Microsoft has quietly added a new app named “Microsoft Copilot” to Windows 11 and 10, but there’s no need to uninstall it. This small app (16KB) does nothing at the moment and is required for upcoming AI features to work properly.
After a recent Microsoft Edge update, a new app called “Microsoft Copilot” could unexpectedly appear in the “Apps & Features” area of Windows 10 and “Installed apps” in Windows 11. As shown in the screenshot below, the app is just 16.00 KB in size because it simply turns on features. Microsoft started installing it in the last week of March.
Interestingly, the app was installed on one of our devices, and there’s no sign of Copilot on the taskbar, nor does it appear when we right-click the taskbar for more options. It’s also missing from the Group Policy settings under the “Computer Configuration” section but shows up under “User Configuration,” where you can choose to turn it off.
The “Microsoft Copilot” app also appears in Europe even when Copilot is not present. This app is required for several things, including expanding Copilot to new regions and some upcoming features.
I reached out to Microsoft to understand what’s going on, and the company told me users aren’t supposed to remove the Copilot app if they want to make the most out of Copilot in Windows.
I’m told the Microsoft Copilot app powers some of the upcoming features coming to Copilot in Windows 11.
So what are they? The company won’t comment on the specifics, but it could power some new stuff introduced in Windows 11 Build 26080.
In Windows 11 Build 26080 or newer, Microsoft has been testing several new commands for Copilot, such as turning on the battery saver. You can also open Copilot and ask the AI to show the available networks.
As shown in the screenshot above, Copilot opens the available networks pop-up. You can also empty your storage using Storage Sense directly through Copilot. Other new features include viewing your IP address and system information, fetching data from the About system page, and more.
It is worth noting that the Copilot app could be installed on systems where Copilot isn’t available. Given its current state, Copilot app isn’t actually doing anything yet.
If someone decides they don’t want Copilot anymore, there’s an option to uninstall it from Settings > Installed apps or “Apps & Features” if you’re on Windows 10.
Copilot isn’t listed in Control Panel > Programs and Features. It’s also not mentioned in any of the usual places you’d expect, like Feature Updates or Quality Updates in Windows Update. This leads to speculation that it might have been added during an update to the Edge browser.
As mentioned above, Microsoft has told me it’s recommended to keep the small Copilot app package installed for AI to work in its full potential.