Fact · Dictation on Windows
10seconds
Microsoft says the PC detects the Hey Copilot wake word locally, using an on-device service that keeps a 10-second audio buffer in memory which is never recorded or stored.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Your PC detects the wake word locally. A small on-device service keeps a 10-second audio buffer in memory to listen for the phrase. That buffer is never recorded or stored.”
How "Hey Copilot" wake word works in Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft, Microsoft Support, 2026, How does "Hey Copilot" listen for the wake word?.
Open the original- What it measures
- Once the wake word is detected, the audio from that moment is sent to the Copilot voice service so it can answer.
- What it does not show
- Microsoft's description of its own design.