microsoft has begun to eliminate the copilot Notepad mark on windows 11, with a new preview version now available to all Windows Insiders. The update replaces the Copilot icon with a pencil icon and renames the AI menu to “writing tools.” The main functionality remains the same.
The update is included in the Notepad version. 11.2512.28.0. References to AI and Copilot in Notepad settings have also been removed, and the option to enable or disable AI typing features is now located under “Advanced Features.”
Microsoft’s broader effort to remove Copilot branding in Windows 11
Microsoft confirmed in January that it plans to remove or rename Copilot features in several built-in Windows 11 apps. The company said it was looking at how to optimize AI features across the operating system, and that Copilot buttons in several apps are likely to be removed or replaced.
Notepad appears to be the first app to undergo this change. Microsoft has indicated that Paint, which also includes Copilot integration, and File Explorer, which has multiple Copilot hooks, are likely next to receive similar updates.
The rebrand does not eliminate AI functionality. Users who don’t want the writing tools can still turn them off through Notepad’s advanced features settings. The change only affects how features are labeled and presented, not their capabilities.
Microsoft has not provided a timeline for when the Copilot rebranding will be applied to other Windows 11 apps or when the Notepad update will be available to non-Insider users.
