Why do Copilot Chat's displayed web queries disappear later?

Definition: A web search query citation is the exact short query that Copilot Chat derived from a prompt and sent to Bing, shown in the linked citation section of the response. Microsoft documents that this query is available in the Copilot Chat thread for 24 hours.

Key facts

• When web search is enabled, Copilot parses the prompt, identifies terms that could benefit from web information, and sends a generated search query to Bing, according to Microsoft's web search privacy documentation.
• The linked citation section shows the exact web search queries derived from the prompt and sent to Bing. The same page says this visibility helps users understand the queries and sites used for the response.
• Web search query citations are available only in Microsoft Copilot Chat. They are unavailable in the Copilot pane inside a Microsoft 365 app such as Word or PowerPoint, and the web search queries are available in the chat thread for 24 hours.
• Microsoft says Copilot Chat prompts and responses are logged and stored in Exchange for auditing and eDiscovery in the Microsoft 365 tenant, as described in its privacy and protections documentation.
• Microsoft documents web search query logging for administrators. They can search, audit, and use eDiscovery on the exact queries Copilot derived from the prompt, and can view the terms beside the original prompt, response, and supporting resources in Microsoft Purview activity explorer.

What expires after 24 hours?

The expiry applies to the query shown in the chat thread. Copilot Chat first turns a prompt into a short web search query, sends it to Bing, and uses the returned information to compose the response. The visible query citation exposes that intermediate query so a user can inspect how Copilot interpreted the prompt. Microsoft documents the availability window as 24 hours in the chat thread. It does not state a separate reason for that window.

The displayed query is also narrower than the user's input. Microsoft Support says Copilot generates a Bing query using a few words from the prompt or an uploaded file. The full prompt or file is used as the query only when it is already very short, with “New York City weather” as the example. A query that disappears therefore removes a short inspection record, rather than the full text of the prompt.

Which Copilot surfaces show it?

The feature belongs to Microsoft Copilot Chat. Microsoft distinguishes it from the Copilot pane inside a Microsoft 365 application, where web search query citations are unavailable. Microsoft Support places the control below a response: select the Sources button to view the exact query sent to Bing and the sources used.

This distinction also matters when comparing screenshots or test notes. A response created in Copilot Chat can expose the generated query during the documented window, while a response created in the Copilot pane does not expose this query citation through that surface. The underlying response can still have been based on web information when web search was enabled.

Can an administrator inspect the activity later?

The user-facing citation window and administrative records are separate documentation paths. Microsoft says web search query logging lets administrators perform search, audit, and eDiscovery on the exact web search queries derived from prompts. It also says that Purview activity explorer can show the actual web search terms alongside the original prompt, response, and supporting resources.

Purview's audit documentation describes automatic audit records for Copilot user interactions. To identify public web use, it directs an administrator to the AISystemPlugin.Id property in a CopilotInteraction audit record. The value BingWebSearch indicates that Copilot requested public web data through Microsoft Bing. The audit page does not describe a user control that restores an expired query citation in the chat thread.

Related terms

• Microsoft Copilot
• Copilot Search in Bing
• AI citation

FAQ

Is the displayed query the same as a source link?

No. Microsoft describes the query citation as the exact query sent to Bing. The Sources button also opens the sources used for the response, so the query and the linked pages are separate parts of the inspection view.

Can I see the query after 24 hours?

Microsoft documents the query as available in the Copilot Chat thread for 24 hours. Its documentation separately describes administrator logging and Purview activity explorer, but does not describe a user-facing recovery step for an expired query citation.

Why is the query absent in Word or PowerPoint?

Microsoft says web search query citations are available only in Microsoft Copilot Chat. It specifically excludes the Copilot pane inside a Microsoft 365 app, including Word and PowerPoint.

How can an administrator check whether web search was used?

The Purview audit documentation says to inspect AISystemPlugin.Id in the CopilotInteraction audit record. Its value BingWebSearch identifies a request for public web data through Microsoft Bing.

Sources

1. Microsoft Learn, "Data, privacy, and security for web search in Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft Copilot Chat", 18 August 2026
2. Microsoft Learn, "Microsoft Copilot Chat Privacy and Protections", 18 August 2026
3. Microsoft Support, "How web search works in Microsoft Copilot Chat and agents", undated
4. Microsoft Learn, "Audit logs for Copilot and AI applications", 26 August 2026

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