Copilot in Edge: How to Use It

Microsoft Copilot is built directly into the Edge browser, giving you an AI assistant that can summarize long articles, answer questions about the page you’re viewing, draft text, and even generate images. This guide walks you through the simplest ways to open and use Copilot in Edge, from the sidebar to the address bar, so you can get real help without leaving your current tab.

What You’ll Need

• Microsoft Edge browser (current version, updated within the last few months)
• A Microsoft account (free – you can sign in with Outlook, Hotmail, or a new account)
• An internet connection – Copilot requires online access to process requests
• Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS, or Linux – the steps are the same on all platforms

Step-by-Step

1. Open Microsoft Edge. If you don’t have it, download it from the official Microsoft website. It comes preinstalled on Windows 11.
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account. Click the profile icon (top-right corner) and select “Sign in.” This unlocks the full Copilot experience and keeps your chat history synced across devices. If you skip this, Copilot still works but with limited features.
3. Open the Copilot sidebar. Look for the Copilot icon – it looks like a small sparkle or a four-pointed star – in the top-right toolbar, right next to the settings (three-dot) menu. Click it. The sidebar will slide out from the right side of the window.
4. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut. Press Ctrl + Shift + . (period) on Windows or Cmd + Shift + . on Mac to toggle the sidebar open and closed.
5. Choose your conversation style. At the top of the sidebar, you’ll see three options: “More Balanced,” “More Creative,” and “More Precise.” For factual questions, pick “More Precise.” For brainstorming or writing, “More Creative” works well. “More Balanced” is the default and suits most everyday queries.
6. Type your prompt. Click the text box at the bottom of the sidebar and type a question or command. For example, “Summarize this article in 3 bullet points” or “What is the main argument of this page?”
7. Use page context. Copilot in Edge can read the page you’re on. To ask about the current page, you can just type a question like “What are the key stats mentioned here?” – it will automatically use the open tab as context. You can also click the small page icon above the text box to explicitly attach the current page.
8. Send your prompt. Press Enter or click the send arrow. Copilot will stream its response in the sidebar. You can ask follow-up questions to refine the answer.
9. Try the Compose feature. If you need to draft an email, a post, or a paragraph, click the “Compose” tab (the pencil icon) in the sidebar. Set the tone (professional, casual, etc.) and length, then type your topic. Copilot will generate text you can copy or insert directly into a page.
10. Generate images. In the sidebar, type “Create an image of…” followed by a description. Copilot will use DALL-E to generate an image. You can download it by right-clicking the image and selecting “Save image as.”
11. Use Copilot in the address bar. Type “@copilot” in the address bar, then press Tab. Now you can type a question directly into the address bar and Copilot will answer in a new tab. This is handy when you don’t want the sidebar open.
12. Summarize a PDF or video. Open a PDF in Edge, then click the Copilot icon. It can summarize the document. For YouTube videos, Copilot can also provide a summary of the transcript (if captions are available) – just ask “Summarize this video.”
13. Copy or export responses. Hover over any Copilot response and you’ll see a copy icon. Click it to copy the text. You can also click the three-dot menu in the sidebar to export the entire conversation as a text file or share it.
14. Close the sidebar. Click the X at the top-right of the sidebar when you’re done. Your conversation is saved automatically in your chat history, accessible from the Copilot homepage (copilot.microsoft.com).

Common Mistakes

• Not signing in. Without a Microsoft account, Copilot may limit the number of responses or refuse to work entirely. Always sign in first.
• Expecting Copilot to see the page when it doesn’t. If you open a new tab and type a question, Copilot doesn’t know what page you were on. You must have the page open in the current tab, or explicitly attach it.
• Using vague prompts. “Tell me about this” is less useful than “List the three main causes of the problem described in this article.” Be specific.
• Ignoring the conversation style. Using “Creative” for a math problem can give a made-up answer. Switch to “Precise” for factual queries.
• Forgetting that Copilot can make mistakes. It’s an AI, not a search engine. Always double-check important facts, especially numbers, quotes, or medical/legal info.

Tips

• Use the “New Topic” button. In the sidebar, there’s a small “New Topic” icon (a plus sign) that clears the current conversation context. This is useful when you switch from one subject to a completely different one.
• Ask for bullet points. For quick reading, ask Copilot to “Summarize in 5 bullet points” or “List the pros and cons in a table.” It will format the answer nicely.
• Use the “Rewrite” feature. If you’re writing something, highlight text in a webpage, then click the Copilot icon that appears. Choose “Rewrite” to get a different version of the text, or “Explain” to get a plain-language breakdown.
• Pin the sidebar. Click the pin icon at the top of the sidebar to keep it always open. This makes it easier to reference while scrolling.
• Try voice input. Click the microphone icon in the sidebar’s text box to speak your prompt instead of typing.

Troubleshooting

• Copilot icon is missing. Make sure Edge is updated: go to Settings > About Microsoft Edge – it will auto-update. If the icon still doesn’t appear, restart the browser. In some corporate or school-managed Edge installations, the admin may have disabled Copilot – check with your IT department.
• Copilot says “You need to sign in” even after signing in. Close the sidebar, sign out of your Microsoft account, restart Edge, and sign back in. Also, clear the browser cache (Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data) if the issue persists.
• Copilot is slow or not responding. Check your internet connection. If it’s fine, try closing other heavy tabs – Copilot uses cloud resources. Also, switch the conversation style to “Balanced” – “Creative” can take longer.
• Copilot gives wrong answers about the page. Make sure the page is fully loaded before asking. If it’s a long article, scroll to the bottom first. Also, some pages (like PDFs with scanned images) aren’t readable by Copilot – try copying the text manually.
• Copilot doesn’t summarize videos. It only works if the video has captions or a transcript. Also, it may not work on all video sites – it’s designed primarily for YouTube.
• The sidebar won’t open. Press Ctrl+Shift+. again to toggle. If that fails, restart Edge or reset the sidebar layout: go to Settings > Sidebar and toggle it off and on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Copilot in Edge free?

Yes, the basic Copilot features in Edge are free. You can use the sidebar, ask questions, summarize pages, and generate images with a free Microsoft account. There is a paid tier (Copilot Pro) that offers faster responses and more image generations, but it’s not required for everyday use.

Can I use Copilot without signing in?

You can try, but you’ll likely hit a login wall after a few prompts. Signing in with a free Microsoft account gives you the full experience and keeps your chat history.

Does Copilot work on all websites?

Yes, Copilot can read any public webpage you have open. However, it cannot read content behind a login (like your email inbox) or pages that block access (like some paywalled news sites). It also can’t interact with forms or buttons – it only reads text.

Can I use Copilot to write emails or documents?

Yes. Use the Compose tab in the sidebar to draft text, then copy it into your email or document. You can also highlight text on a webpage and ask Copilot to rewrite it in a different tone.

Is my conversation with Copilot private?

Microsoft stores your chat history to improve the service. You can delete individual conversations from the Copilot sidebar (click the three-dot menu on a chat) or clear all history from the Copilot website. For sensitive work, avoid pasting confidential information.

How is Copilot different from Bing Chat?

They’re essentially the same technology. Bing Chat is the web-based version at bing.com/chat, while Copilot in Edge is the same assistant integrated into the browser sidebar. The Edge version has the advantage of page context – it can read the page you’re on, which Bing Chat can’t do as easily.

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