- Microsoft Copilot is free and available at copilot.microsoft.com, in the Copilot app on Android and iPhone, inside Windows, and in the Edge browser.
- Not the same as GitHub Copilot (a coding tool for developers) or Microsoft 365 Copilot (a paid workplace add-on). This guide covers the free consumer assistant.
- Just type a question or request — ask it to draft an email, explain a news story, suggest a recipe, or summarise a document.
- Don’t share personal details like passwords, bank numbers, or medical records in any AI chat.
Knowing how to use Copilot starts with one simple step: go to copilot.microsoft.com and type what you need. That’s it. The rest of this guide shows you exactly where to find it, what to ask it, and how to get the best results — no technical knowledge required.
Which Copilot Are We Talking About?
Microsoft has several products with “Copilot” in the name, and that causes a lot of confusion. Here’s the quick version:
- Microsoft Copilot (this guide) — a free AI chat assistant for everyone. Available on the web, as an app, and built into Windows and Edge.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot — a paid add-on that works inside Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. It’s aimed at businesses and costs extra on top of a Microsoft 365 subscription. For current pricing, check Microsoft’s own page.
- GitHub Copilot — a completely separate tool that helps software developers write code. If you’re not a programmer, this isn’t what you’re looking for.
Everything below is about the free Microsoft Copilot assistant.
Where to Find Microsoft Copilot
On the Web
Visit copilot.microsoft.com in any browser. You can use it without an account, but signing in with a free Microsoft account gives you a longer conversation history and access to more features.
In Windows
On Windows 11, look for the Copilot icon on the taskbar (it looks like a small colourful swirl). Clicking it opens a sidebar panel where you can chat without leaving what you’re doing. If you don’t see the icon, check your taskbar settings or search for “Copilot” in the Start menu. Availability can vary by Windows version and region.
In Microsoft Edge
Open the Edge browser and look for the Copilot icon in the top-right corner of the toolbar. This version is especially useful because it can read and summarise the page you’re currently on — handy for long articles or confusing forms.
On Your Phone
Download the free Copilot app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). You can chat by text or by voice, and you can take a photo and ask Copilot about what’s in it. For more great AI apps on iPhone, see our guide to the best AI apps for iPhone.
How to Use Copilot: Everyday Tasks with Example Prompts
A prompt is simply what you type into the chat box — your question or request. The clearer your prompt, the better the reply. Here are real tasks you can try right now.
Writing Help
Copilot is excellent at drafting text from scratch or polishing something you’ve already written. Try prompts like these:
- “Write a short, friendly email to my landlord asking to fix a leaky tap.”
- “Make this paragraph sound more professional: [paste your text here]”
- “Write a thank-you note for a job interview.”
Need more writing ideas? Our roundup of the best AI for writing, compared shows how Copilot stacks up against other tools.
Research and Summaries
Ask Copilot to explain something complicated in plain language, or to summarise a topic you don’t have time to read about fully:
- “Explain what inflation means in simple terms.”
- “Summarise the main arguments for and against remote working.”
- “What are the pros and cons of electric cars?”
Copilot often includes links to its sources, so you can check the original. Always verify important facts — AI assistants can make mistakes.
Planning and Ideas
- “Give me a one-week meal plan for a family of four on a budget.”
- “Suggest 10 activities for a rainy day with a 7-year-old.”
- “Help me plan a weekend trip to Edinburgh — I like history and good food.”
Maths and Everyday Decisions
- “If I save £150 a month for 3 years at 4% interest, how much will I have?”
- “What questions should I ask before buying a used car?”
Images
Copilot can generate images from a text description using Microsoft’s Designer tool. Type something like “Create an image of a cosy autumn café with warm lighting” and it will produce a picture. For more on AI image creation, see our beginner’s guide to making AI images.
Tips for Better Results
| Instead of… | Try… | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| “Write an email” | “Write a short email to my boss asking for Friday off, polite but casual” | More context = more useful reply |
| “Tell me about taxes” | “Explain income tax for a first-time employee in the UK” | Narrows the topic to what you actually need |
| Accepting the first reply | “Make it shorter” or “Add a friendlier tone” | You can keep refining in the same conversation |
| Copying and pasting blindly | Reading the reply and checking key facts | AI can confidently state things that are wrong |
Microsoft Copilot vs Other AI Assistants
Copilot is built on technology from OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT), so it feels similar to use. The main differences are where it lives (deep inside Windows and Edge) and that the free version is generous with features. If you’re curious how it compares, our guide to the best ChatGPT alternatives covers the landscape. You might also want to compare ChatGPT’s free and paid plans or read about Google’s Gemini plans to decide which assistant suits you best.
Privacy: What Not to Share
Microsoft’s privacy policy explains how Copilot conversations may be used to improve services. As a general rule — good for any AI tool — never type:
- Passwords or PINs
- Bank account or credit-card numbers
- Medical details you wouldn’t share with a stranger
- Your national insurance or social security number
- Personal information about other people without their knowledge
Copilot is a helpful tool, not a private diary. Treat it accordingly. For Microsoft’s own guidance, see the Microsoft Copilot support pages.
Honest Limitations to Keep in Mind
Copilot, like all AI assistants, has real limits worth knowing about:
- It can be wrong. AI sometimes produces confident-sounding answers that are factually incorrect. Always double-check anything important — health, legal, or financial information especially.
- Its knowledge has a cutoff. Although Copilot can search the web for recent news, it doesn’t always do so automatically. For fast-moving events, check a news source directly.
- It doesn’t know you personally. It has no memory of past conversations by default, so each chat starts fresh.
- Academic honesty matters. If your school or workplace has rules about AI use, follow them. Submitting AI-written work as entirely your own where that isn’t allowed is dishonest — use Copilot to help you learn and draft, not to replace your thinking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft Copilot free?
Yes. The core Microsoft Copilot assistant is free to use at copilot.microsoft.com and in the Copilot app. Microsoft also offers paid tiers with extra features — check Microsoft’s Copilot page for current plan details, as these change over time.
What’s the difference between Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is the free consumer AI assistant described in this guide. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a separate paid add-on that integrates AI into Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams — it’s designed for business use. The two products share a name but work very differently.
Can I use Copilot on my phone?
Yes. The free Copilot app is available for both iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play). It supports text and voice chat and can analyse photos you take with your camera.
Does Copilot save my conversations?
When you’re signed in with a Microsoft account, Copilot may save conversation history so you can refer back to it. You can review and delete this history in your account settings. If you’re not signed in, conversations are not saved. See Microsoft’s support pages for the latest details on data handling.
Can Copilot make mistakes?
Yes — all AI assistants can produce incorrect information, sometimes very confidently. This is called a “hallucination” in AI jargon. Always verify facts that really matter, especially anything medical, legal, or financial, before acting on them.
How is Copilot different from a regular internet search?
A search engine returns a list of links. Copilot reads sources and writes you a direct answer, often citing where it found the information. It’s better for tasks like drafting text, explaining ideas, or working through a decision — but a search engine is still better when you want to browse multiple sources yourself or find a specific website.