Have you seen a colourful new button pop up on the Microsoft products you use… Please give a warm welcome to Microsoft’s new AI tool, Copilot! Built directly into Microsoft apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, Copilot is designed to help you get more done. All without needing to be a tech expert or spend hours figuring things out!
Instead of learning new software or complex shortcuts, Copilot works by letting you ask for help in plain language, just like it’s a friend! Below, we’re breaking down five of the best features of Copilot, what they actually do, and why they can make your everyday computer tasks a whole lot easier!
Natural Language Prompts That Feel Easy and Familiar
One of Copilot’s biggest strengths is how natural it feels to use! You don’t need to remember specific commands, technical terms, or where things are hidden in menus. Just type or speak your request as if you were asking a person for help!
This is a big shift from how most software has worked in the past. Instead of learning how the program thinks, Copilot adapts to how you think! You can ask it to summarise a document, explain something in simple terms, or rewrite text, all without worrying about wording things “correctly”.
For people who don’t consider themselves tech-savvy, this is huge! Just like other AIs, it removes a lot of the intimidation that comes with powerful software and makes everyday tools far more accessible!
Here are some prompts to try:
- “This feels messy. Can you clean it up for me?”
- “Does anything here look wrong or confusing?”
- “How would you explain this to someone who knows nothing about the topic?”
Smarter Writing and Editing in Microsoft Word
Writing can be one of the most time-consuming parts of using a computer… Especially when you’re trying to get the tone just right. Copilot helps in Word by drafting content, rewriting paragraphs, summarising long documents, and polishing wording so it reads and sounds just how you want it!
It’s particularly useful when you know what you want to say but struggle with how to say it. No need to be a pro writer! Copilot can turn rough notes into a structured draft, simplify complex language, or adjust the tone depending on the situation. You always get to review and edit the result, so don’t stress, you still have the final say!
So next time you’re working on reports, letters, schoolwork, or personal documents, use Copilot to remove the “blank page” problem! It doesn’t replace your ideas; it just helps you easily express them with far less effort.
Here are some prompts to try:
- “Rewrite this document to sound more professional and concise, while keeping the original meaning. Improve clarity, fix grammar, and reduce repetition.”
- “Summarise this document into 5 clear bullet points highlighting the key takeaways for someone who hasn’t read it.”
- “Rewrite this content for a non-technical audience. Use plain language, short sentences, and avoid jargon.”
Making Excel Easier to Understand and Use
Excel is incredibly powerful, but it’s also one of the most intimidating programs in the Microsoft suite. Many people only scratch the surface because formulas, charts, and data analysis can feel overwhelming. However, with the addition of Copilot, this helps bridge that gap by letting you ask questions about your data in plain language.
Instead of trying to figure out formulas or graphs yourself, you can ask Copilot to summarise trends, explain what a table means, or create a simple report from your spreadsheet. Making it much easier to understand what your data is actually telling you.
This is ideal for small businesses, home users, and anyone who uses Excel occasionally, saving a huge amount of time. It turns Excel from this stressful, complicated tool into something genuinely helpful, without requiring you to become an expert. Adding this AI help to Excel is definitely one of the best features of Copilot!
Here are some prompts to try:
- “Analyse this spreadsheet and tell me any key trends, patterns, or unusual values. Summarise the insights in plain English.”
- “Create the formulas needed to calculate totals, averages, and percentage changes for this data. Explain what each formula does.”
- “Create a clear chart that shows the main trend in this data and suggest the best chart type to use.”
Faster, Cleaner Presentations in PowerPoint
Creating presentations often takes far longer than expected. Even when you know your topic, turning notes into clear slides and speaker notes can be a slow, drawn-out process. Copilot then comes into play, just like an assistant. It’s great at generating slide outlines, summarising content, and writing speaker notes based on your existing information. What a huge time saver, right?! Less time formatting slides and more time focusing on the message you want to deliver!
Whether it’s for work, a club meeting, or a personal project, Copilot helps you get to your final result much faster. PowerPoint has been around for decades, and now Copilot is giving it a modern boost! It keeps things simple while still helping you produce presentations that are organised, clear and professional! Or maybe just a little more chaotic if that’s a bit of you…
Here are some prompts to try:
- “Create a 6–8 slide presentation on this topic. Include a title slide, key points on each slide, and a short conclusion. Keep the tone clear and professional.”
- “Summarise this document into a slide deck. Use concise bullet points, suggest slide titles, and highlight the most important information.”
- “Rewrite these slides to be more engaging and easier to read. Reduce text, improve flow, and suggest where visuals or icons would help.”
Email & Organisation Help in Outlook
Wouldn’t it be nice if dealing with pesky emails took way less time? Long threads, unclear action items, and constant back-and-forth messages can quickly pile up. Summarising email conversations, highlighting important points, and drafting replies when needed are just some of the many uses Copilot can help you with!
Copilot is especially useful when you’re catching up after time away or trying to quickly understand what’s going on in a long thread. Copilot can point out what needs action and help you respond clearly without starting from scratch. By reducing the mental load of email management, you can now stay organised and spend less time in your inbox. That alone can make a noticeable difference to how productive your day feels!
Here are some prompts to try:
- “Draft a polite and professional reply to this email. Keep it concise and friendly, and include clear next steps.”
- “Summarise this email conversation. Highlight key decisions, action items, and who is responsible for what.”
- “Rewrite this email to sound more confident and professional, without sounding abrupt or rude.”
The best features of Copilot all focus on one thing: making everyday tasks easier. Instead of spending time figuring out how to use software, you can focus on what you actually want to achieve.
Like any new technology, Copilot can feel unfamiliar at first, especially when it appears after an update with little explanation. A bit of guidance can make all the difference when it comes to getting comfortable with new tools.
We help everyday Kiwis understand and use technology with confidence. Whether you want any help learning how to use it properly, or making sure your device can handle modern software, we’re here to help. Because technology should work for you, not against you!
