Microsoft will allow Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscribers to share Copilot and other AI-powered features, as well as Office app access and OneDrive storage, with up to five additional people on a plan, according to an email sent to Microsoft 365 Family and Premium subscribers. Previously, when Microsoft bundled AI features into Microsoft 365 Personal and Family last year, only the primary account holder could access the AI benefits.
Microsoft 365 Family sharing details
The email outlines three principal changes that will roll out over the coming months. First, subscribers will be able to share Copilot benefits and AI usage with other members on their plan, and manage AI access for younger family members. Second, individual AI feature limits will be replaced by a single AI usage allowance that can be applied to the advanced AI features a subscriber uses most, and subscribers will be able to purchase additional AI usage when needed. Third, OneDrive storage will move from 1 TB per person to 2 TB of shared storage for the entire plan; that storage change will take effect after a subscriber’s first renewal following 2nd May, 2027.
The storage change is highlighted as a potential downside: instead of each account keeping 1 TB of OneDrive storage, the plan will be limited to 2 TB shared across all members. Microsoft says this shared model makes storage more flexible if one member exceeds 1 TB, but the change also appears to create an opportunity for the company to upsell additional OneDrive storage.
According to a support note, “Existing subscribers in eligible markets might also qualify for transitional bonus storage.” Microsoft is also planning to provide support to families that use a large amount of storage.
The announcement comes a year after Microsoft 365 Premium launched. Microsoft 365 Premium combines Copilot Pro and a Microsoft 365 Family subscription and is priced at $19.99 a month. The new “more flexible AI usage” allowance could mean some subscribers end up paying more for AI usage depending on how they use Copilot.
These updates will be introduced to subscription plans over the coming months, per the email to subscribers.
