Microsoft expands Copilot in Outlook with additional cleanup commands for the inbox. Those who have a Copilot license can now delete, move, copy, categorize, or sort emails into new folders via chat message or voice command. The commands work in every version of Outlook but currently require English as the input language.
Copilot now understands significantly more cleanup commands
So far, Copilot in Outlook could mainly summarize emails and assist in formulating replies. Those who wanted to sort the inbox still had to click on each message individually to move or delete it. According to the official Microsoft guide, tangible cleanup actions are now being added that replace this manual work. These include:
- Archiving, deleting, moving, or copying emails
- Pinning, flagging, or marking messages as read or unread
- Setting or removing categories
- Creating new folders and automatically sorting messages into them
The Release Notes for Microsoft 365 Copilot list the expanded actions under September 23, 2026. A single sentence is sufficient for input, such as a chat message or spoken command, instead of clicking through each message individually. Copilot also recognizes collective commands that refer to multiple messages at once, such as all emails from a specific sender or with a specific word in the subject line. Microsoft calls this cleanup function “Triage.” According to its own help page, it is uniformly available in classic Outlook for Windows, the new Outlook, on the web, on Mac, and in mobile apps.
An example shows the time savings in everyday office life
A clerk returns from a week of vacation to forty unread emails. Instead of sorting each message individually, she types a sentence in the Copilot chat: “Archive all read newsletters and move emails with invoice in the subject to the Invoices folder.” Copilot creates the folder itself if necessary. The inbox is cleaned up in seconds, which previously required several minutes of manual work.
On the smartphone, this even works without typing. In the mobile Outlook app, a spoken sentence is enough to archive a message or set a category, for example, while on the go between two appointments. In accounting, every incoming invoice email can be automatically moved to its own folder without anyone having to search for it. Those who already use Copilot to customize email drafts in Outlook will automatically receive the new cleanup commands in the same interface without needing to install anything additional. Existing folders can also be accessed via command, so manual creation is only necessary if a new category is actually to be created.
Copilot costs extra and currently only understands English
The feature is part of the paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Until the end of 2026, it costs a promotional price starting at 15.60 euros per user per month in addition to the Microsoft 365 subscription, with a regular price of 18.20 euros. A business or school account with Exchange Online is also required, as well as, depending on the scope, the new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web. Text commands work on all platforms, while spoken commands currently only work in the mobile app for Android and iOS. Microsoft explicitly states on the help page that the actions currently only understand English inputs; the company does not specify a date for German support.
Those who want to try the feature can proceed as follows:
- Open Outlook with a valid Copilot license, on desktop, web, or in the app.
- Open the Copilot chat field or tap the microphone icon on the smartphone.
- Enter or speak an English command, such as “archive all unread newsletters.”
- Review the suggestion and confirm if Copilot asks before execution.
It will be crucial whether Microsoft quickly offers the commands in German as well: without German language support, the feature remains a sideline for many teams in this country for the time being. Those using automated delete or move commands should check in advance whether important customer or invoice emails might be inadvertently affected.
