Microsoft May Soon Allow IT Admins To Uninstall Copilot (bleepingcomputer.com)
- Reference: 0180556130
- News link: https://it.slashdot.org/story/26/01/09/2219256/microsoft-may-soon-allow-it-admins-to-uninstall-copilot
- Source link: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-may-soon-allow-it-admins-to-uninstall-copilot-on-managed-devices/
> The new policy will apply to devices where the Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Copilot are both installed, the Microsoft Copilot app was not installed by the user, and the Microsoft Copilot app was not launched in the last 28 days. "Admins can now uninstall Microsoft Copilot for a user in a targeted way by enabling a new policy titled RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp," the Windows Insider team [2]said .
>
> "If this policy is enabled, the Microsoft Copilot app will be uninstalled, once. Users can still re-install if they choose to. This policy is available on Enterprise, Pro, and EDU SKUs. To enable this policy, open the Group policy editor and go to: User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows AI -> Remove Microsoft Copilot App."
[1] https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-may-soon-allow-it-admins-to-uninstall-copilot-on-managed-devices/
[2] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2026/01/09/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26220-7535-dev-beta-channels/#:~:text=Uninstalling%20Microsoft%20Copilot%20App%20on%20managed%20devices
Users can reinstall? (Score:3)
That's weird, why would they allow employees to override the it dept and install blocked software? I know companies where the legal dept absolutely forbids the use of stochastic parrot code generators because of copyright worries (or might want the ability to sue if a rival uses copilot to violate their github license on their code or if codepilot reproduces code obtained illegally and leaked tothe net).
So close (Score:2)
Microsoft almost seems to be getting it...
Re: (Score:2)
Remember, Microsoft is the king of bullshit.
LTSC? (Score:1)
> Microsoft almost seems to be getting it...
Guessing the LTSC variants are still based on Win10, but I'm wondering how much freedom Microsoft has provided with those specific Enterprise versions.
I personally enjoyed working with them because you were allowed considerable freedom to strip them down and remove a lot of the unwanted bloat.
OR ... (Score:3)
"Users can still re-install if they choose to." - OR ... when Windows performs an update. If you are still using Windows 11 and not looking into alternatives then you need to wake up.
who actually uses copilot - anyone? (Score:1)
It's such a flop.
Microsoft needs to be broken up (Score:2)
OS vs Office vs Copilot all separate companies, competing not collaborating.
Yeah it is a.... (Score:3)
Yeah it is a definite maybe from Microsoft.
--JoshK.
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, I'm sure that they'll let you "uninstall" it, knowing that they're just going to reinstall it along with OneDrive and some unwanted Edge updates in the next Windows 11 feature release.
Microsoft has been playing this game for awhile now, giving end users the illusion of choice while cramming their shovelware in your face at every opportunity.
I don't care - I switched to linux (Score:2)
It's time for everyone to migrate away from windows. It's time to make Microsoft an irrelevance. I found it surprisingly easy to switch though I am just a humble retired embedded C software engineer and have never been an IT guru.
Reclaim your PC. It's time to remind yourself that PC stands for Personal Computer, and the idea of being dependent on a non-local login and some cloud out there is just fundamentally the wrong IT values.
Computers used to be fun! Do you remember those days! They can be yours again!
Re: (Score:2)
At home, sure, been on Linux since 1995. The problem is we get forced to use it at work, on the work supplied computer. The trick now is to install WSL and then live in that as much as possible and not use Windows for anything (except IT generally forces you to use Outlook).
Re: (Score:3)
It's because they didn't get slapped around enough when they added Internet Explorer to the OS all those years ago. They figure it's a good strategy to keep playing dirty pool.
(aka using their de facto monopoly in one product to force consumers to use or pay for unrelated products, which damages the global market in those unrelated products and reduces consumer choice)
Re: (Score:2)
They were right, there is little to no chance they will be held accountable for it anywhere anytime soon.
Maybe eventually enough nations will take digital sovereignty seriously enough to ditch them, and then the EU will do something like they will against Apple or Google. But right now they fear reprisal. TBF they're right to fear, and they brought it on themselves by choosing the worst option, but it's not an irredeemable situation and there's never been a better time to switch.