# How to turn off Copilot in Outlook: classic, new, web and mobile

> Where the Turn on Copilot switch lives in every version of Outlook, why classic Outlook is different, what only hides Copilot and what admins can block.

Updated: 2026-10-31 · Fact-checked: 2026-10-31 · Canonical: https://commandmail.app/en/learn/turn-off-copilot-in-outlook · Deutsch: https://commandmail.app/de/wissen/copilot-in-outlook-ausschalten.md

To turn off Copilot in Outlook, switch off the Turn on Copilot setting: under Settings > Copilot in Outlook on the web and new Outlook for Windows, and under Quick Settings > Copilot on Mac, iOS and Android[^1]. Classic Outlook for Windows is the exception, and Microsoft's pages answer differently depending on account and license: a Copilot entry in the File menu, or, for personal accounts, a detour through your privacy settings[^1][^3].

## What Copilot does in Outlook

Copilot in Outlook summarizes email threads, drafts messages from a prompt, coaches you on tone and clarity, and helps schedule meetings[^5]. According to Microsoft's FAQ, last updated October 2026, it can also mark incoming mail as high, normal or low priority, pin, flag, archive or delete messages from the chat pane, and create Outlook rules from plain language[^5].

What you see depends on the account. Microsoft says chatting with Copilot in Outlook needs a work or school account[^5]. Personal accounts get Copilot through Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium or Pro; on Family and Premium, only the person who owns the subscription can use it[^6][^10].

If you sign in to Outlook with an account that has AI credits through a Microsoft 365 subscription, Microsoft says Copilot becomes available for every account connected in Outlook on that device, including Gmail, Yahoo and iCloud[^6]. Microsoft excludes accounts with connected experiences turned off and accounts that don't meet the age requirements, and the sharing doesn't happen in classic Outlook for Windows[^6].

## How to turn off Copilot in new Outlook, on the web, on Mac and on mobile

Since June 2025, Outlook has had its own Turn on Copilot toggle[^1]. It sits in a different place in each version:

| Outlook version | Where the toggle is | What Microsoft says you need |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Outlook on the web | Settings > Copilot | no update needed |
| New Outlook for Windows | Settings > Copilot | no minimum version specified |
| Outlook for Mac | Quick Settings > Copilot | version 16.95.3 or later |
| Outlook for iOS and Android | Quick Settings > Copilot | latest version from the app store |

On the web, it takes three steps[^1][^2]:

1. Open Outlook in your browser, then open Settings.
2. Go to the `Copilot` tab.
3. Switch off `Turn on Copilot`.

Microsoft describes two properties of this toggle. It roams: turn Copilot off in Outlook on a Mac, and it's also off for that account in Outlook on an iPhone[^1]. And it's set per account, so inside one Outlook app you can set it differently for each account[^2]. If you have several accounts in Outlook, check the toggle on each of them.

Microsoft's Copilot Toggle article says the setting hides Copilot entry points in Outlook, such as Summarize this email[^2]. The broader help article is written for personal Microsoft accounts and says its settings aren't available when you're signed in with a work or school account[^1]. The Toggle article, on the other hand, describes the per-account setting as covering your organizational email too[^2]. With a work account, what you find may depend on how your organization has set things up.

## How to turn off Copilot in classic Outlook for Windows

For classic Outlook, Microsoft's pages give two different answers that apply to different accounts. The Turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps article, written for personal Microsoft accounts and fetched on 2026-10-31, says there's no estimated date for turning Copilot on or off in classic Outlook on Windows[^1]. Microsoft's tutorial for Microsoft 365 Copilot in classic Outlook, which covers the licensed product and sets it apart from consumer Copilot, describes Copilot settings in the File menu, where you can review your options and switch Copilot on or off[^3].

Message Center post MC1358831 lines up with the tutorial. In its archived version of 2026-08-07, Microsoft announced a Copilot settings entry under the File menu in classic Outlook for users with Copilot access, with general availability due to finish by the end of August 2026[^4]. The post says licensing and admin controls don't change[^4]. None of these sources say whether the entry also appears for personal Microsoft accounts in classic Outlook.

