Body
Bowdoin access only: This add-in works only when you sign in with your Bowdoin Claude account from the Bowdoin Claude Pilot. A personal Claude account will not work here. If you are not sure whether you have Bowdoin access, see Getting access to Claude in the Related Articles section.
Questions
- How do I install the Claude add-in in Excel, Word, or PowerPoint?
- Where do I get the official Claude add-in for Microsoft 365?
- Do I install Claude separately in each Office app?
- How do I sign in to Claude inside Excel, Word, or PowerPoint?
- Why don't I see Claude after installing it?
- As a student, how do I add Claude to my Bowdoin laptop?
- Can I install the Claude add-in on a personal computer?
Environment
This article applies to faculty, staff, and students installing the Claude add-in on a Bowdoin-issued computer with the Microsoft 365 desktop apps.
- Who: Bowdoin community members with a Bowdoin Claude account.
- What: The desktop versions of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint on Windows 11 or a current version of macOS.
- Not in scope: The web versions of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint (Office on the web), which handle add-ins differently.
Personal devices are best-effort only and are not directly supported by Information Technology (IT).
Resolution
The short version: Install the add-in once from Anthropic's official page at
claude.com/claude-for-microsoft-365. One install adds Claude to Excel, Word, and PowerPoint together. Then open any of the three apps and sign in with your Bowdoin Claude account. You do not need administrator access to install it.
Before you start
- A Bowdoin Claude account. You sign in to the add-in with your Bowdoin Claude account. If you do not have access yet, see Getting access to Claude in the Related Articles section.
- The Microsoft 365 desktop apps installed and signed in with your Bowdoin account.
Step 1: Get the add-in from Anthropic's official page
- Go to claude.com/claude-for-microsoft-365.
- Select Install for Microsoft 365. This opens the official Claude listing on the Microsoft Marketplace. The one listing covers Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- On the Marketplace page, select Get it now and follow the prompts. If you are asked to sign in, use your Bowdoin Microsoft 365 account.
Note: Installing once adds Claude to all three apps. You do not install it separately in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Use the button on the official page. Starting from claude.com/claude-for-microsoft-365 makes sure you get the genuine add-in published by Anthropic, rather than a look-alike add-in from another publisher.
Step 2: Open Claude in Excel, Word, or PowerPoint
- Open Excel, Word, or PowerPoint on your Bowdoin-issued computer.
- On the Home tab of the ribbon, select Claude. The Claude panel opens along the side of the document.
Don't see Claude yet? Close the app completely and reopen it. The Claude button usually appears on the Home tab after the add-in finishes installing and the app restarts.
Step 3: Sign in with your Bowdoin Claude account
- In the Claude panel, select Sign in.
- Complete the Bowdoin single sign-on (Okta) login in the window that opens. For help, see Sign in to Claude with Bowdoin SSO (Okta) in the Related Articles section.
- Confirm you are in the Bowdoin workspace.
The first time you use Claude in each app, repeat Step 2 and Step 3. The add-in is already installed in all three apps; you are only opening the panel and signing in.
Optional: Let Claude work across your files
Claude can carry context between your Office documents. To turn this on, open Settings in the Claude panel of each app and turn on Let Claude work across files.
Troubleshooting
- Claude does not appear after installing: Close the app fully and reopen it, then look on the Home tab.
- You are told you cannot add or manage add-ins, or Get it now is unavailable: Your Bowdoin-managed computer or Microsoft 365 account may restrict store add-ins, in which case IT can deploy Claude for you. Contact the Service Desk. Installing this add-in does not require administrator rights, so temporary administrator tools are not part of adding it.
- You cannot sign in to Claude: Confirm you have a Bowdoin Claude account. See Getting access to Claude in the Related Articles section.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources
AI-assisted content: This article was drafted with the assistance of an AI writing tool and reviewed by Bowdoin IT staff for accuracy.