Remove Copilot button in top right-hand corner of Classic Outlook

Question

Remove Copilot button in top right-hand corner of Classic Outlook

DB 70

This morning (7th July 2025) a small Copilot button appeared in the top right-hand corner of Classic Outlook on my laptop. How do I remove this please? I have completely disabled Copilot on my laptop and on my MS365 account. I do not want to use Copilot or see any reference to it in my apps.

I specifically want to know how to remove this drop-down box permanently and ensure it never returns.

Locked Question. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

Alexander Bouz 10 Reputation points

2025-07-08T08:33:33.5066667+00:00

I'm here with the same question.

The functionality of the dropdown could be disabled by turning off "Connected Experiences", but the button itself is still showing which is misleading to our users.
John Yates 50 Reputation points

2025-07-08T09:43:32.3866667+00:00

I have the same question, and posted a query within the forums a few days ago.

Whilst receiving sympathetic responses and several comments from others asking the same question, there appears to be no constructive proposal as to how to disable this invasive button, that according to my research so far, no-one actually wants except Microsoft. This is merely the insidious imposition of a feature that Microsoft desire, to enable harvesting of user data to feed the insatiable hunger of their language models.

I have also posted within the Ideas forum, which again has attracted a couple of comments, but no official response, nor workable response that will actually allow me to remove the button.

Microsoft: Please understand this is a problem for some of us. You are compromising our ability to do business ethically. If a user has EXPLICITLY disabled Copilot, and added a multitude of registry keys in good faith as suggested by others, to try and remove this button and other Copilot functionality, then it simply should not be able to add a new button as part of an update (still don't understand how an update can be an update when I didn't have Copilot before, but I do now, especially as I don't want it!).

The machine infected with the Copilot button virus is running Office Professional Plus 2021. Incidentally, on a different machine where only the default basic Outlook included within Windows 11 is installed, opening the options dialogue reveals the delightful ability to remove the Outlook Copilot button via a very large and very obvious dedicated selection!

A fix should not be difficult, Microsoft. Simply take the code that allows the button to be removed from basic Outlook, and include this into an update for Office Professional Plus 2021 (and all other incarnations of Office that presently do not include it). Then release it. As an update. That, I would consider to a REAL update. One with an actual positive outcome for the user. Or should I say CUSTOMER.

Thanks (in hope rather than actual anticipation) for listening.
Ryan Reaves 60 Reputation points

2025-07-08T15:35:46.25+00:00

Have the same issue. Have tried every single thing I could find to get rid of it and have come up empty. Posted about it over here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2337568/how-do-i-get-rid-of-the-copilot-dropdown-box-in-ou

I might actually be interested in trying Copilot except that Microsoft's insistence on cramming it in to every single application without any way to get rid of it globally has left a sour taste in my mouth. I hope but do not expect maybe Microsoft will actually listen to this feedback.
Zehawk 25 Reputation points

2025-07-22T11:27:00.0433333+00:00

I am exactly in the same boat as OP and have seen it appear in Outlook today 22nd July 2025. I had already disabled the copilot virus from everywhere, and in additionally in each individual 365 app (Word, Powerpoint, Excel and Onenote). Havent seen an option in Outlook still.

Wonder MS realizes how utterly despised it is roundly - products have missing basic functionality, endless issues and bugs ongoing, some stretching for 20 years, endless security issues - of course none of this is as important as shoving AI wherever possible, and firing its its own employees and asking them to get AIfied. Can MS get any more disgraceful?
MohsinSiddiqui-4017 15 Reputation points

2025-08-14T11:54:37.1133333+00:00

I am wondering if there's any update on this. Copilot is forced into every one of my blasted MS products, and I'm seriously considering how I can migrate to a different solutions provider, since Microsoft has made it next to impossible to get rid of the thing. It shows up everywhere, it creates document summaries that are inaccurate and that I don't need (taking up valuable real estate on my screen) in Word...just the whole thing is utterly abysmal.

5 answers

Alexander Bouz 10 Reputation points

2025-07-08T08:33:33.5066667+00:00

I'm here with the same question.

