Microsoft declined to make Copilot mandatory in the Windows 11 Start menu

Microsoft Postpones Mandatory Deployment of Copilot in Windows 11

At the beginning of the week, the company announced that it is temporarily canceling the plan for automatic installation of the *Microsoft 365 Copilot* app on Windows 11 computers where the classic Microsoft 365 client is already installed. The reason for the decision has not yet been disclosed, but it is possible that Copilot will eventually appear in the Start menu as a mandatory feature.

> “The automatic installation of Microsoft 365 Copilot for devices with Windows and the classic Microsoft 365 client, scheduled for December 2025, is temporarily cancelled. Existing installations will remain unchanged.” – says the company’s official statement.

> Administrators can opt out of using the app through the “App Administration Center.”

What Was Promised Earlier
In September last year, Microsoft announced that it would begin mandatory deployment of Copilot on Windows 11 in December 2025. The plan called for starting the process at the beginning of December and completing it by mid‑month.

Why Copilot Is Needed
*Microsoft 365 Copilot* is an integration of the AI assistant Copilot into all Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). The app is intended to simplify:

- report writing,
- presentation creation,
- email composition, and other tasks.

Microsoft positions it as a “central entry point” for accessing Copilot capabilities and AI features across the entire Microsoft 365 suite.