This post explains how to set Copilot as default assistant on Android. If you are update to date with the tech news and trends, you might have heard about the Microsoft Copilot app on Android. The app is available through the Android Play Store and lets you quickly access the capabilities of Copilot right on your mobile phone.
Recently Microsoft pushed an update to the app that lets you set Copilot as your default Android assistant. Doing that allows you to quickly access the Copilot app from any screen of your Android. You can do it from the Default app settings of your Android smartphone and switch the assistant from Google to Copilot. Then you can use the assistant trigger gesture or shortcut to launch the Copilot. Let’s dive into it and what capabilities the Copilot brings as a default assistant.
What is Copilot
Copilot is an AI-powered chatbot that lets you harness the power of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0. You can call it Microsoft’s version of ChatGPT. Microsoft has integrated Copilot throughout its lineup of products. You can use it on a Windows PC, in Microsoft Office apps, Teams, and more. It brings a set of features to different products aiming to boost productivity and save time. Microsoft released an Android app that allows you to easily interact with the Copilot on Android devices. The app offers text-based conversations along with AI image generation and more. I have already covered the app and its features you can check out in my other post here.
How to Set Copilot as Default Android Assistant
To set Copilot as the default Android assistant, make sure you have the latest version of the app. I have signed up for the beta program that allows you to get new updates before it gets rolled out to everyone. You can also sign up for the beta program through the Play Store if you like.
After updating the app to the latest version, open the Settings app on your Android device. Scroll down to the Apps section and tap on it to open. The look for Default apps section and again tap on it to access those settings.
In the Default apps section, look for the Digital Assistant app and tap on it. This brings a list of apps installed on your device that you can use as the Android assistant. Simply pick the Copilot from the list to set it as your Android Assistant.
Advatange of Copilot Assistant on Android
The main advantage of setting up Copilot as the default Android assistant is that you can access it using the Assitant triggering gesture. It can be swiping up on the screen from either of the bottom corner. Or it can be pressing and holding on to the power button. The trigger depends on the smartphone OEM as well as the user settings. This allows you to quickly access the Copilot app no matter where you are on your phone. You can do it from the home screen or you can do it from any app. The gesture opens the Copilot app where you can run your queries and get answers.
Is it worth Replacing Google with Copilot as Android Assistant?
The Copilot app does not include any assistant-worthy features yet. The current version only launches the app that you otherwise have to open manually. Unlike Google Assistant, which opens as an overlay over the current screen, Copilot takes you to the app covering the entire screen. Then it is the same Copilot app with AI conversions, image generation, etc. Other the other hand, Google has many trigger words and actions that you can use to actually control some functionalities of your device. You can simply ask it to take a note, set a reminder, add a calendar event, open an app, change a setting, etc. None of this is available with the Copilot app at the moment. So the reason to switch to Copilot is only if you use it extensively. Setting it as an assistant allows you to access the app right away and get started with your things.
Get the latest version of Copilot from here.
Closing Comment
It is nice to have multiple options for assistance on Android. Copilot However an assistant is not just opening an app, the same can be done with a home screen shortcut. Google Assitant has been around for years and gradually improved its set of features and functionalities over time. With the introduction of the Gemini app, Google is also bringing some of the AI capabilities to the assistant. But Copilot does have the potential to rival the dominance of Google Assistant. With Alexa, Bing, and ChatGPT, it can bring more assistant features and eventually compete with Google Assistant. Only time will tell.
