Microsoft Unveils Major Free Updates to Copilot and Edge Across Windows
Key Points
- Groups enables real‑time collaborative AI sessions with invited participants.
- Mico provides a customizable visual avatar that mirrors user mood.
- Real Talk introduces a witty, personality‑forward model for more dynamic conversations.
- Enhanced memory lets Copilot remember personal details across chats.
- Health answers are now sourced from clinical references and can suggest local clinicians.
- Edge’s new Copilot Mode offers AI‑driven assistance across browsing tasks.
- Journeys surfaces relevant browsing history to help users resume activities.
- All features are free, with no subscription lock, and support Google and Apple sign‑ins.
Microsoft is rolling out a suite of free updates to its Copilot AI assistant and the Edge browser on Windows 11 and Windows 10. New features include Groups for real‑time collaborative prompts, a visual avatar called Mico, the personality‑forward Real Talk model, enhanced memory, health‑focused responses backed by clinical sources, and tighter integration with local clinicians. Edge gains a full Copilot Mode and a Journeys feature that surfaces relevant browsing history. All updates are available today without a subscription and support Google and Apple accounts.
Overview of the Update Rollout
Microsoft has launched a comprehensive set of enhancements to its Copilot AI platform and the Edge browser, targeting both Windows 11 and Windows 10 installations. The changes are being delivered as free updates, with no features locked behind a subscription, and they support sign‑in with Google or Apple accounts.
Collaborative AI with Groups
The most prominent addition is Groups, which lets users invite others into a Copilot session. Participants can ask their own questions, build prompts together, and collaborate in real time, much like a group video call powered by generative AI. Invited members see only the prompts and responses for that specific chat, preserving the privacy of other Copilot interactions.
Mico: A New Visual Personality
Copilot now includes a customizable visual avatar named Mico, a mash‑up of “Microsoft” and “Copilot.” Mico’s expressions change to match the tone of the user’s input, offering a warm and expressive interface that feels more personable than the original blob design.
Real Talk Model
Microsoft introduced Real Talk, its first “personality‑forward” model. Designed to be witty and sometimes push back, Real Talk adds a more conversational and challenging tone, giving users the option to engage with a more dynamic AI personality.
Improved Memory and Health Responses
Copilot’s memory capabilities have been upgraded to retain details users share, such as family members’ birthdays, making interactions feel more natural. Health‑related answers are now grounded in clinical sources, with references to trusted providers like Harvard Health. When appropriate, Copilot can also suggest nearby clinicians within a user’s insurance network.
Edge Browser Enhancements
Edge now ships with a full Copilot Mode, providing agentic assistance like email review and social‑feed scanning. The new Journeys feature examines browsing history to help users pick up where they left off and suggest next steps. A redesigned homepage surfaces recent apps, files, and conversations, positioning Copilot as a central hub for daily computing.
Model Strategy and Flexibility
While many Copilot features continue to rely on OpenAI’s frontier models, Microsoft emphasizes flexibility, using the best models from its own team, partners, and the open‑source community to deliver optimal outcomes across millions of interactions.
Availability and Access
All twelve updates are available today and do not require a paid subscription. Users can access the new capabilities through existing Windows installations, and sign‑in options include Microsoft, Google, and Apple accounts.