Does Customise Copilot in Word and Outlook use the instructions you set up on the web? In my test, it did seem to change what Copilot wrote. But Copilot gave me a different answer every time, so I can’t say the setting was the only reason. Think of it as a nudge, not a guarantee.
Does Customise Copilot in Word use my web settings?
All my earlier testing had been in Copilot on the web. I wanted to know if any of it carried through to Word and Outlook. So I ran one prompt in several places, first with the setting switched off, then switched on.
I decided to use the same prompt – write an announcement of a new task feature for customers.
Side note: Microsoft has renamed custom instructions to Customise Copilot, so that’s the name you’ll see in settings.
If you’d like the setup steps first, I covered them in my blog Copilot Custom Instructions: Say It Once, Get Better Answers.
Word on the web: the plain version
First up was Word on the web, with Customise Copilot switched off. The result wasn’t bad. It was fairly generic and didn’t mention the company, which is what I’d expect with no customisation. Here’s what it gave me:
Introducing Task Reminders
Stay on top of what matters—without keeping it all in your head.
We’re excited to introduce task reminders, a simple new way to keep important work from slipping through the cracks. Set a reminder for any task, and you’ll receive a timely prompt when it needs your attention.
How task reminders help you
- Stay organized: Keep deadlines and follow-ups visible at the right time.
- Reduce mental load: Let reminders do the remembering so you can focus on the work itself.
- Act on time: Receive a prompt before an important task is overlooked.
- Build better routines: Use reminders to create a consistent rhythm for recurring responsibilities.
Task reminders are designed to make planning easier and help you move through your day with greater confidence. Try the new feature today and give every important task the attention it deserves.
Word on the web: now with my settings on
Next I switched the setting back on. Word didn’t like my pasted prompt at first, so I started a new blank document. This time Copilot asked me for some key details, which it hadn’t done before.
I made a few details up to answer it. So the “How it works” section may reflect my invented answers, not real feature details.
The two versions were very similar. Both had the same title and short paragraphs, as I’d asked. The customised version added “How it works” and “Benefits for you” sections. The plain version used “How task reminders help you” instead.
That was the first visible difference I saw with Customise Copilot in Word. It’s a small one, and I can’t prove the setting caused it.
Introducing Task Reminders
A simple way to keep the right people informed and important work on track
We’re pleased to introduce task reminders, a new option designed to make follow-ups easier and help prevent important tasks from being overlooked.
How it works
When creating or managing a task, you can add a reminder and nominate the accounts that should receive it. The reminder sends a message to those accounts, helping everyone who needs to act stay informed at the right time.
Benefits for you
- Fewer missed tasks: Timely messages keep important actions visible.
- Clearer coordination: Nominated accounts know when their attention is needed.
- Less manual follow-up: Reminders reduce the need to chase updates individually.
- Greater accountability: The right people are prompted to take action.
Use the new reminder option whenever you create or update a task, and keep your team aligned with less effort.
Outlook worked a little differently
Because I have the Copilot Basic licence, Outlook behaved a little differently from Word. The text appeared in the task pane (the side panel), not in an email, and I had to click Edit to move it into the email.
It also included the company name, which I didn’t expect. I can’t say why. One possibility is work account data, which I explain below, but this test can’t confirm it.
New: task reminders in Simple Stack
Hi,
It’s easy for a task to slip down the list when you’re busy, so we’ve added task reminders to Simple Stack.
You can now use reminders to help keep important tasks on your radar, giving you a useful nudge when something needs your attention. That means less relying on memory, fewer jobs being forgotten, and a simpler way to stay on top of what needs doing.
It’s a small feature designed to make everyday task management that little bit easier.
Take a look in Simple Stack and try task reminders with your next important task.
Michelle
Simple Stack
With the setting switched on, I got three options instead of one. Copilot also said it couldn’t find internal material on how the feature works. So it avoided inventing settings or behaviour. That’s reassuring when you’re writing something customers will read.
Option 1: Warm and straightforward
New in Simple Stack: Task reminders
It’s easy for a task to slip your mind when you’ve got a lot going on. Task reminders are designed to help with that.
You can now use reminders to bring important tasks back to your attention when you need them, so there’s less to keep in your head and less chance of something being forgotten.
It’s another small way Simple Stack helps you keep your work, notes and tasks together, while making the day-to-day easier to manage.
Option 2: Short and punchy
Don’t let important tasks slip through the cracks
Task reminders have arrived in Simple Stack.
They give you a simple way to keep important tasks on your radar, without relying on memory or separate reminder apps.
Less mental juggling. Fewer forgotten tasks. And one more reason to keep everything together in Simple Stack.
Option 3: Friendly and benefit-led
A little reminder can make a big difference
We’ve added task reminders to Simple Stack to help you stay on top of the things that matter.
Rather than trying to remember everything yourself, reminders can bring tasks back to your attention when you need them. That means fewer missed jobs and more confidence that important work won’t get overlooked.
Simple, useful, and built to make managing your day that little bit easier.
Word desktop did its own thing
Out of interest, I tried Word desktop too, with the customise switched on. Copilot finished in five steps and produced a customer-ready announcement. This time it included the company name, and details I hadn’t typed into the web version.
The text mentions things like invoices and choosing a reminder date and time. I’d check details like these before using anything. I didn’t test Word desktop with the setting off, so I can’t compare it.
Never miss an important task
We’ve added task reminders to Simple Stack, so you can get a helpful nudge when something needs your attention.
Stay on top of your work
- Remember the right things at the right time. Set a reminder for any task and Simple Stack will prompt you when it’s due.
- Keep work moving. Follow up with customers, send invoices and finish important jobs without relying on memory.
- Reduce mental clutter. Capture what needs doing, choose when to be reminded and focus on the task in front of you.
How it works
Open a task, choose a reminder date and time, and carry on with your day. We’ll let you know when it’s time to come back to it.
Task reminders are available now. Open Simple Stack and set one on your next task.
Looking back over all five tests, the biggest surprise wasn’t any one result. It was that every output was different, even though I used the same prompt each time.
What about Brand Kit?
There’s one more option: Brand Kit. It lets you share your fonts, brand colours and logo with Copilot. Documents and presentations should then come out on brand automatically.
As I understand it, it’s for premium licences only. Someone also has to be set up as the brand manager, and only that role can add or edit things. Anyone with a premium licence should then be able to use it.
I’m not a brand manager, so I couldn’t show it in action. It’s worth knowing about if you make lots of presentations that need to look consistent.
The three ways Copilot gets to know you
It helps to keep the three features straight.
- Customise Copilot is what you tell it.
- Saved memories are what it picks up, or what you ask it to remember.
- Work account data is what your organisation has stored against your account.
Try out Customise Copilot in Word for yourself
These are my results, with my licence and settings. If you’ve been following along, you have already customised Copilot. Try using the apps that you use the most. With the same prompt, try with the setting off, then on. See what changes for you.
If the results don’t read quite right, adjust your instructions under Customise Copilot. Small tweaks can make the writing sound more like you.
Whatever the setting, check everything Copilot creates. Make sure it’s correct and says what you want, in the way you’d say it.
Written with the help of Claude AI, from an original transcript
YouTube Videos
Custom Instructions for Microsoft Copilot (Stop Repeating Yourself)
What Does Copilot Remember About You? How to Check (and Fix) Its Memory
Copilot Work Account Data: What Does It Actually Know About You?
Customise Copilot in Word? I Tested It (Custom Instructions)
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