In a significant move for enterprise users, Microsoft has recommenced the automatic installation of the Microsoft 365 Copilot application on eligible commercial Windows devices as of June 2026. This decision comes in light of a recent notification from Microsoft’s MC1152323 admin center and updated deployment documentation.
Targeted Rollout and Licensing
The current rollout is aimed at devices running Windows 10 (22H2 or later) and Windows 11 that already have Microsoft 365 desktop applications installed. Initially, the focus will be on tenants who possess Copilot add-on licenses, with the complete installation process anticipated to conclude by late July 2026.
Administrative Controls and User Options
Enterprise administrators have been granted the ability to manage this installation through a newly introduced policy titled ‘Disable Microsoft 365 Copilot auto-install,’ which was part of the May 2026 Administrative Templates update. For end users who prefer not to have the app, there is an option to manually uninstall it. Notably, Microsoft has assured that if the app is removed manually, it will not be reinstalled for a period of 90 days.
Regulatory Considerations
Reports from Neowin and other sources indicate that the European Economic Area will not be affected by this rollout due to exemptions under the Digital Markets Act. This strategic pause and subsequent resumption follow a previous halt in March 2026, which was necessitated by a configuration error that led to installations on unlicensed tenants. The original rollout plan, which was set for October 2025, had faced considerable backlash from users, as documented by BleepingComputer and various other outlets.
