Copilot access issue

Greg Beale 5 Reputation points
2026-04-29T03:20:12.9233333+00:00

I have a Windows 10 Surface Pro. I used to be able to access Copilot, but can no longer do so

Microsoft Copilot | Windows Copilot | App

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  1. AI answer

    2026-04-29T03:20:22.61+00:00

    Use the built-in Copilot troubleshooters and verify the Copilot license and account.

    1. Run the Copilot license troubleshooter
      • Open the Get Help app in Windows 10.
      • In the Search bar, type Copilot License Troubleshooter.
      • Run it and follow the steps it provides.
      • This troubleshooter is designed for cases where Copilot used to be available but the Copilot icon or access has disappeared.
    2. Run the Copilot connectivity troubleshooter (if Copilot appears but does not respond)
      • In Get Help, search for Copilot connectivity troubleshooter.
      • Run it to check for firewall rules or other blockers that might prevent Copilot from working.
    3. Confirm the correct account and license
      • If using Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.), ensure the signed-in account is one that has a Copilot license.
      • For home use, this means a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, or Copilot Pro.
      • For business use, this means a supported Microsoft 365 subscription (for example Business Standard, E3, E5) plus Microsoft 365 Copilot.
      • In any Microsoft 365 app, go to File > Account and verify the primary account shown at the top is the one with Copilot.
    4. Refresh the Microsoft 365 license (if Copilot is missing inside Office apps)
      • In any Microsoft 365 desktop app, go to File > Account.
      • Select Update License.
      • Close all Microsoft 365 apps and reopen them to apply the refreshed license.
    5. If Copilot still does not appear
      • For home users: after these checks, use Get Help and open a support request if the issue persists.
      • For work or school users: contact the Microsoft 365 administrator to confirm that a Copilot license is still assigned and not blocked by policy; the admin can then contact Microsoft support if needed.

    References:

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  2. Hendrix-V 20,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-29T07:57:26.5133333+00:00

    Hi Greg Beale,

    Thank you for reaching out.

    Since Copilot previously worked on your Windows 10 Surface Pro, this sounds more like an app or sign-in issue than a general loss of Windows 10 access.

    In addition to Q&A Assist's suggestion, you can consider trying these extra checking steps:

    1, Test Copilot in your browser

    • Open Copilot on the web and sign in with the same Microsoft account you used before.
    • If it works there, the issue is likely with the Windows app rather than your account.

    2, Update or reinstall the Copilot app

    • Open Microsoft Store, search for Microsoft Copilot, and install any available update.
    • If it already appears installed, uninstall it and then reinstall it.
    • If the app opens but does not load correctly, sign out of Copilot and sign back in with the same Microsoft account.

    If this is a work or school account and Copilot still does not open after reinstalling, ask your Microsoft 365 admin to confirm your access is still available for your account and not restricted by organizational settings.

    I hope one of these gets you back into Copilot quickly. Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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