Despite the cut-throat competition from the likes of OpenAI ChatGPT and Google Geminii, Microsoft Copilot has proved its worth as an exceptionally efficient generative AI on Windows devices. Well, that speaks volumes of the quality that Copilot is endowed with. However, that doesn’t mean the notable generative AI is immune to issues. Once in a while, it does run into rather vexing issues, which is why I thought it would be apt to talk about the most common Copilot problems and viable solutions to fix them. So, if Microsoft’s generative is throwing all sorts of tantrums on your PC, and failing to live up to your expectations, this detailed troubleshooting guide is for you. Read more to…
Fix Most Common Copilot Problems on Windows 11 24H2
While some PC folks have complained that the Copilot app doesn’t provide accurate answers, others have lambasted that the famed generative AI fails to connect to the internet. Worse for others, it gets stuck while attempting to answer queries or freezes mid-way. As to what causes it to misbehave weirdly, these are the bad actors that never fail to hurt its functionality:
- Unsupported region
- Outdated Windows
- Disabled Copilot
- Corrupt system files
- Network issues
- Group Policy restrictions
- Registry misconfiguration
- Conflicting apps
- Corrupt user profile
- Disabled services
In this extension guide, I’m going to take on each one of these villains and offer handy tips to eliminate them.
1. Copilot Not Opening or Crashes Out At Launch
Many a time, Copilot refuses to launch when you click the taskbar icon or use the shortcut Win + C. But bother not, there are some workable fixes for this annoyance.
- Check for Updates: Head over to Settings > Windows Update and install pending updates.
- Enable Copilot: Launch Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, and make sure Copilot is active.
- Use the Run Command: Press Win + R > type
ms-copilot://, and hit Enter. - Restart Windows Explorer: Launch the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), locate Windows Explorer > right-click on it, and choose restart in the menu.
2. Copilot is Missing from the Taskbar
At times, the Copilot could be missing from the Windows 11 taskbar, even though it’s active on your PC.
- Check Taskbar Settings: Dive into the Settings app > Personalization > Taskbar > Ensure that the toggle for Copilot is ON. After that, restart your PC.
- Enable Copilot via Group Policy (Pro users): To do so, open gpedit.msc, go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot, set Turn off Windows Copilot to Not Configured.
- Enable Copilot via Registry (Home users): Open Registry Editor (regedit), navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced- Now, you need to create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named ShowCopilotButton, set its value to 1.
3. Copilot Not Responding or Freezing
Sometimes, Copilot tends to become unresponsive or freezing time and time again. More often than not, this issue is caused by a random software glitch which you can fix through the following tips.
- Check Internet Connection: Bear in mind that Copilot needs an active internet connection to work.
- Force Kill Copilot: Bring up the Task Manager by pressing the Ctrl+Shift+Esc keys > Selecting Copilot in the left sidebar and hitting the End task button at the top.
- Clear Cache & Restart Copilot: Navigate to the Settings app > Apps > Installed Apps > Search Copilot and click on the triple-dot icon right next to it. Then, click Advanced options > Reset.
- Repair the Copilot: If the Copilot is damaged or ill-fated due to certain glitches, repairing the app will help you resolve the problem. To get it done, fire up the Settings app > Apps > Installed Apps > Right-click on the triple-dot icon next to the Copilot app > Choose the Advanced options > Repair.
- Check for Microsoft Account Issues: Sign out and back into your Microsoft Account.
- Run Windows Troubleshooter: Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, and run Windows Copilot troubleshooter.
4. Copilot Can’t Connect to the Internet
If Copilot fails to connect to the internet, remove the security shields and tweak the DNS settings – if need be.
- Allow Copilot Through Firewall: Open Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app through the firewall, and enable Copilot.
- Disable VPN or Proxy: Open Settings > Network & Internet > VPN and disable any active VPN. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy and disable Manual Proxy Setup.
- Check DNS Settings: Use Google DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) for better connectivity.
5. Copilot Shows Wrong or Outdated Information
For times when Copilot offers incorrect or outdated responses, try switching to Edge Copilot or using Bing Chat is a reliable way to circumvent the barrier.
- Use Edge Instead: If Windows Copilot isn’t updated, try Microsoft Edge Copilot.
- Check Bing Chat Settings: Open Copilot, click Settings, and set Response Mode to Balanced or Precise.
- Wait for Server Updates: If the issue persists, it may be a server-side problem.
6. Copilot Not Summarizing Webpages
Can’t get the Copilot app to summarize or analyze webpages in Edge? Tips like using the Edge Copilot can let you get rid of the annoyance.
