Summary
- Microsoft merges consumer and Microsoft 365 Copilot into one app with account switcher.
- Some features cut: group chat reworks, AI podcast removal, and Deep Research locked behind a paywall.
- Rollout mid-September; desktop/web/mobile updates required, and advanced research now limited to paid plans.
Microsoft is cleaning up its software clutter by merging… Copilot and Copilot. Let me try and explain.
There are two versions of the tech giant’s AI assistant app — the regular consumer Copilot app and the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. Before, you would have to swap between them for work and personal across Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and the web. One targeted standard users, the other professional organization accounts. I use Copilot at work, so I was always confused about having to switch between apps for different tasks.
According to new Microsoft support documents, the company will be making major changes to its AI assistant, Copilot, allegedly starting in mid-September. Users will now be able to manage personal, work, and school accounts in one place using a simple account switcher. That’s the good part of this update! But as usual, a helpful tech change comes with a frustrating catch that punishes everyday users who just want their tools to work without friction.
Why combining the apps is a mixed bag for everyday users
A cleaner desktop at the cost of Deep Research tools for thousands of people
This rollout will consolidate everything into a single app. You sign in with personal or work credentials, and your chat history automatically migrates. For professional users handling sensitive data, Microsoft promises strict separation so work and personal files never mix.
But, Microsoft is using this consolidation as an excuse to remove three existing features. Some collaborative group chat features are being reworked during the consolidation; if you rely on group chat history in a specific Copilot app, check Microsoft’s migration guidance and back up important content. AI-generated podcasts are also being cut, ending your ability to create or access custom audio summaries. These two are sad, but the removal of Deep Research mode is a bitter pill to swallow.
The thing that throws a spanner in my works is the fact Microsoft has moved the most capable Researcher/Deep Research functionality behind its paid Copilot/Microsoft 365 tiers. Exact availability depends on the plan (Microsoft 365 Premium and certain paid Copilot licenses get the largest usage allowances; other consumer/Free tiers have limited or no access). This means it’s likely that standard users will no longer be able to generate in-depth research reports in Copilot. You can still view older saved reports, but creating new ones is now behind the paid Researcher tool and available only to Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers. To see a useful, advanced feature stripped from the base tier just to pad a monthly subscription is disappointing, at least to me.
Depending on how you access AI tools, the shift will look different. Web users will be automatically redirected to the updated browser experience. If you use the standard consumer desktop app, you will be guided through an automated update that brings your chat history along. Mobile users on iOS and Android will need to download a fresh app update from their app stores to replace the old icons.
It’s also killing off Mico, its animated Clippy-like Copilot mascot. It’s very cute, but I won’t mourn it. Bring back Clippy, Microsoft!
Merging these two apps is great from a UI perspective, but a paywall over the best analytical features leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Did you ever use Deep Research, or Copilot at all?