Microsoft to force install the Microsoft 365 Copilot app in October
41 comments
·September 15, 2025gnabgib
ndiddy
I don’t think it’s clickbait to say that Microsoft is forcing Copilot onto people’s computers just because they let you opt out if you know exactly where to go in the group policy editor, or that they know they can’t get away with pushing their AI service over Windows Update to force adoption in areas that actually bother regulating tech companies. I’m tired of Microsoft pulling bullshit like this and then people say “oh but you can turn it off if you dig through the group policy editor” or “you can opt out if you make this specific registry key”. Maybe I don’t enjoy having an adversarial relationship with my computer.
ThrowawayR2
It's "your computer" but it's "their OS". Go ahead and switch to Linux but the "systemd / snap packages / telementry etc. is being forced on my distro" complaints is exactly the same "adversarial relationship with my computer"(sic).
If you want things exactly your way, there's the Gentoo route if you don't mind supporting it yourself.
scuff3d
Microsoft is constantly trying to push the envelope to see what they can get away with. Anyone defending this kind of crap hasn't been paying attention for the last 20 friggin years
ewest
It's only "your" computer insofar that you're the only person using it.
RajT88
A clean windows install these days comes with those apps. It is there by default.
I would swear I removed copilot from a Dell laptop I just purchased for my father, and it came back after a major update. I could be wrong.
WarOnPrivacy
> I would swear I removed copilot from a Dell laptop I just purchased for my father, and it came back after a major update. I could be wrong.
I've had feature-update crapware get reinstalled twice, some reinsallations happen only after a reboot and/or 5-10min delay. So upgrade, clean. Reboot, clean again. Reboot, wait 10 min, clean again.
This during the last year and for dozens of machines.
currency
That setting is under User Configuration on my Win11 Pro PC, so look in both.
oeitho
Quick correction: You won't get it if you're in the EEA, which the EU is a subset of.
Sincerely, a Norwegian guy who thinks the difference is importance.
nashashmi
[delayed]
philipwhiuk
This is a great sign that uptake is low and someone needs a good Q4 on their performance figures for bonus season.
ToucanLoucan
I hear constantly how in-demand this shit supposedly is and then every time I look around a corner LLMs are being stuffed into every damn thing and I'm left wondering how much of this alleged "engagement" is just because LLMs are in fucking everything now and it's impossible to run a lot of mainstream software without a few calls going to one or another of them.
I have never, ever, in my entire life, seen a tech work so hard to be everywhere while simultaneously not being very useful.
ryandrake
Nothing says "this product is useful and people want it" quite like having to force it onto users' computers.
flerchin
lol you must be new here. To me this rhymes with web3 (kodak coin), web2 (google circle), and also web1 (pets.com). There will be a lot of failures, but the companies that get established in the space will be eeconomic goliaths.
nemomarx
what are the goliaths from web3?
I feel like that one still hasn't really worked out, and I do occasionally use Bitcoin to buy things
PicassoCTs
[dead]
1970-01-01
They're slipping it past you. Nobody is forcing you to install the update. Nuance.
polski-g
I disabled all Windows updates last October because 24H2 absolutely tanked performance of games. Various reports around the internet claim that its still a problem. So no more updates for me, of any kind.
blindriver
I had resisted upgrading to Windows 11 and was just on the cusp of doing it, but now I will never, ever upgrade. I don't care about security aspect of Windows 10 anymore. I don't trust Microsoft. They had a few good years after Nadella joined where they were doing decent things but now they have resumed their monopolistic behavior and shoving things down our throats like Recall and this shit and I'm done with it. I'll switch to MacOS before I upgrade to Windows 11.
stronglikedan
If, in MacOS, I can drag a file onto a taskbar icon to open the file in whatever program I dropped it on, then I too will switch to that before Win11. I can't believe MS removed functionality in Win11 that is part of the daily workflows of so many users, and just said "GFY, we're never putting it back!"
jcalvinowens
Now that Steam has Proton, my only remaining need for windows has evaporated. Good riddance.
nozzlegear
We recently replaced my wife's aging Windows PC with a Mac Mini, which eliminated the last Windows machine in our household. It feels good to be free of it, and our Macs handle World of Warcraft – the only game either of us play – without any problems.
barbazoo
What Linux distro would you recommend to be able to run Proton to play windows games but also for day to day light (mostly browser) use, SteamOS?
scuff3d
If you want a more curated experience that takes a lot of the rough edges off Linux: https://bazzite.gg
Bazzite isn't going to be as flexible as some other distros, but it's goal is to make the Linux transition as easy as possible. It's aimed primarily at gamers but you'll get a full OS that you can do all the normal stuff on
rightbyte
Debian works fine with Proton for me. I think it is not very picky.
null
Fire-Dragon-DoL
I wish it was the same for me. Nucleus coop is windows only and so many mods work only there,so I still need windows for gaming. I'm with you though ,I wish I could completely swap
voidfunc
Proton's good-ish. But if you want to play a lot of AAA games it's a non-starter especially if they have invasive kernel anti-cheat.
autoexec
Thankfully I don't want and will never want any games that infect my systems with "anti-cheat" malware so I see the lack of support for it as a feature.
jcalvinowens
I tend to play indie games, but I've never had anti-cheat problems. Everything happily runs on 6.17-rc5 right now.
ginko
Why would you willingly install games with invasive kernel anti-cheat? That's unacceptable both on Linux or Windows.
jawilson2
What would you suggest to my kids that game with their friends and want to play Rocket League or Fortnite?
naikrovek
playing any game with an invasive kernel anti-cheat is a non-starter on its own.
no game is worth that.
2OEH8eoCRo0
Think Steam proton will support GTA VI? I doubt it since it still doesn't support GTA V online
hagbard_c
The harder they squeeze...
I installed Linux - Debian 13 with the Gnome desktop - on a few machines which used to only run Windows. These machines are used by non-technical family members aged 14 to 50. When starting the machine they get the choice between booting either Debian or Windows with files on the older Windows installs being available from within the Linux sessions.
I recently checked which system was used most and was surprised to see that this ended up being Debian, on some machines Windows was not even started after I explained the workings of the machines. Linux has been 'ready for the desktop' for decades now while Microsoft is doing its best to make Windows less and less suitable for general-purpose desktop use. Even their former strongholds have withered, especially gaming is now better done on Linux than on recent Windows iterations. I suspect they know this and are trying to reap the last remaining fruit before the plantation succumbs to the self-inflicted disease since I see no other explanation for their clearly user-hostile actions.
lenerdenator
Huh. I have a force install of GNU/Linux on my Windows machine scheduled for October as well. That's a weird coincidence.
b_e_n_t_o_n
Life is too short to use Windows...
Less clickbait coverage from ghacks: Copilot App will install automatically on Windows for many users, but there are exceptions https://www.ghacks.net/2025/09/15/copilot-app-will-install-a... (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45249782)
Notably:
- You can opt out (Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot > Enable the "Turn off Windows Copilot" policy)
- You won't get it if you're in the EU
- You'll only get it if you have an M365 app installed (not all windows users)