How-To

How to Remove Copilot in Microsoft Edge

By Brian Burgess

Published March 8, 2024

Not everyone is a fan of Microsoft’s AI Copilot brand. So, if you don’t want it you can remove it from Edge on desktop or mobile.

It seems like every tech company is diving into the Artificial Intelligence (AI) game, and Microsoft is no exception. Previously called Bing Chat AI, the company has rebranded its generative AI tool as Copilot.

You may have noticed that Microsoft is adding Copilot AI to many of its products, including Windows 11 and Microsoft Edge, with Office integration soon to come. If you aren’t a fan of it on your PC, you can disable Copilot on Windows 11.

And if you would prefer to get Copilot out of the way when you browse the web with Microsoft Edge, you can remove the button and get more screen real estate on your computer. You can also turn it off in Edge on your phone or tablet if you don’t want it showing on mobile.

Copilot in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft’s Copilot AI tool lives in the top right corner of the Microsoft Edge browser by default. You can use it like other AI tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, or Google Gemini.

Also, when you highlight something on a web page, like a block of text or an image, the Ask Copilot button will display in the context menu so you can use it to search and other AI options.

How to Remove Copilot from Microsoft Edge on a Computer

If you want to hide the Copilot button in the top right corner and disable it in the Edge context menu, use the following steps.

1. Launch Microsoft Edge on your computer.
2. Click the three-dot menu button in the top right next to the Copilot button.
3. Click Settings near the bottom of the menu that appears.
4. Select the Sidebar option in the left panel.
5. Under the App specific settings section on the right, click on Copilot.
6. Toggle off the Show Copilot switch — it will automatically turn off other Copilot settings. Click the Restart button.
7. Once Edge restarts, the browser will come up sans the Copilot button in the top right corner. If you want more room, click the Sidebar button to disable the Edge sidebar.
8. Also, the Ask Copilot option will no longer appear in the context menu when you select text or images on a web page and right-click.

Turn Off Copilot in Microsoft Edge on Mobile

We noted that Microsoft is adding its Copilot generative AI tool to most of its products. This includes the Microsoft Edge browser on your phone or tablet. Luckily, you can turn it off if you don’t want it.

1. Launch Microsoft Edge on your phone or tablet.
2. Tap the menu button in the lower right corner.
3. Select Settings when the menu appears on the screen.
4. Tap the General option from the menu that appears.
5. Select Copilot.
6. Toggle off the Show Copilot switch and tap Done.

Getting Copilot Out of Your Way in Edge

If you don’t have a use for Copilot, don’t think it’s ready, or for other reasons, you can get it out of your way on the desktop and mobile using the above steps. Not everyone is a fan of AI in general or Microsoft’s Copilot in particular. Luckily, for now, at least, you can stop it from showing up while you’re using Edge.

Also, if you want to use Copilot in Edge in the future, you can always turn it back on for easy default access.