10 Life Hacks Every Microsoft Copilot User Should Know
Despite criticism and controversy , Microsoft Copilot can be a useful tool and AI-powered assistant —especially considering Microsoft is cutting unnecessary features that only get in the way. Copilot can edit images without installing a dedicated app, create cheat sheets for faster learning, and identify what’s on your screen if you need extra help. If you haven’t yet uninstalled Copilot from your PC , here are the top 10 life hacks you should know to get the most out of this AI-powered service.
Use these keyboard shortcuts to launch Copilot faster.
You can speed up Copilot’s launch by using a keyboard shortcut. The keyboard shortcut Win+C launches Copilot and places the cursor in the chat window, meaning you can use this shortcut to immediately start typing your request. You can also launch it with Alt+Space or say “Hey Copilot” to use the app. To configure these two settings, open the Copilot app on your PC and click your name in the lower-left corner. Go to Settings > Preferences , and you’ll see an option to enable “Hey Copilot” and Alt+Space.
Stop sharing your data with Copilot to protect your privacy.
By default, Copilot, like many chatbots, uses your conversations as training data. This is good for Microsoft, as it can use your data to improve its models, but bad for you, as your personal conversations influence the behavior of future models. Fortunately, Microsoft allows you to disable AI training using your data. You can opt out by going to Copilot Settings > Privacy and disabling “Learning from voice conversations” and “Learning from conversation activity.”
Use connectors to turn Copilot into your Gmail assistant.
Microsoft Connectors allow you to connect Copilot to non-Microsoft programs. Essentially, you can leverage Copilot’s capabilities in other apps you regularly use. For example, you can link your Google accounts to Copilot and allow the AI service to access your Google Calendar events, Gmail emails, and Google Drive files. You can rely on the AI assistant to provide you with a summary of your day, including meetings, unread emails, and important details from the projects you’re working on. To enable this feature, go to Copilot Settings > Connectors and connect all the Google services available there.
Share your screen with Copilot to get more information about an image or video.
Copilot Vision can analyze any open window on your PC, recognize objects, or help you locate landmarks from images or videos on your screen. You can use this feature by opening the Copilot app and clicking the glasses icon next to the chat window. After granting access to your screen, you can select which windows you want the AI service to analyze, and it will summarize what you see. You can ask questions about objects on your screen, and the AI service will try to help you identify what you need. While this service is useful in its own right, I see it as a good alternative to a screen reader, especially for websites or apps that don’t have good accessibility support.
Save time by letting Copilot edit your images for you.
Like some other AI-powered programs, Copilot supports AI-powered generative image editing. You can upload any image and ask the AI service to remove the background, change the brightness, increase the contrast, or adjust the saturation. I used these features to remove the background from an image and replace it with the default Windows XP wallpaper. The program also handles applying multiple edits at once quite well.
Create cheat sheets to help you learn faster.
You can ask Copilot to create a cheat sheet on almost any topic. I asked it to create a cheat sheet for Age of Empires 2 hotkeys and cheat codes, and another for Google Docs keyboard shortcuts. In both cases, Copilot was able to create handy tables that are easy to copy and remember. It can also create downloadable PDFs of these cheat sheets, so you can take your cheat sheets with you after your Copilot session.
For best results, show Copilot a “quality” sample.
Copilot performs best when you show it a high-quality resume example. You can show it a webpage, resume, image, or file and ask it to reproduce a similar format. For example, you could ask it to analyze someone’s LinkedIn profile and provide practical tips on improving your resume for a specific position at the same company. This reduces the number of adjustments required before you get the desired AI result.
Follow this request template to get perfect answers from Copilot.
You’re much more likely to get the answers you want from Copilot if you ask the right question. The best advice here comes from Microsoft itself , which outlines the ideal query format for optimal results. You need to define the character, purpose, audience, parameters, and add context. For example, you could try something like: “You’re a literary critic reviewing my short story, written for science fiction fans. Tell me how concise the writing is and whether it’s engaging enough to keep you reading. Point out any instances of difficult-to-understand terminology.”
Use the Experiments section to test out new Copilot features.
In the “Labs” section of the Copilot app, you’ll find experimental AI features, perfect for those who want to stay up-to-date on Microsoft’s latest AI developments. These preliminary features may change significantly over time, and Microsoft may even remove them from the app entirely. But that’s precisely what makes them interesting for those who enjoy trying new things. Currently, Copilot includes an audio creation tool and a feature that lets you turn images into 3D models with one click. In the Copilot app, select the “Experiments” button in the left panel to see what’s available.
Import or export chat history to ensure independence from AI.
Just as Claude allows you to import data from ChatGPT for free , Copilot allows you to import history from other AI services. This feature can be accessed by going to Copilot Settings > Memories > Add or Import Memories . Here, Copilot offers a handy prompt that you can paste into Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other AI service you’ve used. After receiving a result from these services, you can return to the same settings page in Copilot and paste a response. You can also paste the same prompt into Copilot and use it to export memories to other AI services that support a similar import feature. However, there’s another way to export all your data from Copilot. You can visit the Copilot privacy page on Microsoft’s website and select “Export all activity history” to save it as a .csv file on your computer.