How to Use Copilot in Excel: 2026 Migration Guide

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Excel Copilot Function Retiring September 2026: Complete Guide (What Changes & What to Do)

TL;DR

  • The =COPILOT() worksheet formula is retiring on September 14, 2026. After that date, any cell using it will break.
  • The Copilot side pane is NOT retiring. It stays, it's Microsoft's official replacement, and it's actually more capable.
  • Action required before Sept 14: Find every =COPILOT() formula in your workbooks and either replace it or paste as values.
  • Best formula-style alternative: The =GPT() function from the GPT for Excel add-in. Best native alternative: the Copilot side pane in Microsoft 365.

⏰ As of publishing, the retirement is 9 days away. If you have any =COPILOT() formulas in active workbooks, don't wait - jump to the action plan below now.

Reviewed by Imran Khan Pathan, Editor at AI Tech Safar. Rather than relying on secondhand write-ups of this retirement, I pulled the actual Microsoft 365 Message Center notice (MC1454373, published August 14, 2026) as the primary source, and opened the Copilot side pane in my own Excel to confirm the replacement workflow described below genuinely works before recommending it to you.

Last updated: September 2026

Excel COPILOT function retiring September 14, 2026 — what changes and what to do before the deadline

What Exactly Is Retiring? (It's Not What You Think)

Let's clear this up immediately, because the headlines have caused a lot of confusion.

Only the =COPILOT() worksheet function is retiring. That's the formula you'd type directly into a cell - like =COPILOT("Classify sentiment", B2:B100). On September 14, 2026, those cells will stop working.

The Copilot side pane - the chat panel that slides out on the right - is staying. It's not going anywhere. In fact, Microsoft has been actively expanding it with new features all through 2026.

Here's the key distinction:

What's happening Status
=COPILOT() worksheet formula❌ Retiring September 14, 2026
Copilot side pane / sidebar✅ Staying - and getting better
Dynamic Action Button (DAB)✅ Staying
Microsoft 365 Copilot for Excel overall✅ Staying

One more thing worth knowing: the =COPILOT() function was never a full public release. It was only available to users in the Microsoft 365 Insider program and the Frontier program - a limited preview that never graduated to general availability. Microsoft had originally targeted a general rollout for January 2027; it scrapped that plan entirely instead. So if you never saw it in your Excel, that's why.

Why Microsoft Is Retiring the =COPILOT() Function

Microsoft's official Message Center notice (MC1454373, published August 14, 2026) frames this as streamlining the Copilot experience around a single supported interface - it doesn't spell out a detailed engineering rationale. But the reasoning is fairly clear from Microsoft's own documentation and how the tool was positioned:

  • Results weren't stable. Microsoft's own support docs acknowledged that the model behind the function could evolve, meaning the same formula could return different outputs on recalculation - a real problem for spreadsheets where reproducibility matters.
  • It only saw what you gave it. The function had no access to the rest of your workbook, enterprise data, or other files. You had to manually pass context as arguments. Microsoft explicitly advised against using it for numerical calculations or for looking up data already stored inside the workbook.
  • Rate limits were tight. You could only run 100 =COPILOT() calculations every 10 minutes.
  • It never went GA. After roughly a year in preview, Microsoft decided the side pane model was the better long-term approach - and is reportedly working toward unifying Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot into a single app going forward.

Reddit users in r/excel were blunt about it: the function had a frustratingly short lifespan, and there's no direct formula replacement coming from Microsoft. The official line is: use the Copilot side pane instead.

That said, the side pane genuinely does handle most of what =COPILOT() was used for - summarizing text, classifying data, generating content, web lookups - just through a conversational interface rather than a cell formula. Microsoft is also reportedly adding multi-agent web search to the side pane, extending its research capabilities further beyond what the formula ever offered.

Worth knowing if you also use Google Sheets: Google is still testing its own equivalent, an AI() function, through Workspace Labs/Experiments - it hasn't shipped broadly either. Microsoft trying and then walking back a formula-level AI function isn't a sign the whole category failed; it's more a signal that both companies are still figuring out whether AI belongs in a cell or in a chat pane.

What You Need to Do Before September 14, 2026

If you've been using =COPILOT() in any workbooks, here's your action plan. Don't leave this until the last minute - after the deadline, those cells will return errors.

