How to Fix Copilot on Windows on ARM64 Failing to Initialize

Copilot on Windows on ARM64 devices may fail to initialize, showing a blank pane or an error message that Copilot cannot start. This problem often occurs because the Copilot app or its dependencies are not fully compatible with the ARM64 architecture, or because the required Windows components are missing or outdated. This article explains the root cause of the initialization failure and provides step-by-step instructions to resolve it on ARM64 systems.

Why Copilot Fails to Initialize on ARM64 Hardware

Copilot on Windows on ARM64 devices runs under the x64 emulation layer by default, not as a native ARM64 application. This emulation can cause initialization failures when Copilot tries to load system libraries that are only available in ARM64 format or when the emulation layer itself has a bug. Microsoft has released an ARM64-native version of Copilot, but the automatic update mechanism may not deliver it to all devices. Additionally, the Copilot app depends on the WebView2 runtime and the Microsoft Edge WebView2 ARM64 package. If either component is missing or outdated, the app fails to initialize.

Steps to Reinstall Copilot as an ARM64-Native App

The most reliable fix is to remove the current Copilot installation and then install the ARM64-native version directly from the Microsoft Store or via the Windows Package Manager. Follow these steps in order.

1. Uninstall the current Copilot app
   Open Settings by pressing Windows + I. Go to Apps > Installed apps. Search for Copilot. Click the three dots next to Copilot and select Uninstall. Confirm the uninstall when prompted. This removes the x64 emulated version.
2. Open the Microsoft Store and search for Copilot
   Press Windows + S, type Store, and press Enter. In the Microsoft Store, search for Copilot. Look for the app published by Microsoft Corporation. The Store will automatically detect your ARM64 device and offer the ARM64-native version.
3. Install Copilot from the Store
   Click Install. Wait for the download and installation to finish. The Store will place the ARM64-native binary in the WindowsApps folder. Do not launch Copilot yet.
4. Restart your device
   Click the Start button, select Power, then choose Restart. A full restart clears any cached emulation state and ensures the new ARM64 binary loads on next startup.
5. Launch Copilot and verify initialization
   Press Windows + C to open Copilot. The pane should appear without errors. If you see a blank pane, move to the next section to update the WebView2 runtime.

Update WebView2 Runtime for ARM64

Copilot relies on the WebView2 runtime to render its interface. If the runtime is the x64 version or is missing ARM64 support, Copilot will fail to initialize. The following steps ensure the correct ARM64 runtime is installed.

1. Check the current WebView2 version
   Open Edge, type edge://settings/help in the address bar, and press Enter. The WebView2 runtime version appears under About Microsoft Edge. Note the version number.
2. Download the ARM64 WebView2 runtime
   Go to the Microsoft Edge WebView2 download page. Under the section Evergreen Standalone Installer, select ARM64 and click Download. Save the installer to your desktop.
3. Run the ARM64 installer
   Double-click the downloaded file. Accept the license terms and follow the prompts. The installer will replace any x64 WebView2 runtime with the ARM64-native version.
4. Restart your device again
   After installation, restart your device to ensure Copilot loads the new runtime.
5. Test Copilot initialization
   Press Windows + C. Copilot should now initialize and display the chat interface. If it still fails, proceed to the next section.

If Copilot Still Has Issues After the Main Fix

Copilot pane shows a white screen after reinstall

A white screen usually indicates that the WebView2 runtime is not correctly registered. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run regsvr32 /i WebView2.dll. If the DLL is not found, reinstall the WebView2 runtime using the Evergreen Bootstrapper for ARM64 instead of the standalone installer.

Copilot opens but immediately closes

This behavior occurs when the Copilot app’s package data is corrupted. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Find Copilot, click the three dots, and select Advanced options. Scroll to Reset and click Reset. This clears the app’s local cache without uninstalling the app. Relaunch Copilot after the reset completes.

Copilot says This app can’t open on this device

This error means the system is trying to load the x64 emulated version instead of the ARM64 version. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Find Copilot, click the three dots, and select Advanced options. Under App architecture, confirm it says ARM64. If it says x64, uninstall Copilot and reinstall it using the winget command: winget install Microsoft.Copilot_8wekyb3d8bbwe. Run this command in an administrator Command Prompt.

Copilot on ARM64: Emulated vs Native Version Comparison

Item	Emulated x64 Version	Native ARM64 Version
Installation source	Automatic via Windows Update on x64 emulation	Microsoft Store or winget with ARM64 flag
Performance	Slower due to binary translation overhead	Full native speed with no translation
WebView2 dependency	Requires x64 WebView2 runtime	Requires ARM64 WebView2 runtime
Initialization reliability	May fail if emulation layer has bugs	Direct system calls, fewer failure points
Update mechanism	Windows Update delivers x64 binary	Store or winget delivers ARM64 binary

After following these steps, Copilot should initialize correctly on your ARM64 Windows device. The key actions are uninstalling the emulated version, installing the ARM64-native version from the Store, and ensuring the ARM64 WebView2 runtime is present. If you continue to see errors, check that your Windows build is version 23H2 or later by running winver in the Run dialog. An up-to-date system is required for full ARM64 Copilot support.