I want to have CoPilot available to me in Outlook, but I need that annoying icon to go away. It gets in the way of trying to type an email and it's driving me nuts

Shawn McKibben 20 Reputation points
2026-10-22T00:54:31.1266667+00:00

I want to have CoPilot available to me in Outlook, but I need that annoying icon in the email to go away.  It gets in the way of trying to type an email and it's driving me nuts!  If I need CoPilot, I will ask for it.  It shouldn't be in my way all the time.

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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Kai-Ex 2,565 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-10-22T01:19:09.5933333+00:00

Dear Shawn McKibben,

Thank you for your feedback. I understand how frustrating it can be when the Copilot icon appears in the email compose window and interferes with your normal writing workflow.

Based on the current behavior of Outlook, this is by design. While Outlook may allow Copilot features to be enabled or disabled in certain versions, Microsoft does not currently provide a supported option to completely hide the Copilot compose icon while keeping Copilot available on demand. Many users have reported the same concern and requested a way to remove the icon from the compose experience. For reference: Use the “Turn on Copilot” toggle to turn off Copilot in Outlook

In this case, I would encourage you to submit feedback directly to the product team. User feedback is one of the primary ways Microsoft evaluates feature requests and UI improvements. You can submit feedback by selecting Help > Feedback within Outlook, or by using the Feedback option available in Microsoft 365 applications.

Moreover, to ensure your feedback reaches the right teams, I highly recommend submitting your feedback directly to Microsoft Ideas · Community, where the Microsoft product development team can know your requirements and ideas for product improvements. If enough users raise tickets for the same idea, Microsoft may consider adding this feature in the future.

Note: As Microsoft Community moderators, please note that we are not involved in product design decisions and do not have direct access to the development roadmap. We want to assure you that your feedback has been acknowledged and is valued.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-22T00:55:07.7733333+00:00

    New Outlook for Windows does not currently provide a supported setting to hide only the in-message Copilot icon while keeping the other Outlook Copilot entry points available.

    The documented Copilot toggle hides Copilot entry points, including compose-area prompts such as Draft with Copilot; it is not a toolbar-customization control for one specific icon.^1^ Microsoft documents the compose icon and the in-message Draft with Copilot text as alternative entry points, but provides no option to remove only one of them.^2^

    Available workaround

    Turn off the Outlook Copilot entry points, then turn them back on when needed:

    1. In new Outlook, select Settings (gear icon).
    2. Open Copilot.
    3. Select Copilot control.
    4. Switch Turn on Copilot off.

    This removes the Outlook Copilot entry points rather than merely relocating the compose icon.^3^

    The preference is account-specific and roams across Outlook clients, so changing it may also affect Outlook on other devices using that account.^1^ It does not remove the Copilot license or disable Copilot in Word, Excel, or other Microsoft 365 applications.

    There is no documented new-Outlook toolbar customization that removes only the compose Copilot button while preserving Copilot elsewhere. Avoid registry or add-in workarounds intended for classic Outlook; they are not a supported selective solution for new Outlook.

    To request a separate hide compose icon option, select Help → Feedback in Outlook and specify that Copilot should remain available from its main entry point while the icon inside the email editor is hidden.^1^

    References

    1. Copilot Toggle | Microsoft Support
    2. [New Outlook/Web](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/copilot-pages/draft-an-email-message-with-copilot-in-outlook)
    3. What's new in new Outlook for Windows | Microsoft Support
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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