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How to Manage Microsoft 365 Copilot Privacy and Disable Prompts
Question details
The user wants to understand Microsoft 365 Copilot data collection practices and how to disable Copilot prompts, icons, and AI features in applications like Excel and Outlook for better privacy.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing data privacy and attempting to restrict or disable AI Copilot integrations within Office applications.
- Observed behavior
- Copilot features, prompts, and icons appear persistently in the Microsoft 365 interface, raising privacy concerns regarding background data collection and content processing.
Before making changes, ensure you have administrative access to your Microsoft 365 account, as some privacy and connected-experience settings require admin privileges to modify.
Disable Connected Experiences to Restrict Copilot Data Access
Disabling connected experiences in Microsoft 365 prevents Copilot from analyzing your document content, though some UI icons may still remain visible.
Microsoft 365 relies on 'Connected Experiences' to process your documents for AI generation. By disabling this, you cut off Copilot's ability to read and analyze your data.
Open any Microsoft 365 application, such as Excel or Outlook, and navigate to 'File' > 'Account' (or 'Office Account' depending on your version).
Click on the 'Manage Settings' button located under the Account Privacy section.
Scroll down to the 'Connected experiences' heading and uncheck or toggle off the option labeled 'Turn on experiences that analyze your content'.
Click 'OK' to save your preferences and completely restart your Microsoft 365 applications for the privacy changes to take effect.
Switch to a Privacy-Focused Offline Office Suite
If you want completely AI-free document editing without residual prompts, consider using offline, privacy-focused software.
Enjoy Privacy-Focused, Local Document Editing with WPS Office
If you are concerned about Microsoft 365 Copilot data collection and lingering AI prompts, WPS Office offers a lightweight, highly compatible alternative. You can comfortably edit documents locally without forced cloud AI data processing, giving you complete control over your data privacy.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free, lightweight installer package for your operating system.
- 2. Install and Set Defaults: Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts. Choose to set WPS Office as your default program for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.
- 3. Edit Files Securely Offline: Open your existing documents directly from your local drive and enjoy secure editing without intrusive AI data collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What data does Microsoft 365 Copilot collect in Excel and Outlook?
Copilot processes your prompts, the context of the active document you are working on, and data from Microsoft Graph (such as emails and chats) to generate responses. While Microsoft states this data is encrypted and not used to train foundational AI models, it is still processed through their cloud servers.
Can I completely remove the Copilot button from Microsoft 365?
While you can disable 'Connected experiences' in your Account Privacy settings to stop Copilot from analyzing your data, the physical Copilot icons and prompts may still remain visible in the interface for users on certain Microsoft 365 or Office 2024 updates.
Does WPS Office force AI data collection like Microsoft 365?
No. While WPS Office offers optional AI tools for users who want them, it allows you to work completely offline with local files. This ensures your sensitive data remains entirely on your device without forced cloud analysis.
Are there open-source alternatives to Microsoft 365?
Yes, LibreOffice is a popular open-source suite that runs locally and does not include AI features by default. It is a strong choice for users prioritizing absolute data privacy, though users seeking a more modern interface and better Microsoft format compatibility often prefer WPS Office.
