How to Deactivate Copilot on Windows 11: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’re looking to disable the Copilot AI chatbot on your Windows 11 device, you’re in the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through three effective methods to achieve this.

Copilot, formerly known as “Windows Copilot,” is a chatbot AI designed to assist users with various tasks on Windows 11.

While it can be a valuable feature for some, it’s not for everyone. We’ll show you how to disable Copilot using the Group Policy Editor, the Registry, and the open-source ViveTool. Alternatively, if you prefer to keep the feature but want to remove the Copilot button from your Taskbar, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get started!

Disabling Copilot from the Taskbar on Windows 11

If you wish to remove the Copilot button from your Taskbar while keeping the chatbot accessible via the “Windows key + C” keyboard shortcut, follow these steps:

  1. Open your Windows 11 Settings.
  2. Click on “Personalization.”
  3. Navigate to the “Taskbar” tab.
  4. Under “Taskbar items,” turn off the Copilot toggle switch to remove the icon from your Taskbar.

By following these simple steps, you’ll no longer see the Copilot button in your Taskbar, ensuring a distraction-free experience.

Deactivating Copilot via Group Policy on Windows 11

For users of Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can utilize the Local Group Policy Editor to disable Copilot on version 23H2. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Start menu on your Windows 11 device.
  2. Search for “gpedit” and click the top result to open the Group Policy Editor.
  3. Follow this path: User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot.
  4. Double-click the “Turn off Windows Copilot” policy.
  5. Select the “Enabled” option to disable Copilot on Windows 11.
  6. Click “Apply” and then “OK.”
  7. Restart your computer.

By following these steps, you’ll not only remove the Copilot button from the Taskbar but also prevent users from accessing it using the “Windows key + C” keyboard shortcut. This action will also remove the “Copilot” setting from the Taskbar settings page. To re-enable the feature, repeat the exact instructions, but in step 4, choose the “Not Configured” option.

Disabling Copilot through the Registry on Windows 11

If you’re using Windows 11 Home or prefer to disable Copilot via the Registry on other editions, follow these instructions:

Warning: Modifying the Registry can have severe consequences if not done correctly. Ensure you have a system backup before proceeding.

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Search for “regedit” and click the top result to open the Registry Editor.
  3. Go to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot.
  4. Double-click the “TurnOffWindowsCopilot” DWORD and change its value from 0 to 1 to disable Copilot via the Registry.
  5. Click “OK” to confirm.

By completing these steps, you’ll successfully disable Copilot on Windows 11, and the Copilot setting will be removed from the Taskbar settings page. To re-enable Copilot, follow the same steps, but in step 3, set the “TurnOffWindowsCopilot” value back to “0” (zero).

Deactivating Copilot with ViveTool on Windows 11

To disable Copilot on Windows 11 using the ViveTool, follow these instructions:

  1. Visit the GitHub website to download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file for Copilot deactivation.
  2. Double-click the downloaded zip folder to open it in File Explorer.
  3. Click “Extract all” to extract the ViveTool files.
  4. Copy the path to the folder where you extracted ViveTool.
  5. Open the Start menu.
  6. Search for “Command Prompt,” right-click the top result, and select “Run as administrator.”
  7. Type the following command, replacing “c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.x” with the actual path to the ViveTool folder, and press Enter:bashCopy codecd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.x
  8. Enter the following command to disable Copilot in the Taskbar and press Enter:bashCopy codevivetool /disable /id:44774629,44776738,44850061,42105254,41655236
  9. Restart your computer.

By following these steps, Copilot will be successfully disabled on Windows 11 23H2 or version 22H2, provided they are available through the Release Preview or Stable Channel. Please note that this method may not work once the update with the new feature becomes fully available, as Microsoft typically blocks features from being disabled through this method. However, as of the writing of this guide, ViveTool remains a viable option for disabling Copilot.

Update: October 2, 2023: This guide has been updated to include the steps for disabling the chatbot using the third-party tool known as ViveTool. Enjoy your Copilot-free Windows 11 experience!

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