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Oct 21, 2025

Published Sep 29, 2025

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Microsoft 365 for the web

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New feature
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MC1162083 - Microsoft 365 Copilot: Agent Mode available in Excel Labs add-in (Frontier preview)

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Updated October 21,November 18, 2025: Now that this is available, weNew capabilities are now available for Frontier program customers. We have updated the content below to provide additional details as you leverage the feature. Thank you for your patience.on how to use Agent Mode in Copilot in Excel. 

Introduction:

Agent Mode in Microsoft 365 Copilot for Excel, available now on the web and coming soon to desktop apps,Windows desktop, is a new way for users to work with Copilot in Excel. It uses natural language to build and edit workbooks and allows users to keep their content editable and stay up to date with the latest changes. Agent mode can search the web to pull in trusted, up-to-date information from the internet to complement your Excel data. It helps answer questions, provide context, and enrich your analysis without leaving your workbook. Agent Mode in Excel also supports working with Claude AI models from Anthropic to build workbooks directly in Excel.

Users stay in control over all modifications at any time. To learn more, read https://aka.ms/Agent_Mode

How to access Agent Mode in Copilot in Excel: 

  • Available to Microsoft Frontier program customers starting October 21, 2025. 
  • For Enterprise Microsoft 365 Copilot license customers, admins need to enable Frontier access for their organization in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. 
  • For Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium licenses, customers can turn on Frontier Features with a new toggle under the Copilot ribbon button. 
  • Once Frontier features are turned on, customers will see a new Agent Mode option under the Tools menu in Copilot chat. 
  • This version will soon include more features and support for additional languages. 

What you can do to prepare:

  • Ensure Frontier Features are enabled in your tenant. 
  • Admins must allow access to Anthropic AI models by allowing ‘AI providers for other large language models’ in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center before users can access Claude with Agent Mode in Excel.  
  • Alternatively, ensure Office add-ins are enabled in your tenant and enable use of the Excel Labs add-in. To learn more, see Review and manage add-ins in the admin center
  • Review documentation here: Use Claude with Agent Mode in Excel

Compliance considerations:

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Snapshot from Oct 21, 2025

Updated October 21, 2025: Now that this is available, we have updated the content below to provide additional details as you leverage the feature. Thank you for your patience. 

Introduction:

Agent Mode in Microsoft 365 Copilot for Excel, available now on the web and coming soon to desktop apps, is a new way for users to work with Copilot in Excel. It uses natural language to build and edit workbooks and allows users to keep their content editable and stay up to date with the latest changes. Users stay in control over all modifications at any time. To learn more, read https://aka.ms/Agent_Mode

How to access Agent Mode in Copilot in Excel: 

  • Available to Microsoft Frontier program customers starting October 21, 2025. 
  • For Enterprise Microsoft 365 Copilot license customers, admins need to enable Frontier access for their organization in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. 
  • For Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium licenses, customers can turn on Frontier Features with a new toggle under the Copilot ribbon button. 
  • Once Frontier features are turned on, customers will see a new Agent Mode option under the Tools menu in Copilot chat. 
  • This version will soon include more features and support for additional languages. 

What you can do to prepare:

  • Ensure Frontier Features are enabled in your tenant. 
  • Alternatively, ensure Office add-ins are enabled in your tenant and enable use of the Excel Labs add-in. To learn more, see Review and manage add-ins in the admin center

Compliance considerations:

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.