Why Is Copilot Not Working in Windows 11? 8 Fixes That Actually Work in 2026

Windows Copilot should be one of the best things about Windows 11. In reality, it is one of the most complained-about features Microsoft has shipped in years.

The icon disappears. The sidebar refuses to open. It spins forever and loads nothing. Or it opens but does nothing when you give it a command. Millions of users across the US, UK, and Australia are hitting these problems — and Microsoft's own support pages are not exactly helpful.

I have spent considerable time diagnosing Copilot issues on multiple machines running different builds of Windows 11. Here are eight fixes that actually work, in the order you should try them.

Why Copilot Breaks So Often in Windows 11

Before the fixes, a quick explanation that saves you time.

Microsoft has been in an awkward position with Copilot throughout 2025 and 2026. They pushed it hard into Windows 11, then pulled parts of it back after user complaints. Several Windows 11 updates — particularly KB5055523, KB5043076, and the January 2026 KB5074109 — introduced regressions that broke Copilot for large numbers of users.

The result is that Copilot behaves inconsistently depending on your Windows 11 build version, your region, your Microsoft account status, and even your PC's hardware. The same machine can have a working Copilot one week and a broken one after the next update.

This is not a you problem. It is a Microsoft problem. But you can fix it.

Fix 1: Check If You Are on a Supported Windows 11 Build

Copilot in Windows 11 requires Windows 11 version 22H2 or later to function correctly. On the original 21H2 release, Copilot is not available at all.

How to check your version: Press Win + R, type winver, press Enter.

The window that opens shows your Windows edition and build number.

• If you see 22H2, 23H2, or 24H2 — your build supports Copilot
• If you see 21H2 — you need to update Windows before Copilot will appear

How to update: Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates. Install all available updates, restart, and check again.

Fix 2: Enable Copilot Through Group Policy (Most Effective Fix)

This is the fix that works for the largest number of users — especially those on Windows 11 Home and Pro who updated from an older build.

A Windows update frequently resets the Group Policy setting that controls whether Copilot is enabled, causing it to disappear completely from the taskbar.

How to re-enable it:

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, press Enter (Note: Windows 11 Home users — skip to the Registry fix below. Group Policy Editor is only on Pro, Enterprise, and Education)

2. Navigate to: User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Copilot

3. Double-click "Turn off Windows Copilot"

4. If it is set to Enabled — change it to Disabled (this sounds backwards, but "disabled" means the policy is not enforced, allowing Copilot to run)

5. Click OK, restart your PC

For Windows 11 Home users (Registry method):

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, press Enter
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot
3. Look for a value named "TurnOffWindowsCopilot"
4. If it exists and is set to 1, double-click it and change the value to 0
5. If the key path does not exist, Copilot should appear — if it still does not, move to Fix 3

Fix 3: Re-Enable Copilot in Taskbar Settings

Sometimes Copilot is installed and enabled but simply hidden from the taskbar.

Right-click anywhere on your taskbar → Taskbar settings

Scroll down to find "Copilot" in the list of taskbar items. Toggle it On.

If you do not see "Copilot" in the list at all, your build does not support it yet or it has been removed by a Group Policy setting (see Fix 2).

Fix 4: Sign Out and Back Into Your Microsoft Account

Copilot in Windows 11 is tied to your Microsoft account. If your account session has expired, hit an authentication error, or your account lacks the correct permissions, Copilot loads but refuses to function — showing a spinning icon or blank screen.

How to fix:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Your info
2. Click "Sign out" under your Microsoft account
3. Restart your PC
4. Sign back in with your Microsoft account

After signing back in, open Copilot (Win + C) and wait 30 seconds for it to fully authenticate with Microsoft's servers.

Important: Copilot requires a Microsoft account and an active internet connection to function. It will not work with a local-only Windows account.

Fix 5: Flush DNS and Reset Network Settings

This sounds unrelated to an AI assistant, but Copilot communicates with Microsoft's servers for every response. If your DNS is slow or corrupted, Copilot appears to "freeze" or load indefinitely.

