May 28, 2026, 5:32 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Microsoft has apparently realized that the aggressive integration of Copilot into Windows 11 and other programs is not well-received by all users. To counter this, the company has been planning a change in its strategy since early 2026. This initiative now seems to be bearing its first fruits. Users of certain Windows versions now have the option to completely remove the AI.
How to Remove Copilot
As reported by the online magazine Windows Latest, Copilot can be disabled through an adjustment in the group policies of Windows 11. Users can access this setting via the “Edit Group Policy” menu in the settings. From there, follow this path: “User Configuration,” “Administrative Templates,” “Windows Components,” and finally “Windows AI.”
Under the entry “Remove Microsoft Copilot App,” the deactivation can be performed here. A double-click opens a window where the entry is activated. After a restart, Copilot is no longer available in the system and in Microsoft 365.
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Requirements for Deactivation
According to the function description, three conditions must be met for the policy to take effect. First, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot must be installed on the computer. Second, the user must not have independently installed Copilot apps. Third, the Copilot app must not have been used in the last 28 days. If Copilot was used within this period, users can still initiate deactivation. However, it will only take effect after 28 days since the last use.
Availability and Limitations
This feature was introduced with the April update for Windows 11. Although there were already ways to disable Copilot, these often required deeper system interventions. The new method is simpler but not available for all Windows versions. The group policy option is only available to users from the Pro version of Windows 11 onwards. Users of the Home version must forgo this simple solution.