If you use Microsoft Word and ChatGPT as two separate apps — writing in one, then copying text over to ask for edits — that extra step just went away. On September 17, 2026, OpenAI launched a ChatGPT add-in for Word: a sidebar panel that reads the document you currently have open and can draft, rewrite, proofread, or reformat it without you leaving the page.
What it actually does. Once you add the ChatGPT panel from the Microsoft add-in store and sign in with your OpenAI account, a chat window opens next to your document. You can ask it to turn rough notes into a first draft, untangle a clunky paragraph, proofread for mistakes, tidy up formatting, or reorganize a section — the same editing you'd normally do by copying text back and forth between Word and a ChatGPT browser tab. It only works with the document you currently have open; it can't reach into your other files or your inbox on its own.
It's free, not just for paying subscribers. This is the detail worth noting if you've been comparing ChatGPT to Microsoft's own Copilot: the Word add-in works on every ChatGPT plan, including the free one, though heavy use still counts against your plan's normal message limits. Business and Enterprise accounts also got a two-week free preview of OpenAI's newer model inside Word, running through the end of September. Microsoft's Copilot, by contrast, still requires a separate paid Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on to work inside Word at all — see our ChatGPT vs Copilot comparison for the fuller picture.
It completes a set. OpenAI already shipped similar add-ins for Excel and PowerPoint back in May 2026; Word was the missing piece. If you've used ChatGPT inside a spreadsheet or a slide deck before, the Word version installs the same way and works the same way.
How to try it. In Word, go to Insert → Add-ins, search the Microsoft Marketplace for "ChatGPT," and sign in with your existing OpenAI account. If you use Word through a work or school account, your organization's IT administrator may need to approve add-ins before it shows up — that's the most likely reason if you don't see it yet. OpenAI says the add-in will switch on by default for eligible accounts starting October 1, 2026, so don't be surprised if it appears on its own even if you never installed it.
As with any AI writing help, treat the suggestions as a draft to review, not a final answer — proofread anything before you send or submit it. If your workplace has standardized on Microsoft's own tool instead, our guide to using Copilot inside Word and Excel still applies, and our collection of AI prompts for office work has practical starting points for either assistant.