How to Turn Off Copilot in Word, Excel, Outlook and Windows

Copilot turns up in several places at once: inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, and as its own app in Windows. There isn't one master switch for all of them, which is why people turn it off in one place and keep seeing it elsewhere. Here's where each switch lives.

Where Copilot appears and how to turn it off

Where you see it	How to turn it off
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote	File, Options, Copilot, untick Enable Copilot
New Outlook for Windows	The Copilot toggle in Settings
The Copilot app in Windows	Uninstall it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps
If there's no Copilot option	Account Privacy settings (with side effects)

How to turn off Copilot in Word, Excel and PowerPoint

1. Open the app, for example Word.
2. Click File, then Options.
3. Choose Copilot in the list on the left.
4. Untick Enable Copilot.
5. Click OK, then close and reopen the app.
6. Repeat in Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

The setting is per app and per device. Turning it off in Word on your laptop doesn't touch Excel, and it doesn't touch Word on your desktop. If you use several computers, do it on each.

The catch: hiding the button doesn't turn it off

You can right-click the Copilot button on the ribbon and remove it, and the icon disappears. Microsoft is clear that this doesn't turn Copilot off. It only hides that button, and Copilot can still appear in other places, such as the small button next to your content. Use the Enable Copilot setting if you want it off.

No Enable Copilot option?

The setting only appears in newer versions of the apps. First, update Office: go to File, then Account, then Update Options and Update Now. If it still isn't there, there's a broader switch:

1. Go to File, then Account.
2. Under Account Privacy, click Manage Settings.
3. Turn off the setting for experiences that analyse your content.
4. Restart the app.

Be aware this also switches off other features that rely on the same setting, such as suggested replies in Outlook and text predictions in Word. If you rely on those, update the app and use the Copilot-specific switch instead.

How to turn off Copilot in new Outlook

In the new Outlook for Windows, open Settings and look for the Copilot section, then switch the toggle off. Classic Outlook follows the File, Options route like the other apps when the option is available.

How to remove the Copilot app from Windows

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Apps, then Installed apps.
3. Find Copilot in the list.
4. Click the three dots next to it and choose Uninstall.

This removes the separate Copilot app. It doesn't change Copilot inside your Office apps, which have their own settings above.

Work or school computer?

If your computer is managed by your employer or school, some of these options may be greyed out or come back after you change them. That's your IT team's policy, not a fault. Ask them, because they control Copilot for the whole organisation.

Copilot arrives with the operating system, so see who gets the free Windows upgrade.

Should you turn Copilot off?

It's reasonable to switch it off if it gets in the way, if you're working on confidential material and want to keep things simple, or if you just don't use it. But it's worth trying for a few specific jobs before you do: summarising a long document, drafting a first version of an email, or writing an Excel formula you can't remember. You can always switch it back on later with the same tick box. If you're weighing up AI assistants generally, my comparison of Grok and ChatGPT looks at how the main tools differ.

Copilot on your phone and in the browser

The Office apps on iPhone and Android, and the Copilot features on the Microsoft 365 website, follow their own settings, so switching Copilot off on your computer doesn't change them. If Copilot appears in the mobile apps and you'd rather it didn't, check the settings inside each app, and remember the standalone Copilot app on your phone can simply be removed like any other app.

Turning Copilot back on

Changed your mind? Go back to File, Options, Copilot in each app and tick Enable Copilot again, then restart. If you uninstalled the Windows app, reinstall Copilot from the Microsoft Store. If you used the Account Privacy route, turn that setting back on, and your suggested replies and text predictions will return at the same time.

My verdict

To turn off Copilot in Office, untick Enable Copilot under File, Options, Copilot in every app you use, on every device, and restart. Don't rely on hiding the ribbon button, because it only hides the icon. Uninstall the Windows Copilot app separately, and only use the Account Privacy switch if the Copilot option is missing, since it turns off other features too. For a sense of what AI assistants can and can't handle, see my piece on what a context window is.

Frequently asked questions

Will turning off Copilot delete my documents?

No. It only switches off the Copilot features. Your files aren't affected.

Does turning off Copilot in Excel turn it off in Word?

No. Each app has its own Enable Copilot setting, so you need to untick it in each one.

How do I turn off Copilot in Word?

Go to File, Options, Copilot, untick Enable Copilot, click OK and restart Word.

Does removing the Copilot button turn Copilot off?

No. It only hides the icon. Use the Enable Copilot setting.

Why don't I see the Enable Copilot option?

Your app needs updating. Go to File, Account, Update Options, Update Now.

How do I uninstall Copilot from Windows 11?

Go to Settings, Apps, Installed apps, find Copilot and choose Uninstall.

Do I need to turn Copilot off in every app?

Yes. The setting is separate for each app and each device.

Why does Copilot keep coming back on my work laptop?

Your organisation manages the setting. Ask your IT team.