How do I disable Copilot and all Other AI functionality in Windows 11 PRO

Question

I've tried the recommended steps for creating then setting the value for WindowsCopilot to 1, but the AI functions still return.

Help please.

Dave

Answer 1

We need to be able to install Windows "OS", or "Programs", separately and choose the functions and features that we want. BUNDLING everything together to force upon us they massive data collection junk is Tyrannical. Mark it down. Tyrannical. Someone needs to step up and change things or simply make a massive move towards Linux. Anyone suggest a better one than Ubuntu for the average user?

Answer 2

If this were a process that only ran locally, and NO INFORMATION OF ANY KIND WHATASOEVER was ever transmitted off of the local computer, to gawd-only-knows-who/where on the internet, then maybe I would agree with your sentiment.

However, seeing as this fad is merely the latest in a very long line of measures undertaken SPECIFICALLY to steal/garner/catalog as much information about you as is technically possible, at all times, the only sane response to being thusly assaulted by it is to say, NO [removed] WAY!

Answer 3

Can we really disable it? How do we know? Will the next update re-enable it, or worse, prevent CoPilot from being disabled? While I understand Microsoft wanting to be part of the AI movement, I think that users should have the option to opt-out or remove. While we, the end users, use this OS to conduct business, Microsoft has turned this OS into a data collection application. If I am paying for a Pro or Enterprise license, then I should have the option to say 'no' and remove it.

**Edit**

Let me add, that I do not think that everyone is spying on me, but the IRS and the government are very clear about how data is to be handled, but this "feature" brings us out of compliance and we can't remediate it to bring us back into compliance.

Answer 4

Hello David, this is Emily.

In Settings> Personalization > Taskbar, you can turn off Copilot. However, if that's not enough and you wan to disable it completely, you will need to do this in registry.

To do so, launch Registry Editor, then go to

HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

On the left, right click on the Windows folder, go to New > Key, name it "WindowsCopilot"

Then select WindowsCopilot, on the right, right click and create a DWORD value, name it "TurnOffWindowsCopilot" and set its value at 1.

Restart the computer to have the change take effect.

Answer 5

I think the problem is with businesses that are under SOX or GLBA compliance regulations. CoPilot has the potential to "see" financial information and could send it to the cloud. This would violate those policies. Think tax preparers and accountants..