How to Use Claude in Word

Yes. Claude has a Word add-in that answers questions about your document and edits it in a sidebar. You need a paid Claude plan.

Picks: 2; ranked

To use Claude in Word, install the Claude for Microsoft 365 add-in from Microsoft AppSource and sign in with your Claude account. It works on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, not Free.

Claude then answers questions about your document with clickable section citations and edits the text you select. In tracked changes mode, every edit lands as a revision you accept or reject in Word.

Know this first: a document from outside can hide instructions that trick the add-in, so use it only on files you trust.

Good for

Lawyers who review contracts and counterparty redlines
Finance teams who draft memos in a set template
Writers who tighten and restructure long documents
IT admins rolling Claude out to a Microsoft 365 organization

Install Claude

Claude app

1
Open it in the marketplace

Requires Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, Word on the web, Windows (Microsoft 365) or Mac 16.61 or later.

Read-only mode: There is no read-only switch. Use tracked changes mode so every edit is a revision you accept or reject, and Claude asks you to confirm risky operations.

Pick the AppSource install if you are setting it up for yourself. Admins deploy it from the Microsoft 365 admin center, and should use an account whose admin role is permanently active, because roles activated through Entra PIM can fail to deploy. Organizations on Amazon Bedrock, Google Vertex AI or Azure AI Foundry can deploy it without individual Claude accounts.

From the vendor's docs. Source.

Add Claude to Word and review your first document

Claude

1
Check your plan and Word version
You need a Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan. Use Word on the web, on Windows with a Microsoft 365 subscription (Version 2205, build 15202.10000 or later), or on Mac 16.61 or later. Save legacy .doc files as .docx first.
2
Install the add-in
Follow the setup box above. Open the Claude for Microsoft 365 listing on Microsoft AppSource and select Get it now.
3
Open Claude in Word and sign in
On Windows, go to Home > Add-ins. On Mac, go to Tools > Add-ins. Activate Claude and sign in with your Claude account.
4
Ask about a clause
Answers carry clickable citations that jump to the section Claude used.
Prompt
```
What's the liability cap and is it mutual?
```
5
Edit with tracked changes
In tracked changes mode the original text shows as a deletion and the new text as an insertion in Word's review pane.
Prompt
```
Rewrite section 4.2 to cap damages at 12 months of fees, and make it mutual.
```
Tip: Review every tracked edit before you accept it. Undo with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on Mac.
6
Summarize the other side's redlines
Ask Claude to group changes by severity or flag the ones worth pushing back on.
Prompt
```
Summarize what the other side changed and flag anything that's worth discussing.
```
7
Work through comments
Claude edits the passage each comment is anchored to and replies in the thread with what it changed.
Prompt
```
Work through my open comments.
```

Permissions

Medium risk

The add-in can read and edit the document you have open, and a file with hidden instructions can trick it into leaking data or changing terms. Open only documents you trust and review every tracked change before you accept it.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

Untrusted documents can hijack the add-in
Text, comments, tracked changes, headers and footers can hide instructions. Anthropic found they can push Claude to leak data through web searches or change contract terms, so open only trusted documents. claude.com
It edits your document
Claude can change text, comments and tracked revisions. Use tracked changes mode, review each edit before accepting it, and keep a saved copy. claude.com
Not for privileged or final legal work
Anthropic does not recommend it for final client deliverables or counterparty sends without review, litigation filings, or privileged data without controls. claude.com
Your document content goes to Anthropic
Claude reads the open document, including text, comments, tracked changes, footnotes, tables and bookmarks. Clearing chat history removes only the copy in your browser. claude.com
Enterprise audit logs do not include it; the Compliance API does
Anthropic says add-in activity is not in Enterprise audit logs. Enterprise organizations with the Compliance API turned on get Claude for Word sessions there, with no extra setup. claude.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 3, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	No read-only switch is documented. Tracked changes mode keeps every edit reviewable, and Claude asks you to confirm risky operations.
Talks to	Content of the open document is sent to Anthropic. Connectors you turn on
Sign-in and keys	You sign in with your Claude account. The add-in keeps an access token and a refresh token in its local storage on your device.
Data retention	Inputs and outputs are deleted from Anthropic's backend within 30 days, with exceptions. Chat history stays in your browser storage until you clear it.

