How to Use Copilot in Excel: Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

If you want to know how to use Copilot in Excel, here's the short version: open your workbook, select the Copilot icon in the lower-right corner of Excel, and describe what you want in plain English, like "build a monthly budget with a summary chart" or "highlight every invoice that's more than 30 days late." Copilot then plans the steps and makes the changes in your sheet using normal Excel tools, so everything stays editable.

Two things changed recently that most older tutorials miss. First, Copilot in Excel now has three modes: Edit, Plan and Chat only. Second, the =COPILOT() formula that many videos showed stopped working on September 14, 2026, according to Microsoft's own support page. This guide covers both, plus who actually gets Copilot in Excel and prompts you can copy today.

What you need before you start

Copilot in Excel isn't in every copy of Excel. Microsoft's support page says that if you don't see Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint or OneNote, "it might not be included with your Microsoft 365 subscription or available based on your organization's settings."

Here's how access works, based on Microsoft's own pages checked today:

A few details worth knowing:

• On Family and Premium, Microsoft says the AI features in the desktop apps are "limited to the subscription owner." People the plan is shared with get Copilot Chat at microsoft365.com, not Copilot inside Excel.
• Personal, Family and Premium each show a "Try free for 1 month" option on Microsoft's pricing page. The subscription renews automatically unless you cancel.
• If you just want AI help with formulas and you don't pay for Microsoft 365, free chat tools can still explain formulas for you to paste in. Our guide on how to use ChatGPT for Excel shows that route.

Step 1: Open Copilot in Excel

1. Open a workbook in Excel for Windows, Mac or the web. Saving it to OneDrive or SharePoint first is a good habit.
2. Select the Copilot icon in the lower-right corner of the window.
3. The Copilot pane opens on the right side. Type your request and press Enter.

Microsoft lists Copilot in Excel on Windows, Mac, the web, iPad, iPhone and Android, but not every mode works everywhere:

Tip: Do real work on a computer. Edit mode, where Copilot changes the workbook for you, is fully available on Windows, Mac and the web.

Step 2: Pick the right mode (Edit, Plan or Chat)

Copilot in Excel opens in Edit mode by default. Choosing the right mode is the single biggest thing that decides whether Copilot helps or makes a mess.

• Edit (Allow editing): Copilot changes your workbook directly. Microsoft says it handles multi-step jobs like reshaping data, merging sheets or building reports. Use it when you know what you want.
• Plan: Copilot writes a step-by-step plan first, and you confirm it before anything changes. Use it on a workbook you care about, or for big jobs.
• Chat only: Copilot reads your data and answers questions without touching the workbook. Use it for "what does this data say?" questions.

In Edit mode you can watch Copilot's reasoning in the pane and see the changes happen live. If it heads in the wrong direction, select the Stop button next to the chat box.

Step 3: Prompts that work in Excel

Copilot uses Excel's own features (tables, formulas, charts, PivotTables, conditional formatting), so the best prompts name the result you want and the range it should use. Copy these and change the details:

Build something from scratch

• "Create a monthly household budget with income, fixed costs and variable costs, a total row, and a chart comparing planned vs actual."
• "Make an invoice tracker with columns for client, invoice number, amount, due date, status and days overdue."

Formulas and calculations

• "Add a column that calculates days overdue from the due date in column E, and show 0 if the invoice is paid."
• "Total sales by region on a new sheet and add a percentage of total column."

Clean and organize data

• "Split the full names in column A into first name and last name columns."
• "Find duplicate email addresses in column C and highlight them."
• "Sort this table by amount, largest first, and filter it to show only unpaid invoices."

Insights and charts

• "What are the three biggest trends in this sales data? Show them as a chart."
• "Create a PivotTable of revenue by product and month."
• "Which customers have bought less this quarter than last quarter?"

Text work in cells (the old COPILOT function jobs)

• "Summarize the feedback in A2:A20."
• "Classify each of the sentiment entries in B2:B100 and add the result in a new column."

The last two prompts come straight from Microsoft's own examples of what to ask instead of the retired formula.

For better results with any AI tool, the same rules apply: say the goal, the range, the output format and any limits. Our guide on how to write ChatGPT prompts goes deeper on that.

The COPILOT function is gone: what to do instead

If you followed a tutorial that used =COPILOT("prompt", A2:A20) in a cell, here's what happened. Microsoft's support page says that starting September 14, 2026, the COPILOT function is no longer available in Excel. It was a preview feature, only offered in the Frontier and Microsoft 365 Insider programs.

What that means for your files:

• Results the function already calculated stay in the workbook as cached values.
• When a cell with the function recalculates, it returns a #NAME? error because Excel no longer recognizes it.

What to do:

1. Before anything recalculates, copy the columns that used =COPILOT() and use Paste Special > Values so the text stays.
2. For new work, open the Copilot pane and describe the same job in words. Microsoft's own replacements:

More things Copilot in Excel can do

Microsoft's "Get started" page lists a few features that are easy to miss:

• Web search: Copilot can fetch information from the web to ground its answers, with citations to the sources it used.
• Import from other workbooks: pull data from other Excel files saved on OneDrive, SharePoint or your computer.
• Skills for repeat jobs: define how Copilot should handle a process you do often, or record a skill by doing the task once in your workbook.
• Sheet management: add, rename and delete worksheets, apply data validation, borders and styles.

If you already work in Google's tools instead, the same idea exists there too. See how to use Gemini in Google Sheets.

Limits and mistakes to avoid

• Check every formula. Copilot builds real formulas, which is good, because you can read them. Click a few result cells and make sure the ranges are right before you send the file to anyone.
• Use Plan mode on important files. Edit mode changes things immediately. Make a copy of the workbook, or use Plan mode, when the file matters.
• Usage limits exist. Microsoft says usage limits apply on Personal, Family and Premium, and it publishes AI credits and limits for each plan.
• Shared Family members don't get it in the app. If Copilot doesn't appear for you on a shared Family plan, that's expected: in-app Copilot is for the subscription owner.
• Don't paste sensitive data you aren't allowed to share. On work accounts, follow your company's rules on what can go into AI tools.

FAQ

Is Copilot in Excel free?

No. Microsoft Copilot (free) is a chat assistant in the browser, app and Edge, but Copilot inside the Excel desktop app needs an eligible plan, such as Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium for the subscription owner, or an eligible business license.

Why don't I see the Copilot button in Excel?

Microsoft says it may not be included in your subscription, or your organization may have turned it off. On a Family or Premium plan that someone shared with you, Copilot in the desktop apps is limited to the subscription owner.

Does the =COPILOT formula still work?

No. Microsoft's support page says the COPILOT function stopped working on September 14, 2026. Old results stay as cached values, but recalculated cells show #NAME?. Use the Copilot pane instead.

Can Copilot in Excel make charts and PivotTables?

Yes. Microsoft lists charts, PivotTables and shapes among the things Copilot can create and edit, with links to the source data so they stay editable.

Can I use Copilot in Excel on my phone?

Yes, in Chat mode on iPhone and Android. Microsoft says Edit mode is rolling out on iPhone and iPad, and Windows, Mac and the web have all three modes.

Sources

• Get started with Copilot in Excel (Microsoft Support)
• COPILOT function (Microsoft Support)
• What's the difference between Microsoft Copilot (free) and Copilot in Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Support)
• Frequently asked questions about Copilot in Microsoft 365 subscriptions (Microsoft Support)
• Copilot pricing plans for individuals (Microsoft)

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