Aminu Abdullahi
2026-01-21 17:05:00
The novelty of AI has officially worn off, replaced by the reality of the “blank prompt box” stare.
While Copilot is baked into every corner of Microsoft 365, many users are still getting robotic, “corporate-speak” results that require more time to edit than they saved in the first place.
The secret isn’t in the software — it’s in the instructions. Think of Copilot not as a mind-reader, but as an incredibly capable — yet very literal — intern. Give it clear, specific instructions, and it can work wonders.
Based on patterns from power users and Microsoft CEO who swears by it, here are 14 clever, ready-to-use prompts to transform Copilot from a novelty into a genuine sidekick.
1. The pre-meeting mind reader
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently shared on LinkedIn that Copilot is now a core part of his daily workflow. One of his go-to moves is using the AI to sift through past interactions to prepare for what’s coming next.
The prompt: “Based on my prior interactions with [/person], give me 5 things likely top of mind for our next meeting.”
Why it works: Instead of scrambling to remember your last conversation, this prompt has Copilot scan your actual interactions to surface their current priorities and concerns. It’s like having a briefing note auto-generated before you even say hello.
2. The presentation architect (Word to PowerPoint)
Don’t start with a blank slide. If you’ve already written the report, the heavy lifting is done.
The prompt: “Using this document as a source, create an 11-slide outline for an executive presentation. For each slide, include one sentence of speaker notes that addresses potential objections.”
Pro tip: Adding the “potential objections” part ensures you aren’t just summarizing, but actually preparing for a real-world meeting.
Why it works: Instead of staring at a blank slide, users get instant structure and can spend time improving content instead of inventing it.
3. The diplomatic reply draft
Some emails are hard to write without sounding rude — or weak.
The prompt: “Draft a reply to [Sender’s Name] about the delayed timeline. The tone should be apologetic and accountable, but confident. Offer two specific alternative dates for the next check-in.”
Why it works: Navigating tricky emails is an art. By specifying the required tone (apologetic but confident) and a concrete action (alternative dates), you guide Copilot away from groveling or defensiveness toward professional problem-solving.
4. The stress test for proposals
Before you hit send on a big pitch, let Copilot play devil’s advocate.
The prompt: “Identify the three weakest arguments in this proposal and suggest how I can strengthen them with more compelling data or logic.”
Why it works: It’s not just a grammar check; it’s a logic check.
5. The image describer (For accessibility & clarity)
Use the following prompt in Copilot with an image uploaded.
The prompt: “Describe this image in detail. Then, suggest three catchy, concise captions suitable for a social media post.”
Why it works: Beyond generating alt-text for accessibility, this is a fantastic brainstorming tool. Upload a chart, a product photo, or an event snapshot and get instant descriptive copy ideas.
6. Visual concepting: presentation backgrounds
Copilot isn’t just for text; it can handle your aesthetics, too. Stop using boring stock photos.
The prompt: “Generate a high-resolution, minimalist background image for a presentation slide about [topic]. Use a professional color palette of deep blues and grays with plenty of negative space for text.”
Visual strategy: Using “negative space” in your prompt ensures the image doesn’t clash with your slide content.
7. Creating custom brand assets
Need a quick visual for an internal newsletter or a blog post? Be specific about the style.
The prompt: “Create a flat-lay 3D illustration of a modern home office with a laptop, a coffee cup, and a small plant. Use a bright, modern aesthetic with soft lighting and no text.”
Application: Perfect for adding a “custom” feel to internal docs without hiring a designer for every small task.
8. The email thread tamer
We’ve all come back from vacation to a “Reply All” nightmare. Don’t read it all. The prompt below filters the noise and highlights the “Me” factor.
The prompt: “Summarize this 12-email thread into 3 bullet points focusing on what decisions were made, what questions are still unanswered, and what I personally need to act on.”
Why it works: Buried in a chain of 12 replies? This prompt cuts through the noise and gives you a clean, actionable snapshot. No more reading every “Re:” to figure out what you agreed to.
9. The project pulse-check
When projects get noisy across Teams, email, and meetings, Copilot can pull it all together. Instead of hunting for updates, you get one clean snapshot you can send or paste into a report.
The prompt: “Are we on track for the [Project Name] launch? Check my recent meeting notes, emails, and chats for updates on engineering progress, pilot feedback, and mentioned risks. Give me a one-paragraph status and a probability percentage.”
Why it works: It automates the tedious work of gathering updates from across different apps. You get a synthesized, honest assessment instead of piecing together fragments yourself.
10. The ‘plain English’ data narrative
Stop staring at PivotTables and start asking for the story. Excel is great at math, but Copilot is great at explaining that math to humans.
The prompt: “Explain what’s happening in columns B through F over the last six months, focusing on any unusual trends, and suggest three next steps in plain English.”
Why it works: This turns raw data into something you can actually talk about in a meeting without reading cells out loud.
11. The tone polish
If Copilot’s first draft sounds like a 1990s instruction manual, you need to give it a personality transplant.
The prompt: “Rewrite this section to be 30% shorter and more conversational. Keep my original meaning, but make it sound like a human talking to a colleague, not a legal document.”
The result: You get text that actually feels less AI-generated.
12. The ‘explain it to me simply’ card
Copilot can polish your words without turning them into stiff corporate speak.
The prompt: “Explain [Complex Concept or Industry Term] in simple terms, as if I were explaining it to a new teammate during a coffee break.”
Why it works: Copilot can be jargony. This prompt forces it to drop the corporate speak and give you a plain-English explanation you can actually use and understand.
13. The calendar reality check prompt
Busy doesn’t always mean productive. Copilot can show you where time really goes.
The prompt: “Review my calendar from the last month and group my time into major categories, with rough percentages.”
Why it works: It’s a quick way to spot patterns, too many meetings, not enough deep work, without manually tracking hours.
14. The executive summary shortcut
Long documents don’t always need long readers, especially at the top.
The prompt: “Create a short executive summary from this document, focusing on outcomes, risks, and next steps.”
Why it works: Copilot zeroes in on business impact instead of repeating background details executives already skim past.
Comparison: weak vs. strong prompting
| Task | Weak prompt (the “search” style) | Strong prompt (the “context” style) |
|---|---|---|
| “Write an email about the project.” | “Draft a short, urgent update to the Marketing team on the Project Titan delay. Mention the new Tuesday deadline.” | |
| Data | “Write an email about the project.” | “Identify the top 3 performing regions this quarter and explain why they outpaced the others based on the ‘Sales’ column.” |
| Images | “Make a picture of a computer.” | “Generate a photorealistic image of a laptop on a wooden desk during ‘golden hour’ sunset, blurred background, professional vibe.” |
The golden rule of AI
As AI becomes more advanced, the “how” matters more than the “what.” As you might have noticed, the common thread in all these prompts is specificity. You’re giving Copilot a role, a goal, and guardrails.
As Nadella noted on LinkedIn, integrating these kinds of prompts creates a “new layer of intelligence” across your apps. The goal isn’t to have AI do your job, but to handle the administrative heavy lifting so you can focus on the parts that require a human touch. Start with one or two that match your biggest daily headache. You might just find your new favorite coworker.
Also read: Our roundup of AI productivity tools spotlights options beyond Copilot for writing, meetings, and task management.
The post 14 Ways to Use Microsoft Copilot More Effectively at Work appeared first on eWEEK.
