Want to turn off AI in Windows? Here's how to disable Copilot features

Indian Express

5 hours ago

Microsoft has been pushing AI technology into its products. From Copilot being pre-installed in Windows PCs, to AI in programs like Notepad and Print, the AI overload can become overwhelming. However, Microsoft has given the option to disable these features from your system.
Note: Steps mentioned apply only to Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs, and systems running on Windows 11. While the steps might not function the same way on PCs with different specifications, they should be largely similar.
Copilot is Microsoft's AI chatbot, introduced by the company in February 2023. While initially it was rolled out in a phased manner, Copilot is now pre-installed on select Windows PCs, and even has a dedicated toolbar button. However, it is possible to remove Copilot from your system.
To remove Copilot from your taskbar, you need to right click on the Copilot icon and click on 'unpin from taskbar' option.
For further settings, you can click on your Microsoft icon at the bottom left of the screen, then click on 'Settings'. After accessing the Copilot Settings page, there will be more options. For instance, you can turn off the option of 'Auto start on log in' by clicking on the toggle switch.
This means that Copilot will not start up the moment you switch on your PC. Similarly, you can also switch off the 'Open Copilot using Alt+Spacebar' shortcut.
If you think Copilot does not add value to your system, you can uninstall it completely. Here's how to do this:
📌 Open the settings panel
📌 Click on apps, then installed apps
📌 Navigate to Copilot
📌 Click the three dots next to it
📌 Choose the 'uninstall' option
If Microsoft Edge is your browser of choice, you may have seen the AI overload all over it. While the easiest option to avoid this is by switching browsers, there is also a way to limit the AI on Edge itself.
📌 After opening Edge, click on the three dots in the top right corner
📌 Click on the 'settings' option
📌 Switch to the 'Copilot and sidebar' screen via the links on the left of the screen
📌 Click on Copilot
📌 There, turn off the 'Show Copilot button on the toolbar' switch
This will hide the Copilot icon from Edge entirely.
Even basic Windows programs have AI added to them, such as Notepad and Paint. These aim to help with text or image creation, but can prove to be a hindrance.
To remove Copilot from Notepad, simply click on the cogwheel icon (top-right), and turn off the Copilot toggle switch.
However, till date, there is no way to uninstall or disable Copilot from Paint, even if the main app is uninstalled. However, users were initially able to remove Copilot from Paint, so there is a chance that this option will return.
(This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)