Microsoft now allows referencing large documents and entire folders in Word

Microsoft is focusing on improving Copilot's referencing capabilities in Office documents. With the latest update, Word users can reference more data when creating, reviewing, and finalizing Word documents. For example, you can ask Copilot to write an analysis of a specific topic based on a specific file. Microsoft says users want the feature to be used more flexibly, so you can now reference entire folders instead of just a specific file.

In addition to files, emails, and meetings, Microsoft 365 Copilot in Word can now drill down into entire folders stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. Just note that if a folder has more than 10 files, Copilot will reference the 10 most recent files.

Another change coming with today’s update is support for larger documents. You can now reference documents up to 1.5 million words or 3,000 pages, and reference up to 20 items at a time when using Draft with Copilot.

Bibliographic references are now available in Word for the web, and Microsoft plans to bring them to the Windows and Mac desktop apps by July 2025. As for the ability to reference up to 20 large Word files and documents, these two changes will be available in Word for the web and desktop apps later this month.

If you want to try this feature, go to Word for the web and create a new document. Then, open the Copilot command window, type your request, and press / (or click the paperclip button) to open the upload interface. Specify the file you want to reference and click the blue arrow button.

Other Copilot improvements in Word that Microsoft recently introduced include better voice note handling and the ability to convert to pre-built text or custom templates.