Using Context IQ to refer to specific files, people, and more in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Context IQ (CIQ) is an AI-powered feature in Copilot that enhances grounding and collaboration by making information, people, and conversations more accessible.

When you initiate CIQ, relevant content will be suggested, based on intelligent scanning of your files, emails, conversations, and other Microsoft 365 apps and services. CIQ allows you to insert multiple items including links to Microsoft 365 files, people, meetings, and emails.

Try it

To add links to Microsoft 365 files, reference people, and include calendar events and emails, follow these steps:

Go to Microsoft365.com/copilot. Choose work mode from the toggle.
To use CIQ, go to the Copilot pane and select one of the following:
- Select the Add content button.
- Type / and begin typing the people, file, meeting, or email you wish to link.
People, Microsoft 365 files, meetings, and emails will be accessible through tabs. When you select a tab, CIQ will provide suggestions based on their relevance to you.
Select from the people, files, meetings, and emails provided.

Note: If you write a prompt and don't reference a specific file, person, or meeting, Copilot will try to determine the best source of data for its response, including your work content.

Select a heading below for more information

CIQ suggests people based on how well their names or email addresses match what you're typing. The system considers how often and recently you've communicated with them via Teams, emails, meetings, or shared files, updating this ranking several times a day.

CIQ suggests meetings based on your RSVPs and recent or upcoming events, matching either the meeting title or the organizer's name.

CIQ displays relevant emails based on your interactions, such as mentions, flags, and focused emails, as well as matching subjects, senders, keywords, or recipients.

CIQ suggests relevant files based on recent activity and interactions, including those recently uploaded, opened, modified, or shared on OneDrive for Business; files will be available a couple of minutes after any of these actions. Files are also recommended based on file names, types, or authors.

Note: In addition to typing /, you can also reference files using copy and paste or drag and drop.

Reference files from your Microsoft cloud storage to use in your prompt.

Local files: To reference a local file, select the Upload from device button. You can then select a file from your local device to reference. Once the file is selected, a copy will be sent to OneDrive for Business.
Cloud files: To reference a file available on a local server, select the Attach cloud files icon. You can attach either a file or an entire folder to your prompt.

Note: You can only reference up to ten files or pages within a SharePoint site.

To learn more about supported files, see the Microsoft 365 Copilot (Work) section of File formats supported by Copilot.

Note: You can reference up to five files in a single prompt.

CIQ displays SharePoint sites and pages that you've recently interacted with or were shared with you. Select a site to scope your prompt to its contents.

Note: Up to ten files or pages can be referenced within the selected SharePoint site.

You can now ground your Copilot prompts on third-party data using your organization's Graph Connector content, accessible from the ContextIQ menu in Copilot Chat. For any Connectors you have enabled in Copilot, you can access them from the All and Other tabs, in the menu that appears after typing /.

Other tab highlighted on the ContextIQ menu .