By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
Published: 08:53 EDT, 24 October 2025 | Updated: 10:47 EDT, 24 October 2025
It was the original virtual assistant, released years before Siri, Alexa, and Bixby.
Now, almost two decades after it was axed, Microsoft’s Clippy is officially back.
The friendly anthropomorphic paper clip has been spotted as an Easter egg in Microsoft’s latest announcement about a new AI companion called Mico.
Mico – whose name is a nod to Microsoft Copilot – is a small blob with a friendly smiley face, and doesn’t look much like its much–loved predecessor.
However, early users have discovered that if you tap on Mico multiple times, it eventually morphs into Clippy.
‘Clippy is back as an Easter egg in Copilot’s new Mico character. If you tap on Mico multiple times then Clippy appears,’ explained Tom Warren, Senior Editor at The Verge.
Clippy’s return has delighed many nostalgic fans, including one who claimed it ‘will be a cold day in hell when Clippy is replaced.’
‘Like, yea I yelled at Clippy and frankly it can leave me along when I’m using Word but also IT SHALL NOT BE REPLACED especially with AI slop,’ they added.
It was the original virtual assistant, released years before Siri, Alexa, and Bixby. Now, almost two decades after it was axed, Microsoft’s Clippy is officially back
Clippy is back as an Easter egg in Copilot’s new Mico character. If you tap on Mico multiple times then Clippy appears pic.twitter.com/lXZKWZMtht