If you keep typing the same things into Copilot every time (make it shorter, make it friendly, use UK spelling), there’s a setting that does it for you. It’s called Copilot custom instructions. You save details about yourself and how you like responses written, and Copilot applies them to every new chat. It takes about two minutes to set up, and I’ll show you where to find it and what to put in it.
What do Copilot custom instructions actually do?
I’m using Microsoft 365 Copilot Basic, the version included with a business licence. To show the problem, I pasted in a quick prompt and looked at what came back. The answer was fairly short, but very generic.
To make it fit my business, I’d have to add extra details and instructions to the prompt. You probably have a paragraph saved somewhere that you paste in each time. Custom instructions save you that copy-and-paste, because Copilot refers back to them every time.
Finding the setting (it takes a few clicks)
I’m working in the web browser here. The path is:
- Find your name and details in the bottom left-hand corner.
- Look to the right, and click the cog for Settings.
- Choose Settings again, then General.
- Go to Personalization.
- Select Custom Instructions, then Edit instructions.
Once you’re in, you’ll see the box where your Copilot custom instructions go. If you prepare them in advance (as I did), just paste them in and click Save instructions in the bottom right-hand corner. A message confirms it’s saved (at the top), and then you can close the window.
Same prompt, very different result
To test it, start a new chat, which makes sure Copilot reads the new settings. Then I pasted in the exact same prompt as before.
This time I got three options: a friendly and simple version, a more personal one that used my first name, and a short, more formal announcement. All three were closer to how my business actually sounds, and I didn’t have to type any of it out again.
Three questions to write your own
Staring at an empty box can be the hardest part, so here’s the framework I use.
A simple framework for writing Custom Instructions
Three questions, answered in plain sentences — that’s all it takes:
1. Who am I? (context)
What you do, who you do it for, and anything Copilot should always know without you repeating it.
“I run [business], and I work with [who you help].”
2. How should responses sound? (tone)
Formal, friendly, casual, direct — pick a description, not just a single word.
“Keep things friendly and plain English, not corporate-sounding.”
3. How should responses look? (format)
Length, structure, and anything you always want included or left out.
“Use bullet points where possible. Keep things concise. Avoid jargon like ‘synergy’ or ‘leverage.'”
One rule that ties it together: each sentence should tell Copilot something specific enough that leaving it out would change the answer. If a line could apply to literally anyone (“be helpful,” “be professional”), it’s not doing any work.
That’s the whole framework — three short sentences, one per question, nothing more elaborate needed.
What I put in my instructions
I kept mine to two short sections. About me covers what the business is and what it’s called. Response preferences covers how I want things written, including avoiding jargon and using UK spelling.
A few things helped me get it right:
- Be specific. “Keep responses concise and practical” and “bullet points over long paragraphs” tell Copilot far more than “keep it brief”.
- Say what you want, not just what you don’t. I asked it to avoid corporate jargon, but I also said what I do want: a friendly, clear tone and direct next steps rather than lots of caveats.
- Mention your role, the tone and your audience. Are you writing for colleagues, contacts or customers? Say so.
- Don’t overload it. There’s a text limit (I couldn’t find the exact number), so two short paragraphs covering the essentials work better than a huge list. Stick to the things you’re already typing into every prompt.
Will Copilot get it right every time?
No, and it’s not meant to. Working with Copilot is a conversation, not a one-and-done request. Copilot custom instructions give it a solid starting point, so you can spend your time refining rather than repeating yourself.
My aim is to get an output I’m 95% happy with, then do the last 5% myself so it sounds like me. Your future self, who isn’t pasting the same paragraph for the fifteenth time, will thank you.
Written with the help of Claude AI, from an original transcript
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