To look for it[^3]:

1. In classic Outlook, select `File`. A full-screen backstage view means you're in classic Outlook; a dropdown menu means you're in new Outlook.
2. Look for the Copilot settings entry in that view.
3. Switch Copilot off there.

If the entry isn't there, personal accounts can use the privacy settings below; on work and school accounts, your organization may set or lock those settings[^3]. And for Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Microsoft is explicit that removing the Copilot icon from the ribbon doesn't turn Copilot off and leaves it reachable through other routes, such as the shortcut menu[^1]. It doesn't describe the ribbon route for Outlook.

## The fallback: turn off connected experiences

Copilot in Outlook depends on Microsoft 365 connected experiences. For personal accounts, Microsoft names two settings, experiences that analyze content and all connected experiences. If either is off, Copilot stops working in Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android[^7].

To turn off experiences that analyze your content[^1]:

1. On Windows, in any Office app such as PowerPoint, go to `File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings`. On a Mac, open the app menu and go to `Preferences > Personal Settings > Privacy`, then `Connected Experiences > Manage Connected Experiences`.
2. Clear `Turn on experiences that analyze your content`.
3. Select OK, then close and restart the app.

You only need to change this in one app; the others pick it up the next time they open[^1]. Microsoft lists suggested replies in Outlook, text predictions in Word, PowerPoint Designer and automatic alt text among the features that go away with it[^1]. On work accounts, organizations can lock these settings, and Copilot then simply doesn't appear[^3].

## What admins can turn off in Microsoft 365

Organizations manage Copilot Chat through the Copilot app in Integrated Apps in the Microsoft 365 admin center[^8]. That app delivers Copilot Chat on the web, in the Microsoft Copilot app and in Outlook on web, desktop and mobile[^8].

Microsoft points out three things[^8]:

- Blocking the Copilot app in Integrated Apps is a tenant-wide control that you can scope to specific users or groups. It blocks Copilot in the Copilot app, Teams, Outlook and Copilot Chat on the web, including for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
- Turning off the setting that lets users access Microsoft apps in your tenant doesn't turn off the Copilot app. You have to manage the Copilot app directly.
- Unpinning Copilot Chat doesn't block it. Users can still reach it at `m365.cloud.microsoft/chat`.

That page is about Copilot Chat. It doesn't say whether blocking the Copilot app also removes Summarize, Draft with Copilot or Coaching inside the message window[^8]. The Microsoft pages we reviewed don't describe a Group Policy setting just for Copilot in Outlook either; for the Edge sidebar, Microsoft points to separate Edge policies[^8].

## When Copilot disappears without you turning it off

Sometimes people go looking for the switch because Copilot vanished. As of its 2026-10-15 update, Microsoft lists as fixed a classic Outlook bug where, after build 20026.20182 and higher, the Copilot buttons in the left app bar and above the ribbon went missing[^9]. Microsoft also lists licensing, app configuration, update channel and privacy settings as possible causes of a missing button[^9].

One more setting plays a quiet part. If `Show Apps in Outlook` is unchecked under `File > Options > Advanced` in classic Outlook, Copilot may not show up in the app bar[^9]. Microsoft describes it as a separate setting that can affect whether Copilot shows in the app bar; it doesn't present it as a way to turn Copilot off.

## Should you turn Copilot off?

It depends on what bothers you. For personal accounts, Microsoft says prompts, responses and file contents in Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps aren't used to train foundation models[^7]. If training was your main worry, weigh that statement before you give up the features.

Other reasons can be reviewing what it writes and the space it takes up. Copilot drafts in your name, and Microsoft itself says to review, edit and verify anything it creates[^5]. Its entry points take up space, and on family or work accounts it isn't always obvious who can even use it. Copilot also can't read mail encrypted with S/MIME or Double Key Encryption[^5].

