In-Depth
Copilot AI: What You're Missing on Windows 10 PCs
With the sunsetting of Windows 10, our writer Tom Fenton had detailed many things that can be done with the obsolete machines ("5 Ways to Repurpose your Windows 10 System" and "Repurposing an 'Obsolete' Windows 10 Laptop into a Thin Client").
However, I am stubbornly clinging to my non-upgradeable Win 10 laptop (wrong hardware components), which I use right alongside my work Win 11 PC. But with AI taking over everything, I wondered what I might be missing with Copilot, which I use constantly for journalism and many other things. Any fellow PC Luddites might be wondering too. Here's the answer:
Microsoft markets Copilot as a cross-platform AI assistant, but the Copilot experience differs materially between Win 11 PCs and Win 10 PCs. The difference is not cosmetic or merely about where Copilot appears on the screen. It is about what Copilot is allowed to do.
On Win 11, Copilot is implemented as a system-level feature integrated into the operating system, allowing it to interact with Windows components that are increasingly configured and governed through cloud-delivered management services. On Win 10, Copilot is limited to browser-based surfaces such as the Edge sidebar, the Copilot web experience, or the Copilot app, which functions as a packaged web client. That architectural split determines whether Copilot can act as an entry point into locally applied but centrally managed Windows capabilities or remain confined to providing guidance without direct interaction.
| Copilot Task or Use Case |
Windows 11 PCs |
Windows 10 PCs |
| Open specific Windows Settings pages by request (e.g., Bluetooth, Display, Windows Update) |
Copilot can open the relevant Settings page directly |
Copilot can only provide written instructions |
| Toggle selected system settings (dark mode, Bluetooth, focus/notification modes) |
Copilot can initiate or perform supported system toggles |
Copilot cannot change system settings |
| Launch built-in Windows applications (Settings, Calculator, Notepad) |
Copilot can launch apps via the Windows shell |
Copilot cannot launch local applications |
| Guide users through system configuration with UI handoff |
Copilot can explain steps and open the relevant system UI |
Copilot can explain steps only, with no UI navigation |
| Persist as an OS-level assistant across apps and system surfaces |
Copilot runs as a shell-integrated assistant independent of the browser |
Copilot runs only in browser-based or web app surfaces |
| Reason about Windows UI structure and system features |
Copilot has bounded awareness of Windows settings and features |
Copilot has no awareness of the local operating system |
| Act as an entry point into centrally managed Windows configuration |
Copilot can route users into locally enforced, cloud-managed settings |
Copilot cannot interact with managed OS configuration |
Chat and Explanation Use Cases
For the most typical use case, chatting with Copilot to answer questions or explain concepts, there is no intentional capability difference between Win 11 PCs and Win 10 PCs. General prompts such as explaining a technology, defining a term, summarizing documentation, or answering cloud-related questions produce comparable results on both operating systems because they rely on the same underlying Copilot service.
The difference emerges when those explanations are implicitly tied to the local system. On Win 11, Copilot can ground explanations in the operating system context, linking guidance to specific Windows features, settings categories, or system behaviors and, where supported, opening the relevant system interface. On Win 10, Copilot has no awareness of the local Windows environment, so explanations remain abstract and instructional rather than connected to the device itself.
In managed environments, this distinction affects how Copilot explanations align with cloud-delivered configuration and policy. On Win 11, Copilot can explain features in the context of settings that are commonly governed through centralized management and then route users to the applicable configuration surface. On Win 10, Copilot can describe the same features but cannot connect those explanations to locally enforced, centrally managed system behavior.
No OS-Level Copilot on Windows 10
Win 11 includes a first-party Windows Copilot surface that is integrated into the Windows shell and launched from the taskbar. Win 10 does not include this system-level Copilot experience.
On Win 10, Copilot runs entirely outside the operating system context. It has no awareness of the Windows shell, no supported access to system APIs, and no capability to initiate operating system actions. This limitation defines most of what Copilot cannot do on Win 10.
System Settings Navigation and Control
On Win 11, Copilot can open specific Windows Settings pages directly in response to natural-language prompts such as opening Bluetooth, Display, or Windows Update settings.
On Win 10, Copilot does not support opening Settings pages directly. Prompts that request system navigation result in explanatory text or step-by-step instructions rather than an OS action.
Toggling System Features
Win 11 Copilot supports a limited, allow-listed set of system actions, such as turning dark mode on or off, enabling Bluetooth, or changing notification and focus settings.
On Win 10, Copilot cannot toggle system features and can only describe how changes are made manually.
Launching Built-In Windows Apps
On Win 11, Copilot can launch built-in Windows applications such as Settings, Calculator, or Notepad using natural-language prompts.
On Win 10, Copilot cannot launch local applications.
Guided OS Workflows With UI Handoff
Win 11 Copilot supports guided system workflows where Copilot explains a task and opens the relevant Windows UI to complete it.
On Win 10, Copilot can only provide static instructions with no UI handoff.
Persistent, OS-Anchored Assistant Behavior
On Win 11, Copilot runs as a persistent, OS-anchored assistant that remains available as users move between apps and system surfaces.
On Win 10, Copilot is always a browser-derived experience.
System-Aware Reasoning About Windows
Win 11 Copilot has bounded awareness of Windows itself, including settings categories, system features, and UI structure.
On Win 10, Copilot has no system awareness.
What Copilot Still Can't Do
Even on Win 11, Copilot does not have unrestricted system access. It cannot automate arbitrary applications, browse the file system freely, run scripts, or replace administrative tools such as PowerShell.
The Practical Bottom Line
For organizations managing Windows endpoints through cloud-based services such as Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID, the Copilot capability gap has operational implications. On Win 11, Copilot can surface and route users directly into system configuration areas that are commonly governed by cloud-delivered policies. On Win 10, Copilot remains unable to interact with those locally enforced but cloud-managed configurations.
Win 11 Copilot can initiate and guide real Windows actions, including opening Settings pages, toggling selected system features, launching built-in apps, and navigating OS workflows. Win 10 Copilot remains limited to browser-based assistance that can describe those actions rather than execute them.
That distinction reflects Microsoft's product strategy: Win 11 is the platform where Copilot functions as part of the operating system, while Win 10 provides access to Copilot only as a web-based AI service.
For more information on Copilot:
About the Author
David Ramel is an editor and writer at Converge 360.