How to Use Microsoft Copilot on Windows for Everyday Tasks

Open the Copilot panel

ACTION: Click the Copilot icon on the task‑bar or press Windows key + C.
WHAT YOU SEE: The task‑bar is the thin strip of icons at the bottom of the screen; look for a colourful ribbon‑shaped icon next to the search box (typically blue, green and orange). After you click it, a narrow chat panel slides out from the right side.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: The panel shows a welcome message and a text box at the bottom where you can type.
IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: On some builds the icon may appear as a simple “C” inside a circle, or the shortcut might be hidden in the Start menu under “Copilot.” Look for any icon that mentions “Copilot” or a button that says “Open Copilot.”

SUCCESS CHECK: You’ll know it worked when a new pane appears on the right of your screen with a greeting like “Hi, I’m Copilot – how can I help you today?”

Start a conversation

ACTION: Click inside the text box at the bottom of the Copilot pane and type your first prompt (the word “prompt” means the instruction you give to the AI, like a brief you’d hand to a helpful colleague).
WHAT YOU SEE: The cursor blinks in the white box and the word “Type a message…” may be shown as placeholder text.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: After you press Enter, Copilot begins generating a response, which appears line by line in the panel.
IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: Some versions label the box “Ask a question…” or place the text field above a tiny microphone icon. As long as you can type, you’re in the right spot.

I’m planning a quick dinner for four guests. Can you suggest three simple chicken recipes that use common vegetables?

**SUCCESS CHECK:** You’ll know it worked when Copilot returns a short list of recipe ideas, each on its own line, beneath your prompt.

Ask Copilot to change a Windows setting

ACTION: In the same chat box, type a command that asks Copilot to adjust a setting, for example “Turn on dark mode.”
WHAT YOU SEE: Your typed sentence appears as a bubble on the right side of the pane, just like a chat message.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Copilot usually replies with a small confirmation window that says something like “Do you want to enable dark mode?” and offers “Yes” and “No” buttons. Clicking Yes applies the change instantly.
IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: If no confirmation appears, Copilot may say “I’m switching on dark mode now.” In rare cases the command could be ignored if your PC is on a managed (corporate) policy; the reply will mention that restriction.

Switch on Do Not Disturb.

**SUCCESS CHECK:** You’ll know it worked when the Windows task‑bar colour changes to a darker shade (for dark mode) or the “Do Not Disturb” icon appears in the notification centre.

Summarise a web page or document

ACTION: Open the webpage or document you want summarised, then return to Copilot and type “Summarise this page in three bullet points.”
WHAT YOU SEE: The Copilot pane still shows your previous conversation; the new prompt appears at the bottom.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Copilot reads the visible content of the active window (it can only see what’s on screen) and returns a concise list of bulleted points.
IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: If the page is a PDF opened in Edge, Copilot may ask you to confirm that you want it to read the file; click “Allow.” If nothing is returned, try copying a short excerpt from the page and pasting it into the chat before asking for a summary.

Summarise the main points of this article in three simple bullet points.

**SUCCESS CHECK:** You’ll know it worked when a three‑item bullet list appears, each line summarising a key idea from the source you had open.

Start a new topic (clear the conversation)

ACTION: Click the “New topic” button – usually displayed as a tiny broom or a plus‑sign inside a speech bubble – at the top of the Copilot pane.
WHAT YOU SEE: The icon sits near the top‑right corner of the panel; hovering over it may show a tooltip that reads “Start a new conversation.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: The chat history clears, leaving a fresh welcome message and an empty text box. Your next prompt will be treated independently of earlier questions.
IF IT LOOKS DIFFERENT: Some builds label the button “Clear chat” or place it inside a three‑dot menu; look for any option that suggests starting over or clearing the conversation.

SUCCESS CHECK: You’ll know it worked when the previous recipe and setting‑change bubbles disappear and the pane shows only the initial greeting.