Copilot buttons are missing in classic Outlook for Windows

Last Updated: June 30, 2026

ISSUE

After classic Outlook for Windows updates to build 20026.20182 and higher, you no longer have Copilot Chat or Copilot entry points in Outlook. This issue happens when you only have the Copilot Chat (Basic) license. It does not occur if you have the M365 paid Copilot license (Premium). For more information about how to check your license, go to What Copilot license do I have.

For example, the button on the side navigation and the button above the ribbon are missing.

Affected users may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

  • The Copilot button is missing from the top-right area above the ribbon.

  • The Copilot icon is missing from the left app bar or More Apps area in classic Outlook.

  • In Add Apps, Copilot may appear as an available app, but selecting Open does nothing.

  • Adding Copilot through ribbon customization may show the command as unavailable or grayed out.

  • Copilot remains available from other entry points, such as Outlook on the web or the Microsoft 365 Copilot standalone app or web experience.

STATUS: FIXED

The Outlook Team fixed this issue with a change from the service on June 29, 2026. If you do not see this change immediately, restart Outlook to pick up the change. Also, make sure you are updated to the latest build by selecting File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.

WORKAROUND

To work around the issue, use new Outlook or Outlook Web Access (OWA).

Revert Current Channel to the build before the issue started.

  1. Open a Command Prompt in Administrator context.

  2. Type or paste the command below and press Enter:
    "%programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\officec2rclient.exe" /update user updatetoversion=16.0.20026.20168

  3. To prevent Office updating back to the latest build you can turn off updates by clicking File, Office Account, Update Options, Disable Updates.

  4. Put a reminder on your calendar for August 11th to re-enable updates.  Or check back on this Known Issue in case it is addressed sooner.

The builds to revert are taken from the Update History page, for more information please go to Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps (listed by date).

Additional Resources

Chat with Copilot in Outlook

Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Outlook

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See Also

Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in classic Outlook for Windows