Step 1 - Find All =COPILOT() Formulas in Your Workbook

Use Excel's built-in Find tool to locate every instance:

  1. Press Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F on Mac) to open Find & Replace.
  2. Click Options to expand the search settings.
  3. In the Find what field, type: =COPILOT(
  4. Set Look in to Formulas.
  5. Set Within to Workbook (to search all sheets at once).
  6. Click Find All.

Excel will list every cell containing the function. Click any result in the list to jump to that cell.

Pro tip: If you have multiple workbooks to check, repeat this process for each file. There's no cross-workbook search in standard Excel.

Step 2 - Replace or Convert Them

For each =COPILOT() formula, decide what to do with it:

Option A - Keep the output as a static value (most common)
If the formula already returned a useful result, just preserve that result as plain text or a number. Go to Step 3.

Option B - Rebuild the task in the Copilot side pane
If you need the AI task to stay dynamic (e.g., classifying new rows of data regularly), you'll need to run it through the Copilot side pane going forward. See the next section for how.

Option C - Switch to a third-party formula alternative
If you specifically need a cell-formula AI function, look at GPT for Excel (covered below).

Step 3 - Paste as Values to Preserve Results

This is the most important step. Once you've identified cells with =COPILOT() that you want to keep:

  1. Select the cells containing the =COPILOT() formulas.
  2. Press Ctrl + C to copy.
  3. Press Ctrl + Shift + V (or right-click → Paste Special → Values).
  4. Confirm - the formula is now replaced with its last-calculated output.

Do this before September 14, 2026. After that date, the formula will error out and you'll lose the output entirely.

How to Use the Copilot Side Pane Instead (Microsoft's Official Replacement)

This is where you'll be doing your AI work in Excel going forward. The side pane is more flexible than the formula was, and it's gotten a lot of upgrades in 2026.

How to Open Copilot in Excel

Where is Copilot in Excel? Look for the Copilot button in two places:

  • Home tab on the ribbon - there's a Copilot button on the right side.
  • Lower-right corner of the Excel window - a small Copilot icon.

Click either one and the side pane slides open on the right.

If you don't see it, jump to the troubleshooting section below.

What the Copilot Side Pane Can Do

The side pane handles everything =COPILOT() did, plus a lot more:

  • Summarize data - "Summarize the key trends in this table"
  • Classify or tag content - "Label each row in column B as Positive, Negative, or Neutral"
  • Generate content - "Write a product description based on the specs in A2:A8"
  • Web lookups - "Look up the current headquarters of each company in column A" - now backed by multi-agent web search for deeper research
  • Formula suggestions - "Write a formula to calculate the 90-day rolling average of column C"
  • Chart creation - "Create a bar chart comparing Q1 and Q2 revenue by region"
  • Python analysis - Ask Copilot to write and run Python code directly in your workbook (requires Python in Excel)
  • Agent Mode - Multi-step autonomous tasks: "Clean this dataset, remove duplicates, and build a pivot table summary" (GA on Windows and Mac since January 2026)

The pane also keeps a chat history, so you can scroll back through what you asked and what it did.

Where Is Copilot in Excel? (Troubleshooting if Not Showing)

Copilot not showing in Excel is one of the most common complaints. Here's what to check:

  • License check: Copilot requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. For work/school accounts, you need a Microsoft Copilot add-on license. For personal accounts, you need Microsoft 365 Premium. Check File → Account to confirm what's assigned to your account.
  • Update Excel: Go to File → Account → Update Options → Update Now. An outdated build is a common culprit.
  • Save to the cloud: The workbook must be saved to OneDrive or SharePoint with AutoSave turned on. Local-only files often won't show Copilot features.
  • Sign in with the right account: Make sure you're signed into Excel with the account that has the Copilot license - not a personal Microsoft account if your license is through work.
  • Convert to a Table: Select your data range and press Ctrl + T to format it as an Excel Table. Copilot works much better with structured tables.

If you've checked all of the above and Copilot is still missing, your IT admin may have disabled it at the tenant level - worth raising with them.

Best Excel Copilot Alternatives in 2026

If the side pane doesn't fit your workflow - or you specifically need a cell-formula approach - here's how the main options compare.