## Where Command Mail fits

Command Mail is our product. It doesn't turn Copilot in Outlook on or off; the settings above stay in charge of that.

Some people switch Copilot off because they'd rather work with their own assistant, such as Claude or ChatGPT, and decide exactly what it may do. That's what Command Mail is for: one inbox for your addresses where your agent reads, searches, sorts, drafts and, only if you allow it, sends. Every permission can be switched off when you connect, and sending without approval starts switched off[^14].

Drafting and sending need an agent with write tools, and with ChatGPT, installing and using the plugin also depends on your plan, workspace, role and region[^14].

Free covers reading, search, sorting suggestions from your agent, the morning brief and drafts, with no sending; sending comes with Pro[^14]. Your agent's sorting actions only run directly once the mailbox is on the `auto` autonomy level[^13].

Your Outlook mail arrives through forwarding. In Outlook.com, Microsoft asks you to turn on two-step verification when you enable forwarding, and if you keep a copy of forwarded messages, the original stays in your Outlook mailbox[^11].

Microsoft 365 organizations can block automatic forwarding to outside addresses. If the outbound spam filter policy blocks it, the sender gets a non-delivery report with code `5.7.520`[^12]. Forwarding isn't sync: what you sort in Command Mail doesn't change anything in Outlook[^13]. The full setup with Claude is in [Connect Outlook to Claude](https://commandmail.app/en/guides/connect-outlook-to-claude).

## How we checked

Last checked: 2026-10-31. We fetched every Microsoft page in the source list on that day. MC1358831 comes from a public archive of the Message Center, because Microsoft only shows the current version of each post. We didn't test the toggles ourselves in every version of Outlook, and labels can differ by version and language.

You can [start for free](https://commandmail.app/login?signup=1), give your agent only the `mail:read` permission at first and set the mailbox to the `read` level.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I turn off Copilot in Outlook?

In Outlook on the web and new Outlook for Windows, go to Settings > Copilot. On Mac, iOS and Android, go to Quick Settings > Copilot. Switch off Turn on Copilot. Microsoft says the choice then applies to Outlook on all your devices where you're signed in with the same account. With a work account, where you find it may depend on your organization.

### Why can't I find the Copilot setting in classic Outlook?

Microsoft's pages cover different accounts here. The help article for personal Microsoft accounts says there's no estimated date for classic Outlook on Windows. Microsoft's tutorial for Microsoft 365 Copilot in classic Outlook describes Copilot settings in the File menu where you can switch Copilot on or off. Without that entry, personal accounts can fall back on the privacy settings, which also turn off other features; on work and school accounts, your organization may set or lock those settings.

### Does removing the Copilot button from the ribbon turn it off?

For Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Microsoft says removing the icon doesn't turn Copilot off and that Copilot stays reachable through other routes, such as the shortcut menu. Microsoft doesn't describe removing it from the ribbon in Outlook specifically.

### Can an admin turn off Copilot in Outlook for everyone?

For Copilot Chat, yes. Blocking the Copilot app in Integrated Apps in the Microsoft 365 admin center turns off Copilot Chat in Outlook, Teams, the Copilot app and on the web for the users or groups you choose, including licensed users. That Microsoft page doesn't say whether this also removes Summarize or Draft with Copilot inside the message window.

### Is my content in Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps used to train foundation models?

For personal accounts on Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium or Pro, Microsoft says prompts, responses and file contents in Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps aren't used to train foundation models. You can still turn Copilot off if you don't want the features.

