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You can no longer create or play Copilot Podcasts in Windows 11. Microsoft retired the consumer feature on August 18, 2026, for free and paid users. The old podcast creation instructions no longer work, and installing or opening the Copilot app does not restore the feature.

What happened to Copilot Podcasts?

Microsoft Support’s “Podcasts in Microsoft Copilot” notice says, “Podcasts will be retired on August 18, 2026.” The retirement applies to consumer Copilot users, whether they used a free or paid account. Since the date has passed, there is no current way to make a Copilot Podcast in Windows 11.

Opening Copilot on your PC is still possible, but access to the app and availability of a particular feature are separate matters. The Podcasts retirement is not fixed by an app installation, update, or sign-in.

Can you access or download podcasts you made before?

No. Microsoft says previously created podcasts and their shared links are no longer accessible after retirement. Its notice does not provide a post-retirement recovery method.

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Before retirement, Microsoft’s preservation instruction was to use Copilot on the web, open the podcast library, and select Download from an individual podcast’s menu. That was a pre-retirement action; it is not a recovery step now that the feature has been retired.

Does a Microsoft 365 subscription keep Podcasts available?

No. A subscription does not preserve access to Podcasts. Microsoft says the feature was one part of the broader Copilot experience and that a Microsoft 365 subscription continues to include the other features and benefits available under the subscriber’s plan. The retirement itself does not cancel those other benefits.

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Is Copilot Notebooks audio overview a replacement?

No. Microsoft documents audio overviews for Copilot Notebooks as a separate capability, not as a way to restore old Copilot Podcasts. Microsoft’s support page, last updated June 2026, limits that feature to commercial Microsoft 365 users signed in with a work or school account. It is not documented as available to every Windows 11 user or personal Copilot account.

Feature Current availability Account eligibility Access to old Copilot Podcasts
Copilot Podcasts Retired August 18, 2026, according to Microsoft Support. Retirement affects free and paid consumer users. Previously created podcasts and shared links are no longer accessible.
Copilot Notebooks audio overview Separately documented by Microsoft Support. Commercial Microsoft 365 users signed in with work or school accounts. It does not restore access to old Copilot Podcasts.
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How do you open Copilot in Windows 11?

If you only need to open Copilot for another available purpose, Microsoft says the Copilot app should already be installed on new Windows 11 PCs. You can find it from Start or the taskbar. Microsoft’s Windows getting-started guide covers app access. Opening Copilot does not make the retired Podcasts feature available.

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