ChatGPT comes to Microsoft Word with a new sidebar add-in
ChatGPT's Microsoft add-in now works in Word, letting you draft, summarise, revise, and format documents without leaving the app.
ChatGPT has expanded its Microsoft Office add-in to include Word, completing a set of three integrations alongside Excel and PowerPoint. From 17 September 2026, any signed-in ChatGPT user can open a ChatGPT sidebar directly inside Word and use it to draft from notes, summarise a document, revise selected text, and adjust headings and formatting, all without switching to a browser tab.
How it works
The integration runs through the same add-in already available for Excel and PowerPoint. To get started, open Word, go to Home, then Add-ins, search for ChatGPT, and install it from the Microsoft Marketplace. Once installed, ChatGPT appears as a persistent sidebar inside Word. Sign in with your ChatGPT account and it is ready to use.
From the sidebar you can:
- Draft from notes, paste in bullet points or rough ideas and ask ChatGPT to turn them into structured prose
- Summarise, get a concise overview of a long document without reading it line by line
- Revise selected text, highlight a passage and ask ChatGPT to tighten, expand, or reword it
- Adjust headings and formatting, apply consistent structure across a document
Conversations inside the Word add-in are separate from your regular ChatGPT chat history, so nothing bleeds across contexts.
Who can use it
The add-in is available on all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. Your normal plan usage limits apply, and Word draws from the same shared allowance as other features on your plan. There is no additional subscription required and no separate licence to purchase.
For organisations using managed ChatGPT workspaces, Word access will be enabled by default from 1 October 2026. Workspace admins can turn it on or off in the ChatGPT admin console. Microsoft 365 admins also need to allow the add-in on their side. If an organisation cannot access the Microsoft Store directly, a Microsoft 365 admin can deploy the add-in internally using the manifest XML file.
From 17 September through 30 September 2026, ChatGPT Enterprise customers get a free preview of the GPT-5.6 Sol model specifically within the Word integration.
What this means for you
The practical shift here is friction reduction. If you already use ChatGPT to help with writing, the previous workflow involved copying text from Word into a browser tab, running the prompt, copying the result back, and then deciding whether to accept it. The sidebar removes that loop entirely. ChatGPT sits alongside the document you are actually editing.
For individuals, freelancers, students, anyone producing documents regularly, the add-in is accessible without involving IT. You install it yourself from the Microsoft Marketplace and sign in with an existing ChatGPT account. That is a meaningfully lower barrier than Microsoft’s own Copilot product, which requires a separate licence and is typically managed at the organisational level.
For teams already on Business or Enterprise plans, the October default rollout means Word access will appear for users without any action needed on their part, though admins have the controls to manage it before then.
A note on Microsoft Copilot
It is worth being clear that this is not Microsoft Copilot. Copilot is built into Microsoft 365 at a deeper level, designed for enterprise workflows, and priced accordingly. The ChatGPT add-in is a distinct product sitting alongside Word through the add-in framework, targeted at individual use. With Claude also offering document-related features through similar integrations since September 2025, there are now multiple AI assistants available within the Microsoft Office environment. They serve different audiences and carry different cost structures, so the choice depends on what you are already using and what your organisation permits.
A few things to keep in mind
OpenAI advises reviewing any AI-made changes carefully. ChatGPT can edit or delete existing content in your document, and important figures, citations, and claims should be verified independently. It is also worth noting that as part of Microsoft’s Add-In Marketplace terms, Microsoft may have the ability to read the content of Word files processed through the add-in. If you are handling sensitive or confidential material, check your organisation’s data handling policies before using the integration.
The add-in is available now via the Microsoft Marketplace.