App Skills in Excel will be retired

Introduction

As part of ongoing improvements to the Microsoft 365 Copilot experience, App Skills in Excel will be retired. Capabilities previously accessed through App Skills are being consolidated into Agent Mode in Excel, offering a more streamlined and integrated way to perform tasks directly on the grid. This change simplifies the user experience and aligns with our goal of delivering consistent, intelligent assistance across Excel.

Screenshot 1: App Skills option will be removed

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early December 2025 and is expected to complete by late February 2026.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected

All users of Excel with access to Microsoft 365 Copilot.

What will happen

• App Skills in Excel will be removed from supported versions.
• Users will no longer be able to access App Skills via the Copilot chat pane.
• Agent Mode in Excel will begin rolling out to supported versions, offering similar and expanded capabilities.

What you can do to prepare

No admin action is required at this time.

• Encourage users to explore alternative solutions within Excel including using M365 Copilot Chat.
• Recommend trying Agent Mode in Excel once it becomes available.
• Communicate this change to helpdesk or support staff.
• Update internal documentation if App Skills are referenced.

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.