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Microsoft Copilot can answer questions, help with writing and research, work with files, and—in some versions—create Office documents or handle multi-step tasks. What you can do depends on where you use Copilot, which account is signed in, your subscription, and sometimes your region. Here are 20 practical tasks to try, with the relevant surface and limitations.
Where to use Copilot—and why the differences matter
Microsoft describes Copilot access across its app, the web, desktop, and mobile. The signed-in account affects the experience, and availability can vary by region. The Copilot app overview says features vary by subscription; Microsoft’s access overview also notes regional variation. Check the current features for your account rather than assuming every example below is available to everyone.
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In the Copilot app, you can ask questions, create images and Office files, and upload or create files. In Edge, Copilot can work with browser content for tasks such as summarizing videos or comparing open tabs. Some Edge features are subscription-dependent, and Microsoft labels work browsing actions as coming soon. The examples below describe uses Microsoft lists, not a guarantee of a particular result.
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1. Get an answer and ask follow-up questions
Start with a direct question in the Copilot app or Edge. If the response is too technical or broad, ask for a simpler explanation, a different perspective, or more options.
2. Research a topic on the web
Ask Copilot in Edge to explore a question and summarize relevant web results. Open the cited links and check important details against the original sources; a fluent summary is not proof that every claim is correct.
3. Summarize a long document
Use Copilot in Edge to get the main points from a long document, or upload a file in the Copilot app and ask for a summary. For a useful result, specify the audience or what you need to understand—for example, “Summarize the deadlines and decisions.”
4. Draft an email
In Edge, ask Copilot for a first draft and supply the recipient, purpose, tone, and key points. Review names, dates, promises, and sensitive details before sending.
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5. Rewrite text for tone or length
Paste in text and say what should change: make it shorter, more formal, or easier to understand. Compare the rewrite with the original to ensure that qualifications and intended meaning remain intact.
6. Create an image from a prompt
In the Copilot app, describe the subject, setting, and visual style you want. A more specific prompt gives Copilot clearer direction, but you should still inspect the generated image for unwanted details or inaccuracies.
7. Create a Word document
Ask the Copilot app to create a Word file, giving it the intended audience, purpose, and structure. Treat the result as a draft: check facts, organization, and formatting before sharing it.
8. Create a PowerPoint presentation
Request a presentation outline or file for a defined audience and purpose. Include the desired sections or key points, then review each slide for factual accuracy and whether it supports your message.
9. Create or work with an Excel file
Describe the question the spreadsheet should answer and the data you have. Copilot can help create or work with an Excel file, but the available task and result depend on the file and feature access; check formulas and outputs yourself.
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10. Upload a file and ask questions about it
Use an uploaded document as context for a specific task, such as extracting key dates or explaining a section in plain language. Check the response against the file, especially when an omitted detail would affect a decision.
11. Analyze content across open browser tabs
In Edge, ask Copilot to compare pages you have open or identify their shared points. This can help organize reading across multiple sources; confirm that the comparison reflects the pages you intended it to use.
12. Summarize a YouTube video
In Edge, ask for a video’s main points or pose a focused question about it. Use the summary as a guide to the video rather than a replacement when exact wording, context, or a particular moment matters.
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13. Ask questions about an image
Upload an image and ask what it shows. Microsoft describes this as Visual Search, with examples such as identifying a dish or dog breed. Treat an identification as a suggestion, not a verified diagnosis or definitive identification.
14. Compare products while shopping
Ask Copilot in Edge to compare options or investigate value. Before buying, verify specifications, included features, seller information, and current terms on the relevant product and seller pages.
15. Look for patterns in data
Give Copilot a dataset or relevant context and ask for a summary or patterns worth investigating. Microsoft lists data analysis among example Edge tasks, but does not promise a particular analysis or its accuracy; validate any calculations and conclusions.
16. Compare competitors
Ask for a structured comparison and state the criteria that matter, such as features or target customers. Check claims against the cited sources, and distinguish sourced facts from interpretation.
17. Summarize market trends
Request an overview for a defined time period and ask for sources. A time boundary makes the question clearer, while checking those sources helps establish whether the summary reflects current information.
18. Revise a resume
Ask Copilot in Edge to improve clarity or tailor wording to a role. Keep the final resume accurate: review every suggested skill, result, and qualification to ensure it genuinely describes your experience.
19. Delegate a multi-step task with Cowork
The Copilot app describes Cowork as a way to delegate multi-step work and return to completed to-dos. This is not a universal capability: whether it appears depends on account and plan availability.
20. Talk through a question or idea with voice
Microsoft describes voice interaction in its access overview and Copilot FAQ. If voice is available in your version, you can use it to discuss a question or idea. Check the current in-product settings and privacy information before using voice for sensitive material.
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| Surface | Good starting point | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot app | Questions, image creation, Office files, file uploads, and Cowork where available | Features vary by subscription and account. |
| Copilot in Edge | Web research, writing, long-document help, multiple tabs, YouTube summaries, Visual Search, and shopping comparisons | Some features depend on subscription. Microsoft labels work browsing actions “Coming soon” and says a Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required for that action. |
| Windows, web, or mobile access | Use Copilot on the device or access point available to you | Functionality and regional availability can vary; the experience may differ by signed-in account. |
For work or school use, distinguish a personal account from an organization account and check the features your organization has enabled. Microsoft says some Edge work features require a Microsoft 365 Copilot license; the work browsing action is marked “Coming soon,” so do not treat it as generally available.
Quick Recap
How to get more reliable results
- State the task, context, and format you want. For example, ask for a short summary organized around decisions and deadlines.
- For web research, ask for sources and open them to verify claims that matter.
- For files, images, spreadsheets, and resumes, compare Copilot’s response with the original material.
- Do not act on consequential advice without checking it independently. Microsoft’s Copilot in Edge FAQ warns: “Copilot may misrepresent the information it finds, and you may see responses that sound convincing but are incomplete, inaccurate, or inappropriate.”
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