Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI-powered assistant, designed to help with everything from writing and summarising to creating presentations. It works across Microsoft's ecosystem and it’s great for work, study and other everyday tasks.
In this guide, we'll explain what Microsoft Copilot is, how it works and what it can do. We'll also look at its security and privacy, different Copilot plans, and how it works on Windows 11 and MacBooks.
What is Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is an AI assistant where you can use everyday language to get things done. Instead of searching through menus or working out the right command, you can simply tell Copilot what you need.
It can help write and rewrite text, summarise information, answer questions, create images and work in Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook). That makes it different from a traditional search engine. Search is mainly about finding information, while Copilot can also help you create, organise and work with it. For example, you could ask Copilot to turn a collection of notes into a first draft, summarise a long email thread or help make sense of spreadsheet data. You still have the final say, but Copilot can do lots of the legwork for you.
How does Microsoft Copilot work?
Think of Copilot as your go-between for Microsoft's AI tools. You give it a prompt in everyday language, such as asking it to rewrite a paragraph or explain what's happening in a spreadsheet. Copilot then uses large language models (LLMs) to understand your request and generate a response.
When you're using Copilot with a Microsoft 365 work account, it can also use relevant information from Microsoft Graph, such as emails, documents and chats - just as long as you have permission to access that information. So instead of asking an AI tool to write something from scratch, you can give Copilot the information it needs to work with what you're already doing.
Microsoft Copilot features
Copilot can do different things depending on the Microsoft app and subscription you're using. Here are some of its most useful features.
Writing and creating
Copilot can help get you past the dreaded blank page by creating a first draft from your instructions. It can also rewrite existing text, change the tone, shorten a passage or summarise a longer document. In Word, that could mean turning a collection of notes into a first draft. In PowerPoint, Copilot can help you get a presentation started from scratch.Meetings and communication
Copilot can also help with the less glamorous side of working life. Depending on the Microsoft 365 app and features available to you, it can summarise meetings, pull out action points, draft emails and recap lengthy conversations. In Outlook, for example, Copilot can help draft replies or find useful information in an email. In Teams, it can help you catch up on meetings and conversations when you weren't able to take notes.Data analysis and insights
If spreadsheets aren’t your favourite thing, Excel is where Copilot can be especially useful. You can use natural-language prompts to help analyse data, identify trends and create summaries. Instead of manually working through a large table, Copilot can help you understand what's there and suggest ways to explore it.
Is Microsoft Copilot secure?
Microsoft Copilot is designed to work with Microsoft's existing security and privacy protections. For work and school accounts, it can access information you're already allowed to see, such as emails, documents and chats. It doesn't simply give you access to someone else's files.
Microsoft also says that prompts, responses and information accessed through Microsoft Graph aren't used to train its foundation AI models. But as with any AI assistant, it's still sensible to think about what information you're sharing and check important results before acting on them.
Microsoft Copilot plans explained
There are a few ways to use Microsoft Copilot, depending on how much AI help you want.
Microsoft Copilot: The free version gives you access to Copilot for everyday AI tasks, such as asking questions, creating content and getting help with ideas.
Microsoft 365 Personal and Family: These subscriptions bring Copilot into Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Personal is for one person, while Family can be shared with up to six people.
Microsoft 365 Premium: This adds higher Copilot usage limits and more advanced AI features, including Researcher and Analyst, alongside Microsoft 365's usual apps and benefits.
For work: Microsoft 365 Copilot is designed for business users, with AI assistance that works with Microsoft 365 content and organisational information.
So, if you only want occasional AI help, free Copilot may be enough. If you spend a lot of time in Microsoft 365, a paid plan can bring Copilot directly into the apps you already use.
Microsoft Copilot on Windows and Mac
You can access Microsoft Copilot in three main ways:
Web browser: Use Copilot online from a browser on your computer, phone or tablet.
Copilot app: Use the Copilot app on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android.
Built into Windows: Copilot is built in to supported Windows PCs, giving you instant access without even having to open a browser.
Copilot+ PCs are a specific category of Windows 11 PCs, with dedicated hardware that can run certain AI features directly on the PC itself. These include Windows Studio Effects, Live Captions with translation, improved Windows Search and Cocreator.
On a MacBook, you can use Copilot through the app or a web browser. But there isn't a Mac equivalent of a Copilot+ PC.
The best Copilot+ PCs
If you're buying a Windows laptop and want AI features built into the PC itself, look for a Copilot+ PC. Here are some of best available in 2026.
ASUS Zenbook A16 – best for multitasking
The ASUS Zenbook A16 has a large 16-inch display that gives Copilot plenty of room to work with you. That makes it handy for bigger jobs where you’re moving between lots of information – you could keep a spreadsheet, webpage and Copilot open together while you work through a project - rather than constantly swapping between windows.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 – best for editing photos and videos
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 has a 2.8K OLED screen with accurate colours, so it’s great for editing photos and videos, or creating your own images. Copilot can help with this too. Give it a simple prompt and it can turn your ideas into artwork in any style you choose. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 also has four Dolby Atmos speakers to give you clear audio, which comes in handy when you’re checking a soundtrack or listening to a presentation.
Acer Swift Air 16 OLED - best for a big screen on the go
The Acer Swift Air 16 OLED gives you a large 16-inch display in a lightweight laptop that weighs just 1kg. The OLED display is well suited to visual work, so you can spread out a photo edit or video timeline and see what you’re doing in detail. Copilot can then help out by explaining how to do more advanced actions than you’re used to. Just ask.
HP OmniBook 5 NGAI - best for video calls
The HP OmniBook 5 NGAI has a 5MP front-facing camera for Copilot-powered video calls. You get a sharper picture on meetings, while Windows Hello uses the camera to recognise you and sign you in. After a call, Copilot can help turn your notes into a summary or pull out the actions you need to remember.
Is Microsoft Copilot right for you?
If you spend a lot of your day in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook or Teams, Copilot can be a useful extra pair of hands. It can help you get started faster, tidy up work, find information and make sense of things that would otherwise take more time.
It's useful outside the office, too. You can use Copilot for planning, writing, researching ideas and lots of other everyday tasks. The more clearly you explain what you want, the more useful the result can be - but you should still check important information and make final decisions yourself.
Need more help?
For more ideas, check out our Microsoft Copilot tips and tricks. If you’re looking for a new laptop, we've got a handy laptop buying guide and a guide to the best laptops for writers in 2026. If you’d like to chat to a real-life expert, pop in-store and speak with one of our colleagues. They’ll happily answer all your tech questions.
FAQs
What does Microsoft Copilot do?
Microsoft Copilot uses AI to help you create, edit, summarise and understand information. You can use it to draft documents and emails, analyse data, create presentations, answer questions and more. Its features vary by app, account and subscription, so the Copilot experience isn't identical for everyone.
Is Copilot the same as ChatGPT?
Copilot and ChatGPT are both AI assistants, but they aren't the same service. Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant and is closely integrated with Microsoft products such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. ChatGPT is developed by OpenAI and offers its own features outside Microsoft's ecosystem.
Is Copilot free for Microsoft?
Yes, Microsoft Copilot is available as a free service, although some features and usage limits vary depending on how you use it. Paid Microsoft 365 subscriptions add Copilot features to apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Higher-tier plans give you more AI features and higher usage limits.
What are the benefits of using Copilot?
The main benefits of Microsoft Copilot are saving time, getting help with repetitive tasks and making it easier to work with information. It can draft and rewrite text, summarise content, analyse data, create presentations and help manage emails. For Microsoft 365 users, its biggest benefit is working inside apps they’re already familiar with.
