Copilot for Outlook: what it is and how it works

Microsoft Copilot for Outlook is one of the most talked-about features in Microsoft’s push to bring artificial intelligence to everyday office tasks. As email continues to be a time-consuming part of business and personal life, Copilot aims to make writing, reading, and managing emails easier and faster. But how does it actually work in practice? What are the latest features as of June 2025? And is it really worth the cost?

What Is Copilot for Outlook?

Copilot for Outlook is an AI-powered productivity assistant embedded directly within the Outlook email client. Instead of offering automation only for surface-level tasks, Copilot integrates with the way users already handle their communication, providing context-aware support for drafting, organizing, and responding to email. The system uses Microsoft’s advanced language models and leverages information from connected sources, such as your calendar, previous emails, and attached files. This means it does not just generate generic responses; instead, Copilot analyzes real content from your mailbox and surfaces tailored suggestions or actions based on the precise situation at hand. Whether you are writing a sensitive email, following up on a project, or managing a high-volume inbox, Copilot aims to eliminate repetitive work while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.

• Now Copilot only works with Exchange Online

  To use Copilot in Outlook, your main email account must be hosted on Microsoft’s Exchange Online service. This means if your mailbox is stored somewhere else—like a shared mailbox, a group mailbox, or on your company’s own servers—you will not be able to use Copilot features there. It only runs with personal mailboxes in Exchange Online.

• Look for the sparkle Copilot icon in New Outlook

  If you are using the New Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, you will see a small sparkle-shaped Copilot icon at the top-right corner of your screen. You will also find this icon inside the window when you are writing a new email. This is where you click to start using Copilot’s features, such as drafting or summarizing emails.

• Copilot tab in Classic Outlook for Windows

  For people using the older, classic version of Outlook on Windows, Copilot now appears under the “Home” menu as a button called “Copilot” with a small dropdown arrow next to it. You need to make sure your Outlook app is updated to version 2402 or later to see these options.

• Priority view on iOS and Android apps

  If you use Outlook on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device, there is a new feature rolling out worldwide. At the top of your message list, you can tap the sparkle Copilot icon and quickly switch between two special views: one shows you your most important emails (High Priority), and the other shows messages that need a reply. This helps you focus on what matters first, right from your phone or tablet.

• Bilingual summaries on Mac Beta

  On the Mac version of Outlook, if you are using the Beta Channel version, you now have the option to get Copilot’s conversation summaries in two languages. There is a dropdown menu that lets you choose a secondary language for these summaries, which can be very helpful if you work in a multilingual environment.

Key Features Explained

The feature set offered by Copilot for Outlook addresses the major pain points associated with modern business communication. Instead of simply speeding up message composition, Copilot assists throughout the entire email lifecycle. When you need to draft a new message, Copilot can generate a full, relevant email from just a short instruction, allowing you to specify tone, level of detail, or even the intended outcome. If you receive lengthy or complex threads, Copilot’s summarization tools extract the core points and any open questions, helping you quickly understand ongoing discussions without rereading every message. For emails that require a prompt or standardized reply, Copilot provides suggested responses that you can customize as needed, supporting faster turnaround times. Its integration with your calendar also allows for direct meeting scheduling within the context of ongoing conversations. When emails include attachments, Copilot can summarize documents—including Word, PowerPoint, and PDF files—presenting the most important content directly in the email pane. In addition, Copilot’s prioritization engine highlights urgent or high-impact emails, so you do not miss deadlines or critical requests. All of these features operate within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, providing consistent, secure assistance that adapts to your workflow.

Drafting and Rewriting Emails

Writing effective emails often takes more time and energy than expected, especially when clarity, tone, or structure are critical. Copilot for Outlook addresses this challenge by transforming a short user prompt into a complete, contextually relevant draft. For example, if you type, “Inform the team about the new deadline and request confirmation,” Copilot will review recent conversations, use its language understanding capabilities, and create a draft that references key dates and aligns with your organization’s style. When reviewing a draft you have already written, Copilot’s rewrite function provides immediate suggestions to improve clarity, strengthen arguments, or adapt the tone to fit different audiences. The AI can rephrase sections to sound more diplomatic when addressing leadership, or more direct when communicating with project teams. This capability is especially valuable for professionals who regularly send high-stakes or sensitive communications and want assurance that their message is appropriate and clear before sending.

Summarizing Email Threads

Business users frequently face the challenge of understanding extended email threads, where decisions, feedback, and requests become buried under multiple replies and forwarded messages. Copilot’s summarization feature directly addresses this pain point by analyzing the entire conversation, identifying essential information, and generating a concise overview that includes pending tasks, unresolved questions, and next steps. For instance, if you return from a business trip and need to quickly catch up on project developments, Copilot’s summary allows you to absorb the necessary context in seconds, instead of manually reading each message. In environments where response time is critical, this feature helps ensure you never overlook a key update or commitment, no matter how cluttered the thread has become. The summarization tool is especially effective in large teams or cross-functional projects, where maintaining oversight of ongoing conversations is essential but often difficult.

Quick Replies and Suggestions

Responding efficiently to routine requests is a recurring part of any busy professional’s day, yet even these minor communications can collectively consume substantial time. Copilot for Outlook accelerates this process by analyzing incoming messages and proposing context-aware replies. For example, when you receive a scheduling request or a status update, Copilot can suggest direct responses such as “I am available on Tuesday after 3 PM,” or “The document will be ready by Friday.” These suggestions are not generic; they take into account previous conversations and any specific instructions included in the thread. Users retain full control and can edit or expand upon Copilot’s suggestions before sending. The net result is faster, more consistent communication, which reduces delays and keeps projects moving forward without unnecessary bottlenecks.

