How to make copilot stay docked and keep the same chat open?

nat 0 Reputation points
2026-10-21T17:09:16.1033333+00:00

The new update (October 2026) made the Copilot key almost useless. It used to reopen my current chat and stay docked. Now it starts a new chat every time, so I have to hunt through my history or repeat all my context again. If I have to open the app anyway, what's the point of having a dedicated Copilot key?

Does anybody know a way for the key to return to what it used to be?

Microsoft Copilot | Windows Copilot | App
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  1. Vikki-T 12,520 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-22T07:08:55.78+00:00

    Hi nat,

    I understand why this change is frustrating, especially when the Copilot key previously let you return to your ongoing conversation without searching through the chat history.

    First, open Copilot and check Account > Settings > Copilot Keyboard Shortcuts to see whether the key is set to open Quick View or the full application. Selecting the full application may provide a more consistent windowed experience, but Microsoft does not currently document a separate setting that forces the Copilot key to reopen the most recently used conversation every time.

    If the key is already assigned to the full application but still creates a new conversation, please report the behavior through Feedback Hub by pressing Win+F and selecting Apps > Copilot on Windows. Including the Copilot app version and a short screen recording would help distinguish the shortcut behavior from a general chat-history issue.

    In the meantime, existing conversations can still be reopened and continued from the Chats list in Copilot. Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. My role is limited to providing technical guidance on reported issues, requests, or ideas. Thank you so much for your understanding.   

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-21T17:10:12.16+00:00

    Configure the Copilot key to launch the full application, then snap that app to the side; the full app is documented to reopen as previously left with the existing chat intact.

    Change the Copilot-key behavior

    1. Open the Copilot app.
    2. Select Account → Settings → Copilot Keyboard Shortcuts.
    3. Change the Copilot key from Quick View to the full application.
    4. Open the conversation you want to retain.
    5. Dock the window with Snap Assist—for example, drag it to the right edge of the screen.
    6. Close Copilot with its normal Close button.
    7. Press the Copilot key and verify that the full app returns with the same conversation and window arrangement.

    Microsoft distinguishes between launching the full application and the smaller Quick View and provides that shortcut setting for the Copilot key and Win+C.^1^ The full Windows app supports resizing, moving, and Snap Assist; Microsoft also says that reopening it restores how it was left, including the previous chat content.^2^

    Avoid selecting New topic, because that intentionally clears the current conversation and starts a fresh thread.^2^

    If the setting is missing or the full app still starts a new chat

    There is no documented switch specifically named “keep the current chat docked.” The supported configuration is to target the full app rather than Quick View. Shortcut choices can vary with account type, installed apps, or organizational settings.^3^

    Also check the Windows-level assignment:

    1. Open Settings with Win+I.
    2. Go to Bluetooth & devices → Keyboard.
    3. Open Customize Copilot key on keyboard.
    4. Select Microsoft Copilot rather than Search or another installed app.
    5. If Ask Copilot is enabled under Settings → Personalization → Taskbar, be aware that this can override the keyboard customization.^3^

    If the key is already targeting the full app but still creates a new thread, the available documentation does not identify a supported setting that restores the former behavior. Copilot’s August 2026 Insider update introduced navigation and feature-availability changes and explicitly warned of temporary functionality gaps, but Microsoft has not documented this exact October 2026 new-chat behavior as an intentional change.^4^

    Report that case through Win+F → Apps → Copilot on Windows, including:

    • Copilot app version
    • Windows build
    • Whether the key is set to full application or Quick View
    • Whether closing and reopening from Start preserves the chat while the Copilot key does not
    • A short screen recording showing the key creating a new thread

    That comparison isolates the shortcut regression from general chat-history behavior.

    References

    1. Access Microsoft Copilot on Windows | Microsoft Support
    2. Welcome to Copilot on Windows
    3. Use a screen reader to manage Copilot settings in Windows | Microsoft Support
    4. Copilot on Windows release notes - Windows Insider Program
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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