// how to
How to use Copilot
Pick what you want to do. Each guide gives the steps, prompts you can copy into Copilot, an example of a good result, and the mistakes that waste your time.
Copilot how-tos
- 01
How to Use Microsoft Copilot: A Beginner's Guide
How to use Microsoft Copilot as a beginner: where to find it on the web, Windows, Mac and phones, how to sign in, what to ask first, and how to check answers.
- 02
How to Use Copilot in Excel: Formulas, Charts and Analysis
How to use Copilot in Excel: open the Copilot pane, choose edit, plan or chat mode, add formula columns, build charts and PivotTables, and check the results.
- 03
How to Use Copilot in Word: Draft, Rewrite and Summarize
How to use Copilot in Word: start a draft from a prompt or your notes, rewrite a paragraph, summarize a long document, and pull in other files with a slash.
- 04
How to Use Copilot in PowerPoint to Create a Presentation
How to use Copilot in PowerPoint: create a presentation from a prompt or a Word document, answer its questions, then edit the slides so they say what you mean.
- 05
How to Use Copilot in Outlook: Summarize Threads and Draft Replies
How to use Copilot in Outlook: summarize a long email thread in one click, draft a new email or reply, adjust tone and length, and check before you send.
- 06
How to Turn Off Copilot in Word, Excel, Outlook and Windows
How to turn off Copilot: the Enable Copilot box in Word, Excel and PowerPoint, the Outlook toggle, removing the Windows app, and changing the Copilot key.
- 07
How to Use Copilot in Teams Meetings for Recaps and Action Items
How to use Copilot in Teams meetings: turn on transcription, ask questions during the call, catch up if you join late, and get a recap with action items.
- 08
How to Choose a Copilot Plan: Free, Microsoft 365 or Business
Which Microsoft Copilot plan do you need? What the free app does, what Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium add, and how business plans compare.
- 09
How to Create Images with Microsoft Copilot
How to create images with Microsoft Copilot: describe the picture in detail, edit a photo you upload, refine it in the same chat, and know what Microsoft keeps.
- 10
How to Use Copilot in Windows 11: The Copilot Key and App
How to use Copilot in Windows 11: open it with the Copilot key or Windows key + C, ask about a screenshot or your files, and change what the key does.
- 11
How to Use GitHub Copilot in VS Code (Free Plan Included)
How to use GitHub Copilot in VS Code: sign in, start on the free plan, accept suggestions with Tab, open chat, and review every change agent mode makes.
- 12
How to Keep Your Data Private in Microsoft Copilot
How to keep your data private in Microsoft Copilot: turn off model training, manage memory, delete history, and what differs for Office apps and work accounts.
- 13
How to Use Copilot in Microsoft Edge to Summarize a Page or PDF
How to use Copilot in Microsoft Edge: open it beside a web page, PDF or video, get a summary in one click, ask follow-ups, and control whether it reads the page.
- 14
How to Use Copilot Vision to Show Copilot Your Screen or Camera
How to use Copilot Vision: share your PC screen or phone camera during a voice chat, ask about what you see, stop sharing, and who can use it.
- 15
How to Use Copilot Voice to Talk to Copilot Out Loud
How to use Copilot Voice: start a spoken chat from the Voice icon, mute and end it, open it from the Copilot key on Windows, and what Microsoft keeps.
- 16
How to Write Better Copilot Prompts: Goal, Context, Source
How to write better Microsoft Copilot prompts with Microsoft's four parts (goal, context, source, expectations), point it to your files, and refine the answer.
- 17
How to Use Copilot Pages to Turn a Chat into a Document
How to use Copilot Pages: turn a Copilot answer into an editable page, start one from a new chat, keep improving it with Copilot, and which plans include it.
- 18
How to Use Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat at Work Safely
How to use Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat at work: sign in with your work account, read your license label, upload files, ask about your inbox, and protect company data.
- 19
How to Fact-Check Microsoft Copilot's Answers
How to fact-check Microsoft Copilot: open its citations, ask for the exact sentence, check Excel formulas and Outlook and Teams summaries, and know when to verify.
- 20
How to Write Custom Instructions for GitHub Copilot
How to write custom instructions for GitHub Copilot: create .github/copilot-instructions.md, add path-specific rules, use AGENTS.md, and check they're used.
Using AI to write code? See the AI coding guides and the AI glossary.