Forum Discussion
Copilot+ laptop cannot access my local files or folders. No permission dialog to approve access.
First up - I'm not a tech expert! I have a new CoPilot+ laptop. Asked CoPilot to do a task in my folders and files that I downloaded from iCloud, but it cannot access my files or folders. Asks me to allow access through Microsoft prompt that never appears. Contacted Microsoft Support yesterday and after 2 hours and no progress, they told me to contact laptop manufacturer support. Which I did, and this resulted in a reset to factory setting of the laptop today. Problem still persists, its not hardware related. I contacted Microsoft Support again and have been directed her on the basis that this appears to be an ongoing Copilot+ issue that has already been through extensive troubleshooting, the Tech Community is currently the best channel to track updates and raise visibility with the teams investigating the problem."
Any suggestions on what I need to try next? Bearing in mind, I am not an expert! Thank you in advance
Gail
1 Reply
Based on your description, this does not sound like a hardware issue. The first thing to check is which Copilot experience you are using.
Not all Copilot experiences have direct access to local files on a Windows PC. Even on a Copilot+ PC, access to local files depends on the specific Copilot application, the Windows version, file permissions, and whether the feature has been enabled for your account.
A few simple checks:
- Verify that the files are visible and accessible from Windows File Explorer.
- Try moving a small test file to your Documents folder and ask Copilot about that file specifically.
- Ensure you are signed in with the same Microsoft account in Windows and Copilot.
- Check Settings > Privacy & Security and review any file system or app permissions that might be blocking access.
- If your files were downloaded from iCloud, confirm that they are actually stored locally and not only available as cloud placeholders.
