Microsoft Roadmap, messagecenter and blogs updates from 07-05-2026

Updated May 6, 2026: We have updated the timeline. This post has also been updated to remind customers that this feature is default-on for Copilot Dashboard users with full company-level data access. The export output remains de-identified, with each user represented by a hashed ID. Please review and take any actions as appropriate for your organization. Thank you for your patience.

This MC post is associated with Roadmap ID 500872.

[Introduction:]

To support deeper analysis of Copilot adoption, Microsoft is introducing a new export capability in the Copilot Dashboard. This feature allows dashboard users with company-level access to download de-identified Copilot usage metrics, aggregated by user and week, from the past six months. Organizations can use this data to track adoption trends, optimize licensing, and support AI transformation strategies.

This feature requires at least 50 Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses and applies to the Viva Insights web app.

[When this will happen:]

• Public Preview: Begins in early December 2025 (previously late November 2025), completes by late December 2025.
• General Availability (Worldwide): Begins in early July 2026 (previously early May), completes by late July 2026 (previously late May).

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

Copilot Dashboard users with full company-level data access, including senior leaders (as identified in Entra ID), admin-assigned company-level users, delegates with company-level access, as well as global analysts and admins. 

Note: Group managers with data access limited to their own teams will not have access to this feature.

What will happen:

• Users will be able to export de-identified, row-level Copilot usage metrics from the dashboard.
• The dataset includes weekly, user-level metrics from the past six months.
• The export supports Copilot usage analysis across apps (such as Word, Excel, Teams), and includes two attributes: Organization, and Job function.
• Organizations can use the data to track usage patterns, generate insights to inform adoption strategies, optimize licensing, and measure ROI.
• The feature is enabled by default for eligible users.
• Admins can manage access via Viva Feature Access Management (VFAM) settings, under Module: Viva Insights; Feature: Copilot Metrics Export.
• No impact to user workflow unless accessed by eligible users.

Screenshot 1 – View of the new Microsoft Copilot dashboard: 

Screenshot 2 – Example of output: 

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Review the assignment of the Copilot dashboard users with full company-wide data access and adjust VFAM policies as needed.
• Communicate the upcoming feature to eligible users so they know what to expect.
• No admin setup is required to start using the export.
• Admins can disable the feature at the tenant or group level at any time using VFAM settings.

Learn more: 

Microsoft Viva Feature access management | Microsoft Learn

Connect to the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard for Microsoft 365 customers | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations:]

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Updated May 6, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

To enhance wireless content sharing in meeting spaces, Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows devices will soon support Miracast. This complements existing options like Teams Cast and HDMI ingest and is available for devices including touch boards. This feature is exclusive to Teams Rooms Pro.

This message is associated with Roadmap ID 506748.

• Targeted release: We will begin rolling out in mid-May 2026 (previously early May) and expect to complete by mid-May 2026 (previously end of March).
• General Availability: We will begin rolling out mid-May 2026 (previously end of March) and expect to complete by late May 2026 (previously mid-April).

Who is affected: Admins managing Teams Rooms on Windows devices with Teams Rooms Pro licenses.

What will happen:

• Miracast will be available as a wireless sharing option in Teams Rooms on Windows.
• The feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled via a tenant-wide toggle in the IT admin portal.
• Laptop devices must support Miracast to use this feature.
• No impact to end-user workflow unless enabled by admin.

• Review your Teams Rooms device compatibility with Miracast.
• Enable the feature via the IT admin portal if desired.
• Communicate the availability of Miracast to helpdesk and meeting room support staff.
• Update internal documentation to reflect the new sharing option.

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Updated May 5, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We’re adding a new Exchange Online admin policy that gives admins more control over the default Mail Compose and Reply setting that determines whether commas are used as recipient separators.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 557676.

[When this will happen]

• General availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early April 2026 and complete by mid-May 2026 (previously mid‑April).

[How this will affect your organization]

Who is affected

• Exchange Online administrators in New Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Web
• All users composing or replying to email in Outlook where no per‑user override is configured

What will happen

• A new admin policy will be available to set the tenant‑wide default for “Use commas as recipient separators.”
• Admins can choose whether the default is on or off for all users.
• Users may still change this setting in their Outlook client unless an admin enforces a policy that locks it: 

  

• This update is especially useful for organizations whose contacts commonly use “Last name, First name” formats.
• No changes will occur automatically—tenants will retain existing behavior unless an admin modifies the policy.

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required. If desired, you may configure the new admin policy after rollout if you want to establish a consistent default. You can set this value via Powershell with the command “Set-Organization Config -RecipientDelimeters <Boolean>.”

You may also consider the following actions: 

• Review your organization’s preferred recipient formatting conventions.
• Update internal documentation if your helpdesk or user‑training materials reference this setting.

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.

Updated May 6, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

Microsoft Teams is improving the copy and paste experience for messages that contain @mentions, shared contacts, and other supported @tags. Previously, when users copied and pasted messages containing mentions, those mentions could be converted into plain text and lose their interactivity.

With this update, Teams preserves supported tags during copy and paste whenever possible. If a tag is valid in the destination conversation, it remains interactive and behaves the same way as when originally authored. If the tag cannot be used in that context, it safely falls back to plain text while preserving the original display text. This ensures a more consistent and reliable messaging experience across chats and channels.

This message applies to Teams for Windows desktop, Teams for Mac desktop, and Teams for the web. It is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 558254.

