Microsoft 365 changes, and Copilot

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MICROSOFT 365 By Peter Deegan Microsoft has made huge changes to its 365 consumer plans, including the intrusive addition of Copilot into Word, Excel,
[See the full post at: Microsoft 365 changes, and Copilot]

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Elly, katiedid, WSGeo, fisher75, lmacri, shadonoz, windbg, WSNGH

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This article only hardens me in my conviction that Microsoft programmers only program in new features just for the fun of programming. It looks like they never use their ‘creations’ in a proper (external) business setting for an extended period of time, say one year.

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gwt10

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We need actual, factual alternatives to M$. Ones that actually work offline and are fully compatible with M$ products (import/save/edit). From desktop apps to operating systems, the world needs a real replacement. Time for M$ to go the way of the DooDoo bird.

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gwt10, rizzquery

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Paladium wrote:

We need actual, factual alternatives to M$

Well, Libre Office comes to mind. Except that Writer does not have as good a document overview  as Word (View/Navigation Pane). My solution is to use a standalone version of  MS Office.

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The author says

Office 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016 users are saved from this upheaval.

Gee, what does that suggest about how to avoid hassle and save money?

 

 

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rizzquery, Cybertooth

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As with almost everything Microsoft related – look at their actions as opposed to their words.

In this case, there’s been a year of Copilot appearing in Office for Insiders and later public with a regular stream of feedback about it’s intrusiveness – from inside and outside the company.

You’ll just have to take my word for that however Microsoft has a corporate history of ignoring feedback they don’t want to hear until the pressure becomes both public and too great to ignore.  Clippy is the most famous example, Windows 8 tiles and full-screen menu as well.  Copilot’s lack of options in Office is just the latest example.

But in this case there’s direct evidence from a Microsoft exec:

“The most interesting piece of feedback we learned is that there are times where our users want to turn off Copilot,”

Gareth Oystryk quoted in The Verge

That feedback should not have been either interesting or surprising.

Peter Deegan
Office-Watch.com

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Elly, katiedid, WSGeo, gwt10, lmacri, rbailin, Cybertooth, John18, b

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Thank you Peter for this article. Not only have you saved me £25 but even more importantly you’ve rescued me from the – to me, others may love it – increasingly irritating Copilot nonsense.

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Peter Deegan

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I don’t want anything to do with Co-Pilot.  Before we have artificial intelligence we, as a society, need normal intelligence.

(Hang on a second, I need to find something.)

Found it.  I am now wearing my tinfoil hat.

I have contended for more than 10 years that one of the alphabet agencies, the one with headquarters south of Baltimore, has a large degree of input and control over M$.  Because I feel this way I am always skeptical of things that come out of M$.  Co-Pilot, to me, is exactly why I feel this way.

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Not only does LibreOffice do the job for free, but there is OpenOffice (which I use) and WPSOffice (which is also free).

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rizzquery

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If I hover over the Copilot icon, it says “Copilot only works with files stored in Onedrive or Sharepoint”. Since I refuse to use Onedrive, I can’t use it anyway.

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katiedid, Peter Deegan, rbailin

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I have OneDrive disabled.

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I prefer not to use the Cloud for anything. I am perfectly happy running my own security and file storage.

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While co-pilot is sometimes useful, I agree it’s better to turn it off.

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Peter Deegan

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Microsoft released a free desktop version of Microsoft 365

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No thanks.

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Alex5723 wrote:

Microsoft released a free desktop version of Microsoft 365

Hi Alex5723:

I might be wrong, but the free ad-supported Microsoft Office “desktop app” described in that Beebom article just sounds like the recently “re-branded” Microsoft 365 Copilot PWA (progressive web app) I described in my 08-Feb-2025 post # 2746607 in Tex265’s Copilot and Microsoft 356 Copilot have just arrived – what to do?. The new shortcut for that PWA that now includes the word “Copilot” appeared on my Win 10 start menu a few months ago, and it simply provides a local interface on your computer that allows you to access the free Microsoft 365 web apps without opening your browser and browsing to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/free-office-online-for-the-web.

Ben Myers reviewed the free web apps their 01-July-2024 article Web-based Microsoft 365 is a win-win for all in ISSUE 21.27 of the AskWoody Plus Newsletter.  AFAIK the only thing “new” about those web apps is the recent integration of Copilot.

That Beebom article states “I am not talking about the web version of Office“, but if you go to the download page https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/download-office for the “desktop version” provided in that article and read the section titled “Can I download Microsoft 365 for Free” in the FAQ it states “Yes. Use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more for free with Office on the web“.
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5487 * Firefox v135.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.25010.7 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.7.167-1.0.5160 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 C2R Version 2501 / Build 18429.20158

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Elly

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But Beebom’s screenshot shows Word running in an app window, not a browser window.

However, the bottom of their article now has this addition:

[Update]

In a statement to PCWorld, Microsoft representative said, “Microsoft has been conducting some limited testing. Currently, there are no plans to launch a free, ad-supported version of Microsoft Office desktop apps.”

