Two years since its release, Microsoft is killing off Outlook's Themes by Copilot feature

Credit: Microsoft Published Oct 11, 2026, 2:06 AM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary Microsoft is retiring Outlook Themes by Copilot; the feature will be removed from Settings. Active Copilot themes stay until you change them - switching to a non-Copilot theme deletes them permanently. Microsoft is pruning low-use Copilot features to focus AI efforts on the Copilot app and Taskbar Search. 2024 was kind of a weird time for AI as a whole. Nobody was sure what people wanted from AI or how to monetise it, and you could argue that people still don't really know. However, I think we're at the point where we do know that people won't pay a monthly fee to get AI-generated themes for their email client. Well, that's exactly what Microsoft tried back in November 2024, and now, two years after it arrived, the Redmond giant is getting rid of it. However, given how the company is going full speed ahead in other areas of its AI assistant, it feels less like the removal of Copilot from Microsoft apps and more like the company redirecting its efforts to where they're needed most. Microsoft is scrapping Themes by Copilot in Outlook Any AI-created theme you currently have will stick around until you change it As spotted by Neowin, Microsoft has sent out a new notice via the Microsoft 365 Message Center. Titled "MC1492954 - Microsoft Outlook: Themes by Copilot retirement," the company explains that it's going to remove the Themes by Copilot feature from Outlook very soon: "We are retiring Themes by Copilot in Microsoft Outlook. Themes by Copilot currently allows users with a Copilot license to create and apply a Copilot-generated theme in Settings. As part of this change, Themes by Copilot will be removed from Settings, and users will no longer be able to select or return to a Theme by Copilot after changing to a different theme." If you have a Copilot-generated theme and you're not ready to say goodbye just yet, it'll stick around even after the update. However, the moment you swap to a non-Copilot theme, it'll vanish forever, so be careful if you want to save it. While Microsoft didn't explain why it's removing the feature, it's likely because the company is pruning the areas where people aren't using Copilot to make room for the places where people are. For instance, the company recently announced big improvements to the Copilot app and the Taskbar Search feature that show its AI ambitions are still very much alive and well.