According to Neowin, Microsoft's August 2026 Excel update is entirely about Copilot, with no major traditional features highlighted this month. The enhancements roll out across Windows, Mac, and the web, bringing new tools for change tracking, data visualization, chat history, and Python analysis.
A new change history skill lets Copilot summarize how a workbook has evolved over time, and users can undo specific edits or revert to a previous state. Microsoft tagged this capability as "Feedback In Action," signaling it was requested by customers.
Another customer-requested addition is the ability to view recent chat history, sorted by recency, through a menu icon in the upper left corner of the Copilot pane.
New @chart-design Chart and PivotTable skills format complex data into easily understandable visuals for insights. Excel Insiders can also use the @python-in-excel skill to create editable and refreshable Python formulas for analyzing granular data.
Many of these additions require eligible Microsoft 365 or Copilot licenses, so access depends on subscription tier. For active Copilot customers with the right license, it's a substantial month; for those avoiding AI tools, there's little here of interest.
