Claude for Microsoft 365: using Claude in Word, Excel and Outlook
Claude for Microsoft 365 is a set of Anthropic add-ins that put Claude in a side panel inside Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. The Excel, Word and PowerPoint add-ins became generally available on 7 May 2026, and the Outlook add-in is in beta. They work on all paid Claude plans, install from Microsoft AppSource, and carry one conversation across apps so context follows a task from inbox to spreadsheet to slides.
What is Claude for Microsoft 365?
Claude for Microsoft 365 is Anthropic’s set of Office add-ins. Each one opens a Claude panel inside the app, where you can ask about the document, spreadsheet, slides or email in front of you and ask Claude to make changes. It is an Anthropic product that uses your Claude subscription; it is separate from Microsoft’s own Copilot, which can also use Anthropic models as one of its engines. For the wider product family, see what Claude is.
What can Claude do in each app?
- Excel: Explain formulas and any cell, update assumptions without breaking dependent formulas, and build models from a description. Changed cells are highlighted.
- Word: Draft and edit documents and review contracts with tracked changes you accept or reject.
- PowerPoint: Create slides from notes or documents and restructure existing decks.
- Outlook (beta): Triage an inbox, summarise long threads and attachments, and draft replies that wait unsent for you to review.
Feature details come from Anthropic’s Claude for Microsoft 365 page and Inventive HQ’s admin guide.
How does cross-app context work?
The add-ins share one conversation. You can start with a client email in Outlook, ask Claude to update the related Excel model, then draft a Word memo and a PowerPoint summary, without re-explaining the task each time. Cross-app working requires signing in with a Claude account directly; it is not supported when the add-ins connect through Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud Vertex AI, Azure AI Foundry or an LLM gateway, according to Anthropic’s help centre.
What do you need to use it?
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Claude plan | Any paid plan: Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise |
| Install | Two Microsoft AppSource listings: one for Excel, Word and PowerPoint, one for Outlook (beta) |
| Platforms | Windows and Mac desktop, plus web versions where supported |
| Admin deployment | Microsoft 365 Admin Center, scoped to users or groups |
| Microsoft licence | Uses your existing Microsoft 365 apps; no extra Microsoft charge for the add-in |
How should a team roll it out?
- Pick a pilot group: Choose people who live in Excel, Word or Outlook, such as finance or account managers.
- Deploy from the Admin Center: Scope the add-in to a security group rather than the whole tenant.
- Agree review rules: For example, every Claude change to a client document is checked before sending.
- Run real tasks for four weeks: Model updates, contract reviews, inbox triage.
- Measure and expand: Compare time spent and quality against the usual way of working.
How does it compare with Microsoft Copilot?
Many organisations will use both: Copilot for tenant-wide search and Teams, and Claude for document-heavy analysis and drafting. Our comparison of ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini covers the assistants more broadly.
What prompts work well in each app?
- Excel: “Explain how the margin in column F is calculated and flag any errors.”
- Excel: “Add a scenario with 15% lower volume and show the effect on profit.”
- Word: “Review this contract against our standard terms and mark changes.”
- Word: “Shorten this proposal to two pages without losing the pricing section.”
- PowerPoint: “Turn this memo into six slides with one chart per section.”
- Outlook: “Which emails this week need a reply from me today?”
Specific prompts that name cells, sections or outcomes produce more reliable results than general requests. Ask Claude to explain its changes, so reviewers can check them quickly.
What about security and data?
The add-ins work with the content you open and the permissions of your account. On Team and Enterprise plans, Claude’s commercial terms state that customer content is not used to train models by default; check the terms for your plan. Admins can restrict who has access through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, and organisations that route Claude through a cloud provider can keep traffic within that provider, at the cost of cross-app context.
What are the limits?
- Outlook is still in beta, and its add-in drafts but does not send email on its own
- Claude works on the file you have open; it does not trigger automatically
- Cross-app context does not work through cloud-provider connections
- Output still needs checking, especially numbers and legal wording
For Microsoft’s own assistant and how it compares with ChatGPT on price and fit, read Microsoft Copilot vs ChatGPT.
How UIUX Studio helps
We help teams plan AI rollouts in Microsoft 365, from pilot design and review rules to custom agents that connect Office with other systems. Talk to our Agentic AI & Automation and technology advisory teams.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude for Microsoft 365 free?
It is included with paid Claude plans; it is not available on the free plan.
Is the Outlook add-in finished?
It is in beta; Excel, Word and PowerPoint are generally available.
Does Claude send emails for me?
The Outlook add-in drafts replies that wait unsent for you to review.
Can admins deploy it centrally?
Yes, through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
Is this the same as Copilot using Claude?
No. These are Anthropic’s add-ins; Copilot is Microsoft’s product, which can use Anthropic models.