Microsoft Throws IT Admins a Bone With Ability to Remove Copilot from Windows

Microsoft has gotten a significant amount of pushback from users as it has continued to more deeply embed its Copilot AI into Windows 11. The company is taking the feedback to heart, slowing down its rollout of AI features and its presence within its own apps. This reversal can go even further within enterprise environments as IT administrators are now able to completely remove Copilot.

The company announced that in Windows 11, version 25H2 with KB5083769 and later, there is now a RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp setting available as a Policy CSP and Group Policy that will allow administrators to “uninstall Copilot from devices in your organization in a non-disruptive way.” It will be an option to organizations who use either Pro, Enterprise, Education or IoT Enterprise and IoT Enterprise LTSC editions of the operating system.


However, machines need to meet a few criteria before being able to use the new setting to remove the AI from a user’s Windows 11 install. Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot both need to be installed, Copilot can’t have been installed by that particular user, and the Copilot app must not have been launched within the last 28 days. It’s important to note that this change is reversible, as an organization or user can re-install Copilot if they feel they need to in the future.

It’s disappointing that Microsoft didn’t have this as an option for IT departments from the beginning of its AI push, especially for organizations that have been nervous about the technology being used in sensitive environments. Although, as the adage goes, better late than never.

It will be interesting to see if this sort of option will extend to consumer versions of Windows 11. PC users will likely know that it can be done on their work device, so it’s not far-fetched to imagine them wanting to do this with their personal systems, too.