Copilot in Word Issues

Fix: Copilot Cannot Find Open Word Document to Summarize

Natalie Taylor Oct 8, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to summarize an active Word document using Microsoft Copilot, but the AI tool fails to locate or display the open file in the attachment menu.

How to Fix Copilot Cannot Find an Open Word Document to Summarize

Product: Microsoft Word (Copilot)
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to use Copilot to summarize the contents of a currently open document.
Observed behavior: Copilot does not recognize the open document and fails to show it when the user tries to select a file to attach for summarization.

Before you start

Verify that your Word document has been saved at least once. Copilot often requires documents to be actively synced to Microsoft cloud services (like OneDrive) to analyze their contents.

Solution 1Recommended

Save the Document to OneDrive or SharePoint

Copilot frequently requires documents to be hosted on Microsoft's cloud services to read and summarize them effectively.

If your document is saved strictly on your local hard drive, Copilot might not have the necessary cloud permissions to scan and summarize the text. Moving the file to OneDrive ensures Copilot can access the data.

Open Save As Menu

Click on 'File' in the top left corner of Microsoft Word and select 'Save As'.

Select a Cloud Location

Choose 'OneDrive - Personal' or your organization's SharePoint location as the save destination.

Enable AutoSave

Toggle the 'AutoSave' switch in the top left corner of the Word window to 'On'.

Restart Copilot

Close the Copilot pane and reopen it, then attempt to summarize the document again.

Save the Document to OneDrive or SharePoint

Sync Delay: It may take a few moments for the document to fully sync to the cloud before Copilot can recognize it.

Solution 2

Ensure the File is in a Supported Format

Older Word formats or non-standard text files may not be supported by Copilot features.

Solution 3

Seek Help from the Microsoft Q&A Community

If standard troubleshooting fails, escalate the specific access issue to Microsoft specialists.

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1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open the local or cloud document you want to summarize.
2. Activate WPS AI: Click on the 'WPS AI' tab in the top ribbon menu, or simply type '@ai' on a new line to summon the assistant.
3. Generate Summary: Click the 'Summarize' prompt or highlight specific text to get an instant, accurate summary of your content.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Copilot say it can't access my open Word document?

Copilot typically requires documents to be saved in OneDrive or SharePoint with AutoSave enabled. If the file is strictly saved on your local hard drive, Copilot may not have the necessary pathways to scan its contents.

Can Copilot summarize a document I just created without saving?

No. Unsaved or newly created files without a proper save path cannot be detected by the Copilot summarization tool. You must save the file first, preferably to a cloud location.

What information should I provide when asking for Copilot support online?

When posting in the Microsoft Q&A Community, always include your Copilot version, Word version, file type (e.g., .docx), and where the file is stored (Local, OneDrive, or SharePoint) for faster and more accurate troubleshooting.

Are there file size limits for Copilot summaries in Word?

Yes, Microsoft Copilot has character and token limits. If your document is exceptionally large, Copilot might fail to summarize it entirely or fail to load it into the context window. Try splitting the document into smaller sections.

Microsoft Copilot Issues