The Copilot desktop app generally is a useful gizmo for answering questions, producing content material, and enhancing productiveness. Microsoft thinks it is so helpful that the corporate has made its AI extra accessible by way of the Ask Copilot characteristic. I disagree and have disabled it.
What Is “Ask Copilot” on Home windows?
If you right-click sure information (like textual content information and pictures) in File Explorer, you will notice the Ask Copilot choice seem within the context menu.
Clicking it would open the Copilot desktop app with the chosen file uploaded and able to be prompted. As an illustration, you may ask questions, request a abstract, and carry out all sorts of file evaluation operations that Copilot gives. It is meant to be a time-saving characteristic that permits you to shortly extract info from information, permitting you to work together with them extra effectively.
The way to Disable “Ask Copilot” on Home windows
To take away the Ask Copilot choice from the context menu, it is advisable tweak the Home windows Registry. Earlier than you do that, it is important that you just discover ways to again up and restore the Home windows registry. That approach, if one thing goes improper and your pc turns into unusable, you will have a method to restore it to a working state.
At all times watch out when modifying the Registry, as altering the improper worth could cause critical issues.
To disable Ask Copilot characteristic, it is advisable create a registry file. To do that, open Notepad, then copy and paste the textual content under:
Home windows Registry Editor Model 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionShell ExtensionsBlocked]
“{CB3B0003-8088-4EDE-8769-8B354AB2FF8C}”=”Ask Copilot”
Save the file someplace in your pc with a .REG extension, giving it a reputation like disable-ask-copilot-context-menu.reg.
Afterward, double-click the file and click on Sure within the immediate to verify that you just need to make modifications to the registry. Afterward, restart your pc and confirm that the Ask Copilot choice is gone from the context menu.
In the event you ever need to return the Ask Copilot choice to the context menu sooner or later, open the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software program > Microsoft > Home windows > CurrentVersion > Shell Extensions > Blocked. Delete {CB3B0003-8088-4EDE-8769-8B354AB2FF8C}, restart your pc, and the Ask Copilot choice ought to seem once more.
Ought to You Disable “Ask Copilot”?
There are a number of explanation why I discover the Ask Copilot choice ineffective; the largest one is that it gives no clear benefit to my productiveness. As an illustration, if I need file summaries, I’m extra comfy utilizing ChatGPT, because it has extra options than Copilot.
That is compounded by the truth that my workflow is usually browser-based, that means I’ve no need for the Copilot desktop app that the Ask Copilot entry opens. Within the uncommon occasion that I would like Copilot to research a file, I can simply drag and drop it to the online model of Copilot (the desktop app would not assist this characteristic). However then once more, ChatGPT additionally helps this characteristic, and it might probably analyze sure file varieties that Copilot cannot. These embrace code information (HTML, JS, JAVA, and CPP), in addition to audio and video information after I want primary transcription.
Moreover, Copilot is well-integrated in Microsoft apps like Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, Notepad, and the Photographs app. That’s the place I discover it most helpful, in comparison with utilizing the desktop app as triggered by the Ask Copilot choice within the context menu. Until this characteristic provides extra performance, it feels redundant for now.
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Why Would not Copilot Assist You Repair Issues in Home windows?
Microsoft is all in on AI, main with Copilot. Nonetheless, it isn’t fairly the place it must be.
I might additionally suggest disabling it as a result of it provides pointless litter to the context menu. So many packages you put in already add junk to this menu, making it more durable to shortly click on the choices you truly use. The very last thing you want is but extra pointless entries on that record.
Another excuse is just that this inclusion appears compelled. It is as if Microsoft is desperately looking for methods to make you utilize Copilot on Home windows—this newest try is on high of routinely pinning Copilot to the Taskbar and making it laborious to disable.
Regardless of my dislike for this characteristic, I am not saying the Ask Copilot choice within the context menu is totally ineffective. In case you are a fan of Copilot and use the desktop app frequently, it is perhaps price preserving. However for me, I see no use for it.
In the event you’re like me, disabling it’s secure and simple. To go additional, you may additionally need to disable Copilot fully in Home windows when you do not want it in any respect.