Tool What It Does Price Best For
Microsoft 365 Copilot Side PaneChat-based AI assistant built into ExcelIncluded with M365 Copilot licenseMost users - native, no setup
GPT for Excel (=GPT() function)AI cell formulas: =GPT(), =GPT_TRANSLATE(), =GPT_CLASSIFY()Free tier + paid plans from ~$19/moUsers who need formula-style AI in cells
ChatGPT for Excel (OpenAI add-in)OpenAI-powered add-in with workbook chatRequires ChatGPT Plus or API keyOpenAI ecosystem users
Python in Excel with CopilotCopilot writes Python code; runs natively in ExcelIncluded with M365 Copilot licenseData analysis, advanced transformations

GPT for Excel (=GPT() Function)

This is the closest drop-in replacement for the =COPILOT() formula syntax. The GPT for Excel add-in (from GPT for Work) lets you write formulas like:

  • =GPT("Summarize this feedback", A2) - same pattern as =COPILOT()
  • =GPT_TRANSLATE(A2, "French") - dedicated translation function
  • =GPT_CLASSIFY(A2, "Positive, Negative, Neutral") - sentiment classification

You install it from the Microsoft AppSource marketplace. It uses your own OpenAI API key, so you control the model and costs. It's not a Microsoft product, but it's the most direct formula-level excel copilot alternative available right now.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Side Pane

For most people, this is the right answer. It's built in, it's supported, and Microsoft is actively investing in it. The side pane handles the same classification, summarization, and generation tasks - you just prompt it conversationally instead of writing a formula.

Python in Excel with Copilot

This one's underrated. If you're doing data analysis, you can ask Copilot to write Python code that runs directly in your spreadsheet using the =PY() function. It's genuinely powerful for things like statistical analysis, data cleaning, and visualization - tasks where =COPILOT() was never the right tool anyway.

Excel AI Features You Should Be Using Instead (2026 Upgrades)

While the =COPILOT() formula is going away, Excel's AI capabilities have actually expanded significantly this year. Here's what's new and worth knowing:

  • Agent Mode (GA January 2026): Available on Windows, Mac, and Excel for the web. You give Copilot a multi-step goal and it works through it autonomously - opening menus, applying formulas, creating charts - without you clicking through each step.
  • Step-by-step reasoning: Copilot now shows its reasoning process as it works, so you can follow along and catch mistakes.
  • GPT-5.6 and Claude Opus 5 support (July 2026): Microsoft 365 Copilot now lets you choose between frontier models, including GPT-5.6 and Claude Opus 5, depending on your task.
  • Multi-agent web search: Copilot's web-lookup capability is being extended with multiple coordinated search agents for deeper, more thorough research directly inside your workbook.
  • Python from Copilot: Ask Copilot in plain English to write and run Python analysis directly in your workbook.
  • Power BI grounding: Copilot can now pull context from connected Power BI reports to answer questions about your data.
  • Financial data connectors: For finance professionals, Copilot in Excel now connects to CB Insights, PitchBook, FactSet, Morningstar, and S&P Global - pulling live market and company data directly into your workbook.
  • Inline citations: Copilot now shows source references when it pulls information from the web.
  • Dynamic Action Button (DAB): A newer, more contextual entry point for triggering Copilot actions directly where you're working, alongside the side pane.

Microsoft is also reportedly working toward unifying Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot into a single app - part of a broader simplification of how AI is accessed across Microsoft 365, not just in Excel.

How to Enable Copilot in Excel (Requirements & Setup)

Here's exactly how to get Copilot in Excel if you don't have it yet - and what you need.

License requirements:

  • Work or school account: Requires a Microsoft Copilot add-on license assigned by your IT admin, on top of a qualifying Microsoft 365 or Office 365 business/enterprise plan.
  • Personal account: Requires Microsoft 365 Premium (the top personal tier).
  • Microsoft 365 Personal/Family: Standard plans don't include Copilot. You need Premium or a separate AI credits plan.

