Microsoft Word 365 users are frustrated by the Copilot Summary feature that refuses to disappear. Copilot Summary automatically appears above documents and can’t be fully hidden or disabled. While designed to help summarize content, its lack of control options and buggy behavior have made it more of an annoyance than an aid, typical of Microsoft’s aggressive Copilot rollout.
Copilot Summary appears above a document like this in the latest Word 365 with paid Copilot plan. It appears automatically and there’s no way to get rid of it.
That’s a Copilot summary view of the document (not always accurate). The summary could be very helpful for busy people but there’s a big problem with the current implementation – there’s no way to close or hide the summary. Microsoft’s only small concession is making the default summary a little less obvious, but the company can’t bring itself to add a “go away” or “hide” choice.
All a paying customer can do is leave the single collapsed row above the document (see above), the only choice is “View more” or perhaps “Generate” to get a longer summary plus “Insights” and perhaps “Discussion”.
“Insights” is new and means that Microsoft developers have been tasked with adding more to the Summary feature but not a second or dollar spent on something that paying customers really want.
You have to wonder how such a feature gets anywhere near even Beta/Insiders without a full close/hide option? Then persist in public releases for over six months and plenty of customer feedback without any change. Does Microsoft seriously think that Copilot and Word Summaries are so damn good that user would always want them? Wiser heads at Microsoft know better, but the company’s focus is on selling Copilot by any means possible. Customers needs are secondary.
Collapse Copilot Summary
At File | Options | Copilot there MIGHT be a choice “Collapse Copilot Summary automatically”. Not everyone sees this at File | Options | Copilot.
If you’re lucky enough to have any choice, it only ‘collapse’ or minimize to the single top row. No choice to remove the Summary completely or have it appear only when the user asks for it.
Copilot is a toxic brand
It’s being said that “Copilot” is becoming a toxic brand and Copilot in the Office apps are a good example of why.
Other problems with Copilot Summary in its current form:
- Clicking the minimized Copilot Summary bar opens the full summary but clicking again does NOT close it. The user has to use the small arrow at right to partly hide Copilot Summary.
- Doesn’t anyone at Microsoft remember how the Office tabs work? Double-click to minimize, do it again to restore the full ribbon.
- No way to make the Copilot Summary appear if you want it. The Summary appears when the software thinks it should.
- Oh yes and the ‘i’ icon top right of the summary doesn’t do anything at all.
All those bugs are basic issues that should be built into the feature from the very start. It seems Microsoft is dumping more and more Copilot features into their apps without even the basic functionality tests or considering customers feedback.
Copilot coverage at Office-Watch.com
