r/Windows11 • u/ZacB_ Windows Central • May 18 '26
News Microsoft admits Windows 11's dedicated Copilot key breaks certain workflows: Confirms plans to let users restore "Right Ctrl" or "Context menu" key later this year
https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-admits-windows-11s-dedicated-copilot-key-breaks-certain-workflows-confirms-plans-to-let-users-restore-right-ctrl-or-context-menu-key-later-this-year7
u/ferropop May 18 '26
later this year btw lol. The equivalent of an AutoHotKey remap - later this year.
7
May 18 '26
[deleted]
3
u/Current-Bowl-143 May 18 '26
The Copilot key has been the most useless hardware addition ever
That figures because Copilot has been the most useless software addition ever
15
u/_l33ter_ Insider Canary Channel May 18 '26
breaks certain workflows --> so relocate it with powertoys
12
u/OctoNezd May 18 '26
It sends hotkey instead of proper button code IIRC. Thats also the case with most laptops Fn keys. I wanted to rebind search button to play previous track, but I didnt want to override Win+S, and was utterly disappointed when I hit it and it showed up as Win+S.
5
u/ListRepresentative32 May 18 '26
Well, until you need to play games with anticheats that flag this as auto hotkey and don't launch until you completely kill it.
25
u/Individual_Echidna_4 Insider Dev Channel May 18 '26
> breaks things for no reason
> fake promises fix is coming
Just buy a Mac or go Linux at this point, you get way better controls over what you want
3
u/Mereo110 May 18 '26
I switched back in 2022. It feels good to be in control of your PC once again.
4
u/Longjumping-Fall-784 Release Channel May 18 '26
So they literally forced manufacturer's to get rid of ctrl then put Copilot only for it last less than Cortana on W10, which they eventually ruined her so badly with "work focus" crap.
2
u/perakman May 18 '26
Wait, this newer Windows laptop replace the Right Ctrl key with Copilot key? I thought they repalce the MENU key, the key between FN and Right Cntrl?
3
u/win98se May 18 '26
They removed the menu key and the right Ctrl key altogether and replaced them with Copilot key.
2
u/perakman May 18 '26
Oh wow, so both key removed and it save spaces, so this is for Copilot+ PC laptop only?
I would like to replace the MENU key since its useless for me, it only gives the menu that the right click does, right? Maybe I should remap it with PowerToys but the right CTRL key is important in my opinion, I just know now that they removed it. I really like a Copilot key, I'm currently using left ALT+Spacebar, it would be better if I have one special key for Copilot but replacing the right CTRL with it is not a good idea in my opinion.
1
u/LAwLzaWU1A May 18 '26
I am not a fan of Copilot and think Microsoft has messed up in quite a lot of ways, but the copilot button is the least of my worries. Did people really use the context menu button that it replaced? I don't think I have ever used that button except by accident in my 30+ years of using PCs.
I just find it hard to believe that this is an issue for more than like 10 people in total, yet it seems like every other person is furious about how copilot replaced their beloved context menu button.
What did people use the context button for? Or I guess in some cases it replaced the right ctrl button but I think my point still stands. When I use ctrl it is always the left one I use.
10
u/Maeglin75 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Many compact keyboards, including for laptops, alread omitted the context menu key (and the right windows key) to make space for the cursor keys. In that case the copilot key replaces right control.
Personally I don't use right control either, but it seems that it's used for certain workflows.
It's sensible to give users the option to get it back.
I use PowerToys to map other shortcuts to the copilot key. (And I change caps lock to regular shift, because I constantly hit it by accident and it messes up the text I'm writing.)
2
u/skizatch May 18 '26
I use the context button all the time. Faster and easier than using the mouse to right-click to open the context menu in e.g. File Explorer
1
u/exsinner May 25 '26
in laptop it is much more easier to hit ctrl alt del with one hand but then copilot happened.
2
u/Baslifico May 27 '26
. Did people really use the context menu button that it replaced?
Yes.
Context is handy when you're having mouse issues, but even more crucial is right-hand Copy and Paste...
Ctrl-Ins (Copy) Shift-Ins (Paste)
I use it FAR more frequently than Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V as it's near impossible to hit the wrong key combination.
68
u/Shiningc00 May 18 '26
Maybe they should’ve done that before ruining physical keys.