Remove Copilot from Word

Hello--I'm also struggling to remove Copilot after a recent update. Per some recommendations I changed privacy settings to disable "connected experiences", but I'm still seeing the icon in my documents, even after restarting both the application and my computer. Like others, I'm finding it very disruptive/infuriating/have wasted quite a bit of time trying to remove.

Can you please respond with directions re: how to uninstall the latest Office update for Mac users? Or, let me know if there's a better way? I am not seeing the option to enable/disable Copilot that others have noted. I don't have an "options" tab at all, only "Preferences", and Copilot is not showing up anywhere there.

Thanks! I'm a nearly 30-year user of your product and am v. frustrated with this bizarrely unhelpful new "feature" and the insanely complicated process of trying to disable.

Microsoft put this **** Copilot on Word on my computer without my consent. This according to ACCC is highly illegally and Microsoft has the legal obligation to remove it. Three of my IT people tried to remove so how on earth with my limit computer knowledge going to remove this annoying ****?

I never gave Microsoft to put this **** on my computer. This is highly illegal. They put it on - they are legally obliged to remove it.

Didn't work for me either, even rebooted the laptop! Come on, Microsoft, admit you made a mistake and make Copilot an option instead of imposing it on people who don't need or want it!

Just to note that while this may seem to work for the moment - you do not have the updated version which carries with it other benefits, and also if you ever update, then Copilot will come back. So turn off your auto updates.