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Word, Excel and PowerPoint Inside Copilot: What Microsoft’s New Copilot Means for Office Users
On 25 September 2026, Microsoft announced the biggest change to how people use Office since the move to the cloud. Full versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint now run inside the Copilot app, next to the AI chat. Instead of opening Word and then asking Copilot for help, you can start in Copilot and have the document appear right beside the conversation.
This article explains what the new Copilot includes, who gets it and when, what it costs in the UK, and what it means if you own a one-time-purchase version such as Office 2024.
The short answer
- The new Copilot app has three areas: Home (chat plus the Cowork agent), Code (build simple apps by describing them) and Autopilot (always-on agents that work in the cloud).
- Office in Copilot puts full Word, Excel and PowerPoint inside the app. It is rolling out first to members of Microsoft’s Frontier early-access programme, which Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium subscribers can opt into.
- You can choose which AI answers: OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude Opus, or an Auto mode.
- All of this needs a Microsoft 365 subscription. Office 2024 does not include Copilot – but it keeps working and opens every file Copilot creates.
What Microsoft announced
The new Copilot brings together three things that used to be separate:
- Home combines the familiar Copilot chat with Cowork, Microsoft’s agent for longer, multi-step tasks such as researching a topic and turning it into a report.
- Code lets you build small apps and tools by describing what you want in plain English. It starts in the Frontier programme, with a preview for Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers planned for later in 2026.
- Autopilot sets up agents that keep working in the cloud, even when your computer is switched off. It is moving into private preview.
The headline feature is Office in Copilot. Word, Excel and PowerPoint open inside the Copilot window, so you can ask for a draft, edit it in the real app and share it without switching programmes. Microsoft stresses that this is not a simplified viewer. Jacob Andreou, who leads Copilot at Microsoft, put it this way: “this is full-blown Office.” Changes made in Copilot appear in the normal Office apps too, so colleagues can keep working the way they always have.
Copilot also gets a model picker. You can let it use OpenAI’s GPT models, Anthropic’s Claude Opus, or an Auto mode that chooses for each request. Microsoft has been adding Anthropic’s models to Copilot step by step; the model picker now makes that choice visible to everyone.
Who gets it, and when
| Feature | Who | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Office in Copilot | Frontier programme members – including Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium subscribers who opt in – and businesses with a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence that opt in | Rolling out over the coming weeks |
| Code | Frontier programme first, then Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers | Early access now, consumer preview later in 2026 |
| Autopilot | Selected customers | Private preview |
Microsoft has not announced a separate UK date. As with most Copilot features, expect a gradual rollout rather than a single launch day.
What it costs in the UK
Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook is included in three consumer plans:
- Microsoft 365 Personal: £8.49 a month or £84.99 a year, for one person.
- Microsoft 365 Family: £10.49 a month or £104.99 a year, for up to six people – but the AI features are for the subscription owner only.
- Microsoft 365 Premium: £18.99 a month or £189.99 a year, with the most AI usage.
Businesses pay for a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence per user on top of their Microsoft 365 plan; in the US that is $30 per user per month. Microsoft is also adding usage-based billing for intensive agent work – Cowork, Code, Autopilot and the newest frontier models – and plans to bring it to consumer subscriptions later in 2026. In practice, that means normal use is covered by the subscription and heavy agent use may cost extra.
What it means if you own Office 2024
If you bought Office 2024 – or still use Office 2021 – nothing changes on your PC. Your apps keep working with no subscription. You simply do not get the Copilot features inside them, and Office in Copilot is a Microsoft 365 feature.
What you can still do:
- Use AI next to your apps. The free Copilot app, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini all work in the browser. You can ask them for text, formulas or slide outlines and paste the results into Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Our comparison of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot helps you pick one.
- Open AI-made files normally. Documents, workbooks and decks created with Copilot or any other assistant are standard .docx, .xlsx and .pptx files. Office 2024 opens and edits them like any other file.
- Decide per person. Many businesses give Microsoft 365 Copilot to the few people who use it every day and permanent Office licences to everyone else.
Office 2024 or Microsoft 365 in the Copilot era?
| Choose Office 2024 if… | Choose Microsoft 365 if… |
|---|---|
| you want to pay once and own your licence | you want AI built into Word, Excel and Outlook |
| you use AI occasionally and are happy to use it in a separate app | you use Copilot every day and want Office in Copilot |
| you need predictable costs with no price changes | you also want OneDrive cloud storage included |
| you work offline or on PCs that should not depend on cloud services | you are happy with a monthly or yearly subscription |
There is no wrong answer. The subscription buys convenience and AI, the permanent licence buys independence and lower long-term cost. Our detailed guide to Office 2024 vs Microsoft 365 runs through the numbers.
Prefer to pay once?
Office 2024 gives you the full desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook with a permanent licence – and it opens every file that Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini creates. TheUnitySoft delivers genuine licences by email straight after payment.
Office 2024 Professional Plus → · Office 2024 Standard → · Office for Mac →
Frequently asked questions
What is Office in Copilot?
Office in Copilot runs full versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint inside the Microsoft Copilot app, so you can create and edit files next to the AI chat without switching programmes. Microsoft announced it on 25 September 2026.
Is Office in Copilot free?
No. It is part of Microsoft 365: consumers get it with Personal, Family or Premium (initially through the Frontier programme), and businesses need a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence. The free Copilot app offers AI chat but not the Office features.
Does Office 2024 get the new Copilot features?
No. Office 2024 is a one-time purchase without built-in Copilot. It keeps working without a subscription and opens files created with Copilot or any other AI assistant.
Can I choose between GPT and Claude in Copilot?
Yes. The new Copilot lets you pick OpenAI’s GPT models, Anthropic’s Claude Opus, or an Auto mode that chooses for each request.
When does Office in Copilot arrive in the UK?
Microsoft has not given a UK-specific date. It is rolling out to members of the Frontier early-access programme over the coming weeks, and Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium subscribers can opt into Frontier.
Do I still need the normal Office apps?
Yes. Office in Copilot works alongside the desktop and web apps, and changes appear in both. For offline work, complex layouts and macros, the full desktop apps remain the best tool.
Sources: Microsoft – Introducing the new Copilot with Home, Code and Autopilot, GeekWire – Microsoft unveils all-in-one Copilot app, Microsoft 365 plans (UK). Last updated: 8 October 2026.
