After a recent Windows Update, I opened Copilot, asked a question, hit enter, the question was corrupt. Opened it in Bing, it said poor connection and wouldn't open. Ran the conductivity troubleshooter, it said contact support.

Repair and then reset Microsoft Copilot from Windows Settings, because reinstalling does not necessarily clear the app state that Repair/Reset is designed to correct.

1. Repair or reset Copilot

You have already reinstalled Copilot and ruled out firewall blockers with the connectivity troubleshooter, so do not repeat those steps.

1. Open Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Find Microsoft Copilot.
3. Select More (…) → Advanced options → Repair.
4. Reopen Copilot and test a short prompt.
5. If it still shows corrupted characters or “poor connection,” return to Advanced options and select Reset.
6. Reopen Copilot and sign in again.

Reset may remove local preferences and sign-in state. These options are not displayed for every app; if Copilot has no Advanced options, continue below. ^1^

2. Separate an app problem from a service, account, or browser-profile problem

1. Check Microsoft service health for an active Copilot or consumer-services incident. ^2^
2. Open an InPrivate/private browser window and access Copilot using the same account.
3. If available, also test:
   • A different network, such as a mobile hotspot.
   • Another personal account.

Interpret the results as follows:

• Works privately but not in the installed app or normal browser: this strongly suggests local app state, browser cookies/cache, an extension, or cached account state—not a general service outage.
• Fails on every network and device with one account: an account-side issue becomes more likely.
• Fails for multiple accounts and devices while service health reports an incident: wait for the incident to be resolved.
• Works on another network: investigate the original router, DNS configuration, VPN, proxy, or security filtering.

If you use multiple personal accounts and see a redirect between Copilot experiences, Microsoft says accounts can move to the updated Copilot app at different times. Test the affected personal account in a private window. This migration guidance does not apply automatically to work or school accounts. ^3^

For a work or school account, ask the Microsoft 365 administrator to check organizational service health and account eligibility.

3. Repair Windows components only if other Windows features are also malfunctioning

The incorrect taskbar pin may be a separate shell issue; it does not by itself establish system-file corruption. If other Windows features have also behaved incorrectly since the update, run DISM followed by SFC:

1. Search for Command Prompt.
2. Right-click it and select Run as administrator.
3. Run these commands in order:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
sfc /scannow

Do not close the window until SFC reaches 100%. Restart Windows afterward and test Copilot. Microsoft documents DISM first because it supplies files needed for SFC repairs. ^4^

4. Re-create the taskbar pin

After Copilot opens correctly:

1. Search for Copilot from Start.
2. Right-click it and choose Unpin from taskbar if Windows says it is pinned.
3. Search for it again and select Pin to taskbar.

Windows also supports pinning by right-clicking the icon while the app is open. ^5^

5. Roll back the update only after identifying it

Before removing anything, record:

• Windows version and OS build: Win + R, enter winver.
• Recent KB number: Settings → Windows Update → Update history.
• Copilot app version: Copilot’s Advanced options page or Microsoft Store library.

If the failure began immediately after one specific update, service health is normal, and the preceding tests fail, Windows permits removing that update through:

Settings → Windows Update → Update history → Uninstall updates → select the identified update → Uninstall. Some updates cannot be removed. Removing a security update reduces protection, so use this only as a verified fallback. ^6^

6. Escalate with diagnostic details

Because the connectivity troubleshooter instructed you to contact support, open Get Help, search for Copilot, and select the available Contact Support option. Provide:

• Windows edition, version, and build
• Installed KB number
• Copilot app version
• Exact “poor connection” text
• Screenshot of the corrupted symbols
• Connectivity-troubleshooter result
• Whether private browsing, another account, and another network worked

Also report the defect from Copilot → (…) → Send feedback → Report a problem. Feedback supplies engineering diagnostics but may not produce an individual support response. If Copilot will not open far enough, use Feedback Hub (Win + F) instead. Microsoft specifically requests the start time, device/OS details, and a screenshot in Copilot problem reports. ^3^

References

1. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/apps/repair-apps-and-programs-in-windows#summary)
2. Microsoft service health status
3. Troubleshoot Your Content in the Updated Copilot App | Microsoft Support
4. Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files | Microsoft Support
5. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/experience/personalization/customize-the-taskbar-in-windows)
6. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/deployment/updates-lifecycle/how-to-uninstall-a-windows-update#summary)