Microsoft began the new year by announcing the biggest change to the standard Windows keyboard layout in 30 years. It introduced a new dedicated Copilot key to trigger the Copilot assistant directly from the keyboard.
It was believed Copilot key would be a requirement for the Windows hardware certification process but this does not seem to be true.
Microsoft Not Pushing Copilot Key to Windows PC Makers
As per a statement received by a German publication Dr.Windows from Microsoft, the Copilot key is not a requirement to launch new Windows PCs or laptops. It further added that OEMs will have the freedom to choose the placement of the key if they want to offer it.
We have seen that the desktop and laptop keyboards typically follow a standard keyboard layout. The placement of commonly used keys is fixed including the dedicated Windows key. It helps with familiarity and users do not have to spend time adjusting to a new layout when switching Windows PCs.
The placement of the Copilot key varies by manufacturer, but generally it is located on the right side of the space bar opposite the WIN key. In some cases the key replaces the right CTRL key, on some larger keyboards there is space for both the right CTRL key and the Copilot key, and in other cases the Copilot key is combined with the “Menu” key (the Menu key is accessed secondary with the Fn key + Copilot key).
