Microsoft merges Copilot apps into unified 'super app' — SkimNews
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- Microsoft is merging its consumer Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot apps into a single unified 'Microsoft Copilot' app with an updated icon, eliminating the duplicate Copilot icons currently in users' system trays and taskbars.
- Mobile and web rollout begins worldwide in mid-August, with Windows and Mac versions following in mid-September; Windows Insiders will see updates first starting this week and mobile users will be prompted to download the new app.
- Retired features include Podcasts and Deep Research, which won't be available after August 18th, along with Group Chat threads that won't carry over to the new experience; Copilot Health may also be temporarily unavailable during the migration.
- Account separation is preserved inside the unified app — chats, content, and data remain entirely separate between personal Microsoft accounts and Microsoft Entra ID (work or school) accounts, and existing chats and content will be merged where users had both apps.
- Enterprise controls including security, compliance, and government settings are unchanged, and core Copilot capabilities remain free, though Microsoft notes some users may see different usage limits in the updated app.
- The redesign moves Copilot toward a commercial user interface, moving away from the unique design Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman introduced after joining the company in 2024, and follows the appointment of a new Copilot chief to oversee both consumer and commercial sides.
Why it matters: By folding consumer and work Copilot into one interface, Microsoft is betting that a unified product surface — rather than separate apps — is the path to a true 'super app,' a shift that moves Copilot away from the consumer-friendly design Mustafa Suleyman launched in 2024 toward a commercial UI. For the tens of millions already using Copilot, the most concrete changes are the loss of Podcasts and Deep Research after August 18th and the disappearance of duplicate tray icons.
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