Microsoft Copilot: your AI assistant in Windows and Office

Microsoft has built artificial intelligence deep into Windows and the Office programs through Copilot. This AI assistant can help you with all kinds of tasks, from writing emails to analyzing Excel data. In this article you'll learn what Copilot is, how you can use it and what it can do for you.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is an AI assistant built into Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Copilot uses advanced language models to help you with your everyday computer tasks. You can ask questions, give instructions and get help with complex tasks.

Copilot is available in several forms:

  • Copilot in Windows: A sidebar in Windows 11 for general help
  • Copilot in Microsoft 365: Built into the Office applications
  • Copilot in Edge: A chat feature in the Microsoft Edge browser
  • Copilot.microsoft.com: A web version you can reach from any browser

Copilot in Windows 11

In Windows 11, Copilot is available as a sidebar that you can open with the keyboard shortcut Windows + C, or by clicking the Copilot icon in the taskbar.

What can you do with Copilot in Windows?

The Windows version of Copilot can help you with various tasks on your computer:

Adjusting system settings: For example, ask "Turn on dark mode" or "How do I change my desktop background?" Copilot can change settings for you directly or take you to the right place.

Finding information: Ask questions about any topic and get detailed answers. Copilot has access to up-to-date information from the internet.

Writing and editing text: Ask Copilot to write emails, summarize texts or improve your written work.

Creating images: Copilot can generate images based on your description, thanks to its integration with DALL-E.

Enabling Copilot in Windows 11

On most Windows 11 computers, Copilot is available by default. If you don't see the icon in the taskbar, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click the taskbar
  2. Select "Taskbar settings"
  3. Turn on the switch next to "Copilot"

Make sure your Windows 11 is up to date, because Copilot was added in more recent updates.

Copilot in Microsoft Word

In Microsoft Word, Copilot can help you write and edit documents. This requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

Writing text with Copilot

Open a new or existing document and click the Copilot icon in the toolbar. You can then give instructions such as:

  • "Write a professional email to reschedule a meeting"
  • "Create a summary of this document"
  • "Write an introduction for a report on sustainable energy"
  • "Rewrite this paragraph in simpler language"

Copilot generates text that you can edit, accept or reject. You always stay in control of the final result.

Editing and improving documents

Select a piece of text and ask Copilot for help:

  • "Make this text shorter"
  • "Fix the grammar and spelling"
  • "Make the tone more formal"
  • "Add bullet points"

Copilot in Microsoft Excel

In Excel, Copilot is especially powerful for data analysis and creating formulas.

Analyzing data

With Copilot you can ask questions about your data in natural language:

  • "What were the total sales in January?"
  • "Show a chart of the monthly revenue"
  • "Which products perform best?"
  • "Calculate the average per category"

Copilot analyzes your spreadsheet and gives answers, creates charts or adds calculations.

Creating formulas

Creating complex Excel formulas can be tricky. Copilot helps by turning your request into the right formula:

  • "Create a formula that adds up the sales if the region is 'North'"
  • "Calculate the percentage growth compared to last year"
  • "Find the highest value in column C for each unique value in column A"

Copilot also explains how the formula works, so you can learn from it.

Copilot in Microsoft PowerPoint

In PowerPoint, Copilot can create complete presentations or help you improve existing slides.

Generating presentations

Give Copilot a topic and let it create a complete presentation:

  • "Create a presentation about the benefits of working from home"
  • "Create 10 slides about healthy eating for seniors"
  • "Generate a presentation based on this Word document"

Copilot creates slides with text, headings and suggestions for images. You can adjust every slide as you like.

Improving slides

For existing presentations, Copilot can help with:

  • Adding speaker notes
  • Summarizing long slides
  • Improving the visual layout
  • Adding relevant images

Copilot in Microsoft Outlook

In Outlook, Copilot helps you manage your email and calendar.

Writing emails

Start a new email and let Copilot help:

  • "Write a polite reminder for an unpaid invoice"
  • "Reply positively to this email and confirm the appointment"
  • "Make this email shorter and more businesslike"

Summarizing emails

For long email threads, Copilot can create a summary so you quickly understand what was discussed. This is especially useful when you return from vacation or need to work through a lot of emails.

Calendar help

Copilot can also help with scheduling:

  • "When do I have time this week for a one-hour meeting?"
  • "Schedule an appointment with Jan next week"
  • "Give me an overview of my appointments tomorrow"

Copilot in the Edge browser

The Microsoft Edge browser has a built-in Copilot sidebar that you can open by clicking the Copilot icon or with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + . (period).

Summarizing web pages

While you are viewing an article or web page, Copilot can:

  • Summarize the page in a few sentences
  • Highlight the key points
  • Answer questions about the content

This is useful for long articles or technical documentation.

Doing research

Use Copilot in Edge for:

  • Comparing products
  • Gathering information about a topic
  • Generating ideas

Tips for using Copilot effectively

Be specific in your requests

The clearer your instruction, the better the result. Instead of "write a letter", it is better to ask: "write a formal letter to my insurer to file a damage claim for a water leak in my kitchen on January 15".

Give context

Tell Copilot who the text is for and what the goal is. "Write for an audience of seniors" or "this is for a business presentation" helps Copilot choose the right tone.

Iterate and refine

The first result is not always perfect. Ask Copilot for changes: "make it shorter", "add more details", or "make the tone friendlier".

Always check the result

Copilot can make mistakes. Check generated texts for accuracy, especially when it comes to facts, figures or important information.

Copilot licenses and availability

Not all Copilot features are available for free:

Available for free:

  • Copilot in Windows 11 (basic version)
  • Copilot in the Edge browser
  • Copilot.microsoft.com web version

Paid (Microsoft 365 Copilot):

  • Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
  • Advanced features and higher limits
  • Requires a business Microsoft 365 subscription plus a Copilot license

For home users there is Copilot Pro, a paid subscription that gives access to Copilot in the Office apps for personal use.

Frequently asked questions

Is Microsoft Copilot free to use?

The basic version of Copilot is available for free in Windows 11, the Edge browser and via copilot.microsoft.com. For Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook you need a paid license. Individuals can consider Copilot Pro, while business users need Microsoft 365 Copilot.

How do I open Copilot in Windows 11?

You can open Copilot by clicking the Copilot icon in the taskbar or by using the keyboard shortcut Windows + C. If you don't see the icon, check whether Copilot is turned on in the taskbar settings and whether your Windows is up to date.

Can Copilot see my private data?

Copilot in Microsoft 365 can have access to your documents, emails and calendar to help you better. Microsoft states that business data is protected and is not used to train the AI. Always check your organization's privacy policy and settings if you use Copilot for work.

Does Copilot also work in Dutch?

Yes, Microsoft Copilot supports Dutch. You can ask questions and give instructions in Dutch and you will get answers in Dutch. The quality may vary slightly compared to English, but for most tasks it works well.

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