How To Completely Remove Or Disable Copilot On Windows 11 In 2026

If you want Microsoft Copilot off your Windows 11 PC, this guide walks you through every reliable way to do it, from a quick hide to a permanent block.

The good news is that there are several dependable methods, and the easy ones take only a minute or two.

We start with the taskbar button, move to a full uninstall, then lock it down with Group Policy or the registry so it stays gone, and we are honest about how Microsoft keeps trying to bring it back.

At a Glance: Your Removal Options

Copilot is now a standalone Windows app plus a taskbar button, not the old docked sidebar. Pick the method that matches how thoroughly you want it gone.

Method	Best for	Permanence	Edition
Taskbar toggle	Hiding the button	Cosmetic only	Home + Pro
Uninstall app	Removing the program	Until re-pushed	Home + Pro
PowerShell / winget	Scripted removal	Until re-pushed	Home + Pro
Group Policy	Enforced block	Permanent	Pro + Enterprise
Registry	Enforced block	Permanent	Home + Pro

A cosmetic toggle just hides the icon. Only the policy or registry block truly stops Copilot from running.

Which Method Should You Use? Home vs Pro

Your Windows 11 edition decides which tools are available. The big difference is the Group Policy Editor, which Home does not include.

Goal	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Pro
Hide the button	Taskbar toggle	Taskbar toggle
Remove the app	Uninstall or winget	Uninstall or winget
Permanently block	Registry edit	Group Policy
Stop reinstalls	Registry + winget	Group Policy (28-day)

Pro users get the cleanest experience through Group Policy. Home users rely on the registry, which achieves the same result with a little more care.

Method 1: Remove the Copilot Taskbar Button

This is the fastest fix and reverses in one click. It simply hides the icon so you stop launching Copilot by accident.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
3. Expand Taskbar items.
4. Turn the Copilot toggle Off.

The button disappears immediately. Be aware this is purely cosmetic, the Copilot app is still installed, and the Win + C shortcut may still open it.

Choose this method if Copilot only bothers you visually. If you want the program gone or its resources freed, continue to the uninstall steps below.

Method 2: Uninstall the Copilot App

Since Copilot is a standalone app, you can uninstall it like any other program. This removes the icon, the Start tile, and the File Explorer integration in one step.

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Type Copilot in the search box.
3. Click the three dots next to Copilot and choose Uninstall.
4. Confirm when prompted.

You can also right-click the Copilot tile in the Start menu and select Uninstall. No restart is needed.

This frees the memory and background processes the app used. Remember that a future Windows or Store update may quietly reinstall it, which is why the policy methods below matter.

Method 3: Uninstall With PowerShell or winget

Command-line removal is ideal if you manage several machines or want a repeatable script. Open Terminal as administrator first.

The simplest route uses winget:

• winget uninstall --id 9NHT9RB2F4HD
• Or by package name: winget uninstall Microsoft.Copilot_8wekyb3d8bbwe

To remove it for the current user with PowerShell:

• Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Copilot* | Remove-AppxPackage

For every account on the PC, add the all-users switch: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *Microsoft.Copilot* | Remove-AppxPackage.

If a command reports that no package was found, Copilot is already removed. Save these lines in a script so you can rerun them after major feature updates.

Back Up Before You Edit the Registry or Policy

Editing the registry can break Windows if you change the wrong value, so create a safety net first.

1. Open the Start menu, type Create a restore point, and open it.
2. Select your system drive and click Create.
3. Name the restore point and confirm.

With a restore point in place, you can roll back instantly if anything misbehaves. Do not skip this step.

Method 4: Block Copilot With Group Policy (Pro)

On Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education, Group Policy enforces the block so users cannot turn Copilot back on.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot.
3. Double-click Turn off Windows Copilot.
4. Set it to Enabled, click Apply, then OK.

Run gpupdate /force or sign out to apply. This neutralizes the button and the Win + C shortcut at the same time.

Method 5: Block Copilot With the Registry (Home)

Windows 11 Home lacks the policy editor, so you apply the same rule by hand in the registry. Confirm your restore point exists first.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot.
3. If the WindowsCopilot key is missing, right-click Windows and create it.
4. Inside it, create a DWORD (32-bit) Value named TurnOffWindowsCopilot.
5. Set its value to 1 and restart.

To re-enable Copilot later, change the value to 0 or delete the TurnOffWindowsCopilot entry, then sign out and back in.

Method 6: The New “Remove Microsoft Copilot App” Policy

The April 2026 Update (KB5083769 and later, version 25H2) added a dedicated uninstall policy that admins asked Microsoft for over time.

1. In gpedit.msc, go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI.
2. Enable Remove Microsoft Copilot app.

Note one catch, this policy only triggers the uninstall after the app has gone unused for 28 days, and it is a one-time removal rather than a permanent gate. It applies to Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise SKUs.

Method 7: Disable the Win+C and Copilot Key

Even after hiding the button, a dedicated Copilot key or Win + C can relaunch the app. Remap it so the keystroke does something useful.

1. Open Settings > Personalization > Text input.
2. Under Customize Copilot key on keyboard, choose Search or a custom app.

For deeper control, install Microsoft PowerToys and use Keyboard Manager to remap the shortcut. The Group Policy and registry blocks above already disable Win + C outright.

Can You Fully Remove Copilot From Windows 11?

Mostly, yes, but with a caveat. Uninstalling the app removes the program, the taskbar button, and the File Explorer entry.

However, Copilot logic is woven into several Windows components and into Microsoft Edge, so a single uninstall does not erase every trace.

The most durable result comes from combining two layers, uninstall the app, then enforce the Group Policy or registry block. That pairing removes the program and stops it from running if any piece returns.

Will Copilot Come Back After an Update?

Be prepared, because it often does. Microsoft regularly re-pushes or silently reinstalls the Copilot app through Windows Update and Store updates as it tries to win users back.

The taskbar toggle and a plain uninstall are the most likely to revert. To slow reinstalls, open the registry and set SilentInstalledAppsEnabled under ContentDeliveryManager to 0.

Your best defense is the policy or registry block, since an enforced rule keeps Copilot disabled even if the package quietly reappears.

How Do I Block It on Windows 11 Home?

Home users have no Group Policy Editor, but the registry achieves an identical, permanent block.

1. Create a restore point.
2. Uninstall the app via Settings or winget uninstall --id 9NHT9RB2F4HD.
3. Add the TurnOffWindowsCopilot DWORD set to 1 from Method 5.

That combination removes the app and prevents it from launching if Windows reinstalls it. Re-run the uninstall after major feature updates to stay clean.

Quick Reference

Method	Command or Path
Hide taskbar button	Settings > Personalization > Taskbar
Uninstall app	Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Copilot > Uninstall
winget uninstall	winget uninstall --id 9NHT9RB2F4HD
PowerShell uninstall	Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Copilot* | Remove-AppxPackage
Group Policy block	User Config > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot > Turn off Windows Copilot = Enabled
Registry block	HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot\TurnOffWindowsCopilot = 1
Remove app policy	User Config > Admin Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI > Remove Microsoft Copilot app
Remap Copilot key	Settings > Personalization > Text input