LG TVs forced Microsoft Copilot installation sparks backlash over unremovable AI shortcuts
17 Sources
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LG TVs' unremovable Copilot shortcut is the least of smart TVs' AI problems
Online fury erupted this week after an LG TV owner claimed that a firmware update installed unremovable generative AI software on their smart TV. The controversy began on Saturday, when a Reddit user posted about the sudden appearance of a Microsoft Copilot icon on their device (something Windows
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LG forced a Copilot web app onto its TVs but will let you delete it
LG says it will let users delete the Microsoft Copilot shortcut it installed on newer TVs after several reports highlighted the unremovable icon. In a statement to The Verge, LG spokesperson Chris De Maria says the company "respects consumer choice and will take steps to allow users to delete the
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LG Quietly Installs Microsoft Copilot on Its Smart TVs -- And You Can't Delete It
Microsoft Copilot app is now appearing on LG TVs after a recent software update, and some say it's another example of the tech industry forcing AI on consumers who are not asking for it. The app is not deletable, according to one LG TV owner on Reddit. "When something is pushed this hard it begins
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LG TV users baffled by unremovable Microsoft Copilot installation -- surprise forced update shows app pinned to the home screen
Users report Copilot appearing after a recent software update, with no option to uninstall. LG smart TV owners are reporting that a recent webOS software update has added Microsoft Copilot to their TVs, with no apparent way to remove it. Reports first surfaced over the weekend on Reddit, where a
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Copilot is beginning to appear on LG TVs, and no, you can't delete it
* Copilot auto-installed on some LG TVs via update and appears undeletable. * Users report it showed up without consent after an automatic OS update. * Owners call it 'mildly infuriating' and warn against connecting smart TVs to the internet. At the start of 2025, Copilot was beginning to get
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LG will let you delete the previously unremovable Microsoft Copilot shortcut on its smart TVs
Several LG smart TV owners, including some Engadget staff, were surprised to find what looked like suddenly installed on their devices earlier this week. After all the raised eyebrows, a representative from LG has reached out to say that the company "will take steps to allow users to delete the
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Users report Microsoft Copilot appearing on LG Smart TVs after software update
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Sounding off: Tech giants and ambitious startups keep wedging chatbots and other AI add-ons into products that never needed them. Smart TVs are the latest target, with LG and others baking in
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LG TVs Get Unremovable Microsoft Copilot App
AI is everywhere, including places that no one wants it. The latest example of the technology's proliferation being forced down users' throats, likely in the name of artificially inflating growth metrics, appears to be LG brand smart TVs. Tom's Hardware spotted a number of owners taking to Reddit
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LG quietly added an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app to TVs
Microsoft made a big punt this year with Copilot. The company put its AI chatbot into a and has also tried to integrate it into other tech products. The latest place you may find Copilot is on your LG smart television, whether you want it or not. Several LG smart TV owners have taken to over the
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LG TV owners baffled by a Microsoft Copilot app that can't be removed
While users can hide Copilot from their home screen, the inability to completely remove the pre-installed app has frustrated many owners. LG TV owners are expressing confusion and annoyance online after Microsoft Copilot suddenly appeared on their smart TVs, with no option to uninstall the app,
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This is bad! LG smart TVs just got an AI upgrade that's impossible to remove
LG and Samsung announced at the beginning of the year at CES they would be integrating Microsoft's Copilot AI into their smart TVs. Samsung has already done so and this week LG also made good on its word. The only problem is there doesn't appear to be anything users can do about it. This became
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LG forces Copilot onto smart TVs, and there's no way to delete it
Oh, you don't want an AI chatbot on your TV? That's too bad, buddy, because you're getting one. Well, if you have an LG smart TV, at least. Tech site Tom's Hardware spotted that users began complaining that a recent software update to LG TVs included the addition of Microsoft Copilot and it could
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Your LG TV may get an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app in its next update, and yes, users are annoyed
If there's one thing that would stop me from buying one of the best TVs in the current world of everything being online and connected, it's the fear of the manufacturer taking a perfectly good TV and spoiling it. And that's exactly what some LG owners think is happening to their TVs in the latest
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Microsoft Copilot quietly shows up on LG TVs, and you can't remove it
A new webOS update brings Copilot and Live Plus feature to LG TVs Microsoft's Copilot has quietly appeared on LG webOS TVs, and many owners only noticed after it was already there. The issue first came up when a Reddit user shared screenshots showing a Microsoft Copilot tile on their LG TV home
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LG backs down on Copilot shortcut after TV users push back
LG Electronics announced it will allow users to remove the Microsoft Copilot AI assistant shortcut from their televisions after complaints surfaced on social media. The issue arose when a recent webOS update added the icon to TV home screens without a deletion option. The controversy gained
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Microsoft's Copilot AI is automatically installed on LG TVs and can't be removed
TL;DR: LG's latest webOS update automatically installs Microsoft Copilot on OLED TVs without removal options, sparking user backlash. The update also enables the "Live Plus" feature, which tracks viewing habits for targeted ads. Many users recommend disconnecting from the internet or using
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Own an LG TV? You might be stuck with this annoying AI feature you can't switch off
When I reviewed LG's flagship G5 OLED earlier this year, software was somewhat of a gripe for me. I said "LG's webOS used to be the gold standard for smart TV operating systems: quick, intuitive, and largely free of clutter. But as of 2025, it's starting to feel like LG is trying to do too much."
