When you use Microsoft Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Teams, the service saves your conversation history. This history includes the prompts you type and the responses Copilot generates. Many business users need to locate, review, or delete this data for compliance, security, or personal record-keeping. This article explains exactly where Copilot stores conversation history, how the data is organized, and what controls you have over it.
Key Takeaways: Copilot Conversation History Storage in Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Graph > Copilot interactions: Conversation history is stored as part of the user’s Microsoft Graph data and is accessible through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Microsoft 365 admin center > Compliance > Content search: Administrators can search and export Copilot conversation history for all users in the tenant.
- Microsoft 365 admin center > User management > Data export: Users can request a copy of their own Copilot conversation history through the My Account portal.
How Copilot Stores Conversation History in Microsoft 365
Microsoft Copilot conversation history is not saved as separate files on your local device or in a dedicated folder. Instead, the data is stored as part of the Microsoft Graph data associated with each user account. Microsoft Graph is the unified API and data platform that connects all Microsoft 365 services. When you send a prompt to Copilot, the system records the interaction as a set of events tied to your user profile. These events include the timestamp, the app you were using, the prompt text, and the response text.
The storage location depends on the Copilot edition you use. For Copilot with Microsoft 365 commercial licenses, the conversation data lives in the user’s Exchange Online mailbox as hidden calendar items. Each interaction appears as a separate calendar item in a special system folder that is not visible in Outlook or Outlook on the web. This design allows administrators to search and export the data using compliance tools like Microsoft Purview.
For Copilot Pro users who do not have a Microsoft 365 commercial subscription, conversation history is stored in the user’s Microsoft account cloud storage. This data is accessible through the Microsoft account privacy dashboard at account.microsoft.com. The retention period for all Copilot conversation history is 30 days by default. After 30 days, the data is permanently deleted from Microsoft servers.
Steps to Access Your Own Copilot Conversation History
You can request a copy of your own Copilot conversation history from the Microsoft 365 My Account portal. This method works for both Copilot Pro and Copilot for Microsoft 365 users. The export contains all prompts and responses from the last 30 days.
- Sign in to the My Account portal
Go to myaccount.microsoft.com and sign in with your work or school account. Use the same credentials you use for Microsoft 365. - Open the Privacy section
Click the Privacy tab in the left navigation menu. This page shows your data export options. - Select Activity history
Under the Activity history heading, click the Manage button. This opens a list of data categories that Microsoft stores for your account. - Choose Copilot interactions
Scroll down to the Copilot interactions section. Check the box next to this category. - Start the export
Click the Export button. Microsoft will prepare a ZIP file containing your Copilot conversation history. The file may take several minutes to generate. - Download the export
After the file is ready, return to the Activity history page. Click the Download link next to the export entry. The ZIP file contains one or more JSON files with your conversation data.
Steps for Administrators to Search Copilot Conversation History
Microsoft 365 administrators can search and export Copilot conversation history for all users in the tenant using the Microsoft Purview compliance portal. This capability is essential for eDiscovery, audit, and compliance workflows.
- Open the Microsoft Purview compliance portal
Go to compliance.microsoft.com and sign in with an account that has the eDiscovery Manager or Compliance Administrator role. - Start a content search
In the left navigation, go to Data lifecycle management > Microsoft 365 > Content search. Click the New search button. - Name the search
Give the search a descriptive name such as Copilot History Export. Click Next. - Set the search locations
Under Locations, select Exchange mailboxes. Do not select SharePoint or OneDrive for Business. Click Choose users, groups, or teams and add the users whose Copilot history you want to search. You can also select All mailboxes. - Set the search query
Under the Query section, enter this keyword query:kind:copilot. This filter restricts the search to Copilot interaction items only. - Run the search
Click Next, review the settings, and click Submit. The search may take several minutes to complete depending on the number of mailboxes. - Export the results
After the search finishes, click the search name, then click Export results. Choose to export all items or only Copilot items. The export downloads a CSV file and a PST file containing the conversation history.
Common Questions About Copilot Conversation History
Can I delete my Copilot conversation history manually?
Yes, you can delete individual Copilot conversations from the Copilot pane in Microsoft 365 apps. Open the Copilot pane, click the History button, and hover over a conversation entry. Click the trash icon to delete that conversation. This action removes the conversation from your view but does not immediately delete the data from Microsoft servers. The data is marked for deletion and removed within 30 days.
Does Copilot conversation history include attachments or files I uploaded?
No, the conversation history does not include file attachments or uploaded documents. Copilot processes file content during the interaction but does not store the files themselves in the conversation record. The history only contains the prompt text and the generated response text.
Can I change the retention period for Copilot conversation history?
Administrators can configure a retention policy for Copilot data through Microsoft Purview. Go to Data lifecycle management > Microsoft 365 > Retention policies. Create a new policy and apply it to Exchange mailboxes. Use the Advanced options to include Copilot items. The retention policy overrides the default 30-day period.
Copilot Pro vs Copilot for Microsoft 365: Conversation History Comparison
| Item | Copilot Pro | Copilot for Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage location | Microsoft account cloud storage | Exchange Online mailbox as hidden calendar items |
| Access method for users | account.microsoft.com privacy dashboard | myaccount.microsoft.com Activity history export |
| Access method for admins | Not available | Microsoft Purview content search with kind:copilot query |
| Default retention period | 30 days | 30 days |
| Data format in export | JSON files in ZIP | CSV and PST files |
| Supports retention policy | No | Yes, through Microsoft Purview |
Copilot conversation history is stored differently depending on your license type. Copilot Pro users have limited access and no retention policy controls. Copilot for Microsoft 365 users and administrators have full search, export, and policy management capabilities through Microsoft Purview.