Microsoft Introduces Free Copilot Vision with On-Screen Awareness for Windows Users

Microsoft is bringing Copilot Vision with on-screen awareness to free-tier users, a significant advancement in how users interact with Windows and Microsoft Edge. Here’s what this means and what features are included:

What is Copilot Vision?​

Copilot Vision is a feature of Microsoft Copilot that allows the AI assistant to "see" and analyze the visual content on your screen—such as webpages, applications, documents, and images—not just in the Edge browser but now in any app window on your PC. This “on-screen awareness” enables Copilot to provide context-aware guidance, visual cues, and step-by-step instructions directly based on what is displayed.

Key Features for Free-Tier Users​

• Real-Time Visual Analysis: When enabled, Copilot can scan and interpret what's on your screen, including buttons, icons, menus, documents, and images. For example, it can summarize a dense webpage, explain interface elements in Photoshop, or highlight menu options directly within the app.
• Context-Aware Help: Instead of generic advice, Copilot Vision gives tailored, step-by-step visual and verbal instructions, making it easier to perform complex tasks, troubleshoot issues, or learn new software features.
• Interactive Guidance: The AI can use on-screen highlights or even an additional cursor to visually point out important controls, commands, or actions, reducing ambiguity and helping you complete tasks more confidently.
• No Background Monitoring: The feature only activates when you explicitly grant permission. You control which screen or app window Copilot can “see,” and once you end the session, it stops access, ensuring privacy and security are preserved.
• Cross-Platform Expansion: While currently rolling out for Windows and Edge, Microsoft plans to extend Copilot Vision to iOS and Android, letting the AI analyze live camera feeds or photos for mobile assistance.
• Enhanced File Search: Alongside visual assistance, Copilot can search for files by content (not just name) using natural language queries—making it easier to find documents like DOCX, XLSX, PDF, and more.

Privacy & Security​

• User-Initiated Only: Copilot Vision never has continuous or background access; it requires user opt-in each session.
• Granular Controls: You can specify which apps/windows Copilot Vision can access.
• No Permanent Data Retention: Analyses are temporary; Copilot does not store what it sees after the session ends.

Real-World Use Cases​

• Navigating complex creative apps like Photoshop with instant visual help.
• Troubleshooting Windows settings or errors with on-screen guidance.
• Summarizing or extracting details from long web articles, spreadsheets, or emails.
• Using a mobile device to analyze real-world images for identification or suggestions.

Who Gets It?​

• The free-tier rollout makes these powerful AI vision capabilities available to all users (not just enterprise customers), starting with Windows Insiders in the U.S. and expanding globally over time.

In summary: Copilot Vision’s on-screen awareness is a leap forward for digital assistants, offering free users context-sensitive, real-time visual help in Windows apps and beyond—while maintaining a strong stance on privacy and user control.
If you need a more detailed (feature-by-feature) breakdown or step-by-step guide on activation and use, just let me know!

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Source: Business Standard https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/microsoft-brings-copilot-vision-with-on-screen-awareness-to-free-tier-users-125061300314_1.html