I want to disable Copilot in Word on MacBook Air

Jack, you are preaching to the wrong choir. This is an Apple forum, not a Microsoft forum. Since none of the solutions in this thread seem to work for everyone, your only option is to contact Microsoft directly

Did you delete the latest version of Word (move it to the bin)? If not, it will not install the older version. And turn off AutoUpdate? If not, it will automatically update to latest version. Not sure if it works for everyone, but at least for some of us.

Go to Word, Preferences, Privacy and go to 'Manage connected experiences'. Deselect everything there.

Then go to Word, Preferences again. Now you will see a button 'Copilot'. When you click on that, you can now deselect Copilot

AT LAST! Why? Why do they do this? Particularly without my permission...

This is how you simply get rid of that HORRIBLE, ANNOYING, IDIOT copilot thing that is utterly uncreative, invasive and pointless:

Open a MS Word document. Go to WORD at the top of the computer (next to the Apple symbol) then go to PREFERENCES. There you will see the offending thing. Untick it. Bingo.

Have you contacted Microsoft? They make both products.

relarion wrote:

This morning, I opened a new document in Word, and I got a prompt to "Press the icon or select ⌘+ \ to draft with Copilot." I do not want to use Copilot.

If you don't want to use it, can you simply not press the icon or use that key combination?

If you just start typing in the document, that goes away.

relarion wrote:

Thanks, Carol. For me, there is no Options choice under File.

those instructions are for the windows version of Word. The Mac version does not have any options under the file menu, but the windows version does.

Carol B. wrote:

Well then, we are back to Barney-15E's suggestion. Contact Microsoft. Somehow I now only see the Co-Pilot icon at the top right of any Word document I'm working on. It's no longer popping up on its own. Maybe if you disregard it enough times, it goes away?

I'll have to check on that. I'm usually using Word with a work account that doesn't have Copilot, though.

Relarion and others: IMO this Co-Pilot is a dupe to gather more of our personal information for Microsoft's AI to munch on. No wonder there's no way to disable it! Microsoft and some other tech companies are shills for data-gobbling - but for what? Am I going to see a Word doc I wrote show up in an AI fetch? I don't know but if it smells like a fish then it's probably a fish. I just don't being told what the rules of engagement are with no clear instructions for how to opt out. Look at the other responses - most everyone was unable to get rid of this Co-Pilot. And take a look at this Microsoft document if you aren't convinced of my argument: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-apps/privacy/required-service-data An excerpt to clarify: "As you use a connected experience, data is sent to and processed by

Microsoft to provide you that connected experience. This data is crucial

because this information enables us to deliver these cloud-based

connected experiences. We refer to this data as required service data."

Don't you love this "required service data."? I don't believe tech should have the right to lord this over us. We pay for the use of their programs. That shouldn't allow them unlimited access to and use of our private created information. We let the auto mechanics service our car but we don't have to give them permission to drive our car whenever or however they wish.

As of midday on 22 Jan 25 1) I have the version of Word for Mac that my Microsoft account's "help" function says has an "Enable Copilot" box that can be unchecked, but it does not, in fact, have this box. 2) Contrary to what is stated in this "help" I am not allowed to "manage connected experiences" in the Privacy section. Shame on Microsoft for posting these blatant lies. If I am next asked to pay for AI that I don't want, I will switch to LibreOffice.

Have you tried contacting them? There is no way!

That compounds my fury. I've been a professional magazine editor and writer for decades. The last thing I want is some techbro sewage in my face trying to tell me how to do my craft.

The only way for many users to get rid of Copilot is to switch your subscription to "Classic.," in whatever subscription you have (Personal, Family etc) ie I switched from from Personal to Personal Classic. After switching, I did not lose any functionality or features. I just lost AI, which I did not want, and avoided a $30 a year increase. I wasted many hours on tech support before I was given a solution. I hope to save others this hassle. Simply go to the main webpage of microsoft to find your account and make the change. It's fairly easy to navigate.

If you plan on buying a standalone version of MS Office for the Mac, you may want to disable automatic updates from Microsoft or you may end up with CoPilot intruding. From the MS site:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/how-do-i-deactivate-copilot-in-word-for-the-mac/7622e965-0d27-4e91-8d3f-798df7660f91

Yeah I was wondering if anybody mentioned... the Free LibreOffice, it handles MS Office files like Word & Excel, & Page Layout…

https://www.libreoffice.org/

This worked for me, yay! I turned off the connected experiences, restarted, and was finally able to see copilot in Preferences. Disabled that sucker so fast! Thank you.