Do you have suggestions to help me get started?
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Make sure that your data is in a supported format such as a table. For more details, see Format data for Copilot in Excel.
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Make sure your data is in the selected content that you want Microsoft 365 Copilot to use.
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Leverage the prompt guide button for tips and to select what type of question you want to ask.
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Be specific with your questions - the more detail you provide, the better Microsoft 365 Copilot can help. This includes clearly specifying the column headers you want to reference for formatting or analysis queries. See Cooking up a great prompt: Getting the most from Copilot for more tips on how to create great prompts.
Why does Copilot in Excel still say "Preview" on it?
Copilot in Excel has reached general availability, but if you still have an older version of Excel it could still say "Preview". To resolve this, try checking for Microsoft updates by going to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
These versions of Excel should no longer say "Preview" on them:
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Windows: Version 2407 (Build 17830.2210) or later
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Mac: Version 16.89 (24090815) or later
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iPad: Version 2.89.24090210 or later
If you're not sure what version of Microsoft 365 you're running see What version of Office am I using?
What languages does Copilot in Excel understand?
Copilot in Excel understands prompts in a number of languages. Copilot was trained on public sources predominantly in English and may not work as well in scenarios where prompts or data are not in English.
See Microsoft Copilot supported languages for more details.
Copilot in Excel can only be used with Excel files (.xlsx, .xlsb, or .xlsm) saved to OneDrive or Microsoft 365 SharePoint locations with AutoSave turned on.
Why don't I have the Copilot button available in the ribbon?
Microsoft 365 Copilot has specific requirements for app version, license, network, and privacy settings. If you don't have Copilot available in the ribbon and you think you should have it, verify that you meet the Microsoft 365 Copilot requirements.
If you do meet those requirements, check How to find and enable missing Copilot button in Microsoft 365 apps for more troubleshooting tips.
Is the size of my workbook too large to use Copilot?
Copilot in Excel works for Excel tables of up to two million cells. Some skills like formula column suggestions, highlight, sort, and filter do not have a limit on the amount of data you can interact with. However, it can take a long time, even 30 seconds or more, to get a response from Copilot when interacting with large tables.
Can I trust Microsoft 365 Copilot's insights and formulas?
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Microsoft 365 Copilot generates insights and formulas and explains them in a fluent, grammatically correct way, but the content it generates can be inaccurate or inappropriate. It can't understand meaning or evaluate accuracy, so be sure to read over what it writes, and use your judgment. Please report any objectionable content so that we can continue to improve the feature.
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As with any AI-generated content, it's a great start, but we know that the decisions you make in Excel have a big impact. This makes it critical for you to review, edit, and verify anything Microsoft 365 Copilot creates for you.
Is the content original?
Microsoft 365 Copilot generates content based on language patterns it has found throughout the internet. Sometimes its results will be very similar to existing internet content. Or, Microsoft 365 Copilot might generate the same or very similar content for multiple people who are prompting Microsoft 365 Copilot in the same way.
Where can I learn more about privacy?
Copilot and Microsoft 365 are built on Microsoft's comprehensive approach to security, compliance, and privacy.
For more information about privacy, see the following information:
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If you’re using Microsoft 365 Copilot in your organization (with your work or school account), see Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
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If you're using Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps for home as part of Copilot Pro (with your personal Microsoft account), see Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps for home: your data and privacy.
How was Copilot in Excel evaluated?
Copilot in Excel was evaluated through extensive manual and automatic testing on top of Microsoft internal usage and public data. More evaluation was performed over custom datasets for offensive and malicious prompts (user questions) and responses. In addition, Copilot in Excel is constantly evaluated with user online feedback.
What operational factors and settings allow for effective and responsible use of Copilot in Excel?
Copilot in Excel currently cannot be customized through the Microsoft 365 admin center. You can choose what questions to ask Copilot based on your needs.
Where can I learn more about Microsoft's commitment to responsible AI?
Microsoft has been on a responsible AI journey since 2017, when we defined our principles and approach to ensuring this technology is used in a way that is driven by ethical principles that put people first. Read more about our responsible AI journey, the ethical principles that guide us, and the tooling and capabilities we've created to assure that we develop AI technology responsibly.
