Copilot memory is the set of details Copilot automatically saves from your conversations, and there are three quick ways to take control of it: ask what it knows about you, tell it what to remember, and delete anything that’s wrong or out of date. It takes a couple of minutes, and it’s worth doing every now and then so Copilot isn’t working from old information.
What is Copilot memory?
Have you ever spotted the words “Memory updated” pop up during a chat? That’s Copilot memory at work. As you talk, Copilot picks out details it thinks could be useful in future conversations and saves them.
This is different from custom instructions. Those are the things you deliberately tell Copilot about yourself. Memory is what it notes down on its own as you go.
Way 1: Go on, ask it what it knows
The easiest way to see what Copilot has picked up is to ask. Type a simple prompt: “What do you know about me?”
In my case, Copilot came back with my name, my company name, some details about the kind of work I do and how I like responses to be written. Some of that came from my custom instructions, so it’s worth remembering the answer is a mix of both sources.
It also mentioned what we’d talked about recently. I liked that it told me what it doesn’t know too, which I found oddly reassuring.
Way 2: Tell it to remember things
You don’t have to wait for Copilot to decide what’s worth keeping. Type the word “remember”, followed by whatever you’d like it to hold on to, and press Return. You’ll see the memory updated straight away.
A word of caution, though. Think before you save anything that will date quickly, such as a new feature for this month. It’ll be old news before you know it, and Copilot will carry on treating it as current.
Finding your saved memories
Here’s where to go to review everything:
- Click the cog in the bottom left-hand corner, where your details are shown.
- Choose Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- Select Saved memories, the third option down.
There’s a toggle here if you’d rather switch memory off altogether. I wouldn’t recommend it, as having Copilot remember certain things is kinda useful.
Click Manage saved memories and you’ll see the full list. In mine, there was a current focus, UK suppliers and a couple of other bits it had picked up along the way.
Way 3: Tidy up what it’s saved
Hover over any memory and a bin icon appears. Click it to delete that one. If you’d like to clear everything, there’s a delete-all option in the bottom right-hand corner.
You can expand a memory to read all of it, but you can only delete it, not edit it. If just one detail is wrong, here’s my workaround. Copy what it saved, delete the memory, then ask Copilot to remember it again with the corrected version.
Should I keep checking Copilot memory?
Yes, I’d make it a regular little task. Ask Copilot what it knows about you and check that it’s correct.
- If something is wrong and it came from a memory, delete it.
- If it came from your custom instructions, that’s your cue to update them.
- If there’s something you’d like it to know, ask it to remember it.
A quick check now and then keeps Copilot useful and relevant to you and your business.
Written with the help of Claude AI, from an original transcript.
YouTube Videos
Custom Instructions for Microsoft Copilot (Stop Repeating Yourself)
What Does Copilot Remember About You? How to Check (and Fix) Its Memory
Copilot Work Account Data: What Does It Actually Know About You? (Oct 20)
Related Posts
Copilot Custom Instructions: Say It Once, Get Better Answers
3 Quick Ways to Take Control of Copilot Memory (current post)
Copilot Knows Less About You Than You’d Think (Oct 21)