- Use Microsoft Edge Copilot instead of Windows Copilot.
- Enable “Ask Copilot in Edge”: Open Edge > hit the menu icon at the top right > Settings > Sidebar > Copilot, activate Ask Copilot in Edge.
- Update Edge to the Latest Version: Dive into the Microsoft Store app > Library > Find the Edge app and hit the Update button right next to it.
7. Copilot Can’t Control Windows Settings
Unable to change system settings like volume, brightness, or Wi-Fi using Copilot? Customizing Copilot system controls and switching to the Admin Mode work in overcoming the challenge.
- Enable Copilot System Controls: Fire up the Settings app > Privacy & Security > Windows Permissions > Copilot > Turn on Allow Copilot to make changes.
- Make sure Copilot is Using a Microsoft Account.
- Try Admin Mode: Launch the Task Manager > Copilot.exe > right-click Run as Administrator.
8. Copilot Not Detecting Installed Apps
Copilot just refuses to identify installed apps when you ask it to open them.
- Re-register Windows Apps: Launch the PowerShell (Admin) and run the following command –
Get-AppxPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml"} - Enable Search Indexing: Open the Settings app > Privacy & Security > Searching Windows > activate the Enhanced Mode.
9. Copilot Not Translating Languages Properly
Copilot doesn’t live up to the expectations in terms of offering accurate translations.
- Make use of the Edge Copilot for better results.
- Take advantage of the Bing Translator (
www.bing.com/translator) for better accuracy. - Clear Copilot Cache via Settings > Apps > Installed Apps > Copilot > Advanced Options > Reset.
10. Copilot Stuck on “Thinking…”
Does Copilot take too long to respond or tend to get stuck mid-way “Thinking…” and fail to get the job done? Be sure to check your Microsoft servers.
- Check Microsoft Servers (status.microsoft.com).
- Disable Browser Extensions: Malicious extensions could be interfering with Copilot. (Hit the menu icon at the top-right > Extensions > disable the unwanted browser extensions and remove the unnecessary ones.
- Additionally, you can also try restarting Copilot & Windows Explorer.
11. Copilot Not Available in Your Region
Is Copilot not available in your country or region? Changing your region or using a VPN service can let you overcome the roadblock.
- Change Your Region to the U.S.: Fire up the Settings app > Time & Language > Language & region > Set Region to the United States.
- Use a VPN: Connect to a U.S. server to activate Copilot.
12. Copilot Not Working After a Windows Update
Did the Copilot app start malfunctioning after a recent Windows update? No worries! Rolling back the updates
- Roll Back Updates: Open Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall Updates.
- Reinstall Copilot via PowerShell:
winget install -e --id Microsoft.Copilot
13. Copilot Privacy Concerns
If you have found Copilot collecting your personal data secretly, check out these a couple of reliable solutions to try.
- Disable Data Collection: Launch Copilot > Settings > Privacy, disable Model training & Personalization.
- Clear Chat History: Inside the Copilot app setting, click Manage Chat History > Delete All.
14. Copilot Not Generating Images
Many a time, Copilot refuses to generate images as expected. If you are also faced with this very hurdle, there are a couple of solutions you should try.
- Enable Image Creator in Edge Copilot: Open Microsoft Edge and click on the Copilot (Bing Chat) button in the top-right corner > Sign in with your Microsoft account if prompted > Then, click on the “⋮” (More options) menu in the Copilot panel. Then, look for “Image Creator” and enable it if available.
- Use DALL·E in Bing Chat for better results. Open Microsoft Edge > click the Copilot (Bing Chat) button in the top-right corner. In the chat box, type a prompt like “Create an image of a futuristic city at sunset” and press Enter. If available, the AI will generate images using DALL·E within the chat. You can refine the image by providing more details or asking for variations.
15. Copilot Keyboard Shortcut Not Working
For a good many users, the Copilot keyboard shortcut (Win + C) is unable to work properly.
- To activate Copilot via Settings: Dive into the Settings app > Personalization > Taskbar > Enable Copilot > After that, restart your PC.
- Besides, it would also be a good idea to restart Explorer.exe in Task Manager. To get it done, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager > locate the Windows Explorer > right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.
Wrapping up…
There you have it, PC folks! I hope your beloved Copilot has begun to shower love all over again. More often than not, you can restore the full functionality of the generative AI by ticking off the fundamentals like fixing the below-par internet connections and eliminating the conflicting elements. Do you have any feedback to share? The comments section is readily available for you…
