You may have noticed a limit on the number of prompts per conversation session when using Microsoft Copilot—typically set at 10 exchanges 1. This limit is designed to ensure the quality and relevance of the conversation, preventing the AI from becoming confused or providing inaccurate responses over extended interactions. While this can sometimes be frustrating, especially during in-depth discussions, it serves an important purpose. By capping the number of exchanges, Microsoft aims to maintain a productive and coherent dialogue, reducing the risk of non-productive or off-topic conversations. This measure also helps in managing the system’s performance and preventing potential abuse.
That being said…
However, there have been instances where Copilot unexpectedly ended our conversation before reaching the established limit, displaying the message: Sorry, this conversation has reached its limit. Let’s start a new chat.
This abrupt termination occurred to me recently without any apparent reason, as our dialogue was neither aggressive nor inappropriate 2. One possibility is a technical glitch or an unexpected error in the system that caused the session to terminate early. Another reason could be related to the AI’s internal mechanisms designed to detect and prevent potential misuse or overuse, which might sometimes mistakenly flag a normal conversation as problematic.
- Inappropriate content
- If you ask too many questions about topics that are banned from its service or other inappropriate content, your account may be flagged, and you’ll get a similar message.
There are indeed instances of false positives, where the AI mistakenly identifies benign content as aggressive or inappropriate. Previously, such occurrences would prompt a message inviting users to start a new conversation. However, in this recent instance, despite the conversation being entirely legitimate, the message received was different: You’ve reached the conversation limit for today. Sign in to start a new chat.
This was particularly perplexing as the counter, which indicated 4 out of 10 exchanges, clearly showed that the conversation limit had not been reached. Below, I provide further details on the nature of the conversation to illustrate its appropriateness.
Unlike the previous instances, I was unable to click the New Topic button to restart the conversation. I attempted to open a new session of Copilot within Bing and even switched to using Edge, but to no avail. Each time, I was met with the same message: You’ve reached the conversation limit for today. Sign in to start a new chat.
It became evident that I was effectively locked out for the day unless I signed in to continue. This situation is quite ironic, considering I chose not to use chatGPT or Gemini precisely because they required signing in.
Microsoft has recently announced that the free Copilot has lifted its daily limit. Previously, the Copilot daily limit was capped at 300 chats each day, and for some users, it can be too limiting.Rafly Gilang
At that moment, I recalled reading an article comparing various AI systems, which mentioned a 5-question limitation with Copilot. Back then, I dismissed it as an error, given my usual 10-question limit per conversation (rather than per day, by the way). However, this (recall) led me to wonder if a recent update, possibly with a bug (since the counter still showed a limit of 10) had caused this issue. So, I sought answers and quickly discovered that I was not alone in experiencing this issue. According to a response from Microsoft, it appears that others have encountered similar problems:
Hi Kyan,
I’m Sumit, here to answer your query at the Microsoft Community.
The 5 limit is for users who are not logged in.
What happens if you try https://copilot.microsoft.com ?
Please keep us posted,
Sumit
I could have stopped there, but I decided to try accessing Copilot through the provided link instead of opening Bing and clicking on the Copilot icon (as I usually do). To my relief, this method worked perfectly, restoring normal functionality:
You
Do you have a new limit of 5 questions?
Copilot
There’s no specific limit on the number of questions you can ask. Feel free to ask as many as you need! How can I assist you today? 😊
1 of 10
In short, the issue I experienced was probably due to a technical glitch or an unexpected error in the system that caused the session to terminate early. Or… Keep reading, I have another explanation!
There are more than one!
Upon further investigation, I discovered 3 that the URL used when accessing Copilot via Bing is: https://www.bing.com/chat?form=NTPCHB, rather than https://copilot.microsoft.com. Additionally, I realized that when using Copilot Chat within Edge, you have the option to choose the source of your answers:
- Answers using the web
- Answers using Microsoft Copilot in Bing
- Answers using www.bing.com
According to Copilot, this flexibility allows for a more tailored and efficient user experience, depending on your specific needs and preferences (see textbox below).
