How to disable or remove Copilot from Word (there is a solution - check 2nd edit)

Australia, January 2025 - update has included a disable Copilot feature under File - Options - Copilot - enable/disable.

Issue resolved.

If only it worked. I asked Copilot:

How can I turn off copilot?

Copilot said: 

To turn off Copilot in Microsoft Word on your Mac, you can follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the File menu and select Options.
3. In the Options window, navigate to the Copilot section.
4. Clear the Enable Copilot checkbox.
5. Click OK and then close and restart the app1.

If you want to turn Copilot back on, you can repeat these steps and select the Enable Copilot checkbox in Step 41.

If you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask! 😊 Copy AI-generated content may be incorrect 1 Reference

You said: 

Options does not appear under File on a Mac

Copilot said: 

I apologize for the confusion. On a Mac, the steps to turn off Copilot in Microsoft Word are slightly different. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the Word menu at the top of your screen.
3. Select Preferences.
4. In the Preferences window, click on Copilot.
5. Uncheck the Enable Copilot checkbox.
6. Close the Preferences window and restart Word.

If you don't see the Enable Copilotcheckbox, make sure your Word application is updated to the latest version. If you still encounter issues, please let me know! 😊1 Copy AI-generated content may be incorrect 1 Reference

You said: 

The only checkbox in Copilot under Word Preferences is to collapse Copilot summary automatically. I have updated to todays version of Word and reopened the appiication.

Copilot said: 

It seems that the option to turn off Copilot in Microsoft Word for Mac might not be available in the current version you have. According to the latest information, the "Enable Copilot" checkbox should be available in Word on Mac, but it might not be visible in your version1.

As an alternative, you can try the following steps to minimize the impact of Copilot:

1. Hide the Copilot icon: Click on the small light bulb icon (Copilot icon) on your Word document. A pane will appear on the right side. Uncheck the box to hide the icon2.
2. Adjust AutoCorrect settings: Go to File > Options > Proofing. Under AutoCorrect Options, click on AutoCorrect Settings. In the new window, navigate to the Typing tab and make adjustments as needed2.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you might want to provide feedback to Microsoft through their feedback mechanisms3. They may be able to offer additional support or updates in the future.

If you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

Thanks William Exon and djgreedo, my Family subscription is due tomorrow, and I did the cancellation process back in early December, selected the Classic for $139. But had to remain on the existing Copilot version until tomorrow.

But I just ran the update on Word (first update since early November) just to see if that Option to disable Copilot was there, which it was. I unchecked the box.

I'm doing the same with my second laptop that is not the main license account, to see if the same Copilot options display.

The only option displayed on the non-main Family License was " Collapse Copilot summary automatically".

Don't know what that actually means!

FYI for Australian users - if your subscription is close to ending ~3 months as far as I can tell, you can log in to your account online and choose the cancel option. Before you cancel, Microsoft will give you the option of switching to a 'Classic' subscription, which is a subscription without Copilot AI features (it's also significantly cheaper). The downside is that you stay on the plan with Copilot until your current subscription expires.

Also, I now have the option to disable Copilot in Word on my desktop PC, but not on my laptop (both are the 2501 version of Office, but the laptop is running the ARM version of Office, so maybe that's the difference). I don't have the option to disable Copilot in other Office apps.

Those who don't have the option to disable Copilot, try updating Office (File > Account > Update Options > Update Now

Australia, January 2025 - update has included a disable Copilot feature under File - Options - Copilot - enable/disable.

Issue resolved.

Hi, I uninstalled latest version, reinstalled older one. It worked !