Microsoft may integrate Copilot Chat directly into the File Explorer on Windows 11 next

An invisible button has been spotted in the File Explorer app on the latest Windows 11 preview builds. Currently, the button is non-functional, only appearing when you hover over a blank space in the navigation bar, but that hasn't stopped Windows Insider sleuths from looking into what it might be for.

Discovered by @phantomofearth, it appears the button will be tied to Copilot. Strings spotted in the current Windows 11 preview builds specifically mentions a feature called "Chat with Copilot," along with an option to detach the Copilot interface from the File Explorer window.

We don't yet know much else about the new button in File Explorer, but it's likely to invoke a Copilot sidebar or pop-up that lets you chat directly with Copilot about a document, photos, or other file type that you've selected within the File Explorer app.

Here's a mock-up of what that could possibly look like:

File Explorer actually already has a basic level of Copilot integration via the right-click menu. If you select a file and right-click it, the option to Ask Copilot will appear, which when clicked will open the dedicated Copilot app in a new window where you can ask questions about the file.

This experience isn't very seamless or integrated into File Explorer, which is why this new invisible button is notable, as it might be a sign that an improved, more integrated Copilot experience is on the way for File Explorer on Windows 11. This should hopefully be a more streamlined experience for those who do utilize Copilot often.

Given that this potential integration isn't yet functional in the current Windows 11 preview builds, none of this is confirmed and could change or be canceled. What we do know for sure is Microsoft is testing a new Copilot button of some kind in the File Explorer, which is currently invisible and non-functional in the latest Windows 11 preview builds.

In the meantime, what are you hoping to see from File Explorer on Windows 11 in 2026? Would you welcome yet more Copilot integration in the File Explorer app, or would you rather the company focus its efforts on other aspects of the app? Let us know in the comments!

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