With Microsoft Copilot in Outlook, business users can finally unlock the power of generative AI within their email inboxes. After months of experimentation and beta testing, Microsoft finally announced the general availability of Microsoft 365 Copilot in November 2023.
This solution brings the feature of Microsoft’s leading generative AI assistant into the Microsoft 365 apps employees use daily, from Word to SharePoint and Outlook. While employees currently need the new version of Outlook to access Copilot features, AI capabilities will be coming to the “classic” Outlook starting in February 2024.
So, how do you enable Microsoft Copilot in Outlook, and what can you do with the technology once it’s available? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Microsoft Copilot in Outlook?
Microsoft Copilot in Outlook is a generative AI assistant built to assist users in the flow of work. It’s part of the Microsoft 365 Copilot toolkit, including gen AI features for Word, PowerPoint, Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint. The plan also includes access to Microsoft Copilot Studio, which empowers users to customize their AI assistants and build new generative AI applications.
Copilot in Outlook seemed like a simple assistant when it was first announced. Microsoft said it would be able to draft emails and summarize inbox content. Since then, however, the capabilities of Copilot in Outlook have evolved.
Now, the solution can coach employees on improving their content with unique suggestions and contextual recommendations based on Microsoft Graph data. It can show personalized action items from missed meetings within Outlook, help plan meetings, and propose attendees, agendas, and lists of recommended documents for group discussions.
Additionally, access to Copilot Studio means users can customize their experience, integrating data from third-party software and Microsoft applications. Employees can use their customized assistant to plan events, generate summaries from long email conversations, and adapt recommended responses with personalized insights.
How to Access Copilot in Outlook
While Copilot in Outlook is now generally available for the new version of the email application, there are still steps you’ll need to take to access it. First, users will need a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription, priced at $30 per month per user.
Remember, Copilot is an add-on service, so you’ll still need a standard Microsoft 365 business subscription. Additionally, every employee planning on using Copilot will need a Microsoft Entra ID (previously Azure Active Directory). Users may also need other Microsoft accounts.
For instance, if you want to use Copilot in Outlook alongside your Microsoft files, you’ll need a OneDrive account. If you’re going to use Copilot to highlight action items from missed meetings, you’ll need a Teams subscription. You’ll need a Loop subscription if you use Outlook with Microsoft Loop.
Microsoft also recommends reviewing privacy and security settings that might influence Copilot functionality. Once you have all the proper licenses and settings in place, using Microsoft Copilot in Outlook is simple. For instance, if you want Copilot to help write an email:
- Open Outlook and navigate to the “File” tab.
- Click “Options”, then “Mail”.
- Click on “Compose message” then “Editor options.”
- Select the “Proofing” tab.
- Check the box that allows Copilot to assist with email writing.
How to Use Copilot in Outlook: Tips for Beginners
Once you have Copilot for Outlook enabled, there are tons of ways you can use the technology to boost productivity. Here are some quick tips for beginners using Copilot to enhance their emails for the first time:
1. Experiment with Copilot Writing Suggestions
Copilot in Outlook can help users instantly write creative, engaging, and personalized emails in a couple of seconds. The tool can complete sentences for you as you start typing and even suggest ways to respond to messages based on the context of an email thread.
However, Copilot can also provide feedback on the readability of your emails, improving clarity and conciseness. It can give you subject line recommendations to improve your email open rates. Plus, it comes with a “writing confidence indicator,” which helps you to make more informed decisions when accepting or rejecting recommendations.
Remember, Copilot can also analyze your email’s tone and suggest changes to help boost your professional image. You can use the “settings” in Copilot to adjust your preferred tone.
2. Triage and Simplify Inbox Information
If you’re often overwhelmed by the number of emails and email threads you need to manage every day, Copilot could be a valuable tool. The solution can turn a mountain of email into an easily digestible summary based on what it knows about topics and people important to you.
The technology can prioritize emails on your behalf, so you know which messages you need to respond to quickly. Plus, it can sort through email threads, collect valuable action items, and highlight key topics. Copilot can also translate emails so you can interact seamlessly with a range of different consumers and colleagues around the world.
The good news is that while Copilot can assess information from your Microsoft accounts and Microsoft Graph, it doesn’t store any of that data or use it for training purposes. You can find out more about Microsoft’s security strategies for AI here.
3. Prepare for and Follow up on Meetings
Microsoft Copilot for Outlook is just one part of the overall Microsoft 365 Copilot experience. It works seamlessly with other solutions in your Microsoft app portfolio, including Teams, PowerPoint, and Word. This means you can use Copilot to prepare for other business tasks.
In Outlook, users can ask their AI tool to prepare key topic points and agendas for their next meeting. Based on your existing data, Copilot can suggest which topics you should cover and even which employees or contacts you should include in a meeting. It can also include a list of recommended files you should share with your attendees.
Soon, Microsoft says the assistant will also be able to “follow a meeting” from Outlook on a user’s behalf. If you cannot attend a conversation, Copilot will automatically notify you when a summary is ready for you to review in Outlook.
Can You Use Copilot in Outlook Mobile?
Notably, Copilot in Outlook isn’t just available for web users of the email interface. You can also access Copilot features within the Outlook mobile app. This is one of the first mobile applications offered by Microsoft that includes Copilot functionality.
Just like with the desktop and web apps, you can use the generative AI assistant on your mobile app to craft emails and replies. The tool will be able to adapt to your chosen length and tone for responses and base replies on files in your 365 ecosystem.
Using Copilot in Outlook: Finishing Thoughts
Microsoft Copilot in Outlook promises to be a game changer for business productivity. Even in today’s world of virtual meetings and messaging apps, we often rely on emails to communicate with our teams. The assistant in Outlook will help you master your inbox.
Whether you need help responding to messages more effectively or want to prepare quickly for an upcoming meeting, Copilot is there to help. Plus, it can reduce the feeling of overwhelm you get when opening your inbox by summarizing and organizing content for you.
FAQs
How do I get Copilot in Outlook?
First, you’ll need a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. You’ll then need to sync your Microsoft 365 settings to ensure your Outlook client is up to date. Once you’ve implemented Copilot, you can access it by clicking the Copilot icon or using the “editor options” tab.
What can Copilot do in Outlook?
Copilot in Outlook can transform long email conversations into short summaries and suggest contextual replies to messages. It can draft emails and help you design meeting agendas, complete with file and attendee recommendations.
Is Outlook data safe with Copilot?
The content stored in Microsoft Graph is available to Copilot. However, it remains secure within the Microsoft ecosystem. Microsoft doesn’t use any information collected by Copilot to train future bots. Additionally, it uses end-to-end encryption to secure Outlook.
Is Microsoft Copilot available already for Outlook?
Microsoft made Copilot for Microsoft 365, which will be generally available in November 2023. The experience for the new Outlook application is accessible now. Access to Copilot in the classic version of Outlook is rolling out in February 2024.
Can you get Copilot for Free?
Though some versions of Copilot are free, Copilot for Outlook requires a paid subscription. You’ll need to pay $30 per user per month for full access to Microsoft 365 Copilot features.
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