Microsoft Is Removing Copilot Actions From OneDrive's File Explorer Menu in November
A Microsoft 365 message center notice says the Summarize, Compare and Extract Text shortcuts will go, leaving a single Ask Copilot entry.
Microsoft is retiring most of the Copilot shortcuts that appear when a user right-clicks a OneDrive file in Windows File Explorer. The removal begins in mid-November 2026 and is expected to finish worldwide by early December, according to Microsoft 365 message center post MC1515940, published on October 19 and updated on October 20.
What disappears
The notice is titled "Microsoft OneDrive, Copilot actions in the File Explorer context menu are being retired," and is tagged as a major change with a worldwide rollout. It lists these actions for removal:
| Copilot action in the OneDrive right-click menu | Status |
|---|---|
| Summarize | Retiring |
| Create FAQ | Retiring |
| Compare Files | Retiring |
| Ask a question | Retiring |
| Explain image / Explain images | Retiring |
| Compare images | Retiring |
| Extract text | Retiring |
| Ask Copilot | Stays |
Because Microsoft lists Explain image and Explain images as separate entries, most outlets, including Notebookcheck and Windows Latest, count eight actions; in practice it is seven distinct features.
gHacks, which brought the notice to wider attention on October 21, quotes Microsoft: "We're simplifying how people use Copilot with their OneDrive files in File Explorer."
What stays
Microsoft is not removing Copilot from File Explorer altogether. Users can still right-click a OneDrive file and choose Ask Copilot, which opens a new Copilot chat with the file attached. The Copilot icon that appears when hovering over files on the File Explorer Home page remains, as do Copilot actions in the OneDrive activity centre. Files are attached by reference, and Microsoft says permissions are unchanged.
In practice, a user who wants a summary will have to open the Ask Copilot chat and request it there instead of picking Summarize from the menu. The capability stays; the one-click entry points go.
Who is affected
The notice says no administrator action is required, so the change applies automatically wherever the Copilot actions are enabled. Microsoft has not given an exact date within mid-November, or said whether the change arrives through Windows Update or a OneDrive or Copilot service update. Help desks that documented the shortcuts have about a month to update their instructions.
The practical impact is limited, since the shortcuts affect only OneDrive files and only users who have been using them. The rollout is worldwide with no regional exceptions, so users in India will see the same change on the same schedule.
Why Microsoft may be doing it
Microsoft's stated reason is simplification: removing eight menu entries in favour of one trims a crowded right-click menu considerably. Windows Latest frames it as part of a wider scaling back of Copilot in Windows 11 after user backlash, but Microsoft has not given any reason beyond the quote above.
What to watch next
The exact rollout date, which Microsoft may add by updating the message center post, and whether it removes other Copilot shortcuts from Windows menus beyond OneDrive files.
