How to use “Hey Copilot” and voice in Windows 11 step by step

Talking to a computer is no longer science fiction: with “Hey Copilot” lets you wake up Microsoft’s assistant with just your voice and ask him to help you while you continue with your keyboard, mouse… or with your hands completely free. Windows Windows 11 is becoming an operating system designed for you to talk to it, ask it questions, ask it to summarize a document, or even interact with your appsall without typing a single word.

In addition to the typical text chat, Microsoft has added a good number of new features: Copilot Voice for speaking, Copilot Vision for understanding what's on your screen, the function of Recalls in Copilot+ PC, and the whole part of Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat with enterprise data protectionLet's take a look at how to use "Hey Copilot", what you need, what it can actually do, and how far the issue of privacy extends.

Copilot Voice: what the “Hey Copilot” command is and what it does

When you hear about Copilot Voice is talking about controlling Copilot by voice in Windows 11Instead of typing your queries, you say “Hey Copilot” and from there, you speak to it in natural language: just like you would with Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant, or with others voice-to-text dictation programsbut integrated directly into the Windows desktop.

Once activated, A small floating microphone appears at the bottom of the screen, indicating that Copilot is listening.You can ask simple things like "open Word", "summarize this text for me", "explain what this word means" or "play relaxing music"; and also more elaborate queries as long as you have the context prepared.

Microsoft says that Those who use voice interact with the system more than twice as much as those who only type.And it makes sense: speaking is usually much faster than typing long messages. However, the feature is disabled by default, and you have to go into Copilot's settings to enable both microphone use and the ability to hear the phrase "Hey Copilot."

Differences between Vision, Memories, and the normal Copilot chat

Within the Copilot ecosystem, there are several pieces that should be separated to avoid mixing concepts: normal text or voice conversation, Copilot Vision and the Recall functionEach one has a different objective and a different impact on privacy.

The basic part is the Copilot chat: When you speak or type, Copilot generates a transcript of the conversation that is saved in your history.It's the only thing that's preserved from the standard interaction; it doesn't save the audio you speak or screenshots of what you're seeing, only the dialogue text, which you can also delete at any time from your chat history.

On the other hand, Copilot Vision is a feature designed to allow AI to "see" what you have on your screen during that specific session.It can be activated, for example, on an Edge pageThis can be done through an open Windows application or by using the camera from the Copilot mobile app. Vision is limited to the context you choose to share at that moment: it analyzes what you show and helps you from there, but it doesn't save a permanent library of those images, nor does it store the audio associated with the session.

The function Recall is only available on Copilot+ PC and works very differentlyIf you choose to activate it, the system takes encrypted “snapshots” of what appears on your screen: websites, documents, applications, images… These captures are saved and analyzed locally on your own device, giving you a kind of private “photographic memory” that you can later access through Copilot. It is important to note that Recall data is processed on the device and is not uploaded directly to the cloud.and that Microsoft has enabled controls to pause, delete, or restrict what is captured.

Requirements and availability of “Hey Copilot” on Windows 11

Copilot's voice activation is geared towards computers with Windows 11, officially excluding Windows 10Although Copilot as an assistant may be present in more scenarios, the voice control experience with “Hey Copilot” is intended for the latest system and the new generation of equipment, including those labeled as Copilot+ PC.

The PCs with the Copilot+ PC badge include hardware specifically such as a dedicated NPUThis improves AI performance and allows for smoother experiences, but that doesn't mean voice is exclusive to these models: The “Hey Copilot” command can be used on any compatible Windows 11 computerThe experience will simply be more agile on modern equipment.

At times, certain “Hey Copilot” features have been limited to Windows Insider program users and English as the system languageThe expansion to other languages ​​is happening gradually; if you want to try it as soon as possible, it's best to have Windows 11 updated and the latest version of the Copilot app from the Microsoft Store (at least version 1.25051.10.0 or higher is required for some voice features), and if you need other languages, learn to Install additional languages ​​in Windows 11.

Configure microphone and basic permissions on your PC

Before you start talking to Copilot, You need to verify that your PC has a working microphone and that Windows grants permission to the application.. In portable It usually comes with an integrated microphone, but in desktop towers it is very common for there to be no microphone unless you connect it yourself.

During a after-dinner conversation, the normal thing will be use a microphone USB, a desktop one or the one integrated into your headphonesThe important thing is that the device is correctly detected by Windows and selected as the default input to avoid problems. Also, if you want "Hey Copilot" to work all the time, you'll need to keep it connected and operational continuously. If you don't hear any sound after installing Windows 11, consult [link to Windows 11 troubleshooting guide]. If you don't hear any sound after installing Windows 11.

On a laptop things are simpler because The built-in microphone is usually sufficient for using voice-activated Copilot.However, many models have physical keys or switches to turn off the microphone or lock it for security; if you want to know how to do it globally, you can see how mute everything in Windows 11If that mute function is active, Copilot won't hear anything, so for the wake word to work, the laptop... It must be unlocked, with the microphone enabled and in listening mode.

How to activate “Hey Copilot” in the Copilot app for Windows

Once the audio is ready, tap Enable "Hey Copilot" listening from within the application itselfThe process is simple, but you have to follow several steps within the interface:

The first is Open the Copilot app in Windows 11 in whatever way is most convenient for you.You can search for “Copilot” from the Start menu, use the search box on the taskbar, or, if your keyboard has a dedicated Copilot key, press it to launch the assistant.

With the window open, it is recommended Maximize Copilot to access all configuration optionsTo do this, tap the square icon (or the square with an arrow) in the upper right corner. This makes the panel take up more space and displays the full sidebar.

Then Open the left sidebar of the app Using the icon next to the Copilot symbol in the upper left corner, you'll have access to sections like your account, settings, and different usage modes.

