How to Turn Off Copilot in Outlook

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In this guide we will show how to disable Microsoft Copilot in Outlook and Windows 11. We will cover tutorials for mobile, web, classic Outlook, Group Policy, Registry, and Microsoft 365. The method for disabling Copilot depends on your Outlook client version.

Note that Copilot is not a single feature controlled by a single toggle. It is a distributed service spanning identity, backend provisioning, client apps, and Microsoft-controlled feature rollout systems.

So as a result, Copilot behavior may differ between users even in identical licensing conditions.

Note that Copilot is not controlled by a single setting. Its availability depends on the Outlook client, Microsoft 365 licensing, organizational policies, and Microsoft-managed service controls. As a result, the steps required to disable Copilot depend on the Outlook version and the type of Copilot experience.

Note. The Chat with Copilot feature is only available in the new Outlook for Windows and in Outlook on the Web with the Microsoft 365 business subscription.

Why Copilot Appears for a User (License & Deployment Check)

Step 1 — Check if Copilot is licensed (Microsoft 365/Entra ID)

In case the Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK is not installed, install and import it first:

Install-Module Microsoft.Graph.Users -Scope CurrentUser
Install-Module Microsoft.Graph.Identity.DirectoryManagement -Scope CurrentUser

Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Users
Import-Module Microsoft.Graph.Identity.DirectoryManagement

Then connect to Microsoft Graph:

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes User.Read.All, LicenseAssignment.Read.All, Organization.Read.All

Then check assigned licenses for a specific user:

Get-MgUserLicenseDetail -UserId user@contoso.com

The command mentioned above returns the licenses assigned to the user (including Microsoft 365 and Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses) if assigned.

In order to check which subscriptions are available in the tenant, run the command:

Get-MgSubscribedSku |
Where-Object { $_.SkuPartNumber -match 'COPILOT' } |
Select-Object SkuPartNumber, SkuId, ConsumedUnits

Look for the Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. Keep in mind that the presence of a Copilot-related entry point in Outlook does not necessarily mean that the user has a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, because Microsoft also provides Copilot Chat for eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

In case the Copilot SKU is not present in the tenant, the feature cannot be assigned to any user.

Step 2 — Check the Service Plan Status

After identifying the user’s assigned Microsoft 365 licenses, you need to check the provisioning status of the relevant service plans:

(Get-MgUserLicenseDetail -UserId user@contoso.com).ServicePlans |
Where-Object { $_.ServicePlanName -match 'COPILOT' } |
Select-Object ServicePlanName, ProvisioningStatus

The ProvisioningStatus property shows the current provisioning state of each service plan. Common values include:

• Success — the service plan is successfully provisioned.
• Disabled — the service plan is disabled.
• PendingInput — provisioning is waiting for required input.
• PendingActivation — activation is pending.
• PendingProvisioning — provisioning is still in progress.
• Error — provisioning failed or encountered an error.

For Copilot troubleshooting, you need to focus on the relevant service plans and their ProvisioningStatus rather than looking for generic states such as “Enabled” or “Suspended.”

In case Copilot is provided through a separate license, you can remove that license from the user with Microsoft Graph PowerShell. In order to identify the SkuId of the Copilot license you want to remove, use the command below:

Get-MgUserLicenseDetail -UserId user@contoso.com |
Select-Object SkuPartNumber, SkuId

To remove a Copilot license, you need to reconnect to Microsoft Graph with a write permission:

Disconnect-MgGraph
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes User.ReadWrite.All

The following command removes the specified license from the user (note that it does not remove Copilot features that are included in other Microsoft 365 licenses):

Set-MgUserLicense -UserId user@contoso.com `
-RemoveLicenses @("<SkuId>") `
-AddLicenses @()

Step 3 — Check Whether the User Has Copilot Chat Without a Copilot License

In case you are seeing Copilot in Outlook, it does not necessarily mean that the user has a Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on license.

Microsoft Copilot Chat is automatically available to users with eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions and a work/school account. In Outlook, users can access Copilot Chat even when their admin has not assigned a Microsoft Copilot add-on license.

Without the add-on license, Copilot Chat provides a more limited set of capabilities. For example, users can interact with their inbox, calendar, meetings, and other supported Outlook data. A Microsoft Copilot add-on license provides broader access to organizational data and additional Copilot capabilities.

Therefore, if a user sees a Copilot button in Outlook but does not have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, this is not necessarily a feature flag, A/B test, or licensing error. First, you need to determine which Copilot experience the user is seeing.

To troubleshoot the situation, follow the steps below:

1. Confirm that the user is signed in with a work or school account.
2. Check if the user’s Microsoft 365 subscription is eligible for Copilot Chat.
3. Determine if the user has a Microsoft Copilot add-on license.
4. Check which Copilot experience is available in Outlook.
5. Only after these checks should you investigate client version, policy, or rollout issues.

