"Do I actually have a Copilot license?"

You're not alone in wondering. With Microsoft rolling out AI capabilities across its apps and introducing different tiers of access, it's no surprise that many people aren't sure what they have or what they're missing out on. The good news? It takes less than 30 seconds to find out.

In this post, we'll walk you through two quick ways to check your Copilot license status, explain what the different labels mean, and help you understand what each tier unlocks.

Why the Confusion?

Microsoft has been evolving Copilot rapidly. What started as a single paid add-on has now become a layered experience, with some AI features available to everyone and others reserved for paid license holders. 

Every Microsoft 365 user now gets some level of Copilot access at no extra cost but the full experience, where Copilot can reason over your emails, files, Teams chats, calendar, and meetings, requires a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license. 

The challenge? The interface looks almost the same whether you have a paid license or not. Microsoft has recently made it easier to tell the difference by adding clear labels, but you need to know where to look.

1: Check the Label Under Your Name

This is the quickest and most reliable way to check.

1. Open the Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat app (you can find it in your Windows Start menu, on your taskbar, or at https://m365.cloud.microsoft).
2. Look to the bottom left of the window, just under your name.
3. You'll see one of these labels:

If you see M365 Copilot (Premium), congratulations, you have the full experience. If you see Basic, you're on the free tier.

2: Look for the Work / Web Toggle

This method has been around a little longer and is still a handy visual check.

1. Open Copilot Chat (the app or via your browser).
2. Look at the top of the chat window for a toggle that lets you switch between Work and Web.

Here's what it tells you:

• You can see the Work and Web toggle → You have a paid Copilot license. The Work tab connects Copilot to your Microsoft 365 data, your emails, files, Teams chats, calendar, and meetings so it can find, summarise, and reason over your actual work information. The Web tab pulls answers from the internet.
• You can only see Web (no toggle) → You're on the free tier. Copilot can help you with web-based queries and files you manually upload, but it can't access your organisational data.  

The Work/Web toggle is one of the most powerful indicators of a paid license because it represents the core difference: with a license, Copilot knows about your work. Without one, it doesn't.

Why Does It Matter?

Understanding your license tier is important because it directly affects what Copilot can do for you.

Without a paid license (Basic), Copilot is a capable AI assistant, you can ask it questions, generate content, summarise web pages, compare documents you upload, and create images. It's similar to using ChatGPT, but within a secure, enterprise-protected environment. Your data stays private and isn't used to train the model.

With a paid license (Premium), Copilot becomes deeply integrated into your daily workflow. It can:

• Summarise your email threads and draft replies in Outlook
• Recap meetings and list action items in Teams
• Find information across your files, chats, and emails without you having to search manually
• Prepare you for meetings by pulling together relevant documents and conversations
• Work inside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint with priority access and advanced reasoning

In short, the paid license transforms Copilot from a helpful chatbot into a genuine productivity partner that understands your work context.

What Should I Do Next?

If you've checked and found you're on the Basic tier, have a chat with your IT administrator or manager. They can assign a Copilot license to you through the Microsoft 365 admin centre if your organisation has available licenses. 

If you're already on Premium, make sure you're getting the most out of it! Many people have the license but haven't explored what it can really do.

Want to Learn More?

We cover all of this and much more in our training sessions:

• Be Future Ready Workshop; Our 3-hour hands-on workshop is designed to empower your team by uncovering the possibilities of M365 Copilot. From prompting skills and Copilot Agents to practical use cases across Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel, this workshop gives people the confidence to unlock new ways of working.
• An Introduction to Copilot Chat Webinar; This one-hour live session is the ideal starting point for building strong foundational skills with Copilot. It covers everything from writing good prompts to summarising files, comparing documents, and personalising your Copilot experience. No Copilot license required to attend!
• Whether you're just getting started or looking to level up, we'd love to help your team get the most from Copilot.

Get in touch with us at 365 Training Hub to find out more.

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