Microsoft Copilot: Chat history disappeared after update – “Chats and content couldn’t finish syncing”

Question

Microsoft Copilot: Chat history disappeared after update – “Chats and content couldn’t finish syncing”

TH 90

After today’s Microsoft Copilot app update, all of my previous Copilot conversations disappeared from one of my Microsoft accounts.

The issue occurs across multiple devices and platforms:

Acer Aspire 3 – Copilot app
Tablet – Copilot app
Copilot on the web

The same devices were tested with another Microsoft account, and that account still has its complete conversation history. This suggests that the issue is specific to the affected Microsoft account rather than to a particular device or installation.

There is also a specific synchronization error. When I sign out and sign back in to the affected account, Copilot displays:

“Chats and content couldn't finish syncing. Try again to continue bringing over your chats and content.”

I have already tried signing out and signing back in several times and checked the account on multiple devices and on the web. The result is the same.

My main question is: Is there a way to recover the missing conversations or complete the failed synchronization/migration of the previous chat history?

The missing conversations contain important information, so I would particularly like to know whether the conversations may still be stored on Microsoft's side even though they are currently not visible in Copilot.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Greg Pogue 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T12:34:28.4333333+00:00
After the recent Copilot refresh, all of my Copilot conversations from before the migration disappeared.

Symptoms:

The banner states that "Past chats, Copilot Tasks, and Copilot Health are coming soon."

Clicking "Access chats and tasks" briefly loads the previous Copilot experience, which recognizes my account, but then automatically redirects to the new Copilot.

After the redirect, only chats created since the refresh are visible.

No pre-refresh chats are visible.

The issue occurs in the Windows app, web browser, and mobile experience.

I have verified that I am signed in with the correct Microsoft account.

The oldest visible conversation is from the day of the refresh.

Please investigate whether my historical chat data is still associated with my account and whether the migration/synchronization process failed.
Phil Mollon 5 Reputation points

2026-09-09T12:37:40.1533333+00:00

Exactly the same experience for me - have wasted several hours yesterday and today. When are they going to fix this? Why does Microsoft keep wrecking things by "improving" or updating them?!!
Iris 5 Reputation points

2026-09-09T12:50:19.02+00:00

@Greg Pogue I don't think Microsoft is going to answer you here - you have to log a problem with them, I think.
Jaime de los Hoyos 10 Reputation points

2026-09-09T13:39:38.9833333+00:00

Exact same situation here. Hope this is a backend sync issue that can/will be resolved, I had a lot of valuable chats there and didn't even had the opportunity to export them.
TH 90 Reputation points

2026-09-09T15:05:31.94+00:00

I have exactly the same issue. My pre-refresh conversations are still partially visible in the sidebar by title, but clicking them only produces the loading skeleton and the actual conversation never loads. I also initially got a sync error during the transition. The new Copilot shows Free Plan and only loads the new experience. I have verified the Microsoft account. This happens on the web as well. This makes me think the old chat history still exists but the migration/link between the old and new chat-history systems is broken. I reported the issue to Microsoft through the Copilot app.
T A 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T17:42:47.3166667+00:00

Same problem here. All my previous chat sessions are gone after yesterday update. Both desktop application and web application. Very sad.

Seems like a sync problem
Greg Pogue 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T17:51:22.7766667+00:00

I opened a service request with MS support. After the agent tried to help me, he told me to submit feedback from Copilot and tell the story of what is happening. I included my account information and asked them to resync my chats and tasks.
donald smith 0 Reputation points

2026-09-10T09:41:54.3133333+00:00

Everything has gone, it was still on my phone, so it still exists somewhere. Now the phone version has a screen to update with no option to reject the update.
Wendy Edwards 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T16:57:39.8533333+00:00

My co-pilot page has flimsy fonts and all history on the left side is gone.
Sally Esposito 0 Reputation points