Setup steps:

  1. Confirm your license - Go to File → Account and check what subscription is shown. If you're unsure, ask your IT admin or check your Microsoft account at account.microsoft.com.
  2. Update Excel - Go to File → Account → Update Options → Update Now. Copilot requires a recent build.
  3. Sign in with the licensed account - Make sure the account shown in File → Account matches the one with the Copilot license.
  4. Save to OneDrive or SharePoint - Open the workbook you want to use Copilot with and save it to the cloud. Turn on AutoSave.
  5. Format data as a Table - Select your data, press Ctrl + T, and confirm. This isn't strictly required but Copilot works much more reliably with structured tables.
  6. Click the Copilot button - Look on the Home tab in the ribbon. Click it and the side pane opens.

If your organization uses Microsoft 365 Copilot for Excel under an enterprise plan, your IT admin controls rollout - you may need to request access if it hasn't been enabled for your account.

How to Turn Off Copilot in Excel (If You Don't Want It)

If you'd rather not have Copilot in your Excel at all, you have a few options depending on your situation.

For individual users:

  • You can't fully uninstall Copilot if it's part of your subscription, but you can simply ignore the button. It doesn't run in the background unless you open it.
  • If the Copilot icon is cluttering your ribbon, right-click the ribbon → Customize the Ribbon → find and remove the Copilot button from the Home tab.

For IT admins (organization-wide):

  • Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps can be controlled via the Microsoft 365 admin center. Admins can disable Copilot features for specific users or groups without removing the license.
  • Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center → Settings → Org settings → Copilot to manage availability.

For the =COPILOT() function specifically:

  • It's already going away on September 14, 2026. No action needed to turn it off - just make sure you've migrated your existing formulas before then.

FAQ

What exactly is the Excel Copilot retiring on September 14, 2026?

Only the =COPILOT() worksheet formula is retiring. The Copilot side pane - the chat assistant that opens on the right - is staying and is Microsoft's official replacement.

How do I use Copilot in Excel after the formula retires?

Open the Copilot side pane by clicking the Copilot button on the Home tab. Type your request in plain English - "Classify the sentiment in column B" or "Summarize the data in this table" - and Copilot handles it from there.

How do I add Copilot to Excel if I don't have it?

You need a qualifying Microsoft 365 license (Microsoft 365 Premium for personal use, or a Copilot add-on license for work accounts). Once licensed, update Excel, save your file to OneDrive, and the Copilot button will appear on the Home tab.

Where is Copilot in Excel on my screen?

Look for the Copilot button on the far right of the Home tab in the ribbon. There's also a small Copilot icon in the lower-right corner of the Excel window. Click either to open the side pane.

How do I get Copilot in Excel if the button isn't showing?

Check four things: (1) your account has a qualifying Copilot license, (2) Excel is fully updated, (3) the workbook is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint with AutoSave on, and (4) you're signed in with the licensed account. If all four are true and it's still missing, contact your IT admin.

Why is Copilot not showing in Excel even though I have a Microsoft 365 subscription?

Standard Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans don't include Copilot - you need the Premium tier or a separate Copilot add-on. Also check that your workbook is saved to the cloud, not just locally.

Is there a formula replacement for =COPILOT() after it retires?

Microsoft isn't providing a direct formula replacement. Their official recommendation is the Copilot side pane. If you specifically need a cell-formula AI function, the GPT for Excel add-in (which uses =GPT() syntax) is the closest third-party alternative.

Can I turn off Copilot in Excel if I don't want it?

Individual users can remove the Copilot button from the ribbon via Customize the Ribbon. IT admins can disable Copilot for specific users or groups through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

What is the best Excel Copilot alternative for formula-based AI tasks?

GPT for Excel (from GPT for Work) is the most direct alternative. It uses =GPT(), =GPT_TRANSLATE(), and =GPT_CLASSIFY() functions with the same cell-formula syntax as =COPILOT(). You connect it to your own OpenAI API key.

What is Microsoft 365 Copilot for Excel and what's new in 2026?

Microsoft 365 Copilot for Excel is the AI assistant built into Excel as part of qualifying M365 subscriptions. In 2026, it gained Agent Mode (January), step-by-step reasoning, Python code generation, GPT-5.6 and Claude Opus 5 model support (July), financial data connectors (CB Insights, PitchBook, FactSet, Morningstar, S&P Global), multi-agent web search, Power BI grounding, and inline citations.

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