Blog · October 30, 2026

Windows 11 Agentic AI: What It Is and How to Turn It Off

Windows 11 agentic AI is a set of experimental features that let AI agents, such as Copilot Actions, work on your PC through a separate agent account and agent workspace. Microsoft ships the setting off by default. To make sure it is off, sign in as an administrator, open Settings > System > AI components, and turn off Experimental agentic features.

What “agentic” features in Windows 11 are

According to Microsoft, the experimental agentic features setting “has no AI capabilities on its own”. It is a security feature for agents like Copilot Actions. When it is turned on, Windows can create:

An agent account: a separate account that agents use when they act on your behalf, so their activity is kept apart from yours.
An agent workspace: a contained space, running in a separate Windows session, where an agent works in parallel with you, with its own desktop and limited visibility into yours.

Once an administrator turns it on, it applies to every user on the device. Agents can then request access to six known folders in your profile (Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Music, Pictures and Videos), and each agent has its own permissions. The feature is still in preview, so Microsoft is changing it over time.

Is it on? Check in 30 seconds

Open Settings (Windows key + I).
Go to System > AI components.
Look at the Experimental agentic features toggle. If it is off, Windows won’t create agent accounts or the agent workspace.

If you don’t see the setting, your Windows build may not include it yet.

How to turn off Windows 11 agentic features

Sign in with an administrator account.
Open Settings > System > AI components.
Turn off Experimental agentic features.

Microsoft notes that turning this setting off is the way to limit agent access to those known folders.

Prefer to keep it on? Limit each agent instead

On newer preview builds (26100.7344 and later), open Settings > System > AI components > Agents, pick an agent, and under Files choose Allow always, Ask every time or Never allow.

For IT admins

Microsoft documents a separate Disable Settings Agent policy for the AI agent inside the Settings app (available on Copilot+ PCs running Windows 11, version 24H2 with KB5062660 or later). You can apply it through Intune (Settings catalog > Windows AI) or Group Policy (Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI). This policy controls the Settings agent only, not every AI app on the device.

Turning it off doesn’t cover every AI agent

The Windows toggle governs Windows’ own agentic features. Many AI agents are separate apps or browser extensions, and they run with your own user permissions, outside the agent workspace. To review them:

Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) > Processes: look for AI assistant or agent apps you don’t recognize.
Task Manager > Startup apps: disable anything you didn’t choose to start with Windows.
Settings > Apps > Installed apps: uninstall AI tools you no longer use.
Your browser’s extensions page (for example edge://extensions or chrome://extensions): remove AI extensions you didn’t install or don’t trust.
Settings > Privacy & security: review which apps can use your files, camera and microphone.

How PERCARIS helps

Manual checks show you a snapshot. PERCARIS surfaces recognized AI-agent activity on your Windows computer and gives you a Stop control for agents you did not authorize. You decide what keeps running.

PERCARIS recognizes known AI tools. It won’t flag every AI agent.

See how PERCARIS works, or compare the Personal, Power and Small Business plans on the pricing page. Every plan includes a 14-day refund window.

Want a full check of every AI tool on your PC? Read How to tell if an AI agent is running on your Windows PC.

FAQ

Are Windows 11 agentic features on by default?

No. Microsoft says the experimental agentic features setting is off by default, and only an administrator can turn it on.

Does turning off agentic features remove Copilot?

No. Microsoft describes the setting as having no AI capabilities on its own. It controls whether Windows can create agent accounts and the agent workspace that agents like Copilot Actions use. The Copilot app itself is separate.

Can AI agents access my files?

When the setting is on, agents in the agent workspace can request access to six known folders: Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Music, Pictures and Videos. Other AI apps run with your own user permissions, so they can reach whatever your account can.

How do I know if an AI agent is running on my PC?

Check Task Manager, Startup apps, installed apps and browser extensions. PERCARIS surfaces recognized AI-agent activity on Windows for you. It recognizes known AI tools and won't flag every AI agent.

Sources

Menu paths can change between Windows builds. Checked against Microsoft documentation on October 30, 2026.

— The PERCARIS Team