2026-09-26T14:05:16.7533333+00:00

All of my chats except for a few very early ones and a few images are also all still gone. Searching does not find any important topics. I have not gotten any messages about syncing or anything else from the app. I too had important history in the chats that is very much needed. What is Microsoft doing to fix this?
Jiron Animations 10 Reputation points

2026-10-02T02:28:44.65+00:00

i have the same problem, i had a chat, yesterday it was fine, now.... i can't access it at all, i get redirected and it says "Sign in to copilot"
Missy 0 Reputation points

2026-10-03T05:33:23.52+00:00

Same issue for me and the chat content cannot be retrieved in the privacy dashboard by downloading the chat history either. I tried reaching out to support but they stopped answering in the chat after transferring me.
TH 90 Reputation points

2026-10-03T09:49:26.3766667+00:00

Update: The conversations were restored a few days ago. However, some of the restored conversations still cannot be loaded.

Also, the content that was previously stored under 'Pages' is missing. These were pages where I had started writing something and then continued developing and editing the text directly with Copilot.

Has anyone else experienced the same issue with 'Pages'?
Ethan John 0 Reputation points

2026-10-07T00:05:10.3433333+00:00

Same here. I had a chat that was a year old and it had over 2,000 messages and things I had copilot remember, but when they updated it, everything disappeared and now I lost everything. please help.
nicole 0 Reputation points

2026-10-14T10:37:06.49+00:00

My old chats are still gone :(

Even in the new app, it can't remember a chat from yesterday. No memories.

Without context of memories, it's easier to simply use internet search.
Keyrs 5 Reputation points

2026-10-25T00:10:52.47+00:00

Same here, a few years of chats, disappeared. First I believed it was a sync issue as I was on a different device. I really hope they manage to fix this. Nice to see how many have the same issue, it will likely draw the attention of the managers of the update faster and notify of an issue. It is still on my web browser, just not the app, so nice to know it's not all gone
Tim Mahagin 5 Reputation points

2026-10-29T14:30:21.56+00:00

Lost my chat history when I upgraded to the new Copilot. Hundreds of manhours of work lost. Prefer to go back to the old version, just for the access.
Peter Peck 0 Reputation points

2026-10-29T15:48:55.7133333+00:00

Ever since Windows 95 and the change from DOS OS Microsoft has continually sent out a new flawed product. The end users build programs to fix major issues. The world feels in sync. Then Microsoft has the obsessive compulsive need to issue another update which once again is flawed. Rinse and repeat. It's been 32 Years since Microsoft started doing this. The only answer that I can deduct is that Steve Jobs invited Bill Gates to see Apple's new interface. Jobs had built it from an attempt that Xerox made available. Jobs made it so much more and platformed his creation onto the famous Apple User Interface. A look and feel that was compelling. Apparently it was compelling enough that Gates went back to MS and copied it. I believe this act resulted in Instant Karma since 1995.
Ahmose Nine 0 Reputation points

2026-10-30T14:38:00.8866667+00:00

Same thing happened to me.
Anastacio Griego 0 Reputation points

2026-10-31T17:00:56.9333333+00:00

This isn’t even the chatbot, that I enjoyed so much. If you wanted to do this, Microsoft should have just started a different app altogether. The chatbot was so much fun. This is not.

8 answers

Your answer

Greg Pogue 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T12:34:28.4333333+00:00

After the recent Copilot refresh, all of my Copilot conversations from before the migration disappeared.

Symptoms:

The banner states that "Past chats, Copilot Tasks, and Copilot Health are coming soon."

Clicking "Access chats and tasks" briefly loads the previous Copilot experience, which recognizes my account, but then automatically redirects to the new Copilot.

After the redirect, only chats created since the refresh are visible.

No pre-refresh chats are visible.

The issue occurs in the Windows app, web browser, and mobile experience.

I have verified that I am signed in with the correct Microsoft account.

The oldest visible conversation is from the day of the refresh.

