In a recent update, Microsoft has introduced a feature that is likely to resonate with a segment of its user base. The Windows Insider Blog has announced that administrators utilizing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7535 (KB5072046) from the Dev & Beta Channels now have the ability to uninstall the Microsoft Copilot App from managed devices. This new policy, aptly named RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp, allows for the removal of the Microsoft Copilot app for users under specific conditions.
Criteria for Uninstallation
To take advantage of this uninstallation feature, devices must adhere to several criteria:
- The system must have both Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot installed.
- The Microsoft Copilot app must not have been installed by the user.
- The Microsoft Copilot app must not have been launched in the past 28 days.
This means that while administrators can now remove the Microsoft Copilot app, users will still retain access to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, which is a paid service tied to a Microsoft 365 subscription. The Microsoft Copilot app, on the other hand, is a complimentary application preinstalled on Windows 11.
Interestingly, this development comes at a time when the market is reflecting on the relevance of AI in personal computing. During its keynote at CES 2026, Intel highlighted the evolving landscape of technology, while Dell has acknowledged a lack of consumer interest in AI-driven PCs—a sentiment that contrasts with Microsoft’s earlier push for Copilot+ PCs in 2024.
