Copilot not responding

Overview

Copilot is Microsoft’s AI assistant that helps with writing, analysis, and answering questions. If Copilot isn’t responding, follow the checks and troubleshooting steps below.

This guide covers Copilot (free web version), Copilot Pro, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. Small business customers should confirm which product they are using before starting, as licensing and availability differ.

Licensing and Data Residency Warning

Quick Checks

1. Verify Subscription and Copilot Licence

Microsoft 365 Copilot requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 licence (for example, Business Standard, Business Premium, E3, or E5) plus the Copilot add-on assigned to the user. Copilot Pro is a separate subscription for individual users.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin centre.
2. Go to Billing → Licences.
3. Confirm that your user account has a qualifying Microsoft 365 licence and the Copilot add-on assigned.
4. If the licence is missing, assign it or ask your IT administrator to do so.

2. Confirm Internet Connectivity and Network Access

• Copilot requires an active internet connection.
• Verify outbound DNS and TCP access to *.microsoft.com and *.openai.com.
• Ensure no firewall or proxy is blocking these domains.
• Open a regular website to confirm you can browse.
• If possible, switch from Wi‑Fi to a wired connection.

3. Check Microsoft 365 Service Health

Visit status.office365.com to verify that Copilot and related Microsoft 365 services are operational.

4. Ensure Copilot is Enabled for the Tenant

1. In the Microsoft 365 admin centre, go to Settings → Services & add-ins → Copilot and confirm it is turned on.
2. In the Teams admin centre, go to Teams apps → Setup policies and confirm the Copilot app is included in the relevant policy.

5. Verify Office Version and Channel

Microsoft 365 Copilot in Office applications requires version 2308 or later on the Current Channel.

1. Open any Office application (for example, Word).
2. Go to File → Account.
3. Under Product Information, check the version number and update channel.
4. Select Update Options → Update Now to install available updates. For detailed update instructions, see Office updates.

Troubleshooting Steps

Copilot in Microsoft Teams (Desktop)

1. Sign out and back into Teams
   • Click your profile picture → Sign out.
   • Sign in again.
2. Clear the Teams cache (Windows - classic Teams)
   • Close Teams completely.
   • Delete the contents of %AppData%\Microsoft\Teams (for example, Cache, blob_storage, databases, GPUCache, IndexedDB, Local Storage, tmp).
   • Restart Teams.
3. Clear the Teams cache (Windows - Teams work or school)
   • Close Teams completely.
   • Delete the contents of %AppData%\Microsoft\Teams and %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Teams.
   • Restart Teams.
4. Clear the Teams cache (macOS)
   • Quit Teams.
   • Delete the folder ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams or its contents.
   • Restart Teams.
5. Clear Teams credentials (Windows)
   • Open Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows Credentials.
   • Remove any entries that contain “Teams”.
   • Sign in to Teams again.
6. Update Teams
   • Click your profile picture → Check for updates.
   • If the update fails, download the latest installer from the Microsoft Teams download page and reinstall.
7. Verify Teams admin policies
   • Ask your admin to confirm that the Copilot app is allowed in the Teams admin centre under Teams apps → Manage apps and that it is included in the relevant setup policy under Teams apps → Setup policies.
8. Test on another device or network
   • Switch to a different Wi‑Fi network or use a wired connection.
   • Try the Teams web client in Edge or Chrome.

Copilot in Microsoft Teams (Mobile)

1. Force-close the Teams app and reopen it.
2. Clear the app cache: Settings → Apps → Teams → Storage → Clear cache.
3. Ensure the device has an active internet connection and that any corporate VPN or firewall is not blocking *.microsoft.com or *.openai.com.
4. Sign out of the app, then sign back in.
5. If the problem remains, reinstall the Teams app from the App Store or Google Play.

Copilot in Web Browsers (Edge, Chrome)

1. Sign out and back in
   • Click your profile → Sign out.
   • Sign in again at copilot.microsoft.com.
2. Clear browser cache and cookies – see How to clear browser cache/cookies.
3. Allow third-party cookies
   • Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Allow third-party cookies.
   • Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data → Allow all cookies.
4. Disable tracking protection for copilot.microsoft.com
   • Edge: Click the shield icon → Turn off tracking prevention for this site.
   • Chrome: Ensure no extensions are blocking scripts from the site.
5. Try InPrivate/Incognito mode
6. Disable extensions that may block scripts
7. Check network connectivity – see How to restart router/modem if you suspect a network issue.

Copilot in Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

1. Update Office to the required version – see Office updates for instructions.
2. Confirm Copilot is available in the ribbon
   • Open Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook.
   • Look for the Copilot button on the Home tab of the ribbon.
   • If the Copilot button is missing, verify your licence and that the feature is enabled for the tenant.
3. Restart the Office application
4. Repair the Office installation
   • Open Settings → Apps → Microsoft 365 → Modify → Quick repair.
5. Check for conflicting add-ins – see Office add-ins for guidance on disabling problematic add-ins that may affect Office.

Common Issues

Escalation

If you have completed all steps above and Copilot is still not responding, Open a Ticket. Include the following information in your ticket:

• Which Copilot product you are using (Copilot web, Copilot Pro, or Microsoft 365 Copilot).
• Which application is affected (Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, or web browser).
• Any error messages or codes displayed.
• Steps you have already tried from this guide.