After decades of not changing the keyboard layout for Windows laptops, Microsoft decided to introduce a brand-new Copilot key earlier this year, making its debut with laptops shipping in 2024 with AI capabilities. It's a big deal; you may not care about Copilot right now, but Microsoft clearly sees this as the future of Windows, especially with the introduction of Copilot+ with the upcoming wave of AI PCs powered by Snapdragon.

But even if you don't have access to all those fancy capabilities, quick access to Copilot can still be useful, so what do you do if you don't have a keyboard with these new keys? Thankfully, this is very easy to work around.

How can remapping a key get you the Copilot experience?

The thing about the Copilot key is that it, right now, it doesn't do anything you can't do with a standard keyboard. Microsoft has assigned Copilot to a keyboard shortcut, which is Windows key + C. So all you need to do is map that keyboard shortcut to any of the useless keys on your current keyboard. You know the ones.

That being said, the Copilot key isn't exactly the same as this key combination. In fact, it's been discovered that the Copilot key pressed the Windows key + Left Shift + F23. F23 is a key that isn't really seen in computers anymore, but you can find it in some remapping tools. Regardless, either of these should work, but we'll focus on Windows + C, since it's the easier one to use.

Method 1: Remap a key with PowerToys

Microsoft PowerToys is a fantastic set of tools for Windows users to get the most out of their PCs. Meant to augment the regular Windows experience, it even comes with a handy button remapper, which can be really useful in our case.

To launch Copilot using your preferred key, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings window of PowerToys, and then click Keyboard Manager in the left pane.
2. Set the Enable Keyboard Manager toggle to On if it's not already.
3. Select the Remap a key option in the right pane, and then click the + Add key remapping button on the next screen to remap the Copilot shortcut to your desired key.
4. Click the Select button on the right under the key remapping entry you just created, and choose a key that will be mapped to the Copilot shortcut.
5. Use the dropdown menus on the left to choose the keys you want to be pressed. You can choose either Windows + C or Windows + Shift (Left) + F23.

That's all there is to it. Whether you're a casual user looking to remap some other keyboard shortcuts or an advanced user who wants to tweak system components, PowerToys can be pretty useful. However, you might not want to rely on a whole suite of apps running as a middleman just for the sake of key remapping.

Method 2: Remap a key via scripting language

If you're a power user who prefers to take matters into your own hands, you can use a keystroke scripting language such as AutoHotkey. Granted, it's a bit more difficult to use than PowerToys, but you can't ignore how swift and lean this approach is.

Here's how to use AutoHotkey to summon Copilot using your desired key:

1. Install AutoHotkey, and then initiate a blank script by right-clicking anywhere in Windows Explorer and choosing New > AutoHotkey Script.
2. Right-click on the resulting file and open it in Notepad or your preferred text editor.
3. Create a basic remapping rule by adding a line like this:

   Home::#c

   • This remaps the Home button as the Copilot key. To learn more about button naming styles, take a look at the AutoHotkey remapping documentation.
4. Save the file and double-click on it. This launches the AutoHotkey executable in the system tray; it will run in the background, interpreting your remapping rule for you. Just quit the program at any time to set your keys back to their default actions.
5. (Optional) You can also compile the script using Ahk2Exe and add the resulting executable file to your Windows startup folder (shell:startup). This file will then run automatically every time you turn on your PC without even installing AutoHotkey.

Method 3: Remap a key using your keyboard's software

Don't want to dive into either of these methods? Well, chances are your favorite keyboard comes with advanced companion software, like Logitech's G HUB, Corsair's iCUE, or Razer's Synapse. If so, you may already have some key-remapping features on your system.

Be aware that each of these programs has its own ways of implementing things, and we can't cover all of them here. In a nutshell, install the OEM companion tool, select your keyboard, and look for the option to define new hotkeys, macros, or actions. All you need to do is remap the Windows logo key + C shortcut to your desired key. Consult the support page and device forums for your specific hardware to find tutorials on this.

Closing thoughts

It's increasingly clear that Copilot is here to stay, and its role is getting more powerful day by day. As influential as Microsoft has been in the operating systems market, there are certainly ways it can improve AI integration. Some might consider a dedicated Copilot button a gimmick, but it undoubtedly signals a new era that Microsoft's competitors have yet to capitalize on. Hopefully, other companies will add similar AI-oriented hardware features to their products in the near future.