Step-by-step guide for turning on Microsoft Copilot
Get ready for the next generation of Microsoft and AI coming together. Microsoft Copilot is here and ready to be engaged. Copilot is a new AI assistant that promises to revolutionize the way you work with Microsoft products. It’s currently available for consumers, and enterprise customers will get their hands on it starting November 1st, 2023.
But how do you enable Copilot in all your Microsoft products?
Here’s a quick guide:
- Head to the Microsoft Copilot website and sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Click the big, blue Enable Copilot button.
- Select the Microsoft products where you want to use Copilot.
- Click the Enable Copilot button again.
- And that’s it! Copilot is now enabled in all your selected Microsoft products. You can start using it right away by typing a command or question in the Copilot input box.
For example, you can say “Copilot, help me write a resume” and Copilot will generate a personalized resume for you. Or, you can say “Copilot, translate this email into Spanish” and Copilot will translate the email for you.
Copilot is still under development, but it has the potential to be a powerful tool for anyone who uses Microsoft products. So be sure to enable it today and start exploring all the things it can do.
Microsoft Copilot: AI assistant to streamline workflows
Copilot can draw information from different parts of the Microsoft ecosystem to help users with tasks such as crafting emails, drafting documents, and creating presentations. It can also help users to summarize key points and action items, and to jumpstart replies.
Copilot is accessible in two different ways: companies can access its generative AI capabilities in the tools they already use, or they can use the Business Chat or Bing Chat solution.
Copilot is set to roll out fully for enterprise users in November 2023. It has already earned significant positive feedback from initial testers.
Microsoft Copilot: Pricing Models
Microsoft’s new AI assistant, Copilot, is now available for purchase, but it comes with a hefty price tag. Copilot costs $30 per user per month, in addition to the cost of a Microsoft subscription such as Business Standard, Premium, E3, or E5.
The good news is that Bing Chat Enterprise, Microsoft’s AI-powered chat solution, is included in the Copilot packages for no extra cost. Bing Chat Enterprise can also be purchased as a standalone solution for $5 per month per user.
Some people had predicted that Microsoft would embed Copilot into its tools as a free service, but this is not the case.
Where can you enable Copilot?
Microsoft is bringing its Copilot AI assistant to virtually every corner of its software suite. It’ll be available in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Teams Phone, Viva, Loop, SharePoint, and Power Platform. There’s even a dedicated Copilot for sales teams.
Microsoft is also replacing Cortana with Copilot in Bing Chat Enterprise.
As Microsoft continues to invest in generative AI and large language models through its partnership with OpenAI, we can expect to see even more Copilot tools emerge in the future. Keep an eye on Microsoft’s product roadmap for the latest updates.
Microsoft Copilot: What You Need to Know Before You Enable It
Before you can enable Microsoft Copilot, you’ll need a few things:
- A subscription to both Copilot and an approved plan, such as Microsoft 365 E5 or E3.
- Access to Microsoft 365 apps for enterprise.
- Entra IDs (formerly Azure Active Directory accounts) for all users.
- Access to Microsoft OneDrive.
- Access to Microsoft Outlook, Teams, and Microsoft Loop.
- User devices on either the “Monthly Enterprise channel” or “Current Channel.”
- WebSocket connections enabled.
Microsoft Copilot will first roll out to the Current Channel in November 2023, and to the Enterprise channel a month later.
Microsoft recommends ensuring your network aligns with the Microsoft 365 connectivity principles for minimal latency.
How to Assign Licenses for Microsoft Copilot
To enable users in your business to access Microsoft Copilot, you will need to assign them licenses. Administrators can do this using the Microsoft 365 admin center.
If you have not already provisioned tenant users, you can follow the steps in the Microsoft 365 Copilot setup guide.
If you have already provisioned users in your tenant, go to the Microsoft 365 admin center and enable Copilot for either individual users or your entire tenant. You can also do this using PowerShell, with the Set-MsolUserLicense cmdlet.
Once a user has been assigned a license for Copilot, they should be able to access the experience immediately within their Microsoft apps. In some apps, such as Word, a dialog box will automatically appear when users create a new document.
In other environments, users must click the Copilot button in a menu ribbon (such as in Microsoft Teams).
Microsoft recommends enabling feedback settings for Copilot so that you can gather insights about user experiences. You can also use the Microsoft 365 Copilot usage report to get an overview of user adoption, retention, and engagement.
The complete reports are available in the Microsoft 365 admin center under “Reports” and “Usage.”
Microsoft Copilot for Windows 11: How to Enable It
Microsoft announced Windows Copilot, a personal assistant for Windows 11 users, at its Build 2023 conference in May. Copilot is designed to help users be more productive, and it can be used to customize settings, connect to apps, and more.
Users can ask Copilot questions and request support with tasks, such as rewriting or summarizing content. Copilot can also be used to access information from the web.
A preview version of Copilot for Windows 11 started rolling out to specific users in June. To enable Copilot today, you need to be running the Windows Insider version of Windows 11, which is intended for developers.
Enable Microsoft Copilot on Windows: A step-by-step guide
If you’re not already on the Windows Insider Dev channel, you’ll need to enroll your Windows 11 PC to get Copilot. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account and click Get Started.
