Microsoft makes Copilot harder to miss in Classic Outlook
Microsoft will add a more prominent Copilot button above the ribbon in Classic Outlook from late August, making the AI assistant easier to access for licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot users. The change aligns Classic Outlook with Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but may prompt extra support queries from administrators and users who dislike more visible AI features.
The button will open the existing Copilot side pane, which can suggest actions such as summarising emails and drafting replies; it will not float over messages. Microsoft says the feature will be enabled by default, while Classic Outlook remains supported until at least 2029 and the opt-out migration to new Outlook has been delayed until 2027.
In short
- Copilot gets a prominent Classic Outlook button in late August.
- The feature is enabled by default for licensed users.
- Classic Outlook support continues until at least 2029.
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The case for
Making Copilot more visible could help licensed users discover and use tools for tasks such as summarising emails or drafting replies, while bringing Outlook into line with other Microsoft 365 apps. A button that opens the existing side pane may offer convenient access without covering messages.
The case against
Enabling the button by default may make an AI feature more prominent for users who do not want it, and could generate extra support work for administrators. Because Classic Outlook remains supported for years and migration is delayed, some may see the change as adding friction to a familiar workspace before users are ready for it.
Explained simply
Copilot is an artificial intelligence assistant that Microsoft has built into its business software to help workers complete everyday tasks more quickly. It can summarise emails, draft replies, and suggest actions based on the content it reads, helping people manage their workload more efficiently.
Users are more likely to engage with tools and features they can easily see and access. When powerful capabilities like AI assistance are not immediately obvious, many workers may not use them even when such features could benefit their work.
Microsoft has been gradually expanding AI capabilities across all its main office products, including Outlook for email, Word for documents, and Excel for spreadsheets. These changes affect millions of workers worldwide, as the company makes artificial intelligence a standard part of how people work in modern offices.