Microsoft is rolling out a new Copilot feature called ‘Explain This’ in Classic Outlook for Windows, enabling users to highlight text for context-aware explanations, as part of its broader AI integration strategy.
Microsoft is adding a new Copilot feature to Classic Outlook for Windows that lets users highlight any piece of text in an email and ask for an explanation in context. The tool, called “Explain This”, is designed to interpret abbreviations, technical terms and other references based on the message around them, rather than offering a generic definition. In practice, that means a user reading an internal note about a BSOD issue, for example, could select the term and get an explanation shaped by the rest of the email. Windows Latest reported that the feature is already starting to appear as part of Microsoft’s broader effort to bring more Copilot functions into the desktop Outlook client.
The move fits a wider pattern in Microsoft 365, where Copilot is increasingly being attached to specific actions rather than left only as a general chat assistant. Microsoft Support says Copilot in Outlook already appears through functions such as summarising messages and drafting replies, while inbox-management features are also being expanded across Outlook platforms. Microsoft has also been standardising Copilot access in Outlook on the web, Classic Outlook for Windows and mobile versions, suggesting a deliberate push to make the assistant feel native to the mail workflow rather than bolted on beside it.
What distinguishes “Explain This” is that it is opt-in at the point of use. Users must select text and trigger the function themselves, which gives them more control over when AI is involved. Microsoft said in an admin portal update, as quoted by Windows Latest, that the approach is meant to improve productivity, clarity and decision-making without forcing Copilot into every interaction. That matters in Outlook, where many users want help only when a message contains unfamiliar jargon, abbreviations or project-specific references.
Microsoft expects the feature to complete rollout by the end of September, with most users likely to see it by early September, according to Windows Latest. It also requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription, which places it firmly in the paid tier of Microsoft’s AI strategy. At the same time, Microsoft has completed the rollout of Copilot Settings in Classic Outlook, including an option to turn Copilot off entirely and a separate Draft Instructions control that lets users shape the tone and style of AI-generated email drafts. Taken together, the changes show Microsoft is trying to balance expansion of AI features with a clearer set of user controls, even as more Outlook functions move behind the Copilot licence.
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