Use Microsoft 365 with AI on Windows
Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor to Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint on Windows through LMCP — a local, free alternative to the official Microsoft 365 connectors.
You can connect more than one Microsoft 365 account — work and personal, or several organizations — and choose which one each request uses.
LMCP executes local tools on your device. Cloud AI providers and connected services can receive requested data; their terms apply.
LMCP connects your AI assistant to Outlook, Teams and Office documents on Windows through native local integrations — no Microsoft Graph API, no Azure app registration, and no IT admin approval. Most Windows-and-Microsoft-365 actions work this way; a few Teams and People actions that must reach Microsoft's servers use an optional Microsoft 365 account connection instead. LMCP tells you which before it asks.
What You Can Connect
- Outlook email — read, search, send, reply and organize. See the Outlook guide.
- Outlook calendar — list, create and manage events. See the calendar guide.
- Outlook contacts — search and read your address book. See the contacts guide.
- Microsoft Teams — read conversations, channels and call history from the local cache; sending uses the account connection. See the Teams guide.
- Word, Excel and PowerPoint — read and edit documents directly on disk. See the Office documents guide.
How this compares to Claude's and ChatGPT's official Microsoft 365 connectors
Searching for a way to connect an AI assistant to Outlook and Teams also turns up Anthropic's and OpenAI's own hosted connectors. They work well for the accounts and plans they support:
| Option | Requires | Personal Microsoft accounts |
|---|---|---|
| LMCP (Local MCP) | Outlook and/or Teams installed on your PC — no tenant, no OAuth, no admin, free | Yes — work and personal alike |
| Anthropic's official Microsoft 365 connector | A Microsoft Entra business tenant; a Global Administrator must approve it once before anyone can connect | No — personal accounts (@outlook.com, @hotmail.com) can't be used |
| ChatGPT's Outlook connector | A paid ChatGPT plan (Plus, Team or Enterprise) — the free tier can't connect apps | Depends on your Microsoft 365 sign-in; the connector itself is plan-gated, not account-gated |
Get Started
- Install LMCP for Windows — no admin rights needed.
- Restart your AI client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, ChatGPT or Windsurf).
- Try a read-only request first, like “show me my unread Outlook emails.”
- Connect a Microsoft 365 account only if you need a Teams-sending or People-directory action that requires it — LMCP explains the scope before authorization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect Claude or ChatGPT to Outlook and Teams without the Microsoft Graph API?
Yes, for the most common actions. LMCP reads and writes Outlook through COM automation and reads Teams from its local cache — neither calls Microsoft Graph. Sending a Teams message is the one action that reaches Teams' servers, so it uses a Microsoft 365 account connection instead.
Does Claude's official Microsoft 365 connector work with my personal Outlook or Hotmail account?
No. Anthropic's official connector requires a Microsoft Entra business or school tenant; personal accounts (@outlook.com, @hotmail.com) aren't supported. LMCP works with the Outlook already signed in on your PC, personal or work.
Do I need my company's IT admin to approve this?
Not for LMCP's local Outlook and Teams-reading tools — they never call Microsoft Graph, so there is nothing for a tenant administrator to approve. Anthropic's official connector does require one: a Microsoft Entra Global Administrator must consent once for the whole tenant before anyone can connect.
Is this free?
Yes. LMCP is free regardless of your AI client's plan. ChatGPT's own Outlook connector, by contrast, needs a paid ChatGPT plan — the free tier can't connect apps at all.
Related Windows Guides
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