"You've reached your limit" response from copilot

Mojo Magic 0 Reputation points
2026-10-04T17:57:38.4433333+00:00

I've been a daily Copilot user for many months. Only recently I've begun receiving "You've reached your limit; try again at 5 PM" messages. On several occasions this occurred during my first session of the day, after approximately 20 minutes of use. The interruption is occurring in the middle of research conversations and is making the service difficult to use. I'd like to know whether this is an intended free-tier limitation, a recent policy change, or a product issue. (NOTE: copilot suggested this exact message wording after I queried about this recent frustration).

Microsoft Copilot | Windows Copilot | Feature
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  1. Ian-T 13,200 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-05T06:06:40.5233333+00:00

    Hi @Mojo Magic

    I understand how disruptive this is, especially when the message appears in the middle of a research conversation.

    The free version of Microsoft Copilot is subject to usage limits and available service capacity. Microsoft does not currently publish a guaranteed number of free chat prompts, and availability can vary throughout the day based on the feature, entry point, and system conditions. When a limit is reached, Copilot may provide a specific time when access becomes available again. Paid Microsoft 365 subscriptions provide higher usage limits and priority access, but usage is still subject to applicable limits.

    Therefore, this message can be expected behavior rather than a device or browser problem. However, if it repeatedly appears after only a few ordinary text prompts, even after the stated reset time, please submit feedback directly from Copilot and include the exact message, approximate number of prompts, date and time, and whether it occurs on both the web and app. Forum moderators cannot view or reset an individual account’s usage allowance.

    Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors cannot access accounts or Microsoft’s back-end systems. We can only provide technical guidance on reported incidents, requests and ideas 

    You can review the official explanation here: Standard versus priority access in Copilot Chat.

    Thank you for your time and understanding. Hope you have a nice day

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