We’re back again with another post about how to get control of AI across various platforms. Today, we’ll cover Microsoft’s Copilot and the many locations where it can be found.
Windows 10/11 Operating System
If you are using a Windows 11 PC, you have probably seen the Copilot logo in your taskbar, standing ready to help you. The nice thing is, Copilot won’t butt into your work unbidden. You have to ask it a question to activate it.
If you don’t want to see it in your taskbar, right-click the icon and unpin it. To uninstall Copilot altogether, open the start menu and search for Copilot. Right-click on the shortcut and select Uninstall.
On my Windows 11 laptop, there are two entries for CoPilot in the apps list. One is under “Copilot”, and the other is under “Microsoft 365 Copilot”:
If you’re still on Windows 10 and CoPilot was installed as part of an update, it may or may not be uninstalled as easily. This is according to anecdotal reports on Windows help sites. I am not an admin on the only Windows 10 computer I have access to, and Copilot is blocked, so I can’t confirm if the removal process is different than for Windows 11.
Note: If you do not have administrator-level access to your machine, you may not be able to uninstall Copilot.
Microsoft Edge Browser
If you use the Microsoft Edge browser, you have probably seen the Copilot on the right side of your top toolbar. To turn it off, click the three-dot menu icon and select Settings.
In the left menu, select Copilot and sidebar:
Click the arrow to the right of Copilot, then use the toggle to remove the Copilot icon from your sidebar.
If Copilot Is Enabled
If you want to leave Copilot on, but adjust the settings, skip the toggle and click the Manage Copilot Settings button. If you choose this option, I would encourage you to select About > Your Privacy Choices and use the toggle to turn off sharing data with third parties.
When Copilot is enabled, you may also want to check Settings > Languages > Writing Assistance and adjust whether Copilot will assist you in writing on the web.
Microsoft 365 Apps
In most of Microsoft’s apps, Copilot is simply an icon that stays out of the way until you need it. In Microsoft Word, however, Copilot is a bit more intrusive.
To turn off Copilot in Word (or any Microsoft App) for Windows, open a document and go to File > Options. Find Copilot in the submenu and uncheck Enable Copilot.
For Word installed on a Mac, click the Word menu and select Preferences. Open the Copilot icon in the Preferences window and uncheck the box for “Enable Copilot.” Close the Preferences window and return to Word to see that Copilot is gone.
Summary
Microsoft has baked the Copilot AI into almost all of its software. If you don’t want Copilot’s help, or if you want to mitigate privacy concerns, it is possible to get Copilot under control across your computer with a bit of extra work. To learn more about how to keep AI in check, see our related posts.
