AI Agent in Windows Settings: Copilot+ PCs

Yes, an AI agent is rolling out to the Windows Settings app on Copilot+ PCs, starting with Windows 11 Insider builds in late 2025. This feature, currently called the AI agent in Settings, is designed to help you find, understand, and change settings using natural language, rather than digging through menus yourself.

What This AI Agent Does

The AI agent in Windows Settings is a conversational assistant that lives directly inside the Settings app. Instead of typing a search term like “display” and getting a list of links, you can ask a question such as “How do I make text bigger?” or “Turn on night light.” The agent then either walks you through the steps or, when it is allowed, changes the setting for you after asking for confirmation.

Microsoft describes this as a step toward more proactive system management. Early demonstrations show the agent can handle tasks like:

Finding and opening specific settings pages
Explaining what a setting does in plain language
Adjusting settings that do not require admin approval, such as personalization options
Suggesting related settings based on your query

It is important to note that this is not the same as Copilot, the general-purpose AI assistant. The Settings agent is scoped specifically to system configuration and does not answer general knowledge questions.

Why It Requires a Copilot+ PC

The AI agent in Settings is being rolled out exclusively to Copilot+ PCs, which are computers that meet Microsoft’s specific hardware requirements. These include:

A neural processing unit (NPU) capable of at least 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second)
At least 16 GB of RAM
At least 256 GB of storage
A compatible CPU, such as Qualcomm Snapdragon X series or AMD Ryzen AI 300 series

The reason for this requirement is that the agent runs locally on the device, not in the cloud. This is a key design choice. Running locally means your queries and system data never leave your PC, which addresses privacy concerns. It also means the agent works even when you are offline. The NPU is used to accelerate the AI models that power the agent, making responses faster and more efficient than running on the CPU alone.

If you have an older PC without an NPU, you will not see this feature. Microsoft has not announced any plans to bring the Settings agent to non-Copilot+ devices.

How to Get the AI Agent in Settings

The feature is currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta channels. If you are not in the Insider program, you will need to wait until the feature is included in a stable Windows 11 release. Microsoft has not given a specific date for general availability, but it is expected to arrive in a feature update in 2025 or 2026.

To check if you have it:

Open Windows Settings (Win + I).
Look for a new icon or entry at the top of the left-hand navigation pane, often labeled “AI agent” or similar.
If you see it, click to open the chat interface.

If you do not see it, your PC may not meet the Copilot+ requirements, or the feature has not been enabled for your Insider channel yet. Microsoft often rolls out features gradually, so even within the Insider program, some users get it before others.

How It Works Under the Hood

The AI agent uses a combination of on-device machine learning models and Windows system APIs. When you type a query, the agent:

Parses your natural language to understand intent.
Matches that intent against a catalog of known settings and actions.
Generates a response that may include a direct link to the setting, a step-by-step guide, or a request to change the setting.
If a change is requested, it checks whether the action is allowed without admin rights. If admin rights are needed, it prompts you for consent.

The agent is designed to be transparent. When it makes a change, it will show you what it did and offer an undo option. It also keeps a log of changes in the Settings app, so you can review what was modified.

Common Problems and Limitations

As with any new feature, there are some limitations you should be aware of:

Not all settings are supported. The agent currently works with a subset of settings, primarily those in System, Personalization, and Privacy. More advanced settings, such as group policies or registry edits, are not covered.
It may misunderstand complex queries. If you ask for something vague or multi-step, the agent might not get it right the first time. You can rephrase, and it will try again.
It cannot change settings that require admin elevation without your explicit approval. For example, changing network adapter properties will trigger a UAC prompt.
It is not a replacement for search. The traditional search box in Settings still works and is often faster for simple lookups.

If the agent fails to do what you want, you can always fall back to manual navigation. The agent is meant to be a helper, not a gatekeeper.

Privacy and Security Considerations

Because the AI agent runs entirely on your device, your queries and the resulting actions stay local. Microsoft states that no data from the Settings agent is sent to the cloud. This is a significant difference from cloud-based assistants like Copilot, which send prompts to Microsoft servers.

However, you should still be cautious about what you ask. If you ask the agent to change a setting that affects security, such as disabling Windows Defender, it will warn you and require confirmation. It will not make potentially harmful changes automatically.

You can control the agent’s behavior in Settings under Privacy & Security > AI agent. There, you can:

Turn the agent on or off entirely
Clear the conversation history
Choose whether the agent can make changes automatically or always ask first

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the AI agent in Settings come to all Windows 11 PCs?

No. Microsoft has stated that this feature requires a Copilot+ PC with an NPU. Older PCs without the required hardware will not get the feature. It is a hardware-dependent feature, not just a software update.

Can I use the AI agent to change settings that normally require admin rights?

Yes, but only with your approval. If a setting requires administrator privileges, the agent will prompt you to confirm and then trigger the standard User Account Control (UAC) dialog. You must click “Yes” for the change to take effect.

Is the AI agent the same as Copilot?

No. Copilot is a general-purpose AI assistant that can answer questions, generate content, and help with tasks across Windows and the web. The AI agent in Settings is a specialized tool that only works within the Settings app to manage system configuration.

What should I do if the AI agent is not working correctly?

First, make sure your Windows is up to date. If you are in the Insider program, check for a newer build. You can also try restarting the Settings app. If the issue persists, you can turn the agent off and on again in Privacy & Security settings. Microsoft is actively collecting feedback from Insiders, so report any bugs through the Feedback Hub.

Can I turn off the AI agent completely?

Yes. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > AI agent and toggle it off. This will disable the agent and remove its icon from the Settings navigation. Your other Windows features will not be affected.

Does the AI agent work offline?

Yes, because it runs locally on your device. You do not need an internet connection for the agent to understand and execute your requests. This is one of the main advantages of running on the NPU.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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