Excel Copilot now supports local files (Preview): what this means for everyday users

In the Microsoft 365 Current Channel (Preview), Excel Copilot Chat now supports local Excel files, not just workbooks stored in the cloud.

This is a meaningful usability improvement because many users, especially students and early-career professionals, still work primarily with datasets stored locally on their devices.

Why this matters for adoption:

• Users can now interact with Copilot Chat while analysing local Excel files.
• This reduces friction for offline work, assignments, and exploratory data analysis.
• It makes Copilot more practical for everyday learning and productivity workflows.

For users learning data analysis, reporting, or business intelligence, this update lowers the barrier to using Copilot consistently rather than only in cloud-based scenarios.

I am exploring how these preview features can improve real-world adoption and learning experiences, particularly for students and early-career users who work with Excel daily.