Copilot Search on Bing has been split into two features: AI Overview, a short summary at the top of your Bing results, and AI Mode, a chat-style search where you ask follow-up questions. Both are still powered by Copilot. Separately, Microsoft Copilot Search is an AI search for work files that needs a Microsoft Copilot licence.
Microsoft uses the same name for two different things, which is why people search for it and land in the wrong place. Bing's own help page answers the question directly. Here's what each version is, how to use it and which one you're looking for, checked on Microsoft's pages as of October 2026.
The two Copilot Searches at a glance
| Bing (for everyone) | Microsoft Copilot Search (for work) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it searches | The web | Your organisation's Microsoft 365 content and connected apps |
| Where you find it | Bing results page: AI Overview and the AI Mode tab | A Search tab in the Microsoft Copilot app |
| Account | Any | Work or school (Entra) account |
| Licence | None | Eligible Microsoft Copilot licence, at no extra cost |
| Follow-up questions | Yes, in AI Mode | Yes, by moving from search into Copilot Chat |
What happened to Copilot Search on Bing
Microsoft's Bing page says Copilot Search has evolved into two distinct experiences, and the update gives them more descriptive names. AI Overview gives you a quick, sourced summary next to normal results. AI Mode is for going deeper: you ask follow-up questions, refine what you're after and look at different angles without starting a new search. Microsoft confirms both are powered by Copilot technology.
How to use AI Mode on Bing
- Type your question into Bing as normal.
- Read the AI Overview at the top if one appears, and use its links to check sources.
- Select the AI Mode tab on the results page to open a conversation with your query already filled in.
- Ask follow-up questions in the box, or start a new search from the same place.
- Click Show all under the answer to see every reference Bing used.
Microsoft suggests AI Mode when you want to go beyond a single answer: researching a complex topic, comparing options or making a decision. For a quick fact, the AI Overview at the top of the normal results is usually enough, and it saves you a click.
Microsoft's advice is to review the sources, especially for important decisions. I'd go further: for anything about finance, health or the law, open at least two of the cited pages before you act on the answer.
Microsoft Copilot Search at work
The work version is a different product. Microsoft describes it as a universal AI search across your organisation's data, inside the Microsoft Copilot app on desktop, web and mobile. There's nothing to set up: if you have an eligible licence, a Search tab simply appears. It understands plain-English queries, so you can type something like the examples Microsoft gives:
Example search from Microsoft
show me emails from John about Q4 forecasting sent last week
Example search from Microsoft
where is the spreadsheet that breaks down marketing ROI by region?
- It searches across Microsoft 365 and other tools through more than 100 connectors in the Microsoft Catalog, plus custom connectors.
- For some questions, a Copilot Answer powered by Copilot Chat appears at the top of the results.
- Admins can curate answers for acronyms, bookmarks and people, so new staff can find who does what.
- It follows the same data protection and permissions as Microsoft Copilot, so you only see what you're allowed to see.
Getting better results from both versions
On Bing, AI Mode can show images and videos related to your search, and you can enlarge a video to full screen and come back to the conversation. Microsoft says answers may include rich visuals for some questions, which makes comparisons easier to scan. The references list is the part to use: it shows exactly where each point came from.
At work, Copilot Search handles both styles of query. Microsoft says a natural-language question lets the AI read the context and relationships behind what you've typed, while short keyword searches still work for exact or partial matches on a word or phrase. If a plain keyword search returns too much, rewrite it as the question you'd ask a colleague. Copilot Answers can also draw on connected cloud services and the web, in line with the web grounding your organisation has turned on for Copilot Chat.
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Copilot Search vs Microsoft Search at work
Microsoft still offers its older free Microsoft Search. Its comparison shows the gap:
| Microsoft Copilot Search | Microsoft Search | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Needs a Microsoft Copilot licence | Available to unpaid Entra ID users |
| How it finds things | AI-powered, semantic search | Keyword-based search |
| Connectors | Every tenant-enabled connector, instantly | Needs admin setup per connector |
| Link to chat | Yes, through Copilot Chat answers | No |
If you want your business to show up in AI search answers, take a look at AI search optimization services.
Which one do you need?
If you searched for Copilot Search because Bing looked different, you want AI Mode, and it's free. If you run a team on Microsoft 365 and want to find files and emails faster, the work version is the one, but it only comes with a Copilot licence. My guide to the versions of Microsoft 365 Copilot explains what each licence includes, and if you're comparing search engines, here's how Google's AI Mode works.
My verdict
The rename makes sense once you know it happened. On Bing, use AI Overview for quick facts and AI Mode when you want to dig in. At work, Copilot Search is one of the more useful parts of the Copilot licence, because finding the right file fast saves time every single day.
Not sure what you get without a licence? See Microsoft Copilot Chat.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Copilot Search?
Microsoft says Copilot Search on Bing evolved into AI Overview and AI Mode, both still powered by Copilot.
Is Copilot Search free?
On Bing, AI Overview and AI Mode are free. Microsoft Copilot Search for work needs an eligible Copilot licence.
What's the difference between AI Overview and AI Mode on Bing?
AI Overview is a quick summary next to results; AI Mode is a conversation where you can ask follow-up questions.
Where is Copilot Search in Microsoft 365?
It appears as a Search tab in the Microsoft Copilot app for users with an eligible licence.
Is Copilot Search the same as Microsoft Search?
No. Microsoft Search is keyword based and free; Copilot Search uses AI and needs a licence.
