The 8 best Copilot features that will help you work smarter, not harder
Is Microsoft's Copilot Worth the Pro Upgrade?
Copilot, Microsoft's AI chatbot, offers a variety of unique features making it an ideal assistant for users of Microsoft 365 apps and Android devices. Key features include free image generation using DALL·E, customizable conversation styles for more tailored responses, and the ability to integrate plugins like Instacart and Kayak for enhanced functionality. Additionally, Copilot is integrated into Microsoft 365 apps, allowing users to draft texts in Word, summarize emails in Outlook, and more, with these advanced features requiring a Copilot Pro subscription.
What are the three conversation styles available in Microsoft's Copilot, and how do they differ in terms of response generation?
Microsoft's Copilot offers three distinct conversation styles, each tailored to different user needs and preferences. These styles influence the responses generated by Copilot, allowing users to select the approach that best matches their task or preference.
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Balanced: This style offers neutral, factual answers for general queries3. It provides informative and engaging responses, making it a great starting point for most tasks. The Balanced style generates replies quickly, making it suitable when a quick response is needed.
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Creative: This style provides detailed, imaginative responses, perfect for brainstorming sessions. It is ideal for generating content such as images, songs, short stories, and jokes5. The Creative style is more time-consuming but offers more depth and creativity in its responses.
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Precise: Delivers concise, straightforward facts when clarity is key. This style prioritizes accuracy and is suitable for answering factual questions. The Precise mode functions like an advanced search engine, offering quick responses and straightforward answers based on web data.
By offering these three distinct conversation styles, Microsoft's Copilot caters to a wide range of user needs, providing a personalized experience for each individual.
How does the image generation feature of Copilot work, and what are the requirements to use this feature on different platforms?
The image generation feature of Copilot is powered by DALL·E, an AI system that can create realistic images and art from natural language descriptions. To use this feature on different platforms, you must sign in with a Microsoft account. Here's how it works:
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Download and sign in to the Copilot app: The first step is to get the app from the Play or App Store. Once it is on your device, you'll need to sign in to a Windows account to access the image creation capabilities of the chatbot. You can converse with Copilot without signing in, but you won't get access to GPT-4 or DALL-E support.
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Sign in to access full features: To sign in, click the circular person icon in the top left corner of the screen. This will open a settings menu where you can sign in to your Microsoft account.
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Enable GPT-4 for more creative output: While you can generate images without enabling GPT-4, enabling it leads to more creative output with a better understanding of your prompt. To enable GPT-4, simply toggle the switch.
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Start generating images: To start generating an image, type in the text box what you want to see. You may also see a microphone icon, in which case you just tell Copilot what you want. Copilot will then generate four images, each a slightly different take on the main image.
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Save the image: To save the image, click on the picture, then click the three dots next to the share button. After touching the dots, it will open the Download menu. Click the download button, which will open it in a view on its own. Simply long-press and tap "Save to Photos" on iOS or "Download image" on Android.
One of the features of DALL-E 3, the image generator powering Copilot, is the ability to place legible text on an image4. You can ask Copilot to turn the image into a logo for a company, for example. It's a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, from creating unique wallpapers for your phone to generating images for presentations.