If you use a Windows PC, you already have an AI assistant sitting on your computer — and it costs nothing to start. Microsoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI chatbot, built into Windows, the Edge browser, Office apps, and free apps for your phone. In 2026 it has grown into a full productivity helper: it answers questions with live web search, creates images, writes drafts, and even works inside Word and Excel.
Here is how to get started, step by step.
Step 1 — Sign In (It's Free)
Head to copilot.microsoft.com on any browser, or install the free Copilot app on Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android. Signing in unlocks your chat history, more image creation, longer conversations, and longer voice sessions.
On the web, mobile, and Mac you can sign in with a Microsoft account, an Apple ID, or a Google account. The Windows app asks specifically for a Microsoft account — so if you are on a PC, create a free Microsoft account first if you don't have one.
Step 2 — Start Your First Chats
Click the chat box and just ask for something real: "Summarize this email," "Explain compound interest simply," or "Plan a 3-day trip to Dubai under $500." Copilot answers with up-to-date information because it searches the live web, not just its training data.
The secret to better answers is better questions. Be specific, give context, and keep asking follow-ups instead of starting over. If you want a deeper system for this, our step-by-step guide on how to write better AI prompts walks through the exact techniques that make Copilot (and every other chatbot) far more useful.
Step 3 — Use Copilot Where You Already Work
Copilot's biggest advantage over other chatbots is that it lives inside your tools. Press the Copilot key or open the sidebar in Windows to ask about anything on your screen. In Microsoft Edge it can summarize web pages, compare tabs, and draft replies. Inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook it can draft documents, analyze spreadsheets, and summarize long email threads — note that Copilot inside the Office desktop apps requires a paid Microsoft 365 plan.
Step 4 — Create Images and Talk Out Loud
Ask Copilot to "draw a sunset over the ocean" and it generates the picture for you — the free tier includes a daily quota of fast image generations. Voice mode turns it into a hands-free assistant: tap the microphone and talk naturally, useful for quick questions while cooking, driving, or working with your hands.
Step 5 — Free vs Paid: Which Plan Do You Need?
The free tier is genuinely generous in 2026: chat with live web search, image generation, voice, and the Windows/Edge integrations, no payment needed. Its limits are daily usage caps for heavy users, no priority during busy times, and no Copilot inside the Office desktop apps.
Note one change: the old standalone Copilot Pro plan was retired in 2026 — paid Copilot now comes bundled inside Microsoft 365 plans. Current pricing guides list Microsoft 365 Personal around $9.99/month (adds basic Copilot chat in the Office apps for the owner), Family around $12.99/month, and Microsoft 365 Premium around $19.99/month (the fullest individual AI experience, with higher limits and advanced features). Businesses use Microsoft 365 Copilot, about $30/user/month on top of a work plan, which grounds answers in company emails, files, and meetings with enterprise privacy. Prices change, so confirm the latest at microsoft.com before paying.
Choosing Your First AI Assistant
Copilot is the natural pick if your day runs on Windows and Office — no other chatbot sits inside those apps. But it's not the only good beginner option. If your documents live in Google Docs instead of Word, our beginner's guide to Gemini may suit you better, and our step-by-step ChatGPT guide covers the most popular standalone assistant. For a head-to-head breakdown of all three, see our comparison of ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini in 2026.
Start with the free tier, use it inside the apps you already open daily, and upgrade only when you hit a limit. Which app will you try Copilot in first — Windows, Edge, or Word? Tell us in the comments.
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