How do I cite Microsoft Copilot in Chicago?

To cite Microsoft Copilot in Chicago (18th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

How to Cite Microsoft Copilot in Chicago (18th edition)

Learn how to cite Microsoft Copilot chats and AI answers in Chicago format (18th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Chicago Bibliography Format

Here is the standard Chicago format for citing Microsoft Copilot in your bibliography:

Cite in a note, not the bibliography: 1. Microsoft Copilot, response to “Text of your prompt,” Microsoft, Month Day, Year.

Chicago Example for Microsoft Copilot

Chicago does not give Microsoft Copilot an entry in the bibliography — it is cited in a note only. Here is that note, written by hand and checked against the official Chicago guidance:

1. Microsoft Copilot, response to “Explain the difference between weather and climate in two sentences,” Microsoft, March 14, 2026.

Chicago In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

Footnote: 1. Microsoft Copilot, response to “Explain the difference between weather and climate in two sentences,” Microsoft, March 14, 2026.

Narrative

Shortened note: 2. Microsoft Copilot, response to “weather and climate.”

Key Chicago Formatting Rules

Credit Copilot in your sentence or in a numbered note; CMOS 18 §14.112 treats a chat readers cannot open like a personal communication, with no bibliography entry.
Without a public link, end the note after the date, as the Chicago Q&A instructs.
Name the tool first (Microsoft Copilot) and Microsoft as the publisher, then the prompt and date.
For light proofreading in Word, a sentence in the text or acknowledgments is enough; cite the web pages Copilot linked when you use their facts.

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your Microsoft Copilot.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (18th edition) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples on this page are written by hand from the style's own published guidance and checked against it, because the general CSL styles do not encode this source's rules. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

Metadata to collect

the company that built the tool (Microsoft)
where you used Copilot (the Copilot app or site, Edge, Word, or another Microsoft 365 app)
the date of the conversation
the exact prompt you typed
the web pages Copilot linked in its answer
a public share link, if your version of Copilot offers one

Common metadata traps

Microsoft Copilot, the chat assistant, is not GitHub Copilot; code suggestions from GitHub Copilot are cited, if at all, as software or disclosed in your methods.
Copilot answers often point to Bing web results, so open each linked page, check it, and cite the page itself for any fact you use.
Copilot inside Word, Outlook, or Edge used to polish your own writing counts as AI built into ordinary software under APA’s Part 2 post: disclose it rather than writing a chat reference.

Editorial sources

Chicago Manual of Style — citation quick guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite Microsoft Copilot in Chicago?: To cite Microsoft Copilot in Chicago (18th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Chicago format for Microsoft Copilot citation?: The Chicago format for Microsoft Copilot is: Cite in a note, not the bibliography: 1. Microsoft Copilot, response to “Text of your prompt,” Microsoft, Month Day, Year.
What does the in-text citation look like for Microsoft Copilot in Chicago?: In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is Footnote: 1. Microsoft Copilot, response to “Explain the difference between weather and climate in two sentences,” Microsoft, March 14, 2026.