How to Disable or Remap the Copilot Key in Windows 11

By Game Osborne · September 4, 2026 · Windows · Windows 11, Copilot, keyboard shortcuts

Stop opening Copilot by accident by disabling its keyboard key or turning it into something more useful.

First, check Windows Settings

Some newer Windows 11 computers have a built-in setting for the Copilot key. This is the easiest and safest method, so try it first.

Microsoft says the available choices can depend on your Windows version and the keyboard manufacturer. On supported computers, you can change the Copilot key into Right Ctrl or the Context menu key. The Context menu key opens the same small menu you normally see after right-clicking an item.

If you do not see the setting described below, nothing is wrong with your computer. Continue to the PowerToys method.

1. Press Windows key+I to open Settings.
2. Select Bluetooth & devices on the left side of Settings.
3. Select Keyboard.
4. Find the setting for configuring the Copilot key.
5. Choose Right Ctrl to make the key work like the Control key on the right side of a traditional keyboard.
6. Choose Context menu instead if you want the key to open right-click menus.

A small warning about Right Ctrl

If you select Right Ctrl, a few shortcuts involving the left Shift key may behave inconsistently on certain keyboards. Microsoft recommends using the physical right Shift key with those shortcuts if this happens.

Also check whether your laptop maker provides its own keyboard-control program. If it does, use either that program or the Windows setting. Do not configure the same key in both places, because the two settings may compete with each other.

Use PowerToys for more control

If Windows does not show a Copilot-key setting, try Microsoft PowerToys. PowerToys is a free collection of extra Windows tools from Microsoft. Its Keyboard Manager can change what a key does.

These instructions assume a current version of PowerToys. Button names can move slightly between releases, but the dependable path is PowerToys, Keyboard Manager, and then Remap a key.

1. Open the Microsoft Store from the Start menu.
2. Search the Store for Microsoft PowerToys.
3. Select Microsoft PowerToys in the search results.
4. Select Install.
5. Open PowerToys after the installation finishes.
6. Select Keyboard Manager in the left-hand menu.
7. Turn on Enable Keyboard Manager if it is switched off.
8. Select Remap a key.
9. Select the plus button to add a new remapping.
10. Select the source-key button in the Select column.
11. Press the physical Copilot key on your keyboard.
12. Confirm the detected key or key combination.

Disable the key completely

To make the Copilot key do nothing, set its destination to Disable. PowerToys may warn that the key will no longer have an assigned action. That warning is expected in this case.

The change works while PowerToys and Keyboard Manager are running. If the old behavior returns after a restart, open PowerToys and check that Keyboard Manager is still enabled.

1. Open the destination menu under To send.
2. Choose Disable.
3. Select OK in the upper-right corner.
4. Accept the warning about the key having no assignment.
5. Press the Copilot key once to test it.

Turn it into a useful key or shortcut

Instead of disabling the key, you can assign another action in the To send column. Right Ctrl and the Context menu key are sensible choices if your keyboard lost one of those keys when the Copilot key was added.

You can also choose a frequently used key or shortcut. For example, Windows key+E opens File Explorer. PowerToys versions differ here: some let you select a shortcut directly in the destination area, while others provide a separate Remap a shortcut screen.

Copilot-key hardware also varies. On some computers, PowerToys may detect the key as a combination such as Windows key+C rather than as one named key. Keep whatever PowerToys detects as the source. That is the signal your particular keyboard is sending.

1. Open the To send destination for your Copilot-key remapping.
2. Select the replacement key you want, such as Right Ctrl.
3. Choose the shortcut option instead if your PowerToys version displays one.
4. Enter your preferred shortcut, such as Windows key+E.
5. Select OK to save the remapping.
6. Press the Copilot key to test its new job.

Bottom line

Check Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Keyboard first. If your PC does not offer a Copilot-key setting, Microsoft PowerToys can disable the key or give it a more useful job.