For licensing diagnostics, we recommend using the Copilot License Details diagnostic in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Step 4 — Check update channel/client version

Note that Copilot availability depends heavily on the Microsoft 365 Apps update channel and client version. You can check the version in Outlook by navigating to Outlook → File → Office Account → About Outlook.

You should also check:

• Whether user is on New Outlook/Classic Outlook
• Microsoft 365 Apps update channel:
  – Current Channel (recommended for Copilot)
  – Monthly Enterprise Channel
  – Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (may delay feature availability)

Usually on outdated builds/delayed update channels, you won’t find any Copilot features.

Step 5 — Check Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Finally, you need to confirm that Copilot is enabled from an admin perspective. To do this, go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center → Users → Active users → select user → Licenses and apps.

Here you need to check that:

• Microsoft 365 Copilot license is assigned
• Copilot-related service plans are toggled ON
• No policy is blocking the service at tenant level

In case everything appears correct in Graph but Copilot is missing in client apps, you should consider Admin Center as the final validation layer before investigating rollout/client problems.

Types of Copilot Covered in This Tutorial

Note that this guide refers to several different Copilot implementations:

• Windows Copilot (built into Windows 11)
• Microsoft 365 Copilot (AI features available with a Microsoft 365 subscription)
• Copilot in Outlook (application-level integration)

Keep in mind that disabling one of these does not necessarily disable the others.

Where Copilot Can Be Disabled?

Keep in mind that availability of the Copilot on/off setting in Classic Outlook depends on the Microsoft 365 Apps build and the rollout status for the tenant. You should check the setting on a pilot group before assuming it is available to all users.

Turn Off Copilot in Outlook (Mobile, Web)

The Copilot option can be disabled using a separate toggle switch in the settings in the mobile and web versions of Outlook, and in the new Outlook for Windows.

1. Open the Outlook app on your device (iOS, Android, or macOS), or on your mobile browser.
2. Navigate:
   On iOS: tap your profile picture → Settings → scroll to Copilot.
   On Android: tap the menu icon → Settings → Copilot.
3. Find the Turn off Copilot toggle switch and turn it off.

   

This option to disable Copilot is also available in Outlook on the web (outlook.com) when using a mobile device.

Can You Disable Copilot in Classic Outlook for Windows?

Microsoft is rolling out a user-level Copilot setting to Classic Outlook for Windows. On Microsoft 365 Apps builds where the feature is available, users can control Copilot from File → Options → Copilot.

Keep in mind that the rollout is staged, so the setting may not be available on every device/tenant yet. Microsoft announced the rollout through Message Center notification MC1358831, with general availability rolling out during summer 2026. If the option is missing, you need to check the Microsoft 365 Apps build and test the setting with a pilot group before assuming that Copilot cannot be disabled in Classic Outlook.

When the setting is available, follow the steps below:

1. Open Classic Outlook for Windows.
2. Go to File → Options → Copilot.
3. Turn off Enable Copilot.
4. Select OK.

This is a user-level setting. It should not be confused with Microsoft 365 admin controls for Copilot access, licensing, or organizational deployment.

What to Do in Case the Copilot setting is not available?

On older/not-yet-updated Microsoft 365 Apps builds, the Enable Copilot option may still be missing. Microsoft also documents a broader workaround: disabling Connected Experiences under File → Account → Account Privacy → Manage Settings.

However, disabling Connected Experiences affects other Microsoft 365 cloud-connected features as well, so you should not use it solely to disable Copilot unless the organization accepts those side effects.

You should use the Microsoft 365 Apps update channel and a pilot group to validate the availability of the Copilot setting before deploying user instructions broadly.

Note. Do not confuse Classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 with the perpetual editions of Office 2019, Office 2021, and Office 2024. These are separate Office products and do not provide Copilot as a feature of the perpetual Office edition. In case Copilot is absent in these editions, this is expected and does not require a Copilot-specific policy.

How to Disable or Remove Copilot in Windows 11 (GPO, Registry, and Windows AI Policies)

In modern Windows 11 (2025–2026 builds), Copilot is no longer controlled by a single policy. Microsoft now distributes Copilot through multiple components (including the Windows AI platform and separate Copilot apps). As a result, you can only partially disable Copilot/only hide the UI using legacy Group Policy and registry settings (such as TurnOffWindowsCopilot), depending on OS version.

There are several ways to disable Microsoft Copilot in Windows 11.

Use AppLocker for application control

AppLocker can be used to prevent users from launching the Microsoft Copilot app. Follow the steps below:

1. Open Group Policy Management and edit the GPO applied to the target computers or users.
2. Now go to Computer Configuration → Policies → Windows Settings → Security Settings → Application Control Policies → AppLocker → Packaged app Rules
   Create a New Rule and use the wizard to create a Deny rule for the Microsoft Copilot packaged app.
3. Scope the rule to the required users/groups.
4. Test the rule on a pilot group before deploying it broadly.
5. Make sure the Application Identity service is enabled, because AppLocker rules depend on this service.

