Microsoft Copilot is the AI assistant baked into Windows and Microsoft 365. It's free in basic form and built into the OS so you don't need to download anything. The Pro version adds more capability for $20/month.
Here's how to actually use it and what the free vs paid versions can do.
Open Copilot in Windows 11
Copilot is in the taskbar by default on Windows 11. Click the Copilot icon (looks like a colorful arrow). The Copilot side panel opens.
You can also press Windows + C on most setups. If Copilot isn't in your taskbar, right-click the taskbar > Taskbar settings > toggle on Copilot.
Use Copilot in your browser
Go to copilot.microsoft.com. Same Copilot, web version. Useful when you're on a non-Windows computer or want a full-screen interface.
Sign in with a Microsoft account for the better experience. Without signing in, you get fewer features and shorter responses.
Copilot Pro vs Free
| Feature | Free | Pro ($20/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-4 access | Limited during peak hours | Priority access |
| DALL-E 3 image generation | Yes (limited daily) | Higher quotas, faster |
| Microsoft 365 Apps integration | No | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook |
| GPT Builder | No | Yes |
| Response speed | Slower during peak | Always priority |
Free is fine for casual users. Pro is worth it if you use Microsoft 365 daily – the Word and Excel integration alone justifies the price.
Use Copilot for everyday tasks
What Copilot is good at:
- Writing first drafts of emails, posts, articles
- Summarizing long documents or web pages
- Answering general questions with web sources
- Generating images from text descriptions
- Translating text between languages
- Coding help and debugging
- Brainstorming ideas
Behind the scenes it's GPT-4 plus Bing search. So it has access to current information unlike free ChatGPT.
Generate images with DALL-E 3
Type a prompt for an image directly into Copilot. Like "a cat riding a unicycle in space, digital art style". Copilot generates four variations.
Free tier limits how many images per day. Pro is unlimited. Quality is solid – DALL-E 3 is one of the best free image generators available.
Use Copilot in Microsoft 365 (Pro)
With Copilot Pro, the assistant appears inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. Each integration is different.
- Word – Draft documents from prompts, rewrite paragraphs, summarize
- Excel – Analyze data, suggest formulas, highlight insights
- PowerPoint – Generate slide decks from text outlines, design suggestions
- Outlook – Draft emails, summarize threads, suggest responses
- OneNote – Organize notes, suggest action items, summarize meeting notes
Click the Copilot button in any of these apps to open the side panel. Type what you want help with. Get useful output.
Use Copilot for code
Copilot can write, explain, and debug code. Paste code into the chat. Ask "explain what this does" or "find the bug in this function".
This is different from GitHub Copilot which is the inline code assistant. The Copilot in Windows handles conversational code questions.
Customize Copilot responses
You can adjust how Copilot responds. Pick conversation style at the top of the chat:
- Creative – more imaginative responses, good for brainstorming
- Balanced – middle ground, default
- Precise – factual and concise, good for research
Try each for the same prompt and see how the answers differ. Pick the mode that fits your task type.
Voice and mobile Copilot
Microsoft Copilot has its own mobile app on iOS and Android. Same features as the web version including voice mode. Useful for hands-free queries on the go.
The voice mode is decent but not as polished as ChatGPT's. Still better than typing on a phone for quick questions.
What's your most common AI task? Tell me and I'll point to the specific Copilot feature for it.