Copilot is a public web service available to all users on copilot.microsoft.com, Bing.com/chat, Edge, and Windows.Microsoft
Exploring the Different Copilot Interfaces
Given my keen interest in text editing and the various functionalities offered by different AI interfaces, I asked Copilot to explain the distinctions between the various Copilot platforms. This inquiry was aimed at optimizing my workflow and leveraging the best features each platform has to offer. Specifically, I wanted to understand the differences between using Copilot via Bing, Edge Chat, Edge Compose, and the dedicated Copilot website. Here is its (edited) answer:
Sure! Let’s break down the differences between these tools and their strengths, especially in relation to text editing:
1. Copilot using Bing
– Functionality: This version of Copilot is integrated with Bing, allowing you to perform web searches and get conversational responses directly within the Bing search engine. It’s great for finding information quickly and getting detailed answers to your queries.
– Strengths in Text Editing: While it can help generate text and provide writing suggestions, its primary strength lies in information retrieval and answering questions rather than focused text editing.
2. Edge Chat
– Functionality: Edge Chat is part of the Microsoft Edge browser’s sidebar. It allows you to have a conversational interaction with Copilot, similar to a chat interface. You can ask questions, get summaries, and more.
– Strengths in Text Editing: Edge Chat can assist with text generation and editing, but it’s more versatile in handling a wide range of queries and tasks beyond just text editing.
3. Edge Compose
– Functionality: Edge Compose is a specialized feature within the Edge browser’s sidebar. It focuses specifically on text generation. You can choose the format, tone, and length of the text you want to create, making it highly customizable.
– Strengths in Text Editing: This is where Edge Compose shines. It’s designed to help you draft emails, blog posts, and other types of content quickly and efficiently. You can easily adjust the tone and style to match your needs.
4. copilot.microsoft.com
– Functionality: This is the standalone web application for Copilot. It offers a comprehensive interface for interacting with Copilot, including features for text generation, information retrieval, and more.
– Strengths in Text Editing: Similar to Edge Compose, the standalone Copilot app provides robust text editing capabilities. It allows for detailed customization and can handle a variety of writing tasks, making it a strong tool for content creation.
Comparison in Text Editing
– Edge Compose: Best for focused text generation with customizable options for tone, format, and length.
– copilot.microsoft.com: Offers comprehensive text editing features along with other functionalities.
– Edge Chat: Versatile but not as specialized in text editing as Edge Compose.
– Copilot using Bing: Primarily for information retrieval, with some text generation capabilities.
Each tool has its unique strengths, so the best choice depends on your specific needs. If you need detailed text editing, Edge Compose and copilot.microsoft.com are your best bets. For general queries and information retrieval, Copilot using Bing and Edge Chat are excellent options.
“You forgot to mention the nature of the conversation you had with Copilot.”
“Oh, yeah. Thank you!”
In keeping with mysteries…
During the incident, my discussion with Copilot revolved around my difficulty in locating its various modes. These modes include:
Creative Mode: This mode is designed to help generate imaginative and original content, such as stories, poems, or innovative ideas.
Balanced Mode: This mode aims to provide a well-rounded response, balancing creativity and factual accuracy.
Precise Mode: This mode focuses on delivering highly accurate and detailed information, ideal for technical or factual queries.
Each mode is tailored to suit different needs, ensuring that users receive the most appropriate type of assistance based on their specific requirements.
Specifically, because I was unable to locate these modes, I sought assistance from Copilot. Given its repeated instructions to click on a menu that was not visible on my screen, I inquired if I could provide a screenshot to help it understand my configuration. Unfortunately, this option was not available 4. Consequently, I requested either an image of what I should be looking for or some articles or tutorials with visual aids—preferably from Microsoft—detailing the steps. At this point, I was unexpectedly forced out.
Naturally, I turned to my (previous) reliable companion, Google, to investigate the issue with Copilot’s modes. After some searching, I discovered this potential answer:
A Microsoft agent/moderator provided information stating that:
This is a hot issue, and some users have reported that changing Edge’s country/region or Windows system’s country/region to the United States can solve the problem of Copilot’s inability to switch modes.
