Microsoft Copilot for Beginners: Is It Free, and Which Plan Do You Need?

Prices and features checked October 14, 2026.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant. You can use it free on the web, in the Copilot app for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, and in the Edge browser. With a Microsoft 365 plan, Copilot also works inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.

If your day already runs on Microsoft Office, Copilot is the AI that lives where you work.

Key strengths

1. There's a free version. Microsoft says it offers a limited free version of Copilot, subject to capacity and limits.
2. Built into Office apps. Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, and Premium include Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
3. Easy sign-in. On the web, mobile, and Mac, you can sign in with a Microsoft account, Apple ID, or Google account. (The Windows app needs a Microsoft account.)
4. Vision: show Copilot your screen. During a voice chat, you can share your screen or phone camera and ask about what you see. Microsoft says this needs a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Premium plan.
5. Bigger tools on Premium. Microsoft 365 Premium adds Researcher and Analyst, plus higher usage limits.

Best use cases

How-to guides

1. How to use Copilot for free

Who it's for: Anyone, especially people on Windows or using the Edge browser.

Steps:

1. Go to copilot.microsoft.com, or open the Copilot app.
2. Click Sign in. Use a Microsoft, Google, or Apple account (Windows app: Microsoft account).
3. Type your question in the box.
4. Press Enter.
5. Ask follow-ups to go deeper.
6. Use the microphone button if you'd rather talk.

Copy-paste prompts:

How do I stop apps from opening when my Windows laptop starts up? Give me simple numbered steps.

Copy

Plan a 3-day budget trip to Chicago in November. Keep each day walkable and list rough costs.

Copy

Pro tip: Sign in with a Microsoft account if you use OneDrive or Outlook.com. Microsoft says Copilot can then draw on your own content, like OneDrive files and Outlook.com email, plus the web.

Common mistake: Assuming the free version works inside Word and Excel. That needs a Microsoft 365 plan.

2. How to write a first draft in Word

Who it's for: Office workers and students on Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Premium.

Steps:

1. Open Word and start a new document.
2. Make sure you're signed in with the account that has the subscription.
3. Click the Copilot button in the ribbon or the side of the page.
4. Describe what you want to write.
5. Add notes or point to a file if you have one.
6. Review the draft. Ask Copilot to change tone or length.
7. Edit it yourself before you share it.

Copy-paste prompts:

Draft a one-page proposal to my manager for a 4-day work week trial. Include benefits, risks, and a 3-month plan. Professional tone.

Copy

Rewrite this paragraph to be clearer and shorter, at an 8th-grade reading level.

Copy

Pro tip: Give Copilot your notes first. It writes much better when it has your real facts to work with.

Common mistake: Sharing Copilot's draft without checking facts and numbers. Copilot can get things wrong. Microsoft itself says to review what it creates.

3. How to understand your numbers in Excel

Who it's for: Budgeters, small business owners, and anyone with a spreadsheet.

Steps:

1. Save your Excel file to OneDrive. (Microsoft says Copilot in Excel needs AutoSave on.)
2. Make sure your data has clear column headers.
3. Click Copilot in the ribbon.
4. Ask a question about your data in plain English.
5. Review what Copilot suggests, like a new column or a chart.
6. Click to add it, then double-check a few numbers by hand.

Copy-paste prompts:

Add a column showing the percent change from each month to the next, then make a line chart of total sales.

Copy

Which 3 expense categories grew the most this year? Show me the numbers and highlight them.

Copy

Pro tip: Turn your data into a table first (select it, then Insert > Table). Clear structure helps Copilot read it.

Common mistake: Forgetting AutoSave. If the file isn't saved to OneDrive with AutoSave on, Copilot in Excel won't work.

4. How to turn an idea into a PowerPoint

Who it's for: Teachers, students, sales staff, and anyone who makes slides.

