Oops: Microsoft Update Accidentally Removes Copilot From Windows

Not a fan of AI? A recent Windows update can actually remove Microsoft’s Copilot assistant from the OS. 

As the company promotes generative AI to the public, Redmond accidentally introduced a software bug last week that can delete the Copilot program from PCs running Windows 10 or 11. 

The problem affects the March 11th updates for both operating systems. “We’re aware of an issue with the Microsoft Copilot app affecting some devices. The app is unintentionally uninstalled and unpinned from the taskbar,” the company wrote in the support pages.

In a bit of irony though, some Windows users have said “I wish this wasn’t a bug” after learning that Microsoft has been mistakenly deleting the Copilot app. 

“Amazing, Microsoft fixes their own bloat,” joked one user on Reddit. “Finally a good feature,” wrote another. 

Back in late 2023, the company began automatically installing Copilot across Windows 10 and 11 PCs, promoting it as a cutting-edge digital assistant powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT tech. But while the program can be useful, others have criticized the software as unnecessary bloat. More privacy conscious consumers have also raised concerns about Copilot’s ability to collect your data for training purposes, although you can deactivate the behavior. 

Microsoft has also given users the option to toggle off Copilot in the settings menu. But it looks like the buggy Windows update took things further by wiping the app entirely from the OS. In response, Microsoft says it’s working on a fix. 

“In the meantime, affected users can reinstall the app from the Microsoft Store and manually pin it to the taskbar,” the company said. The issue doesn’t affect the Microsoft 365 Copilot app if its been installed on a PC.

About Michael Kan

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I’ve been working as a journalist for over 15 years—I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017.

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