LG Electronics is set to allow users to remove the Microsoft Copilot AI assistant shortcut from its Smart TVs following a backlash on social media over the forced addition of the icon.
A recent webOS update added the Copilot icon to TV home screens without providing a deletion option, sparking widespread frustration among users. A Reddit post on the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit garnered over 36,000 upvotes as users voiced their discontent. In response, LG representative Chris De Maria told The Verge that the company “honors consumer preferences and will implement measures to allow users to eliminate the shortcut icon if they desire.” However, LG did not provide a timeline for when this change would be implemented.
De Maria explained that the Copilot icon serves as a shortcut to Microsoft’s Copilot web application, which opens in the TV’s browser rather than as a native integrated app. He also noted that features like microphone input are only activated with explicit user permission. According to LG’s support documentation, certain preinstalled or system apps on its Smart TVs cannot be deleted. As a result, affected users reported that they could only hide the Copilot icon from the home screen, not remove it entirely.
The complaints highlight user irritation with AI features being added without their consent. At CES in January 2025, LG and Samsung revealed plans to integrate Microsoft’s Copilot into their TVs for AI-driven personalization. Users focused their criticism on the lack of choice in installing the shortcut, rather than the functions of Copilot itself. This situation is reminiscent of the backlash against Samsung for automatically adding Google’s Gemini assistant to certain TV models.
On Reddit, some users suggested workarounds such as disconnecting their TVs from the internet or using network blockers like Pi-hole to limit the icon’s visibility. LG has not announced when the deletion option will be rolled out, leaving users to await a future software update.
