Short Version
Copilot Chat will soon be available as a side-by-side experience in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote for users without a Copilot licence. Due late June to September.
Details
Microsoft is adding Copilot Chat in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote for users without a Copilot license, if they have a commercial Microsoft 365 license.
Copilot Chat will open in the side pane when you open a file:
You will be able to manage this behaviour in each app’s settings:
The important part is that your organisation must have ‘Pin Copilot Chat in Microsoft 365 apps’ selected in the admin centre:
Microsoft: “Copilot Chat in the apps will respect the most recent user state (open or closed) when opening a file”.
Availability
Outlook for Web, new Outlook for Windows, and classic Outlook for Windows: from late June 2025.
Outlook for Mac: From mid-July 2025.
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote (Web, Mac, Windows): From mid-July 2025. Current Channel rollout will start in late July mid-August. Monthly Enterprise Channel rollout will be included as part of Patch Tuesday in September.
Source, related links, and references
MC1096218.
365 Roadmap ID 494830.
Image(s): Microsoft.
Page originally published
24th June 2025 and kept up to date.
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