Where it works

Where	Status	Note
Claude add-in for Word	Official app	Runs in Word on the web, Windows and Mac. Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise.
Claude Desktop	Not available	The add-in runs inside Word, not in Claude Desktop. Claude Desktop can create .docx files in chat.
Claude mobile	Not available	The add-in does not run in Word for iPad or Android. Claude mobile can create .docx files in chat.
Microsoft's Word MCP server (preview)	Official server	Four tools: create a document, read one, add and reply to comments. Depends on your tenant and admin.
docx-mcp (community)	Community server	Edits .docx files locally. Edits show as tracked changes in Word.
ChatGPT for Word	Official app	Sidebar add-in from the Microsoft Marketplace. All ChatGPT plans, including Free. A Microsoft 365 admin must allow the add-in.
Microsoft Copilot	Native connector	Microsoft says Personal and Family subscriptions include Copilot in Word and other Microsoft 365 apps.

Top picks

Ranked by official status, then GitHub stars.

Verdict

Use the Claude add-in if you have a paid Claude plan and review or draft documents in Word on Windows, Mac or the web. Its limits are the plan, .docx files and trusted sources. On Free, ask Claude in claude.ai for a .docx file.

Our pick: Claude

Use the Claude add-in if you have a paid Claude plan and review or draft documents in Word on Windows, Mac or the web. Its limits are the plan, .docx files and trusted sources.

On Free, ask Claude in claude.ai for a .docx file.

Best for

Reviewing contracts and counterparty redlines
Editing a selection without breaking styles and numbering
Filling a template in its own heading styles

Skip it if

You are on the Claude Free plan and want editing inside Word
You use Word 2016 or 2019 perpetual, iPad, Android or .doc files
You need to send a final document with no human review
Your documents come from untrusted sources

Questions

How do I add Claude to Word?

Install the Claude for Microsoft 365 add-in from Microsoft AppSource, then sign in with your Claude account. Use the setup box above for the steps.

Is Claude for Word free?

No. It needs a Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, and it counts against your normal usage limits. On Free, you can still ask Claude in claude.ai to create a .docx file.

Does Claude for Word work on Mac, the web or older Word?

It works in Word on the web, on Windows with Microsoft 365 (Version 2205, build 15202.10000 or later) and on Mac 16.61 or later. It does not work in Word 2016 or 2019 perpetual, on iPad, on Android or with legacy .doc files.

Can Claude make tracked changes in Word?

Yes. In tracked changes mode its edits land as revisions you accept or reject in Word's review pane. You can undo with Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on Mac.

Can Claude review a contract and counterparty redlines?

Yes. It can summarize what the other side changed, group changes by severity and flag the ones worth pushing back on. Anthropic says it does not replace legal judgment, so check the result against your own playbook.

Can Claude edit just part of a document?

Yes. Select a passage and tell Claude what to change. It edits only the selection and keeps the surrounding styles, numbering and formatting.

Can Claude make a Word document without the add-in?

Yes. In claude.ai, turn on file creation under Settings > Capabilities and ask for a .docx file. It works on every plan, with a 30MB limit per file.

Is Claude for Word safe for confidential documents?

Use it on documents you trust, and follow your organization's data rules for sensitive material. Anthropic does not recommend it for privileged data without controls. Content Claude reads is sent to Anthropic and deleted from its backend within 30 days.

Can I use an MCP server to connect Claude to Word?

Yes. Community servers such as docx-mcp edit .docx files, and Microsoft documents a four-tool Word server in preview (create a document, read one, add and reply to comments). Microsoft says its application-specific Microsoft 365 MCP tools are for backward compatibility and not for new projects. See the Word MCP server comparison.

Why is my chat history missing in the Word add-in?

After the September and October 2026 Microsoft 365 updates on Windows, some users lost chat history and uploaded skills. Anthropic is working with Microsoft on it, and its data storage page lists what you and your IT team can do.

Information

updated Nov 3, 2026

Made by: Anthropic
Connector directory: claude.ai/directory

In the Claude directory

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 9

Use Claude for Word · claude.com
Claude for Microsoft 365 on Microsoft AppSource · marketplace.microsoft.com
Data storage and retention · claude.com
Create and edit files with Claude · support.claude.com
Word MCP server reference · learn.microsoft.com
docx-mcp · github.com
Where can I get Microsoft Copilot · support.microsoft.com
ChatGPT for Word · help.openai.com
Work IQ MCP overview · learn.microsoft.com