Microsoft Copilot App Permanently Installed on LG TVs
▼ Summary
– LG smart TV users are complaining about an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app appearing on their home screens after a webOS update.
– LG had previously announced its AI focus, including integrating Copilot to help users organize information, and rebranding features and its remote with “AI” labels.
– According to LG’s manual, users cannot delete preinstalled or system apps like Copilot from their smart TVs.
– Other TV manufacturers, like TCL and Samsung, are also integrating AI tools such as Gemini and Copilot, but Samsung’s approach may not involve a permanent homescreen app.
– LG appears particularly committed to AI, with its latest TVs featuring extensive AI-branded capabilities like AI Picture Pro and even a built-in chatbot.
The integration of artificial intelligence into consumer electronics is advancing rapidly, with smart televisions becoming the latest frontier. LG smart TV owners are reporting that a recent webOS software update has automatically installed the Microsoft Copilot application onto their home screens, and the app cannot be removed. This move follows LG’s announcement at CES 2025 to heavily integrate AI features across its product line, rebranding its platform and remote control to emphasize these capabilities. For users, however, this has translated into an unwanted, permanent addition to their TV interface with no option for deletion.
According to discussions on forums like Reddit, the update pushed the Copilot app directly onto devices, where it now resides alongside standard streaming applications. The app launches at startup, and user attempts to uninstall it have been unsuccessful. LG’s official stance, as noted in its smart TV manuals, confirms that pre-installed or system applications cannot be deleted, which explains why the removal option is absent. The company initially promoted Copilot as a tool to help viewers organize information and enhance searches using contextual cues, though the practical necessity of such a feature on a television remains unclear to many consumers.
This strategy is not unique to LG, as the broader industry leans into AI integration. Competitors like TCL are embedding Google’s Gemini assistant into new models, while Samsung has partnerships with both Microsoft Copilot and the Perplexity search engine. Samsung’s approach, however, appears less intrusive, reportedly avoiding a permanent, undeletable home screen fixture. LG distinguishes itself with an exceptionally aggressive rollout, saturating its latest TVs with AI-labeled features such as “AI Picture Pro,” “AI Sound Pro,” and even a built-in chatbot, transforming the user experience into one constantly underscored by AI branding.
The underlying motivation likely ties to corporate growth metrics and positioning within the competitive “AI-powered” market. By embedding these tools deeply into the operating system, companies aim to normalize their use and collect valuable engagement data. For the user, this represents a loss of control over their own device’s software environment, raising questions about bloatware and forced adoption. As of now, LG has not publicly responded to inquiries regarding user complaints about the non-removable Copilot app, leaving customers with a feature they did not choose and cannot remove.
(Source: Gizmodo)
