Microsoft's latest Copilot update fundamentally changes how links behave in the AI assistant, overriding users' default browser settings. Every link clicked inside Copilot now opens in a side panel powered by Edge's rendering engine, keeping content adjacent to conversations rather than launching the user's chosen browser.

Microsoft frames this as context preservation, arguing that keeping content in a side pane prevents users from losing their conversational thread. The company hasn't clarified whether this behavior is opt-in or will become the standard experience. This represents a significant shift from decades of established browsing behavior where clicking a link meant your default browser—with your extensions, passwords, and security settings—would open.

Privacy advocates and users alike are raising concerns about this platform control. The side panel is just one component of a broader update that also allows Copilot to access tab context with user permission, enabling tab-based summarization and drafting assistance. The rollout is currently limited to Windows Insider channels at version 146.0.3856.39 and above, but Microsoft's description suggests this may become a permanent feature. What Microsoft calls context preservation, critics see as attention capture within its ecosystem.