Meeting Scheduling

Scheduling meetings often involves repeated exchanges to identify available times, confirm participation, and send out invitations. Copilot for Outlook removes much of this manual effort by directly integrating with your Outlook calendar and scanning the context of your conversations. When an email discussion indicates that a meeting is needed, Copilot will automatically identify suitable time slots based on everyone’s availability and generate a proposed schedule that you can review and send. If there are scheduling conflicts, Copilot will suggest alternative options and flag overlapping commitments. This automation significantly reduces the administrative burden on both senders and recipients, while also minimizing the risk of double bookings or overlooked invitations. The feature is particularly valuable in organizations with frequent cross-team collaboration, where efficient meeting management is essential to productivity.

Summarizing Attachments

Reading through multiple attached documents can quickly become overwhelming, especially when deadlines are tight or you are preparing for a meeting. Copilot for Outlook addresses this by providing concise, accurate summaries of attachments—including Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and PDF files—directly within the email pane. When a new email arrives with important files, Copilot analyzes the content, extracts key points, and presents them in an easily digestible format. This means you can quickly understand the main arguments, data, or decisions contained in the attachments without having to open each file and read it in its entirety. For managers, analysts, and executives who routinely process large volumes of information, this feature ensures that relevant content is never missed and preparation is always efficient.

Inbox Prioritization

Modern professionals often receive hundreds of emails each week, many of which are low priority or informational. Copilot’s inbox prioritization feature intelligently identifies and surfaces emails that require urgent action or are particularly relevant to your role or responsibilities. The tool evaluates incoming messages using context such as sender, subject, thread history, and keywords, moving important conversations to the top of your inbox and minimizing distractions from less critical communications. Copilot also highlights action items or outstanding requests within these prioritized messages, helping users to maintain focus and manage their workload with greater confidence. The prioritization engine is updated regularly to reflect changes in organizational structure, ongoing projects, and user preferences, making it a dynamic support tool rather than a static filter.

Where and How Can You Use Copilot for Outlook?

Copilot for Outlook is available in several environments, but the user experience and feature set may differ depending on your platform and type of Microsoft 365 account. On the New Outlook for Windows 10 and 11, as well as the web version of Outlook, users enjoy the complete Copilot feature set, including advanced summarization, meeting scheduling, and attachment analysis. In the classic Outlook desktop app, Copilot is accessible for users with an appropriate Copilot license, providing core features such as drafting, rewriting, and thread summarization. Mac, iOS, and Android users have access to essential Copilot features—such as drafting, summarizing, and rewriting emails—but more advanced functions like chat with Copilot and certain forms of automation are not yet supported on mobile. It is important to note that Copilot for Outlook is optimized for Microsoft 365 business and personal accounts, and while some features may be available with non-Microsoft email addresses, the experience is most robust within the Microsoft ecosystem.

Real-World Results and User Experience

Microsoft has conducted extensive studies and collected feedback from both enterprise and individual users to evaluate Copilot’s impact on productivity and workflow efficiency. According to recent user data, most professionals experience measurable time savings—averaging around fourteen minutes per day—by relying on Copilot to draft messages, summarize threads, and suggest responses. Among users who handle high email volumes, weekly time savings can reach up to fifty minutes. The largest benefits are seen among managers, team leads, and administrative staff who routinely process and organize large quantities of information. However, Copilot is not without its drawbacks. Some users report that the generated drafts can sound overly formal or robotic, requiring manual editing for a more natural tone. In addition, while Copilot’s summaries are usually accurate, they occasionally miss subtle context or fail to identify the most important issues, particularly in nuanced or technical conversations. Despite these limitations, the consensus is that Copilot is a valuable assistant for anyone managing a demanding inbox, provided users remain attentive to quality and context.

Latest Features and Updates (2025)

In 2025, Microsoft has continued to enhance Copilot for Outlook with regular feature releases and improvements aimed at expanding usability and reliability. In May 2025, Copilot introduced attachment summaries, allowing users to instantly review the key content of Word, PowerPoint, and PDF files without leaving the email interface. In April, the “Prioritize my inbox” feature became widely available, giving users a streamlined view of their most important communications. Microsoft has also implemented multiple under-the-hood improvements, including faster AI response times, more accurate summarization, and better integration with organizational data sources. While Copilot is capable of surfacing and highlighting critical messages, it currently does not create inbox rules or manage folders autonomously—a limitation some users may find relevant when designing complex workflows.

Costs and Licensing

Access to Copilot for Outlook requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription. For business users, Copilot is available as an add-on to eligible Microsoft 365 plans—including E3, E5, Business Standard, and Business Premium—at a cost of $30 per user per month. For individual and family users, Copilot Pro is available as an upgrade to Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscriptions for $20 per user per month. In early 2025, Microsoft increased the base price of some personal plans by approximately $3 per month, reflecting the default inclusion of Copilot features. While these costs may seem significant, organizations and individuals who rely heavily on email and collaboration tools often find the productivity gains justify the expense, especially when Copilot is deployed at scale or for key roles.

Known Limitations and Considerations

Although Copilot for Outlook offers substantial productivity benefits, it is not a substitute for careful communication or critical review. Users should always verify the accuracy and tone of Copilot’s drafts and summaries before sending important or sensitive messages. The AI’s language can still appear mechanical in some cases, and it may not fully capture the nuances of complex discussions without human intervention. Some advanced automation features—such as automatic rule creation or cross-platform workflow integration—are not yet available, meaning users with highly customized setups may need to maintain certain manual processes. Finally, Copilot’s most advanced functions are only fully supported within the Microsoft 365 environment, so organizations using a mix of email platforms may encounter inconsistencies.

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