Microsoft to take down Copilot from WhatsApp starting Jan 15: What changes

Copilot will stop working on WhatsApp from January 15, 2026, with Microsoft directing users to its mobile, web and Windows apps as Meta blocks AI chatbots on its platform

Microsoft has announced that its AI assistant Copilot will no longer work on WhatsApp starting January 15, 2026. The company said it is preparing a smooth transition for users and will guide them toward Copilot on mobile, web, and PC to ensure uninterrupted access.

 

The move follows Meta’s recent policy update that bans AI chatbots and other large language model–based assistants from operating on WhatsApp. Microsoft is not the only company affected — OpenAI earlier confirmed that ChatGPT will also stop functioning on WhatsApp after Meta’s cutoff date. 

Copilot on WhatsApp: What’s next

According to Microsoft, Copilot on WhatsApp will continue to operate until January 15, 2026. After that, the integration will be disabled. Users will still be able to use Copilot through several other platforms:

• Copilot mobile app (Available on iOS and Android)
• Copilot on the web
• Copilot on Windows

Microsoft added that these versions include everything Copilot on WhatsApp offered, along with additional capabilities such as Copilot Voice, Vision, and a new expressive visual companion called Mico.

 

The company noted that if a user would like to keep a record of their conversation with the AI chatbot, it recommends exporting chat history using WhatsApp’s built-in tools prior to January 15, 2026. It also stated that since access to Copilot on WhatsApp is unauthenticated, Copilot chat history can not be transferred to other Copilot platforms.   ALSO READ | Google, the sleeping giant in global AI race, now fully awake with Gemini 3

Meta’s latest policy change

Meta recently introduced a new category in its WhatsApp Business API terms aimed at “AI providers,” broadly covering LLMs and general-purpose AI assistants. Under the revised rules, AI chatbots cannot operate on WhatsApp Business if the AI assistant itself is the core product being offered.

 

According to a TechCrunch report, Meta said that AI chatbots have caused a surge in message volume and system load, demanding more infrastructure support than Meta had built WhatsApp Business for. The updated terms are meant to keep the platform aligned with its original purpose rather than becoming a hosting ground for full-scale conversational AI tools.