Copilot appears in ribbon but is disabled in outlook classic

Question

Copilot appears in ribbon but is disabled in outlook classic. Please help.

Copilot is working in other Microsoft applications like Word and Excel.

Rod

Answer 1

In classic Outlook on Windows, turning Copilot on or off via an in-app toggle is not currently supported. The Copilot button can appear but remain unavailable.

Key points from the current behavior:

1. The dedicated Turn on Copilot toggle is only available in:
   • Outlook for Android: Quick Settings > Copilot
   • Outlook for iOS: Quick Settings > Copilot
   • Outlook for Mac: Quick Settings > Copilot
   • Outlook on the web: Settings > Copilot
   • Outlook for Windows (new Outlook): Settings > Copilot
2. There is no estimated date for when turning Copilot on or off will be available in classic Outlook on Windows. As a result, Copilot can be available and working in Word and Excel while the Outlook classic client shows a Copilot icon that is disabled or non-functional.
3. If Copilot is working in other apps (Word, Excel) under the same account, licensing and privacy prerequisites are already satisfied; the limitation is specific to the classic Outlook client.

To use Copilot in Outlook, switch to one of the supported Outlook experiences (for example, the new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web) where the Copilot toggle and features are fully supported.

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References:

• Turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps