LG Electronics will allow users to remove the Microsoft Copilot AI assistant shortcut from its Smart TVs after customer complaints surfaced on social media. The issue arose following a recent webOS update that added the Copilot icon to TV home screens without a deletion option.
A Reddit post on the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit garnered over 36,000 upvotes as users voiced frustration over the forced addition. LG representative Chris De Maria told The Verge the company “honors consumer preferences and will implement measures to allow users to eliminate the shortcut icon if they desire.” LG provided no timeline for the change.
De Maria explained the 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 noted that features like microphone input activate only with explicit user permission.
LG’s support documentation specifies that certain preinstalled or system apps on its Smart TVs cannot be deleted. Affected users reported they could only hide the Copilot icon from the home screen, not remove it entirely.
The complaints underscore user irritation with AI features added without consent. LG and Samsung revealed plans at CES in January 2025 to integrate Microsoft’s Copilot into their TVs for AI-driven personalization.
Users focused their criticism on the absence of choice in installing the shortcut, not on Copilot’s functions. The situation resembles backlash against Samsung for automatically adding Google’s Gemini assistant to certain TV models.
On Reddit, some users recommended disconnecting TVs from the internet or deploying network blockers like Pi-hole to limit the icon’s visibility.
LG has not announced when the deletion option will roll out, so users await a future software update.
