Microsoft Copilot

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant. You chat with it to think through projects, summarize information, get grounded answers, find files and insights, draft content and generate images. The same experience is offered on the web, as a desktop app and on mobile, and it works across Windows, Mac, Microsoft Edge and phones. Work and personal conversations stay separate by account, so chat history, files and organizational protections follow the right sign-in. Microsoft says the earlier Bing AI and Bing Chat experiences have evolved into Copilot, and several features were renamed: Project is now Notebook, Tasks is now Cowork, Deep Research is now Researcher and Study and Learn mode is now Guided Learning. Signing in with a Microsoft account unlocks a free tier, though some capabilities have usage caps and further features sit in paid plans. Microsoft 365 subscriptions include the Copilot app, desktop Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and additional premium features. Check Microsoft's site for current plan prices.

Use cases

• Chat to plan and think through projects
• Summarize documents and information
• Find files and insights for work
• Draft emails and written content
• Generate images from ideas
• Research a topic with a guided assistant
• Learn a subject with guided study

Who it's for

• Office workers
• Students
• Microsoft 365 users
• Everyday consumers

Why use Microsoft Copilot

• A free signed-in tier lets you try AI chat, research and image creation without paying first.
• One Copilot experience follows you across web, desktop and mobile, with synced history.
• Work and personal chats are kept separate, which helps with organizational controls.
• Copilot acts only when you ask it to, and your existing privacy settings still apply.
• Microsoft 365 subscribers get the Copilot app together with desktop Office apps.

Microsoft Copilot features

• Natural-language chat for questions, ideas and tasks
• Grounded answers with help finding files and insights
• Content drafting and image generation
• Notebook for project-based work
• Researcher for in-depth research tasks
• Guided Learning for study support
• Cowork for task-style work
• Desktop and mobile apps alongside the web experience
• Separate work and personal accounts with their own history and files
• Free tier with a Microsoft account

Microsoft Copilot integrations

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft 365

How to get started with Microsoft Copilot

1. Go to copilot.com or install the desktop or mobile app and sign in with a Microsoft account.
2. Choose work or personal sign-in so chats and files stay with the right account.
3. Ask a question, upload a file, or start a chat, Notebook, Researcher or Guided Learning session.
4. Use the answers to draft content, generate images or find information.
5. Upgrade through a paid plan or Microsoft 365 if you need higher limits and premium features.

Microsoft Copilot limitations

• Some capabilities on the free tier are subject to usage limits
• Extra features need a paid plan or a Microsoft 365 subscription
• Availability varies by region, and some regions see a not-available message
• Plan prices are not listed here; check Microsoft for current pricing

Microsoft Copilot pricing

Yes, Microsoft Copilot has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month, according to the official pricing page on 23 Oct 2026.

Prices can change and may vary by country or exclude tax. Check the official pricing page.

Microsoft Copilot alternatives

The main Microsoft Copilot alternatives listed on Debuly are ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Merlin and Nation AI. The table compares pricing and platforms; order is A–Z.

1. 

   ChatGPT

   OpenAI's AI assistant for chat, writing, analysis, images, voice, deep research and coding across web, iOS and Android.

   Chat assistantsResearch and searchCodingWriting
   FreemiumVisit ChatGPT (official site)
2. 

   Claude

   Anthropic's AI assistant for chat, writing, analysis, coding and research on web, desktop and mobile, with a free plan.

   Chat assistantsCodingWritingResearch and search
   FreemiumVisit Claude (official site)
3. 

   Google Gemini

   Google's AI assistant for questions, writing, research and image or video creation, with links into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps.

   Chat assistantsResearch and searchImage generationProductivity
   FreemiumVisit Google Gemini (official site)
4. 

   Merlin

   Browser extension and web app that puts ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other AI models in one chat, with page, video and PDF summaries.

   Chat assistantsProductivityResearch and search
   PaidVisit Merlin (official site)
5. 

   Nation AI

   AI chatbot with 25 specialist coaches, image creation and PDF tools, free to try without an account.

   Chat assistantsImage generationWriting
   FreemiumVisit Nation AI (official site)
6. 

   Perplexity

   AI answer engine that searches the web, cites sources inline and offers deep research, multi-step tasks and a choice of top models on paid plans.

   Research and searchChat assistantsProductivity
   FreemiumVisit Perplexity (official site)

Microsoft Copilot FAQ

Sources & verification

Facts on this page come from the official sources below, each with the date we read it. Written by Debuly; the vendor did not review this page.

Image credits

• Logo: from res.cdn.office.net · fetched 23 Oct 2026 · Vendor trademark, used only to identify the product; removed on request
• Cover: from res.cdn.office.net · fetched 23 Oct 2026 · Vendor marketing image from the official site; removed on request

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