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How do you use AI in Outlook, and will Copilot search my email?
Short answer
Open Copilot in Outlook to summarise long threads, draft replies and ask questions about your inbox and calendar. Microsoft says all eligible Microsoft 365 subscribers get Copilot in Outlook. Without a Copilot add-on licence it covers your inbox, calendar and limited data. With one, it can also draw on your chats, meetings and files.
What you can ask
- "Summarise my emails from last week about the Smith extension."
- "When's my next meeting with the accountant?"
- "Draft a polite reply saying we can start on the 14th."
- "Which unread emails look urgent?" (with an add-on licence)
Will Copilot search my Outlook email?
Yes, within your own mailbox. Without the add-on, Microsoft describes access as your inbox, calendar, meetings and other limited data. Copilot Search across Microsoft 365 content needs an eligible Copilot licence.
With and without the add-on licence
Microsoft's comparison for work accounts on a qualifying business plan:
| Feature | Copilot Chat only | With a Microsoft Copilot licence |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot in Outlook | Included | Included |
| Work data it can use | Limited (uploaded files) | Meetings, emails, chats, files and more |
| Agents | Limited, no advanced agents | Includes Researcher, Analyst and custom agents |
| Priority at busy times | Standard, may be limited | Priority |
To see what you have, sign in at copilot.cloud.microsoft and check the label under your name: Copilot Chat (Basic), M365 Copilot (Basic) or M365 Copilot (Premium).
Personal accounts
Microsoft 365 Personal and Family include Copilot features for the subscription owner, used through AI credits. Microsoft says AI benefits can't be shared, so other people on a Family plan don't get Copilot. You can check your AI credits under Services & subscriptions in your Microsoft account.
Microsoft also says that if you sign in to Outlook with an account that has AI credits, Copilot works for the other email accounts in Outlook on the same device, including Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo and iCloud. This doesn't work in classic Outlook for Windows, or if Connected Experiences is turned off in Outlook's privacy settings.
How to start
- Open Outlook on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android or the web.
- Open a long email thread and look for the Copilot button or summary option.
- Ask for a summary, then ask a follow-up question about it.
- Start a reply and ask Copilot to draft it, giving the key facts yourself.
- Read and edit before you press send.
A worked example
Say you run a small electrical firm in Leeds and a customer thread about a rewire has 23 messages. You ask Copilot: "Summarise this thread. What did we agree on price, dates and what's not included?" It gives you a list. You check it against the last quote you sent, because summaries can miss a detail buried in a reply. Then you ask: "Draft a reply confirming a start date of Monday 2 November, the price in my last quote, and that making good plaster isn't included." You fix the wording and send it yourself.
Good habits
Read every draft before sending, especially prices and dates. Don't let it reply to complaints unchecked. If you can open shared mailboxes, be careful what you ask it to pull together, and tidy them first.
Common mistakes
- Assuming it knows your price list. Give it the facts; don't let it guess.
- Trusting a summary of a long thread. Check anything that matters against the original emails.
- Expecting family members to get it. On Family plans, only the subscription owner gets Copilot.
- Turning off Connected Experiences and then wondering where Copilot went.
Related questions
Is there AI in Outlook for free?
Work accounts with an eligible business plan get Copilot Chat in Outlook. For a personal Outlook.com account, Copilot comes from a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium or Pro subscription, or from being signed in on the same device with an account that has one.
Can Copilot send emails for me?
It drafts; you send. An add-on licence adds advanced agents such as Researcher and Analyst, but check what any agent does before trusting it with customer email.
Is Copilot in Outlook private?
See are Microsoft Copilot chats private?
Can I use ChatGPT in Outlook instead?
See can I add ChatGPT to Outlook?
Sources
- Microsoft Support: how Copilot Chat works in Microsoft 365 apps
- Microsoft Support: Copilot Chat with and without a Copilot licence
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Copilot Search
- Microsoft Support: AI credits and limits for Microsoft 365 subscriptions
- Microsoft Support: sharing Copilot in Outlook
Checked 18 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
More on money, quotes and admin
- Can AI do my bookkeeping?
- Can AI help with invoicing?
- Can ChatGPT make and read Excel spreadsheets?
- Can Copilot analyse Excel data?
- Can I add ChatGPT to Outlook?
- Does Copilot work in OneNote and Visio?
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