Does Copilot use my data to train AI models?
It depends on your account. As of 2026-07, Microsoft may use consumer Copilot chats, including uploaded images and files, to train its AI models, but you can opt out in privacy settings. Work accounts (Microsoft Entra ID) and Microsoft 365 Personal/Family app Copilot are never used for training.
Why — the first-principles explanation
AI language models learn patterns by reading enormous amounts of text and images. More real-world examples generally make the model better, so the company that runs the model has an incentive to collect fresh conversation data. That is the tension behind this question: your chats are useful raw material, but they may also contain private details.
Microsoft splits users into two buckets with very different rules. Consumer accounts (a personal Microsoft account, or no sign-in at all) fall under standard consumer terms. Here Microsoft states it may use de-identified conversation activity, including images and files you upload, to train its generative AI models. Because it is a personal account, Microsoft gives you a switch to turn this off.
Commercial and organizational accounts work differently because businesses pay for a legal guarantee that their data stays private. When you sign in with a Microsoft Entra ID (a work or school account), your prompts and files are covered by Enterprise Data Protection and are contractually excluded from model training. The same exclusion applies to Copilot features used inside Microsoft 365 apps under Personal or Family subscriptions, and to anyone who is not signed in at all.
The practical takeaway: the model does not memorize your name and repeat it. Training data is aggregated and de-identified. But if you want zero chance of your consumer chats influencing a future model, sign in and flip the opt-out, or use a work account.
An example that makes it click
Think of two libraries. In the public community library (your personal Copilot account), when you jot notes in the margin of a book, the librarian may photocopy anonymized snippets to help design better books later, unless you tape a "do not copy" note on your card. In the corporate archive (your work Entra ID account), the company signed a contract saying nobody may ever photocopy anything you write, full stop.
Same librarian, same building, but the paperwork you signed on the way in decides whether your margin notes get reused. Flipping the opt-out switch in the public library is like handing over that "do not copy" note yourself.
How to do it
- Open Copilot at copilot.microsoft.com or in the app and sign in with your personal Microsoft account.
- Click your profile picture or the settings gear.
- Find the privacy setting labeled "Model training on text" and "Model training on voice" (wording may vary).
- Toggle these off to stop your conversation activity from being used to train models.
- For work data, verify you are signed in with your organization's Microsoft Entra ID account, which is excluded from training automatically.
Key facts
- As of 2026-07, Microsoft may use consumer Copilot conversation activity, including uploaded images and files, to train its generative AI models.
- Consumers signed in with a Microsoft account can opt out of model training in privacy settings.
- Microsoft Entra ID (work or school) accounts are never used for Copilot model training, under Enterprise Data Protection.
- Copilot used inside Microsoft 365 apps on Personal or Family subscriptions is also excluded from training.
- Users who are not signed in are not used for model training.
Microsoft's assistant across Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.▶ The 60-second explainer (script)
Does Microsoft Copilot use your data to train its AI? It depends on your account. If you use Copilot with a personal Microsoft account, or no account at all, Microsoft may use your conversations, including images and files you upload, to train its AI models. The good news: when you sign in, you get a privacy switch to turn that off. Just open settings and toggle off model training. But here's the key distinction. If you sign in with a work or school account, called a Microsoft Entra ID, your data is protected by Enterprise Data Protection and is never used for training, guaranteed by contract. The same protection covers Copilot inside Microsoft 365 apps on Personal or Family plans. So if privacy is your priority, use a work account or flip that opt-out switch. Bottom line: consumer chats can be training material unless you say no, but business data stays locked down.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
How do I stop Copilot from training on my data?
Sign in with your Microsoft account, open settings, and toggle off the model-training options for text and voice.
Is my work data safe from Copilot training?
Yes. Work and school accounts using Microsoft Entra ID are covered by Enterprise Data Protection and are never used to train models.
Does Copilot train on files I upload?
For consumer accounts, uploaded images and files can be part of training data unless you opt out. Work accounts are excluded entirely.
Does not signing in protect my data from training?
Microsoft states users who are not signed in are not used for model training, though signing in gives you clearer controls and history.