Microsoft spams Copilot QR codes on Windows 11 lock screen to lure users

2023 has seen Microsoft betting big on artificial intelligence and its partnership with OpenAI to make Copilot a reality. The company has invested billions of dollars in the field, and it wants to make sure customers know about its products and, more importantly, use them. So it’s no surprise that the company is ready to integrate and promote Copilot everywhere.

However, perhaps it is Microsoft's eagerness that sometimes leads to somewhat ridiculous situations.

A group of Windows 11 users on Reddit recently discovered a giant QR code in the middle of their lock screen. Initially, they thought their computers might have been compromised by some malicious actor. But it turned out to be a giant, weird-looking Copilot ad. Scanning the QR code takes you to a Copilot introductory website. There’s then another QR code to download Microsoft’s recently released Copilot app for Android or iOS.

A Reddit user also discovered that the QR code was “literally baked into the image file.” Here’s the full extracted image:

The lock screen in Windows 10 and 11 is already a big banner ad, so it seems like Microsoft thought it wouldn’t hurt to include a “not-so-subtle” QR code. But users think otherwise.

Some users have tried contacting Microsoft and asking the company to explain what's going on. In a response, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that the rollout of QR codes on the Windows lock screen was to "introduce customers" to Copilot, and has now been paused.

In related news, Microsoft is also testing placing the Copilot icon next to the notification center button, which will likely remove the "Show desktop" button in favor of the new AI assistant. This change is considered interesting, but in practice it may be annoying for those who are used to using the bottom right corner of the screen to minimize all apps or show the desktop.