To remove the Microsoft Copilot app, use Settings > Apps. On Windows 11, open Installed apps, find Copilot, select its three-dot menu and choose Uninstall. On Windows 10, find Copilot in the Apps list and select Uninstall. If you only want its taskbar shortcut gone, unpin it instead.
This covers the Microsoft Copilot app on Windows 11 and Windows 10, plus the separate Copilot controls in Microsoft 365 apps and Edge. Steps were checked against Microsoft’s documentation in October 2026.
Pick the option that matches what you want:
- Remove the Copilot app: uninstall it from Settings > Apps (steps below).
- Keep the app but hide it: right-click its taskbar icon and select Unpin from taskbar.
- Stop the Copilot key from opening it: remap the key in Settings to Search or another app.
- Turn off Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook or Edge: use each app’s own setting. Uninstalling the Windows app doesn’t change these.
Which Copilot Are You Removing?
Microsoft uses the Copilot name for several things, and they’re switched off in different places.
| What you see | What it is | How to turn it off |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot app (chat window, taskbar icon, Copilot key) | The consumer Microsoft Copilot app | Uninstall it, or unpin it |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot app | The app formerly called Microsoft 365 (Office), a hub for your files and Office apps | A separate app; uninstall it only if you don’t use it |
| Copilot button in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote or Outlook | Copilot inside Microsoft 365 apps | Each app’s own setting |
| Copilot button in Microsoft Edge | Copilot in the browser | Edge settings |
| Recall and Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs | Separate Windows AI features | Settings > Privacy & security |
The two apps have similar icons, so read the name in the app list before you uninstall. You don’t need any of them to run Windows 11.
Uninstall Copilot on Windows 11
- Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Select Apps > Installed apps to see installed applications.
- Type Copilot in the search box above the list. The Copilot app appears, possibly with Microsoft 365 Copilot below it.
- Select the three-dot menu next to Copilot, choose Uninstall, then select Uninstall again to confirm.
- Copilot disappears from the list, and its taskbar icon goes away. Restart the PC if Windows asks.
You can also uninstall from Start > All: right-click Copilot and select Uninstall. Both routes do the same thing.
Uninstall Copilot on Windows 10
- Open Start > Settings > Apps.
- Select Apps & features and find Copilot in the list.
- Select the app, choose Uninstall, and confirm any removal prompt.
Microsoft lists these steps in its Copilot getting started guide. Turning off Copilot notifications only stops alerts; it doesn’t remove the app.
Hide the Shortcut or Change the Copilot Key
Right-click the Copilot app icon on the taskbar and choose Unpin from taskbar. The app remains installed and still opens from Start. Customizing the Windows 11 taskbar covers the other taskbar buttons you can hide.
Many newer laptops have a Copilot key, and Windows key + C also opens Copilot. To change what the key does:
- Open Settings > Personalization > Text input.
- Select Customize Copilot key on keyboard.
- Choose Search, or choose Custom to pick another app. Pressing the key now opens your choice.
Microsoft’s Copilot key update notes also describe a newer option under Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard that turns the key into a Right Ctrl or Context menu key on PCs that have the update. If you choose Right Ctrl, use the left Ctrl key for Ctrl + Windows and Ctrl + Shift shortcuts. If your PC maker’s app also has a Copilot key setting, use only one of the two.
Hide the Older Copilot Preview Taskbar Button
Older Windows 11 builds had a built-in Copilot (preview) taskbar button. If yours does, open Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and turn off the Copilot switch under Taskbar items. Current builds don’t have this switch, so use Unpin from taskbar or the uninstall steps above instead.
What About the Group Policy and Registry Methods?
Many guides tell you to enable Turn off Windows Copilot in Group Policy or to create a TurnOffWindowsCopilot registry value. Microsoft’s policy reference marks that policy as deprecated and says it isn’t for the new Copilot experience. It controlled the old Copilot sidebar; it doesn’t uninstall or block the current Copilot app. On a home PC, uninstalling the app is the reliable route, and it works on Windows 11 Home without Group Policy or registry edits.
