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How to Use Claude in Microsoft 365 Copilot 2026: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

2026-03-10
Step-by-Step Guide March 2026

How to Use Claude in Microsoft 365 Copilot — Complete 2026 Guide

Claude is now officially available inside Microsoft 365 Copilot. As of March 2026, Microsoft has rolled out support for Anthropic's Claude models — including Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Claude 4 Opus — as an alternative to GPT-4o in Copilot for Microsoft 365. Use Claude's superior long-context reasoning directly in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook.

Expanding model choice in Microsoft 365 Copilot — Anthropic Claude now available
Expanding model choice in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 Blog
Prerequisites Before You Start
Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 subscription
Copilot for Microsoft 365 add-on license (per user)
Global Admin or Copilot Admin rights for initial setup
Current Channel or Monthly Enterprise Channel update ring
Claude availability is being rolled out gradually. If you don't see it yet, wait 24–48 hours or ask your IT admin to force a sync.

Step 01 — Admin

Enable Claude as an Admin (One-Time Setup)

02

Navigate to Settings › Copilot (or search for "Copilot" in the top bar).

03

Click Data access or AI providers for other large language models.

04

Find Anthropic in the list of available providers.

05

Check the box "I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions".

06

Click Allow provider. Changes propagate within 15–60 minutes.

How to use Anthropic Claude AI in Microsoft Copilot — admin settings panel
Enable Claude on Copilot Researcher Agent — Icewolf Blog configuration

Step 02 — User

Switch to Claude in Copilot (User Side)

01

Open any Microsoft 365 app — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, or Outlook.

02

Click the Copilot icon (usually on the right side or top ribbon).

03

In the Copilot pane, look for the model selector at the top of the panel.

04

Click the current model name and choose Claude 3.5 Sonnet or Claude 4 Opus. You're now using Claude inside Microsoft 365.

Copilot Cowork — a new way of getting work done with Claude in Microsoft 365

Step 03 — Usage

Best Use Cases & Prompt Examples

Word
  • Summarize long reports
  • Rewrite contracts with better tone
  • Generate executive summaries
Excel
  • Analyze complex datasets
  • Generate formulas and charts
  • Create variance reports
PowerPoint
  • Turn bullet points into full slide decks
  • Suggest professional layouts
Teams / Outlook
  • Summarize meeting transcripts
  • Draft professional replies
Powering Frontier Transformation with Copilot and agents — Excel AI analysis
"Summarize this 50-page report into a 1-page executive brief with key risks highlighted."
"Analyze this sales data and create a pivot table + variance chart by region."

Know Before You Go

Limitations You Should Know

Only available in Copilot for Microsoft 365 licensed tenants — personal or free plans are not supported.
Some advanced Agent features may still default to GPT-4o rather than Claude.
Regional rollout differences may apply — availability varies by geography and tenant tier.

Ready to Start Using Claude in Microsoft 365?

1. Ask your IT admin to enable Anthropic in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
2. Switch to Claude in the Copilot model selector pane.
3. Start experimenting with the prompt examples above for immediate results.
Bonus: Download our free "Claude in Microsoft 365 Quick-Start Checklist" — includes admin steps, best prompts, and troubleshooting tips.

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