- Link your Microsoft credentials and choose the Dev Channel.
- Click Continue and reboot your PC.
- Your PC will download and install the latest Windows 11 build. Once it’s up and running, follow these steps:
- Download ViveTool GUI from GitHub.
- Install and launch the app.
- Select build 23493.1000.
- Activate features 44774629, 44850061, 44776738, 42105254, and 41655236.
- Update Microsoft Edge by going to Help and Feedback > About Microsoft Edge.
- Reboot your PC.
- Launch Copilot with the Windows key + C shortcut.
If that all seems too complicated, you can simply wait for Microsoft to release a Windows update with Copilot included.
Once Copilot is available on your device, you can launch it by clicking the Copilot button on the taskbar or pressing Win + C. You can also disable Copilot by going to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and switching Copilot off.
Microsoft Copilot: AI Assistant to Boost Productivity in Microsoft 365
Microsoft Copilot is a new AI assistant designed to boost productivity in Microsoft 365. It was first revealed by Microsoft in 2023 and is now integrated into Microsoft 365 in two ways.
First, Copilot works alongside users in the tools and apps they use every day, such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, and the Power Platform. For example, Copilot can help users draft, revise, and summarize documents in Word; gain new insights from data in Excel; create presentations in PowerPoint; and stay organized in Outlook.
Second, Copilot powers Business Chat, a new feature that allows users to initiate actions with natural language prompts across all Microsoft 365 apps. For example, users can ask Business Chat to compose content, find important dates, or create work plans.
Microsoft Copilot is designed to help users work more efficiently and effectively. It can be used to automate tasks, generate content, and get insights from data.
How to Enable Microsoft Copilot in Microsoft Apps
Microsoft Copilot is a new AI assistant that is already integrated into Microsoft 365 apps for some users. However, if you have not yet been able to access the features, you may need to update your Microsoft applications.
Even members of beta channels and those accessing Copilot after the official release may be unable to use the functionality immediately. The roll-out started in November 2023, but it may not reach all businesses and users simultaneously.
If you can access Microsoft 365 Copilot, you can simply switch it on within any of the integrated Microsoft apps. Find the Copilot icon on the ribbon menu for the app and click it to activate the service.
Some Copilot experiences will launch Copilot automatically on your apps. For example, when you start a new document in Word or create a spreadsheet in Excel, Copilot will launch in a dialogue window to offer suggestions and guidance.
Once activated, Microsoft says Copilot will help you unleash your creativity, unlock new productivity levels, and uplevel your skills. According to GitHub data, 99% of users say they are more productive with the tool. Additionally, 74% say they can focus on more satisfying work, and 77% say they spend less time searching for information.
How to Enable Microsoft Copilot in Teams
Learning how to enable Microsoft Copilot in Teams can help companies worldwide enhance their collaboration and communication strategies. Microsoft says Copilot in Teams will improve the efficiency of meetings with contextual action items and real-time summaries.
For example, if a team member forgets to take notes during a meeting, they can ask Copilot for a conversation summary. Copilot will then create a complete document, with crucial decisions made and tasks assigned to each team member.
Users can even ask Copilot to identify the pros and cons of their meetings to help make future conversations more productive.
The Business Chat solution created by Microsoft will also be included in Teams. This will allow users to access new capabilities across all applications and data. It works with Microsoft Graph, unifying information from various sources, including calendars and presentations.
How to Enable Microsoft Copilot in Other Applications
Microsoft Copilot is now integrated into virtually every aspect of the Microsoft ecosystem, from Power Platform to Microsoft Viva and SharePoint. If you have the proper licenses, you should be able to access the features without having to do much.
Copilot is automatically embedded into tools like Viva, Power Platform, and SharePoint. To access the services, simply click the Copilot icon. You can also click on the Copilot application to customize your experience. For example, you can turn suggestions on or off, depending on the support you need.
To see how Copilot can assist users in Viva, visit the community site here.
Sales Copilot, the sales-focused solution for Microsoft users, requires some extra work to activate. You will need a Dynamics 365 Sales Premium or Enterprise license, and you will need to select the apps and features you want to enable.
From the “Change” area in the Sales Hub app, go to “App Settings,” then “General Settings,” followed by “Sales Copilot.” If you are accessing it for the first time, you will see an option to “Set up Copilot.” You can then enable or disable the “compose” and “chat” features for users.
Is it Safe to Enable Microsoft Copilot for Companies?
As a business leader working with generative AI for the first time, you may have some concerns about enabling Microsoft Copilot. Many organizations have raised concerns about chat-based tools capturing sensitive information from collaboration apps.
In response, companies like Zoom and Microsoft have begun sharing transparent insights into how data and privacy are protected on their tools.
Before Microsoft began rolling Copilot out to consumers and businesses, the company released a statement promising a variety of protections. Business leaders will be able to maintain control over which users can access and use Copilot features.
Additionally, Copilot will have copyright protections to minimize the risks of IP infringement for creators. These copyright protections also apply to GitHub Copilot, so developers shouldn’t have anything to worry about if they’re creating new code.