## Sources

1. [Microsoft Support: Turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/turn-off-copilot-in-microsoft-365-apps), accessed 2026-10-31
2. [Microsoft Support: Copilot Toggle (Outlook)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/copilot-toggle), accessed 2026-10-31
3. [Microsoft Support: Microsoft Copilot in Classic Outlook for Microsoft 365, a tutorial for screen reader users](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/copilot/copilot-with-classic-outlook-tutorial-for-screen-reader-users), accessed 2026-10-31
4. [Microsoft 365 Message Center, merill.net archive: MC1358831 Copilot settings in classic Outlook for Windows (version of 2026-08-07)](https://mc.merill.net/message/MC1358831), accessed 2026-10-31
5. [Microsoft Support: Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Outlook (last updated October 2026)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/frequently-asked-questions-about-copilot-in-outlook), accessed 2026-10-31
6. [Microsoft Support: Sharing Copilot in Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/sharing-copilot-in-outlook), accessed 2026-10-31
7. [Microsoft Support: Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps for home, your data and privacy](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/copilot-in-microsoft-365-apps-for-home-your-data-and-privacy), accessed 2026-10-31
8. [Microsoft Learn: Manage Microsoft Copilot Chat](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/manage), accessed 2026-10-31
9. [Microsoft Support: Copilot buttons are missing in classic Outlook for Windows (last updated 2026-10-15)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/support/known-issues/copilot-buttons-gone-classic-outlook-windows), accessed 2026-10-31
10. [Microsoft Support: Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Microsoft 365 subscriptions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/frequently-asked-questions-about-copilot-in-microsoft-365-subscriptions), accessed 2026-10-31
11. [Microsoft Support: Turn on or off automatic forwarding in Outlook.com](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/turn-on-or-off-automatic-forwarding-in-outlook-com), accessed 2026-10-31
12. [Microsoft Learn: Control external email forwarding and fix 5.7.520 errors](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-office-365/outbound-spam-policies-external-email-forwarding), accessed 2026-10-31
13. [Command Mail: Documentation (Markdown)](https://commandmail.app/en/docs.md), accessed 2026-10-31
14. [Command Mail: llms.txt (plans and permissions)](https://commandmail.app/llms.txt), accessed 2026-10-31

[^1]: [Microsoft Support: Turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/turn-off-copilot-in-microsoft-365-apps), accessed 2026-10-31
[^2]: [Microsoft Support: Copilot Toggle (Outlook)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/copilot-toggle), accessed 2026-10-31
[^3]: [Microsoft Support: Microsoft Copilot in Classic Outlook for Microsoft 365, a tutorial for screen reader users](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/copilot/copilot-with-classic-outlook-tutorial-for-screen-reader-users), accessed 2026-10-31
[^4]: [Microsoft 365 Message Center, merill.net archive: MC1358831 Copilot settings in classic Outlook for Windows (version of 2026-08-07)](https://mc.merill.net/message/MC1358831), accessed 2026-10-31
[^5]: [Microsoft Support: Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Outlook (last updated October 2026)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/frequently-asked-questions-about-copilot-in-outlook), accessed 2026-10-31
[^6]: [Microsoft Support: Sharing Copilot in Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/sharing-copilot-in-outlook), accessed 2026-10-31
[^7]: [Microsoft Support: Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps for home, your data and privacy](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/copilot-in-microsoft-365-apps-for-home-your-data-and-privacy), accessed 2026-10-31
[^8]: [Microsoft Learn: Manage Microsoft Copilot Chat](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/manage), accessed 2026-10-31
[^9]: [Microsoft Support: Copilot buttons are missing in classic Outlook for Windows (last updated 2026-10-15)](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/support/known-issues/copilot-buttons-gone-classic-outlook-windows), accessed 2026-10-31
[^10]: [Microsoft Support: Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Microsoft 365 subscriptions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/frequently-asked-questions-about-copilot-in-microsoft-365-subscriptions), accessed 2026-10-31
[^11]: [Microsoft Support: Turn on or off automatic forwarding in Outlook.com](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/turn-on-or-off-automatic-forwarding-in-outlook-com), accessed 2026-10-31
[^12]: [Microsoft Learn: Control external email forwarding and fix 5.7.520 errors](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-office-365/outbound-spam-policies-external-email-forwarding), accessed 2026-10-31
[^13]: [Command Mail: Documentation (Markdown)](https://commandmail.app/en/docs.md), accessed 2026-10-31
[^14]: [Command Mail: llms.txt (plans and permissions)](https://commandmail.app/llms.txt), accessed 2026-10-31

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