AppLocker is an application-control mechanism. It is different from the RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp Windows AI policy: the latter removes the Copilot app, while AppLocker controls whether the application can run.

Using Group Policy

Important. Keep in mind that TurnOffWindowsCopilot is a legacy policy. Microsoft has deprecated this policy and recommends AppLocker for managing the current Microsoft Copilot app. The policy may be removed in a future Windows release.

Run gpedit.msc, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot. Enable the Turn off Windows Copilot policy.

Note that this method may not affect:

• Copilot app installed from Microsoft Store
• Microsoft 365 Copilot integration in Office apps
• New Windows AI features introduced in Windows 11 24H2+ and later
  

Or run this command to disable Copilot via the registry:

reg add HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot /v TurnOffWindowsCopilot /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Important. In case you disable Windows Copilot, this won’t remove Copilot from Outlook or other Microsoft 365 apps (because they rely on separate cloud-based services).

Remove Copilot App (Windows AI Policy) in Windows 11 2026+

Remove Microsoft Copilot App is a new policy that may remove or hide Copilot app depending on Windows build and deployment state. You need to go to User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows AI → Remove Microsoft Copilot App.

What this policy does:

• Removes Copilot app from Windows UI
• Prevents reinstallation in supported scenarios
• Applies only on supported Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education builds
• May require idle/reboot cycle to take effect

Keep in mind that Windows AI policies cover multiple AI-driven experiences (including Copilot and other system AI features).

Note that there are some important limitations. This policy does NOT disable Copilot inside Microsoft 365 apps (Outlook, Word, Excel), Copilot Chat cloud services and browser-based Copilot (Edge/Bing)

Remove the Microsoft Copilot App with PowerShell

In case the Microsoft Copilot app is already installed for the current user, you can check for the package and remove it with PowerShell. Use the following command:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.Copilot" |
Select-Object Name, PackageFullName

If the package is installed, PowerShell returns its package name and full package name.

In order to remove the Microsoft Copilot app from the current user’s profile, run the command below:

$package = Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.Copilot"

if ($package) {
$package | Remove-AppxPackage
}
else {
Write-Host "Microsoft Copilot is not installed for the current user."
}

Important. Keep in mind that Remove-AppxPackage removes the Microsoft Copilot app only from the current user’s profile. It does not prevent the app from being installed again by Windows/organizational deployment mechanisms. You should use a supported policy-based control such as AppLocker or the appropriate Windows/Intune policy instead of relying on Remove-AppxPackage alone.

In order to check if the package is no longer registered for the current user, use the command:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.Copilot"

In case the command returns no package, Microsoft Copilot is no longer registered for the current user.

Note that this removes the Microsoft Copilot app from the current user’s profile. It does not disable Copilot features in Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, or other Microsoft 365 apps.

How to Disable Copilot Chat in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge provides a separate Copilot Chat entry point for users signed in with a Microsoft Entra account. This experience is independent of the Copilot controls in Outlook and Microsoft 365 Apps. In managed environments, you can control Copilot Chat in Edge through Microsoft Edge policies.

In order to hide Copilot Chat from the Edge toolbar, you need to config the following policy:

Administrative Templates → Microsoft Edge → Control whether Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat shows in the Microsoft Edge for Business toolbar

The policy name is Microsoft365CopilotChatIconEnabled. You need to check if the policy is set to Disabled.

In case the organization wants to disable the Edge Sidebar entirely, you need to config Administrative Templates → Microsoft Edge → Show Hubs Sidebar. Here you need to find HubsSidebarEnabled policy and set it to Disabled.

These policies control the Edge user interface and Sidebar. They are separate from policies that control whether Copilot can access webpage content.

For example, EdgeEntraCopilotPageContext controls whether Copilot in the Edge side pane can access page content, browsing history, and video transcripts. Note that disabling this policy restricts contextual access but does not by itself remove the Copilot entry point from Edge.

Disable Copilot at the Microsoft 365 Tenant Level

Microsoft 365 tenant administrators can disable Copilot organization-wide.

1. Log into Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
2. Navigate to Settings > Integrated apps.
3. Available Apps > find Copilot.
4. You can block the Copilot app for all users in the tenant by clicking Block App, which prevents users from accessing Copilot features.
5. Alternatively, go to the Assigned Users section and only grant Copilot access to the users/groups you want to retain the feature (by default, it’s allowed for everyone).

