Microsoft's finally letting you change the Copilot key back to what it was before Windows 11's AI assistant existed

Date:
Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
'Oh, yes: steal the Right Ctrl and now return it as an improvement': Microsoft's finally letting you revert Windows 11's Copilot key back to what it used to be.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Microsoft is bringing in more options for remapping the Copilot key You'll be able to redefine it to invoke the context menu, or use it as Right Ctrl This used to be the Right Ctrl key before Microsoft jettisoned it to make room for the dedicated AI key on Windows 11 laptops Microsoft is going to provide more options for remapping the Copilot key, the dedicated key introduced to summon Windows 11 's AI assistant on laptops (and some standalone keyboards, too).

Windows Central noticed that Microsoft has confirmed this move in a support document, which states : "Customers who rely on the Right Ctrl key or Context menu key for keyboard shortcuts or assistive technologies (such as screen readers) experienced some challenges to their workflows when using these devices. "A Windows 11 update will ship later this year that will add a setting option to let you remap the Copilot key to act as the Context menu
key or Right Ctrl key." Latest Videos From You may like Microsoft drops controversial Windows 11 Copilot feature after backlash Windows 11's AI removal campaign begins, but Notepad change isn't popular Microsoft promises to fix the biggest issues in Windows 11, including AI

So, you'll be able to use the Copilot key as a Control key on the right side of the keyboard, which is what that key would have been before Copilot was around. Either that, or you can switch it to bring up the context menu (the right-click menu that facilitates context-sensitive actions).

Microsoft previously introduced the ability to redefine the Copilot key to invoke Windows search or open certain apps (although no third-party applications support this, making it of limited use thus far). Analysis: a necessary fix (Image credit: Getty Images) It's good to get some better options, then, including that context menu key (which was actually rumored to be a change in the works over a year ago ). Returning the key to the Right Ctrl is an important move because, as Microsoft observes, not having it can
be an accessibility issue.

It's instrumental for certain workflows, such as being able to use shortcuts with one hand, pressing Ctrl plus the arrow keys, for example, or other
combos using Ctrl with other keys on the right side of the keyboard. Without
a Ctrl key on the right, those actions become a two-handed operation using
the left and right sides of the keyboard. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

It'd be nice if Microsoft gave us a wider range of options to remap the key
to anything we wanted, though that can be achieved by installing PowerToys
and using the Keyboard Manager. We've got the full details on how to do that here , though I'd still rather have some of the key parts of PowerToys including this one incorporated into Windows 11 as options, as I recently discussed .

Overall, this move is a welcome one, and another part of Microsoft's big plan to fix Windows 11 although some folks are still pretty jaded about the company having implemented the Copilot key in the first place.

As this Redditor observed : "Oh, yes: steal the Right Ctrl and now return it as an improvement."

And someone else on Reddit noted : "Looks like their telemetry told them people avoided pressing that key like a plague." The best laptops for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best laptops 1. Best overall: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 2. Best budget: Apple MacBook Neo 3. Best Windows 11 laptop Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch 4. Best thin and light: Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 5. Best Ultrabook Asus Zenbook S 16 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsofts-finally-letting-you-cha nge-the-copilot-key-back-to-what-it-was-before-windows-11s-ai-assistant-existe d


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