How to Turn Off Copilot in Windows 11 Home and Pro (2026)

Last updated: October 18, 2026. Every step checked against Microsoft Learn and Microsoft Support documentation.

Update (October 18, 2026): We rechecked every step against Microsoft’s current pages and nothing has changed. Microsoft’s Copilot key page still describes the Right Ctrl / Context menu remap as a coming update, and BleepingComputer reports that the October 2026 cumulative update adds a Copilot key remap option (see our October 2026 Patch Tuesday guide).

Copilot shows up in a lot of places on a Windows 11 PC: an app on the taskbar, a key on newer keyboards, a button in Edge, and a ribbon icon in Office. There’s no single off switch, and much of the advice online is out of date. Here’s how to turn off Copilot in Windows 11 Home, what extra options Pro and managed PCs have, and which popular tricks no longer work.

Which methods work on Windows 11 Home vs Pro?

Home users can uninstall and hide Copilot; only Pro and above get admin policies to remove or block it.

Sources: Microsoft Learn: Copilot in Windows, WindowsAI Policy CSP.

How to turn off Copilot on Windows 11 Home

Uninstall the Microsoft Copilot app. That removes the app along with its taskbar and Start menu entries. The steps Microsoft documents are:

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Search for Copilot.
3. Select the three dots next to Microsoft Copilot and choose Uninstall.

Be careful which app you remove. Windows 11 often has two with similar names: Microsoft Copilot (the consumer chatbot, package Microsoft.Copilot) and Microsoft 365 Copilot, the app “previously known as the Microsoft 365 app,” which launches Word, Excel and other Office apps. Uninstall the second only if you don’t use it as an Office launcher.

Remove Copilot with PowerShell

Microsoft documents a two-line PowerShell removal that works on any edition. Open Windows PowerShell and run:

$packageFullName = Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.Copilot" | Select-Object -ExpandProperty PackageFullName
Remove-AppxPackage -Package $packageFullName

This removes the app for your user account, the same as uninstalling it in Settings. It’s the commands from Microsoft Learn, not a third-party “debloat” script.

Remap the Copilot key

Once the app is gone, point the Copilot key at something else. Go to Settings > Personalization > Text input and use Customize Copilot key on keyboard. Microsoft says the options are Search or Custom, which lets you pick another app. You can open the setting directly by pasting ms-settings:personalization-textinput-copilot-hardwarekey into the Run box (Win+R).

Microsoft’s Copilot key support page says an update will also let you remap it as Right Ctrl or the Context menu key under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard. If you don’t see that option yet, your PC doesn’t have the update. BleepingComputer’s rundown of KB5127648, the October 13, 2026 Windows 11 update, lists a Copilot key remap option among its features, though Microsoft’s own KB page doesn’t mention it, so installing the latest update from our October 2026 Patch Tuesday guide is your best bet. Some laptop makers include their own remapping tools; Microsoft advises using either the Windows setting or the maker’s, not both.

Turn off Copilot in Windows 11 Pro with Group Policy

Pro users can do everything above, plus use the RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp policy. According to the WindowsAI Policy CSP, it applies to Windows 11 version 24H2 and later on Pro, Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise editions. It isn’t available on Home.

In the Group Policy editor (gpedit.msc) it’s under Windows Components > Windows AI > Remove Microsoft Copilot App. Read the conditions carefully, because it only removes the app when all of these are true:

• Both Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot are installed.
• The Copilot app wasn’t installed by the user.
• The Copilot app wasn’t launched in the last 28 days.

Microsoft adds that “users can still re-install if they choose to.” So it’s a cleanup tool for IT departments, not a permanent block. On a personal Pro PC, uninstalling the app yourself is simpler and has the same effect.

Block Copilot with AppLocker

For a block that stops reinstalls, Microsoft points admins to AppLocker. Its Copilot page says an AppLocker rule for publisher Microsoft Corporation and package name MICROSOFT.COPILOT will “prevent the consumer app from being installed” and “block the consumer app from being launched if it’s already installed.” Microsoft recommends AppLocker “instead of the Turn Off Windows Copilot legacy policy setting.”

AppLocker’s requirements page says that since KB5024351 all Windows 11 editions can enforce AppLocker policies. But Home has no Local Group Policy editor to create them, so in practice this is a Pro or managed-device option. If you’re not comfortable with application control rules, skip it: a bad rule can block apps you need.

