How to Prevent Users from Uploading Files or Images to Copilot

To prevent users from uploading files or images to Copilot, use the correct account, product, permissions, and destination. This guide explains the supported workflow and the checks that confirm the result.

Check Copilot Eligibility and the Affected App

Confirm the owning account, required permissions, affected files or services, and the exact outcome you need. Keep a backup when the task changes local content or removes access.

Quick Copilot Availability Check

First, set appropriate policy via these options to control the privacy for your organization. Next, select the site you want to restrict, and verify the final state before changing any backup or secondary account.

How to Prevent Users from Uploading Files or Images to Copilot

1. set appropriate policy via these options to control the privacy for your organization
2. Select the site you want to restrict
3. Click Permissions -> Manage site permissions
4. Remove Edit or Contribute permissions
5. Create a DLP Policy in Microsoft Purview (Optional)
6. Go to Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal: Microsoft Purview

After the final step, reopen the affected app, portal, file, or account page and confirm the exact status or behavior described in the title.

WPS Office: A Free, AI-Powered Microsoft Office Alternative

WPS Office cannot directly change Microsoft-side account, billing, subscription, activation, tenant, OneDrive service, or SharePoint permission state. Those changes must be completed in the appropriate Microsoft portal.

WPS Office offers a free, familiar workspace for common Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF formats through Writer, Spreadsheets, Presentation, and PDF. Integrated WPS AI adds practical help for drafting and summarizing documents, building formulas and understanding data, creating editable slide decks, and extracting information from PDFs. Some AI features or higher usage limits may depend on the plan, platform, region, and app version.

Test advanced macros, add-ins, external connections, sensitivity controls, and Microsoft-only cloud integrations on a copy before moving a critical workflow.

Use Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE

Free Download

Practical Checks That Prevent a Repeat

• Record which account, app, and file owns the workflow
• Keep a verified backup before removing access, changing ownership, or replacing a local file
• Apply high-impact changes to one test item or user before expanding the scope
• Save confirmation numbers, dates, and screenshots of the final settings when they affect billing, security, or permissions

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I set appropriate policy via these options to control the privacy for?

set appropriate policy via these options to control the privacy for your organization. App version, update channel, license, account, region, file location, connected experiences, and administrator policy can differ between apps.

What should I check after I select the site you want to restrict?

No. Hiding or disabling an app feature changes the interface or policy; billing must be managed separately by the subscription owner or administrator. Confirm the account type, product version, ownership, and permissions before assuming the control is unavailable.

What result should I expect after I click Permissions -> Manage site permissions?

Unsupported formats, very large files, missing cloud permissions, protected content, or organization policies can prevent analysis or uploads. Test a small supported file. Keep the relevant backup or confirmation until you have checked the result.

How can I confirm that the steps to prevent users from uploading files or images to Copilot worked?

Go to Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal: Microsoft Purview. Reopen the affected app or portal and confirm that the expected status persists.