Next month, Microsoft will begin automatically installing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows devices outside of the EEA region that have the Microsoft 365 desktop client apps.
The Microsoft 365 Copilot app integrates the AI-powered Copilot assistant with Microsoft 365 suite apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as other features like Notebooks and AI agents.
Redmond also advised admins to notify their organizations’ helpdesk teams and users before the app is forcibly installed on their devices “to reduce confusion and support requests.”
The rollout will start in early October and be completed by mid-November; however, the Microsoft 365 Copilot app will not be installed on systems within the European Economic Area (EEA).
“Starting in October 2025, Microsoft will begin automatically installing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows devices that have Microsoft 365 desktop client apps,” the company said in a Microsoft 365 message center update on Friday.
“This app provides a centralized entry point for accessing Copilot experiences and AI-powered capabilities across Microsoft 365. This change simplifies access to Copilot and ensures users can easily discover and engage with productivity-enhancing features.”
While the newly installed app will be added to the Windows Start Menu and enabled by default, IT administrators responsible for managing Microsoft 365 app deployments will be able to opt out in the Apps Admin Center:
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center with an admin account.
- Go to Customization > Device Configuration > Modern App Settings.
- Select Microsoft 365 Copilot app, then clear the Enable automatic installation of Microsoft 365 Copilot app check box.
Although many users may notice a new Microsoft 365 Copilot app icon in the Start menu, the application may have already been installed, resulting in no apparent change.
Last month, as part of the same effort to make Copilot more easily available, Microsoft announced that it will integrate Microsoft 365 Copilot agents into the Edge sidebar starting in late September 2025, allowing users to access them while using Copilot.
Weeks earlier, it added a new setting that allows Microsoft 365 admins to pin the Microsoft 365 Copilot app to the Windows taskbar.
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