RemoveWindowsAI: PowerShell Script to Remove Copilot and Recall from Windows 11

What RemoveWindowsAI Removes and Why That Matters on Windows 11

Microsoft's Windows 11 25H2 build and later versions add an expanding set of AI features that include Copilot, Recall, input insights, typing data harvesting, AI voice effects, AI features in Paint and Photos, Click to Do in the Snipping Tool, and Copilot integration in Office apps and Edge. RemoveWindowsAI is a PowerShell script that targets these components systematically. Its purpose, as stated in the README, is to improve user experience, privacy, and security by removing all of these features. The script covers both surface-level disablement through registry keys and deeper removal through the Component-Based Servicing store and Appx package management. This dual approach addresses the problem that re-enabling disabled Windows Update packages can reinstall AI features after a system update, which a registry-only approach cannot prevent. The repository is at github.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI and has no formal GitHub releases; updates are tracked directly through commits to the main branch. The last push was on 2026-09-27.

What the Script Does: Registry, Appx Packages, and CBS Cleanup

The README documents a layered set of operations. At the registry level, the script disables Copilot, Recall, input insights, gaming Copilot, AI Actions, Voice Access, AI voice effects, AI features in Settings Search, AI in Photos, Click to Do, and the AI Rewrite feature in Notepad. At the package level, the script removes all AI Appx packages including those marked Nonremovable, removes the WindowsWorkload packages, and removes the Recall optional feature. The CBS (Component-Based Servicing) cleanup removes hidden and locked AI packages from the CBS store, which is what prevents Windows Update from reinstalling AI features. The script also removes all AI-related scheduled tasks and optionally disables the Defender AI Platform host process. A custom Windows Update package is installed to block AI package reinstallation through the CBS store.

Running RemoveWindowsAI from PowerShell

The README requires Windows PowerShell 5.1 and warns that PowerShell 7 will cause issues. The script must be run as Administrator. Launch the interactive UI version with this command.

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI/main/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1")))

This fetches the script from the project's own GitHub repository and executes it in the current PowerShell session. The README also documents a shortened URL via an open-source link shortener at kutt.to/RWAI as an alternative. Some third-party anti-virus products flag this invocation as malicious. The README describes these as false positives and recommends either temporarily disabling the anti-virus or adding the script as an exclusion. Testing in a virtual machine before running on a production system is also suggested in the README.

Non-Interactive Mode and Specific Option Selection

The script accepts command-line parameters for automated or headless deployment. To run all options without interaction.

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI/main/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1"))) -nonInteractive -AllOptions

To run only specific options, pass them as a comma-separated list to -Options.

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI/main/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1"))) -nonInteractive -Options DisableRegKeys,RemoveAppxPackages,DisableCopilotPolicies

The README lists all possible option values: DisableRegKeys, PreventAIPackageReinstall, DisableCopilotPolicies, RemoveAppxPackages, RemoveRecallFeature, RemoveCBSPackages, RemoveAIFiles, HideAIComponents, DisableRewrite, RemoveWindowsAITasks, UpdateCleanupCheck. The -ExcludeOptions flag inverts the selection, applying all options except those listed.

Backup Mode, Revert, and the UpdateCleanupCheck Task

To enable reverting changes, run the script with -backupMode before applying options. Backup mode creates a Windows restore point as part of the process. With a restore point in place, the revert mode can fully undo the changes.

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI/main/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1"))) -nonInteractive -revertMode -AllOptions

The UpdateCleanupCheck option creates a scheduled task that runs after Windows updates to detect and remove newly installed AI features. The README notes that any AI feature added to a Windows Insider build will not be added to the script until that feature reaches the latest stable release. This means there may be a window after a major Windows update during which newly introduced AI features are not yet covered. The script commit history at github.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI/commits/main/ tracks updates as new features are addressed. The README also warns that backup mode must be enabled before running the removal options in order to create the restore point; it cannot be created retroactively after changes have been applied.

Classic App Replacement Option

The README describes an optional Install Classic Apps mode that replaces modern AI-integrated versions of Notepad, Paint, and the Snipping Tool with their classic counterparts. Photo Viewer, which was removed from Windows 11, can also be restored, and a Photos Legacy version can be installed. These replacements target applications that have had AI features added in recent Windows versions, such as the Rewrite feature in Notepad and AI-generated content in Photos. Running the classic app installation through the non-interactive mode uses the -InstallClassicApps parameter followed by a comma-separated list of app names: photoviewer, mspaint, snippingtool, notepad, or photoslegacy. The OtherAIFeatures.md file in the repository documents additional AI features that cannot be disabled via the script and require manual steps. The ClassicApps/ directory in the repository contains the supporting files for the classic app restoration. The RemoveAI-UpdateCleanup.ps1 file in the repository root is the scheduled task script created by the UpdateCleanupCheck option, and it runs after Windows updates to detect and remove newly reinstalled AI components before the user notices them.

RemoveWindowsAI versus Win11Debloat

Win11Debloat is another PowerShell script for removing unwanted components from Windows 11. Its scope is broader than AI features: it targets bloatware applications, telemetry, and miscellaneous Windows components that users commonly remove. RemoveWindowsAI focuses exclusively on AI-related features and takes a deeper approach to prevention by modifying the CBS store and installing a custom update package to block reinstallation. The two tools address different needs. Win11Debloat is more suitable for general Windows bloat removal, while RemoveWindowsAI is the targeted choice when the specific concern is AI features and the data collection tied to them. Using both together is a use case the README does not document, so the interaction between the two scripts would need to be tested before deploying in a managed environment. The OtherAIFeatures.md file in the RemoveWindowsAI repository covers features that the script cannot yet disable automatically, providing a manual guide for the remaining AI surface area that scripting cannot reach. The LICENSE file in the repository is MIT. The README also links to a YouTube guide and a Discord server for support.

Editorial conclusion

RemoveWindowsAI suits Windows 11 users who want to remove Copilot, Recall, and related AI components from their system using a scriptable, reversible approach. It does not support Windows 10 features or features in Windows Insider builds before they reach the stable release. Before running it, enable backup mode with -backupMode to create a restore point so that the -revertMode option can fully undo the changes. Run it only with Windows PowerShell 5.1; the README warns that PowerShell 7 will cause issues.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. Issues
2. License: MIT
3. README
4. zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI on GitHub