Microsoft is finally letting some users remove Copilot from Windows, but the fine print makes it clear this is not the clean break many people were hoping for. After pushing Copilot deep into Windows 11, Microsoft has introduced a new option in a recent Windows 11 Insider Preview build that allows Copilot to be fully uninstalled.
The catch is that it only works in very specific situations, and most regular users will not qualify. Until now, Copilot could be disabled or hidden, but it could not be completely removed. That changes with a new Group Policy setting called RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp, which appears in the latest Insider builds on the Developer and Beta channels.
This policy allows IT administrators to uninstall Copilot from managed devices running Enterprise, Pro, or EDU versions of Windows. If you are using a work or school PC that is managed by an organization, and your admin is willing to help, Copilot can finally be removed from the system.
Why uninstalling Copilot is harder than it sounds
According to TechRadar, the policy comes with several conditions. First, both the free Microsoft Copilot app and the paid Microsoft 365 Copilot must be installed on the system, and the Microsoft Copilot app wasn’t installed by the user. If you only have the free version and are not a paying Copilot subscriber, the option will not work.
Second, the Copilot app must not have been launched in the past 28 days, which is a surprisingly high bar since Copilot is set to auto start on login by default. That means users would need to disable it in Startup Apps and avoid opening it for nearly a month.
Admins can still attempt to remove the Microsoft Copilot app through the Group Policy Editor by navigating to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows AI > Remove Microsoft Copilot App.
Even then, the uninstall only happens once. Microsoft says users can reinstall Copilot later if they choose, and some Copilot-related features may still remain tied to Windows and Microsoft 365 services.
Interestingly, some users have wanted this for a while. In March 2025, a bug accidentally removed Copilot for some people, and the reaction online was oddly positive. So if you don’t like Copilot and use a managed work device, you finally have an escape route.
