Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft Copilot is an AI helper from Microsoft that you can type to, talk to or show a picture, and it will reply, write something new or carry out a job for you.
Microsoft Copilot is the version of Copilot for people signed in with a personal Microsoft account. You can type, speak or share images. It replies with text, links, pictures or audio. Under the hood it draws on models built by Microsoft, by OpenAI and by other companies.
Each request first passes through safety filters. Next, the system picks which model will answer and works out whether it should search the web first. When it does search, the reply leans on pages that rank well in the results. Links to those pages sit under the reply, so you can click through and check.
Chat is only part of it: Copilot also writes stories and poems and makes pictures. Upload an image and it can change it for you. For tricky maths it runs code, and it can plot graphs too. It can read files you upload. If you link a cloud drive such as OneDrive or Google Drive and say yes, it can use files stored there as well. Copilot Cowork goes a step further: you describe a job in plain words and it does the work, such as writing documents, sending email or setting up meetings. Anything sensitive waits for your OK first. A few of the more advanced features may need the right subscription.
Tell Copilot to remember a fact and it can store it. Turning Memory off does not erase what it already saved. It can also invent details that sound plausible and are simply false. Even when its sources are reputable sites, it can get their content wrong. Microsoft’s advice is to review what Copilot says before you act on it. An agent acting for you can misunderstand the request or obey instructions someone has hidden, so Microsoft tells users to keep a close eye on what it does.
A direct answer is useful only when its basis is visible.
Follow one request through consumer Copilot.
- 1 · askYou type, speak or add an image.
- 2 · screenSafety filters check your message and the chat so far for harmful content.
- 3 · routeThe system chooses a model and decides whether the reply needs a web search.
- 4 · respondThe chosen model writes the reply, reading your message together with the recent chat.
- 5 · checkReplies built from web results list links you can open.
Grounding adds web evidence; it does not turn the response into a guaranteed fact.
| Who | What they ask | What it works with |
|---|---|---|
| Home cook | “Find three seasonal dinner ideas and link the recipes you used.” | The prompt, recent chat context and current web results |
| Job seeker | “Rewrite this paragraph to sound direct and remove repetition.” | The supplied paragraph and requested tone |
| Traveller | “Talk me through a weekend plan while I pack.” | Voice input, the chat so far and web results |
| Parent | “Create a picture-book image of a fox building a kite.” | The image prompt and follow-up edits |
- It can answer follow-up questions in a text conversation.
- It searches the web and sums up what it finds, with citations.
- It reads supported files you upload and pulls out the details you ask about.
- When a voice chat ends, you get a written transcript of it.
- Microsoft advises reviewing content before acting on a Copilot response.
- Turning off Copilot Memory does not delete memories already saved.
- Consumer Copilot privacy rules differ from Microsoft 365 Copilot rules.
- A citation is only a pointer; you still open the page to judge how reliable it is.
Sources used
This explainer is written in original language. The links below support its factual claims.
- docsTransparency Note for Microsoft Copilot (for individuals), Microsoft · read 27 Sept 2026
- docsPrivacy FAQ for Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft · read 27 Sept 2026
- docsUsing Copilot Voice with Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft · read 27 Sept 2026
- docsFile upload in Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft · read 27 Sept 2026
- docsMicrosoft Copilot for individuals: your privacy controls and choices, Microsoft · read 27 Sept 2026