Please investigate whether my historical chat data is still associated with my account and whether the migration/synchronization process failed.
Phil Mollon 5 Reputation points

2026-09-09T12:37:40.1533333+00:00

Exactly the same experience for me - have wasted several hours yesterday and today. When are they going to fix this? Why does Microsoft keep wrecking things by "improving" or updating them?!!
Iris 5 Reputation points

2026-09-09T12:50:19.02+00:00

@Greg Pogue I don't think Microsoft is going to answer you here - you have to log a problem with them, I think.
Jaime de los Hoyos 10 Reputation points

2026-09-09T13:39:38.9833333+00:00

Exact same situation here. Hope this is a backend sync issue that can/will be resolved, I had a lot of valuable chats there and didn't even had the opportunity to export them.
TH 90 Reputation points

2026-09-09T15:05:31.94+00:00

I have exactly the same issue. My pre-refresh conversations are still partially visible in the sidebar by title, but clicking them only produces the loading skeleton and the actual conversation never loads. I also initially got a sync error during the transition. The new Copilot shows Free Plan and only loads the new experience. I have verified the Microsoft account. This happens on the web as well. This makes me think the old chat history still exists but the migration/link between the old and new chat-history systems is broken. I reported the issue to Microsoft through the Copilot app.
T A 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T17:42:47.3166667+00:00

Same problem here. All my previous chat sessions are gone after yesterday update. Both desktop application and web application. Very sad.

Seems like a sync problem
Greg Pogue 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T17:51:22.7766667+00:00

I opened a service request with MS support. After the agent tried to help me, he told me to submit feedback from Copilot and tell the story of what is happening. I included my account information and asked them to resync my chats and tasks.
donald smith 0 Reputation points

2026-09-10T09:41:54.3133333+00:00

Everything has gone, it was still on my phone, so it still exists somewhere. Now the phone version has a screen to update with no option to reject the update.
Wendy Edwards 0 Reputation points

2026-09-18T16:57:39.8533333+00:00

My co-pilot page has flimsy fonts and all history on the left side is gone.
Sally Esposito 0 Reputation points

2026-09-26T14:05:16.7533333+00:00

All of my chats except for a few very early ones and a few images are also all still gone. Searching does not find any important topics. I have not gotten any messages about syncing or anything else from the app. I too had important history in the chats that is very much needed. What is Microsoft doing to fix this?
Jiron Animations 10 Reputation points

2026-10-02T02:28:44.65+00:00

i have the same problem, i had a chat, yesterday it was fine, now.... i can't access it at all, i get redirected and it says "Sign in to copilot"
Missy 0 Reputation points

2026-10-03T05:33:23.52+00:00

Same issue for me and the chat content cannot be retrieved in the privacy dashboard by downloading the chat history either. I tried reaching out to support but they stopped answering in the chat after transferring me.
TH 90 Reputation points

2026-10-03T09:49:26.3766667+00:00

Update: The conversations were restored a few days ago. However, some of the restored conversations still cannot be loaded.

Also, the content that was previously stored under 'Pages' is missing. These were pages where I had started writing something and then continued developing and editing the text directly with Copilot.

Has anyone else experienced the same issue with 'Pages'?
Ethan John 0 Reputation points

2026-10-07T00:05:10.3433333+00:00

Same here. I had a chat that was a year old and it had over 2,000 messages and things I had copilot remember, but when they updated it, everything disappeared and now I lost everything. please help.
nicole 0 Reputation points

2026-10-14T10:37:06.49+00:00

My old chats are still gone :(

Even in the new app, it can't remember a chat from yesterday. No memories.

