Microsoft Unifies Copilot and 365 Copilot on August 18, 2026

Satya Nadella announced the consolidation of Copilot experiences into a super app by the end of the quarter. At the same time, Microsoft is merging Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot into a single interface starting August 18, 2026, with a gradual rollout. Several features will be removed, and Microsoft specifies what users need to export before the transition.

Nadella announces a Copilot super app for this quarter

On July 29, Satya Nadella indicated that Copilot experiences, including Code, would be brought together this quarter into a single super app covering both consumer and professional use cases. He also described a progression from chat to Cowork, then to Autopilots. The current quarter ends at the end of September. In April 2026, designer Tey Bannerman listed 78 Microsoft products and tools named Copilot, some of which are integrated into others, including a dedicated key on Windows keyboards. Since then, Microsoft has opened Copilot Cowork to everyone with a pay-per-use billing model and introduced seven in-house AI models at its Build conference.

A unified Copilot interface is coming for all account types

Microsoft plans to merge Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot into a single interface, accessible with a personal, professional, or educational account. Users of Microsoft Copilot with a personal account will benefit from an updated version that preserves their conversations and content. For Microsoft 365 Copilot users with a personal account, navigation and the icon will change, and they will have access to Copilot chat at no additional cost. Users utilizing both applications will find all their content consolidated in a single space, organized by account type. For professional or educational accounts, only the name, icon, and certain interface elements will change. The account selector will continue to be offered to prevent any data flow between personal and professional spaces. Files created in the standalone application will be transferred to OneDrive. Basic functions will remain free, with usage limits that may vary, while Microsoft 365 subscribers will have higher caps and direct access to Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Microsoft removes four features and remains vague on Group Chat

The transition comes with the removal of several tools: Group Chat, Podcasts, and Deep Research, whose existing reports will remain accessible but without the ability to create new ones. Researcher, reserved for paid offerings, is expected to take over. Copilot Labs will disappear, redirecting users to Frontier and MAI Playground. The character Mico from Copilot Voice will leave the assistant to join Learn Live as a tutor; its removal will occur in waves, without a specific date. Regarding the retention of Group Chat content, Microsoft’s messages are conflicting: its support page states that no thread, message, or content will be retained, while its dedicated FAQ claims that the messages and artifacts of the concerned user would be kept in the form of an individual conversation, with the content of other participants becoming inaccessible. Several American media outlets report the first version.

Gradual rollout starting August 18, 2026, unclear timeline

Account updates will begin on August 18, 2026, with a gradual rollout from that date. Microsoft does not provide a specific timeline according to platforms in its documentation. Specialized media suggest distinct periods: some mention a mid-August launch for web and mobile devices, followed by mid-September for Windows and macOS, while others indicate mid-September for all platforms. In most cases, no action is required from the user: updates will occur automatically, and web users will be directed to the new version. However, on mobile, users will need to download an updated version.

Backups to be made before the switch

Microsoft recommends exporting certain items before the transition: downloading podcasts to keep from the Copilot library; copying messages from Group Chat and retrieving media shared by other participants; saving content created in Copilot Labs, including 3D files and audio clips; and capturing Mico's appearance settings.