Microsoft is dropping its Excel Copilot function after only a year - and without ever getting a full public launch

Microsoft Excel is pulling the COPILOT () function Function allowed users to describe tasks in natural language, including as part of a formula It never reached public launch, and has now been overtaken by other tools Microsoft is dropping its COPILOT function in Excel as part of its wide-ranging ov

<![CDATA[ <article> <ul><li><strong>Microsoft Excel is pulling the COPILOT () function</strong></li><li><strong>Function allowed users to describe tasks in natural language, including as part of a formula</strong></li><li><strong>It never reached public launch, and has now been overtaken by other tools</strong></li></ul><p>Microsoft is dropping its COPILOT function in Excel as part of its wide-ranging overhauls to the AI platform.</p><p>In a <a href="https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_178695634230613&key=62dc9475db2e811f00ac38bafaa57c07&libId=mswz0qbw0103xta3000UL5jpp9rywitoj&loc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neowin.net%2Fnews%2Fmicrosoft-kills-off-copilot-function-in-excel%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfeedly&v=1&out=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.microsoft.com%2F%23%2FMessageCenter%2F%3A%2Fmessages%2FMC1454373&title=Microsoft%20kills%20off%20COPILOT%20function%20in%20Excel%20-%20Neowin&txt=decision" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Message Center alert</a>, the company warned users that the tool will be pulled on September 14, 2026.</p><p>First <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/no-escape-from-ai-now-microsoft-is-shoving-copilot-into-every-excel-cell" target="_blank">announced in August 2025</a> and originally set for launch in January 2027, the tool has been in testing for over a year with Frontier and Insider users, but Microsoft has apparently decided not to move forward with its service.</p><div style="min-height: 250px;"> <div class="kwizly-quiz kwizly-X1ljAO"></div> </div> <script src="https://kwizly.com/embed/X1ljAO.js" async></script><h2 id="copilot-dismissed">Copilot dismissed</h2><p>At launch, Microsoft had described the COPILOT () function as helping users to describe tasks in natural language, including as part of a formula, before receiving the results created by Copilot, in their cells, without needing to open up a separate Copilot window</p><p>It proved an initial hit for tasks such as text summarization, classification, content generation, and looking up information on the Internet.</p><p>Some examples of =COPILOT's use cases include summarizing customer feedback, categorizing data, integrating external knowledge and formatting.</p><p>In its most simple form, a function might look like "=COPILOT(prompt_part1, [context1])" – though context is optional.</p><p>Microsoft did say the function should not be used for numerical calculations, which might have been a major use cases for many - as well as saying users should avoid using it for gathering and finding information already stored inside a workbook or for content subject due to legal and compliance requirements.</p><p>So what's next? Microsoft explained that it is removing the COPILOT() function as it believes Excel cam already provide other, more effective ways to access the same AI capabilities.</p><p>Users can continue working with Copilot through both the Copilot side panel and the floating Dynamic Action Button (DAB), making a dedicated function slightly redundant. </p><p>The move comes as Microsoft makes a number of <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/plenty-of-ai-tools-claim-to-be-built-for-finance-microsoft-365-copilot-in-excel-is-proving-it-in-practice-microsoft-is-fuelling-up-excel-with-lots-more-ai-tools-for-finance-workers" target="_blank">changes to AI capabilities within Excel</a> as user demands continue to evolve and change.</p><p>This includes a new update to Copilot in Excel aimed specifically at finance workers, positioning the spreadsheet software as an AI-powered tool for financial modelling, forecasting and reporting.</p><p>Via <a href="https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-kills-off-copilot-function-in-excel/?utm_source=feedly" target="_blank"><em>Neowin</em></a></p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:676px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:31.51%;"><img id="diM9tpwF2Lz85R8q85CT78" name="tr-g_news" alt="Google logo on a black background next to text reading 'Click to follow TechRadar'" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/diM9tpwF2Lz85R8q85CT78.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="676" height="213" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div></figure> </article> ]]>