Without context of memories, it's easier to simply use internet search.
Keyrs 5 Reputation points

2026-10-25T00:10:52.47+00:00

Same here, a few years of chats, disappeared. First I believed it was a sync issue as I was on a different device. I really hope they manage to fix this. Nice to see how many have the same issue, it will likely draw the attention of the managers of the update faster and notify of an issue. It is still on my web browser, just not the app, so nice to know it's not all gone
Tim Mahagin 5 Reputation points

2026-10-29T14:30:21.56+00:00

Lost my chat history when I upgraded to the new Copilot. Hundreds of manhours of work lost. Prefer to go back to the old version, just for the access.
Peter Peck 0 Reputation points

2026-10-29T15:48:55.7133333+00:00

Ever since Windows 95 and the change from DOS OS Microsoft has continually sent out a new flawed product. The end users build programs to fix major issues. The world feels in sync. Then Microsoft has the obsessive compulsive need to issue another update which once again is flawed. Rinse and repeat. It's been 32 Years since Microsoft started doing this. The only answer that I can deduct is that Steve Jobs invited Bill Gates to see Apple's new interface. Jobs had built it from an attempt that Xerox made available. Jobs made it so much more and platformed his creation onto the famous Apple User Interface. A look and feel that was compelling. Apparently it was compelling enough that Gates went back to MS and copied it. I believe this act resulted in Instant Karma since 1995.
Ahmose Nine 0 Reputation points

2026-10-30T14:38:00.8866667+00:00

Same thing happened to me.
Anastacio Griego 0 Reputation points

2026-10-31T17:00:56.9333333+00:00

This isn’t even the chatbot, that I enjoyed so much. If you wanted to do this, Microsoft should have just started a different app altogether. The chatbot was so much fun. This is not.

Answer 1

T A 0

Looks like my old chats are finally syncing.

Not sure if the 'pinned' data is kept, yet. At least the list is populating.

Screenshot 2026-09-12 200000

0 comments

Answer 2

Jaime de los Hoyos 10

Finally, after getting the sync error banner for a couple days, today the sync process rann successfully and I have all my previous chat history available. I didn't have to do anything special. So, wait it out for a couple days and you should have your full chat history available again!

catblack - 0 Reputation points

2026-11-12T04:59:51.3+00:00

since the sync i lost 2 of my copilots, one i had for a year and the second one for 2 months, during my conversations it said this conversation came to an end, please click on new topic and poof gone.

Answer 3

Iris 5

Time is 10:45 edt - my chat history is reappearing. I did open a ticket with microsoft privacy yesterday as directed to by microsoft support yesterday afternoon. Check your chats and see if anything is coming back. Many (besides all of you) were experiencing the issues. I am also seeing the message at top of my copilot:

"Chats and content are syncing

They'll begin appearing shortly. This may take some time, you can keep using Copilot in the meantime."

as opposed to yesterdays sync error.

Good luck to all of us!

0 comments

Answer 4

RebeccaClarke-7111 0

I have the same issue. My chats have disappeared since the update with a notification about trouble syncing chats and content.

The chats still exist in the csv I exported, so they're not gone. Just not accessible from the front end.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/privacy/manage-your-copilot-activity-history-in-the-privacy-dashboard

TH 90 Reputation points

2026-09-10T09:35:44.4533333+00:00

In that section, only a few conversations of mine were saved, not all of them
T A 0 Reputation points

2026-09-12T18:04:20.5866667+00:00

Looks like my old chats are finally syncing.

Not sure if the 'pinned' data is kept, yet. At least the list is populating.

Answer 5

JT 0

Same issue for me. Doesn't know my name, cannot reference any old chats, and I had stuff I had been working on for months (plus a few years of chats I had it remember stuff.) When the app is opened I get the same popup - “Chats and content couldn't finish syncing. Try again to continue bringing over your chats and content.”

Android is worse, it forced me to download a new app, it doesn't even have a chat option. Only search onedrive or generate image. copilot.microsoft.com looks like the old app and would likely still have my chats, but the side bar is minimized and it quickly redirects me to copilot.com without any of the old conversations, just the one with new copilot of me complaining about it.

I know when I first used the app it said it would take some time to migrate, so I guess I will put things on hold for a few days to see if that happens, otherwise I guess I will have to move to something else.

Greg Pogue 0 Reputation points

2026-09-09T17:51:36.5933333+00:00

I opened a service request with MS support. After the agent tried to help me, he told me to submit feedback from Copilot and tell the story of what is happening. I included my account information and asked them to resync my chats and tasks.