Microsoft Quietly Reinstalls Copilot on Windows 11 Through Office App Updater

Microsoft is quietly reinstalling Copilot on Windows 11 through a backdoor that IT administrators cannot easily block. The company confirmed in an updated admin portal document that the Microsoft 365 Copilot app will auto-install on eligible Windows 11 devices running Microsoft 365 desktop apps. The rollout began in mid-June and runs through early July.

This is a reversal. Microsoft paused Copilot auto-installs earlier in 2026 after user backlash and technical issues. The company even made the assistant removable. Now it is reintroducing the same forced installation using a method that is harder to block.

Instead of pushing through the Microsoft Store or Windows Update, the Copilot app arrives via the Office apps' built-in Microsoft 365 Apps updater. No user interaction is required. The app installs by default, and Microsoft says admins must actively "opt out" if they do not want it appearing on their organization's devices.

"Starting June 2026. We will resume the automatic installation of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app to eligible devices with the Microsoft 365 desktop apps," Microsoft wrote in the document spotted by Windows Latest. "This change simplifies access to Copilot and ensures users can easily discover and engage with productivity-enhancing features."

The rollout targets commercial Windows 11 machines with Microsoft 365 Business subscriptions, not typical home PCs. Devices in the European Economic Area are exempt, likely due to stricter competition and privacy regulations.

Opting out is not straightforward. Microsoft's controls are scattered across the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center, Integrated Apps, Office privacy settings, and per-app toggles.

Admins can block the app installation through the admin center under Customization, Device Configuration, Modern Apps settings, and Microsoft 365 Copilot app. Individual users can disable Copilot in Office apps through File, Options, Copilot, but this must be done per app and per device.

Earlier this year, Microsoft added a floating Copilot button to Office apps but is now rolling that back and moving Copilot back to the ribbon. The company also introduced Classic Microsoft 365 subscription plans without Copilot in some regions, including the United States, as an alternative for personal and family accounts. The automatic installation is already underway for eligible business devices and will continue through mid-July.