No. The Copilot app can still be used for free on iPhone, and paid options are only needed for premium features or higher usage limits.
What is likely happening:
- On some devices, the updated Copilot experience is delivered as a new app instead of an update. Because of that, the App Store may show Get or Install instead of Update.
- Microsoft states that users can continue to chat with Copilot, create images, upload files, and more for free, subject to capacity and limits.
- A paid Microsoft 365 subscription unlocks more Copilot features and premium features in apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but it is not required just to use basic Copilot chat.
What to do on the iPhone:
- Open the Microsoft Copilot app page in the App Store and install it.
- Open the app and sign in with the same account used before.
- Check the account label in the navigation pane to confirm whether it is Work or Personal.
- If previous chats show as coming soon, the account may have moved to the updated app and chats/content may still be transferring. Copilot can still be used while that move completes.
If the app is asking to pay:
- That usually means an offer to upgrade for premium features or higher limits, not that payment is required for basic use.
- If a subscription is purchased inside an iOS app, Apple bills it through the App Store account and it renews automatically.