Microsoft Copilot can be a powerful tool for saving time, improving communication, and turning information into useful work. But like any tool, the results depend on how you use it. One of the best ways to get more value from Copilot is to practice writing better prompts.
A prompt is simply the instruction or question you give Copilot. Clear prompts usually lead to better answers. If you ask a broad question, Copilot may give a broad response. If you give it the goal, context, audience, format, and any important details, the response is much more likely to be useful.
That is where Microsoft’s Prompt Labs, now available through the Copilot Prompt Gallery, can help. Prompt Labs gives users ready-to-use prompt ideas for everyday tasks in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and Copilot Chat. It is a practical place to learn what good prompts look like, save prompts that work, and reuse them when similar tasks come up again.
Where to Find Prompt Labs
Microsoft has moved the Prompt Lab experience into the Copilot Prompt Gallery. If you use Microsoft 365 Copilot for work, you can find it from Copilot Chat, Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
In Copilot Chat, open Copilot and look near the message box for suggested prompt buttons or the More options menu. From there, choose Prompt Gallery. In Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, open the Copilot chat pane and use the suggested prompt buttons or the More options menu below the message box to open the gallery.
Once you are in the gallery, you can browse Microsoft-created prompts, search by the kind of work you are trying to do, and choose a prompt as a starting point. Many prompts include editable placeholders such as a topic, file, audience, or goal. Replace those placeholders with your own details, run the prompt, review the response, and then continue refining it until it fits your needs.
If a prompt works well, save it so you do not have to rebuild it later. After running a prompt, hover over it and choose the save option. Saved prompts can be found in your saved prompts area and can be edited, reused, or shared with others when appropriate.
For teams, this is where Prompt Gallery becomes especially useful. If your organization finds a prompt that helps with a recurring task, such as summarizing meetings, drafting client updates, reviewing spreadsheets, or preparing project notes, that prompt can be saved and shared so others can follow the same proven approach.
Tips for Writing Better Copilot Prompts
- Start with the outcome. Tell Copilot what you want it to create, summarize, compare, rewrite, or analyze.
- Add context. Include who the content is for, why it matters, and what information Copilot should consider.
- Specify the format. Ask for bullet points, a short email, a table, a summary, a checklist, or a client-friendly paragraph.
- Set the tone. Tell Copilot whether the message should be professional, warm, direct, executive-focused, or easy for nontechnical readers to understand.
- Refine the answer. Do not stop after the first response. Ask Copilot to make it shorter, more detailed, more conversational, or better suited to your audience.
A Simple Prompt Formula
A helpful formula is: “Act as [role]. Help me [task]. Use [information or file]. Write it for [audience]. Format it as [format]. Keep the tone [tone].”
For example: “Act as a business communications assistant. Help me summarize this meeting for our leadership team. Focus on decisions, action items, and risks. Format it as short bullet points. Keep the tone clear and professional.”
The more specific you are, the more useful Copilot becomes. Prompt Labs is a great starting point because it shows examples you can adjust for your own work instead of starting from a blank screen.