Remapping CoPilot Key

Hi Maldalain, I got this from a Google search. Hope this works for you.

Here's how you can remap the Copilot key:

1. Install PowerToys: Download and install Microsoft PowerToys from the Microsoft Store

2. Open Keyboard Manager: Launch PowerToys and navigate to "Keyboard Manager".

3. Remap a key: Click on "Remap a key" and then "Add key remapping".

4. Select the Copilot key: Choose the Copilot key from the "Physical Key" dropdown menu.

5. Choose a new function: Select the desired key or function you want the Copilot key to perform from the "Mapped To" dropdown menu.

6. Save changes: Click "OK" to save the remapping.

You can also select "Disabled" if you want to completely disable the Copilot key, according to Microsoft Community.

Alternatively, you can also remap the Copilot key through Windows Settings in some cases. You can find this option under Personalization > Customize Copilot key on keyboard. There, you can choose to set it to "Search" or "Custom" to launch a specific application.

You can download Microsoft power toys here:

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xp89dcgq3k6vld?hl=en-US&gl=US

I too had difficulty using PowerToys to unmap the default hotkey for opening Copilot.

The way I open Copilot now is to enter "Copilot" into the Windows Search field. There are also tabs and other hotkeys for opening Copilot from within many of many of the Microsoft Office applications.

You can disable the default hotkey or shortcut to open Copilot by first opening Copilot, then opening the Account menu, and then opening the Settings menu. If you keep tabbing through the Settings menu you will eventually come to a checkbox to enable or disable the default hotkey of for opening Copilot. I disabled this because that hotkey was interfering with the hotkey used by other apps. Now all is fine.

--Pete

Hey there, it is possible to remap the copilot key using power toys. Make sure Power Toys is installed, and run it as an administrator. I've had success with JAWS, haven't tried NVDA yet. When you first open Power Toys, you'll need to tab around until you hear "advanced paste" button. Arrow down to keyboard manager, and press enter. Make sure the enable checkbox is checked. Note: The CoPilot key is not actually read as a key in the system. You will need to tab to Remap shortcut. Press enter. Shift tab once to the "select" button, and press enter. Note: JAWS will not speak on this screen. Hold the CoPilot key down for a second, and then hold the enter key down until JAWS speaks. Tab past the first set of combo boxes. You are looking for a combo box that says key 1, and nothing else. Its not the key 1 combo box that says shift, or another key. Open the combo box, select whatever key you'd like it to be, and tab to OK. Press ok, and then press ok again. Restart your system, and you should be good to go. If you need help, or want a walk through, feel free to get in touch!

Somewhere in windows settings, there's option to change what copilot key does. There's a custom option there. Unfortunately, I am writing this from a laptop which doesn't have that key, so that option is not visible. I am too laisy to boot up my other laptop and check right now. May be later.

Hi,

My HP laptop has this option. However, the custom choice only gives two options:
• Microsoft CoPilot.
• CoPilot.

The only other choice From this screen is a cancel button. 😭

What brand of computer do you have? If and how you can do it depends on that.

Microsoft (mine) - use SharpKeys to remap the Applications key to right control. On Surface devices, copilot becomes the Applications key when Fn Lock is on. The key cannot be remapped using PowerToys, and can't be remapped with Fn Lock off.
Lenovo - PowerToys works. I think Dell does, too. If remapping the single key doesn't work, add a multi-key shortcut. The Copilot key actually sends Shift+Win+F23. PowerToys is mostly accessible using NVDA, though it's not great.
I think HP and Asus users report being out of luck, but Google it if that's you.
One other last-resort workaround to get the key back would be to remap the right alt key using SharpKeys. I actually do all alt combinations with my left hand, I've noticed, except for alt-control, and those are shortcuts I added to things.
I seem to recall that Dell might flip the Copilot key to Applications with the Fn Lock as well; and, unlike on Surface devices, the Fn+Esc key combination sets that for good.

As always, I thought of something right after posting. Some people report success with completely uninstalling copilot, at which point the key became something they could remap. I suspect this would only work if PowerToys worked already. What it would likely do, though, is completely disable the key, which could promote sanity if doing the alt-remapping workaround. We're not the only ones hating this stupid key, but we're the ones most impacted. Consider hitting that "Feedback" button in Copilot and let them know that not only is their UI a nightmare, but they're raising immense barriers for screen reader users all around. I have faith they'll finally add the control key to the list of options in the Copilot key settings once they've decided they've put it down everyone's throats sufficiently. I posted this complaint in the Microsoft Community forum just to get it on record.

Hi, I think you meant the ctrl+home and ctrl+end shortcuts. You can still use them.
You hold left control and fn with your left hand, and then press left arrow for home, right arrow for end.
FN+left/right arrow is actually home/end, so you are just adding control in the mix. It works.

