Copilot takes hours to complete a task

Question

Copilot takes hours to complete a task. it says everything is in order, i am not out of "tokens", it undersatnds my brief. it says the task will take 5-10 minutes but does not complete the task.

it looks like it is working.

Answer 1

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, Brian McDonnell!

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing troubles with Copilot, when it says a task will take 5-10 minutes but then seems to run for hours without finishing or erroring out. This is a known and frustrating issue that many users are experiencing. It's almost always due to one of the following problems:

1 - Generic estimated time: Even if Copilot gives time estimation, it's often just a base number by design. You can tell it to say it needs 2 hours (or 2 minutes) next time and the AI chatbot will likely follow through even if it's not the time Copilot actually requires.

2 - Task complexity: Some special tasks can take longer, especially those involving large files, complex code, or external dependencies. If it’s a coding or data-related task, it may be waiting on a resource or stuck in a loop because the AI cannot handle such information.

3 - Copilot session timeout or stalling: If it looks like it's working but never finishes, try rephrasing the task or breaking it into smaller steps. You can also start a new session to see if the issue persists.

4 - Poor browser or app environment

5 - Slow internet or temporary network service issues

To assist better, could you share which Copilot product you're using? If possible (and the info is not private), please describe the task you're asking Copilot to complete. I’d be happy to help troubleshoot or suggest a workaround.

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