Summary
- Microsoft is changing how admins control Anthropic model access for Copilot in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in the Microsoft Admin Center.
- The existing Copilot in M365 apps with Anthropic models setting is being elevated into a clearer top-level option under a new heading.
- Several setting labels are being renamed to better distinguish access for Microsoft 365 apps only versus all Copilot and generative AI experiences.
- Previous tenant settings will map to the new names automatically, with no expected service disruption.
- Admins should review the migrated settings to confirm the new configuration still matches business requirements.
Primary Service: M365 Copilot
Admin Impact: Low
User Impact: Low
Release Start: 15 Sept 2026
Release End: 15 Sept 2026
Services: Admin, Excel, M365, M365 Apps, M365 Copilot, PowerPoint, Word
Category: Stay informed
Tags: Admin Action, New Feature
History
9/21/2026 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
In May, we introduced the “Copilot in M365 apps with Anthropic models” setting in the Microsoft Admin Center to give admins more flexibility on model choice. When this setting was enabled, Anthropic models were available by default for Copilot in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Starting today, we’re rolling out additional improvements to this experience to ensure its clear which users have access to Anthropic models in various scenarios. First, we are elevating the “Copilot in M365 apps with Anthropic models” toggle to a top-level option under the “Choose which users can access Anthropic models” heading called “All Users for Microsoft 365 apps only”. Our intent here is to make it even more clear that enabling Anthropic models for Copilot in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is a distinct option that admins can choose. Second, we are renaming several of the options to further improve clarity.
More details on how the previous setting names relate to the new setting names can be found in the table below.
| Previous Setting | New Setting | User Experience |
|---|---|---|
| All users | All users for all Copilot and generative AI experiences | Anthropic models are available across all Microsoft offerings where they have been deployed for all users in your tenant. |
| No users with “Copilot in M365 apps with Anthropic models” checked | All users for Microsoft 365 apps only | Anthropic models are available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for all users in your tenant. |
| Specific users and groups | Specific users and groups for all Copilot and generative AI experiences | Anthropic models are available across all Microsoft offerings where they have been deployed for all the specified users/groups. |
| No users | No users | Anthropic models are not available to any users in your tenant. |
Rollout schedule
Global: We will begin rolling out on mid-September 2026 and expect to complete by mid-September 2026.
Impact on your organization
There should not be any impact to your organization, as this is purely a UX change. Your previous settings will map to the new settings as outlined above.
Action required / Recommendations
Please review your settings after this migration to ensure that they continue to meet your business needs.