Edge users unless you subscribe to Copilot Pro (which costs $20 per month). Without the paid subscription, this significantly restricts its functionality to its basic capabilities and limits its use outside of Microsoft Edge.

How to Get Copilot Vision

To access Copilot Vision, first ensure your OS is fully updated.

Step 1. Head to Settings, then “Windows Update.”

Step 2. Click on “Check for updates,” which is usually the big blue button on top. Alternatively, if you have updates available, click on “Download and install” next to it. In this case, look for “Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 24H2” or something similar depending on your exact Windows version.

Step 3. Wait until your Windows fully updates. This will require a restart to apply the updates.

After that, open your Copilot app on the PC (not in Microsoft Edge). It should be automatically updated to contain the Vision feature.

How to Use Copilot Vision

Once your Windows can run Vision, using it is relatively simple.

Step 1. Open your Copilot app. You can usually find it right on your taskbar. If it’s not there, just search for it on your computer.

Step 2. Click on the glasses icon on the right of the composer box. This is slightly different from how Copilot Vision works on Edge where it’s merged with the “Voice Chat” feature.

Step 3. You’ll get a pop-up with a list of all open programs and windows on the screen. Click on “Share” next to every program you want to share with Copilot so it can get context clues from what is available on-screen.

Step 4. Copilot will minimize and start an audio chat. Ask it questions on the topics related to the programs you’re sharing, and it will provide answers or guidance on how to use it.

Furthermore, since Copilot Vision can store multiple programs inside its active memory, it can work on all contexts it has simultaneously. If you ask Copilot to show you where a setting is, it will answer with an approximate location (top-left, center, above or below something). Copilot can also highlight a specific setting or feature that you need to use but can’t find.

Step 5. When you want to stop sharing your program, select “Stop” in the composer. This screen remains open during your chat session for easy access. To completely close Vision, click on the glasses icon on the composer.

Best Use Cases for Copilot Vision

Like with any AI tool, it’s only as good as you can direct it. However, there are a few notable situations where it can prove quite useful:

• Real-time assistance for common tasks like updating, finding specific settings within programs, or troubleshooting errors.
• Cross-referencing information in two different apps.
• Creative assistance for tasks like writing or photo editing based on the actual content.