Microsoft Fixes Classic Outlook Copilot Button Disappearance Issue

Classic Outlook Copilot buttons issue has now been fixed after Microsoft resolved a bug that caused Copilot Chat and Copilot entry points to disappear for some Windows users.

Microsoft says the problem affected Classic Outlook for Windows users who only had the Copilot Chat (Basic) license. The issue appeared after Outlook updated to build 20026.20182 or later, while users with a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license were not affected.

Copilot buttons disappeared from Classic Outlook

According to Microsoft, affected users could lose access to several Copilot entry points inside Classic Outlook.

The Copilot button could disappear from the top-right area above the ribbon. The Copilot icon could also go missing from the left app bar or the More Apps section.

Some users could still see Copilot in Add Apps, but selecting Open would do nothing. Others found that adding Copilot through ribbon customization could show the command as unavailable or grayed out.

Microsoft also noted that Copilot could remain available through other entry points, including Outlook on the web and the Microsoft 365 Copilot standalone app or web experience.

Microsoft fixed the Outlook Copilot issue

Microsoft marked the issue as fixed and said the Outlook Team resolved it through a service change on June 29, 2026.

Users who still do not see Copilot buttons in Classic Outlook should restart the app to pick up the change. Microsoft also recommends installing the latest Office build by going to File, Office Account, Update Options, and selecting Update Now.

Temporary workarounds are still available

Users who cannot update right away can use New Outlook or Outlook Web Access as temporary alternatives.

Microsoft also lists a rollback option for Current Channel users. The company says users can revert to build 16.0.20026.20168, which came before the issue started.

However, this workaround should only serve as a temporary fix. Users who disable Office updates to stay on the older build should re-enable updates later to avoid missing future fixes and security improvements.

In other Outlook news, Microsoft recently improved PST support in New Outlook. However, some users still say New Outlook notifications feel slower than expected, keeping Classic Outlook relevant for people who rely on fast desktop alerts.

Via BleepingComputer