Microsoft Allows Removal of Copilot from Windows 11, But Only if Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot Apps are Installed
In a test build of Windows 11 (26220.7535, KB5072046), Microsoft has introduced an official tool that allows the removal of the built-in AI assistant Copilot. However, in practice, only a few will be able to use this capability — the function works only if a number of strict conditions are met, which will be insurmountable for most users.
The option named "RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp" is available to administrators via the Local Group Policy Editor. To find it, one must navigate to: "User Configuration" → "Administrative Templates" → "Windows AI". But even after discovering the tool, it can be applied far from always.
Activating the policy requires the simultaneous fulfillment of three strict conditions.
First, the device must have both versions of Copilot installed — the free Microsoft Copilot application and the paid Microsoft 365 Copilot service.
Second, the Copilot application must not have been installed manually: only a standard installation via system mechanisms is allowed.
Third, the application must not have been launched within the last 28 days — and it is this condition that creates the most serious obstacles.
The problem is that Copilot is enabled in the system's startup by default. Furthermore, it can easily be activated accidentally using the standard keyboard shortcuts Win + C or Alt + Space. Many modern keyboards have a dedicated physical button for invoking Copilot — any unintentional press resets the 28-day countdown, making it impossible to fulfill the condition.
There are other significant limitations. The tool is available exclusively in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. Users of the Windows 11 Home version are unable to use it.
Even if all conditions are met and the policy is successfully applied, the system will only remove the free Copilot client application. The functionality included in the Microsoft 365 subscription will remain fully intact.