Clippy is BACK! Microsoft paperclip returns 18 years after it was axed

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. 

In 1997, Microsoft introduced its virtual assistant, Clippy, to users of Microsoft Office.

The anthropomorphic paper clip would appear on–screen to help users carry out a number of tasks and provide advice. 

Eventually, after coming to be loathed by many, Clippy suffered its ultimate blow and was killed off by Microsoft entirely in 2007.

The legacy of Clippy, however, has endured in memes and parodies.

Since then, Microsoft has played around with a range of virtual assistants, including Cortana and Tay, which had to be shut down in 2016 after it started posting genocidal racist comments. 

The tech giant’s latest bot is Mico – a virtual assistant designed to make Copilot ‘more personal and more adaptable’. 

‘This optional visual presence listens, reacts, and even changes colors to reflect your interactions, making voice conversations feel more natural,’ Microsoft explained. 

‘Mico shows support through animation and expressions, creating a friendly and engaging experience.’

While a few fans have shown interest in Mico, much of the attention on X has been diverted towards Clippy, who is an Easter egg within the new character. 

‘The lack of respect, Clippy wouldn’t stand for this AI slop,’ one user joked. 

Another added: ‘Gone but not forgotten.’

And one joked: ‘2001 Clippy was time traveling backwards from 2026 and leaving breadcrumbs. 

Clippy has already made a few very brief comebacks. 

In 2019, he made an appearance in a sticker pack for Microsoft’s unified communications platform, Teams, and then later in the company’s official Github page for Office developer. 

And in 2021, the much–loved character was officially added as a replacement for Microsoft’s basic paperclip emoji.