Microsoft finally lets users move its floating Copilot button in Office apps after complaints

Sick of Copilot In Office Apps? Microsoft Finally Lets You Move Its Floating Button

With over a decade of experience reporting on consumer technology, James covers mobile phones, apps, operating systems, wearables, AI, and more. Microsoft has realized its floating Copilot button in Office tools like Excel, PowerPoint, and Word doesn't work for everyone. In a new update, Microsoft will let you change the placement of Copilot, which has recently moved to a floating icon in the bottom-right corner of all three pieces of software. Now, you can right-click on the button to move it back to the top bar. Look for the option labeled Move to ribbon, and if you want to reverse it, right-click and press Move out of ribbon. Microsoft has been pushing Copilot to users more aggressively over the last 12 months, and many have grown frustrated with how it affects their workflow across all three core Office apps. This button is particularly egregious in Excel, with it often hanging over useful parts of a spreadsheet and sometimes hiding important data. Microsoft says, "While we are seeing increased engagement with Copilot in Office apps with this update, we are also hearing the need for more control over how Copilot appears. While one of our goals is to evolve Copilot to be more adaptive and flexible over time, we are making some adjustments in the short term." As spotted by Windows Latest, a Microsoft feedback portal saw complaints about the button, with some calling it "infuriating." Another user said, "Not being able to turn this feature off is terrible. The icon appears in valuable spreadsheet space." Microsoft has always offered an option to "dock" the feature with the button taking up less room on the right-hand side, but this has to be manually turned on each time you boot up the software. That restriction seems to remain, according to Microsoft's latest update, but it says, "We are making an update so that the button will stay docked throughout your time in the document," meaning you won't need to hide it each time you interact with Copilot. Microsoft says to expect the changes to roll out next week, although some users have received them immediately. In February, a report claimed Microsoft planned to dial back Copilot in select apps, and an update in March removed features from apps like Notepad, Photos, and Snipping Tool.

Microsoft's big Copilot rollback continues as Office now lets you move its button to the ribbon

* You can now move the Copilot bubble to the Office ribbon to keep it out of the way. * Docked Copilot now stays fixed to the side for the whole session instead of floating back. * This shifts Copilot from intrusive centerpiece to optional tool - front for fans, tucked away for others. Microsoft is in a little bit of a pickle. It spent the better part of 2025 getting excited over Copilot and rolling it out to every app it has. Now, in 2026, the company is clearing up the mess it made after people told Microsoft that they'd actually prefer not to have an AI in everything they use. The company started by tweaking how Copilot functions in Paint and Notepad, bringing it more in line with what people would actually use instead of packing it full of features nobody wants. Now, Microsoft has announced that you can move the little Copilot bubble that appears when you're using Office. Microsoft finally admits the Copilot key wasn't a great idea, and it'll let you change it back soon Better late than never. Posts 1 By Simon Batt Microsoft lets you move the Copilot bubble to the Office ribbon In case it was getting in your way As spotted by Windows Latest, Microsoft has published an article titled "Shaping Copilot across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint." In it, they explain what they're doing with Copilot across the Office suite and what users can expect. Right off the bat, the company explains what this update aims to tackle: Updated entry points for Copilot While we are seeing increased engagement with Copilot in Office apps with this update, we are also hearing the need for more control over how Copilot appears. While one of our goals is to evolve Copilot to be more adaptive and flexible over time, we are making some adjustments in the short term. The first change allows you to right-click the floating Copilot button and click "Move to ribbon." The button will vanish, and Copilot will instead reside in the bar above your document, out of the way of your work. The second change affects how Copilot docks to the side. Previously, it would stay docked unless you interacted with Copilot, at which point it would begin floating again. Now, it'll stick to the side and stay there throughout the session. Deals Save on AI tools and subscription deals for work software Unlock discounts on AI software and Office subscriptions, plus offers on productivity apps, plugins, and cloud services. Shop savings for business and home workflows -- bundles, upgrades, and add-ons that cut costs while boosting productivity. Deals Explore Software, AI & Subscriptions Deals It may not be the complete Copilot removal that some critics will want, but it is a deliberate move toward making Copilot a tool rather than the main attraction. Having Copilot front-and-center for those who want it, and tucked away for those who don't, sounds like the perfect middle ground to me. Microsoft spent two months overhauling Windows, and yes, that includes cutting Copilot Things are looking promising. Posts 6 By Simon Batt