Where to find Copilot and how to remove it

Copilot is a built-in AI assistant that Microsoft added to Windows 11 starting in late 2023. It appears as a button on your taskbar (the bar at the bottom of your screen) and opens a panel on the right side when clicked. If you do not use it and want to reclaim that screen space and the system resources it uses, you can disable it through Windows settings.

Disabling Copilot does not uninstall Windows or break your computer — it straightforward turns off the feature. You can turn it back on later if you change your mind. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you want to hide the button, disable the feature entirely, or both.

Key Takeaways

  • The Copilot button sits on your taskbar by default in Windows 11; right-clicking it and selecting "Unpin from taskbar" removes the button when ready.
  • Disabling Copilot completely requires opening Settings, navigating to System > Notifications, and toggling off the Copilot switch.
  • If the toggle does not appear, your version of Windows may not have Copilot yet, or you may need to install the latest Windows update first.
  • Turning off Copilot frees up a small amount of RAM and removes a distraction from your screen, but does not significantly speed up older computers.

Remove the Copilot button from your taskbar

The fastest way to stop seeing Copilot is to remove its button from the taskbar. Right-click directly on the Copilot icon — it looks like a small circle with a sparkle or star inside — and select Unpin from taskbar. The button disappears when ready.

This step alone does not disable Copilot entirely. The feature still runs in the background, and you can still open it by pressing Windows key + C on your keyboard. If you want to prevent it from running at all, follow the next section.

Disable Copilot through Windows Settings

To turn off Copilot completely, open the Windows Settings app. The fastest way is to press Windows key + I together. Once Settings opens, look for the left sidebar menu and click System.

Inside System, scroll down the left menu until you see Notifications and click it. On the right side of the screen, scroll down past the notification options until you find a toggle labeled Copilot or Copilot (preview). Click the toggle to turn it Off. The change takes effect when ready.

If you do not see a Copilot toggle in Notifications, your version of Windows may not have the feature yet. Check that you have installed the latest Windows updates by opening Settings, clicking Update & Security (or System > Windows Update on newer versions), and clicking Check for updates. Wait for any updates to install, then restart your computer and check Settings again.

What happens when you disable Copilot

Once Copilot is disabled, the keyboard shortcut Windows key + C stops working, and the feature no longer runs in the background. You will not see the button on your taskbar, and Copilot will not appear in search results or offer suggestions.

The amount of system resources freed up is small — Copilot typically uses between 50 and 150 megabytes of RAM when running, depending on what it is doing. On a computer with 8 gigabytes of RAM or more, this difference is unlikely to noticeably speed up your machine. On older computers with 4 gigabytes or less, disabling it may help slightly if you are already running many programs at once.

Turn Copilot back on if you change your mind

Disabling Copilot is reversible. Open Settings again with Windows key + I, go to System > Notifications, scroll down to the Copilot toggle, and click it to turn it On. The button will reappear on your taskbar the next time you restart your computer, or you can pin it manually by right-clicking the taskbar and selecting Show Copilot button if that option appears.

If you want to try Copilot before deciding to disable it permanently, open it by pressing Windows key + C and ask it a question. You can close the panel by clicking the X button in the top right corner of the Copilot window.

Disabling Copilot does not affect Windows updates

Turning off Copilot does not prevent Windows from updating or change how updates work. Microsoft will continue to send security patches and feature updates to your computer regardless of whether Copilot is on or off. You will still receive notifications about updates and be prompted to restart when necessary.

If you re-enable Windows updates after disabling them for another reason, Copilot will not automatically turn back on. Your settings remain as you left them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Copilot make my computer faster?

Only slightly, and only if your computer is already running low on memory. Copilot uses a small amount of RAM, but on most modern computers this is not noticeable. If your computer feels slow, the cause is usually something else — too many browser tabs open, a full hard drive, or older hardware.

Can I disable Copilot on Windows 10?

Copilot is not built into Windows 10. It only comes with Windows 11 version 23H2 and later. If you have an older version of Windows 11, you may need to update to see Copilot or the option to disable it.

What if the Copilot toggle does not appear in Settings?

This usually means your Windows version is too old. Open Settings, go to System > Windows Update, and click Check for updates. Install any available updates and restart your computer. If the toggle still does not appear after updating, your device may not support Copilot.

Does disabling Copilot affect Microsoft Edge or Office?

No. Disabling the Windows Copilot feature does not turn off AI features in Microsoft Edge, Word, Excel, or other Microsoft programs. Those applications have their own separate AI tools that work independently.

Can I hide Copilot without fully disabling it?

Yes. straightforward unpinning the button from your taskbar hides it from view, but Copilot still runs in the background. You can still open it with Windows key + C. If you want it completely off, use the Settings toggle instead.