Microsoft trims Copilot UI

Microsoft has started stripping Copilot branding out of some Windows 11 apps, beginning with Notepad’s toolbar and menu labels. (blogs.windows.com) On March 20, 2026, Microsoft said it would cut “unnecessary Copilot entry points” in apps including Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad, while keeping artificial intelligence where it is “most meaningful.” (blogs.windows.com) In the latest Notepad preview for Windows Insiders, the old Copilot menu is being replaced by a pen icon and a “writing tools” label, according to reports on the rollout published April 11 and April 10. (theverge.com) (engadget.com) The functions inside Notepad are not going away. Microsoft’s support page still lists Rewrite, Summarize, and Write as built-in features, and says they use GPT through a cloud service tied to a Microsoft account and AI credits. (support.microsoft.com 1) (support.microsoft.com 2) That marks a shift from Microsoft’s 2024 and 2025 push to put Copilot front and center across Windows. In March 2025, the company rolled out a native Copilot app for Windows with an Alt + Space shortcut and support for the Copilot key on some new personal computers. (blogs.windows.com) Notepad itself had been moving in the opposite direction for more than a year. Microsoft added “Explain with Copilot” in February 2024, then introduced Rewrite in November 2024, and by January 2026 it was expanding faster “streaming” results for Write, Rewrite, and Summarize. (blogs.windows.com 1) (blogs.windows.com 2) (blogs.windows.com 3) Microsoft’s public explanation is about interface clutter and product quality, not a retreat from artificial intelligence. The same March 20 post paired the Copilot cleanup with broader changes to reduce update noise, simplify widgets, and add more taskbar customization. (blogs.windows.com) The practical effect is that Windows users may see fewer Copilot badges even as the same text-generation tools stay in place. Microsoft is still selling Copilot as a standalone app and still wiring AI features into Windows apps; it is just naming fewer buttons after it. (support.microsoft.com 1) (support.microsoft.com 2)