Why has microsoft copilot installed itself on my windows 10 pc?

Windows fax isn't an ethical nightmare that consumes the electrical footprint of a small country.

Windows is an operating system. Features of an operating system should be modifiable and more importantly OPT IN. I know that this is not how windows currently works but these useless apps like fax, edge, skype, onedrive etc, cost resources on a small computer that doesn't have much to spare.

Furthermore "Nobody is required to use these apps" is straight up false in the case of OneDrive and Copilot. I found out about OneDrive after it cut off access to a folder full of personal project work I hadn't used for a bit. Copilot launched itself automatically, consumed space on my hard-drive and did it all despite me never having asked to use it. Just because that's the way it is now doesn't make it acceptable. It's annoying to have to clean up messes the people behind my operating system made without asking me. I want a choice in the matter, I want windows to ask if I'd like to have a feature installed, I'd appreciate having some more control of my personal devices.

I find your response condescending.

It being pinned to my task bar and AUTORUN as a service on startup it IS forcing one to use it. If this was on your phone you be asked permission for this "app" to use any hardware, well guess who isnt asked permission nor even get a firewall notification to allow it. Any way you slice it there is something wrong going on.

Welp ya wrong sorry... It just magically installed itself on my win10 PC today. Nor does this program does not uninstall easily and even worse it re-installed Cortana as a replacement after you uninstall it, which btw uninstalled way faster than Copilot took to complete.

At this point very much suggest by default on any machine firewall blocking MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe because MS clearly is either intentionally or not... reinstalling AI programs without permission via Edge updates.

Open REGEDIT go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\edgeupdate

copy the Imagepath open a cmd window as admin and run this

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Disable Edge Updates" dir=out action=block program="C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe" <<< should match the path in regedit now Edge cant update

You can verify this inside Edge going to the "edge://settings/help" page and it will show updates are being firewall blocked. You can find these steps on winaero.com's site in more detail or google its a simple firewall rule just done by hand.

It being pinned to my task bar and AUTORUN as a service on startup it IS forcing one to use it

Would you like me to show you have to unpin something from the taskbar, and how to disable autorun? It's really easy, and doesn't require any tinkering in the registry.

You clearly did not even read my post. Show me how you disable Microsoft Edge from updating, please.
Also you are not even editing anything registry, you are LOOKING at path of Edge's update program for the firewall blocking rule to make sure get the path correct.

The more one pays attention, the less one's foot ends in one's mouth.