What is Microsoft Copilot?

Updated 02/24/2026
What if you had an AI assistant that could draft emails, summarize reports, and organize your data—in seconds? That’s exactly what Microsoft Copilot can do! As the name implies, Copilot works alongside you to simplify and automate common tasks.

It helps to know that Copilot Chat is free to use on the web and in Windows, but to use Copilot inside Microsoft 365 apps, like Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams, you must have a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license.

Copilot in Windows provides general AI help but cannot access or summarize your Word documents, Outlook emails, or Teams chats unless you have a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license.

Essentially, Copilot acts as your productivity partner by helping you:

  • Draft documents, emails, and reports.
  • Summarize lengthy content or data.
  • Create presentations quickly and easily.
  • Generate meeting agendas and follow-up notes.
  • Offer insights and analyze data in Excel.
  • Automate repetitive tasks and workflows.

Copilot aims to save you time by streamlining manual tasks, providing helpful suggestions, and keeping you organized.

In this article, I share more about the different options in Microsoft Copilot, or watch my video below.
(Note: This video is from 2025, so some features have changed. Copilot continues to be updated, so differences are expected):

Tip: In Copilot Chat, you can switch between “Work” (uses your Microsoft 365 data) and “Web” (general internet search) using the Work/Web toggle.

Using Microsoft Copilot for Free

You can experience AI without a subscription using the Microsoft Edge browser. In Microsoft Edge, select the Copilot icon in the sidebar (or upper-right corner, depending on your version of Edge). Next, use the chat screen to add prompts to generate content, summarize articles, assist with research, and more. Another way to explore Copilot’s features is at copilot.microsoft.com or look for the Copilot icon in your Windows taskbar.

The free version of Copilot cannot access or use your Microsoft 365 content unless you upload or paste it into the chat.

Some newer PCs include a Copilot key that opens Windows Copilot, not Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Working with Copilot Chat in Microsoft 365

You may have recently noticed a change to your Microsoft 365 login. Some users may see “Microsoft 365 Copilot” branding, but this does not provide access to the paid Copilot features unless the organization has licensed them.

Paid Copilot Features for Enhanced Productivity in Microsoft 365

While these free tools give you a taste of what AI can do, Microsoft Copilot’s full capabilities are only available as a paid add-on in Microsoft 365, which costs $30 (US) per user per month for most organizations. Availability and licensing options vary for government and enterprise tenants, so some organizations may not yet have access.

With the paid version, Copilot offers seamless integration within Microsoft 365 applications, provides more tailored responses, and includes specialized tools designed to enhance productivity for most business professionals.

How to Launch the Premium Copilot

To get started with the paid version of Copilot, open any Microsoft 365 application (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Teams) and look for the Copilot icon in the Ribbon. Once Copilot is open, start with simple prompts like “Summarize this document” or “Create a meeting agenda.” However, as you’ll discover, more specific, detailed prompts will help you achieve better results.

Key Premium Features of Copilot in Microsoft 365 Applications

  • Copilot in Word: Offers AI-powered assistance for drafting, rewriting, and formatting documents. It also helps simplify or rewrite sections to improve clarity and tone. You can use prompts like “Create a professional report based on these meeting notes” or “Summarize this document for an executive briefing.”
  • Copilot in Excel: Analyzes data, suggests and fixes formulas, generates charts, and summarizes data trends. It’s useful for professionals who work with complex data sets or need to produce reports quickly. Sample prompts include “Explain this formula” or “Insert a bar chart comparing Q3 and Q4 performance.” It’s helpful to know that Copilot in Excel still does not create complex formulas reliably and cannot access external data sources in many orgs. At this time, Copilot does not work with Power Query, PivotTables, or macros.
  • Copilot in PowerPoint: Creates presentations from outlines or documents, suggests slide designs, and helps build visually appealing decks. For example, you can say, “Turn this report into a 10-slide presentation” or “Enhance the design of this slide.” Copilot in PowerPoint includes Designer Pro (only available with Copilot for Microsoft 365) and image generation.
  • Copilot in Outlook: Drafts emails, summarizes email threads, and assists with meeting management. It even analyzes email content for follow-ups and generates responses. Try prompts like “Draft an email to follow up on the attached meeting notes” or “Summarize my next steps in an email response.” Some Copilot features, such as Draft with Copilot, are rolling out gradually and may not yet be available to all licensed users or shared mailboxes.
    Note: Copilot works best in New Outlook and Outlook on the Web.
  • Copilot in Teams: Teams meeting summaries require either Copilot for Microsoft 365 or Teams Premium, depending on your organization’s setup. You could ask, “Summarize the key takeaways from this Teams meeting.”

Copilot also appears in OneNote for some users, but features vary and may not yet be available in every organization.

Final Thoughts and Free Resources

Integrating Copilot into your daily work routine can save time, reduce manual tasks, and make you more efficient. To learn more about creating effective Copilot prompts and using Copilot efficiently, download my free Copilot resources from this page or at TheSoftwarePro.com/Copilot.

© Dawn Bjork, MCT, MOSE, CSP®, The Software Pro®
Microsoft Certified Trainer, Productivity Speaker, Certified Speaking Professional

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