Confirmed by PCWorld:

Microsoft’s free, ad-supported Office was just a ‘test’

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Alex5723

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The ‘ad-supported’ software is only limited versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint – not Outlook nor “Microsoft 365” as widely reported.

They are Windows apps – not the web-based versions.

But it’s a limited trial — not available to everyone and might not become fully available.

See https://office-watch.com/2025/free-office-for-windows-is-being-trialed/

Strangely, Microsoft is both confirming and denying this plan — in the one sentence!

Peter Deegan
Office-Watch.com

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Cybertooth

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I am a Microsoft 365 subscriber. My (classic) Outlook has developed numerous bugs and is a disaster. I want to uninstall it completely using Revo uninstaller and re-install it. How can I be sure Classic Outlook installs, not new Outlook?

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I tried searching via Google and what I found is here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/how-to-delete-outlook-and-reinstall-it/0f8fdb53-b359-45b6-93e0-e9e1356f842f

 

I hate those volunteer MS Community Moderators because I never know if they are giving good advice or bad advice.  Good luck.

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Ken

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b wrote:

Outlook for Windows (classic) can be downloaded from Microsoft Store:

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xp9mhd8pgh9n47

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Ken

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Before uninstalling Outlook/Office — have you tried making a new Outlook Profile?

That’s where most of the Outlook classic settings are stored.  Control Panel | Mail | Show Profiles.   Add a new Profile and select “Prompt for a Profile to be used”.  You then setup the mailbox settings (login etc) in the new profile.

You’ve not said what the problems are but changing Outlook Profile is a common troubleshooting trick and usually more effective than an uninstall.

Peter Deegan
Office-Watch.com

 

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Ken

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Thank you. Yes, I have done that, problems continued. That is why I believe that a complete uninstall and new install may be the only solution.

I am trying Thunderbird, I like it but this one also seems to have problems that I have not been able to solve: some emails never show up in the inbox! I see them on my mobile devices, but not on Thunderbird. I tried unsuccessfully the various troubleshooting ideas found online.

I also tried emClient, loaded my and my wife’s gmail, both ended up identical!

I have used Outlook on my desktop for 25+ years so it is difficult to give it up.

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Copilot is just Clippy with a mouth. No thanks.

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Dear Peter,
I am baffled about your article concerning Microsoft (MS) putting copilot into word and excel. You seem to be very upset about it. I can see being miffed at a price rise (but only the first in 10 years), Copilot availability only for the primary user, and the ever present concern about privacy (as with any app), but they do give you a way to opt out with the classic plan. But “Copilot clutter?” Really! That little icon sitting at the end of the menu ribbon on top, which you are really worked up about? I love this news letter, but sometimes it seems that Microsoft is damed if they do and damed if they don’t. They are offering a service which you can pay for or opt out of. Is it more than that?
Carl Richards

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Copilot is a lot more than just a new icon on the ribbon.  It appears in the left margin, in Paste menus and worst IMO Word’s Copilot Summary that appears atop documents with no way to remove it.

Many Excel users loath the Copilot bug that appears next to the selected cell with the only option is to hide the bug for that session.  Other times there are Copilot suggestions that appear for newly opened sheets, but if you close that suggestion there’s no way to recall it should you change your mind.

PPT is a lot more subtle, at least for now.

To repeat — I think Copilot has a place but it’s way too intrusive on the screen.  The option to Disable globally is welcome but there needs to be a more nuanced approach with Copilot available when requested but otherwise hidden.  That’s the way many Office features work, but Microsoft is prioritizing Copilot because it’s a way to sell the add-on paid plans.

Peter Deegan

Office-Watch.com

 

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IT Manager Geek, katiedid, gwt10, lmacri, Cybertooth

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Well, I’m at this moment putting a new PC in service and used the download option to install Office365. When it’s completed there’s no Outlook and there’s no Teams icon in the start menu although if you type teams in the start menu it does pop up.

I look a little closer on the Microsoft365 website and see that Outlook is no longer included. WT*!!!!

A little research and I find out that MS is really trying to steer everyone to the online version of Outlook. I also found out that when you go to the site and select your download option if you choose the offline installer option you will get the full retail version and you can install Outlook classic and Teams classic. Which is much more the way I want to go.
I recommend that if you like the offline version you should go to the page and download the offline installer (5.4MB *.img file) for archival purposes.

 

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In a bizarre way that makes sense since they ship the Outlook new ON Windows 10 and 11 now.  So they don’t need to offer it up to you since they want you to go to Outlook New.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Interesting. Defaulting to Outlook (new) wasn’t supposed to happen this soon.

Good to know that classic Outlook is still available in the offline installer.

Thanks

Peter Deegan

Office-Watch.com

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RMART wrote:

I’m at this moment putting a new PC in service and used the download option to install Office365. When it’s completed there’s no Outlook …I also found out that when you go to the site and select your download option if you choose the offline installer option you will get the full retail version and you can install Outlook classic and Teams classic.

