Python in Excel goes live - but only for certain Windows users

Office power users, rejoice: Python in Excel is now generally available - provided you have the right license and machine.

First teased last year, the new feature allows Excel users to run Python scripts inside workbooks for analytics and other purposes. Redmond announced the official release of Python in Excel for Windows users of Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise in a blog post this week, a little over a month after local execution of Python in Excel rolled out in public beta.

"We believe there is a significant opportunity for anyone using Excel for analysis to greatly enhance their work with Python," Microsoft said. Included in the Excel for Python release is a large language model integration that will allow Excel users to ask the Copilot to build scripts for them with plain language commands.

Microsoft partnered with data science tool maker Anaconda to develop the Python-Excel integration. As we've previously reported, data can move effortlessly between the two platforms using a few custom-defined functions.

This two-way function sending is a key part of security - Microsoft states Python processes Excel data without revealing the user's identity, and all Python code runs in a secure, isolated environment, only accessing libraries approved by Anaconda​.

While that's all great, the general release of Python in Excel is only general for a select subset of users: Those who running Excel for Windows with either an Enterprise or Business Microsoft 365 subscription on the Current Channel. On unsupported platforms like Mac and Android, users still can view Python code in Excel workbooks, Microsoft noted, but cells will display an error if attempting to execute calculations - not even the web version of Excel gets a pass.

Microsoft told The Register that it aims to add Mac and Web support later. "The roadmap will be updated with estimated roll-out dates in the future, but we do not have any dates to share at this time," a spokesperson said.

Excel users who've been enjoying free access to the preview of Python in Excel won't have to worry about having their new tool ripped away, with Microsoft saying that any Windows user with a 365 Business or Enterprise license can use Python in Excel now without needing to pay extra for the privilege.

That said, there are some Python in Excel options that are locked behind a paywall. Those who want access to a nebulous "premium compute" option or the ability to switch between manual, partial and automatic Python calculation modes will have to fork over $24 per user per month (or $240 per user per year) for the privilege.

Those with Family and Personal Microsoft 365 accounts can continue to use Python in Excel in preview, with no indication given as to when Microsoft plans to generally release it for those users. ®