Microsoft Fixes Classic Outlook Bug Hiding Copilot Buttons for Some Windows Users

Copilot Buttons Disappeared in Classic Outlook

Microsoft has addressed a known problem affecting the classic Outlook desktop mail client on Windows. Some users with Copilot Chat (Basic) licenses or Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium) accounts reported that the Copilot Chat and Copilot buttons were no longer visible in the side navigation and above the ribbon within the application.

Symptoms of the Bug

Affected users experienced several issues, including the Copilot button missing from the top-right area above the ribbon, the Copilot icon being absent from the left app bar, and Copilot appearing as available in 'Add Apps' but failing to open. Additionally, adding Copilot through ribbon customization showed the command as unavailable or grayed out. Copilot remained accessible via Outlook on the web or the standalone Microsoft Copilot app.

Root Cause and Resolution

Microsoft identified the cause as a bug preventing Outlook from retrieving specific account information from the user's Outlook profile. This issue had previously been fixed in June but resurfaced after recent updates. Microsoft has now confirmed the issue is resolved. The company noted that missing Copilot buttons can have multiple underlying causes, including licensing, app configuration, update channels, and privacy settings.

Temporary Workarounds Provided

For users still experiencing the problem, Microsoft suggests a temporary workaround: enabling the 'Show Apps in Outlook' option. This can be done by navigating to File > Options > Advanced in classic Outlook and checking the 'Show Apps in Outlook' box under 'Outlook panes'. Alternatively, affected users can use the new Outlook email client or Outlook Web Access (OWA), which were not impacted by this bug, or create a new Outlook profile.