India, June 22 -- The Copilot button disappearing from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint can feel like one of those random Office glitches. But for many Microsoft 365 users, it is a planned change. Microsoft is now tying the in-app Copilot experience more closely to paid licenses, company size, and admin settings.

That means basic Copilot access does not always bring the familiar button back inside Office apps. You may still find Copilot in the browser, Outlook, Edge, or the Microsoft 365 app, but Word and Excel are now a different story.

Microsoft removed the in-app Copilot button for many users on Basic or unlicensed Copilot access from April 15, 2026. These users may still have access to Copilot Chat in places such as the browser, the Micro...