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LG smart TV owners discovered Microsoft Copilot automatically installed on their devices after a recent webOS update, with no option to remove it. The company has now promised to let users delete the shortcut following widespread criticism, but the incident highlights growing concerns about AI features being forcibly integrated into consumer devices without explicit consent.
LG Quietly Installs Microsoft Copilot on Smart TVs
A Reddit post over the weekend ignited online fury when an LG TV owner discovered that a webOS software update had automatically installed Microsoft Copilot on their device. The post, which garnered more than 36,000 upvotes on the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit, showed the Copilot icon pinned to the home screen with no apparent way to remove it
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. The unremovable app appeared without warning or user consent, joining other streaming services on LG TVs but lacking the basic option to uninstall that users expect from their devices.LG spokesperson Chris De Maria clarified to The Verge that the firmware update didn't install a full application but rather a web app shortcut that opens Microsoft Copilot in the TV's integrated browser
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. He emphasized that "features such as microphone input are activated only with the customer's explicit consent" and that the company added the shortcut to "enhance customer accessibility and convenience." However, this explanation failed to satisfy users who questioned why their non-computing devices needed instant access to third-party chatbots.User Backlash Forces LG to Reverse Course
Following widespread criticism, LG announced it would allow users to delete the unremovable Copilot shortcut. "LG respects consumer choice and will take steps to allow users to delete the shortcut icon if they wish," De Maria stated
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. The company did not provide definitive timing for when this option would become available. Reddit users expressed frustration that extended beyond the Copilot installation itself. "Pre-installed crap is universally dogshit. If I wanted it, I'd have installed it myself eventually," one commenter wrote, reflecting broader sentiment about the forced Copilot web app1
.The incident represents a growing pattern of AI features being forcibly integrated into consumer products. Both LG and Samsung announced plans to add Microsoft Copilot to their televisions at CES 2025 in January
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. Samsung had already installed Copilot on its 2025 smart TV lineup in August, allowing users to access the AI assistant through their remote's microphone or the Tizen OS homescreen1
.Smart TVs' AI Problems Extend Beyond Copilot
While LG's concession to allow deletion addresses immediate concerns, the company still plans to weave Copilot throughout webOS in its 2025 OLED TVs. LG stated that Copilot would help users find content by "allowing users to efficiently find and organize complex information using contextual cues" and would "proactively" identify potential problems
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. This deeper integration raises questions about whether future implementations will be as easily removable.The issue extends beyond simple bloatware concerns. Chatbots add complexity to understanding how smart TVs track user activity and collect data. With an AI assistant involved, owners must navigate both complicated smart TV privacy policies and the verbose terms of service from third-party AI companies
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. This layered approach to data collection makes it harder for people to understand what information they're sharing, especially given existing concerns about smart TV manufacturers tracking users without proper consent.Related Stories
The Broader Trend of Monetizing Software Through AI
The TV industry's shift toward monetizing software with user tracking and AI integration reflects a broader strategy that prioritizes revenue over consumer choice
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. Amazon has also explored putting chatbots into TVs after releasing Fire TVs with Alexa+ this year, while Samsung launched Perplexity's first TV app1
. Users wanting to avoid Copilot entirely face limited options, with some suggesting disconnecting smart TVs from the internet altogether—though this would disable features and prevent future updates3
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.The incident highlights Microsoft's aggressive push to make Copilot ubiquitous across platforms, even as the company's stock has reportedly slipped 5% due to AI rivals focusing on capability rather than availability
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. For consumers, the question remains whether companies will reconsider their approach to installing AI apps after this user backlash, or whether forced AI integration will become the new normal for smart home devices.References
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