Dump Copilot: a reader asked…

I have a Windows 11 PC and use Microsoft 365. Recently I’ve noticed that when I go to begin a Word document, some copilot wants to help me and I can’t get rid of it …so I can’t even begin to print a simple document. It’s so annoying! What is this and how can I get rid of it?

I’m going to answer your question first, but read on below for why you might want to give Copilot a try. Microsoft is the developer for their artificial intelligence “feature” which they’ve dubbed Copilot. You may see a new icon on your toolbar, which opens the Copilot desktop application. Recently, Microsoft embedded Copilot into their 365 apps, and lots of people have been annoyed by the fact that not only has Microsoft added this feature, but turned it on by default. Here’s how to turn it off:

1. Open Word, and go to the Options menu (bottom-left). If you are already in Word and don’t see that, click the File menu item and look down the left-side at the bottom for the Options menu link. If you don’t see that, click the More link at the bottom of the left-side, then click Options.
2. in the Options menu, click the link on the left-side for Copilot.
3. Uncheck the checkbox “Enable Copilot” and click the OK button.

Why Microsoft decided to enable Copilot by default is simply marketing. With lots of other players in the AI market (such as ChatGPT from OpenAI and Gemini from Google), Microsoft is trying to use their popular platforms to push their brand of AI to get more market share – more people using it.

And not just in 365 – in Windows 11, Copilot is built-in and by default shows a button on the bottom taskbar to activate it. And while there are steps you can take to disable Copilot on your Windows computer, it keeps getting reactivated when you update your computer. Microsoft really wants you to use it. Rather than trying those steps to deactivate Copilot completely, simply remove the Copilot icon from your taskbar by right-clicking on it and left-clicking on “Unpin from Taskbar”.

If you use the Microsoft Edge browser on your computer you’ll see the Copilot icon at the top-right. Just to the left of that icon is the three dots for your Settings menu. Click that and then the “Settings” menu option, and you’ll see your main Settings menu, with a “Copilot and sidebar” option on the left-side. Click that and then click the Copilot item on the right-side, and you’ll finally see a slider to remove that icon (slide the slider off for “Show Copilot button on the toolbar”). You may also want to slide the other slider off if it’s on, “Allow Copilot to read context clues on the web”.

As for other browsers, Google Chrome isn’t so in-your-face with their Gemini AI, however if you use Chrome to search the internet, Gemini support for searching is turned on by default. If you want to turn that off, click the 3-dot Settings icon and select Settings from the menu, then click the Experimental AI link on the left-side of the Settings page, and click the “History search, powered by AI” to get to the slider you can slide to turn off. Both Firefox and Opera don’t appear to have AI enabled by default.

All the above is to answer your question – to turn off AI support. That said, you may want to consider at least trying out some AI features. Microsoft has already so deeply integrated Copilot into their operating system that you really can’t permanently disable it, so why not give it a try.

Copilot in Word can help you draft things to write – in a blank document press Alt and the i key which pops up a box where you can put as much or as little as you want into a “prompt” and have Copilot create a draft of what you prompted. Of course, this is not going to be perfect (or even close), but it can give you a good starting point. For example, if I prompt “How to use Copilot in Word“, I get this:

How to Use Copilot in Word

A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Copilot in Word is a powerful tool designed to assist users in creating, editing, and formatting documents efficiently. Leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence, Copilot enhances productivity by providing smart suggestions, automating repetitive tasks, and offering insights to improve your writing.

Getting Started with Copilot

Activation and Setup

To start using Copilot in Word, ensure that you have the latest version of Microsoft Word installed. Copilot is available to users with a Microsoft 365 subscription. Follow these steps to activate Copilot:

• Open Microsoft Word.
• Navigate to the ‘Home’ tab.
• Look for the ‘Copilot’ icon in the toolbar and click on it.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Using Copilot in Your Documents

Smart Suggestions

Copilot provides real-time suggestions to improve your writing. These include grammar and spelling corrections, style enhancements, and vocabulary recommendations. As you type, Copilot will underline potential issues and offer solutions:

• Hover over the underlined text to see the suggestion.
• Click on the suggestion to apply it to your document.

Automating Tasks

Copilot can automate several tasks to save you time and effort:

• Formatting: Apply consistent formatting across your document with predefined styles and templates.
• Tables and Charts: Generate tables and charts based on your data with a few clicks.
• References: Automatically insert citations, footnotes, and bibliographies in the correct format.

Insights and Analysis

Copilot can analyze your document and provide insights to enhance readability and impact:

• Readability Scores: Assess the readability of your text and get suggestions to simplify complex sentences.
• Plagiarism Check: Ensure the originality of your content by running a plagiarism check with Copilot.
• Content Analysis: Receive feedback on tone, clarity, and overall effectiveness of your writing.

Advanced Features

Collaboration and Sharing

Copilot facilitates collaboration by enabling multiple users to work on a document simultaneously. Share your document with colleagues and use Copilot to track changes, add comments, and manage permissions:

• Click on the ‘Share’ button in the toolbar.
• Enter the email addresses of the collaborators.
• Set the permissions for each user (view, edit, comment).
• Collaborators can see suggestions and changes made by Copilot in real-time.

Customization

Tailor Copilot to meet your specific needs by adjusting its settings:

• Access Copilot settings from the ‘Home’ tab.
• Customize the types of suggestions and automation features you want to use.
• Enable or disable specific functionalities according to your preferences.

Conclusion

Copilot in Word is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to streamline their document creation process. By leveraging the power of AI, it enhances writing quality, automates tedious tasks, and provides insightful feedback. Whether you are drafting a report, creating a presentation, or writing an essay, Copilot can help you achieve your goals with greater ease and efficiency.

I don’t think artificial intelligence is going away, it’s going to become embedded deeper and deeper into our lives. So I think it’s worth it to at least give it a try, and see if it can help you in your daily work on the computer. Just my .02.