Short answer: Yes — there is a free version of Microsoft Copilot, and in 2026 it is more capable than ever.
But not everything is included.
What you get depends on where you use Copilot and which features you need.
What You Get with Copilot for Free
You can use Microsoft Copilot at no cost in several environments, all running on current AI models:
- Copilot on the Web (copilot.microsoft.com)
Chat, ask questions, get real-time web answers, write content, brainstorm, or create images. All for free. - Copilot in Windows
Use the Copilot app or sidebar to ask questions, draft text, or summarize content instantly. - Copilot in the Edge Browser
Summarize websites, brainstorm ideas, or draft emails directly from the sidebar. - Copilot Apps for iOS & Android
Take your Copilot features with you, right on your phone, including voice input.
With a signed-in Microsoft account you also keep chat history, use voice, and generate images. All of this is completely free.
What Changed in 2026
The Copilot lineup was restructured, so older guides are often out of date. Two changes matter most:
- Copilot Pro was retired in late 2025. The standalone 20-dollar individual plan is gone. Its features moved into the Microsoft 365 consumer subscriptions, with the new Microsoft 365 Premium as the top tier for individuals.
- Free in-app Copilot Chat was limited on April 15, 2026. For business users, the free Copilot Chat inside Word, Excel and PowerPoint was scaled back. Full in-app integration now needs a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Copilot Chat grounded in your Outlook inbox and calendar stays available.
When Copilot Costs Money
If you need Copilot inside the Office apps, higher usage, or business features, it comes with a price tag.
For Individuals: Microsoft 365 Personal, Family & Premium
- Microsoft 365 Personal (around $9.99/month): Copilot in the Office apps with higher usage than the free tier, plus more AI image creation.
- Microsoft 365 Family (around $12.99/month): everything in Personal for 1 to 6 people (AI features for the subscription owner), with 6 TB of shared storage.
- Microsoft 365 Premium (around $19.99/month): the new top consumer tier that replaced Copilot Pro. Adds advanced AI agents (such as Researcher and Analyst), extensive usage for Copilot features, and the highest image-generation tier.
For Businesses: Copilot Chat & Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat (free with an eligible Microsoft 365 business subscription): web-grounded AI chat on current models, with enterprise data protection, IT controls, file upload, image generation and pay-as-you-go agents.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (about $30/user/month, billed annually): the full add-on. Copilot in the desktop apps Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams, plus secure grounding in your work data (emails, files, calendars). This is the plan that unlocks Teams meeting summaries.
Copilot Plans Compared
Here is how the free and paid Copilot options line up in 2026:
| Plan | Price | Best for | Copilot in Office apps | Teams meeting summaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Copilot | Free | Anyone with a Microsoft account | No | No |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | ~$9.99/mo | Individuals | Yes (higher usage than free) | No |
| Microsoft 365 Family | ~$12.99/mo | Up to 6 people (owner only) | Yes (owner only) | No |
| Microsoft 365 Premium | ~$19.99/mo | Power users | Yes + AI agents, extensive usage | No |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Free with eligible M365 business plan | Businesses | Limited (since April 2026) | No |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | ~$30/user/mo (annual) | Businesses | Yes (full) | Yes |
What's Not Included or Limited
- Teams meeting summaries need the paid Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on, and frankly, dedicated AI transcription tools often do this better and cost less.
- The free tier does not work inside the Office desktop apps. For Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook you need a paid consumer or business plan.
- Some features like Recall or live captions depend on Copilot+ PC hardware, not on the plan you choose.
Is Copilot the Best Choice for Meeting Notes?
If your main goal is turning meetings into usable notes and tasks, Copilot is not always the most cost-effective path: you need the paid business add-on just to get Teams summaries, and it only covers Microsoft Teams.
A dedicated meeting assistant like Sally works across Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Webex, is GDPR-compliant, and automatically produces summaries, decisions and action items. For meeting documentation specifically, that often beats a general-purpose assistant.
Final Verdict: Can You Use Microsoft Copilot AI for Free?
Think of Copilot as a toolbox:
- The basic tools (chat, web answers, writing, image generation) are free.
- The Office-app integration, higher usage and business features require a paid Microsoft 365 plan.
For most casual users, the free version is genuinely enough. If you work in the Office apps all day or need Teams meeting summaries, a paid plan pays off.
Want to dig deeper? Read how Copilot compares to ChatGPT or whether Copilot and ChatGPT are the same. If the pricing is what bothers you, compare the best Microsoft Copilot alternatives.
