Microsoft’s Copilot is about to lose one of its most familiar homes.
The company confirmed that its AI assistant will stop working on WhatsApp early next year, following Meta’s decision to remove all general-purpose AI chatbots from the messaging platform.
Copilot will continue operating on WhatsApp until Jan. 15, 2026, after which the chatbot will no longer function. Microsoft says the decision is not its own but a direct response to WhatsApp’s revised platform policies.
The company noted that WhatsApp’s policy update is “removing all LLM chatbots from the platform effective January 15th,” and Copilot must therefore be discontinued. The policy update restricts the WhatsApp Business API to commercial use, customer support, and notifications. This means broad, general-purpose AI assistants like Copilot, OpenAI’s models, and Perplexity’s bots can no longer operate on the platform.
Copilot launched on WhatsApp in late 2024 and quickly became a friendly entry point for millions of users who wanted a lightweight way to chat with Microsoft’s AI. Its removal reflects a broader shift in how WhatsApp wants AI to operate within its ecosystem. Meanwhile, OpenAI has already announced its own WhatsApp wind-down, and others are expected to follow.
One of the more inconvenient consequences for users is the loss of chat history. Because Copilot on WhatsApp ran without authentication, Microsoft cannot carry past conversations over to the Copilot app or website. The company is advising users to export chats manually using WhatsApp’s built-in tools before the January deadline.
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Where Copilot goes from here
Microsoft says Copilot remains fully available outside WhatsApp. Users can continue chatting with the AI assistant on the Copilot mobile app for iOS and Android, on the web at copilot.microsoft.com, and through Copilot on Windows.
These official platforms also offer more advanced features than the WhatsApp integration ever supported. Microsoft highlights options like Copilot Voice, Vision, and Mico, tools that did not exist within WhatsApp’s restricted interface.
There is no cost to start using Copilot on the app or web, though Microsoft notes that some premium features require a subscription. WhatsApp’s move puts pressure on AI companies that relied on the platform for distribution. It also marks a turning point for Meta, which is pushing its own AI offerings deeper into WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook.
For a broader look at how Microsoft is positioning AI across its ecosystem, our breakdown of its Ignite 2025 announcements explores the company’s full lifecycle strategy.