Windows 10 has made a comeback, featuring Microsoft's AI-powered Copilot assistant.

Over the past two years, Windows 11 has introduced substantial updates for numerous built-in apps and components such as the system tray, Start menu, Settings app, and taskbar. While these elements have continuously evolved with each new update, only a few of these changes have been extended to Windows 10, which remains the most widely used version of Windows globally. Notable exceptions include the redesigned Outlook app and ongoing developments in Microsoft Edge.

However, in a notable departure, Microsoft is introducing a major update for Windows 10: the AI-powered Windows Copilot feature from Windows 11 is being backported to Windows 10. This feature will be available in the Windows Insider Release Preview channel for Windows 10, initially as a preview for the Home and Pro versions. However, it won't be accessible for the "managed" versions of Windows 10, such as Enterprise and Education editions, as well as Pro PCs managed by IT departments.

Microsoft expressed the desire to extend the value of Copilot to a broader audience, stating that they are revisiting their approach to Windows 10 and making additional investments to ensure maximum value for all Windows PC users, including Copilot in preview. The Windows 10 version of Copilot will have specific hardware requirements, needing a PC with 4GB of RAM and at least a 720p display.

While Microsoft's blog post provides limited details about Copilot for Windows 10, the Windows 11 version can modify system settings and interact with documents on the PC. The Windows 10 version appears to focus on Bing Chat-style, ChatGPT-powered text generation.

The update also includes other changes, bug fixes, and introduces the "get the latest updates as soon as they're available" toggle in Windows Update, a feature borrowed from Windows 11. Despite being a significant update, it does not alter Windows 10's broader support timeline. The last major update, version 22H2, is still scheduled to be the final one, with security updates set to end on October 14, 2025.

The move to extend Copilot support to Windows 10 reflects Microsoft's strategy to cast a wide net with its AI efforts, reaching as many products as possible. Despite the impending end of support for Windows 10, which is still widely used, Microsoft aims to provide Copilot functionality to a larger user base. Windows 11 adoption has been progressing, but the more stringent system requirements have left a significant portion of Windows 10 PCs behind. The extension of Copilot to Windows 10 is seen as a way to bring this AI service to users who may not have otherwise accessed it, aligning with Microsoft's strategy of integrating AI capabilities across its products.