What’s New in Microsoft Copilot Notebooks
AI notebook tools help you get more relevant and reliable answers from artificial intelligence by focusing it on the files, notes, links, and other information you select. Instead of relying primarily on the open web or general training data, the notebook uses your chosen sources as context. When Microsoft first introduced Copilot Notebooks for paid Copilot subscribers, the feature did not compare favorably with Google’s NotebookLM. Microsoft has since made significant improvements, including offering a version at no additional cost to eligible Microsoft 365 subscribers through Copilot Chat, although some limitations remain.
Where Can You Find Copilot Notebooks?
Copilot Notebooks can be difficult to find because their location depends on the version of Copilot you use. For paid Copilot subscribers, the location may also depend on whether Frontier is enabled. Frontier gives users early access to experimental features. Start by signing in to your Microsoft 365 account at https://m365.cloud.microsoft/. Select the app launcher (the square made of dots in the upper-left corner) and look for Notebooks near the top of the app list. If it does not appear, open OneNote in a browser or, for Microsoft 365 business subscribers, in the desktop app. Copilot Notebooks should appear at the top of your OneNote notebook list. The features are the same whether you open a notebook from the Microsoft 365 home page or OneNote.
Create a Copilot Notebook and Add Your Sources
Before adding files or links, confirm that your firm/organization permits the use of Copilot Notebooks for the information involved. Treat client-confidential, privileged, and sensitive information with particular care, and follow your firm’s policies for approved Microsoft 365 tools and accounts.
When you first open Notebooks you may see a section called “Notebooks generated for you”. These Notebooks are “based on your Microsoft 365 activity with files and other content added as references for Copilot.” You can open one of these generated Notebooks to get a sense of how to use a Copilot Notebook.
To create a Copilot Notebook, select the plus button and give the notebook a title. Next, add references (up to 300), which are the files and other content you want Copilot to use when answering questions or creating new material. With the paid Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on, you can add most Microsoft file types, PDFs, text files, Loop components, OneNote pages, Copilot output pages, Teams chats, meeting recordings and transcripts, files shared in meetings, calendar events, and even entire SharePoint sites. You can drag and drop files, upload them, search for them, or select them from your Microsoft 365 cloud storage.
You can also link to external webpages by clicking on the paperclip icon, pasting a link and editing the display text. Some outputs will not use externally linked pages as a source, and some links will fail due to bot crawler barriers or password protections set up by the website.
After adding your sources and naming the notebook, select Create. Processing may take some time, depending on the number and size of the files. When the notebook is ready, its references appear on the left along with other sources suggested by Microsoft. You can add more references to a Notebook at any time. The notebook also displays a summary and key insights, while a chat box on the right lets you ask questions or request new content based on the sources.
The summary, key insights, and chat responses include numbered citations linked to the source material you provided. Point to a citation to see the source name, or select it to open the source document. These citations make it easier to check Copilot’s response against the original material, but you should still review the source before relying on the answer.
Customize and Work with Your Notebook
After creating a notebook, you can add custom instructions that apply across all of your notebooks. For example, you might ask Copilot to use bullet points and tables in chat responses or to create presentations with fewer words per slide and appropriate images. To add instructions, select the arrow next to Copilot Notebooks in the upper-left corner and choose Copilot instructions. You can revise the instructions at any time.
Create Audio, Documents, Presentations, and More
In addition to chatting with the sources in your notebook, you can use Quick Create to generate an audio overview, mind map, study guide, spreadsheet, document, or presentation. OneNote for desktop also offers an option to create an infographic.
Many Quick Create tools let you customize the result. For an audio overview, you may be able to choose a narration or dialogue format, length, style, language, and voice. You can also provide additional instructions. When creating a PowerPoint presentation, you may see options for length, style, template, and further refinement.
Your outputs, including Audio overviews, files, mind maps, etc., appear in the Notebook side rail under “Created content”. You can add this output to other Notebooks.
Share a Notebook Within Your Organization
Select Member in the upper-right corner to invite collaborators. Shared users can access the notebook’s content and links, but each user’s chats and audio overviews remain private. You can share a Copilot Notebook only with people inside your Microsoft 365 organization, not with clients, co-counsel, or others outside it.
There are roles for shared Notebook users, including Owner and Editor. There are no “read only” options.
Is a Copilot Notebook Worth Trying?
Copilot Notebooks can help you put existing work to better use. You can gather research, CLE materials, meeting notes, and other approved sources in one place, then ask questions, identify themes, create a presentation, or map connections across documents without introducing as much noise from unrelated sources. The recent improvements make Copilot Notebooks easier to access and more useful, particularly for firms already working in Microsoft 365. Start with a small collection of non-confidential materials and a focused task. Then review every answer against the cited sources before using it in your work. A notebook can speed up synthesis and drafting, but your judgment remains the most important part of the process.