8 ways I use Microsoft’s Copilot Vision AI to save time on my phone and PC
Microsoft’s Copilot Vision AI is a handy feature that will analyze, summarize, and field questions about what you see on your screen. You can use this on a mobile device to inspect a live feed from your camera or a printed document and on a PC to view your current web page. By scanning what’s on the screen, Copilot tries to understand the content to provide you with real-time, context-sensitive help.
You can use Copilot Vision on an iPhone, on an Android phone, and in Microsoft Edge on your PC. For now, certain skills are freely available to all Copilot users, while others require a Copilot Pro subscription. Anyone can use Copilot in Edge to analyze the current web page. But you’ll need a Pro subscription to use Copilot Vision on a mobile device.
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Copilot Vision works with most sites, except those with harmful or adult content. Also, it can’t scan a web page that’s restricted or hidden behind a login or paywall. If you visit an unsupported site, Copilot displays a grayed-out icon and crossed eyeglasses and will simply refuse to discuss the content on the page.
To address privacy concerns, your requests and page content aren’t captured or stored. Copilot’s own responses are logged so that Microsoft can monitor them for unsafe conversations. After the session ends, though, all data is supposed to be deleted.
Copilot Vision works through Copilot Voice in which you can carry on a back-and-forth conversation using natural language. You can choose among eight different voices, each with its own unique style. You’re also able to change the speed to coax the voice to speak faster or slower.
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After the conversation ends, return to the main screen and tap the hamburger icon to view your recent chats. Tap the first one at the top to see a transcript of the conversation you just completed.
With Copilot Vision on your phone, you can get help and information on all kinds of items in the “real world,” such as photos, models, paintings, clothing, animals, plants, and much more, as well as any type of printed document. In Edge, you’re able to get details on any supported web page. Here’s how I use Copilot Vision to save time on both my phone and PC.
Use Copilot Vision on your mobile device
First, let’s check out how Copilot Vision works on a phone or tablet. If you don’t already have a Copilot Pro subscription, you’ll need one to use Copilot Vision on your iPhone or Android device. Download and install the Copilot app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play if you don’t yet have it. Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Tap the microphone icon at the bottom to go to the Copilot Voice screen. Tap the eyeglasses icon to segue into Copilot Vision mode. Point your phone at a specific person, place, object, or physical document. You can then ask Copilot to describe it or analyze it.
You can also pose specific questions about the item. Copilot will respond based on its view and understanding of the item. Below are some examples.Â
In this case, I asked Copilot Vision to view a poster of the front cover of Amazing Spider-Man #1. After it correctly identified the cover, I asked it how much a mint copy of the actual issue would cost. It answered more than $1 million.
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Here, I had Copilot Vision check out a model of the starship Enterprise. To challenge the AI, I asked it how many crew members served aboard this ship without giving its name, and it correctly answered my question: 430.
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For this one, I told the AI to look at a bowler hat, the type that Winston Churchill made famous. I asked it when it was created, and Copilot filled me in on its origin.
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Here, I had Copilot Vision “read” a channel list for SiriusXM. I asked if if the lineup included a channel for the Beatles, and it correctly picked the right one.
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Use Copilot Vision in Edge
Next, let’s see how Copilot works in Edge.
Fire up Edge on your computer and make sure you’re signed in with your Microsoft account. Browse to a web page that you’d like Copilot to analyze. Click the Copilot icon in the upper right, select the microphone icon, and then click the eyeglasses icon. Tell Copilot to summarize the page or ask it specific questions about the content.
For this one, I asked Copilot Vision to summarize an article online and followed up with some specific questions.
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Here, I asked the AI to view a list of outdoor security cameras on Amazon and recommend a model based on certain criteria. Specifically, I asked it to find outdoor cameras with no subscription for under $200.
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Next, I browsed to a page on lemon meringue pie, which got my mouth watering for this tasty dessert. But I wanted to cook up a pie that wasn’t too unhealthy, so I asked Copilot to give me a step-by-step recipe for this dish with low fat and no sugar.
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For this one, I checked out postings for freelance writers at LinkedIn. When I found a job that intrigued me, I asked Copilot to generate a cover letter for it.
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What’s especially cool is that Copilot Vision can see an entire web page, not just what’s currently visible. For example, I asked it to summarize an article I had written, and it discussed the entire story from start to finish, even though only a few paragraphs were visible on the screen. That means you don’t have to scroll up and down a page or focus on a specific section to get Copilot to work its magic.
The next time you’re curious about something you see in the real world or on the web, try using Copilot Vision to fill in the blanks and answer any questions you pose.
