How to disable Copilot in Windows 11 (and Office and Edge)

Applies to: Windows 11 (Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education). Most steps also work on Windows 10, where the Copilot app is installed the same way.

Which Copilot do you want to turn off?

“Copilot” is now the name of several different things, and each one is switched off in a different place. Work out which one is bothering you first:

What you see	What it is	Where to turn it off
A Copilot window or taskbar icon, or the Copilot key opens a chat	The Microsoft Copilot app in Windows	Methods 1-3
A Copilot button or pane in Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook	Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps	Method 4
A Copilot icon or sidebar in the browser, or a Copilot new tab page	Copilot in Microsoft Edge	Method 5
An app called Microsoft 365 Copilot (formerly the Microsoft 365 or Office app)	A hub app that opens your Office files and Copilot chat	Method 1

On older Windows 11 builds (around version 23H2) Copilot was built into Windows with a Copilot (preview) switch under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar. Newer versions replaced that with the separate app, so if you don’t see the switch, use Method 1.

Method 1: Uninstall the Copilot app

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Type Copilot in the search box.
3. Next to Copilot (published by Microsoft), select the three dots (…) and choose Uninstall, then confirm.
4. Optional: if you don’t use it, uninstall Microsoft 365 Copilot the same way. It’s the hub app, not Office itself, so Word, Excel and Outlook stay installed (check after uninstalling if you’re unsure).

You can also right-click Copilot in the Start menu’s All apps list and choose Uninstall. If it’s pinned to the taskbar, right-click the icon and choose Unpin from taskbar.

Uninstalling is fully reversible: you can reinstall Copilot from the Microsoft Store at any time. A big feature update can occasionally put it back, so check Installed apps after major updates.

Method 2: Stop Copilot opening at sign-in

If you want to keep the app but stop it starting by itself, open Settings > Apps > Startup and turn off Copilot if it’s listed. You can also do this in Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) on the Startup apps page: select Copilot and choose Disable. Fewer startup apps also helps boot time; our guide to disabling Fast Startup explains the other startup setting people often change.

Method 3: Remap the Copilot key

Many newer laptops have a dedicated Copilot key next to the right Alt key. Windows lets you change what it does:

1. Open Settings > Personalization > Text input. On some builds the same option is under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard.
2. Find Customize Copilot key on keyboard.
3. Choose Search to make the key open Windows Search, or Custom to pick another app.

The Custom list only shows apps that support the Copilot key, so not every program appears. If the option is missing, install the latest updates from Settings > Windows Update. On keyboards without this key, Win + C may open Copilot; uninstalling the app (Method 1) stops that.

Method 4: Turn off Copilot in Word, Excel and PowerPoint

If you’re signed in to Office with a personal Microsoft account (Microsoft 365 Personal or Family), each app has its own switch:

1. Open Word, Excel or PowerPoint and go to File > Options > Copilot.
2. Clear Enable Copilot and select OK.
3. Close and reopen the app. Repeat in each app you use.

• New Outlook for Windows: go to Settings > Copilot and turn off Turn on Copilot.
• OneNote: look for the same Enable Copilot box in OneNote’s options; it needs a recent version.
• Checkbox missing? Update Office from File > Account > Update Options > Update Now. The setting needs a recent version, and it isn’t offered for work or school accounts; there your IT admin controls Copilot.

Hiding the Copilot ribbon button doesn’t turn Copilot off; use the checkbox. For other Word settings worth changing, see our MS Word tips and tricks.

Method 5: Hide Copilot in Microsoft Edge

Edge has Copilot built in, and you can’t uninstall that part, but you can hide it. Open edge://settings and type Copilot in the settings search box. Depending on your Edge version the options are under Copilot and AI or Appearance > Copilot and sidebar. Turn off:

• Show Copilot button on the toolbar (or the equivalent toolbar option)
• Page-content access for Copilot, such as Allow Microsoft to access page content, if you don’t want it reading pages
• The Copilot new tab page, if Edge shows one, from the gear icon on a new tab

Exact names change between Edge releases, so use the search box rather than hunting through menus. If Edge’s search engine or new tab page was changed by something you didn’t install, see how to get rid of an unwanted search engine.

Method 6: Remove Copilot with Group Policy (Enterprise and Education)

Admins have a policy called Remove Microsoft Copilot app (RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp). It needs Windows 11 version 24H2 or later with the April 2026 update or newer. In the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) it’s under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI, and it’s also available through Intune.

It’s deliberately limited. It only uninstalls the Copilot app when all of these are true:

• Both Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot are installed.
• The user didn’t install the Copilot app themselves.
• The Copilot app hasn’t been opened for 28 days (per Microsoft Learn).

Microsoft Learn lists Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise as supported; its notes are inconsistent about Pro, so on Pro or Home, Method 1 is the reliable route. Users can still reinstall the app afterwards. The older Turn off Windows Copilot policy (TurnOffWindowsCopilot) is now marked deprecated and was made for the earlier built-in Copilot, so it may not affect the current app. Avoid registry tweaks copied from forums: many target the old Copilot and do nothing on current builds.

Related guides

• How to disable Fast Startup in Windows 11 and 10
• How to stop OneDrive from syncing (without losing files)
• MS Word tips and tricks: 17 ways to work faster in Word
• How to get rid of an unwanted search engine in Chrome, Edge and Firefox
• How to disable the Adobe Updater (Creative Cloud, Acrobat and Reader)

Official sources: for more detail, see Microsoft’s own pages:

• Microsoft Support: Turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps
• Microsoft Learn: WindowsAI Policy CSP (RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp)

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to uninstall Copilot from Windows 11?

Yes. Copilot is an ordinary Store app in current Windows 11 versions, and nothing else in Windows depends on it. You can reinstall it from the Microsoft Store whenever you like.

Does uninstalling Copilot also remove it from Word and Edge?

No. Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps and in Edge are separate features. Use Method 4 for Office and Method 5 for Edge.

Why did Copilot come back after an update?

Large Windows or Office updates sometimes reinstall or re-pin it. Repeat Method 1, and check that the Office checkbox in Method 4 is still cleared.

Can I turn off Copilot on Windows 11 Home?

Yes. Home doesn’t have Group Policy, but uninstalling the app (Method 1), remapping the key (Method 3) and the Office and Edge switches all work on Home.