Microsoft Copilot is kinda weird. It’s this AI assistant baked into Windows, Microsoft 365, and Edge, meant to help with productivity but, honestly, it can be more of a distraction than a help. If the constant prompts, icons, or background activity bug the hell out of you, disabling or removing Copilot might make your life a lot easier—and free up some system resources in the process. This guide walks through practical ways to hide, disable, or even uninstall it completely. No fancy tech-speak, just straightforward steps so you can get back to your workflow.
The goal here is to cut down on the clutter, especially if you just want a cleaner interface or don’t care for AI popping up all the time. Each method is a bit different—sometimes you just hide the icon, other times you remove the app entirely, or block it at a deeper system level. Expect some variations on how it works depending on your Windows version or setup, but these should cover most common scenarios.
How to Disable or Remove Microsoft Copilot in Windows and Apps
Hide Copilot Icon from the Taskbar — Quick and Easy
This is for those who see the Copilot icon sitting pretty on their Windows 11 taskbar. It doesn’t turn off the feature, just hides the icon so it’s not constantly staring back at you. Good enough for a lot of folks wanting less clutter, but Copilot still runs in the background.
- Open the Start Menu.
- Type “Settings” and hit enter.
- Head over to Personalization > Taskbar.
- Look for the toggle labeled Copilot (preview) and switch it off.
This steps down the visibility, but don’t expect it to disable the core AI bits. Not sure why, but Windows kind of likes to keep things semi-active even when hidden. On some setups, this worked instantly, on others, it took a reboot to see the icon vanish.
Uninstall Copilot from Windows Settings — For a Slightly Cleaner System
Starting with Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft made Copilot an app you can uninstall if you don’t want it hanging around. It’s not the full removal of all components, but it’s enough to stop most of the interface stuff and background overlays.
- Click the Start Menu and open Settings.
- Navigate to Apps > Installed apps.
- Type Copilot into the search bar on the top right.
- Click the three-dot menu next to the app entry and select Uninstall.
Sometimes, the uninstall prompt is a little finicky — might have to do it once or twice. And on some machines? It might leave residual files, but overall, it’s a decent way to get rid of it without messing with system files.
Get Rid of Copilot Using PowerShell — The Deep Clean
This is for anyone comfortable with command-line stuff and wants to make sure Copilot is totally gone for all users. It’s not super complicated, but you need admin privileges. Also, definitely create a restore point before killing system apps, just in case.
- Search for Windows PowerShell, right-click, and pick Run as Administrator.
- Run this command to remove Copilot for everyone:
Get-AppxPackage *Copilot* -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers - To stop future installations for new users, execute:
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object {$_. PackageName -like "*Copilot*"} | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online - Restart your PC. That usually helps finalize everything.
This clears out the app, but it’s worth noting that some parts might still hang around if Microsoft sneaks in updates. Still, it’s pretty effective, especially if you’re desperate to free up system space or reduce background stuff.
Disable Copilot in Microsoft Edge — Hide the Sidebar
Copilot in Edge appears as a sidebar, which is kinda cool in theory, but if you find it useless or intrusive, turning off the button is straightforward. Like, you won’t see the Copilot icon on your toolbar, but Bing AI services might still run in the background.
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Click the three-dot menu at the top right and go to Settings.
- Navigate to Sidebar > Copilot and App Settings.
- Toggle off “Show Copilot button on the toolbar”.
This just hides the button, but the AI engine behind the scenes can still be active if you’re using Bing chat through the browser. You might need to disable Bing AI or related features separately if you want a full clean uninstall.
Limit or Disable Copilot in Microsoft Office — Turning Off Connected Services
Copilot in Office 365 is powered by cloud-connected services that suggest things as you work. Turning these off isn’t a full removal but cuts down on the AI suggestions, so it feels a bit lighter. If your organization’s admin has management policies, that can disable it universally.
- Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
- Go to File > Options.
- Navigate to General > Privacy Settings.
- Uncheck “Turn on optional connected experiences”.
- Close and restart your Office app.
The AI-driven suggestions will slow down or stop, which is perfect if you’re tired of the constant prompts. On some setups, you might need admin help for enterprise policies, but for desktop use, this usually does the trick.
Disable Windows Copilot Completely via Group Policy (Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise)
This is the most thorough way to block Copilot, stopping everything from running. It’s only available if you have Windows Pro or above — Home edition doesn’t have the Group Policy Editor, but you can still do things via the Registry. Fair warning: messing with Group Policy or registry can break stuff if you’re not careful.
- Search for “Edit Group Policy” and open it.
- Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot.
- Double-click on Turn off Windows Copilot and set it to Enabled.
- Apply the changes and restart the machine.
If you’re on Windows Home, you’ll need to do the same via the Registry Editor by editing or creating the appropriate keys. Honestly, Windows makes it a little more complicated than necessary, but at least there are options for power users.