Microsoft is testing an integrated side-by-side web browser in the Copilot desktop application for Windows and macOS, allowing users to open web pages directly next to their Copilot session, with support for multi-tab navigation and full-screen switching to reduce frequent switching between AI conversations and external browsers.
This feature is currently available for testing by administrators, but requires enabling the BrowsingEnabled policy through a device management system. Wider automatic deployment is expected by the end of November.
Microsoft said that on September 21, a supplementary update will also be released, adding a right-click menu to the sidebar web tabs, allowing users to directly choose to open links in an external browser. Previously, clicking on reference links in Copilot responses usually required switching to an external browser. The new feature allows web pages to load directly within Copilot, and users can continue the conversation after closing the page.
Regarding data compliance, Microsoft confirmed that browsing history, cookies, and auto-fill information are stored in the local user profile directory %localappdata%\Microsoft\Copilot\User Data. Enterprise administrators need to evaluate based on internal data leakage prevention and endpoint security requirements. Organizations can manage the BrowsingEnabled setting through the Microsoft Edge policy framework, or manually copy or open links from Copilot in an external browser.
