Microsoft Copilot

What it does

Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant for consumers. It answers questions, drafts messages, generates and shares images and helps explore ideas; on Windows it also surfaces recent files, apps and chats so you can resume work. With an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription, Copilot also works inside the desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. It is available on the web at copilot.microsoft.com, in iOS and Android apps, and in desktop apps for Windows and for macOS (Sonoma 14 or later). Microsoft also lists GroupMe, Telegram and Viber as places to chat with it. Some features require signing in with a Microsoft account, and availability varies by age, region, device and browser.

Pricing and plans

Microsoft says it offers a limited free version of Copilot, subject to capacity and usage limits. Paid access comes through Microsoft 365 plans, listed on its US page with a "$" sign:

• Microsoft 365 Personal: $9.99/month or $99.99/year, one person.
• Microsoft 365 Family: $12.99/month or $129.99/year, up to six people, with Copilot for the subscription owner only.
• Microsoft 365 Premium: $19.99/month or $199.99/year, up to six people, with more Copilot usage and limited agent features.
• Microsoft 365 Pro: $99.99/month, with the highest usage limits and 5 TB of shared storage.

Personal, Family and Premium include a one-month free trial. Prices differ by country and may exclude tax.

Strengths and limits

• Deep integration with Windows and the Microsoft 365 apps many people already use.
• Usage levels are described only in relative terms ("higher", "extensive", "highest"), not as fixed numbers.
• Privacy: Microsoft lets you turn off training on text and voice conversations in Copilot's privacy settings, but says opting out does not stop other uses such as product improvement, advertising, safety and compliance. Conversation history is kept for 18 months unless you delete it.
• Business users get a separate offer, Microsoft 365 Copilot, not covered here.