Troubleshooting Copilot Problems

Overview

“Copilot isn’t working” means a dozen different things. The button is missing. It’s grayed out. It returns no results. It gives unexpected responses. Each symptom has a different cause and a different fix.

This video gives you a systematic troubleshooting playbook: a three-layer diagnostic framework, the admin tools that speed diagnosis, and clear guidance on when to fix things yourself versus when to escalate to Microsoft support.

What You’ll Learn

• Three-Layer Framework: User-level, tenant configuration, and service health diagnostics
• User-Level Diagnostics: Licensing, authentication, app version, and permission checks
• Admin Diagnostic Tools: Built-in tools for verifying service plans and configuration
• Escalation: When to escalate, how to do it effectively, and government-specific channels

Script

Hook: when users say “Copilot isn’t working”

“Copilot isn’t working” is the most common support ticket you’ll get during a Copilot deployment. But it means a dozen different things.

Maybe the Copilot button isn’t there at all. Maybe it’s there but grayed out. Maybe it’s active but returns no results. Maybe it returns results but they’re wrong or incomplete.

Each of these is a different problem with a different cause. In government environments, you have additional variables: licensing models, network restrictions, compliance controls. Generic troubleshooting guides don’t cover these.

This video gives you a systematic playbook: what to check, what tools to use, and when to escalate.

The troubleshooting framework: three layers

Every Copilot problem falls into one of three layers.

Layer one: user-level issues. This is where most problems live. Is the user licensed? Are they authenticated correctly? Is their app version current? Do they have permissions to the data they’re asking about?

Layer two: tenant configuration. If the user’s setup is correct, look at your tenant. Are Copilot settings enabled? Are policies blocking access? Is Conditional Access interfering? Are network endpoints reachable?

Layer three: service health and platform issues. If user-level and configuration checks pass, the problem may be on Microsoft’s side. Check service health dashboards and escalate if necessary.

Here’s the governance principle that saves you time: most Copilot problems are permission or configuration issues, not service failures. Start with access and configuration before assuming something is broken at the platform level.

The systematic approach: verify the user can access Copilot. Check what the user can see. Validate configuration and policies. Review service health. Escalate if needed with proper diagnostic data.

Layer 1: user-level diagnostics

Start here. Most tickets resolve at this layer.

Common issue: Copilot button is missing or disabled.

First check: does the user have a Copilot license assigned? Open the Microsoft 365 admin center. Navigate to Users, then Active users. Select the user. Go to Licenses and apps. Verify that Microsoft 365 Copilot is listed and enabled. If it’s not there, assign it and wait up to 24 hours.

Second check: is the user authenticated with the correct credentials? Confirm they’re signed into Microsoft 365 apps with their organizational account, not a personal Microsoft account. Check if MFA or Conditional Access policies are blocking their session. Have them sign out completely, close the app, and sign back in.

Third check: are their Microsoft 365 apps updated? Copilot requires Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise on Current Channel or Monthly Enterprise Channel. Check the version: open any Office app, go to File, then Account. The version and update channel are displayed under Product Information. If they’re on an old build or perpetual Office, update them first.

Common issue: Copilot is available but not returning results.

Check the user’s permissions to the underlying data. Copilot respects SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams permissions. If the user can’t access content directly, Copilot can’t surface it. Have the user try to find the same content through SharePoint search. If search can’t find it, neither can Copilot.

Review sharing and external access settings in your tenant. If permissions were recently changed, there may be a delay before Copilot reflects the new access.

Common issue: unexpected or incomplete responses.

This is often related to data quality or permission boundaries, not a Copilot bug. Copilot surfaces what the user has access to. If the response seems incomplete, the user may not have access to all the relevant content. This is the governance model working as designed—it’s a feature, not a bug.

Quick-win checklist for frontline support: License assigned? Authentication working? App version current? Permissions to data sources? If all four check out, move to Layer 2.

Layer 2: admin diagnostic tools

If user-level checks pass, use admin diagnostic tools.

The Microsoft 365 admin center includes a built-in diagnostic tool for Copilot. Access it through Support, then Help and support. Type “copilot missing” or “copilot not working” in the search box. The admin center will offer to run a diagnostic. Alternatively, look for “Run Tests: Copilot Service Plan Diagnostic.”