How to flush DNS:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (search "cmd", right-click → Run as administrator)
2. Type the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset

1. Restart your PC after running all four commands

After the restart, test Copilot. Many users who experienced the "loading forever" issue found this resolved it completely.

Fix 6: Clear the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Cache

Copilot in Windows 11 runs on top of Microsoft Edge's WebView2 runtime — the same engine that powers Edge's browser. If the WebView2 cache is corrupted, Copilot breaks without any obvious error message.

How to clear it:

1. Press Win + R, type %localappdata%, press Enter
2. Navigate to: Microsoft → EdgeWebView → User Data → Default
3. Delete the "Cache" folder inside Default
4. Also delete the "Code Cache" folder if it exists

Restart your PC and test Copilot again.

Fix 7: Repair or Reinstall Microsoft Edge and WebView2

Since Copilot depends on Edge's WebView2 runtime, a corrupted Edge installation breaks Copilot system-wide — even if you never use Edge as a browser.

How to repair Edge:

Open Microsoft Edge → click the three dots (menu) → Help and feedback → About Microsoft Edge. Edge will automatically check for updates and repair itself if needed. Restart after it completes.

How to repair WebView2:

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps
2. Search for "Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime"
3. Click the three dots next to it → Modify
4. Choose Repair in the installer that opens

Restart your PC after the repair completes.

Fix 8: Roll Back the Problematic Update (Advanced)

If Copilot stopped working immediately after a specific Windows update — and nothing above has fixed it — rolling back that update is your remaining option.

How to check which update caused it:

Settings → Windows Update → Update history. Note the most recent update installed and its date. If Copilot stopped working the same day or the day after that update, it is almost certainly the culprit.

How to uninstall a Windows update:

Settings → Windows Update → Update history → Uninstall updates → find the update by KB number → click Uninstall → restart.

After rolling back, go to Settings → Windows Update → Pause updates for 7 days. This gives Microsoft time to release a fix before the broken update installs again automatically.

You can then monitor the Windows Latest or Tom's Guide news for when the specific update is patched.

Copilot Still Missing? Check These Three Things

If none of the fixes above work, check these three additional factors:

Region lock: Microsoft has rolled out Copilot progressively by region. While it is widely available in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, some users in other regions see delayed availability. Check: Settings → Time & Language → Region — make sure your region is set correctly.

Work or school account restrictions: If your Windows 11 is managed by an organisation (a work laptop, a school-issued device), your IT administrator may have disabled Copilot through enterprise policy. In this case, you cannot re-enable it yourself — contact your IT department.

Windows S Mode: Windows 11 in S Mode has significant restrictions. Copilot may not be available. You can check by going to Settings → System → About and looking for "S Mode." You can switch out of S Mode for free through the Microsoft Store.

Quick Reference Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Copilot free in Windows 11? Yes. Copilot in Windows 11 is free and included with Windows 11. It is different from Microsoft 365 Copilot, which is a paid enterprise product. The free Windows 11 version uses the same underlying model but has fewer features.

Does Copilot work without internet? No. Copilot requires an active internet connection for all functionality. It processes requests on Microsoft's servers, not locally on your PC.

Can I permanently remove Copilot if I don't want it? Yes. You can disable it permanently using the Group Policy or Registry method in Fix 2 — by setting the value to 1 (Enabled in Group Policy, which disables Copilot). Alternatively, third-party tools like Winutil (Chris Titus Tech) have a one-click Copilot removal option.

Will fixing Copilot slow down my PC? No. Copilot only uses resources when you actively open it. When closed, it runs no background processes.

Final Word

Copilot in Windows 11 is genuinely useful when it works — but Microsoft's implementation has been frustratingly inconsistent. The good news is that these eight fixes resolve the issue for the vast majority of users.

Start with Fix 3 (taskbar toggle) and Fix 2 (Group Policy) — they take under two minutes and solve about 60% of Copilot problems. Work through the remaining fixes in order if those do not solve it.

Found a fix that worked for you, or a situation not covered here? Drop a comment — your experience helps the next reader.