What is Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 is a cloud-powered productivity platform that combines the familiar Office apps, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more, with intelligent security, device management, and powerful online services. Designed for modern work, Microsoft 365 supports secure collaboration and communication across desktop, web, and mobile devices, helping users stay productive wherever they are.
Microsoft 365 is built for scalability and flexibility, meeting the evolving needs of all individuals and organizations. Microsoft offers a variety of plans tailored for small businesses, large enterprises, educational institutions, nonprofits, and government organizations. Personal and family plans are also available. Each plan is designed to support digital transformation while delivering a trusted, secure, and modern experience.
Microsoft 365 for business and enterprise
For business and enterprise users, Microsoft 365 operates as a shared responsibility service. This means while Microsoft manages the infrastructure, your organization controls how services are configured and used.
Core services include:
- Office Apps available in web and mobile versions (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
- Email and calendaring (Outlook, Exchange Online)
- File storage and sharing (OneDrive, SharePoint)
- Teamwork and communication (Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Viva)
- Secure AI chat assistance powered by GPT-4o (Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot)
- Security, compliance, and identity management (Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Defender XDR, Purview)
- Device management (Microsoft Intune)
Note
Availability of these services depends on your Microsoft 365 subscription plan and license. Not all features are included in every plan.
Seamless work across devices
Microsoft 365 makes it easy to stay connected to your work, no matter what device you're using. When you sign in with your work account and save your files to the cloud, your recent documents and links are easy to find and continue working on, whether you're on your computer, phone, or tablet. This seamless experience is made possible by Microsoft Graph.
The role of Microsoft Graph
Microsoft Graph is the gateway to rich, people-centered data and intelligence in Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 learns from users and collects insights through the Microsoft Graph by analyzing the data and activities of users across different Microsoft products and services. Through this, Microsoft 365 delivers enhanced experiences that continually improve over time and keep users protected.
Microsoft Graph plays a vital role in Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI-powered productivity tool that you can leverage in Microsoft 365. Microsoft 365 Copilot is powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) and utilizes your data from the Microsoft Graph and integrates with Microsoft 365 apps and services. These components empower Microsoft 365 Copilot to provide real-time intelligent assistance and recommendations, enabling users to enhance their creativity, productivity, and skills.
Note
Microsoft 365 Copilot requires a separate add-on license in addition to a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription.
Tip
LLMs are the engine that drives Microsoft 365 Copilot. They help Copilot understand your questions and provide helpful, human-like answers.
To learn more about Microsoft 365, Microsoft Graph or Microsoft 365 Copilot, see What is Microsoft 365?, Microsoft Graph overview - Microsoft Graph, and Microsoft 365 Copilot - Service Descriptions respectively.