Those hotkeys actually work on Windows? Genuinely asking because I actually have Home, End, Page up, Page down, Insert, and Delete keys on my laptop, so never had a need to try these out. I know they work on Mac computers, did not know those same key combinations worked with Windows too. 🤯

@brian, I don't think HP does it. Lenovo and Microsoft do.
I've never heard of Fn+control becoming applications. Mapping that to *both* control keys would be even weirder. I've remarked on the copilot key being mapped to the applications key.
Regardless, the applications key can normally be remapped using SharpKeys.
Anything involving the Fn key is done at the hardware level and can't be meaningfully discussed without knowing the brand of laptop, because each manufacturer does things a little differently.

Correct. HP does not seem to have this feature. Then again, I have all the necessary hardware keys on my laptop, such as:
• Home.
• End.
• Page Up.
• Page Down.
• Insert.
• Delete.
• Print Screen
• Pause (achieved with FN plus Right Shift).
• Break (achieved with Control plus FN plus Right Shift).

Ironically I do not have an application's key, however I am so used to Shift plus F10 from my years of Windows 10 BootCamped on my old Intel Mac, that it doesn't bother me.
I do have both a second Alt key and a Control key on the right of my spacebar. I suppose I could remap one of those, but meh ... I am fine with how things are on my HP laptop. 😀

@Maldalain
Usually fn+right ctrl would be mapped to applications key, and I am suggesting you to try left ctrl key + FN + left arrow/right arrow.
@Brian:
If your laptop has physical keys, chances are that fn+arrow keys implementation was not done as it's not needed. For laptops which don't have those physical keys, there's high chance that the shortcuts I mentioned work. In fact, My Lenovo Thinkpad has both page up/down, as wells as Home/end, however, still fn + arrow keys do work for those functions.
I've forgotten that the custom option doesn't actually allow you to select a completely different key function. However, I still feel that with sharp keys, remapping may be possible. I can't try sharp keys on my copilot laptop for; reasons.
My Dell Inspiron doesn't have those keys, and there I exclusively use the above mentioned FN shortcuts.
I don't have much experience with HP laptops, so can't comment.

Speaking of that, Lenovo Thinkpad L14 gen 5, that's something new I've gotten recently. Did you guys know that lenovo actually mentions in it's marketing that this laptop may be more accessible due to extra tactile indecators? All I see is extra horizontal tactile lines similar to F and on J, but also on enter, insert, down arrow and FN. Apart from that, Volume-up/Volume-down has vertical lines, the 1 on volume-up is larger than the other. Further, the LED on the side, which indecates charging is a small tactile dot, so I guess you can more effectively point your Be My AI or whatever at it to get to know it's status. It certainly improves accessibility, but not by that much as we are able to use keyboards without tactile markings as well. I guess beginners might find this one better.
I don't know what LED braille indecator means, it's fully static, doesn't change when LED may be blinking or not blinking or changing colour.
That tactile dot is actually between 2 Type C ports, equidistance from both, so it's actually hard to tell which of them might be better suited for charging. Both work in my experience.
Below quote directly from Lenovo's website:
More Accessible. More Usable.
We’ve improved accessibility on our ThinkPad keyboard by adding an LED Braille indicator to indicate the power port and tactile markings on keys so everyone can quickly and correctly identify and navigate. Plus, you can do more with our iconic TrackPoint than just navigate — double-tap to open the customizable TrackPoint Quick Menu to optimize audio-video settings. For added usability, we’ve increased the size of the TrackPad and swapped the locations of the Ctrl and Fn keys. Airflow vents to the rear to keep the system running cooler and performing even better.
Link: https://www.lenovo.com/in/en/p/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpadl/thinkpad-l14-gen-5-14-inch-intel/21l1s16000?orgRef=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F&nis=7&ch=1

I think Lenova are always going a step above and beyond to make their laptops more user-friendly, blind or otherwise. I believe they are also the only ones to attempt to make an accessible UI application for adjusting certain bios settings.
Speaking of the track pad, my HP has some customizable shortcut gestures that can be assigned to my trackpad, which makes for a semi blind accessibly usable trackpad. Not quite as robust as trackpad Commander, or whatever it is called these days, on macOS, but still quite handy.
There are gestures for opening certain applications, adjusting volume, switching between certain settings/functions, etc.

On a sidenote, my copilot hot key seems to be the Windows key plus 'C'. Have not messed around with sharp keys, but I can always use NVDA to create a custom applications key, if I so wished. 🥳

Touchpad commands are commonly available if your laptop comes with Windows Precision touchpad drivers.
I've mapped mine to following:
4 finger up/down: Volume up/down
4 finger left/right, previous/next track
4 finger tap: play/pause
3 finger tap: Mouse back button
This is very useful and I use it all the time.
BTW, Some Asus or Acer laptops have a dedicated area on touchpad, some designated edges, sliding finger along which changes volume or display brightness.