If you recently switched from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows, the Copilot Email Summary feature is no longer in the same place. In Classic Outlook, the summary appeared in a pane on the right side of the reading pane. In the new Outlook, the summary is accessed through a different button and appears in a different location. This article explains exactly where to find the Copilot Email Summary in new Outlook and how to use it.
Key Takeaways: Copilot Email Summary Location in New Outlook
- Home tab > Copilot button > Summary by Copilot: Generates a text summary of the selected email message and displays it in a panel on the right side of the reading pane.
- Copilot icon in the reading pane header: Appears as a small sparkle icon next to the message subject line; clicking it opens the summary panel directly.
- Copilot pane toggle on the View tab: Enables or disables the Copilot sidebar that shows summaries for all emails you open.
Why Copilot Email Summary Moved in New Outlook
The new Outlook for Windows was rebuilt from the ground up using web technologies. Microsoft redesigned the user interface to be simpler and more consistent with Outlook on the web. As part of this redesign, the Copilot integration was moved from a dedicated pane on the right side of the reading pane to a floating panel that appears only when you request it. This change reduces visual clutter and gives you more control over when the summary is visible.
In Classic Outlook, the Copilot summary appeared automatically when you selected an email. In new Outlook, you must click a button to generate the summary. The summary panel then appears on the right side of the reading pane and disappears when you close it or select a different email.
This design change also applies to Outlook for the web and the new Outlook for Mac. The location and behavior of the Copilot Email Summary are now identical across all platforms.
Steps to Find and Use Copilot Email Summary in New Outlook
Before you start, make sure you have a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. The Copilot Email Summary feature requires either Microsoft 365 Copilot or Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. If you do not have a license, the Copilot button will be grayed out or missing.
- Open new Outlook and select an email
Launch the new Outlook for Windows. In the mail folder list, click any email message to display it in the reading pane. The reading pane is the main area on the right side of the window. - Click the Copilot button on the Home tab
Look at the ribbon at the top of the window. On the Home tab, locate the Copilot button. It is a blue or purple icon with a sparkle symbol. Click the Copilot button to open a drop-down menu. - Select Summary by Copilot from the menu
In the drop-down menu, click the option labeled Summary by Copilot. Copilot will analyze the selected email message and generate a short text summary. The summary appears in a panel that opens on the right side of the reading pane. - Read the summary and close the panel
The summary panel displays key points from the email, including the sender, subject, main request, and any action items. To close the panel, click the X button in the top-right corner of the panel or click outside the panel. - Use the Copilot icon in the reading pane header as a shortcut
You can also access the summary by clicking the small sparkle icon that appears next to the message subject line in the reading pane. This icon is visible only when you have the email open. Clicking it opens the same Summary by Copilot panel. - Enable the Copilot pane for automatic summaries (optional)
If you want summaries to appear automatically for every email you open, go to the View tab and click the Copilot pane toggle button. This action pins the Copilot panel to the right side of the window. When the pane is pinned, Copilot will generate a summary for each email as you select it. To unpin the pane, click the toggle again.
If Copilot Email Summary Is Missing or Not Working
Copilot button is grayed out or missing
The Copilot button appears only if you have an active Microsoft 365 Copilot license assigned to your account. If the button is grayed out, check your subscription status. Go to File > Account and verify that your Microsoft 365 subscription includes Copilot. If it does not, contact your IT administrator to request a license. If the button is completely missing, you may be using a version of new Outlook that does not support Copilot. Update Outlook to the latest version by going to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
Summary panel opens but shows an error
If the summary panel opens but displays an error message such as Something went wrong or Unable to generate summary, the issue is usually a temporary server problem or a network connectivity issue. Close the panel, wait a few seconds, and click the Copilot button again. If the error persists, check your internet connection. Copilot requires a stable internet connection to communicate with Microsoft servers. You can also try signing out of Outlook and signing back in.
Summary does not appear after clicking the Copilot icon in the reading pane header
The sparkle icon in the reading pane header is a shortcut to the Summary by Copilot feature. If clicking it does nothing, the feature may be disabled by your organization’s policy. Contact your IT administrator to verify that Copilot features are enabled for your account. Alternatively, use the Copilot button on the Home tab instead, which may bypass the shortcut issue.
| Item | Classic Outlook | New Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Summary trigger | Automatic when selecting an email | Manual click on Copilot button or icon |
| Summary location | Dedicated pane on the right side of the reading pane | Floating panel on the right side of the reading pane |
| Persistence | Always visible for the selected email | Panel closes when you select a different email or close it manually |
| Shortcut access | No shortcut icon in the reading pane header | Sparkle icon next to the message subject line |
| Automatic mode | Not available | Available via View tab > Copilot pane toggle |
Conclusion
The Copilot Email Summary in new Outlook is accessed from the Home tab by clicking the Copilot button and selecting Summary by Copilot. The summary appears in a floating panel on the right side of the reading pane. You can also use the sparkle icon next to the message subject line as a shortcut. If you want automatic summaries for every email, enable the Copilot pane toggle on the View tab. Make sure you have a Copilot license assigned to your account and that Outlook is updated to the latest version. If you encounter errors, check your internet connection or contact your IT administrator.