Copilot chatbot on Windows 11 and 10 can now search local files

Microsoft has begun rolling out a long-awaited feature to Copilot for Windows 11 and Windows 10, allowing the AI assistant to search for files stored locally or synced via OneDrive. Previously, this feature was only available to Windows Insiders, but is now available to all Copilot users, reports Windows Latest.

Copilot's File Search feature uses Windows Search indexing to find documents by name, type, or date. Microsoft Office formats (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX), PDF, text files, and more are supported. However, developer-specific extensions, such as .dart, are not currently supported.

By default, Copilot only has access to the Documents and Downloads folders, but the search scope can be customized in Windows permissions settings. To activate the feature, users need to enable it in Copilot settings. Microsoft deliberately did not enable it by default for privacy reasons.

Microsoft says the feature will be rolling out gradually over several weeks and does not require a Copilot Pro subscription. The company sees local file search as a natural extension of Copilot’s desktop integration, helping users quickly find and interact with documents without leaving the chat interface.