The functionality of the dropdown could be disabled by turning off "Connected Experiences", but the button itself is still showing which is misleading to our users.
Ryan Reaves 60 Reputation points

2025-07-08T15:35:46.25+00:00

Have the same issue. Have tried every single thing I could find to get rid of it and have come up empty. Posted about it over here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2337568/how-do-i-get-rid-of-the-copilot-dropdown-box-in-ou

I might actually be interested in trying Copilot except that Microsoft's insistence on cramming it in to every single application without any way to get rid of it globally has left a sour taste in my mouth. I hope but do not expect maybe Microsoft will actually listen to this feedback.
Zehawk 25 Reputation points

2025-07-22T11:27:00.0433333+00:00

I am exactly in the same boat as OP and have seen it appear in Outlook today 22nd July 2025. I had already disabled the copilot virus from everywhere, and in additionally in each individual 365 app (Word, Powerpoint, Excel and Onenote). Havent seen an option in Outlook still.

Wonder MS realizes how utterly despised it is roundly - products have missing basic functionality, endless issues and bugs ongoing, some stretching for 20 years, endless security issues - of course none of this is as important as shoving AI wherever possible, and firing its its own employees and asking them to get AIfied. Can MS get any more disgraceful?
MohsinSiddiqui-4017 15 Reputation points

2025-08-14T11:54:37.1133333+00:00

I am wondering if there's any update on this. Copilot is forced into every one of my blasted MS products, and I'm seriously considering how I can migrate to a different solutions provider, since Microsoft has made it next to impossible to get rid of the thing. It shows up everywhere, it creates document summaries that are inaccurate and that I don't need (taking up valuable real estate on my screen) in Word...just the whole thing is utterly abysmal.

Answer 1

Louise M Allen 35

I am on Win 10 with "Outlook for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2508 Build 16.0.19127.20192) 64-bit".

I had a poke around the Options and under Advanced > Outlook panes there's a check box labelled "Show Apps in Outlook". I unticked this, restarted Outlook and the offending CoPilot drop down was gone.

Now, I can't say the background "functionality" has been removed but I'm happier knowing that all I'm left with in that top right corner is the nag to switch to new Outlook (another enhancement no-one asked for).

Hope this helps!

KJ 0 Reputation points

2026-04-14T11:38:40.22+00:00

This worked for me - thank you for the v.useful tip.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, Microsoft has no plans to allow users to remove the Copilot button (see their article here https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-off-copilot-in-microsoft-365-apps-bc7e530b-152d-4123-8e78-edc06f8b85f1) in classic Outlook. As Copilot is their core LLM product, and getting real-world information is costly, just having that button there creates the chance to get more information from users that can then be used to train Copilot (info they otherwise would have to pay for in development, testing, etc.).

Microsoft's business model for Copilot is built directly on people using it more, regardless of how they get us to do it. Changing the app in any way that leads to users interacting less with Copilot is fundamentally self-defeating for the company. Improvements in the usability/functionality of Outlook are only important to the extent that they prevent the marginal user from leaving the Microsoft ecosystem, and this does not fall in that space.

David 40 Reputation points

2025-11-20T17:27:43.3633333+00:00

Given that it can be removed/disabled from other Office applications, that doesn't seem like a reasonable explanation. They changed the app to add it and, just as with the other apps, it should be able to be disabled.

The more likely explanation is that they're trying to make Classic as annoying as possible to pressure people to move to the new Outlook. Of course, I'm still on Classic because of a decades long pst file. All they have to do is give us a pst option on the new one, and I'll move.

Answer 3

Andy David - MVP 160.3K MVP Volunteer Moderator

Looks like a solution is being worked on according to: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/how-to-remove-copilot-dropdown-on-outlook-classic/cbdc26c7-ce72-40b4-98a1-2f757fcc7daf?page=3

Zehawk 25 Reputation points

2025-07-22T11:22:10.78+00:00

However the thread is locked so that nobody can add their 2 bits anymore.
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Answer 4

I have noticed that in M365 enterprise (like not personal MS accounts), if you have the M365 Copilot license assigned, you cannot remove that button. But with the license unassigned, the button goes away.

Seems that if your work assigns you that license, you don't get to turn off that button.

I assume for personal accounts (MSA's) it depends if you have a Classic subscription vs Copilot-included subscription. But I really don't know/haven't checked. I downgraded M365 Family to classic and don't really use Outlook app for personal.

Answer 5

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