Disable Copilot in Office 365 (Microsoft 365): 6 ways

If Copilot is popping up across Word, Excel, Outlook, or Teams and you want it gone, you’ve got a few reliable switches to flip. The exact fix depends on whether you’re an end user, a Microsoft 365 admin, or both. For naming clarity between “Office 365” and “Microsoft 365,” see What is Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)?

Before you start

• Admin vs user: Revoking licenses and blocking agents requires a Microsoft 365 admin role. Per-app toggles work for individual users.
• App versions: Make sure you’re on current builds. New Outlook has its own Copilot toggle, separate from classic Outlook.
• Scope clarity: Turning off Copilot in Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote doesn’t change Teams meeting behavior, and vice versa.
• Desktop entry points: If users are confused by the “Microsoft 365” app icon on Windows, remove it with How to remove the Microsoft 365 (Get Office) app.

1) Turn off Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote (per user)

1. Open the app.
2. Go to File > Options > Copilot.
3. Clear Enable Copilot.
4. Restart the app.

Pro tip: Do this in each app you use. On Mac, open the app’s Settings and look for the Copilot pane to uncheck the same option. Need a quick primer on subscriptions? Read What is Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)?

2) Turn off Copilot in Outlook (per user)

1. Open Outlook.
2. Open Settings.
3. Find Copilot and turn Off the Turn on Copilot toggle.
4. Restart Outlook if the icon persists.

Note: The Quick Settings Copilot toggle exists in the new Outlook on Windows, Mac, web, iOS, and Android.

3) Disable Copilot in Teams meetings and webinars (admin)

1. Go to the Teams admin center.
2. Navigate to Meetings > Meeting policies.
3. Edit your default policy or create a new one.
4. In Recording & transcription, set Copilot to Off.
5. Save.

Why use it: This blocks Copilot in covered meetings regardless of user preference. If participants still access Copilot via the browser sidebar, harden the client with Remove Copilot from Microsoft Edge.

4) Remove the Copilot license or app assignment (admin, org-wide or by group)

Per user

1. In Microsoft 365 admin center, go to Users > Active users.
2. Open a user, select Licenses and apps.
3. Uncheck Copilot for Microsoft 365 and save.

At scale (recommended)

Use group-based licensing to remove Copilot for Microsoft 365 from the group so changes flow to all members. If stakeholders ask why features disappeared, share What is Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)? to clarify naming and bundles.

5) Block Copilot agents and integrations (admin)

1. In Microsoft 365 admin center, go to Copilot > Agents.
2. Select the agent(s) you want to restrict.
3. Choose Block or Remove, and apply org-wide or to specific users/groups.

Pro tip: Also review Copilot > Settings > Extensions to control extensibility across your tenant.

6) Stop the Microsoft 365 Copilot app rollout on Windows (admin)

• In the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center, opt out of deploying the Microsoft 365 Copilot app to managed devices.
• If you only want to remove the desktop entry point your users see, follow How to remove the Microsoft 365 (Get Office) app.

Note: This affects the desktop app icon/entry point, not the in-app Copilot toggles above.

Tips for clean rollouts

• Pilot first: Create a pilot policy to verify no hidden dependencies break workflows.
• Communicate UX changes: Removing licenses or app buttons can confuse users; publish a short internal FAQ with screenshots.
• Layer controls: For strict environments, combine license removal, Teams policy, and agent blocking.
• If a button lingers: Restart the app, sign out/in, or clear Office cache. UI remnants usually disappear after a fresh sign-in.
• Harden browsers: If people still access Copilot from the browser sidebar, apply Remove Copilot from Microsoft Edge.

FAQs

Does turning off Copilot delete content or prompts?
No. It only removes the AI features and UI. Your files, mail, and calendars remain intact.

Is Outlook different from Word/Excel?
Yes. Outlook uses a Turn on Copilot toggle in Settings, while Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote use an Enable Copilot checkbox in Options.

Will disabling Copilot in Teams meeting policies stop Copilot everywhere?
No. It limits Copilot in meetings. Use license removal or agent blocking for broader control, and consider browser-side hardening with Remove Copilot from Microsoft Edge.

What’s the difference between Office 365 and Microsoft 365 here?
Functionally the switches live in Microsoft 365 today; “Office 365” is the legacy name users still search for. For a clear explanation to share in comms, see What is Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)?.