Here are all the new features Microsoft added to Excel in May 2026

Microsoft's latest Excel update adds more Copilot changes, but ongoing backlash over intrusive AI buttons continues to overshadow new features.

We are reaching the end of the month, which means that it is time yet again to recap all the new capabilities that Microsoft introduced in Excel during the course of the past four weeks. April 2026 was a relatively quieter month with only a handful of Copilot functionalities, and this month seems to be no different with just three features announced across all platforms.

Starting off with Windows and Mac, Microsoft has introduced new entry points for Copilot and reduced them to just two. One of these is the Dynamic Action Button (DAB), which is essentially a floating Copilot button on the bottom-right of Excel. However, as we know, this has been quite controversial among Excel users who feel that the AI service is being forced down their throats, while also highlighting that the button's placement intrudes upon their workflows.

Following negative feedback from customers, Microsoft has decided to backpedal this implementation to some extent, and will allow users to restore Copilot to the ribbon instead of placing it on the canvas. That said, that may not be the end of this chapter as the Redmond tech giant is working on a "Copilot Design System" through which the firm will be integrating Copilot in non-intrusive ways into workflows. It hasn't been very successful so far.

Next, Excel Insiders on WIndows and Mac can search the web through the =COPILOT function and ground results based on this live data. This capability is also available for Frontier customers on the web.

Finally, Excel for web has received a UX change that makes Copilot edits in Excel sheets more visible. This is done through the Show Changes card which now attributes changes to Copilot as well. Microsoft believes that this will make the collaboration process transparent for all users.

That's all there is to it this month. Once again, a decent month for Copilot users, but others who don't rely on the AI assistant as much will be hoping that the next month is better.

Source

Hope you enjoyed this news post. Feedback welcome.

Posted Thursday 28 May 2026 at 7:58 am AEST (my time).

News posts: 2023 5,800+ | 2024 5,700+ | 2025 5,700+ | 2026 (to end of April) 1,700

RIP Matrix