Lightweight Copilot Key Remapper for Windows 11
Native C++ (Win32) alternative to heavy .NET and Electron key remappers — ~290 KB installed size, < 5ms response time, < 2 MB RAM usage, Zero VC++ Redistributable Dependencies.
| Open in Microsoft Store | Direct .exe Installer Download |
|---|---|
|
 |
Open PowerShell as Administrator and execute:
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/GamerJagdish/NewPilot/main/install.ps1 | iex(This command trusts the security certificate, installs the MSIX package, and opens the Settings configuration dialog).
- Open Windows 11 Settings.
- Go to Bluetooth & devices → Keyboard.
- Under Shortcuts and hotkeys, locate Customize Copilot key on keyboard.
- Select Custom → choose NewPilot.
Modern laptops and keyboards feature a dedicated Windows 11 Copilot key (or Win+C). While Windows Settings allows customizing this key, the picker is empty by default unless an application is packaged as an MSIX and declares the com.microsoft.windows.copilotkeyprovider extension.
Existing solutions rely on heavy runtimes (.NET SDK, Electron, WPF), introducing large binary footprints, startup latency, and persistent background memory usage. NewPilot is written in pure native C++ (C++20 & Win32 API), offering instant keypress execution with zero background overhead.
| Metric | Heavy .NET / Electron Alternatives | NewPilot (Native C++) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed App Size | ~15 MB – 60 MB+ | ~290 KB | > 99% Smaller |
| MSIX Package Size | ~15 MB – 50 MB | ~150 KB | > 99% Smaller |
| Keypress Latency | ~100ms – 300ms (.NET CLR init) | < 5ms (Instantaneous) | ~30x Faster |
| Tray Memory Usage | 30 MB – 80 MB RAM | < 2 MB RAM | > 93% RAM Reduction |
| Dependencies | .NET 10 SDK / Runtime | Zero Runtimes (Pure Win32 C++) | Native Windows OS API |
- Context Menu Key (
VK_APPS): Remaps the Copilot key to function as a right-click / context menu key. - Store & System App Launcher: Launches any installed UWP or Windows Store application (Windows Terminal, Notepad, Calculator, VS Code, Spotify) via a simple app picker.
- Custom Executable, File, or URL: Opens any program, document, folder, or website with optional command-line arguments and working directory.
- System Action Shortcuts:
- Snipping Tool (
Win + Shift + S) - Task View (
Win + Tab) - Mute / Unmute Audio (
VK_VOLUME_MUTE) - Volume Up / Volume Down
- Media Controls (Play / Pause / Track Skip)
- Lock PC (
Win + L)
- Snipping Tool (
- Native GUI: Built with Windows 11 Visual Styles (Common Controls v6) and anti-aliased Segoe UI typography.
- Optional System Tray Icon: Low-footprint background daemon with sign-in auto-start support.
NewPilot/
├── CMakeLists.txt # CMake build configuration
├── build.ps1 # MSVC build, packaging & signing script
├── install.ps1 # Automated certificate trust & sideload installer
├── packaging/
│ ├── AppxManifest.xml # MSIX package manifest with copilotkeyprovider extension
│ └── resources/ # Icon assets & app.ico
├── scripts/
│ ├── generate_assets.ps1 # Generates tile PNG logos
│ └── generate_ico.ps1 # Generates app.ico resource
└── src/
├── main.cpp # App entry point & AUMID launch router
├── action_runner.cpp # Native C++ action execution engine
├── app_enumerator.cpp # Shell API UWP/Store app enumerator
├── config.cpp # Fast JSON config loader (%LOCALAPPDATA%\NewPilot)
├── settings_ui.cpp # Native Win32 settings dialog GUI
├── tray_icon.cpp # Low-resource system tray daemon
├── resource.h # Resource identifiers
└── resources.rc # Embedded Win32 icon resource script
Distributed under the MIT License.