How to Enable or Disable Copilot in Windows 11

Have the Pilot open its wings and soar out therough the Windows!

A new digital ally, Microsoft copilot is available to all Windows 11 users. It is an AI tool that is capable of task assistance, coding language, and much more. It’ll transform your work with a touch of creativity and productivity. This article will walk you through how to enable Copilot in Windows 11. We’ll also explain how to disable it if you do not find it useful for your tasks.

how to enable or disable copilot in windows 11

How to Enable Copilot in Windows 11

Designed with the latest Open AI version, Copilot gives users full support within the Microsoft ecosystem, both related to their PC’s settings and generative assistance. It is available for Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Windows.

Note: Microsoft made Copilot available on Windows 11, but this feature is only introduced in North America, parts of Asia, and South Africa. Although, this feature has not been introduced in the European Union (EU) due to its Digital Markets Act (DMA). However, Microsoft is trying to make changes in accordance with DMA to spread this feature to more regions.

Let’s see how to enable it on Windows 11:

Pre-Requisite: With the latest update (Windows 11 23H2) in September 2023, the Copilot AI assistant was released in preview mode. So you must update Windows first on your PC.

1. Press the Windows + I keys together to open Settings.

2. Move to the Windows Update tab, and click on Check for updates in the right pane.

Navigate to the Windows Update tab and click on Check for updates on the right.

3. Wait for a while until Windows checks for updates.

4. Click on Download and install and once downloaded, Restart the PC to install it.

Method 1: Enable from Settings

As you update the Windows PC, by default Copilot will be enabled on it. However, you can add the shortcut in the Taskbar for quick access.

1. Open Settings, move to the Personalization tab, and click on the Taskbar option in the right pane.

2. Toggle on Copilot (preview).

Toggle on Copilot (preview)

You should be able to see the Copilot button in the taskbar. Either click on it or press the Windows + C keys together to launch the AI assistant.

Method 2: From Registry Editor

Another way to enable Copilot is by making changes in the Registry Editor. However, make sure to create a backup of the Registry on your Windows PC, so that in case anything goes wrong, you can restore it.

1. Press the Windows+R keys together to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type regedit in the text field, and click on OK to open the Registry Editor. Click on Yes in the UAC prompt to confirm

3. Copy the following address and paste it into the address bar to navigate to it:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

4. In the right pane, double-click on the ShowCopilotButton.

In the right pane, double-click on the ShowCopilotButton

5. Set the Value data to 1 and click on OK.

6. Restart the PC.

Method 3: From Group Policy Editor

In case Copilot has been disabled from the Group Policy Editor, you can reset the settings to enable the AI assistant once again.

Note: Group Policy Editor is available only on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. However, if required, you can enable GPE in Windows Home edition as well.

1. Press the Windows+R keys together to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type gpedit in the text box and click on OK to open the Group Policy Editor.

3. Follow the path:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot

4. Double-click on Turn off Windows Copilot.

Double-click on Turn off Windows Copilot

5. Select the Not Configured or Disabled option and then click on Apply followed by OK.

6. Restart the PC.

How to Disable Copilot in Windows 11

Well, you cannot disable the Copilot AI Assistant completely, but you can remove it from the Taskbar.

Method 1: Disable from Settings

Like you enabled the Copilot, in the same way, you can disable it from the Settings menu.

1. Open Settings, navigate to the Personalization tab, and click on the Taskbar option in the right pane.

2. Toggle off Copilot (preview).

Toggle off Copilot (preview)

Also Read: Custom Instructions for ChatGPT: Get AI to Remember You

Method 2: From Registry Editor

Here’s how you can remove the AI assistant using Registry Editor:

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows+R keys together.

2. Type regedit in the text field, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. Click on Yes in the UAC prompt to confirm

3. Navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

4. In the right pane, double-click on the ShowCopilotButton and Enter 0 in the Value data text field.

Enter 0 in the Value data text field

5. Click on OK and Restart your computer.

Method 3: From Group Policy Editor

If you have the Group Policy Editor available on your Windows PC, follow the steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, type gpedit in the text field, and press Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.

2. Follow the path:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot

3. Double-click on Turn off Windows Copilot and select the Enabled option.

Double-click on Turn off Windows Copilot and select the Enabled option

4. Click on Apply followed by OK and Restart the PC.

Also Read: How to Use Chat GPT Effectively?

How to Remove or Hide Copilot from Taskbar

As we said, you cannot disable the Copilot AI assistant but you can hide or remove it from the taskbar using the above-mentioned methods.

Windows 11 Copilot Release Date and Update

Users started waiting for Copilot when Microsoft first announced Copilot’s Roadmap in March 2023. But, with the latest update, it’s finally officially available to users from September 26, 2023. Currently, Microsoft has rolled out its new update with Copilot. Earlier it was provided as only a beta tester for its early access. But, now it is available to all. 

We hope our guide helped you enable or disable Copilot in Windows 11. If you have any queries or suggestions for us, do let us know in the comment section below. Stay tuned to TechCult for more such informative blogs.

1 thought on “How to Enable or Disable Copilot in Windows 11”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *