How to Enable or Disable Web Search in Copilot
Web search in Copilot lets the Microsoft AI assistant pull up-to-date information from the web when it answers your questions. It is on by default. When it is on, Copilot can use the Bing search engine to add fresh facts to its answers, such as recent news or current prices.
Copilot is Microsoft’s AI assistant. It answers questions, creates images from your ideas, and helps improve your writing. Sign in with a personal Microsoft account to get chat history, image creation, longer conversations, and voice chat.
You can turn web search on or off for your Microsoft account. The change works in the Copilot app, on the Copilot website, or in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11. When web search is off, Copilot answers only from what it already knows and does not add web content.
Open Copilot Chat settings, select Personalization, then select Advanced and switch the Web search toggle on or off. You can do this in the Copilot app, on the copilot.com website, or from the Copilot Chat icon in Microsoft Edge on Windows 11. Web search is on by default, and the change applies to your Microsoft account.
Option One
Turn On or Off Web Search in Copilot from the Copilot app and web
Use this method if you work in the Copilot app or on the Copilot website.
- Open the copilot.com site or the Copilot app on Windows 11.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account if you are not already signed in.
- Open Copilot Chat settings.
- Select Personalization on the left side of Chat settings.
- Select Advanced to expand it.
- Turn Web search on (the default) or off.
Option Two
Turn On or Off Web Search in Copilot from Microsoft Edge
Use this method if you use Copilot from the Edge toolbar.
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Sign in to Microsoft Edge with your Microsoft account if you are not already signed in.
- Select the Copilot Chat icon on the toolbar.
- Select the Settings and more (3 dots) button, then select Chat settings.
- Select Personalization in Chat settings.
- Select Advanced to expand it.
- Turn Web search on (the default) or off.
What to do next
To reverse the change, repeat the steps and flip the Web search toggle back. If Copilot still behaves the same way, check that every place you use it is signed in to the same Microsoft account.
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Richard
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Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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