Steps:

1. Open PowerPoint and start a blank presentation.
2. Click Copilot.
3. Describe your topic, your audience, and how many slides you want.
4. Or point Copilot to a Word file to build the deck from.
5. Review the slides it creates.
6. Ask for changes, like "add a slide on costs."
7. Swap in your own photos and check every fact.

Copy-paste prompts:

Create a 7-slide presentation for parents about our school's new reading program. Friendly tone. Include a slide with 3 ways parents can help at home.

Copy

Make a 5-slide pitch for my lawn care business: the problem, my service, prices, customer reviews, and how to book.

Copy

Pro tip: Say who the audience is. "For busy parents" and "for my boss" make very different decks.

Common mistake: Using too much text per slide. Ask Copilot for "no more than 3 bullets per slide" and put details in the speaker notes.

5. How to catch up on your inbox in Outlook

Who it's for: Anyone with a busy Outlook inbox and a Microsoft 365 plan.

Steps:

1. Open Outlook and sign in with the account that has your subscription.
2. Open a long email thread.
3. Click the Copilot button and choose to summarize.
4. Read the summary and any action items.
5. To reply, ask Copilot to draft a response.
6. Edit the draft so it sounds like you, then send.

Copy-paste prompts:

Summarize this thread in 5 bullets. What do I need to do, and by when?

Copy

Draft a short, polite reply saying I can meet Thursday after 2 pm, and ask for the agenda.

Copy

Pro tip: Use summaries to decide what to read closely, not to skip reading important emails entirely.

Common mistake: Letting Copilot reply to sensitive emails without a careful read. Tone matters, and AI can miss it.

Free vs paid: which Copilot plan should you get?

US consumer prices, checked October 14, 2026.

Notes:

• Microsoft offers one-month trials of Personal, Family, and Premium in many regions.
• For businesses, Microsoft sells separate work plans.
• Microsoft has emailed Family and Premium subscribers that AI sharing with family members is coming, but its pricing page still says AI is for the owner only.

When is upgrading worth it?

• Stay free if you just want an AI chat helper.
• Get Personal ($9.99) if you already want Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Copilot comes with it, so the AI is a bonus.
• Get Premium ($19.99) if you'll use Researcher or Analyst, or you hit limits on Personal.
• Skip Pro ($99.99) unless you're a very heavy user. It's a big jump.

Limitations, and when to use a different AI

• The best features need a subscription. Free Copilot doesn't work inside Office apps.
• Family members don't get Copilot features (for now), even on the Family plan.
• Excel needs OneDrive and AutoSave. Local-only files won't work.
• Live in Google apps instead? Use Gemini.
• Want an all-in-one AI with Study mode? ChatGPT.
• Long documents and careful writing? Claude.
• Answers with sources? Perplexity.
• Study from your own files? NotebookLM (Gemini Notebook).
• Live news from X? Grok.
• Artistic images? Midjourney.
• Totally free chatbot? DeepSeek (check privacy). Or Meta AI inside WhatsApp and Instagram.

FAQ

Is Copilot free? Yes. Microsoft offers a limited free version of Copilot on the web, in the Copilot apps, and in Edge. To use Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, you need a Microsoft 365 plan, starting at $9.99 a month.

Is Copilot worth it? If you already pay for or need Microsoft 365, yes, because Copilot comes with it. Premium ($19.99) is worth it if you'll use Researcher and Analyst or need higher limits. If you only want a chatbot, the free version may be enough.

Copilot free vs paid: what's the difference? Free gives you limited Copilot chat. Paid Microsoft 365 plans add Copilot inside Office apps, higher usage, image creation limits, and (on Premium) Researcher and Analyst.

Does Copilot use ChatGPT? Microsoft says Copilot uses "AI models selected by Microsoft." It doesn't name them on its plans page, so we can't confirm which models it uses today.

Copilot vs ChatGPT: which should I use? Pick Copilot if you work in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook all day. Pick ChatGPT if you want one flexible app with Study mode, images, and voice. Both have free versions.