Why is Copilot not automatically giving access to my files? What is the point of Copilot? Can I make it go away?

Question

So I log into my UT office365 account, and there's this new thing called Copilot. I didn't ask for Copilot. It's just there. It says it's going to help me with things. But none of my Office365 files are there. If I click Onedrive from Copilot it doesn't show me any files at all. Nothing in recent, nothing at all. I am logged into Copilot. I see that. I am using the right account. It doesn't matter.

After quite a bit of trying, I found that I have to click the Powerpoint link (or Excel, this works too) in the Copilot website, log in to that (because being logged into Copilot or work doesn't mean I can see any files), go to that page, and then log in to Onedrive from there to see any files. This is cumbersome and seems entirely unnecessary.

I have no idea why this is going on now. I can't use any of my files for teaching because nobody can figure out how to access them, so I'm going to have to redownload everything to Box, I guess. It's probably because I'm using Safari. It doesn't say that, but I'll bet it's meant to not work in the one browser I like to use...

Years of work in the cloud is basically impossible to access without workarounds. Please tell me it doesn't have to be like this.

Answer 1

Hi CaptainHeelHook,

Welcome to Microsoft Community. Thank you for reaching out.

These are some information could be helpful I can give you:

Why Copilot isn’t showing your files

Here are the most likely reasons:

1. Browser issues: Safari has strict privacy settings that can block Copilot from working properly. It may stop Copilot from connecting to OneDrive or showing your files.
2. Separate logins needed: Even if you’re logged into Copilot, you might still need to log into PowerPoint, Excel, and OneDrive separately. Copilot doesn’t always carry over your login across apps.
3. Copilot needs permissions: Copilot needs permission to access your files. If your account or browser blocks those permissions, it won’t show anything.

What Copilot is for

Copilot is meant to help you:

• Write and summarize documents
• Create slides and spreadsheets
• Save time by automating tasks

But it only works well if everything is set up correctly.

How to Turn off or Hide Copilot

If you don’t want to use Copilot, you can:

• Turn it off in each app:
  Go to File > Options > Copilot and uncheck “Enable Copilot.

• Hide the Copilot button:
  Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon and remove the Copilot icon.
• Stop connected features:
  Go to File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings and turn off “Connected experiences.”

I recommend you can try some steps below:

1. Try using other browser like Microsoft Edge  instead of Safari.
2. Make sure you’re logged into OneDrive, Excel, and PowerPoint with the same account.
3. If you still have trouble, let me know and I’ll help you step-by-step.

Note: Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.     

If I misunderstood what you’re looking for, feel free to let me know or share a screenshot. I’d be happy to help further!

Thank you for your cooperation.
Best regards,

Alex - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

Hi, Is there any update from you? If yes, please feel free to let us know.