How to Turn Off Windows Copilot in 2026

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Want to turn off windows copilot in 2026? You’re not being dramatic. A lot of Windows users feel the same way.

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Microsoft has placed Copilot in more corners of Windows than before. You may see it in the taskbar, Start menu, Microsoft Edge, Word, Excel, Outlook, and even on a physical keyboard key on newer laptops. For some people, that’s helpful. For others, it’s just another thing taking up space.

The annoying part is that Copilot isn’t one single switch anymore. There’s the Microsoft Copilot app, Copilot in Edge, Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, Copilot inside Office apps, and separate Windows AI features like Recall. Turning off one may not remove the others.

So this guide keeps things simple. I’ll show you what each Copilot feature does, where it lives, and how to turn it off without touching the wrong setting.

Quick Answer: The Best Ways to Turn Off Windows Copilot

For most Windows 11 users, the easiest fix is to uninstall the Microsoft Copilot app from Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Microsoft also lists this as the standard way to remove the Copilot app from Windows.

What You Want	Best Method	Best For
Remove the Copilot app	Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Copilot > Uninstall	Regular Windows 11 users
Hide the button only	Unpin Copilot or adjust taskbar settings	Users who may use it later
Block Copilot with policy	Group Policy or Registry	Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education
Stop it across company PCs	AppLocker or Microsoft admin controls	IT teams
Remove Copilot from Edge	Edge settings or Edge policy	Browser users
Disable Copilot in Office apps	Turn it off inside each Microsoft 365 app	Word, Excel, PowerPoint users
Remove Recall	Turn Windows features on or off	Copilot+ PC users

Fastest method for most people

Open Settings.
Go to Apps.
Click Installed apps.
Search for Copilot.
Select the three-dot menu beside Microsoft Copilot.
Click Uninstall.
Confirm the change.

That removes the standalone Copilot app. It won’t remove Copilot from Edge, Word, Excel, or your work account. Those have separate controls.

First, Know Which Copilot You’re Dealing With

This is where many people get stuck.

You may remove the Copilot app and still see Copilot in Edge. Or you may disable it in Word but still see it on the Windows taskbar. That doesn’t always mean something went wrong. It usually means you’re dealing with a different Copilot feature.

Copilot Type	Where You’ll See It	What It Does
Microsoft Copilot app	Start menu, taskbar, Installed apps	The consumer Copilot app for Windows
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat	Microsoft 365, Teams, Outlook, web	Work or school Copilot Chat
Copilot in Edge	Edge toolbar or sidebar	Browser-based Copilot
Copilot in Office apps	Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote	App-level writing and productivity help
Copilot key	Newer Windows keyboards	Opens Copilot or a related shortcut
Recall	Copilot+ PCs	A separate Windows AI feature, not Copilot itself

Why this matters

You don’t want to remove the wrong app.

If you use Microsoft 365 for work, school, Outlook, Teams, or shared files, don’t blindly uninstall anything with “Microsoft 365” in the name. The regular Microsoft Copilot app and the Microsoft 365 Copilot experience are not the same thing.

Start by checking where Copilot appears. Then use the right fix for that place.

How to Turn Off Windows Copilot from Settings

This is the cleanest method for personal PCs. No Registry edits. No command line. No admin tools.

Step	What to Do	Why It Helps
1	Open Settings	Uses the normal Windows app manager
2	Go to Apps	Shows installed programs
3	Open Installed apps	Lets you search the app list
4	Search for Copilot	Helps you avoid removing the wrong app
5	Click Uninstall	Removes the standalone Copilot app
6	Restart if needed	Clears leftover taskbar or Start menu links

Step-by-step guide

Press Windows + I.
Click Apps.
Select Installed apps.
Type Copilot in the search box.
Find Microsoft Copilot.
Click the three-dot menu.
Choose Uninstall.
Confirm your choice.

That’s it.

This method works well if you simply don’t want the Copilot app on your PC anymore.

