Copilot for Windows 11: Improve Productivity in 10 Ways

There is no doubt that generative AI has changed how we use AI for our day-to-day tasks.

With Copilot available within Windows 11, you can now use it to improve productivity and change how you use and access different Windows features.

So, without any delay, let’s get started.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft’s Copilot is an AI-companion that you can use across various Microsoft apps and services. This includes GitHub, Microsoft 365, Edge, Bing, and Windows 11.

With an AI-powered ecosystem, Microsoft aims to give you the means to stay productive and improve your workflows without relying on any third-party AI companion.

So, if you’re using Microsoft’s suite of Office apps (only available for Microsoft 365 version) such as PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Excel, and Word, you can use Copilot AI to do different tasks such as generating unique text, getting suggestions for a trip, help creating drafts in Outlook or summarizing tables. The possibilities are endless, and how they use it is up to the user.

How to Enable Copilot in Windows 11?

If you haven’t enabled Copilot in Windows, follow our nifty guide on Enabling Copilot AI on Windows 11.

The guide includes all the steps to enable Copilot on Windows 11 using different methods.

Using Copilot to Improve Productivity in Windows 11

The first thing that you must know is how to access Windows Copilot quickly. You can access it directly from your taskbar or by pressing Windows Key C. It’ll give you access to a well-made user interface where you can interact with Copilot.

It offers access to three conversation styles. These include:

• More Creative: It switches Copliot to answer in more creative ways. As creativity takes over, you can see Copilot does not aim for the precision of facts. You, as a user, can use the creative style to write emails and web page content or write creative content for social media.
• More Balanced: A perfect fit for most users as it takes a balanced approach to answering questions and queries.
• More Precise: If you’re working with facts or doing research, then you want Copilot to be more precise, and this mode lets you do just that.

Using Copilot to Launch an App

As Copilot is integrated with Windows 11, you can use it to launch any local app. All you need to do is ask Copilot to launch the app.

This is way faster than opening the app from the Start Menu or using the Search option in Windows 11. 

Change PC Settings — Dark Mode, Bluetooth, and More

You can also use Copilot to change your PC settings. One popular Copilot use-case for Windows 11 is to switch to dark mode. With Copliot, you can change to dark mode with a simple command, “Turn on Dark Mode.”

Furthermore, you can also launch Windows Settings to make changes yourself. The use cases don’t end here, as you can also launch Fire Explorer to browse the files.

All you need to do is write the following commands.

• Open Windows Settings main panel → “Open Windows Settings”
• Browse files on your PC → “Launch File Explorer”

In all of these commands, Copilot will ask you for confirmation. Click on “Yes” to proceed with it. During the action, it’ll also provide you with brief context on what you’re going to do.

Take Screenshot

Of many Copilot tricks on Windows 11, one of my favorites is the seamless ability to take screenshots. 

All you need to do is ask Copilt to “take a screenshot,” and it’ll open the Snipping Tool. From here, you can take a full screenshot or a cropped one.

Use Copilot to Assist You in Organizing Windows

To improve productivity, you must also be able to organize Windows most efficiently. And Copilot lets you do just that. You can use Copilot to instantly launch the Windows Snapping tool to help snap the open Windows.

To do so, type “organize my windows.”

Find Quick Answers To Your Questions

Copilot AI is a companion app. This means you can use it to ask questions for your day-to-day tasks, both professionally or something that you love doing in your free time (cooking, gardening, etc.)

For example, you can ask how to make a latte coffee. It’ll give you the exact steps that you need to follow.

In its answer, you’ll find links that take you to web pages from where it accumulated the answer. Very handy!

Generate Content

As Copilot AI is generative AI, you can use it to write poems, emails, or blog posts. It is beneficial, especially if you know how to make the most out of it. Once you generate the content, you can edit it according to your needs. It can improve content production and help employees draft meaningful email replies. 

Creating Images

The recent Copilot update has brought the ability to create images powered by DALL-E 3. These images can help designers, social media marketers, and other creative people.

To test it out, I asked Copilot to create a futuristic Formula 1 car. The results were surely futuristic!

Automated Transcription

Copilot AI in Windows 11 can help you do automated transcription. All you need to do is drag and drop the MP3 recording in the chatbot, and Copilot will start the transcription process. This comes in very handy for journalists who work with voice records all the time.

Summarize a Web Page

Microsoft Edge is the latest Windows browser. With the recent update, you can also use Copilot directly in the browser, making Edge an advanced browser. For example, you can use Copilot AI to do Bing searches and summary text. 

For researchers, journalists, and writers, the feature is excellent, considering that it helps save a lot of time. The AI is good enough to provide you with a summary, saving you a lot of time, especially when you’re creating reports.

Identify Image Components

Copilot can also help you identify the elements within an image. Even though it is not helpful for day-to-day use, it can help you solve those nifty image challenges online.

In some cases, it can help identify items that you have no clue about but want it. For travelers, it opens up various ways to learn about a place or its culture. 

Identifying images means another level of problem-solving capabilities at your hand. For example, if you’re assembling a bike, then you can upload a picture of a component or the setup to Copilot, and it’ll guide you through the process. Ultimately, the possibilities are endless, and it is up to you how you use it to your advantage.

More to Come – Copilot for Windows

Copilot for Windows is currently in preview. With time, Microsoft aims to release more features that will give you more abilities to improve your productivity. After all, artificial intelligence (AI) is not to replace humans but to aid your workflow, improving your productivity to the next level.

Undoubtedly, Microsoft is reaping the benefits of their Open AI partnership. With excellent Open AI models, Microsoft’s AI suite of products and services will only improve.

In gist, Windows 11 is set to get a significant update soon. They have already released previews for Copilot, DevHome, and other exciting features. That’s a great thing, as you can try them out yourself. 

Next, check out our article on Copilot X.