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To get a more useful Outlook email draft from Copilot, say what the message needs to accomplish, provide the relevant context and verified facts, then specify tone and format if they matter. Refine the draft with a focused follow-up or Outlook’s tone and length controls, and check the result before sending.
What to include in an Outlook email prompt
Microsoft’s prompt guidance identifies four useful elements: goal, context, expectations, and source. A clear goal is the minimum. For an email, that means telling Copilot what the message should do, then supplying the details that affect the wording.
- Goal: State the outcome, such as requesting a decision, confirming a plan, sharing an update, or thanking someone.
- Context: Explain the situation and who will receive the message, including your relationship to the recipient when it matters.
- Facts and source material: Provide the details the email must contain. Use verified dates, names, figures, and commitments rather than asking Copilot to infer them.
- Expectations: Specify tone, length, and format—such as a friendly tone, a concise message, or bullets—when those choices matter.
For general prompt advice, see Microsoft’s guide to writing prompts in Copilot.
A reusable prompt pattern
This is a practical way to apply Microsoft’s prompt components, not a required Microsoft formula:
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Draft an email to [recipient/audience] to [goal]. Context: [situation]. Include these facts: [verified facts]. Ask for or propose: [next step and deadline, if any]. Use a [tone] tone, keep it [length], and format [as paragraphs/bullets] where useful. Do not add facts or commitments beyond those listed.
Remove any fields that are irrelevant. If you provide source material, say which information to use; if the message must not introduce additional commitments, state that explicitly.
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Example
Draft a concise, friendly email to the project team announcing that the launch is complete. Thank them for their work, mention that we will share the follow-up schedule on Friday, and do not add other dates or commitments. Use two short paragraphs.
Friday is illustrative in this example. Replace it with a date you have verified before using a prompt like this for a real message.
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Microsoft describes two ways to work: prompt from the email message area or ask Copilot through chat. Controls and labels can differ by Outlook client; Microsoft’s Outlook drafting instructions cover Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook for Microsoft 365 for Mac, New Outlook for Windows, and Outlook for Android and iOS.
Use Draft with Copilot in the message area
- Start a new message and open Draft with Copilot.
- Enter a prompt or edit a suggested one. State the goal and include the context and facts needed for this particular email.
- Generate the draft. If it needs work, adjust the prompt or use the available tone and length options, then generate again.
- Review and edit the text before sending. Microsoft’s instruction is: “Edit the draft as needed, and then select Send.”
Work through Copilot chat
Ask Copilot in chat to draft or revise the email, then continue working with the draft directly. Use a specific follow-up instruction—for example, ask it to shorten the message or make the request clearer—rather than repeating the original prompt without saying what should change.
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Make drafts sound more like you
For one email, put your voice preferences in the prompt: for example, ask for a warm but direct tone or a brief message with a first-name sign-off. In New Outlook, you can also save recurring preferences as custom Draft Instructions.
- Open the Copilot menu.
- Choose Settings, then Draft Instructions.
- Enable custom drafting instructions, enter the preferences you want applied, and save them. Microsoft says you can change these settings later.
Microsoft’s example is: “Keep emails short and direct, with bullet points where they make sense. Use a friendly tone and sign emails with my first name.” Microsoft lists a Microsoft Copilot (work) license or Microsoft 365 subscription as a requirement for this custom-instructions feature. That requirement is specific to saved Draft Instructions, not a general statement about every way to draft with Copilot. See Microsoft’s instructions for making drafts sound like you.
Check the Outlook client and compose format
Copilot availability depends on the Outlook experience and account eligibility. If Copilot is missing, Microsoft advises checking with your IT administrator. In New Outlook and Outlook on the web, Draft with Copilot does not support plain-text messages; switch the compose format to HTML to use it. For additional product details, see Microsoft’s Copilot in Outlook FAQ.
Review the draft before sending
Copilot’s draft is a starting point, not a substitute for checking the message. Microsoft warns that responses may be incorrect and that repeating the same prompt can produce different results. Microsoft’s guidance is: “Review and verify responses you get from Copilot.”
Quick Recap
- Confirm names, recipients, dates, figures, and other factual details.
- Check that the draft has not introduced a promise, deadline, or claim you did not authorize.
- Make sure the tone fits the recipient and the purpose of the message.
- Edit anything unclear or inaccurate before sending.
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