Copilot connection issues to Excel on Desktop

Question

Copilot connection issues to Excel on Desktop

nancy 0

I am using a MacBook Pro and all systems are up to date including Excel. I keep getting a message from Copilot in Excel that it is having persistent internal issues connecting to excel. I am using the correct type of excel file and it is saved to OneDrive with AutoSave. My excel indicates a current subscription to Microsoft 365. I deleted an older version of Excel so only have the most current version (16.109.3) on my desktop. What else could be going on. The Web Version of Excel and Copilot work fine.

0 comments

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

nancy 0

Thanks for your suggestion. I am not a technical expert so do not feel comfortable un-installing the current version and re-installing the previous version. It appears that updates are issued regularly so perhaps it is OK to wait for the next update which should address this co-pilot issue. How long will it take Microsoft to resolve this bug?

Thanks!

Hin-V 15,490 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-16T21:39:55.0366667+00:00

Hi @nancy

Apologies for the delayed response.

I would like to clarify that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators here do not have access to backend systems and are unable to directly intervene in Microsoft product functionality. Our role is to provide technical guidance and share best-practice recommendations based on reported issues and scenarios. Therefore, I’m unable to confirm when a new update will be released.

In the meantime, I recommend submitting your suggestion directly through the app by navigating to Help > Feedback > Report a problem. This ensures your feedback reaches the Microsoft product team, who can review it and have it included in a fix in future updates.

If there’s anything else I can assist you with, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time.

Warm thank and have a nice day.
nancy 0 Reputation points

2026-06-17T15:16:51.9033333+00:00

Thanks, Hin-V. I understand your role more clearly now so will submit my feedback/concern through the process you recommended.
Hin-V 15,490 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-17T19:32:46.7566667+00:00

Hi @nancy

Thank you for your feedback.

If you require any further assistance regarding this topic, please feel free to reach out. I would be more than happy to help.

Warm thanks and have a nice day.

Answer 2

Hin-V 15,490 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @nancy

Thank you for sharing your concern.

To ensure I fully understand your situation and provide the most effective assistance, I’ll need a few additional details, such as:

May I know what specific Microsoft 365 license are you using? (for example, E3, E5, Business Premium)

Are you signed in with a work/school account, a personal account, or both?

Do you see the same issue in a brand-new blank Excel file saved to OneDrive?

Any recent changes or does it appear unexpectedly?

Any update would be appreciated.

Please understand that our initial reply may not always immediately resolve the issue. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

nancy 0 Reputation points

2026-06-11T19:14:29.2266667+00:00

Thank you for your response. This is my personal account and the subscription is Microsoft 365 Personal. I have tried several blank worksheets with different data and the issue is the same -- Copilot indicates: "I apologize, but I'm experiencing persistent internal errors when trying to connect to and modify your Excel workbook. This appears to be a temporary system issue rather than a problem with your document."

Copilot works in my Word app on the Mac desktop as I used it to edit a document and it was fine.
nancy 0 Reputation points

2026-06-11T19:15:08.03+00:00

And...... Copilot in my Excel desktop was working fine last week. The issue started this week.
Hin-V 15,490 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-11T21:44:25.3666667+00:00

Hi @nancy

Thank you for the additional details.

Since this issue started recently, it is likely caused by the latest Excel version not being fully compatible with your Mac at the moment. Could you please try reverting your Excel app to the previous version to see if it resolves the issue?

You can refer via Update history for Office for Mac - Office release notes | Microsoft Learn

Note: If rolling back solves the issue, you may want to pause updates temporarily in Microsoft AutoUpdate until Microsoft releases a fix in a future build.

Please give it a try and let me know the result.

Any update would be appreciated.
Hin-V 15,490 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-12T22:50:25.2333333+00:00

Hi @nancy
I hope you are doing well.

Have you had a chance to check the replies provided?

Any update would be appreciated.

Share via

Copilot connection issues to Excel on Desktop

2 answers

Your answer