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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.”
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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.