You can now set Microsoft Copilot as your Pixel’s default digital assistant

Microsoft Copilot app, first released for Android in December 2023, has consistently expanded its AI-powered capabilities. From answering questions to crafting content and generating images, the app offers a variety of helpful features.

In a recent beta update (version 27.9.420225014), Microsoft is taking Copilot a step further by allowing Android users to set it as their default digital assistant. Now, a simple tap and hold of the home or power button, or a diagonal swipe from the screen corner, directly launches the Copilot interface on your Google Pixel phone or any other Android smartphone.

While this integration is a positive development, it currently has some limitations. Unlike assistants such as Google Assistant or Gemini, Copilot cannot yet analyze what’s displayed on your screen and suggest relevant actions. Still, this change signals Microsoft’s commitment to making Copilot a more central part of the Android experience. We can likely expect further refinements to make it as intuitive and proactive as other popular digital assistants.

To make Microsoft Copilot your default assistant on a Google Pixel device, navigate to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Digital assistant app > Default digital assistant app, and choose Copilot from the options. The timeline for this feature’s rollout to the stable version of the app remains unknown. But this move shows that Microsoft sees potential in Copilot, demonstrated by recent updates like a fresh user interface and the introduction of Copilot Pro, a paid tier with even more capabilities.

As noted, you can only set Microsoft Copilot as the default digital assistant on your Android device with the latest beta version. It’s not available in the Play Store, but you can download it from the APKMirror and install manually.