What this does not remove

Uninstalling the Windows Copilot app will not always remove:

Copilot in Microsoft Edge.
Copilot in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat from a work account.
The Copilot key on your keyboard.
Recall on Copilot+ PCs.
AI tools inside Paint, Photos, or Notepad.
Copilot access controlled by your company or school.

So if Copilot still appears somewhere, don’t panic. You may need to disable it in that specific app.

How to Turn Off Windows Copilot with Group Policy

Group Policy gives you more control, but it is not available on every Windows edition. You usually need Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education.

Microsoft still documents the Turn off Windows Copilot policy. But there’s an important catch: Microsoft now marks the related TurnOffWindowsCopilot policy as deprecated. That means it may disappear in a future Windows release.

Group Policy Detail	Current Status
Policy name	Turn off Windows Copilot
Registry value	TurnOffWindowsCopilot
Works on	Windows policy-managed editions
Status in 2026	Deprecated
Main effect	Blocks Windows Copilot and removes its taskbar icon
Best use	Short-term control on supported Windows editions

Steps to disable Copilot with Group Policy

Press Windows + R.
Type gpedit.msc.
Press Enter.
Go to:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot
Double-click Turn off Windows Copilot.
Select Enabled.
Click Apply.
Click OK.
Restart your PC.

A quick warning

This method may still work, but it is no longer the best long-term option for businesses. Microsoft now recommends stronger admin controls, such as AppLocker, for blocking the consumer Copilot app on managed devices.

For a home or personal Pro PC, Group Policy can still be useful. For a company fleet, your IT team should use managed controls instead.

How to Turn Off Windows Copilot with Registry Editor

Windows 11 Home users usually don’t have Group Policy Editor. The Registry method gives you another route.

Use care here. The Registry is not a place to experiment. A wrong edit can cause problems. Create a restore point before you start.

Registry Item	Value
Hive	HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Path	Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot
DWORD name	TurnOffWindowsCopilot
Value to disable	1
Value to re-enable	0 or delete the DWORD

Registry steps

Press Windows + R.
Type regedit.
Press Enter.
Go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
Right-click Windows.
Select New > Key.
Name it WindowsCopilot.
Click the new WindowsCopilot key.
Right-click the blank space on the right.
Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name it TurnOffWindowsCopilot.
Double-click it.
Set the value to 1.
Restart your PC.

How to undo the change

To bring Copilot back:

Open Registry Editor again.
Go to the same path.
Delete TurnOffWindowsCopilot, or set it to 0.
Restart your PC.

This method helps when the uninstall option does not solve the problem. But for most people, Settings should be the first choice.

How IT Teams Can Block or Remove Copilot in 2026

Work PCs need a different approach. If your device belongs to a company, school, or organization, you may not have full control over Copilot. Your admin may manage it through Microsoft 365, Intune, Edge policies, AppLocker, or Windows AI policies.

Microsoft now recommends AppLocker instead of relying on the older TurnOffWindowsCopilot policy for blocking the consumer Copilot app in managed environments.

Admin Method	What It Does	Best Use
AppLocker	Blocks Copilot from installing or launching	Company-wide control
PowerShell	Removes the Copilot app package	Scripted cleanup
WindowsAI policies	Controls Windows AI behavior	Managed Windows devices
Microsoft 365 admin center	Controls Copilot Chat access	Work and school accounts
Edge policies	Controls Copilot inside Edge	Browser-level control
Taskbar policies	Controls what users see	Cleaner desktop experience

PowerShell removal for admins

Admins can remove the Microsoft Copilot app package with PowerShell. A common command pattern is:

$packageFullName = Get-AppxPackage -Name “Microsoft.Copilot” | Select-Object -ExpandProperty PackageFullName

Remove-AppxPackage -Package $packageFullName

Test this before using it across many machines. Different Windows builds and provisioning states can behave differently.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is separate

This part matters.

