Hate the dedicated Copilot key on your Windows 11 laptop? Tiny new tool can change it back to right Ctrl

If you've got a new Windows 11 laptop with a physical Copilot key and you'd rather have that as a right Ctrl key, then you're in luck.

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While Microsoft won't let you redefine the key to summon its AI assistant in Windows 11, there's a small third-party utility that does the job for you, as Neowin reports.

This is 'NoCopilotKey' and you can download the executable and fire it up, whereupon the Copilot key will once again become the Ctrl key on the right. If you want to end the program, you can kill it in Task Manager.

It works via a "low-level keyboard hook" to block the Copilot function and activate right Ctrl instead.

The tiny app is the work of Dan Weiss and you can grab it over on GitHub.

Weiss explains the reason why he wrote the utility:

"Because Microsoft required manufacturers to replace the right Ctrl key with a Copilot key, with no BIOS or Windows setting available to change it back. Some people actually do use their keyboards, and need a right Ctrl key."

It's still early days for NoCopilotKey, but it could be a useful tool to bag if you really don't need Copilot. The utility could be further developed, and one feature suggestion is to allow the ability to remap the key to a different AI assistant (for those who like the idea of summoning an AI with a dedicated key, but would prefer an alternative to Copilot).

Generally speaking, though, most folks would be happy to steer clear of any AI on their keyboard, and it's a shame Microsoft doesn't provide the basic ability to revert this key for those who use the second Ctrl key over on the right. Still, now you have a workaround, albeit apply the usual caveats around third-party software.