Windows users will soon see the Microsoft 365 Copilot app reappear on their devices, as the tech giant has quietly restarted its automatic background installations. Running from mid-June through mid-July 2026, the push targets any eligible system with pre-installed Office desktop applications.
The rollout comes after a temporary freeze earlier this year, triggered by severe customer pushback and a critical configuration bug that accidentally forced the software onto unlicensed business networks.
According to an updated Microsoft 365 Message Center notice, “The rollout began in mid-June 2026 and is expected to be completed by mid-July. The application is installed in the background and does not require any action from the person using the computer.”
Microsoft first announced plans to automatically install the Microsoft 365 Copilot app in 2025. However, Microsoft has had to put the plan on hold amid technical difficulties and negative reactions from users and administrators, who objected to software being installed without their permission. Microsoft has now reinstated the plan, positioning Copilot as a central hub for accessing AI capabilities across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and the broader Microsoft 365 suite.
Copilot is installed automatically on eligible devices unless an organization's IT administrator blocks the deployment. The eligible devices need to run Microsoft 365 Apps version 2511 or later through either the Current or Monthly Enterprise Channel.
However, the deployment process remains controversial among the users, many of whom view the automatic installation as intrusive and unnecessary. The pushback is less about what Copilot does and more about how it arrived.
With the increased integration of Copilot into Windows and Microsoft 365, Microsoft must balance the need to boost AI adoption with customers' concerns about control over installing programs on their devices.