Excel's Copilot Function Cut Short After Just One Year

Microsoft is discontinuing its Excel Copilot function, which was first announced in August 2025 and had been in testing for over a year. The tool allowed users to describe tasks in natural language, including as part of a formula, before receiving the results created by Copilot in their cells.

The Copilot function will be removed on September 14, 2026, as Microsoft believes Excel can already provide other ways to access similar AI capabilities. This move comes as the company makes changes to its AI platform to adapt to evolving user demands.

Despite being initially well-received for tasks such as text summarization and data categorization, the Copilot function was not launched publicly. Microsoft had warned users that it should not be used for numerical calculations or gathering information already stored inside a workbook due to legal and compliance requirements.