How to use Microsoft Copilot
What Is Microsoft Copilot? Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant built into familiar applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. It helps automate tasks, draft emails, summarize documents, analyze data, and generate creative ideas—simply by responding to your commands in everyday language. Getting Started Access Copilot: Look for the Copilot icon or side panel in your Microsoft 365 apps. Make Your First Request: Type a clear and direct instruction, such as: “Summarize this meeting” “Create a chart from this data” “Draft an introduction for my report” Review and Edit: Copilot will generate a response that you can use, customize, or request to change (“make it shorter” or “add bullet points”). Tips for Effective Use Be specific about what you want Copilot to do. For best results, provide context (e.g., “Summarize this thread for a project update email”). If you want to try something new, start a fresh conversation with a new prompt. Use Copilot for a variety of tasks—from writing, summarizing, and brainstorming, to designing slides or replying to emails. Example Prompts “Turn this data into a bar chart.” “Draft a thank you email for today’s meeting.” “Outline the key points from this document.” “Rewrite this paragraph more formally.” Common Copilot Features Word: Drafts and edits documents, rewrites text, summarizes content. Excel: Analyzes data, creates charts, offers formula suggestions. PowerPoint: Designs slides, summarizes presentations, generates outlines. Outlook: Composes and summarizes emails, drafts replies. Why Use Copilot? Saves time on repetitive or complex tasks. Helps brainstorm and organize ideas. Makes working with documents and data easier. Improves productivity, especially for new users. The key is to start with simple prompts and explore what Copilot can do for different needs. Have you tried Copilot yet? Share your first experience, or ask any questions in the comments!Prompt-writing tips for Copilot
Beginner Tip: How to Write Great Prompts for Microsoft Copilot If you want to get the most out of Microsoft Copilot, knowing how to write clear prompts is key! A prompt is simply what you type to tell Copilot what you want—like asking a friend for help. Here are some easy tips to get started: Be specific: Instead of "Make a summary," try "Summarize this page in 3 bullet points." Give context: Tell Copilot what you're working on. For example, "Write a friendly email to schedule a meeting with my team." State your goal: Mention what you want to achieve, like "Create a quick outline for a tech blog post." Experiment: Don’t worry about being perfect. Try different approaches and you’ll see what works best. Example Prompt: "I’m preparing a presentation for new employees. Can you create 5 easy-to-understand slides explaining what generative AI is, using simple language and one fun fact per slide?" With these simple adjustments, you’ll notice Copilot gives you much better answers! Got a prompt that worked well, or a question on what to write? Share your thoughts or ask in the comments below—your experience could help someone else!