You may want to turn off Copilot in Word but keep it active in Excel, or disable it entirely in Teams while leaving it on in Outlook. This granular control is not available through a single toggle inside each app. Instead, administrators use the Microsoft 365 admin center to apply a policy that blocks Copilot from loading in selected applications. This article explains the exact policy setting, the apps it affects, and the step-by-step method to configure it.
Key Takeaways: Disabling Copilot per App
- Microsoft 365 admin center > Copilot > Policy management: Create or edit a policy to disable Copilot for specific apps by entering app IDs.
- App IDs for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook: Each Microsoft 365 app has a unique identifier that the policy uses to block Copilot.
- User and group targeting: You can apply the policy to specific user groups so only selected people lose Copilot in the targeted apps.
Understanding the Copilot App Blocking Policy
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is integrated as a plugin or sidebar in each Office app. When the app blocking policy is applied, the Copilot component does not load at startup and the Copilot icon disappears from the ribbon. The policy is controlled through the Microsoft 365 admin center under the Copilot section. The setting uses the app ID of each Microsoft 365 application. When you add an app ID to the block list, Copilot stops working in that specific app.
The policy can be scoped to individual users or security groups. This means you can disable Copilot in Word for your finance team while leaving it enabled for the marketing department. The policy takes effect after the user restarts the application, usually within 30 minutes of the policy change.
App IDs for Microsoft 365 Applications
Each app is identified by a unique string. You will need these IDs when configuring the policy:
- Word: Microsoft.Office.Desktop.Word
- Excel: Microsoft.Office.Desktop.Excel
- PowerPoint: Microsoft.Office.Desktop.PowerPoint
- Outlook: Microsoft.Office.Desktop.Outlook
- Teams: com.microsoft.teams
Steps to Disable Copilot in Specific Microsoft 365 Apps
The following procedure requires a Microsoft 365 Global Admin or Copilot Admin role. If you do not have these roles, request access from your IT department.
- Open the Microsoft 365 admin center
Go to admin.microsoft.com and sign in with your admin account. In the left navigation pane, select Copilot. - Navigate to Policy management
On the Copilot page, click Policy management. This page lists all existing Copilot policies for your tenant. - Create a new policy or edit an existing one
Click Create policy to set up a new rule. If you already have a policy that controls Copilot availability, click the policy name and then Edit. - Enter a policy name and description
Type a clear name such as Disable Copilot in Word and Excel for Finance. Add a description that explains the purpose. This helps other admins understand the policy later. - Select the apps to block
In the App blocking section, click Add apps. A list of Microsoft 365 applications appears. Check the boxes next to the apps where you want Copilot disabled. Alternatively, you can paste the app ID directly if the app is not listed. Use the IDs from the list above. - Choose who the policy applies to
Under Assignments, select Specific users or groups. Search for the user or security group that should lose Copilot in the selected apps. Click Add to confirm the selection. - Save and publish the policy
Click Save and then Publish. The policy becomes active immediately. Users need to close and reopen the affected apps for the change to take effect.
If Copilot Still Appears in a Blocked App
Sometimes the policy does not apply immediately due to caching or sync delays. The following sections cover the most common reasons Copilot remains visible in an app you blocked.
Copilot icon is still visible after policy publish
The policy can take up to 30 minutes to propagate to all users. Ask the user to sign out of Microsoft 365, restart their computer, and sign back in. If the icon is still there after 45 minutes, verify that the policy assignment includes the correct user or group.
Copilot works in the web version but not the desktop app
The app blocking policy applies only to the desktop and mobile versions of Microsoft 365 apps. Copilot on the web version of Office.com is controlled by a separate setting. To disable Copilot on the web, go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and navigate to Settings > Org settings > Copilot. Turn off the toggle for Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps on the web.
Users can re-enable Copilot through the ribbon
The policy removes the Copilot icon from the ribbon, but a user can manually add it back if the policy is not enforced by a group policy object. To prevent this, combine the app blocking policy with a group policy that hides the Copilot add-in. Download the latest Microsoft 365 Group Policy Administrative Templates and enable the setting Turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Microsoft Office 2016 > Copilot.
Copilot App Blocking Policy vs User License Removal
| Item | App Blocking Policy | License Removal |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Blocks Copilot in specific apps only | Removes all Copilot features across all apps and platforms |
| Effect on other apps | Copilot remains active in non-blocked apps | Copilot is disabled everywhere |
| User experience | Copilot icon disappears from blocked apps only | Copilot is completely absent from all Microsoft 365 services |
| Management effort | Requires policy creation and app ID entry | Requires license removal in Microsoft 365 admin center |
| Reversibility | Delete or edit the policy | Reassign the license |
Use the app blocking policy when you need granular control per app. Use license removal when you want to revoke Copilot access entirely for a user.
You can now disable Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Teams independently. The policy management section in the Microsoft 365 admin center gives you direct control over which apps load the Copilot component. For advanced scenarios, combine the app blocking policy with the Copilot group policy template to prevent users from manually re-adding the Copilot icon. Test the policy on a small group before applying it to your entire organization.