How to Use Copilot in Outlook (Beginner’s Guide)

For years, managing emails in Outlook was mostly a manual task.

Office workers had to:

• Write emails from scratch
• Reply to long email chains
• Summarize conversations
• Search through old emails
• Organize their inbox manually

Even simple tasks sometimes took longer than expected.

For example, after returning from leave, many employees would open Outlook and find:

50 unread emails waiting in their inbox.

Reading every email individually could easily take 30 minutes or more.

That is exactly where Microsoft Copilot is starting to help.

Instead of manually handling every email, Copilot can:

• Draft replies
• Summarize email threads
• Rewrite messages
• Improve tone
• Help manage communication faster

Think of Copilot as an assistant built directly into Outlook.

It does not replace you.

It helps reduce repetitive email work.

What Is Copilot in Outlook?

Copilot is Microsoft’s AI assistant that works inside Outlook.

It helps users:

• Draft emails
• Summarize conversations
• Generate replies
• Improve writing
• Organize information

Instead of doing everything manually, you can ask Copilot for assistance directly inside Outlook.

Before You Start

To use Copilot in Outlook, you need:

Microsoft 365 subscription

Microsoft Copilot license

Outlook account signed in

Copilot enabled for your organization or account

If you cannot see the Copilot icon, your account may not have access yet.

How to Open Copilot in Outlook

1. Open Outlook

2. Open an email or create a new message

3. Look for the Copilot button

4. Click it

A Copilot panel will appear where you can interact with the AI assistant.

1. Draft Emails Faster:

One of the most popular uses of Copilot is email drafting.

Earlier, users had to think about:

• Wording
• Grammar
• Professional tone

Now Copilot can help create the first draft.

Example:

Instead of writing everything manually, you can ask:

Draft an email requesting a project update.

Copilot generates a draft which you can review and edit before sending.

Step 1: Click New Mail:

Open Outlook and click New Mail.

 Step 2: Open Copilot:

• Hover over the Copilot button.
• You may see multiple options. Click Write an email for me.

 Step 3: Enter Your Request:

The Copilot panel will open.

In the Copilot message box, enter your request.

Type:

Draft an email requesting a project status update.

 Step 4: Review the Draft

Copilot may generate a draft like this:

Subject: Project Status Update Request

Hi Team,

I hope you are doing well.

Could you please provide the latest update on the project status, including completed tasks and pending items?

Thank you.

 Step 5: Add the Draft to Your Email

Below the generated draft, you may see option as “Edit and Send”.

Click that.

Copilot will insert the generated draft into the New Mail window, where you can make changes before sending.

Step 6: Personalize Before Sending:

Add:

• Project details
• Names
• Deadlines
• Additional information

Then send the email.

Important:

Most professionals do not send the draft exactly as generated.

They usually:

• Review it
• Personalize it
• Make small changes

Copilot saves time, but human review still matters.

2. Rewrite Emails:

Sometimes the message is correct, but the wording is not.

Copilot can rewrite emails to make them:

• Shorter
• Clearer
• More professional
• More friendly

Example:

 Step 1: Open the Email

Write your email normally.

For example:

Send the report today.

Step 2: Ask Copilot

Type in copilot:

Send the report today.
Rewrite this professionally.

Step 3: Review the Suggestions

Instead of giving just one version, Copilot may provide multiple rewrite options based on different tones.

Step 4: Choose the Best Version:

Review the suggestions and select the one that best matches your situation and tone.

You can then insert it into your email and make any additional changes if needed.

The request remains the same.

Copilot simply helps you communicate it in a more professional way.

3. Summarize Long Email Threads:

This is one of the most useful Copilot features in Outlook.

Many email conversations become very long over time.

Reading every email manually can take a lot of time, especially when multiple people are involved in the discussion.

Example:

Imagine a conversation containing:

• 15 Email replies
• Multiple team members
• Several discussions and decisions
• Client feedback
• Action items

Instead of opening and reading every email one by one, Copilot can summarize the conversation for you.

Step 1: Open the Email Thread:

Open the email conversation you want to review.

You’ll see a button like Summarize this email option above the email thread.

Step 2: Click “Summarize this Email”

Click the Summarize this email button.

Copilot will analyze the entire conversation.

Or Hover over or Click the Copilot button.

Ask Copilot to Summarize this email.

Step 3: Review the Summary

Copilot may generate a summary such as:

• Key Decisions
• Important Updates
• Pending Actions

Step 4: Take Action

Instead of reading every message individually, you can quickly understand:

• what was discussed
• what decisions were made
• what actions are pending

This helps you catch up on conversations in just a few seconds.

Instead of reading 15 separate emails, Copilot highlights the most important information in seconds.

This feature is especially useful when returning from leave, joining an ongoing discussion, or catching up on missed conversations.

4. Catch Up on Missed Emails:

One of the most useful Copilot features is helping you catch up on missed emails.

Many employees return from:

• Vacations
• Sick leave
• Meetings

and find dozens of unread emails.

Reading every email manually could easily take an hour or more.

Instead, Copilot can quickly summarize what happened while you were away.

 Step 1: Open Outlook:

Open your inbox and locate the email conversations you missed.

Step 2: Open Copilot:

Click the Copilot button.

Step 3: Ask Copilot:

Type:

Summarize important emails from this conversation.

or

What did I miss while I was away?

Step 4: Review the Summary:

Copilot may generate something like:

• Key Decisions
• Tasks Assigned to You
• Important Updates

Step 5: Follow Up:

Instead of reading dozens of emails individually, you can immediately focus on:

• Urgent tasks
• Pending actions
• Important decisions

This is one of the biggest time-saving features of Copilot.

Many employees use it first thing after returning from vacation, sick leave, or long meetings.

This helps users quickly understand what happened while they were away.

What Copilot Does NOT Do:

Many beginners assume Copilot completely automates Outlook.

Not exactly.

Copilot helps with:

• Drafting
• Rewriting
• Summarizing
• Suggestions

But you should still:

• Verify details
• Check names and dates
• Review important messages
• Make final decisions

Think of Copilot as:

An assistant

Not

An autopilot

Best Practices for Using Copilot

To get better results:

• Give clear instructions
• Review generated content
• Add personal context
• Verify important information
• Use it to save time, not replace judgment

Benefits of Copilot in Outlook:

Copilot helps users:

• Write emails faster
• Summarize conversations
• Improve communication
• Reduce repetitive work
• Save time

For busy professionals, these small savings can add up significantly.

Microsoft Copilot is changing how people use Outlook.

Instead of spending large amounts of time drafting, rewriting, and summarizing emails manually, users can now get assistance directly inside Outlook.

The biggest advantage is not that Copilot writes emails for you.

The biggest advantage is that it reduces repetitive communication work.

You still decide what to send.

Copilot simply helps you get there faster.

FAQ:

Is Copilot available in Outlook?

Yes, Copilot is available for eligible Microsoft 365 users with the appropriate Copilot license.

Can Copilot write emails in Outlook?

Yes. Copilot can generate email drafts, suggest replies, and improve existing emails.

Can Copilot summarize email conversations?

Yes. Copilot can summarize long email threads and highlight key points.

Does Copilot send emails automatically?

No. Users review and send emails themselves.