LG Will Allow Users Remove Copilot Shortcut in Upcoming webOS Update

Earlier this week, a Reddit post became a talking point for LG TV owners. What began as a mere complaint about Microsoft Copilot on Reddit quickly turned into a big backlash; they were fuming about the idea of an AI assistant appearing on their TVs and that they couldn’t remove/uninstall it.

The Reddit post thread quickly went viral, with many accusing Microsoft of forcing AI even into living rooms. The post grabbed over 36,000 upvotes, with many claiming that the Copilot pop-up was intrusive and unnecessary. That’s not all; privacy advocates also jumped in, and rightly so, calling out the possibility of Copilot even using the TV’s built-in microphones. Well, LG is now backing down, thankfully.

In an email statement provided to Bloomberg, an LG spokesperson attempted to calm the situation while clarifying how Copilot works on its televisions. “We want to clarify that Microsoft Copilot is provided as a shortcut icon to enhance customer accessibility and convenience,” the spokesperson said. They added that Copilot isn’t a native TV app but simply a link that opens Microsoft’s AI assistant in a web browser.

LG also addressed privacy fears directly. According to the spokesperson, Copilot will only activate the TV’s microphone with “the customer’s explicit consent,” pushing back on claims that the assistant listens by default. More importantly, LG confirmed that it will allow customers to delete the Copilot shortcut entirely in an upcoming webOS software update. That change appears to be a direct response to the growing backlash.

Rishaj Upadhyay

News Editor

Rishaj is a tech writer who has been writing professionally for over four years, with a passion for Android, Windows, and all things tech. He initially joined Windows Report as a tech journalist and is now taking over as a news editor. When he’s not breaking the keyboard, you can find him cooking, or listening to music/podcasts.