When you use Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps such as Word or Excel, a message may appear that says “Taking longer than expected” or “Copilot is thinking longer than usual.” This message indicates a delay in the AI generating a response. The issue usually stems from network latency, Microsoft 365 service throttling, or a large amount of data being processed in the current document. This article explains the root causes of this delay and provides step-by-step fixes to resolve it quickly.
Key Takeaways: Fixing the Copilot Delay Message
- Microsoft 365 admin center > Health > Service health: Check if the Copilot service has an active advisory or outage that causes delays.
- Clear Microsoft 365 cache: Delete the Office cache files to remove corrupted data that slows down Copilot responses.
- Reduce document size: Split large files into smaller sections to reduce the processing load on Copilot.
Why Copilot Shows the “Taking Longer Than Expected” Message
The “Taking longer than expected” message appears when Copilot cannot generate a response within its standard timeout window, which is approximately 10 to 15 seconds. Several factors can cause this delay.
Network Latency and Bandwidth Constraints
Copilot sends your prompt to Microsoft cloud servers for processing. If your internet connection has high latency or low bandwidth, the request and response take longer to travel. A minimum internet speed of 10 Mbps is recommended for Copilot. Slower connections or congested networks often trigger the delay message.
Microsoft 365 Service Throttling
Microsoft applies rate limits to Copilot requests to protect service stability. If you send many prompts in a short period, the service may throttle your requests. Throttling introduces artificial delays that cause the “Taking longer than expected” message. The limit is approximately 60 prompts per minute per user in most Microsoft 365 plans.
Large or Complex Document Context
When you ask Copilot to summarize or analyze a document, it reads the entire file context. Files with hundreds of pages, embedded tables, or complex formatting require more processing time. Copilot may time out before completing the analysis, especially if the file exceeds 50 MB.
Steps to Fix the Copilot Delay Message
Follow these steps in order. After each step, test Copilot by sending a simple prompt such as “Summarize this paragraph.”
- Check Microsoft 365 Service Health
Open a web browser and go to the Microsoft 365 admin center at admin.microsoft.com. Sign in with your admin account. In the left navigation, select Health then Service health. Look for any advisory or incident under Copilot. If a service issue is listed, wait for Microsoft to resolve it before proceeding. This step rules out server-side problems. - Test Your Internet Connection
Run a speed test using a site like speedtest.net. Ensure your download speed is at least 10 Mbps and your latency is under 100 ms. If your connection is slower, restart your modem and router. Connect your computer to the network via Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi for a more stable connection. - Clear the Microsoft 365 Cache
Close all Microsoft 365 apps. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache and press Enter. Delete all files in this folder. Also clear the cache for each app individually. For Word: open Word, go to File > Options > Save, and under Cache settings, click Clear cached files. Restart Word and test Copilot. - Reduce the Size of Your Document
If you are working with a large file, split it into smaller sections. For example, in Word, copy the first 20 pages into a new document. Save the new file with a different name. Open the smaller file and try Copilot again. This reduces the processing load and often resolves the timeout. - Pause and Resume Copilot Prompts
If you have sent multiple prompts quickly, wait for 60 seconds before sending the next prompt. Copilot resets its rate limit after a short pause. This prevents throttling from triggering the delay message. - Repair Microsoft 365 Installation
Open Control Panel and go to Programs and Features. Right-click Microsoft 365 and select Change. Choose Quick Repair and follow the prompts. If the issue persists, run Online Repair which requires an internet connection and takes longer. Restart your computer after the repair. - Disable Conflicting Add-ins
In Word, go to File > Options > Add-ins. At the bottom, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins and click Go. Uncheck all add-ins except those from Microsoft. Click OK and restart Word. Test Copilot. If the delay stops, re-enable add-ins one at a time to identify the conflicting one.
If Copilot Still Shows the Delay Message After the Main Fix
Copilot Works Slowly in Excel with Large Tables
Excel Copilot processes data in tables. If your table has more than 10,000 rows or 100 columns, the response time increases significantly. To fix this, filter the table to a smaller subset before asking Copilot a question. For example, use Excel filters to show only the last 30 days of data, then run your Copilot prompt on that filtered range.
Copilot in Teams Meeting Transcripts Takes Too Long
When you ask Copilot to summarize a Teams meeting transcript, the delay can occur if the transcript exceeds 2 hours of recording. The solution is to ask Copilot to summarize the meeting in parts. For instance, type “Summarize the first 30 minutes of the meeting.” Then ask for the next segment separately.
Copilot Returns an Error After the Delay Message
If the delay message is followed by an error like “Something went wrong,” the issue is likely a temporary server glitch. Close the app completely and reopen it. Sign out of your Microsoft 365 account and sign back in. This refreshes the authentication token and clears transient errors.
| Item | Quick Fix (No Admin Rights) | Full Fix (Requires Admin) |
|---|---|---|
| Network check | Run speed test, restart router | Contact IT for network optimization |
| Cache clearing | Delete OfficeFileCache folder | Deploy cache-clearing script via Group Policy |
| Service health | Check admin center if you have access | Review incident reports and communicate to users |
| Document size | Split document manually | Set file size limits via SharePoint policies |
| Add-in conflicts | Disable COM add-ins individually | Block non-Microsoft add-ins via tenant settings |
The “Taking longer than expected” message in Copilot is usually caused by network latency, service throttling, or large document contexts. By checking service health first, then clearing the cache and reducing document size, you can resolve most delays. If the problem persists, repairing the Office installation or disabling conflicting add-ins often works. For recurring issues, monitor the Microsoft 365 admin center for service advisories and adjust your workflow to avoid large file prompts.