A company may remove the Windows Copilot app and still allow Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat through Teams, Outlook, Microsoft 365, or the browser. That access usually depends on Microsoft 365 admin settings, licenses, and work account policies.

So if your goal is to block Copilot at work, don’t stop at Windows. Check Microsoft 365 controls too.

How to Turn Off the Copilot Key and Keyboard Shortcut

Newer Windows laptops may include a dedicated Copilot key. Microsoft introduced it as part of its AI-focused PC push.

If you don’t use Copilot, that key can feel wasted. Worse, you may press it by accident.

Key or Shortcut	What It May Do	How to Handle It
Copilot key	Opens Copilot or a related Copilot prompt	Change the key behavior where supported
Windows + C	Opens Copilot app or quick view	Adjust Copilot shortcut settings
Work device shortcut	May open Microsoft 365 Copilot	Your IT admin may control it
Remapping tools	Redirect the key to another action	Use only if built-in settings are limited

Change Copilot shortcut behavior

Try this first:

Open Copilot.
Go to Account.
Open Settings.
Select Copilot Keyboard Shortcuts.
Change how the shortcut works.

Some Windows builds also include keyboard controls inside Windows Settings. Look under keyboard, text input, or personalization settings.

If you use a work device, the option may be locked by policy.

How to Turn Off Copilot in Microsoft Edge

Copilot in Edge is its own thing. Removing the Windows Copilot app does not automatically remove the Copilot button from Edge.

Edge Control	Best For	What It Does
Edge settings	Personal users	Hides or reduces Copilot access
EdgeCopilotEnabled policy	IT admins	Enables or disables Copilot in Edge
HubsSidebarEnabled policy	IT admins	Controls the Edge sidebar
Microsoft365CopilotChatIconEnabled	IT admins	Controls newer Copilot Chat toolbar behavior

Steps for personal users

Open Microsoft Edge.
Click the three-dot menu.
Go to Settings.
Search for Copilot.
Open the Copilot or sidebar settings.
Turn off the Copilot button if the option appears.
Check sidebar settings if it still shows.

You can also review Edge privacy settings. Copilot in Edge may use page context, open tabs, or browsing context depending on your settings and account type. Turn off anything you don’t want it to use.

Admin note

Edge controls changed over time. Some older guides only mention the sidebar. That may not be enough now. In newer Edge versions, admins may need specific Copilot Chat icon policies to control what appears in the toolbar.

How to Turn Off Copilot in Microsoft 365 Apps

Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook is controlled separately from Windows.

If you remove the Windows Copilot app, Copilot may still show inside Office apps.

Microsoft 365 App	Where to Look
Word	File > Options > Copilot
Excel	File > Options > Copilot
PowerPoint	File > Options > Copilot
OneNote	App settings or Copilot settings
Outlook	Outlook settings or organization controls

Steps to disable Copilot in Office apps

Open the app, such as Word or Excel.
Click File.
Select Options.
Open Copilot.
Clear Enable Copilot.
Click OK.
Restart the app.

You may need to repeat this in each app and on each device. If your work or school manages Microsoft 365, your admin may control the setting.

Copilot vs Recall: Don’t Mix Them Up

A lot of people searching for Copilot settings are actually worried about Recall.

Recall is not the same as Copilot. It is a separate Windows feature on Copilot+ PCs. It can save snapshots of activity so users can search and retrace what they were doing.

Feature	Is It Copilot?	How to Disable It
Microsoft Copilot app	Yes	Uninstall from Settings
Copilot in Edge	Yes	Disable in Edge settings or policy
Copilot in Microsoft 365	Yes	Disable in each app or through admin controls
Recall	No	Remove from Windows features
Click to Do	No, separate AI feature	Turn off in Windows AI settings where available

How to remove Recall

Search for Turn Windows features on or off.
Open it.
Find Recall.
Uncheck it.
Restart your PC.

