MC1096218 - Microsoft 365 Copilot: Extending Copilot Chat to Microsoft 365 apps

September 17, 2025, Update: The rollout to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote has started and is expected to complete in the coming weeks.

Updated July 29, 2025, Update: The rollout for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote has been delayed to mid-August. The original timing has been updated in the original message. Additionally, Copilot Chat in the apps will respect the most recent user state (open or closed) when opening a file. 

We’re excited to announce that we are making Copilot Chat available as a side-by-side experience in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote to help users access AI in their flow of work.

Copilot Chat in Word (Windows desktop) for users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. UI elements subject to change.

Users can open Copilot Chat from the app ribbon. Copilot Chat in the apps will respect the most recent user state (open or closed) when opening a file.  

Copilot Chat will be available in these apps for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, and for users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license who have pinning enabled. We will update the text of the Pin Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat admin setting to reflect its expanded scope across Microsoft 365 apps.

Pin Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat in the Microsoft 365 admin center: Existing setting with updated language

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 494830

When this will happen:

General Availability:

• • Outlook for Web, new Outlook for Windows, and classic Outlook for Windows: Rollout of this change starts in late June and completes in the weeks following.
• • Outlook for Mac: Rollout of this change for Mac starts in mid-July and completes in the weeks following.
• • Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote (Web, Mac, Windows): Rollout of this change starts in mid-August and completes in the weeks following.
  • Windows: Current Channel rollout will start in mid-August. Monthly Enterprise Channel rollout will be included as part of Patch Tuesday in September.
  • Mobile (Word/PowerPoint) / iPad (all) rollout will start no earlier than mid-August.

What you need to do to prepare:

No admin action is required. However, if your Pin Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat admin setting is configured to “Do not pin,” you should adjust it to “Pin” if you want your users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license to access Copilot Chat in their Microsoft 365 apps.

Learn more about pinning and managing Copilot Chat: Manage Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Microsoft Learn.

Compliance considerations:

• Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed? No.
• Does the change introduce or significantly modify AI/ML or agent capabilities that interact with or provide access to customer data? No. 
• Does the change provide a new way of communicating between users, tenants, or subscriptions? No. 
• Does the change provide end users any new way of interacting with generative AI? No.