On November 18th, Microsoft announced the rollout of the new Copilot Actions feature to Windows Insider testers, requiring an update to the Windows version of Copilot (version 1.25112.74 and above). According to Microsoft, this feature allows Copilot to directly manipulate local files in a controlled environment, assisting users in completing various daily tasks, representing a significant upgrade to Copilot for desktop environments.
Microsoft states that Copilot Actions runs in an auditable, isolated environment controlled by a policy called Agent Workspace, independent of the user's interactive Windows desktop. Users simply describe the task they wish to complete in natural language, and Copilot will attempt to automate its execution, such as processing travel photos, organizing downloaded folders, converting file formats, or extracting information from PDFs.
Microsoft positions Copilot Actions as an experimental feature of Copilot Labs. Currently, errors or difficult-to-execute tasks may still occur in complex interfaces. Therefore, Microsoft recommends that users monitor the process closely, allowing for timely intervention and take over control when necessary. Initially, the feature will cover a limited range of tasks. Microsoft will gradually expand its application scenarios after collecting feedback and optimizing the model. To try Copilot Actions, testers can select "Take Action" from the Copilot drop-down menu, or provide the content to be processed via "Attach File" or "Attach Folder". The system will then create a separate desktop instance for Copilot and begin execution.
