Microsoft Ends Copilot Support on Smart TVs by Year's End

Microsoft is terminating support for its Copilot AI assistant on smart televisions before the close of 2026. The decision marks a rapid reversal of strategy, occurring less than two years after LG and Samsung pledged at CES 2025 to include the feature in their newest displays. The company had originally positioned Copilot on these sets as a conversational companion, allowing viewers to ask questions about on-screen content or request media recommendations.

The termination news emerged through a user notification rather than a joint press release from the hardware manufacturers or Microsoft. On October 28, 2026, a message appeared on the webOS system of an LG TV, alerting the owner to the change. The notification states that Microsoft has decided to end support for the functionality on all TV models. It warns that the feature is no longer available and may cease functioning shortly, though it does not specify a precise shutdown date.

The message describes the feature as scheduled for discontinuation during 2026, with the specific timing subject to Microsoft's internal timeline. This abrupt exit follows a period of user friction on LG sets. Last December, a webOS update added a non-removable Copilot shortcut that launched the assistant's web app in a browser. After users expressed frustration online that the shortcut appeared without their consent, LG released an update allowing owners to delete the icon.

The retreat from the living room aligns with Microsoft's recent pivot in product focus. Earlier in 2026, the company launched a new Copilot super app that integrates chat, agents, and coding tools into a single interface. This move signals a strategic shift toward positioning Copilot as a productivity and business tool, moving away from its earlier identity as a casual digital companion for consumers.

LG and Samsung have not issued separate statements regarding the change. The notification serves as the primary communication to affected users. The discontinuation leaves the AI assistant absent from the major smart TV ecosystems it helped define in the 2025 model year.