This month’s cumulative patches have automatically and mistakenly wiped Copilot from some Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems.

Microsoft quietly slipped the warning into updated support documents days after its latest Patch Tuesday update. The reason appears to be KB5053598 for Windows 24H2 and KB5053606 for Windows 10 22H2, released on 11 March.  

“We're aware of an issue with the Microsoft Copilot app affecting some devices. The app is unintentionally uninstalled and unpinned from the taskbar,” Vole admitted, while reassuring that the Microsoft 365 Copilot app remains untouched.

Copilot for Windows is proving to be a bit of a cursed project. 

For now, Vole suggests that affected users reinstall Copilot from the Microsoft Store and manually pin it back to the taskbar—assuming they actually want it back. Given that not all Microsoft users are thrilled about Copilot’s presence in the first place, some may see this as a happy accident rather than a bug. 

This isn’t the first time Microsoft’s AI assistant has had an identity crisis. Last June, the company had to remove a rogue Copilot app that was “incorrectly” shoved onto Windows systems via a dodgy Edge update. Back then, Vole  insisted the app wasn’t doing anything nefarious, just quietly preparing devices for Copilot’s grand entrance. 

And let’s not forget the time Copilot accidentally made its way into Windows Server 2025 preview builds, only to be swiftly booted after admins across the globe collectively lost their minds. 

Meanwhile, Microsoft is pressing ahead with new Copilot features, including a press-to-talk function that lets users interact with the AI assistant by holding Alt + Spacebar for two seconds. Assuming Copilot doesn’t mysteriously vanish from their system first.