Is Microsoft Spying Through Copilot in Notepad on Windows 11? Here’s the Truth and What You Can Do
Microsoft’s new update for Windows 11 has quietly added Copilot integration to Notepad, one of the simplest and most trusted apps in Windows history. While Microsoft presents this as a productivity boost, users across privacy forums are asking a serious question: Is Microsoft spying on what we type in Notepad?
This growing concern has sparked a heated discussion online, especially among privacy advocates who feel that even simple offline tools are no longer private. Let’s explore what’s really going on, what risks exist, and how you can protect your privacy while using Windows 11.
🧩 What Changed: Copilot Comes to Notepad
The once-minimal Notepad app in Windows 11 now features a Copilot icon — Microsoft’s AI assistant. The idea is simple: you can highlight or write text, then click the icon to get help, explanations, or summaries using AI.
But that’s where the concern begins. Users immediately noticed that this means your text could be sent to Microsoft’s servers for processing — something that goes directly against Notepad’s long-standing reputation as a fully offline text editor.
🕵️ The Privacy Debate
Across forums like Reddit’s r/privacy, users are raising the same issue:
- What happens to the text typed in Notepad?
- Does Microsoft record or analyze it?
- Is there any way to use Notepad privately again?
Key Community Reactions
- Many users now recommend Notepad++ or other open-source editors that work offline and don’t connect to the cloud.
- Some sarcastically commented that “Microsoft is the last company to trust with privacy.”
- Others pointed out that as long as you don’t click the Copilot button, your text should stay local — but once you do, it’s uploaded to Microsoft servers for AI processing.
- Some IT professionals suggest disabling Copilot entirely or avoiding Windows apps that integrate with AI if privacy is critical.
🧠 Is Microsoft Actually Spying Through Notepad?
To be clear — there’s no public evidence that Microsoft is secretly scanning Notepad text in the background. However, once Copilot is used, your text is sent to the cloud to generate AI responses. That’s how all cloud-based AI systems work, including Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and others.
The issue isn’t that Microsoft is reading your notes manually; it’s that the system processes them remotely, which naturally raises privacy concerns. For example:
- You might accidentally share sensitive information (passwords, personal details, or confidential notes).
- Microsoft’s privacy policy is vague about what’s stored, logged, or used for “improving services.”
- It’s unclear whether AI context (like prior conversations or open text) is kept for analytics.
In short, it’s less about direct spying and more about a loss of control over where your text data goes once AI features are used.
🔧 How to Disable or Limit Copilot in Notepad
If you want to continue using Notepad without worrying about Copilot, here’s what you can do:
1. Don’t Use the Copilot Button
Avoid clicking the Copilot icon in Notepad. This ensures your text remains local to your device.
2. Turn Off Copilot System-Wide
You can disable Copilot completely in Windows 11:
- Open Settings → Privacy & security → Windows permissions → Copilot.
- Toggle Copilot to Off.
This prevents AI from being accessible in any app, including Notepad.
3. Use Group Policy (for Admins)
If you’re an IT admin managing multiple devices:
- Go to Group Policy Editor → User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Copilot.
- Set Turn off Windows Copilot to Enabled.
This stops Copilot from appearing on all managed systems.
🖋️ Safer Alternatives for Privacy
If you prefer a text editor that respects your privacy, consider one of these options:
Notepad++
- Open-source and runs entirely offline.
- Supports advanced features like syntax highlighting and macros.
- No data is sent online unless you install optional plugins.
Notepad4 (GitHub)
- Modern clone of Notepad with a familiar interface.
- Lightweight, no telemetry, and ideal for Windows 11 users.
Other Offline Editors
- Geany, Kate, or Vim are great for both everyday writing and code editing.
- They work fully offline and are open-source, allowing public code audits for privacy assurance.
By using open-source tools, you know exactly what your software is doing — something closed-source apps like Notepad (now integrated with Copilot) can’t guarantee.
🔒 Why This Matters
Microsoft’s integration of AI into classic apps like Notepad, Paint, and File Explorer signals a major shift. It shows how AI is becoming deeply embedded in Windows, even in areas where users never expected cloud processing.
For privacy advocates, this change feels intrusive. Notepad was always known as a safe, local environment — a place to jot down ideas, write quick code, or store notes without internet involvement. Now, with AI connected to the cloud, users have to question every keystroke.
One Redditor summarized it well:
“It’s not about whether Microsoft is spying — it’s about not being able to tell if they aren’t.”
⚙️ What Privacy Experts Suggest
- Avoid AI tools in applications that handle sensitive or confidential data.
- Disable cloud syncing and telemetry under Windows Privacy Settings.
- Use a local account instead of signing in with a Microsoft account.
- Consider Linux or privacy-focused operating systems if data control is essential for your work.
Remember, once AI gets involved, your data isn’t just on your machine anymore — it’s part of someone else’s system, even if temporarily.
🧭 Final Thoughts
Microsoft’s Copilot is an impressive tool, but its integration into Notepad has reignited long-standing concerns about privacy and control. While there’s no proof that Microsoft is “spying” on users, the cloud dependency of AI processing means data must travel outside your PC — and that alone is enough for many users to step away.
If privacy matters to you, the solution is simple:
- Turn off Copilot.
- Stick with open-source, offline editors like Notepad++.
- Keep your workflow local, not in the cloud.
AI is changing how Windows works, but you can still choose how much of your data it sees.
Sources:
- Microsoft Support – Copilot and Privacy Settings
- Notepad++ and GitHub Open-Source Projects
