LG is backpedaling after complaints about unremovable Microsoft Copilot shortcuts popping up on its smart TVs. This will allow users to remove the Copilot icon altogether, instead of simply hiding it. An LG representative confirmed the change to numerous publications, noting that the company will make a plan that will allow owners to eliminate the shortcut if they so choose, and the fix “will become available via an update in [the] software.”
The action comes after people who didn’t want the Copilot tile showing up on the home screen’s shortcut bar complained when they couldn’t opt out of that appearance. The shortcut worked by opening Copilot in the TV’s web browser, rather than a specialized app, but could not be completely removed. For some, that stepped over the line from promotion to bloat.
What Exactly Is Changing in LG’s Copilot Shortcut Policy
Before this change, only the Copilot tile could be hidden for LG owners; doing so allowed its icon to linger in the launcher’s app-management flow and sometimes return in certain circumstances like reboots or updates.
LG says that the new update will give you the opportunity to remove the shortcut, which means it won’t show up as an installed item nor a pinned destination.
The shortcut was in fact little more than a browser bookmark of Microsoft’s AI assistant. That approach allowed the company to bring it to market fast across models and regions, but it also made its inclusion feel more like an ad placement than a feature. Once again allowing deletion restores one of the basic rules of TV UX: If you didn’t ask for it and don’t use it, you should be able to get rid of it.
Why It Matters for LG and Viewers of webOS TVs
webOS from LG is one of the most popular smart TV platforms around the world. Industry trackers like Omdia consistently rank LG among the top two TV makers by shipments, so small UI decisions send ripples across tens of millions of living rooms. Home screens have become prime real estate to plug services, but the backlash here shows there’s a clearly defined limit as to what users will put up with.
The dispute and broader issues around privacy and control on connected TVs have, in turn, helped to lift the standing of some smaller players. Smart TVs have long been chided by the Mozilla Foundation’s Privacy Not Included reports for their aggressive data collection habits and variety of preinstalled services. Allowing owners to delete unwanted shortcuts isn’t a panacea, but it is one step toward giving users control.
Microsoft’s Copilot Push And The TV Context
Microsoft is quickly spreading Copilot across Windows, Edge, and even testing it on Xbox, positioning the assistant as a cross-device layer for search, creation and assistance. A Copilot entry point for TV home screens fits into that strategy. The issue is context: a living room interface is optimized for lean-back streaming and fast app launches, not typing-intensive AI chatting in a browser.
There’s also a competitive angle. TV platforms are increasingly monetizing home screens with sponsored tiles and content discovery rails. Roku and Vizio, for instance, both publicly report expanded platform and advertising revenue lines. LG’s move implies that in an era when platforms are developing new revenue streams, a straightforward opt-out for add-ons like Copilot is table stakes for consumer trust.
How The Update Is Likely To Be Phased In
LG hasn’t given a specific timeline, but these kinds of changes tend to arrive as part of an over-the-air webOS software update that makes its way to broad markets one model and region at a time. When your TV gets that patch, get ready for a typical removal path like editing the home screen or app management. If you don’t already see the option, look for system updates and in the meantime hide the tile to remove it from your main launcher.
It’s a small adjustment with meaning, and a reminder that the best smart TV features respect unremarkable expectations — speed, privacy and control. LG’s U-turn shows it got the message – let users decide what lives on their home screen.