Does the “Turn off Windows Copilot” registry hack still work?

No, not for the current Copilot app. The registry key (SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot, value TurnOffWindowsCopilot) is the backing setting for the old Turn off Windows Copilot policy. Microsoft marks that policy “deprecated” and says it “isn’t for the new Copilot experience.” It controlled the old Copilot sidebar, which Microsoft replaced in 2024 with the standalone app. Guides that tell Home users to add this key are describing a feature that no longer exists.

How to remove Copilot from Word, Excel and Outlook

Clear the “Enable Copilot” checkbox in each app, and use the “Turn on Copilot” toggle in Outlook. From Microsoft Support:

• Word, Excel, PowerPoint (and OneNote) on Windows: go to File > Options > Copilot, clear Enable Copilot, select OK, then restart the app.
• New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web: Settings > Copilot, then turn off Turn on Copilot. This applies to that account on all your devices.

Some catches Microsoft spells out:

• The checkbox is per app and per device, and it applies to everyone using that PC.
• You need Word version 2412 or later, or Excel and PowerPoint 2501 or later. Update Office if you don’t see it.
• Classic Outlook for Windows has no toggle yet, and Microsoft gives no date.
• You can’t turn off Copilot in the iOS, Android or web versions of Word, Excel or PowerPoint, except through account privacy settings, which also disable other connected features.

Just removing the Copilot icon from the ribbon doesn’t turn it off, Microsoft notes.

How to disable Copilot in Edge

Hide the toolbar button in Edge’s settings. Go to edge://settings/appearance/copilotAndSidebar, select Copilot under app-specific settings, and turn off Show Copilot button on the toolbar, per Microsoft Learn. On work PCs, admins can hide the sidebar entirely with the HubsSidebarEnabled policy. You can check what’s applied at edge://policy.

Is removing Copilot safe?

Yes. Uninstalling it is a normal, supported option and doesn’t affect Windows itself. Microsoft lists Settings uninstall and PowerShell removal as ways to remove the app, and it can be reinstalled from the Microsoft Store at any time. Avoid “debloater” scripts that strip out many components at once. They go beyond what Microsoft documents and can break other features.

Will Copilot come back after updates?

It might. Microsoft doesn’t document a way for Home users to block reinstallation. The RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp policy explicitly allows reinstalling, and only AppLocker is described as preventing installation. After each big Windows feature update, check Settings > Apps > Installed apps and the Copilot key setting. If you’re also checking which Windows version you’re on, our Windows 11 24H2 end of support guide explains what to do before that version stops getting updates. Setting up a new PC instead? Our guide to installing Windows 11 without a Microsoft account covers what still works on 26H2.

Verdict

On Windows 11 Home, turning off Copilot takes about five minutes. Uninstall the Microsoft Copilot app, remap the Copilot key, hide the Edge button, and clear Enable Copilot in each Office app. Ignore registry hacks: the old policy is deprecated. On Pro, add AppLocker if you want a genuine block, or use RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp on managed PCs. Recheck after major updates.

FAQ

How do I turn off Copilot on Windows 11 Home?

Uninstall the Microsoft Copilot app from Settings > Apps > Installed apps, then remap the Copilot key under Settings > Personalization > Text input. Home has no Group Policy option for Copilot.

Does the TurnOffWindowsCopilot registry key still work?

No. Microsoft says that policy is deprecated and doesn’t apply to the current Copilot app. It only controlled the old Copilot sidebar.

How do I turn off Copilot in Word and Excel?

In each app on Windows, go to File > Options > Copilot, clear Enable Copilot, select OK and restart. Repeat for every app and every PC.

Can I turn off Copilot in Outlook?

Yes in new Outlook for Windows, Mac, mobile and the web, through Settings or Quick Settings > Copilot. Classic Outlook for Windows doesn’t have the toggle yet.

Is it safe to uninstall Copilot?

Yes. Microsoft lists uninstalling as a supported option, and you can reinstall it from the Microsoft Store whenever you want.

Will Windows reinstall Copilot?

It can. Microsoft doesn’t document a reinstall block for Home. On Pro and managed PCs, an AppLocker rule can prevent installation.

Sources checked October 18, 2026. Menu names can change between Windows and Office updates.