There is no single “Windows Copilot” privacy switch. The personal Copilot app, its experimental PC insights feature, and Windows 11 Recall have separate data access and controls. First identify which feature and account you use; then change the matching settings. Microsoft’s personal-account guidance does not cover work or school Microsoft Entra accounts or Microsoft 365 Copilot, which have separate documentation.
Which Copilot feature are you using?
| Feature | What it may use | How access is controlled |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Copilot app | Chats and account activity, saved memories, personalization choices, web search, and—if enabled—imported Edge data. | App and account settings. The current guidance applies to the web, desktop, and mobile app as of August 18, 2026; available controls can vary by version and account. |
| PC insights in Copilot on Windows | Information about your device, system, and files relevant to a question. | Permission prompts allow access for one session or on an ongoing basis; you can decline or revoke permission. The experimental feature is rolling out gradually. |
| Recall | Periodic screenshots, called snapshots, and related context from what appeared on a Copilot+ PC. | A separate Windows 11 feature that is off unless enabled. Settings let you pause, filter, delete, and limit snapshots. |
These are different data paths, not three names for the same setting. Microsoft says PC insights does not access work email, Teams chats, calendars, organizational documents, or other organizational data. For personal Copilot controls, see Microsoft’s Copilot privacy controls; for work or school accounts, consult the documentation for that specific service and organization.
What data can the personal Copilot app use?
Microsoft lists controls for saved memory, shared experiences, chat history, web search, personalized advertising, and importing Edge browser data. The exact options and labels depend on the app version and account. Chat deletion, saved memories, and broader activity history are managed in different places, so changing one should not be treated as deleting all the others.
Chats, activity, and memory
You can delete individual chats from the chat list and manage or delete saved memories under Settings > Personalization. Microsoft’s privacy FAQ says conversation activity is stored for 18 months by default; that figure applies only to the product and account scope described by that FAQ, whose publication year is not established here. Use Microsoft’s activity-history controls for broader history management rather than assuming that deleting a chat clears all associated activity.
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Web search and advertising
Review the web-search and ad-personalization options under Settings > Personalization. These controls address the personal Copilot app’s settings; they are not a blanket Windows privacy setting and do not change Windows diagnostic-data choices.
Edge browser data
Microsoft describes importing Edge cookies, browsing history, payment information, passwords, and autofill data. Its current privacy-controls page says this feature is available to personal accounts based in the United States. Depending on the app version, look under Settings > Web browsing or Browsing settings > Sync and Import. Turn off browser-data import or sync if you do not want that information brought into Copilot. Older FAQ guidance and newer app guidance use different locations, and regional availability can change what you see.
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How to limit personal Copilot data
- Open the personal Copilot app and select Settings > Personalization. Review memory, shared experience, web search, and ad-personalization controls; manage or delete saved memories there.
- Delete individual conversations from the chat list. For broader conversation activity, open Microsoft’s activity-history controls and manage history there.
- Open Settings > Web browsing, or the applicable Browsing settings > Sync and Import screen, and disable Edge data import or sync if you do not want that data imported.
- Check the options shown in your app and account. Labels, layout, and regional eligibility may differ from these paths.
Microsoft’s personal-account page describes controls for the app on web, desktop, and mobile as of August 18, 2026. It does not establish that every account or older app build has every listed option.
What PC insights can access—and how to control permission
PC insights is an experimental feature that can use relevant device, system, or file information to answer a question. Microsoft says Copilot asks permission before relevant access and offers a choice between permission for one session and ongoing permission. You can decline a prompt, choose session-only access, or revoke an existing grant in Copilot settings. Because rollout is gradual, the feature or its controls may not appear on every PC.
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Microsoft says PC insights does not access work email, Teams chats, calendars, organizational documents, or other organizational data. This is a statement about PC insights, not a general promise about all Copilot products or account types. For details, see Microsoft’s PC insights permissions guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Recall works and what to change
Recall is a separate Windows 11 preview feature for Copilot+ PCs. If enabled, it saves periodic screenshots and contextual information so you can search what appeared on the PC. It does not record audio or save continuous video. Microsoft says snapshots and associated data are processed and stored locally, encrypted, not shared with Microsoft or third parties, and accessible with Windows Hello authentication. These are Microsoft’s documented design claims, not an independent audit. See Microsoft’s Recall privacy information and Recall operation guidance.
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Turn snapshots off or manage them
- Open Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
- Leave Save snapshots off if you do not want Recall to save snapshots. If you use Recall, use the same settings page to pause it, filter apps or sites, delete stored snapshots, and set retention or storage-space limits as appropriate.
- To remove Recall, use Turn Windows features on or off. On managed devices, organization policies may restrict or alter the available choices.
Understand the limits of Recall filters
Website filtering applies to foreground content in supported browsers. It does not prevent websites, internet service providers, organizations, or other parties from observing that you visited a site. Microsoft says sensitive-information filtering is enabled by default, but that does not guarantee every sensitive item will be detected. Read Microsoft’s Recall filtering guidance before relying on a filter for sensitive activity.
Windows diagnostic data is a separate setting
Changing Copilot controls does not disable Windows diagnostics. To review optional diagnostic data, open Settings > Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback; the exact labels can vary by Windows release. Microsoft’s FAQ distinguishes required from optional diagnostic data and describes the Windows controls separately. A Copilot privacy setting should not be read as a switch for either category. See Microsoft’s Copilot privacy FAQ.
Why the controls may look different
- Account type: Personal-account Copilot guidance does not automatically apply to Microsoft Entra work or school accounts or Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- App version and rollout: Personal-app labels can change, while PC insights is rolling out gradually.
- Region: Edge data import is described as available to personal accounts based in the United States; options may differ elsewhere.
- Windows version and management: Recall and diagnostics controls can vary by installed Windows release, and organization policies can restrict settings on managed PCs.
If a setting is missing, first confirm the app, feature, account type, and Windows version rather than assuming one Copilot privacy page controls everything.
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