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This morning Copilot appeared in Word. I do not have a subscription for it, nor do I want it at all. It just appeared in what must have been an update.
I have the most up-to-date word running on a desktop with Windows 11.
I need to disable Copilot. I do not want to see it in the ribbon or right in the middle of the writing space (in the image).
Please advise how to disable, remove or just stop Copilot as I can't seem to remove it. I'm downright frustrated with it and didn't ask or request it. I did not buy it or subscribe to it.
Thank you.
Leah
Edit: Found the best solution was to roll back to a previous version before it updated. I replied further down and used a method that worked for me. Best I can suggest is do that and then start updating again when they allow us to turn stupid Copilot OFF.
2nd Edit: In the newest update (including in Australia) you can now turn it off in word for windows: File -> Options -> copilot (4th option) -> untick enable.
HOORAY! IT IS OFF!!!!!!!!
Processes in Microsoft 365 for setting up Office apps, redeeming product keys, and activating licenses.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
I hate to tell you this brutal reality - but Microsoft is not going to roll back Copilot. And while we "give it time," Microsoft is likely scraping our content and violating multiple laws in how they handled this, how they billed us, and how they've refused to respond.
HALLELUJAH: ATTENTION ALL MAC USERS TRYING TO DISABLE COPILOT (with no button to do so): Microsoft has just released a software update so that Mac users on MS-Word can now disable their Copilot AI tool. Here's what to do:
Step 1: Check your updates for Microsoft 365. There should be an update software patch that showed up today: Jan. 21, 2025. Deploy the update and install the software patch.
Step 2: Open up Microsoft Word
Step 3: In the upper NAV Bar for the MS Word application, left click on "WORD" and you'll get a drop-down menu.
Step 4: In that dropdown menu, left click on PREFERENCES.
Step 5: Look in the top section in PREFERENCES called "Authoring Tools" and left click on the Copilot icon (2nd row, left side)
Step 6: Once you're in the Copilot subsection, there is a new button that has appeared that says: "ENABLE COPILOT."
Step 7: That box will be checked, i.e., Copilot is activated for your MS-Word subscription.
Step 8: Left click on that "Enable Copilot" box and the checkmark will disappear.
Step 9: Restart your computer so the disablement of Copilot takes effect.
Step 10: Open up a word document and Copilot should be gone from your documents.
HALLELUJAH.
I hope that the CEO of microsoft is reading this message: PLEASE listen to the voice of your customers (like in thios long thread) and not your lead engineers. Many of us as customers do NOT want to be automatically updated with new software versions that your engineers think are great. Specifically I am talking about your CoPilot. I have no need for or want of this annoying and highly innacurate tool (I think the real tools are the individuals that authorized the CoPilot inclusion in your post recent word update). PLEASE provide a simple mechanism to remove or at least diable CoPilot.
mine don't have "options"
I get it and agree with you. Microsoft's engineers and their communications/customer service people did a terrible job of over-charging us and shoving this tool down our throats, refusing to communicate with their disgruntled customers. If you're on a Mac, you can now disable Copilot. And if you want it completely out of your software, go into your Microsoft account, hit the CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION button. When you do this, what came up for me was an option to switch to a CLASSIC version of MS 365 Office that does not have Copilot in it. The sleazy problem is that you won't be able to be switch to CLASSIC until your subscription expires - and that could be a year from now. VERY BAD DECISION by Microsoft to implement this policy. But if you want to have a change of getting off Copilot completely, take that action. Then you can now disable Copilot on a Mac, and the PC. See the post string print to this starting with HALLELUJAH, and that post will tell you how to disable Copilot on a Mac. If you're on a PC, there are plenty of posts that explain how to do that.