Microsoft Copilot is revolutionizing professional productivity with its powerful AI capabilities. This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know, whether you’re an AI novice or an experienced user. From understanding its core functionality and signing up to crafting effective prompts and generating stunning visuals, we’ll unlock Copilot’s potential to transform your workflow. We’ll also cover account management for a seamless and efficient user experience.
The Copilot logo
Understanding Microsoft Copilot
Copilot, Microsoft’s flagship AI assistant, is a sophisticated large language model available on the web, iOS, and Android mobile apps. It seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Launched in February 2023, Copilot replaced Cortana, initially known as Bing Chat, and integrated into Bing and Edge. It was officially rebranded as Copilot in September 2023 and added to Windows 11 in December 2023.
Built upon OpenAI’s GPT-4 foundation, Copilot leverages the Microsoft Prometheus model. Microsoft’s significant investment in OpenAI, including a substantial $13 billion pledge in April 2023, explains the functional overlap between Copilot and ChatGPT.
Copilot exists in two forms: a 365 integration providing real-time summarization, analysis, text generation, and image creation within user data; and a web- and app-based chatbot. The chatbot is free, but subscription packages enhance features.
Free users have limited chat interactions within a three-hour window (approximately 80 queries and responses) and lack 365 integration. The $20/month Copilot Pro plan expands model access, increases chat limits, prioritizes text-based requests, and speeds up image generation using Dall-E and Designer.
October 2024 saw Microsoft announce new Vision and Voice Interaction features for Copilot on Edge. Copilot Vision, similar to Microsoft’s Recall, analyzes on-screen content, answering questions, offering recommendations, and summarizing information. It’s opt-in, displays an active indicator, and avoids paywalled or sensitive content. Voice Interactions, mirroring ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode and Gemini Live, allows natural voice conversations with Copilot. This feature is rolling out in English to the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Vision, launching soon in the U.S. for Pro subscribers, will eventually expand to more users.
Signing Up for Copilot
Visit the Copilot website and click the top-right sign-in button. Choose a personal or work/school account. If you need an account, click “No account? Create one!” and follow the instructions.
For Pro, sign in and click “Try Copilot Pro” on the home screen. Follow the prompts and have your credit card ready. The first month is free, followed by a $20 monthly charge.
Getting Started with Copilot
The Microsoft Copilot home screen
The Copilot homepage offers various features. Switch between Copilot (for questions and conversations) and Notebook (for collaborative writing) in the top-left corner.
The 32k token context window sits at the bottom. Upload documents and images for analysis using the picture icon or speak your query via the microphone. Adjust response style (More Creative, More Balanced, More Precise) above the window.
Your user name and avatar are in the top-right. Click to sign out or switch accounts. The settings menu (three horizontal lines) adjusts privacy, user, and appearance options.
Chats and Plugins are on the right. Chats stores conversation history. Plugins (e.g., Instacart, Kayak, Klarna) enhance queries with specialized product information.
Effective Prompting in Copilot
Copilot’s multilingual support requires precise prompting for accurate results. Provide specific instructions for desired outputs.
For example, “write a poem about nature” yields a generic result. “write a poem about nature in the style of Homer’s Illiad” generates a more stylistically appropriate response.
Provide detailed context, tone, length, style, writing samples, and background text for improved accuracy and efficiency.
Creating Images with Copilot
a frog playing violin in a packed concert hall, pixel art, AI generated
Image generation follows the same principles as text generation. Use clear, objective language. Instead of “draw a picture of a pretty frog playing music at a concert,” try “draw an image of a frog in a top hat and tuxedo playing the violin in a packed concert hall, photorealistic.” Refine and reiterate the initial four images (“make its bow tie red,” “remake the image as pixel art”) to achieve the desired output.
Managing Your Copilot Account
Delete individual chats by hovering over them and clicking the trashcan. To clear all history, access the privacy dashboard through Settings > Privacy, navigate to Browsing and Search > Manage your activity data, open the Copilot activity history section, and select “Clear all Copilot activity history and search history.”
Copilot Controversies
Exercise caution and verify information provided by chatbots. AI hallucinations, like in the case of expert witness Charles Ranson, highlight the risk of relying solely on AI-generated information. Ranson’s Copilot-based appraisal in a property dispute was deemed “entirely speculative” by Judge Jonathan Schopf. This underscores the importance of critical thinking and independent verification when using AI tools.
