Skip to content
Hands-on AI Playbook

Getting Started with M365 Copilot

Complete setup checklist for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Work through each section in order.

Time: ~20 minutes Requires: A Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot enabled.

1. Verify Your Subscription

Section titled “1. Verify Your Subscription”
  1. Go to copilot.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft account
  2. Ensure your Microsoft 365 subscription has Copilot enabled
  3. If Copilot isn’t available, check with your IT admin or see Microsoft 365 Copilot plans

Official docs: Microsoft Copilot Help

2. Install and Update Apps

Section titled “2. Install and Update Apps”

Update your Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version to enable Copilot features.

Sign in to each app with your Microsoft account.

3. Configure Copilot Features

Section titled “3. Configure Copilot Features”

Copilot integrates directly into your Microsoft 365 apps. Explore key features:

  • Copilot in Word: Draft, rewrite, and summarize documents
  • Copilot in Excel: Analyze data, create formulas, and generate charts
  • Copilot in Teams: Summarize meetings, create action items, and draft messages
  • Copilot in Outlook: Draft emails, summarize threads, and suggest replies

Copilot uses your Microsoft Graph data (emails, files, calendar, chats) to provide contextual responses — no separate personalization step is needed.

Official docs: Get started with Microsoft 365 Copilot

4. Add Skills (Copilot Cowork)

Section titled “4. Add Skills (Copilot Cowork)”

M365 Copilot natively supports Agent Skills through Copilot Cowork. After adding a skill, you can say “analyze where AI fits in my work” and Copilot runs the structured interview automatically — no re-explaining your requirements each time.

Requires: A Microsoft 365 Copilot license, with Cowork enabled by your admin (it’s generally available; admins turn on its usage-based billing).

Before you start: open Microsoft 365 Copilot and look for Cowork in the left navigation. Not there → ask IT to enable it.

  1. Download the skill’s .zip from the skill downloads table — don’t unzip it (if Cowork rejects it, use the -flat.zip version from the same table)
  2. In Cowork, open Customize → Skills, click the arrow next to Add, then Upload skill, and choose the ZIP
  3. Start a new conversation — the skill appears under Your skills and loads automatically when relevant

Prefer folders? Unzip the skill and drop its folder into OneDrive at Documents/Cowork/skills/<skill-name>/. Up to 50 custom skills, 1 MB per SKILL.md, 20 companion files per skill.

→ Full Cowork skills setup walkthrough · → How to Add Skills to Your Platform

You’re Done When

Section titled “You’re Done When”
  • Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot enabled
  • Microsoft 365 desktop apps updated to latest version
  • Mobile app installed on at least one device
  • Copilot icon visible in at least one Microsoft 365 app (Word, Excel, Teams, etc.)
  • At least one skill uploaded in Copilot Cowork (optional)