How to Disable Copilot on Windows 11: Turn It Off, Uninstall It or Remove It

Quick Answer

• The easiest fix is to uninstall it: open Settings, go to Apps, then Installed apps, and uninstall Copilot.
• Hiding the Copilot button on the taskbar does not remove the app. Win + C or the Copilot key can still open it.
• Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education have a “Remove Microsoft Copilot app” policy, but it only works in specific cases.
• Windows 11 Home has no Group Policy Editor, so use the uninstall method.
• Edge, Word, Excel and Outlook have their own Copilot switches. There is no single master switch.

Copilot shows up on the taskbar, in Edge, in Word and sometimes on a dedicated key on your keyboard. If you never use it, you can get rid of it in a few minutes. This guide covers every method that works on Windows 11 in 2026, from the simple ones to the admin policies, and explains what each method really does.

Disable Copilot on Windows 11: which method should you use?

If you are not sure, start with method 2. It works on every edition.

Method 1: Turn off the Copilot button on the taskbar

1. Open Settings and go to Personalization, then Taskbar.
2. Under Taskbar items, switch Copilot to Off.

This only hides the icon. The app stays installed, and Win + C may still open it. Reports say it can also come back after a big Windows update, so check it again after updates.

Method 2: Uninstall Copilot from Settings

This is the cleanest fix for most people.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Apps, then Installed apps.
3. Find Copilot, click the three dots next to it and choose Uninstall.
4. Confirm. No restart is usually needed.

You can also open the Start menu, go to All apps, right click Copilot and choose Uninstall.

If you ever want it back, search for Microsoft Copilot in the Microsoft Store and install it again.

Method 3: Remove Copilot with PowerShell

Use this if the Uninstall option is missing or greyed out.

1. Right click the Start button and open Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. First list the matching packages:

Get-AppxPackage *Copilot* | Select Name, PackageFullName

3. Copy the PackageFullName of the Copilot app you want to remove, then run:

Remove-AppxPackage -Package "PASTE_PACKAGEFULLNAME_HERE"

Check the name before you remove anything. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a separate app with a similar name, and you may not want to remove it.

Method 4: Use the “Remove Microsoft Copilot app” policy (Pro, Enterprise, Education)

Microsoft added a policy called RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp with the April 2026 Windows 11 update. To find it, open the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) and go to User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows AI, then Remove Microsoft Copilot app. Enable it, then run gpupdate /force or restart.

Before you rely on it, know its limits:

• It only removes the app when both Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot are installed.
• It only works if you did not install the Copilot app yourself.
• It waits until Copilot has not been opened for a set period. Microsoft’s documentation reportedly says 14 days, while other reports say 28 days. Sources differ on this.
• It does not affect Copilot inside Edge or Microsoft 365 apps.
• Reports differ on which editions are supported. Microsoft’s own table lists Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise, while other sources also list Pro.
• Users can reinstall the app afterwards, so it is not a permanent lock.

For a normal home user, this policy often does nothing. That is why Method 2 is the safer choice.

Method 5: Windows 11 Home (registry workaround)

Home has no Group Policy Editor. One third-party guide says you can set the same policy in the registry:

1. Open Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI.
2. Create a DWORD (32-bit) value named RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp and set it to 1.
3. Restart your PC.

Microsoft has not confirmed this for Home, so treat it as unofficial. The same conditions from Method 4 would still apply. Create a restore point before editing the registry, because a wrong change can cause problems. If you want a simple result, just uninstall the app with Method 2.

Stop Win + C and the Copilot key from opening Copilot

Hiding the taskbar button does not stop the shortcut. The best fix is to uninstall the app, so the shortcut has nothing to open.

For the physical Copilot key, Microsoft said in May 2026 that an update later this year will let you remap it to Right Ctrl or the Context menu key, with the setting under Bluetooth & devices, then Keyboard. At that time it had not shipped, so check whether it appears on your PC. One guide also says you can remap the key under Personalization, then Text input, or with the PowerToys Keyboard Manager. We could not confirm these steps from Microsoft, so test them on your own PC.

Turn off Copilot in Edge, Word and other apps

Uninstalling the Windows app does not remove Copilot from other Microsoft apps. Each one has its own setting. One guide lists these steps:

• Microsoft Edge: Settings, then Appearance, then Copilot and sidebar. Turn off the Copilot button on the toolbar and the other Copilot options.
• Word and Excel: Open File, then Options, then Copilot, clear Enable Copilot and restart the app.
• Outlook (new app and web): Open Settings, go to Copilot and turn it off.
• Notepad: Open Settings and switch off the Copilot toggle under AI Features.

On a work or school account, your IT admin may control these options, so they can be greyed out or missing. Menus also change between versions.

Will Copilot come back after a Windows update?

It can. Reports say Windows or Store updates can bring Copilot back, and taskbar toggles are the setting most likely to reset. After a major update such as the Windows 11 26H2 update, check Installed apps again. If your PC acts strangely after an update, see our guide to Windows 11 update issues.

Why some people disable Copilot

Most people do it for privacy, a cleaner taskbar or to save a little system memory. If privacy is your reason, read our explainer on whether Copilot human reviewers can see your photos.

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