Microsoft Copilot Notebooks: Your Ultimate 2025 Tutorial Guide

Key insights

• Copilot Notebooks are a new AI-powered feature in OneNote, launched with the 2025 Microsoft 365 Copilot update, that lets users combine notes, files, meeting records, and chats into one smart notebook for easier information management.


• Contextual Intelligence allows Copilot Notebooks to remember previous content and user instructions, delivering more relevant summaries, insights, and actions based on ongoing work in the notebook.


• Integration with Microsoft 365 means you can add content from SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams chats, and other sources directly into your notebook for richer analysis and collaboration.


• The Audio Overview feature gives quick audio summaries of complex or long notes so users can understand key points without reading everything.


• You can write Copilot Instructions to guide how the AI interacts with your notes—making it possible to automate research tasks or generate specific types of reports inside your notebooks.


• This update also brings other improvements to Microsoft 365 Copilot like smarter file sharing in SharePoint, voice commands and citations in Word, better presentations in PowerPoint, expanded chat features, and advanced admin controls for data protection and analytics.

Microsoft Copilot Notebooks: A Game-Changer for OneNote Users

In a recent tutorial video, Office Skills with Amy explores the much-anticipated arrival of Microsoft Copilot Notebooks, an innovative feature now available within OneNote as part of Microsoft’s 2025 Copilot update. This addition represents a major step forward in how users can interact with artificial intelligence across the Microsoft 365 suite. By blending traditional note-taking with powerful AI tools, Copilot Notebooks are set to transform how individuals and teams manage, analyze, and act upon information in their digital workspaces.

The video provides a step-by-step walk-through of Copilot Notebooks, highlighting both its practical applications and its potential to streamline workflows. As organizations and users seek to balance efficiency, context, and collaboration, this new tool emerges as a key player in the evolving landscape of productivity software.

Understanding Copilot Notebooks

According to Amy’s tutorial, Copilot Notebooks serve as AI-enhanced digital notebooks that go beyond simple text entry. Embedded directly inside OneNote, these notebooks allow users to integrate a wide range of content—from OneNote pages and SharePoint documents to meeting notes, chat conversations, and files stored in OneDrive. This integration provides a holistic view of a project or topic, making it easier to reference and analyze related information.

One of the standout features is the ability for users to write specific “Copilot Instructions.” These instructions guide the AI on how to process content within the notebook, enabling more tailored and context-aware responses. This approach not only enhances the relevance of the AI’s insights but also gives users more control over the output, striking a balance between automation and human oversight.

Key Advantages and Real-World Applications

Amy emphasizes several benefits of Copilot Notebooks in her video. First, the feature’s contextual intelligence allows Copilot to remember ongoing content, which results in more coherent and insightful responses over time. This is particularly useful for long-term projects or research efforts, where continuity and context are crucial.

Another notable advantage is the seamless integration with the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem. By pulling in data from platforms like SharePoint and OneDrive, users can enrich their notebooks with relevant information, thus enhancing the AI’s ability to generate meaningful summaries and recommendations. Furthermore, the inclusion of audio overviews allows users to quickly digest complex information, making the feature accessible and time-saving.

Balancing Automation and User Control

While Copilot Notebooks offer impressive automation capabilities, Amy’s tutorial also discusses the importance of maintaining user control. By allowing users to add detailed instructions and ground the AI’s responses in specific content, Microsoft addresses concerns about generic or irrelevant outputs. This balance ensures that the tool remains helpful without sacrificing the nuances of individual projects or workflows.

However, there are tradeoffs involved. Relying too heavily on automation could lead to overlooking important details, while excessive manual input might reduce the efficiency gains that Copilot promises. Users will need to experiment with different approaches to find the right balance for their unique needs.

Comparisons and Challenges

Amy also draws comparisons between Copilot Notebook Chat and Copilot Agents, clarifying that while both leverage AI, Notebooks provide a more persistent and context-rich environment. This distinction is vital for users deciding which tool best fits their workflow. Additionally, the video addresses the challenge of “grounding”—ensuring the AI’s outputs are based on accurate and up-to-date information. This ongoing challenge highlights the need for clear instructions and regular content updates.

The broader context of Microsoft 365’s Copilot Wave 2 release brings further enhancements, such as improved chat functions, smarter file sharing, and advanced summarization capabilities. These updates collectively reinforce Microsoft’s commitment to creating a seamless, intelligent workspace.

Conclusion: A New Era of Productivity

In summary, Microsoft Copilot Notebooks mark a significant advancement in AI-assisted productivity, as explained by Office Skills with Amy. By merging note-taking, document integration, and real-time AI insights, users can manage complex information more efficiently and effectively. Yet, the challenge remains to balance automation with thoughtful user guidance, ensuring the technology works as a helpful partner rather than an overwhelming force.

As organizations continue to adapt to new ways of working, Copilot Notebooks offer a promising solution for those seeking to maximize the value of their data and streamline their workflows within the familiar Microsoft 365 environment.

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