Python Is Now in Excel — What This Means If You Don't Code

Microsoft added Python directly into Excel Copilot in April 2026, and expanded it in June and July. It's genuinely powerful. It also requires knowing Python. Here's what the update actually does, who it helps, and what the low-friction path looks like for everyone else.

By the Quiriz Team · Published July 31, 2026 · 5 min read

In April 2026, Microsoft shipped Python directly into Excel via Copilot. In June and July they expanded it — 30+ file types, 50MB files, Power BI grounding, support for frontier AI models. The Excel newsletter said it was the biggest update in years. They're right. It also requires knowing Python. Here is what's actually changed and what it means if you don't.

What Python in Excel actually does

You type =PY( in a cell and write Python code. That code can use pandas to transform a table, matplotlib to produce a chart, or scikit-learn to run a regression — all inside Excel, without a separate environment. The result comes back into the spreadsheet as a value, chart, or spilled table.

For data analysts who already know Python, this is genuinely excellent. You get the spreadsheet's ease of distribution and the power of Python's data stack in one place. For users who don't know Python, it's irrelevant — the feature has nothing to offer until you learn the language.

Who it's actually for

Python in Excel targets data analysts, scientists, and developers who already work in Python and want to stay in the Excel environment where their colleagues live. It's a serious tool for serious technical users. It's not a simplified interface — you write real pandas code, handle real exceptions, and debug real import errors.

If you've been using Excel for years and are comfortable with VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and SUMIFS but have never written Python, Python in Excel is not for you yet. It adds a language requirement on top of everything you already know.

What about Copilot?

Excel Copilot (separate from Python) can generate formulas from plain English descriptions and assist with data analysis. As of June 2026 it can also generate Python code, which means you can ask Copilot to write the Python for you. That reduces the barrier — but you still need to understand what the code does, review it, and fix it when it generates something wrong. It's a shortcut for people learning Python, not a replacement for knowing it.

The no-code path

If what you actually want is: "ask a question about my spreadsheet data and get the answer" — not "generate a Python script that computes the answer" — that's a different category of tool altogether. It's a query layer, not a code generator. You upload your file, ask "which customer brought in the most revenue last quarter," and get back the number. No formula, no Python, no Copilot output to verify.

That's the path that Quiriz is built for — SMB owners and analysts who live in spreadsheets but don't want to write code every time they have a new question. The Excel add-in (excel.quiriz.co) and Google Sheets add-on do this inside the spreadsheet itself, so you never have to leave the tool you're already in.

The update in context: Python in Excel (April 2026), Copilot + 30 file types (June 2026), Power BI grounding + Claude Opus 5 support (July 2026). These are real, substantial improvements to Excel for technical users. The common thread: each one assumes you're comfortable reviewing AI or code output. The simpler path — ask a question, get an answer, no review required — is what this category of tools is for.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Python in Excel?

Python in Excel is a feature in Microsoft 365 that lets you write Python code inside a cell using the =PY() function. The code runs against your spreadsheet data and returns a result — a chart, a statistical output, a transformed table — back into the sheet. It uses the same Python libraries data scientists use: pandas, matplotlib, seaborn, scikit-learn.

Do I need to know Python to use Python in Excel?

Yes. Python in Excel requires writing actual Python code. You need to understand Python syntax, how pandas DataFrames work, and which functions to call. It's a genuinely useful feature for people who already know Python — not a no-code tool.

How is Python in Excel different from Copilot in Excel?

Copilot in Excel generates formulas and provides suggestions in plain English, but it still requires you to understand and verify the output. Python in Excel lets you run arbitrary Python code directly — more powerful, more complex. As of June 2026, Copilot can also generate and run Python code, which blurs the line. The common thread is that both require some technical review.

What can I use instead of Python if I don't code?

If you want answers from your spreadsheet data without writing formulas or code, the alternatives are tools that take your question in plain English and return the answer. That's a different category from Copilot or Python — it's a query layer, not a spreadsheet assistant.