Apps Search Local Files using Copilot app on Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to search for local files using the Copilot app on your Windows 11 PC.

Starting with Copilot version 1.25034.133.0, Microsoft is gradually rolling out File search across all Insider Channels. You can now find, open and ask questions about the contents of a file on your device from the Copilot on Windows app. You can adjust your permissions for what Copilot can access, retrieve, or read in Copilot Settings under Permission settings. File search supports most file types and can read .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, .txt, .pdf, .json files. Ask Copilot questions like “Can you find my resume”, “Open the trip planning doc I was working on last week”, or “Look at my budget file and tell me how much I spent on dining last month”.

Starting with Copilot app (version 1.25082.132.0 and higher) for Windows 11 Insiders on Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft has added Semantic file search. Semantic file search is a smarter and faster way to find your files using natural language. You can now leverage the power of improved search capabilities right from the Copilot on Windows app. This provides yet another way to find your documents and photos on your PC without having to remember the exact file names or exact words in file content. For example, you can find images by typing “find images of bridges at sunset on my PC”, find your resume documents with similar terms like “find my cv” or describing content of the file that you’re looking for like “find the file with the chicken tostada recipe”.

You can adjust your File search and File read permissions for what Copilot can access, retrieve, or read in Copilot Settings.

Turning on File search allows Copilot access to local files to be able to retrieve files for you. You can change search index Classic or Enhanced mode and location settings for which files can be seen by Copilot.

Turning on File read allows Copilot to read the files on your PC to help answer your questions.

Semantic file search currently only works with specific text, image, and document formats; optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish).

File types currently supported include .png, .jpeg, .svg, .pdf, .docx, .xlsx, .csv, .json, and .txt.

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Here's How:

1 Open the Copilot app.

2 Click/tap on the Home button. (see screenshot below step 3)

3 Enter a file search query you want in the prompt, and either press Enter or click/tap on the Submit button. (see screenshot below)


4 You can now view the search results to open file(s), add to conversation files, or continue working with Copilot. (see screenshot below)



That's it,
Shawn Brink