Enable Microsoft Edge Copilot on the New Tab Page: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you ready to elevate your browsing experience in Microsoft Edge? Now, you can transform your New Tab page into a Copilot Search experience! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through each step to enable this innovative feature, ensuring that you harness the full potential of Microsoft Edge’s AI capabilities.

Starting with version 137 in the Canary Channel, Microsoft has begun rolling out an experimental capability that sets Copilot as the New Tab page. To access this feature, some manual configuration is required in the browser’s experimental (flag) settings.

After enabling Copilot, you’ll get access to the Copilot Search experience, which differs significantly from the Copilot chatbot available at “Copilot. Microsoft.com”. While Copilot Search operates like an intelligent search engine providing comprehensive answers, the Copilot chatbot functions similarly to a personal assistant. This distinction is vital to understanding how to maximize your usage.

Keep in mind that if you enter a web domain, the New Tab will directly redirect you to that site instead of displaying a results page. As this feature is still under development, settings to control every aspect may not be fully available yet. However, there is a menu on the New Tab page where you can show or hide your most visited websites.

How to Enable Copilot as Your New Tab Experience in Microsoft Edge

Follow these detailed steps to activate the Copilot Search feature on your Microsoft Edge New Tab page:

Start by launching Microsoft Edge.
In the address bar, enter the following to access the “NTP Composer” setting:

edge://flags/#edge-ntp-composer
Locate the “NTP Composer” option and select Enabled.
Next, enter this path in the address bar to configure the “NTP Composer Chat Ranking” setting:

edge://flags/#edge-ntp-composer-chat-ranking
Change the “NTP Composer Chat Ranking” to Enabled.
Now, access the “NTP Composer Focus” setting by entering:

edge://flags/#edge-ntp-composer-focus
Set “NTP Composer Focus” to Enabled.
Finally, to enable Copilot Search, navigate to:

edge://flags/#edge-ntp-composer-use-copilot-search
Change the “NTP Composer Use Copilot Search” setting to Enabled.
Hit the Restart button to apply the changes.

After completing these steps, simply open a new tab in Microsoft Edge and immerse yourself in the Copilot Search experience.

Edge New Tab Copilot modes — Explore various modes of Copilot on Edge’s New Tab page / Image: Mauro Huculak

Within the prompt box, you can access the Copilot menu to select your search mode. Options include “Default”, which provides general search, navigation, and chat suggestions. For advanced searches, opt for “Search and Navigate”. For a more conversational approach, select the “Chat” option.

Edge Settings with Ask Copilot option — Settings featuring the “Ask Copilot” option for solutions / Image: Mauro Huculak

Moreover, upon visiting the settings page in Edge, you’ll find a new prompt that says “Running into a problem? Ask Copilot for solutions”. Clicking on “Ask Copilot” will summon the assistant from the right, ready to help you troubleshoot.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between Copilot Search and the chatbot?

Copilot Search functions as an AI-powered search engine that provides comprehensive answers to queries, akin to Google’s “AI Mode”.In contrast, the Copilot chatbot is designed to act more like a personal assistant, focusing on providing support and assistance outside search functions.

2. Can I revert to the standard New Tab page?

Yes, if you wish to return to the default New Tab experience, simply revisit the flags settings and disable the Copilot options you enabled earlier, then restart Microsoft Edge.

3. Will these features remain available in future updates?

Since these features are still in development and part of the experimental settings, their availability may change in future updates. Keep an eye on Microsoft’s announcements regarding any modifications to Copilot functionalities.

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