🤖Getting Started with Microsoft Copilot
An introduction to Microsoft Copilot in Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 apps.
Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant built directly into Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. If your organization has Copilot licenses, this guide will help you understand what it does and how to start using it.
What Is Microsoft Copilot?
Copilot uses AI to help you work faster by:
Summarizing long email threads and meeting transcripts
Drafting emails, documents, and presentations
Catching up on Teams meetings you missed
Analyzing data in Excel with natural language questions
Finding information across your files and communications
Important: Copilot only accesses data you already have permission to see. It respects your organization's security and compliance settings.
Where to Find Copilot
In Outlook
Look for the Copilot icon in the toolbar when reading or composing an email.
Reading an email: Click Copilot to get a summary of a long thread.
Writing an email: Click Copilot → "Draft with Copilot" to generate a response. You can give it instructions like "Reply professionally and accept the meeting request."
In Microsoft Teams
During a meeting: Copilot can provide real-time summaries and answer questions about what was discussed (requires meeting transcription to be enabled).
After a meeting: Open the meeting recap and click Copilot to get a summary, action items, and key decisions.
In Chat: Click the Copilot icon to summarize a long chat conversation.
In Word
Open a document and click the Copilot icon in the toolbar.
Ask it to draft content, rewrite a section, summarize the document, or adjust tone.
In Excel
Highlight your data and click the Copilot icon.
Ask questions in plain language like "What were the top 5 sales months?" or "Create a chart showing trends."
In PowerPoint
Click Copilot to generate a presentation from a prompt or from an existing Word document.
Ask it to add slides, redesign layouts, or summarize content.
I Don't See Copilot — What Do I Do?
If Copilot isn't showing up in your apps:
Check your license: Copilot requires a specific Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Not all users may have it enabled yet — check with your manager.
Update your apps: Make sure your Microsoft 365 apps are up to date. Go to any Office app → File → Account → Update Options → Update Now.
Restart your apps: After an update, close and reopen Outlook, Teams, Word, etc.
Check for the toggle: In some apps, Copilot needs to be enabled via a toggle or settings menu.
If you've checked all of the above and still don't see it, contact eTop — we can verify your license status.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Copilot
Be specific with your prompts. Instead of "write an email," try "write a professional email to a client thanking them for the meeting and confirming next steps."
Review and edit. Copilot is a drafting assistant, not a replacement for your judgment. Always review its output before sending.
Use it for catch-up. Missed a meeting? Ask Copilot to summarize the transcript and list action items.
Ask it questions. In Teams or Outlook, you can ask Copilot things like "What did the team decide about the project timeline?"
Privacy and Security
Copilot does not train on your organization's data.
Copilot respects permissions — it can only surface information you already have access to.
Copilot responses are not shared with other users unless you choose to share them.
Your IT team and eTop can configure what Copilot features are available.
Need Help?
If you have questions about Copilot, need it enabled, or want help learning how to use it:
📧 Email: [email protected] ☎️ Phone: 951-398-0021
Category: Education → Self Help Guides → Microsoft 365 Guides Author: eTop Technology Last Updated: March 2026
Last updated