Microsoft Copilot Chat is an AI chatbot. Copilot can also retrieve information directly from the Internet and can generate images based on text description. Copilot is available for staff users and for students (18+ age).
AI chatbot is useful for supporting tasks such as summarizing and analyzing information, brainstorming, designing, comparing, generating and editing text content, programming, language translation and creating images.
This tip introduces the basic features of Copilot Chat. You can find more detailed instructions for new users from the intranet.
1. Use with web browser
You can use Copilot Chat on all commonly used web browsers: microsoft365.com/chat (log in with your TUNI ID).
NOTE! Nowadays, the old address copilot.microsoft.com first leads to the free consumer version of Copilot, which is not the same as Copilot Chat with a TUNI ID. So always remember to log in with your TUNI ID and make sure that you see a shield icon at the top of Copilot Chat. Otherwise, you could accidentally use the less secure free version!
When using Copilot Chat with TUNI ID, the data processed is not stored by the AI and is not used to train the AI. In addition, the data and data processing will remain within the EU area.
2. Use the Copilot sidebar in the Edge web browser
Edge web browser has a quick and easy access to Copilot Chat from sidebar with additional functions, so at least the staff is recommended to use the Edge browser.
For more information, check out the Copilot Chat sidebar tips on this page: tips 8, 9 and 10.
3. Use on mobile
Install the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on your mobile device (Google Play / Android ja Apple Store / iOS) and you can use Copilot Chat with your TUNI ID on your personal mobile device or your work mobile device.
If you are using a work mobile device, Microsoft 365 Copilot app can be found in the work profile’s app store.
4. Edit your prompt and try again
Often, getting good answers from AI requires editing and improving your prompt several times. On top of your prompts you can find the “Edit” button, from which the old prompt will be copied to the message field for editing.
When typing a long prompt, you can structure the prompt by adding line breaks by pressing Shift + Enter.
5. Take advantage of follow-up questions
After answering, Copilot Chat will also offer ready-made suggestions for follow-up questions on the topic you provided. Select the suggested question and the chat continues.
6. Create images
You can also use AI to create images. For example, make a request to the AI: “Create a picture: An old dog sniffing the green grass. The style is realistic.”
Copilot Chat may dynamically slow down or limit the creation of images depending on the usage capacity of the service. However, there is no longer a fixed maximum number of image generations per day.
7. Ask about your own photo, ask for a similar photo or make changes to an existing photo
Click “Add content” in the Copilot chat message field or drag the image directly from Windows Explorer to the message field. You can ask questions related to the image or even monidy the image. E.g. “Create an image like this one, with a blue sky and the sun shining as a background” or “Summarize the content of the image in ten words.” or “Add a red football ball to the picture”.
8. Processing a web page or PDF file directly from the web
Use the Copilot Chat sidebar in the Edge web browser. Open a web page or open a PDF file in your browser and make a request to the AI, for example: “Current page: Make a 50 word summary”.
You can also refer directly to a webpage link whose content you want to ask the AI about.
9. Process files from your own OneDrive
You can provide files for AI to process by referring to a file already saved in your M365 environment (e.g. a file in your own OneDrive) using a / -key, or by clicking the “Add content” button in the Copilot Chat message field.
10. Custom instructions for all conversations
I has a memory and can also be given custom instructions for all conversations. For example, custom instructions could be: Have a straightforward conversation in the Finnish style without extra compliments.
What should I take into account?
- If AI processing of web page content or PDF files does not work, first double check Edge browser’s settings: Tips > Process a file or a web page using AI
- Content processing of copy-protected PDF files is not possible with AI, resulting in AI hallucinations. If you’re unsure, try copying and pasting text from the PDF file into another program.
- AI processing of web pages and PDF files sometimes causes the AI to hallucinate something entirely different. In such cases, starting a completely new conversation thread with the “New chat” button
- Embeds from other websites on web pages (e.g. Slideshare embeds) often cause AI to hallucinate. In this case, the workaround is to first select the content to be processed by the AI from the web page and not process the entire web page.
- For privacy reasons, Copilot Chat blurs faces in images provided for processing, so you cannot edit or refer to people shown in the images.
Read more
Before using AI applications, read the AI guidelines and recommendations of the Tampere universities.
The main image: Copilot Chat
Updated 11/2025