Copilot App Automatic Installation on Windows: What Users Need to Know About Exceptions

Microsoft’s Copilot AI Launch and Rollout Plans

Recent developments in Microsoft’s approach to AI have highlighted a significant advance with the ongoing rollout of Copilot across its suite of productivity tools. Last month, the company integrated Copilot into Excel but cautioned users against relying on it for critical tasks at this stage.

As Microsoft gears up for a broader release of Copilot, it has announced plans to introduce a dedicated Copilot application for Windows users. This rollout is slated to begin this Fall, signaling a major step forward in Microsoft’s strategic ambition to dominate the AI landscape.

Automatic Installation of Copilot

According to Microsoft, the Copilot app will seamlessly install itself in the background on Windows devices that already have any Microsoft 365 applications, such as Word or Excel, installed. This intended ease of installation aims to enhance user experience but comes with certain geographic caveats.

Notably, users located in the European Economic Area will not see this automatic installation, as confirmed by Microsoft.

Microsoft states: “Windows devices with the Microsoft 365 desktop client apps will automatically install the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. This app installation takes place in the background and would not disrupt the user. This app installation will start in Fall 2025.”

Managing Copilot Installation

For those who wish to prevent the automatic installation of the Copilot app, Microsoft has provided specific steps to ensure that users can manage this process from the outset. Here’s how you can disable this feature:

Instructions for Admins

Log into the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center using an admin account.
Navigate to Customization ➔ Device Configuration ➔ Modern App Settings.
Select the Microsoft 365 Copilot app and uncheck the Enable automatic installation of Microsoft 365 Copilot app option.

For Regular Users

Standard users can also disable Copilot through the Group Policy Editor or the Windows Registry:

Using Group Policy Editor

Open the Group Policy Editor by entering gpedit.msc.
Go to: Computer Configuration ➔ Administrative Templates ➔ Windows Components ➔ Windows Copilot.
Enable the “Turn off Windows Copilot”policy.

Using Registry Editor

Launch the Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot.
Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it TurnOffWindowsCopilot.
Set its value data to 1.

If you prefer, you can also uninstall the Copilot app after its automatic installation, which is possible through the Apps section in the Windows Settings.

What Are Your Thoughts?

We invite you to share your opinions on the automatic installation of the Copilot app. Is this a strategic innovation by Microsoft, or does it represent an overextension of their authority? Your insights are valuable in understanding the potential impacts of such technology on user autonomy.

Source & Images