Copilot buttons are missing in classic Outlook for Windows

Last Updated: September 15, 2026

ISSUE

After classic Outlook for Windows updates to build 20026.20182 and higher, you no longer have Copilot Chat or Copilot entry points in Outlook. This issue happens if you have a Copilot Chat (Basic) license or a paid M365 Copilot (Premium) account. For more information about how to check your license, go to What Copilot license do I have.

For example, the button on the side navigation and the button above the ribbon are missing.

Affected users may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

  • The Copilot button is missing from the top-right area above the ribbon.

  • The Copilot icon is missing from the left app bar or More Apps area in classic Outlook.

  • In Add Apps, Copilot may appear as an available app, but selecting Open does nothing.

  • Adding Copilot through ribbon customization may show the command as unavailable or grayed out.

  • Copilot remains available from other entry points, such as Outlook on the web or the Microsoft Copilot standalone app or web experience.

STATUS: INVESTIGATING

The Outlook Team is actively investigating this issue. Current analysis indicates that, in affected environments, Outlook is unable to locate the MAPI property PR_PROFILE_USER_SMTP_EMAIL_ADDRESS_W within the null profile section. As a result, the Outlook Copilot component cannot persist in Copilot-related settings, which may prevent the Copilot entry point from appearing in the Outlook navigation pane.

WORKAROUND

To work around the issue, use new Outlook or Outlook Web Access (OWA), or you can create a new Outlook profile.

In addition, you can enable the Show Apps in Outlook feature:

  1. Select the File tab, then Options.

  2. Select Advanced, then under Outlook panes, check the box for Show Apps in Outlook.

    The image shows the Show Apps in Outlook option in the Options/Advanced menu.

Additional Resources

Create a profile in classic Outlook for Windows

Chat with Copilot in Outlook

Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Outlook

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See Also

Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in classic Outlook for Windows