Microsoft Copilot update

Use Copilot to explain PowerPoint Live slides

A good presentation should not force everyone to interrupt the speaker just to understand one unclear term, chart or acronym.

The situation

You are in a PowerPoint Live meeting. A slide appears with a dense bullet, a new acronym or a chart that moves faster than you can process. You could ask out loud, but that can slow the meeting down. You could stay quiet, but then the next slide may make less sense.

What changed

Microsoft's Copilot release notes describe an update for PowerPoint Live meetings where attendees can select text on a slide and have Copilot explain the selected content in the side pane. Microsoft lists this as Roadmap ID 557256.

The real update is the interaction inside PowerPoint Live: slide content is no longer just static for attendees. You can select slide text during the meeting and use Copilot to get an explanation without leaving the presentation.

Availability can depend on tenant rollout, license, meeting setup and whether the deck is shared through PowerPoint Live in your organization.

PowerPoint for the web showing a presentation and Copilot guidance beside the slide.
Example of Copilot appearing beside a PowerPoint presentation. Always use current product screenshots from the vendor or your own tenant when writing a fresh post.

Try this

  1. Join a Teams meeting where the deck is shared through PowerPoint Live.
  2. Select the Copilot feature from the PowerPoint Live toolbar.
  3. Select the text on the slide that needs clarification.
  4. Choose Explain this from the Copilot options.
  5. Review the explanation in the Copilot chat or side pane.
  6. If the answer matters for a decision, check it against the speaker's context before acting on it.

Follow-up prompt

The button starts the explanation. Use a follow-up prompt when you need the explanation in a more useful format.

"Make this explanation shorter. Tell me what I need to understand before the next slide, and list any term I should ask the presenter about."

Make it easier

Ask for a one-screen explanation first. If you need more, ask a follow-up. This keeps the meeting flow manageable and avoids turning one unclear slide into a long side conversation.

Check before relying on it

Copilot can help explain slide text, but it may miss speaker intent, unstated context or recent changes. Use it for understanding, then confirm anything that affects a decision, customer promise or deadline.

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