As a writer who takes pride in, y’know, writing his own work, I don’t have a whole lot of use for Microsoft Copilot. Sure, if you need an unimportant document summarising it’s probably pretty handy, but Microsoft’s big push for an AI PC, Copilot-always-available future has left me rather cold. It seems a new Windows 11 bug might have the problem in hand, however, as it can automatically uninstall Copilot and unpin it from the taskbar on certain installs.
As spotted by Windows Latest, the support document for Windows 11 KB5053598 has been updated with a Microsoft Copilot entry, stating:
“We’re aware of an issue with the Microsoft Copilot app affecting some devices. The app is unintentionally uninstalled and unpinned from the taskbar.
“Microsoft is working on a resolution to address this issue. In the meantime, affected users can reinstall the app from the Microsoft Store and manually pin it to the taskbar.”
If you really, really want to of course. After my initial testing of Copilot, where I confirmed my suspicions that it, err, wasn’t for me, I banished it to the same realm as Microsoft’s previous AI attempt, Cortana. Begone from my taskbar and my thoughts, foul assistant.
The bug appears to affect Windows 11 24H2, 23H2, and 22H2 versions when updated to KB5053598, along with Windows 10 22H2 and 21H2 installs when the KB5053606 update is installed.
Of course, Copilot is a major selling point for the concept of the AI PC, which still doesn’t seem to have set users hearts ablaze with the promise of an AI-assisted Windows future. And as a somewhat clumsy typist I’ve found myself accidentally knocking the Copilot key on virtually every AI PC I’ve got my hands on, causing it to rise from the taskbar like an unwanted eldritch god.
This bug appears to fix that issue, which strikes as somewhat counterintuitive to Microsoft’s goals. Still, while the AI PC future may be coming for us whether we like it or not, at least Copilot can currently be uninstalled via the settings menu if you don’t have a use for it. Or you could just install this update and hope that this feature—sorry, bug—does it for you.
That’ll teach it for installing itself on your PC without consent. While Copilot in some form or fashion may one day be the primary way many users interact with their Windows PC (perish the thought), its uses are limited for now, so in many ways this bug may be doing many of us a favour. It’s not quite up there with haunting your printer, but as amusing Windows 11 bugs go, I’ll take it.
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