How do I use Excel WITHOUT AI?

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, disable Copilot through File > Options > Copilot, clear Enable Copilot, select OK, and restart Excel.^1^

Disable Copilot only in Excel

1. Open the Excel desktop application.
2. Select File > Options.
3. Select Copilot in the left pane.
4. Clear Enable Copilot.
5. Select OK.
6. Close and reopen Excel.

This disables the Copilot ribbon button and Copilot capabilities in Excel on that Windows device. It does not disable Copilot in Word, PowerPoint, or Excel on another device; each application and device has its own setting.^1^

This option requires:

• Excel for Microsoft 365 Version 2501 or later on Windows
• Excel signed in with a personal Microsoft account

Microsoft states that this setting is not available when signed in with a work or school account. It also cannot be used in Excel for the web, iOS, or Android.^1^

If the Copilot option is missing

For an older Windows build or a personal-account installation without the checkbox:

1. In Excel, select File > Account.
2. Under Account Privacy, select Manage Settings.
3. Under Connected experiences, clear Turn on experiences that analyze your content.
4. Select OK.
5. Close and reopen Excel.

Changing this in one Microsoft 365 application applies it to the other applications the next time they open.^1^

This is a broader control: in addition to Copilot, it disables other cloud-backed features that analyze content, including features such as Word text predictions, PowerPoint Designer, suggested replies, and automatic alternative text. Microsoft 365 separates these from connected experiences that download online content.^2^

Avoid turning off all connected experiences unless that is specifically wanted. That broader setting can also affect document co-authoring and online file storage, although essential services such as licensing remain active.^2^

Important distinction

Removing the Copilot icon from Excel’s ribbon only hides that button; it does not disable Copilot because it may remain accessible elsewhere. Likewise, uninstalling the separate Windows Copilot application does not replace the Excel-specific setting. Use the Excel checkbox or, when unavailable, the connected-experiences privacy control.^1^

If Excel is signed in with a work or school account and these controls are absent or locked, the organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator must manage the relevant connected-experience policy; disabling connected experiences in Office makes Microsoft 365 Copilot unavailable in affected applications.^3^

References

1. Turn off Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps | Microsoft Support
2. Connected experiences in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Support
3. Use policy settings to manage privacy controls for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise