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Best Features of Copilot for Microsoft 365

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What Are the Easiest Copilot for Microsoft 365 Features for Beginners?

Since early 2024, Microsoft has rapidly expanded Copilot integrations across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. But if you're new to Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, navigating which features matter most can feel overwhelming. The good news? Several powerful capabilities provide instant value from the moment your license is activated. This guide highlights easy, high‑impact Copilot features you can use on day one like Outlook, Teams, and drafting capabilities.

Inside this Day-1 Features Guide: 

What Exactly is copilot for microsoft 365?

 Think of Copilot for Microsoft 365 as your new AI helper that lives inside the apps you already use every day. This includes apps like Word, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, and more.

It’s different from the free version of Copilot (formerly Bing Chat). Here’s the easiest way to remember the difference:

  • Free Copilot: Answers questions using the internet

  • Copilot for Microsoft 365: Uses your work documents, meetings, and emails to help you get things done

That means it can summarize your meetings, write emails using your tone, create reports using your data, and help you stay on top of every day tasks. 

And no, it doesn't "train" on your company's data. Everything stays private and secure inside your Microsoft 365 environment. 

3 Copilot for m365 Features You Should Be Using

***Remember, make sure you've toggled your Copilot source to either "Work" or "Web" so Copilot knows where they can get information from. Work being your Microsoft Graph/internal files while Web allows Copilot to search the internet for answers to your request***

Let Copilot Summarize Long Email Threads in Outlook

We’ve all been there. You open an email, scroll once, and realize it has 25 replies, three side conversations, and an unclear ending.

Instead of reading all of that, click the Copilot icon in the email and ask it: “Can you summarize this thread for me?”

In seconds, Copilot will give you: 

  • A simple summary
  • The main points
  • Who said what
  • Any decisions, next steps, or action items

Boom. You're caught up. Thirty seconds instead of ten minutes.

Heads up: You’ll need to be using the new Outlook for this feature.

Get Instant Recaps of Teams Meetings

Running late to a meeting? Back-to-back meetings all day? Trying to remember what someone said two hours ago?

Copilot has your back. 

As long as your meeting is being recorded, you can ask Copilot to:

  • Catch you up if your join late 
  • Summarize everything after the meeting ends
  • Pull out action items
  • Highlight decisions

It's like having a personal assistant who takes perfect notes every single time. 

Pro tip: Try to record all Teams meetings. It makes follow‑ups and client recaps unbelievably fast. You can also build this into your Microsoft Graph, which will attune your Copilot licenses even better. 

Use Copilot to Draft Almost Anything

If you’ve ever stared at a blank page thinking, “How do I start this?”, then Copilot is going to be a game‑changer.

You can ask Copilot to draft:

  • Emails
  • Reports
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • Project updates
  • Summaries
  • Excel outlines or tables

Here are some easy prompts you can try:

  1. "Write an email to my manager summarizing our top 3 priorities this month."
  2. "Draft a one-page explanation of why AI will benefit our team. Break it down by department and suggest some tools we can use"
  3. "Create a PowerPoint outline using the information in my quarterly report. Do not mention anything from slides 3-7. Do not use any off brand colors." 

Getting Started with Copilot Doesn't Have to Be Complicated

There’s a lot Copilot can do, and you definitely don’t need to learn everything at once. Start small, use it for everyday tasks, and you’ll very quickly get a feel for how it can support your workflow. And if you want help understanding your license, rolling it out across your organization, or seeing real examples from someone who uses Copilot daily.

We’re here to make it easier.

Reach out anytime. We’d love to show you how to get the most out of Copilot from day one.
Originally published on February 12, 2026

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About the author

Emily Kirk
Emily Kirk
Creative content writer and producer for Centre Technologies. I joined Centre after 5 years in Education where I fostered my great love for making learning easier for everyone. While my background may not be in IT, I am driven to engage with others and build lasting relationships on multiple fronts. My greatest passions are helping and showing others that with commitment and a little spark, you can understand foundational concepts and grasp complex ideas no matter their application (because I get to do it every day!). I am a lifelong learner with a genuine zeal to educate, inspire, and motivate all I engage with. I value transparency and community so lean in with me—it’s a good day to start learning something new!