Copilot app: your data, fixed

1. 1.Your conversations (prompts and replies), for 18 months by default, unless you delete them sooner.
2. 2.Memories: key details and preferences Copilot picks up from your chats, until you delete them. Memory is for personal Microsoft accounts only.
3. 3.Files you share, for a short time (Microsoft's FAQ says no longer than 18 months), then deleted automatically.
4. 4.Your Microsoft account data, until you close the account. After a 30 or 60 day reopen window, Microsoft deletes the data and content tied to it.

Turning memory off does not delete memories already saved, and deleting all memories does not delete your chat history. Microsoft's pages give different figures for how long shared files are kept (up to 30 days on one page, up to 18 months on another).

Microsoft's pages disagree. Its activity history page says prompts, replies and file contents in the Copilot app are not used to train foundation models, and names no setting. Its older privacy controls page describes a Privacy setting called Training on conversation activity, but the Privacy FAQ says that model training section applies only to the older app, replaced by an updated app on 18 August 2026.

Microsoft's privacy controls page for personal Copilot covers memory, chat history, training and ads, but lists no temporary, private or incognito chat. A temporary chat is described only for Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat at work or school.

1. 1.Sign in to your Microsoft account privacy dashboard.
2. 2.Go to Privacy > Empower your productivity > Copilot.
3. 3.Open Your Copilot app activity history, then Copilot apps.
4. 4.Select Export all activity history.
5. 5.A CSV file (a simple spreadsheet file) downloads to your device.

This is for personal Microsoft accounts. Microsoft's page does not say whether uploaded files are included.

1. 1.To delete one chat: in the Copilot app, pick the chat in the Chats list, select ... More, then Delete.
2. 2.To delete all chats: in the privacy dashboard, go to Privacy > Empower your productivity > Copilot and select Delete all activity history. This cannot be undone.
3. 3.To delete memories: open Settings > Personalization and delete one memory or use Delete all memories.
4. 4.To delete your account: cancel any paid subscriptions and save anything you want to keep.
5. 5.Open Microsoft's account closure page and sign in. Check it shows the right account, then select Next.
6. 6.Tick each box on the checklist, pick a 30 or 60 day reopen window, choose a reason, then select Mark account for closure.

Closing your account also closes Outlook.com, OneDrive, Xbox and other Microsoft services. Signing back in during the reopen window cancels the closure; after it, Microsoft deletes your data.