Several hundred million Windows 11 users are experiencing frustrations due to the absence of Microsoft features like Recall and Cocreator, which are only available on Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft has divided Windows 11 into two tiers, with the latest AI functionalities requiring specific hardware known as Copilot+ PC. To qualify, a device must have:
- An NPU capable of at least 40 TOPS
- A minimum of 16 GB of RAM (DDR5 or LPDDR5)
- At least 256 GB of SSD storage
- Windows 11 version 24H2 or newer
- A processor from specific families: Qualcomm Snapdragon X series, Intel Core Ultra 200V (Lunar Lake), or AMD Ryzen AI 300 series
Many PCs lack these features due to missing NPUs, insufficient TOPS ratings, unsupported processor generations, outdated Windows versions, rollout delays, or regional limits. Features locked behind Copilot+ include Recall, Click to Do, Cocreator in Paint, Windows Studio Effects, Live Captions with Translation, Improved Windows Search, and Auto Super Resolution.
To check for Copilot+ compatibility, users can verify the presence of an NPU in Task Manager, ensure they have Windows 11 version 24H2 or newer, and confirm their processor against the approved list. While some workarounds exist to enable features on unsupported PCs, they are often unstable and not recommended for primary use.
Most users may not need to upgrade their laptops unless they require on-device AI features or their current device is significantly outdated. The AI feature gap is not currently critical for most users, as many features are optional or not essential.