Within that menu, enter “Account and settings” to view the application's options sectionsScroll down until you find the section dedicated to voice. That's where you'll see the specific option related to keyword activation.

In that section you have to Check the box “Listen to 'Hey Copilot' to start a conversation”In this way, Copilot will listen for the activation phrase while the PC is awake and the app has microphone permissions. The option to do so is also shown just above. Choose your Copilot voice type so that spoken responses sound the way you prefer.because the assistant not only listens, it can also answer you with its voice.

When you've finished adjusting the voice section, you can Return to the Copilot home screen by tapping the "house" iconFrom that moment on you should be able to test the command by saying "Hey Copilot" out loud and checking that the listening indicator appears.

Use voice commands with or without “Hey Copilot”

Hands-free activation isn't the only way to use your voice in Copilot: There is also a microphone icon next to the box where you type your queries.If you don't want the computer to constantly be listening for the keyword, you can use this button as an alternative.

By pressing that icon, Copilot enters listening mode and greets you, just as if you had activated it by saying "Hey Copilot"At that point, you can formulate your question, request, or instruction using natural language. While it listens, a floating box will appear at the bottom of the screen to show you that the system is active.

The Copilot panel It overlaps the open window you have open but without being too obtrusive, allowing you to continue working while you talk.If at any time you don't want to continue, simply click on the "X" to cancel that voice session, and you can continue with what you were doing without further ado.

If Copilot stops receiving audio or detects silence for a while, The listening session is automatically deactivated to prevent it from remaining open indefinitely.When you've finished ordering what you needed, you can also close using voice commands with phrases like “End conversation” or “Cancel”At that point, the assistant finishes and hides without you having to touch the keyboard.

What you can do with voice Copilot

Although Copilot's capabilities are somewhat limited in certain areas due to security and privacy concerns, Voice technology allows you to easily solve a good number of everyday tasks.These are some of the most useful ones.

To begin with, You can launch quick and direct queries about general informationQuestions like “What’s the weather like today?”, “When is the next public holiday?”, “Explain what this term means,” or “Give me a simple example of this” work without any additional setup; and if you’re interested in modifying the swear word filter in dictation, you can Remove the swear word filter.

In addition, Copilot serves very well as a small productivity assistant: You can ask them to write an email, prepare a to-do list, or suggest ideas. for a text, an article, or a presentation. If you're in the Copilot app itself or in Microsoft EdgeAll of this works directly, simply by indicating by voice what you want to achieve.

On systems where it is configured as the default system assistant, It can also perform certain actions on Windows.You can tell it things like “open Excel,” “turn on airplane mode,” or “turn up the volume,” and the assistant will attempt to make those changes using system APIs. To do this, it's a good idea to check in the settings that the option to “Use Copilot as default assistant” is enabled.

Another clear advantage is that You can speak naturally, without the need for robotic phrases.Comments like “help me with this, I don’t understand” or “can you explain it more simply?” are perfectly valid. Copilot interprets the context of the conversation and responds, trying to maintain a tone as close as possible to that of a personal assistant.

If you have advanced customization features, Copilot can remember some of your preferences across different sessionsFor example, you could say “remind me that I prefer plain text instructions” or “don’t show me images, only text,” and the system will try to respect those instructions while memory is enabled. These options are usually found in the privacy and personalization section of Copilot's settings and require signing in with a Microsoft account and having access to the full version of the service.

Copilot voice limitations: what it doesn't do (at least for now)

Despite all that it allows, it's best to keep your feet on the ground: Voice copilot is not an all-powerful tool that can execute anything you can think of.Microsoft has put several deliberate barriers in place to prevent security problems and abuse.

One of the main limitations is that It cannot run complex scripts nor commands direct in tools like PowerShell or bashYou can't just tell it to "throw this" script that is on such and such a route” and expect it to simply execute it. These types of actions require manual intervention to prevent someone from, for example, activating dangerous instructions with just a voice command.

It's not designed for either Generate or edit images directly from voice without any interactionTo create images with AI, you usually have to write a detailed prompt or upload a specific image from the corresponding interface, although Copilot can help you write what you want to generate.

Another important point is access to your local files: Copilot cannot open documents on its own without your explicit consent.In some cases, you can enable options to give the wizard some access to your files, but you'll always have to tell it what you want to use and where it's located. If you work with multiple drives or uncommon folders, Copilot is very likely to fail to find a file unless you provide the full path, and it's often still faster to open it manually using File Explorer.

Regarding third-party applications, Copilot cannot independently send emails, post on social media, or modify documents without your participation in the process.For these types of integrations, specific connectors, automation flows, or other more advanced solutions are required that do not rely solely on the Windows wizard.

Finally, the voice sessions They are not designed for endless, non-stop conversations.They are relatively brief: if there is background noise or if you speak while Copilot is responding, the response may be cut off and the system may interpret this as a new query. It recommends combining voice and text for longer or complex tasks.

Copilot Vision: The AI that understands what you see on screen

In addition to the voice component, Microsoft is investing heavily in Copilot Vision, a feature that allows the assistant to "see" what's on the screen to give you contextual helpYou don't need special glasses or strange devices: just your monitor, your voice (or keyboard) and Windows 11.

With Vision you can Share your entire desktop or limit yourself to a specific application., for example WordExcel, PowerPoint, or your browser. Copilot analyzes the content you show it and can suggest changes, help you improve an open resume, or guide you step-by-step through a complex form. In long documents, the assistant can visually "listen" to all the content at once, without you having to copy and paste entire pages.

Microsoft is also preparing the possibility of using Vision without needing to speak, by writing the queries instead of using your voiceThis capability will first be available to Windows Insider users and will be rolled out later to the rest of the stable Windows 11 installations.