Knowing how to use Bing AI (Copilot) can feel like getting a personal assistant who never sleeps. Whether you’re trying to plan a three-course meal with random ingredients in your fridge or need a 2,000-word report summarized in seconds, this tool has become the go-to companion for millions.
If you’ve been clicking around the Bing search bar and feeling a bit lost, don’t worry. This guide is designed to take you from a curious clicker to a power user. We’ll break down everything from basic setup to the “secret” settings that make the AI actually understand what you want.
What Exactly is Bing AI (Copilot)?
Before we dive into the “how,” let’s clear up the “what.” Microsoft rebranded Bing Chat to Copilot, though most people still use the names interchangeably. It’s powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 and DALL-E 3, which means it can do two things very well: understand complex human language and create stunning images from scratch.
Unlike standard search engines that give you a list of links, Bing AI talks to you. It browses the live web, reads the latest news, and cites its sources so you can fact-check its work.
How to Access Bing AI (Copilot)
Microsoft has made it nearly impossible to miss Copilot. You can find it in several places:
- The Browser: Go to bing.com and click on the “Chat” or “Copilot” tab at the top.
- Microsoft Edge: Look for the colorful logo in the top-right sidebar. This is arguably the best way to use it because it can “see” the webpage you’re currently reading.
- Windows 11: Many PCs now have a dedicated Copilot key, or you can find the icon right on your taskbar.
- Mobile App: Download the Copilot or Bing app on iOS and Android for AI help on the go.
Step-by-Step: Your First Conversation
When you open the interface, you’ll see a text box that says “Ask me anything.” But before you type, you need to choose your Conversation Style. This is a crucial step that many beginners skip.
1. Choose Your “Vibe”
- Creative: Best for writing poems, stories, or generating images. It’s more imaginative but can occasionally be “wordy.”
- Balanced: The default. It’s great for general questions, shopping advice, or quick facts.
- Precise: Best for technical tasks, coding, or math. It stays strictly to the facts and gives shorter, more concise answers.
2. Writing Your First Prompt
A “prompt” is just a fancy word for what you type into the box. Instead of searching for keywords like “Paris travel tips,” try talking to it:
“I’m going to Paris for three days. I love hidden gems and hate crowded tourist spots. Can you build me an itinerary that focuses on local cafes and quiet parks?”
3. Understanding the Response
Bing AI will start typing. You’ll notice small numbers (like [1], [2]) next to sentences. These are citations. Click them, and you’ll go directly to the website where the AI found that information. This makes it much more reliable than other AI tools that sometimes “hallucinate” facts.
Advanced Features You Should Be Using
Once you’ve mastered basic chatting, it’s time to look at the advanced tools that make Bing AI a powerhouse.
Image Generation with DALL-E 3
You don’t need to be an artist. In the chat box, simply say, “Create an image of a golden retriever wearing a space suit on Mars in a cinematic style.” Within seconds, you’ll have four options to choose from. You can even ask for changes, like “Make the suit neon green.”
The “Notebook” Feature
If you look at the top of the Copilot screen, you’ll see a Notebook tab. This is perfect for long-form writing. Unlike the chat mode, which is back-and-forth, Notebook gives you a large area to type up to 18,000 characters. You can put your rough notes on one side and ask the AI to turn them into a professional blog post or report on the other.
Analyzing Documents and Images
You can upload a PDF or an image directly into the chat.
- PDFs: Upload a 50-page manual and ask, “How do I change the oil based on this document?”
- Images: Take a photo of a strange plant in your garden and ask, “What is this, and how often should I water it?”
5 Tips to Get Better Results
- Be Specific: Instead of “Write a workout plan,” try “Write a 20-minute bodyweight workout for a beginner with a bad knee.”
- Assign a Role: Tell the AI who it should be. “Act as a professional career coach and review my resume for a marketing role.”
- Ask for Tables: If you’re comparing products, ask “Can you put the pros, cons, and prices of these three laptops into a table?”
- Iterate: If the first answer isn’t perfect, don’t start over. Say, “That’s good, but make it shorter and more professional.”
- Use the Sidebar in Edge: If you’re reading a long article, open the Edge sidebar and ask, “Summarize this page into three bullet points.” It saves a massive amount of reading time.
Privacy and Ethics
It’s important to remember that while Bing AI is smart, it’s still an AI. Avoid sharing highly sensitive personal information like credit card numbers or passwords in the chat. Also, always double-check the citations for important tasks, especially for medical or legal advice.
Conclusion
Learning how to use Bing AI (Copilot) is like learning a new language where the only rule is to be descriptive. It’s a tool that grows with you—the more you use it, the better you’ll get at “prompting” it to get exactly what you need.