How do I enable Copilot in Microsoft 365?
Enabling Copilot in Microsoft 365 depends on your organisation’s subscription and setup. Here’s a clear breakdown of what you need to do:
- Pre-requisites:
- Licensing. You need a Microsoft 365 Copilot license (separate from your standard Microsoft 365 E3/E5 or Business Standard/Premium subscription). Copilot is currently available for Enterprise (E3/E5) and Business (Standard/Premium) customers.
- Apps and Services. Ensure users can access the apps Copilot works in (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, OneNote, etc.). Some advanced features (like security or compliance integration) require Microsoft 365 E5 or add-ons.
- Data Security and Compliance. Review your information protection, data governance, and access policies, because Copilot uses your Microsoft Graph data (emails, chats, files, calendar, etc.).
- Steps to enable Copilot:
- Purchase and Assign Licenses.
- Go to the Microsoft 365 admin centre → Billing → Purchase services.
- Search for Microsoft 365 Copilot and purchase licenses.
- Assign licenses to users via Users → Active users → Select a user → Licenses and apps → Enable Copilot.
- Check Admin Settings.
- In the admin centre, ensure apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams are included in user subscriptions.
- Confirm your cloud storage (OneDrive/SharePoint) is set up correctly so Copilot can access files.
- Configure Security and Compliance (Recommended).
- Review sensitivity labels, DLP policies, and conditional access in Microsoft Purview to ensure Copilot respects your organisation’s compliance needs.
- It is highly recommended that you work with information protection and compliance specialists like Professional Advantage to ensure that you cover all the bases in securing your data before rolling out Copilot. Check out our information management and compliance solution here.
- Rollout and Training.
- Purchase and Assign Licenses.