In short. Browse with Copilot screenshots are retained for up to 30 days unless you delete the associated conversation sooner.
Definition: Browse with Copilot screenshots are temporary images of pages that Copilot visits while it performs a browser task. Microsoft says they are saved with the conversation, removed when you delete that conversation, and otherwise retained for up to 30 days.
Key facts
- Microsoft's Browse with Copilot documentation says screenshots are saved with the conversation in your history so you can review Copilot's work.
- The same documentation says deleting a conversation also deletes its associated screenshots; otherwise, screenshots are retained for up to 30 days.
- Copilot takes these screenshots only from the tabs it is working on in the current browser window, and Microsoft excludes them from training.
- Microsoft's Privacy FAQ for Microsoft Copilot says Copilot conversation activity is stored by default for 18 months, with individual conversations or the complete history deletable at any time.
What is the retention rule?
The direct answer is up to 30 days. The Browse with Copilot page describes screenshots as part of a conversation record. If you delete that conversation first, Microsoft says the associated screenshots are deleted with it. The 30-day period is therefore an upper limit stated for screenshots that remain in the conversation history.
The page leaves the starting event unspecified. It states that screenshots are retained for up to 30 days while the conversation remains.
What exactly is saved with the conversation?
A screenshot is captured when Copilot is performing an action, and it covers the pages in the tabs Copilot is using in the current browser window. The same Microsoft documentation says that text prompts, Copilot responses, and a record of the work performed on your behalf are saved in conversation history. Information entered directly into a webpage, such as personal data in a form, stays outside Copilot's saved record, although Edge may save it.
The screenshot rule applies while Copilot controls the task. If you stop the task, Microsoft says you are back in control and screenshot capture and sending pause until you start the task again. Microsoft describes this stored information as a history for troubleshooting and reviewing the work, and excludes the screenshots from training.
How does this differ from conversation retention?
Microsoft's general Privacy FAQ says conversations are saved by default and can be viewed and accessed later. It also says conversation activity is stored for 18 months by default and that you can delete individual conversations or the entire conversation history at any time.
That 18-month statement concerns conversation activity. The Browse with Copilot documentation gives the separate screenshot limit of up to 30 days. According to the FAQ, turning off personalization leaves conversation history in place; deleting the conversation is the documented screenshot removal action.
What should you do before a browsing task?
Microsoft warns that Copilot may interact with sites containing personal, sensitive, or confidential data. For a task that requires personal details or payment information, Copilot asks you to provide the information and lets you take control of the tab; Microsoft says Copilot leaves information entered on the page unsaved, although Edge may save it.
If a task contains screenshots you no longer want in the conversation record, delete the conversation. Microsoft documents deletion of individual conversations and the complete conversation history in its Privacy FAQ.
Related terms
- Microsoft Copilot
- Does Browse with Copilot act in the local Edge browser?
- Can Browse with Copilot use a website's existing signed-in session?
- What browsing information can Edge share as Copilot context?
FAQ
Are screenshots kept for 30 days in every case?
No. Microsoft says they are retained for up to 30 days, and deleting the associated conversation deletes the screenshots sooner.
Does turning off personalization delete Browse with Copilot screenshots?
No. Microsoft's Privacy FAQ says turning off personalization leaves conversation history in place. Delete the conversation to remove its associated screenshots.
Are screenshots used to train Copilot?
Microsoft's Browse with Copilot documentation excludes the screenshots from training.
Sources
- Microsoft Support, "Browse with Copilot in Microsoft Edge", 18 August 2026
- Microsoft Support, "Privacy FAQ for Microsoft Copilot", 31 August 2026
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