Microsoft Edge recent update patches issue that randomly installs Copilot app on Windows 11 PCs

Microsoft said a little while ago that an update of the Edge browser prompted an unexpected 8KB installation of Copilot, its AI-powered assistant tool. And now, the Redmond company finally fixed this issue.

In an updated entry on its health release page, Microsoft said that an Edge update dated April 26, 2024, finally removed the problematic package from all servers affected. After updating, users won’t see ‘Microsoft Copilot’ in their Installed apps list anymore. Future Edge versions will tweak or remove this component from certain devices, too.

The update brings the current stable version’s number to 124.0.2478.67. What happened was that Edge’s March 2024 update incorrectly installed the package on Windows devices, although it’s not fully functional because it wasn’t properly installed.

“It is important to note that the Microsoft chat provider for Copilot in Windows does not execute any code or process, and does not acquire, analyze, or transmit device or environment data in any capacity,” Microsoft states in the update. 

Microsoft explains that the installation wasn’t on purpose and was only meant to get some Windows devices ready for future Copilot use, not all of them. Besides removing the mistake, the latest update also brings security warnings for downloading over HTTP.

Microsoft has been really keen on promoting Copilot, no doubt about it. They’ve gone so far as to bombard us with repetitive Copilot ads, and even if they didn’t intend to, people wouldn’t be all that surprised.