If you already saved Recall snapshots, removing Recall should also delete the saved snapshots. Still, check your Windows privacy settings if privacy is your main concern.

Troubleshooting: Why Copilot Still Appears After You Turn It Off

If Copilot shows up again, it usually means one of three things:

You removed only one Copilot app.
Another Microsoft app has its own Copilot button.
Your organization manages the setting.

Problem	Likely Reason	What to Do
Copilot still appears in Edge	Edge has separate Copilot controls	Disable it in Edge settings
Copilot appears in Word	Microsoft 365 Copilot is separate	Turn it off inside Word
Copilot key still opens something	Keyboard shortcut still works	Change shortcut behavior
Copilot comes back after update	Store, Windows update, or policy restored it	Use policy or admin controls
Work PC still shows Copilot	Your organization manages it	Contact IT support
Recall still appears	Recall is not Copilot	Remove Recall separately

Check Installed apps again

Go to:

Settings > Apps > Installed apps

Search for:

Copilot
Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft 365

Read the app name carefully before removing anything. If your work depends on Microsoft 365, don’t uninstall the wrong app.

Restart after policy changes

Some Group Policy and Registry changes need a restart.

On Windows Pro or Enterprise, you can also run:

gpupdate /force

Then restart the PC.

Final Thoughts

The best way to turn off windows copilot in 2026 depends on where Copilot is showing up.

Start with the simple fix: uninstall Microsoft Copilot from Settings > Apps > Installed apps. That removes the main Windows app for most personal users.

If Copilot still appears, check the source. Edge, Microsoft 365 apps, the Copilot key, Recall, and work-account Copilot Chat all have their own controls. One switch won’t cover everything anymore.

For Windows Pro users, Group Policy and Registry edits can help. Just remember that Microsoft now treats the older TurnOffWindowsCopilot policy as deprecated. For businesses, AppLocker and Microsoft 365 admin controls are the safer long-term route.

The short version is simple: remove the Windows app first, then clean up the places where Copilot still appears. That gives you a calmer Windows setup without breaking anything important.

FAQs About How to Turn Off Windows Copilot

Question	Quick Answer
Can I remove Copilot completely?	You can remove the Windows app, but other Copilot features may remain.
Does Windows 11 need Copilot?	No. Windows can run without the standalone Copilot app.
Is Recall the same as Copilot?	No. Recall is a separate feature.
Can Windows updates bring Copilot back?	Yes, depending on settings, app provisioning, or policies.
Can admins block Copilot?	Yes. Microsoft recommends AppLocker for the consumer app.

Is it safe to uninstall Microsoft Copilot?

Yes, for most personal PCs. Windows does not need the standalone Copilot app to work. Just make sure you uninstall Microsoft Copilot, not a Microsoft 365 app you use for work or school.

Why do I still see Copilot after uninstalling it?

Because Copilot appears in more than one place. Edge, Microsoft 365 apps, work accounts, and keyboard shortcuts all have separate controls.

Does disabling Copilot make Windows faster?

Not in a major way. It may reduce clutter and stop accidental launches, but it won’t turn a slow PC into a fast one. If your PC feels sluggish, also check startup apps, storage, background processes, malware, and pending updates.

Can I turn off windows copilot on Windows 11 Home?

Yes. Start with the Settings method. If that does not work, you can use the Registry method, but be careful.

Does Group Policy still work?

It may still work, but Microsoft marks the TurnOffWindowsCopilot policy as deprecated. That means it may go away later. Businesses should use stronger admin tools like AppLocker instead.

Can I disable Copilot in all Microsoft 365 apps at once?

For personal settings, usually no. You may need to disable it inside each app, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. For organizations, admins can manage access through Microsoft 365 settings.

Can I stop Copilot from using my Edge page?

Yes, check Copilot and privacy settings inside Edge. You can limit whether Copilot uses page content, tabs, or browsing context, depending on your version and account type.

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