As Microsoft rapidly integrates artificial intelligence into the Windows ecosystem, the company uses Microsoft Edge as a primary delivery vehicle. Following a recent browser update, you may have noticed that Edge silently installed a new “Copilot” application directly onto your computer, complete with its own dedicated icon in your Windows Start Menu and Taskbar.
While Copilot is a powerful AI assistant for drafting emails or generating images, many users prefer a clean, bloat-free operating system. Having a web browser bypass your permission to forcibly install standalone web apps (PWAs) is a massive overreach, especially if you have no intention of using Microsoft’s AI tools.
You can adjust Edge’s internal settings to prevent the browser from automatically installing Copilot or any other promotional web apps in the future.
How to Stop Edge from Installing Apps
You can block this behavior using Edge’s App settings.
- Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
- Click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on Apps.
- You will see an option labeled Automatically install recommended apps (or similar language depending on your Edge version).
- Turn this toggle switch to the Off position.
How to Uninstall the Existing Copilot App
If Edge has already installed the app, changing the setting above will not remove it. You must manually uninstall it:
- Open the Windows Start Menu.
- Right-click on the Copilot icon.
- Select Uninstall from the context menu and confirm your choice.
With the setting disabled and the app removed, Edge will no longer attempt to sneak promotional web applications onto your hard drive during background updates.