Hi RMART:

This missing Outlook app was discussed in PA.WOODCHUCK’s 10-Feb-2025 Outlook Missing From Microsoft 365 family After Reinstall in the Dell community and according to the OP’s 12-Feb-2025 post <here>:

“UPDATE: got callback from MS and known bug… fix is to use offline installer.”

I checked the US site today at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/microsoft-365 and the Outlook icon is included in the list of included programs.
———–
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5487 * Firefox v135.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.25010.7 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.7.167-1.0.5160 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 C2R Version 2501 / Build 18429.20158

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lmacri wrote:

This missing Outlook app … known bug

It could now be a feature rather than a bug:

This issue occurs because starting in 2024, many new devices are preinstalled with new Outlook for Windows and don’t ship with classic Outlook. If you prefer to use classic Outlook at this time, a standalone version of classic Outlook for Windows is available for you to install.

Install classic Outlook for Windows

To install a standalone version of classic Outlook for Windows, select Download and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

You can [also] install it from the Windows store.

You can’t open classic Outlook on a new Windows PC

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lmacri

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Susan Bradley wrote:

In a bizarre way that makes sense since they ship the Outlook new ON Windows 10 and 11 now.  So they don’t need to offer it up to you since they want you to go to Outlook New.

Well, I installed the full online version and there was no Outlook. When I tried to find it by typing the name in the start menu nothing came up but web links. So, I had NO Outlook. That’s what got me looking.

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There are several ways to get Outlook (classic) if it’s not in the main Microsoft 365 download.

https://office-watch.com/2025/outlook-classic-dropped-from-microsoft-365/

Peter Deegan
Office-Watch.com

 

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lmacri

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Peter Deegan wrote:

nor “Microsoft 365” as widely reported

According to original article its Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)…

How to Install the Official Desktop Microsoft Office for Free :

Go ahead and download the desktop version of Microsoft Office from the official website (Download Microsoft 365 (Formerly Office 365)

Once the Office setup file is downloaded, run it and let it download the whole suite of apps.

Now, open any Office app. For example, I launched Microsoft Word.

A pop-up dialog will appear. Click on “Skip for now”…

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Looking down the article, it’s clear that the ad-supported apps are only Word, Excel and PowerPoint in a restricted form.

That’s clear from the selection box which we’ve copied near the start of the article https://office-watch.com/2025/free-office-for-windows-is-being-trialed/ 

Microsoft itself makes the distinction between “Word, Excel and PowerPoint” vs “Microsoft 365”.

The ad-supported apps are based on the M365 apps but severely limited versions. So limited that it would be misleading to call them “Microsoft 365”.

Peter Deegan
Office-Watch.com

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Jim Wooden

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Peter:

Nice article, Thanks!

I have “super classic”  Office Professional 2021 LT license

In some update in the last few months they added AI/CoPilot to my install.

It shows up in the task list as:

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) Host for the Microsoft® Windows® Operating System and Platform x64.”

It seems to be slowing my machine down, and I don’t want it…

Yet I can’t find the “disable” button that seems to work for 365

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Jim

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Have you checked the Knowledgebase article?

cheers, Paul

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Jim Wooden wrote:

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) Host for the Microsoft® Windows® Operating System and Platform x64.”

That’s not Copilot, has been around for a couple of years, and is not likely to slow your computer down.

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Jim Wooden

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As others have mentioned – what you’re seeing is a part of Windows — nothing to do with Office.

I know the current fad is to blame Copilot for ‘everything’ but I agree that whatever is slowing down your computer is UNlikely to be some AI/Copilot component.

The Copilot elements added to Windows sit in the background until called — in stark contrast to Microsoft 365 <sigh>.

In any event, the perpetual licence versions of Office; 2024/2021 etc have NO Copilot integration.  Whatever is happening – it’s nothing to do with Copilot in Office 2021 because there’s no such thing.

Peter Deegan
Office-Watch.com

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Jim Wooden

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Or this one?

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Thanks folks!

I have this variant:

]“Artificial Intelligence (AI) Host for the Microsoft® Windows® Operating System and Platform x64.”

I’ll read the other threads again, but it looks like I need the  “NoAI.Bat”  solution  ;-0

 

 

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Hi Peter,

The thought I have is at the time of subscription renewal, if you want to change to 365 without copilot, you might have to purchase from Microsoft direct?
Because retailers won’t be selling that particular version with the cheaper price.

That is if there is any it is price reduction when switching.

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Yes, that’s exactly what I’m recommending.  Wait until renewal time before choosing Classic or not. The ‘Classic’ option might have changed at that time.

See https://office-watch.com/2025/hidden-traps-classic-microsoft-365-plans/ 

The only risk in waiting is if Microsoft drops the Classic option completely, which is possible but I think unlikely.

More likely is that ‘Classic’ might not be available to a customer after the next renewal. In other words, after the customer has accepted the higher price/Copilot plan.

No one knows what will happen yet — quite possibly even Microsoft!

Peter Deegan
Office-Watch.com

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