Enter the user’s email address or UPN. The tool checks whether all required service plans are assigned and active. It identifies missing or misconfigured service plans and provides specific remediation steps. This tool is faster and more reliable than manual license checking.

Service plan verification matters because Copilot requires specific service plans beyond just the license name. The diagnostic tool checks all of them. If it reports everything is correctly configured, you can confidently rule out licensing as the cause.

Policy and configuration review. Check if an admin has disabled Copilot at the tenant level. Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center, then Settings, then Copilot. Review each setting. Check whether Copilot is enabled for the specific app the user is having trouble with—these are separate toggles.

Review Conditional Access policies. Policies scoped to Copilot or to Microsoft Graph can block Copilot access without obvious error messages. In the Entra admin center, use the “What If” tool to simulate the affected user’s sign-in scenario. Look for policies that might be blocking access due to device compliance, network location, or app restrictions.

Network and connectivity checks. In government environments, verify that firewall rules allow traffic to Copilot endpoints. Check your proxy logs for blocked connections. If you recently changed network configuration, that’s likely related.

Admin feedback and diagnostic logs. Global admins and AI admins can submit diagnostic logs to Microsoft through the admin center. This provides Microsoft with detailed context about the issue and helps them improve Copilot. Use this for recurring or systemic issues, not one-off user problems.

Layer 3: service health and escalation

If user-level and configuration checks both pass, look at service health.

Check the Microsoft 365 Service Health Dashboard. In the admin center, navigate to Health, then Service health. Filter for Microsoft 365 Copilot or related services—Microsoft Graph, Teams, SharePoint, Exchange. Review any active incidents or advisories that might explain the symptoms.

When to escalate to Microsoft support. Escalate when: the user has a valid license, current apps, proper authentication, and Copilot still doesn’t appear. The diagnostic tool shows correct configuration but Copilot fails consistently. Multiple users are affected with the same symptoms. Service health shows no incidents but behavior suggests a platform issue.

How to escalate effectively. Gather diagnostic data before opening a case. You need: the affected user’s UPN, the specific workload experiencing issues (Teams, Outlook, Word), the output from the service plan diagnostic tool, a screenshot of the error or missing UI, the app version and update channel, and any correlation ID from error messages if available.

Submit through the Microsoft 365 admin center under Support, then New service request. You’ll need at minimum a Service Support Administrator or Helpdesk Administrator role.

Government-specific escalation notes. GCC High and DoD support channels may differ from commercial. Make sure your support case is routed to a government-aware support tier. Reference your cloud environment in the case details—this ensures the support engineer has access to the right tools and documentation for your environment.

Community and feedback channels. Microsoft 365 Copilot help is available at the Microsoft support site. In-app feedback through the Copilot menu lets users report issues directly. Use community forums for general questions, but use support cases when you need SLA-based resolution.

Close: the troubleshooting playbook summary

The systematic approach in three steps.

Step one: start with licensing and authentication. Check the license, check the sign-in, check the app version. Most issues stop here.

Step two: use diagnostic tools to verify service plans and configuration. The admin center diagnostic tool is faster and more comprehensive than manual checking. Review Conditional Access and tenant settings.

Step three: check service health and escalate with proper data. Gather evidence before opening a case. Include user context, diagnostic output, and reproduction steps.

Key principles to remember. Most issues are permissions, licensing, or configuration—not platform failures. Use admin diagnostic tools to gather objective data before escalating. When you do escalate, provide specifics: user context, diagnostic output, reproduction steps.

The repeatable habit for support teams: document every resolution in your internal knowledge base. Track patterns—if the same issue appears three times, it’s a systemic configuration problem that needs a permanent fix. For government tenants, validate that compliance controls aren’t inadvertently blocking legitimate use.

And the foundational rule: Copilot works inside the Microsoft 365 security and permissions boundary. If users can’t access content directly, Copilot can’t surface it. Good troubleshooting is about verifying that boundary is working as designed.

Sources & References

• Copilot missing, disabled, or not working — Primary troubleshooting guide
• Copilot admin guide — Admin diagnostic and management tools
• Manage Copilot — Management guidance with government considerations
• Copilot service plans — Service plan diagnostic tool
• Microsoft 365 Copilot help — User-facing help and learning
• Copilot feedback and support — Escalation guidance