Microsoft Copilot for Word: How to Reference a Folder
Posted on: 05/06/2025
Microsoft Copilot continues to evolve, bringing powerful new capabilities to improve productivity in Word. One of the most exciting recent updates is the ability to reference an entire folder in Copilot for Word instead of being limited to referencing individual files. Alongside this, Copilot now supports working with massive documents containing up to 1.5 million words — roughly equivalent to a 3,000-page file. These enhancements are designed to streamline how you generate content, summarize information, and draft documents by tapping into multiple sources at once.
Copilot in Word - Reference a Folder
In this article, I’ll walk you through the practical steps of using Copilot to reference a folder on OneDrive, demonstrate how it intelligently pulls content from multiple files, and explain why these upgrades matter for anyone who works with large or multiple documents. Whether you’re drafting policies, reports, or any detailed content, understanding these new features will help you get the most out of Copilot in Word.
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Why Referencing a Folder in Copilot for Word Is a Game-Changer
Previously, Copilot in Word was limited to referencing a single file to pull information from. While useful, this posed challenges when your content or source material was spread across several documents. Now, by allowing Copilot to reference an entire folder, you can leverage multiple files simultaneously without having to attach each one individually.
This feature supports up to ten files at once, automatically selecting the ten most recent documents in the folder if you have more than that. This means Copilot can synthesize information across multiple files, making it ideal for complex projects or when working with documents that are part of a series or collection.
For example, if you have a folder dedicated to your company’s social media policy with various documents outlining different policy sections, Copilot can pull from all relevant files to create a cohesive summary or draft, saving you time and effort.
Step-by-Step Demonstration: How to Reference a Folder in Copilot for Word
Let’s go through the process of referencing a folder in Copilot for Word using Microsoft Word on the web, where this feature was first introduced and is available now. The rollout to Word for Windows and Mac users is expected soon.
1. Preparing Your Folder
First, ensure that your folder is set up in Microsoft OneDrive. I created a social media folder containing two Word documents related to our social media policy. This folder can hold up to ten files for Copilot to reference, and if you have more, it will automatically pick the ten most recent files.
2. Opening Microsoft Word on the Web
Next, launch Microsoft Word on the web and create a new document. This is where you will interact with Copilot. You’ll see a prompt asking, “What do you want Copilot to draft?” This is your starting point to instruct Copilot on what content you need.
Copilot in Word - Add Content
3. Attaching the Folder
Click on the paperclip icon or attach content to attach files or folders. From the menu, select Browse from the cloud to access your OneDrive files. Navigate to your prepared folder — in this case, the social media folder — and select it. Copilot will confirm the number of items it will reference (for me, it was two items).
Browse files from cloud
4. Requesting a Summary or Draft
Once attached, you can ask Copilot to summarize the contents, draft new text, or perform other tasks based on the combined information from all the files in the folder. For example, I requested a summary of the social media policy documents.
Copilot then generated a summary that included sections from both documents, including the disciplinary actions section that was only present in the second document, demonstrating how it pulls content across multiple files seamlessly.
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Chris Menard
Chris Menard is a Microsoft Trainer (MCT) and works as a full-time Trainer at BakerHostetler - one of the largest law firms in the US. Chris runs a YouTube channel with 900+ technology videos that cover various tools such as Excel, Word, Zoom, Teams, Gmail, Copilot, Google Calendar, and Outlook. To date, the channel has helped over 20 million viewers.
Menard also does 2 to 3 public speaking events yearly, presenting at the Administrative Professional Conference (APC), the EA Ignite Conference, the University of Georgia, and CPA conferences. You can connect with him on LinkedIn at https://chrismenardtraining.com/linkedin or watch his videos on YouTube at https://chrismenardtraining.com/youtube.
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