To get a useful email draft from Copilot in Outlook, state what the message needs to accomplish, provide the relevant context and verified facts, then specify the audience, tone, length, and format as needed. Refine the result with a focused follow-up or Outlook’s tone and length controls, and check the draft before sending.
Build the prompt around the email’s purpose
Start with the outcome: are you asking for a decision, confirming a plan, sharing an update, or thanking someone? Microsoft’s prompt guidance says a clear goal is the minimum; context, expectations, and source material can make a prompt more useful. See Microsoft’s guidance on writing prompts.
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For an email, add only details that shape what the recipient should understand or do: who they are, what has happened, which facts must appear, and any next step or deadline. State the tone and format if they matter. Be explicit about boundaries when the draft must not introduce new facts or commitments.
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Use this as a starting point, not a required Microsoft formula:
Draft an email to [recipient or audience] to [goal]. Context: [situation]. Include these facts: [verified facts]. Ask for or propose: [next step and deadline, if any]. Use a [tone] tone, keep it [length], and format as [paragraphs or bullets] where useful. Do not add facts or commitments beyond those listed.
Example
“Draft a concise, friendly email to the project team announcing that the launch is complete. Thank them for their work, mention that we will share the follow-up schedule on Friday, and do not add other dates or commitments. Use two short paragraphs.”
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Friday is illustrative in this example; replace it with a date you have verified before using the prompt for a real message.
Draft and refine the email in Outlook
Microsoft documents two ways to work: use Draft with Copilot in the email message area, or ask Copilot in chat to draft or revise an email. The exact controls can differ among Outlook clients. The supported article covers Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook for Microsoft 365 for Mac, New Outlook for Windows, and Outlook for Android and iOS. Follow the steps for your client in Microsoft’s Outlook drafting instructions.
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Use Draft with Copilot in the message area
- Start a new message and open Draft with Copilot.
- Enter a prompt, or edit a suggested one to add the goal, context, facts, and expectations.
- Generate the draft. If it needs work, adjust the tone or length, change the prompt, or regenerate.
- Review the text, edit it as needed, and send only when it is ready. Microsoft’s instruction is to “Edit the draft as needed, and then select Send.”
Use Copilot chat
Ask Copilot to draft or revise the email in chat, then continue working with the draft and edit the message directly. This can suit a task where you want to refine the request conversationally rather than rewrite the full prompt at once.
Choose a focused follow-up
When a draft is close, tell Copilot what to change rather than repeating the whole request. For example: “Keep the facts unchanged, shorten this to two paragraphs, and make the request for a decision clearer.” For a different level of formality, specify the audience and desired tone. You can also use Outlook’s built-in tone and length options where available; see Microsoft’s Copilot in Outlook FAQs.
Save a recurring voice preference in New Outlook
If you repeatedly ask for the same style, New Outlook offers custom Draft Instructions. Open the Copilot menu, select Settings, then Draft Instructions. Enable custom drafting instructions, enter the preferences you want applied, and save; Microsoft says you can change them later. Its example asks Copilot to keep emails short and direct, use bullets where they make sense, use a friendly tone, and sign with the writer’s first name. Details are on Microsoft’s Draft Instructions page.
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Microsoft lists a Microsoft Copilot (work) license or Microsoft 365 subscription as required for this custom-instructions feature. That requirement is specific to saved Draft Instructions; it should not be taken to mean every route for drafting with Copilot has the same eligibility terms.
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Check the draft before sending
Copilot can produce incorrect responses, and the same prompt can yield different results on different attempts. Microsoft advises users to review and verify responses. Check the actual message, not just whether it sounds polished:
- Names, email recipients, dates, figures, and other factual details.
- Whether the draft answers the purpose you gave it and includes the required information.
- Any promise, deadline, or commitment that was not in your prompt or source material.
- Tone, clarity, and whether the requested next step is unmistakable.
Edit errors or unsupported language out of the message before sending. Microsoft’s broader advice is in its prompt guidance.
Check Outlook access and message format
Copilot availability depends on the Outlook experience and account eligibility. If Copilot does not appear, Microsoft advises checking with your IT administrator. In New Outlook and Outlook on the web, Draft with Copilot does not support plain-text messages; switch the compose format to HTML. Microsoft’s client-specific steps and other Outlook details are in its Draft with Copilot instructions.
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