Microsoft is adding a browsing feature to the Copilot desktop app that opens links in a tabbed side pane on the right without leaving the chat. Broad distribution for Windows and Mac will begin in late November 2026; administrators can provide early access. Testing, which began with Windows Insider users on March 4, 2026, has gradually reached all Insider channels on Copilot 146.0.3856.39 and later.
- Each link will open in a new tab; tabs will be saved with the conversation.
- The pane can be resized or made full-screen.
- The menu will offer options to open in an external browser and copy the address.
- With permission, Copilot will be able to summarize, compare and draft text using only the tabs in that conversation.
History, cookies and autofill will be stored in the profile; Edge data can be synced and transferred.
Why it matters
This arrangement combines web-page browsing with Copilot chat in the same app window, changing the workflow especially for users who work through links. Saving tabs with the conversation and allowing Copilot to operate only on tabs belonging to that conversation and authorized by the user indicate that content access is limited to the chat context. On the other hand, keeping history, cookies and autofill data in the profile, along with the ability to sync Edge data, raises data-retention and profile-preference considerations for users and organizational administrators. The feature’s gradual testing in Insider channels means there are different stages of use between early access and the broad distribution planned to begin at the end of November 2026. It is not specified when broad distribution will be completed.
Background
Copilot is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 6 news stories mentioning the name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated September 25, 2026.