Keep in mind that this reduces/restricts Copilot availability at tenant level, but does not guarantee full removal of Copilot UI in all clients due to:

• cached UI components
• client-side feature rollout
• app-specific implementations

Prevent Automatic Deployment of the Microsoft Copilot App

The Microsoft Copilot app can be installed automatically on Windows devices that have Microsoft 365 Apps. This is separate from assigning a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and from enabling Copilot features inside Outlook.

On supported commercial Microsoft 365 Apps installations, the Microsoft Copilot app is automatically installed in the background on devices running Microsoft 365 Apps version 2511 or later. Automatic deployment applies to the Current Channel and Monthly Enterprise Channel. Devices on the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel don’t receive the app through this automatic deployment mechanism.

If you don’t want Microsoft 365 Apps to automatically install the Microsoft Copilot app, you need to disable the automatic installation setting in the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center. Follow the steps below:

1. Open the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center.
2. Go to Customization → Device Configuration.
3. Open the Modern Apps settings tab.
4. Select Microsoft Copilot app.
5. Clear Enable automatic installation of Microsoft Copilot app.
6. Select Save.

This setting prevents the automatic deployment of the app through Microsoft 365 Apps. Note that it does not prevent users/admins from installing the app through other deployment methods (such as Microsoft Intune, Configuration Manager, or the standalone installer).

Disable Copilot via Modern Enterprise Management (Intune & Cloud Policy)

In enterprise environments, Copilot is often controlled not only by licenses/tenant settings, but also by modern device and app management policies. Note that in many cases, Intune and Office Cloud Policy override/complement Microsoft 365 Admin Center settings.

Disabling Copilot using Intune (Settings Catalog)

In Microsoft Intune, Copilot-related controls are available via the Settings Catalog. You should navigate to Intune Admin Center → Devices → Configuration profiles → Create profile → Windows 10/11 → Settings catalog.

Here you need to search for:

Copilot

or:

Windows AI

Availability of these settings depends on:

• Windows 11 build version
• Intune policy definitions update cycle
• Tenant targeting (preview vs stable features)

Note that Microsoft continuously changes Intune policy naming and availability. Some Copilot-related settings may appear only in preview builds/be renamed in different Windows versions.

Here is a recommended config:

• Set Copilot-related policies to Disabled
• Assign policy to:
  – User groups
  – Device groups (preferred for enterprise control)

Control Copilot via Microsoft 365 Apps policies (Office Cloud Policy Service)

You can manage Microsoft 365 Apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) through Cloud Policy Service. Navigate to Microsoft 365 Apps admin center → Customization → Policy Management → Create policy.

Here you need to configure “Allow Copilot”/“Enable Copilot experiences”. Note that Office Cloud Policy Service does not provide a unified Copilot control. You can control Copilot behaviour through a combination of app-specific policies and Microsoft-managed feature flags.

Here is the typical enterprise use case:

• Disable Copilot for:
  – Finance department
  – Legal department
  – Regulated workloads
• Enable Copilot for:
  – Pilot groups
  – Power users

Control Copilot access via Entra ID (Licensing Groups)

Note that Copilot availability is ultimately controlled by license assignment in Entra ID groups. You can Control Copilot access via Entra ID, navigate to Entra Admin Center → Identity → Groups
→ Licenses.

Here is the recommended approach:

• Create dedicated security group:
  M365-Copilot-Enabled
• Assign Copilot license ONLY to this group (Entra ID licensing determines eligibility for Copilot services but does not guarantee suppression of UI elements/full feature removal due to staged rollout and client-side feature exposure).
• Remove direct user assignment of Copilot licenses

Here are the benefits of this approach:

• You have centralized control
• It’s easy to rollback
• Audit-friendly licensing model
• Prevents accidental Copilot exposure

Enterprise best practice: layered control model

In real-world environments, you should avoid situation when Copilot is being controlled from a single place. Instead, we recommend you layered enforcement:

• Layer Control Point
• Identity Entra ID licensing
• Device Intune policies
• App Office Cloud Policy
• Tenant Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Important. Even if Copilot is disabled in one layer, it may still appear if another layer allows it.

Note that in Windows 11 (2025–2026), Copilot cannot be fully disabled using a single method. You must consider three control layers:

1. Legacy policies (TurnOffWindowsCopilot)
2. Windows AI policies (Remove Copilot App)
3. Cloud-based Copilot services (Microsoft 365 Copilot)

Keep in mind that a failure to account for all layers may result in Copilot still appearing in:

• Outlook
• Edge
• Windows Search
• Microsoft 365 apps

Note. To audit Copilot usage in your organization, you need to review Microsoft Purview activity logs. To do this, go to Audit section, and search for “Copilot” activities.

Why Is Copilot Still Visible?

This can happen when:

• You are using classic Outlook app
• Your Outlook app has not been updated
• Copilot was disabled at tenant level but UI is static
• Feature flag rollout (A/B testing)
• Partial provisioning state
• Cached Office UI components
• Cross-service identity mismatch