Quickly Research Any Topic and Summarize Web Pages with Microsoft Copilot in Edge

Open Copilot in Edge

Open the Microsoft Edge browser on your device. Look at the top-right corner of the screen. You’ll see a small blue Copilot icon (it looks like a sparkle or a chat bubble with a sparkle inside).

Tap or click the Copilot icon. A sidebar will slide open from the right side of your screen. This is where Copilot lives—it’s like a helpful assistant inside your browser.

You’ll know it worked when … the Copilot sidebar appears with a message like “Ask me anything” or “What can I help you with?”

Choose “Summarize” from the menu

Inside the Copilot sidebar, look for a dropdown menu at the top. It might say “Chat” or “Compose” by default. Click the dropdown and select “Summarize”.

Now, Copilot is ready to summarize the web page you’re viewing. It will read the content of the page and create a short, clear summary for you.

You’ll know it worked when … the sidebar shows a message like “Summarizing this page…” and then displays a bullet-point summary below.

⚠️ If you don’t see “Summarize” in the dropdown, make sure you’re on a web page with text (not a video or image-only page). Also, look for a button like “📄 Summarize” or “📝 Summarize page”.

Read the AI summary

After a few seconds, Copilot will show you a short summary of the web page. It might include:

• The main points or arguments
• Key facts or data
• A conclusion or takeaway

You can scroll through the summary to get the gist of the page without reading every word.

You’ll know it worked when … you see a clear, bulleted list or short paragraphs that capture the most important information from the page.

• “This page explains how to compost at home.”
• “It lists 5 easy steps and common mistakes to avoid.”
• “It also includes a list of local composting services.”

Ask follow-up questions

After the summary appears, you can ask Copilot to clarify or expand on any point. Just type your question in the chat box at the bottom of the sidebar.

For example:

• “Can you explain point 3 in more detail?”
• “What are the benefits of composting?”
• “Give me a shorter version.”

Copilot will respond based on the content of the page. This is like having a conversation with the article itself.

You’ll know it worked when … Copilot answers your question using information from the page, and you see a new message appear in the chat.

⚠️ If Copilot gives an answer that doesn’t match the page, try rephrasing your question or check if the page content changed. Copilot only knows what’s on the current page.

Summarize a new page without leaving your tab

To summarize a different web page, just navigate to it in your browser. Copilot will automatically detect the new page and ask if you want to summarize it.

You can say “Yes” or click the “Summarize” button that appears in the sidebar. Copilot will generate a new summary for the new page.

You’ll know it worked when … the sidebar updates with a new summary of the page you’re now viewing.

Save or share the summary

If you want to save the summary for later, you can:

• Copy the text and paste it into a document or note app.
• Take a screenshot of the summary.
• Ask Copilot to save it by typing: “Save this summary to my notes.”

You’ll know it worked when … you have the summary text in your notes, or you see a confirmation like “Summary saved.”

⚠️ On the free plan, your chat history is saved for a limited time. If you want long-term access, sign in with your Microsoft account.

Use Copilot on mobile (optional)

If you’re using a phone or tablet, open the Edge app. Tap the Copilot icon (sparkle) in the bottom toolbar. Then tap the “Summarize” button at the top of the Copilot panel.

Copilot will summarize the page you’re viewing. You can scroll, ask questions, or copy the summary—just like on desktop.

You’ll know it worked when … the summary appears in the Copilot panel on your mobile device.

⚠️ On mobile, the interface may look slightly different. Look for a button like “📄 Summarize” or “Summarize page”.