- Microsoft will automatically install the Copilot app on your laptop soon
- Users in the EEA are protected against the automatic install
- The Copilot app is just a rebranded Microsoft 365 app
Microsoft[1] has confirmed it will start automatically installing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows devices with Microsoft 365 desktop client apps beginning from October 2025.
However, recent EU rulings have influenced Microsoft’s decision to automatically install the AI app, because devices in the EEA will not receive automatic installation.
Redmond frames the Copilot app as a centralized entry point to GenAI experiences across Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more, but many users will be unhappy with the update.
Microsoft is pushing more AI on you
Users have already taken to the internet to complain about Microsoft’s invasive approach to pushing its AI tools[2] – installing a whole new app that appears in the Windows Start Menu and is enabled by default could be the final straw for many.
Admins can opt out via the Microsoft 365 Apps Admin Center, however the opt-in-by-default approach could be an unwelcome move.
Earlier in 2025, a separate setting was added to allow admins to pin the Copilot app to the Windows taskbar.
However, while Microsoft’s AI push is evident, it’s not an entirely new app. Instead, the company explained in a support page[3] that the Microsoft 365 (Office) app has simply been rebranded Microsoft 365 Copilot.
“The app remains your starting place to find, create, share, and collaborate in one place with access to your favorite productivity applications,” Microsoft wrote.
“This update represents the additional ways working with Copilot for tasks such as asking questions, creating content, drafting documents, and building agents with a work account.”
This all comes as the tech giant continues to battle with Windows 11[4] adoption. Its latest OS finally reached near-parity with Windows 10[5] in June 2025, before overtaking it in July. Since then, the two have come closer together again, which could indicate some downgrades.
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References
- ^ Microsoft (www.techradar.com)
- ^ AI tools (www.techradar.com)
- ^ support page (support.microsoft.com)
- ^ Windows 11 (www.techradar.com)
- ^ Windows 10 (www.techradar.com)