What is the Copilot sidebar in Word, Excel and PowerPoint Online?
It is Copilot sitting beside your document in the online app. With a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence it has full access to the app and can work on the open document. With basic Copilot Chat you use it as a protected chat, but it cannot work inside the document.
- A Copilot icon in the browser's top bar is the Edge sidebar, a different tool with the same logo.
More in Microsoft Copilot
How do I open Copilot in the Edge sidebar?
Open the Microsoft Edge browser and click the Copilot icon in the top right corner, just under the close button. The side panel opens and can read the page you are on. On private or work sites it asks for permission first, and you can say no.
How do I get Copilot in Outlook?
Use the new Outlook, because classic Outlook does not have Copilot. The browser version is always the new Outlook, so open it there if you are unsure. Your licence then decides how much you get. A Copilot panel that looks different is usually an older build, since Microsoft rolls out updates to organisations at different times.
Where are Copilot draft Instructions in Outlook?
In the new Outlook, open Settings, scroll to Copilot at the bottom and choose draft instructions. They are not in classic Outlook, so open Outlook in the browser if you cannot find them. If you only see Preferences, Outlook still uses your Copilot custom instructions, and draft instructions are an extra layer on top.