Microsoft 365 Copilot

What it does

Microsoft 365 Copilot takes your prompts plus your organization's Microsoft 365 content, such as emails, chats, documents and meetings, and produces drafts, summaries, analyses, presentations and finished work products. Answers are grounded in a layer called Work IQ, and it can draw on several AI models, with an Auto setting that picks a model per request.

People use it inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, or through a chat and Copilot app on desktop, mobile and web. Chat gives answers grounded in work data; Cowork and Autopilot hand off multi-step or background tasks. Users can also build their own agents with Agent Builder, extended through Copilot Studio. Pre-built agents such as Researcher, Analyst and Facilitator are included. Its distinct feature is deep grounding in an organization's existing Microsoft 365 data and permissions.

It suits organizations already on Microsoft 365 that want AI embedded in everyday work. Use requires an eligible Microsoft 365 plan plus a Copilot licence or bundle, assigned by an admin; Teams features need a Teams licence. Everyday features are included in the licence, but advanced experiences such as Cowork, Code, Autopilot and Work IQ APIs are billed by usage. Some features are in Frontier or Private Preview, and availability varies by market.

What it can do

• Drafting, summarising and analysis inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams
• Chat grounded in work data via Work IQ, with model choice and an Auto model setting
• Cowork for multi-step tasks and Autopilot as a background agent (preview)
• Agent Builder for custom agents, extendable with Copilot Studio
• Pre-built agents including Researcher, Analyst and Facilitator

Works with

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Outlook
• Microsoft Teams
• Copilot Studio
• Copilot connectors

Example workflows

Summarise a project's status

Input: a project's emails, meeting recordings and documents. Steps: ask Copilot Chat for a status summary, then refine it. Output: a draft update ready to edit in Word or Outlook.

Build a custom agent

Input: a plain-language description of a repeatable task. Steps: open Agent Builder, describe the agent, test it, and move to Copilot Studio to scale. Output: a work-grounded agent colleagues can use.

Before you choose

• Advanced features (Cowork, Code, Autopilot, Work IQ APIs) bill by Copilot Credits on top of licence fees
• Copilot Business add-on is limited to organizations with up to 300 users on eligible Business plans with an annual commitment
• Some features are in Frontier or Private Preview and not generally available

Listed under

• Productivity
• General assistants
• Scheduling and calendar
• Agents
• AI assistant
• Business
• Email
• Email and calendar
• Enterprise

Get started

Plans page offers free trial and buy options; Copilot Chat available with a work account

1. Confirm you have an eligible Microsoft 365 plan
2. Buy a Copilot licence or bundle and assign it in the Microsoft 365 admin center
3. Check user eligibility with the service plan diagnostic tool and set usage spending controls

Business add-on shown as $21.00 reduced to $18.00 promotional (first year, annual commitment); monthly pay option is higher. One-month free trial then converts to paid; credit card required. Requires eligible Microsoft 365 Business plan. Individual plans excluded.

30-day free trial.

Source: microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/pricing/business, checked 28 Oct 2026. Prices can change; check before you buy.

Sources for this overview

Product pages, documentation, and pricing checked 28 Oct 2026. Each source supports part of the overview; availability and prices can change.

• Microsoft Copilot: AI built for work ↗www.microsoft.com
• License Options for Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft Learn ↗learn.microsoft.com
• Microsoft Copilot Plans and Pricing—AI for Business | Microsoft 365 ↗www.microsoft.com

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Last checked 28 Oct 2026. Every field keeps its source and date; unknown means we couldn’t confirm it.