IT Administrators: Block or Remove the App
For the consumer Copilot app (package name MICROSOFT.COPILOT), use AppLocker rules to control installation or launch. Its managed Windows Copilot guide documents the publisher values and a PowerShell removal method.
On Windows 11 24H2 and later, the RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp policy uninstalls the Copilot app on managed PCs only when both Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot are installed, the user didn’t install Copilot themselves, and it hasn’t been opened in the last 28 days. Users can reinstall it from the Store afterward. The edition table covers Enterprise and Education, so check the page before relying on it for Pro.
Turn Off Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Removing the Windows app does not change each Microsoft 365 app’s Copilot controls. Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 Copilot controls apply when you’re signed in with a personal Microsoft account:
- In Word, Excel, PowerPoint or OneNote on Windows, select File > Options > Copilot.
- Clear Enable Copilot and select OK.
- Close and reopen the app. The Copilot icon is turned off in that app.
Repeat for each app and each PC; the setting applies to everyone who uses that app on that device. If the checkbox is missing, update the app (it needs Word 2412, Excel 2501, PowerPoint 2501 or OneNote 2502 or later). In new Outlook, use Settings > Copilot and turn off Turn on Copilot, which applies to every device signed in to that account. Classic Outlook doesn’t have an on/off switch yet.
Hiding the Copilot icon from the ribbon is not the same as turning Copilot off. If the setting isn’t available, Microsoft offers File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings and clearing Turn on experiences that analyze your content, but that also turns off other features such as suggested replies. Work and school accounts are controlled by IT. You can’t turn Copilot off in the web, iPhone or Android versions of these apps. To learn what Copilot does in Word, read about Copilot in Word.
Remove the Copilot Button in Edge and Other Apps
Edge has its own Copilot button. Open Edge Settings, type Copilot in the settings search box, and turn off the option to show the Copilot button on the toolbar. Hiding a button is different from blocking access to a service.
On an older PC, Edge itself usually can’t be uninstalled like Copilot. Removing Edge from Windows 10 explains what Microsoft allows.
Some built-in apps, such as Notepad, have their own AI or Copilot switch in their settings. Uninstalling the Copilot app doesn’t remove those features, so check each app you use.
If Copilot Is Missing or Can’t Be Removed
- Copilot isn’t in the app list: the button you see probably belongs to Edge or a Microsoft 365 app. See the two sections above.
- Uninstall fails or is greyed out: sign in with an administrator account, restart, and try again from Start. If you get an error, see Microsoft’s uninstall help. For more removal methods, read the Windows 11 app uninstall guide.
- It’s a work or school PC: IT may block removal or reinstall the app. Ask your administrator.
- Copilot came back: check Installed apps after major Windows updates and uninstall it again if it reappears.
How to Confirm It Worked or Get Copilot Back
Search for Copilot in Settings > Apps > Installed apps. If only Microsoft 365 Copilot (or nothing) shows up, the Copilot app is gone. Press the Copilot key to check what it opens now.
To undo, reinstall Copilot free from the Microsoft Store. Set the Copilot key back in Settings > Personalization > Text input, and turn Enable Copilot back on in each Office app.
Common Questions
Is it safe to uninstall Copilot?
Yes. Copilot is an ordinary Store app, and Windows 11 works normally without it. Uninstall only the app named Copilot unless you also want to remove Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Does uninstalling Copilot remove it from Word and Excel?
No. Office apps have their own Copilot setting under File > Options > Copilot.
Can I disable Copilot on Windows 11 Home?
Yes. Uninstalling the app works on every edition. You don’t need Group Policy, which Home doesn’t include.
Is Copilot the same as Recall?
No. Recall is a separate feature on Copilot+ PCs, controlled in Settings > Privacy & security. Removing the Copilot app doesn’t change it.
If you change your mind later, you can bring Copilot back by installing and opening Copilot on Windows 11 again.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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