Assign your Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is available as an add-on product to select Microsoft 365 subscription plans for commercial customers. With eligible Microsoft 365 plans, enabling Copilot for Microsoft 365 is as easy as assigning licenses to selected users. To enable Copilot for Microsoft 365, an organization must assign appropriate Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses to employee accounts.
Eligible plans
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is currently available as an add-on to customers with the following subscription plans:
- Microsoft 365 E3 or E5
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Organizations should review their existing subscriptions and determine which plans are eligible for Copilot for Microsoft 365 capabilities and whether any users must be upgraded to qualified plans.
Note
An organization's users must be on either the Current Channel or Monthly Enterprise Channel to use Copilot for Microsoft 365.
Assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses
Once an organization has its prerequisites in place and its data permissions assigned, it should then assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses to its users.
Note
Users that you assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses to must also have an appropriate Microsoft 365 license assigned to them.
You can assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses from the Copilot for Microsoft 365 setup wizard, or you can use the Microsoft 365 admin center or other license assignment approaches, just as you would for any other Microsoft 365 service.
To assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses through the Microsoft 365 admin center, complete the following steps:
- Access the Microsoft 365 admin center and go to Users, then Active Users.
- Select the users you want to enable with Copilot for Microsoft 365.
- Select Licenses and Apps and add the relevant Microsoft 365 license.
- Select Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 under Apps to turn on the license.
- Select Save to apply licenses.
You can also access license management in the Microsoft 365 admin center by navigating to Billing and then Licenses. You can also assign licenses with PowerShell if that is preferred.
License management
Organizations should consider implementing the following best practices for managing their Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses:
- Review Copilot for Microsoft 365 usage data and trends frequently to optimize number of licenses. Microsoft 365 usage reports show how people in your organization are using Microsoft 365 services. Run usage reports in the Microsoft 365 admin center to see which users are actively using Copilot for Microsoft 365 within their Office apps. Organizations should identify inactive assigned licenses they can revoke and allocate to other productive users. Regularly review trends to right-size licenses. For example, if 10% of assigned Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses show minimal usage, consider reassigning those licenses to high-potential candidates. For more information, see Copilot for Microsoft 365 usage reports.
- Remind users to use Copilot for Microsoft 365 to maximize value from licenses. Send regular tips on taking advantage of Copilot for Microsoft 365 in Office apps through email campaigns or internal promotions. Offer to reassign unused licenses if adoption is low. For example, an email newsletter can showcase Copilot for Microsoft 365 use cases and productivity gains to spur adoption. Doing so maximizes the value derived from assigned licenses. Administrators should also complement their Copilot for Microsoft 365 licensing rollout with training programs that teach employees how to optimize Copilot for Microsoft 365 features. Garner executive sponsorship to encourage adoption. Send regular communications highlighting Copilot for Microsoft 365’s capabilities and celebrate early successes. Evangelizing the use of Copilot for Microsoft 365 is key to driving adoption and realizing ROI from your AI investments.
- Monitor adoption and usage of Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses. Monitor adoption and usage of Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses over time through auditing tools like Microsoft 365 usage analytics. Doing so helps ensure that employees use Copilot for Microsoft 365 capabilities in line with organizational policies and in compliance with Microsoft’s license terms. Administrators should proactively adjust assignments if usage is lower than expected. Once administrators assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses, they should configure appropriate policies and permissions around usage. For example, restrict external sharing of Copilot for Microsoft 365 outputs, limit the number of monthly interactions for specific users, disable certain Copilot for Microsoft 365 capabilities as needed, and implement appropriate security controls tailored to your users and environment. Thoughtful policy configuration further optimizes Copilot for Microsoft 365’s value.
Keep in mind that administrators can only assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses to individual user accounts, or groups of individual user accounts. Administrators can't assign Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses to distribution lists, shared mailboxes, or other entities - only individual users. As a best practice, administrators should carefully manage the number of licenses allocated.
Proactively managing your Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses ensures you invest in and empower the right roles to boost productivity. Follow usage trends and adopt change management practices to drive adoption and continually optimize your Copilot for Microsoft 365 license investment.