– Yang.Z
The fix is simply done by changing the Country/Region option to United States.
It is possible that this feature is exclusively available in the USA? Mystery solved? After all, most of the articles on the subject matter are in English (at least, the one I read) and I never thought of checking the French ones 5. Maybe, if I would have done so, I would have never heard about these modes. This raises the question, though: what is the default mode when none is selected? In my search for answers, I stumbled upon what seems to be a more plausible explanation:
Just had an update from Microsoft support
the conversational tone selector has been removed to limit the cognitive overhead of model selection on the end-user and want the chat/copilot itself to choose the right model for the conversation.
Official Microsoft documentation is being updated to reflect the changes made to Copilot’s conversational styles.
This appears to be an issue across the board. Both the publicly available Copilot and the paid Copilot for Microsoft 365 are both experiencing this. There was a recommendation about setting your Country/Region to United States that had been working for some, but there are reports this no longer works, and the “Show All Tones” is missing from the ellipse menu as well.patmcguinness
Now, there is a workaround: by specifying ‘creative,’ ‘balanced,’ or ‘precise’ in your prompt, you can effectively select the desired conversational tone, similar to the previously available tone selector. If no specific mode is indicated, Copilot will determine the most appropriate response mode.
Why can I no longer select conversation tones when using Copilot?
Users no longer need to select a given tone when interacting with Copilot. To create a more intuitive and simplified user experience, we’ve removed the need for users to select a tone at the start of their conversation. Of course, users can always indicate in their prompt that they’d like Copilot to respond in a desired tone. For example, a user can ask Copilot to respond in a professional and concise tone when drafting a work-related email or in a friendly and humorous tone when simply chatting about something fun.
Conclusion Diagnosis
There is a complex psychological condition characterized by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states within a single individual. It’s called Multiple Personality Disorder, now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder. Each identity may have its own name, characteristics, mannerisms, and memories. However, despite the many Copilots (see ‘There are more than one!’ paragraph above), I don’t think this applies…
- Caractériel [French]
- Who has normal intelligence but who presents behavioral disorders most often characterized by aggressiveness, excessive instability, and a blockage in communication with others.
Could it be that Copilot exhibits signs of emotional dysregulation, struggling to manage its responses and leading to abrupt and intense reactions, such as suddenly halting a conversation out of frustration (for instance, when it doesn’t know the answer)? Each time this issue arose, it was unable to assist me due to a lack of access to certain information. For example, it appeared unaware of its updated, limited functionality (specifically, the mode selection), resulting in what the French aptly describe as “un dialogue de sourds” (a dialogue of the deaf). Interestingly, I have often encountered this issue with adults—this pathological irritability is not confined to problematic children—but I did not expect it from a “machine.” Perhaps Copilot is not as “artificial” as we might think, and more human than we care to admit…
1 You may have a different limit; I’ve seen people mentioning up to 30 messages per conversation. In fact, the limit has evolved over time and can vary based on different versions or updates of the platform. ^
2 Aggressive or inappropriate conversation typically refers to interactions that include hostile, abusive, or offensive language. Beyond identifying patterns and keywords associated with aggressive or inappropriate behavior, the AI can gauge the emotional tone of a conversation. If the sentiment is overly negative or hostile, it can flag the interaction. ^
3 I also found that some users who wanted to bypass the Sorry you’ve reached your daily limit
message recommended using incognito mode in their browser. This feature allows you to browse privately without keeping your search history. I have tried it, and this is not working! ^
4 There are two main reasons for Copilot not accepting screenshots: Privacy & Security and Technical Limitations. Screenshots can contain sensitive information. To protect your privacy and security, Copilot avoids handling images that might inadvertently reveal personal or confidential data. More importantly, Copilot’s current capabilities are primarily text-based. While it can understand and generate text, processing and interpreting images, especially in real-time, might not be supported. ^
5 I am currently based in Europe; see my About. ^