Copilot in Word Issues

How to Remove the Copilot Icon and Prompt from Microsoft Word

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to remove the Copilot icon and the associated draft prompt from their document screen.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Trying to write a document without the Copilot prompt and shortcut appearing continuously on the screen.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Word displays a small Copilot icon and the prompt 'Select the icon or press Alt + i to draft with Copilot', even after the user believed the feature was removed or disabled.

Before you start

Before attempting to remove the Copilot prompt, ensure your Microsoft Office suite is fully updated, as recent patches may have changed the location of connected experience settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Connected Experiences in Microsoft Word

Disabling connected experiences is the most effective way to turn off cloud-based AI features like Copilot in Microsoft Office applications.

Since Copilot relies on Microsoft's cloud infrastructure to generate content, turning off optional connected experiences prevents the application from communicating with the Copilot servers, effectively hiding the prompt.

Open Word Options

Launch Microsoft Word. Click on 'File' in the top-left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.

Navigate to Trust Center

In the Word Options dialog box, select 'Trust Center' from the left sidebar, then click the 'Trust Center Settings' button.

Access Privacy Options

Click on 'Privacy Options' in the left pane, then click the 'Privacy Settings' button.

Turn Off Optional Connected Experiences

Scroll down to the 'Optional connected experiences' section. Uncheck the box that says 'Turn on optional connected experiences', click OK, and restart Microsoft Word.

Impact on other features: Disabling connected experiences may also disable other cloud-based features in Word, such as online templates, Researcher, and the Translator tool.

Solution 2

Verify Copilot License Assignment

If you are using a corporate or educational account, the Copilot prompt might be forcibly tied to your organization's Microsoft 365 license.

Solution 3

Contact Microsoft Support

If the prompt persists despite disabling cloud settings and verifying your license, you may need a registry fix from Microsoft.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Copilot prompt keep appearing even after I disabled it?

Microsoft frequently updates Office 365, and sometimes cloud-based features like Copilot are re-enabled by default during a background update. Additionally, corporate policies managed by an IT department can override your local settings.

Can I disable just the Alt + i shortcut for Copilot?

Currently, Microsoft hardcodes the Alt + i shortcut for Copilot in newer builds of Microsoft 365. Disabling connected experiences entirely is the most reliable workaround to turn off the prompt and the shortcut.

Will disabling connected experiences turn off AutoSave?

No, basic AutoSave to OneDrive will continue to function normally. However, features that rely on real-time internet analysis, such as Microsoft Editor, Smart Lookup, or the Translator tool, will be paused until re-enabled.

Microsoft Copilot Issues