Microsoft to auto-launch Copilot in Edge whenever you click a link from Outlook
- Reference: 1772116130
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/02/26/copilot_pane_edge_outlook/
- Source link:
The feature appeared on the [1]Microsoft 365 roadmap on February 25, with a rollout due to start in May 2026. According to Microsoft, the update will "provide contextual insights and actionable suggestion chips
sic
based on email and destination content."Microsoft boss on AI content: 'Nobody wants anything that is sloppy' [2]READ MORE
It added: "This experience helps users quickly understand content, take action with fewer steps, and get more value from Copilot while extending productive browsing time in Edge."
The update is consistent with Microsoft's current Copilot-everywhere strategy and will roll out worldwide to standard multi-tenant cloud instances.
Whether it will be opt-in or opt-out remains unconfirmed, though users hoping for a conveniently placed off switch may be disappointed. Microsoft is keen to put its AI assistant in front of as many users as possible.
[3]
The Register asked Microsoft how much control administrators would have over the feature and what would happen if Edge wasn't the default browser. The company has yet to respond.
[4]West Midlands Police earn red card over Copilot's imaginary football match
[5]Don't believe the hyperscalers! AI can't cure the climate crisis
[6]Copilot spills the beans, summarizing emails it's not supposed to read
[7]If Microsoft made a car... what would it be?
Finding a corner of Microsoft's software that Copilot hasn't reached is increasingly difficult – even Notepad has not escaped – and disabling it across the company's productivity suite has become a game of Whac-A-Mole for enterprise administrators who have yet to embrace the technology.
The automatic pane could hand those administrators yet another mallet to swing, particularly given that Copilot surfacing suggestions based on email content could run afoul of data security policies. That said, enterprises already nervous about where their data ends up likely have Copilot policies well in hand.
[8]
Jon von Tetzchner, CEO of the Vivaldi browser project, which is already surfing the wave of anti-AI sentiment, isn't too impressed with Microsoft's latest efforts pertaining to Copilot and Edge.
"This is another example of trying to push Edge in every way possible and also forcing Copilot on users that may not want it," he told The Register .
[9]
"Considering how sensitive corporate emails can be, the last thing you want is them being snooped on by an LLM hosted who knows where. This would be highly problematic from a corporate security and privacy point of view, and even more of a problem for private users who might be using one of MS's email services. Just imagine if someone sends an email exploiting that for phishing purposes," he added.
"Should this be an opt-in rather than an opt-out? Absolutely. The better question is whether it should be a thing at all." ®
Get our [10]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=557561
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/25/microsoft_boss_on_ai_content/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aaB8NB0_fDDBui0S-G9m3AAAAlY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/24/west_midlands_police_copilot/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/19/ai_climate_crisis_claims/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/18/microsoft_copilot_data_loss_prevention/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/15/if_microsoft_made_a_car/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aaB8NB0_fDDBui0S-G9m3AAAAlY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aaB8NB0_fDDBui0S-G9m3AAAAlY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Scene
That reminds me of a scene from Friends with a mystery switch.
Well, it's interesting that Microslop is showing so much restrain here. Surely they should stop pretending and let Coidiot take over the mouse cursor and do whatever Coidiot things user wants done.
Re: Scene
Please, don't give them any more stupid ideas.
Well that lasted long
They talk about [1]nobody wanting slop and [2]reducing AI in Windows but carry on full steam ahead.
I'm unsure as to the thinking behind this, if any.
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/25/microsoft_boss_on_ai_content/
[2] https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-is-reevaluating-its-ai-efforts-on-windows-11-plans-to-reduce-copilot-integrations-and-evolve-recall
Re: Well that lasted long
Profit. Microsoft's model is like what I heard the model for selling drugs is: the first shot is free (or in Microsoft's case, at most a discount - avoid validating the Open Source idea). Once you have the dependency you can crank up the prices.
The problem that all the AI bros have is creating that dependency. Now the "you can sack a lot of people" sales argument has been proven to be rather optimistic it's descending into the "free crackers with every purchase" model, yet they still go and build more and more power/water absorbing data centres for it. It's the dot con era all over, but with much thicker cables.
Re: Well that lasted long
The "AI bros" have sunk an awful lot of money are are desperate to show some use for all that investment.
MS have the captive audience that they can force it on to and then they show uptake in it because they'll count all the link-clicks that have caused Co-Idiot to launch as an interaction.
Re: Well that lasted long
Checks out. To both Microsoft and drug dealers- customer = user
Re: Well that lasted long
What else would be expect from OpenSatnad
This just confirms my choice not to use Windows nor even the Linux version of Edge. It is beyond my comprehension why Windows users, or at least those who know there are alternatives, continue to tolerate this abuse. Yes, I know - this thing for which you think it's essential or that thing. But do they really justify putting up with it all?
Most of us don't have a choice. My employer mandates the software that I run on their laptop and the operating system.
In that situation, I would start looking for a new employer
If it was always this easy..
Mine has put a hard block on it, and that's mandated by its largest shareholder.
To get anything more than some AI in your browser it has to get an approval from an almost stratospheric level because they sensibly worry about compliance and IP risk. For once nobody takes chances or shortcuts, so I wonder why. Maybe they weren't invited to expensive dinners?
Often it's the suppliers
Quite often those mandates don't come from the IT department, they come from suppliers who will refuse to support their products if they're used with another other than Edge.
Rather than beating a clue into each and every supplier who supplies such an edict, it's easier just to get everyone using Edge.
That said, it sometimes is the IT department. It's easier to roll-out configurations using Group Policy or Intune to Edge than to Chrome, Firefox, etc. and keeping an entire business on one browser makes internal support easier.
Re: Often it's the suppliers
Ah yes, Edge.
Which depends on Chrome. Which has appeared to be very Microsoft compatible in that it has so many security problems that Microsoft's derivative got THREE updates in as many days, the first to 145.3800.58 (last Thursday), then ~65 (last Friday), then ~70(last Saturday).
I think they have finally managed to actually fix the latest problem.
For now.
"Most of us don't have a choice. My employer mandates"
You don't have a choice but your employer made one, even unthinkingly.
Linux version of Edge.
Presumably sold alongside motorbike ashtrays and chocolate teapots ?
Re: Linux version of Edge.
I suspect that'll be blocked by default in SE Linux :)
FTFY
> "This experience helps users quickly understand content, take action with fewer steps, and get more value from Copilot while extending productive browsing time in Edge."
This data scraping operation helps us quickly hoard user information, forcibly inflate Copilot’s user base, and pull the investrors‘ leg a little bit longer while figuring out how to swallow the huge losses we are making on this ridiculous AI system.
Use decent software and don’t be a part of this.
Edge can be uninstalled
if your system 'country' is set to an EU member during installation.
Or perhaps the language.
I did install it in english US so i had to fiddle with Vivetool (IIRC) to be able to uninstall edge
Sanitaryware
Hope Microsoft does not do joint-venture with one of the sanitaryware companies - Copilot [CraPilot] will be popping up like Clippy, "looks like you are going to..."