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How to understand the new Microsoft Copilot: Home, Code, Autopilot and billing

A plain guide to Microsoft's reshaped Copilot lineup: what Home, Code and Autopilot are, where usage-based billing applies, and what to check before you roll it out.

7 min · Updated October 20, 2026 · Tools: Microsoft Copilot, Copilot Autopilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot

  1. 1Learn the three surfaces. Copilot Home is the general hub for everyday tasks. Copilot for Code is for developer workflows. Autopilot is a more autonomous agent for multi-step tasks.
  2. 2Find out which one you actually use. Most people in an office will use Home. Only teams that want agents to run longer task chains need Autopilot.
  3. 3Check your Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. Microsoft is layering usage-based billing on top of existing subscriptions for the most agentic features. Heavier automated tasks could cost more than the flat fee covered.
  4. 4Ask for the rates before you switch on agents. Microsoft did not publish per-task rates in its announcement. Ask your Microsoft contact or admin for the rates and set a limit before turning agentic features on.
  5. 5Start agents on small, checkable jobs. Give Autopilot jobs where you can verify the result, and review the output before anyone relies on it.
  6. 6Ignore the Copilot+ PC label when buying. Microsoft quietly dropped the Copilot+ PC brand on its newest Surface PCs. Compare the chip's NPU rating and price instead of the sticker.
  7. 7Revisit as the rollout lands. Microsoft says changes will roll out gradually across Microsoft 365 Copilot and Windows over the coming months, with no fixed date.

Microsoft reshaped Copilot in late September 2026. The names changed, and so may your bill if you use the new agent features.

The three surfaces

Surface What it is for
Copilot Home The hub for everyday tasks
Copilot for Code Developer workflows inside Microsoft's coding tools
Autopilot A more autonomous agent for multi-step tasks, a renamed and expanded Scout

Autopilot sits apart from the other two. Instead of chat back and forth, it carries out longer task chains. The announcement is on the Microsoft blog.

Where billing changes

The structural change is pricing. Microsoft is layering usage-based billing on top of Microsoft 365 Copilot subscriptions for the most agentic features. In plain terms, the flat monthly fee may no longer cover heavier automated work. Microsoft did not publish specific rates, so there is nothing to budget with yet.

Practical steps for a team lead:

  1. List who uses agent features today and what they do with them.
  2. Ask for rates in writing before enabling Autopilot widely.
  3. Set a spending limit if your admin console offers one.
  4. Review a few real tasks to see what a typical run costs.

The Copilot+ PC label is fading

Microsoft introduced Copilot+ PCs in May 2024 for laptops with a neural processing unit of at least 40 TOPS. Its newest Surface devices skip the label. The Surface Pro 12-inch starts at $1,149.99 and the Surface Laptop 13-inch at $1,199, both with a Snapdragon X2 Plus chip with an 80 TOPS NPU, according to the news coverage. See Microsoft drops the Copilot+ PC brand.

Regulators are watching

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has proposed strategic market status for Microsoft in business software, covering Windows, Office, Teams and Copilot. For users, nothing changes yet. More in the CMA proposal.

For choosing between assistants, see how to choose an AI assistant.

Got questions?

Quick answers, plain words

What is Copilot Autopilot?

A renamed and expanded version of Scout, a research-focused agent Microsoft had been testing. It is built to complete longer task chains on your behalf rather than just surfacing information.

Will Copilot cost more?

Possibly, for agentic work. Microsoft is adding usage-based billing on top of Microsoft 365 Copilot subscriptions for the most agentic features. It did not publish per-task rates in the announcement.

When does the new Copilot arrive?

Microsoft says changes roll out gradually across Microsoft 365 Copilot and Windows over the coming months, without a fixed date.

What happened to Copilot+ PCs?

Surface chief Brett Ostrum told Windows Central the company's new Surface PCs are not called Copilot+ PCs, even though they meet the previous requirements. Microsoft still promotes AI that runs on the device and in the cloud.

Is Copilot under regulatory scrutiny?

The UK's CMA proposed giving Microsoft strategic market status in business software and says it will gather evidence on whether rival AI tools can compete fairly with Copilot. Nothing changes for users yet.

Sources

Settings and prices change. We check guides against these sources and update the date above when we do.