[When this will happen:]

• Targeted Release: Rollout begins mid-May (previously early May) and is expected to complete by late May 2026 (previously mid-May 2026).
• General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins late May 2026 (previously mid-May) and is expected to complete by early June 2026 (previously late May).
• General Availability (GCC, GCC High): Rollout begins early June 2026 (previously mid-May 2026 (previously early May) and is expected to complete by mid-June 2026 (previously early June).
• General Availability (DoD): Rollout begins mid-June 2026 (previously early June) and is expected to complete by late June 2026 (previously late May).

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• All users of Microsoft Teams who copy and paste messages containing @mentions, shared contacts, or other supported tags in chats and channels.

What will happen:

• Supported tags are preserved during copy and paste when the tag is valid in the destination conversation.
• Preserved tags remain interactive and behave the same way as when originally authored.
• If a tag cannot be used in the destination context (for example, due to membership, permissions, or scope limitations), it automatically falls back to plain text while preserving the original display text.
• This reduces confusion, preserves message context, and minimizes the need for users to manually recreate mentions after pasting content.

There is no change to how mentions or notifications behave after a message is sent.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• No admin action is required.
• This feature is enabled by default and will be available automatically once the rollout reaches your tenant.
• Consider notifying helpdesk staff or end users about the improved copy and paste behavior to set expectations.

[Compliance considerations:]

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Updated May 6, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We are improving the Microsoft Teams meeting experience when the active meeting window is minimized. This update helps users stay engaged in meetings while multitasking across other apps. With this change, users can perform key in-meeting actions—such as raising their hand and sending reactions—without restoring the full Teams meeting window. Users can also choose between two different minimized views, depending on how much meeting context they want to keep visible while they work.

This change does not affect the experience when users are sharing their screen in a Teams meeting.

This message applies to Teams for Windows desktop and Teams for Mac desktop. It is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 557179.

[When this will happen:]

• Targeted Release: Rollout begins mid-May 2026 (previously early May) and is expected to complete by late May 2026 (previously early May).
• General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins early June 2026 (previously mid-May) and is expected to complete by late June 2026 (previously late May).

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• All users who join and participate in Microsoft Teams meetings.

What will happen:

• When users minimize a Teams meeting window, a new minimized meeting experience appears automatically.
• Users can raise their hand and send reactions without restoring the full Microsoft Teams meeting window.
• Users can choose between two minimized views:
• Expanded view: Displays up to four participant videos.



• Compact view: Does not display participant video and takes up less screen space.



• The feature is enabled by default and does not require any admin configuration.
• There is no change to the meeting experience while screen sharing.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• No action is required.
• Consider notifying users and helpdesk staff about the new minimized meeting views in Microsoft Teams.
• Update internal training or support documentation if it references Teams meeting window behavior.

[Compliance considerations:]

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Updated May 6, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We’re improving breakout room setup in Microsoft Teams by adding support for CSV import of breakout room assignments. This update helps organizers reduce manual setup time and prepare structured meetings—such as trainings, workshops, and large collaboration sessions—more efficiently.

This message is associated with Roadmap ID 559387.

[When this will happen:]

• Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out in mid-May 2026 (previously early May) and expect to complete by late May 2026 (previously mid-May).
• General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins in late May 2026 (previously mid-May) and completes by late June 2026 (previously late May).

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Meeting organizers who use Breakout rooms in Microsoft Teams meetings

What will happen:

• Organizers can import a CSV file to:
  • Create breakout rooms in bulk
  • Assign participants to specific rooms before the meeting starts
• Imported assignments can still be modified using existing breakout room controls during or before the meeting
• The feature is enabled by default and does not require admin configuration
• Existing breakout room policies and controls are respected

[What you can do to prepare:]

No action is required from administrators.

• Inform meeting organizers about this new capability
• Update internal documentation or training materials as needed

Before rollout, we will update this post with new documentation.

[Compliance considerations:]

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Updated May 6, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

Live chat in Microsoft Teams enables small and medium businesses to connect with customers through a chat widget embedded on their websites. Website visitors can chat directly with business employees, who receive and manage these conversations in Teams. Transcripts from live chats are stored in a central team and channel, which organizations can use for ticket management and follow‑up.

To better align the feature name with how customers use it, Microsoft will rename Live chat to Customer Connect. This is a name change only; there are no functional or behavioral changes.

[When this will happen]

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out this change in mid-May 2026 (previously late April) and expect to complete the rollout by the end of May 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected

• Microsoft 365 tenants that use Live chat in Microsoft Teams
• Teams administrators who manage Live chat settings
• Users who support customers through Live chat conversations in Teams

What will happen

• Live chat will be renamed to Customer Connect across:
  • Teams admin settings
  • In‑product references
  • Microsoft documentation
• There will be no changes to functionality, configuration, or data handling.
• If your organization already uses Live chat:
  • Existing teams and channels created for Live chat will not be renamed.
• If your organization begins using this capability after the name change:
  • The team and channel used to manage live chats will be named Customer Connect.
• The feature will remain enabled and managed the same way as before.

Learn more: Set up and manage live chat | Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required.

You may consider updating internal documentation or informing helpdesk and support staff of the new Customer Connect name to reduce potential confusion.

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.

Updated May 6, 2026: We have updated the content. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

Microsoft is introducing an automatic upgrade for shared calendars in Outlook and Exchange Online, transitioning from the legacy MAPI-based model to the modern REST-based model. This server-side upgrade will improve calendar sync reliability, performance, and consistency for delegates and users who access shared calendars. The change is designed to be seamless and will not require any action from users or administrators.

[When this will happen]

General Availability (Worldwide):

Rollout starting mid-May 2026 (previously early May) and completing by late July 2026

GCC High /DoD:

Rollout starting end of June 2026 (previously mid-May) and completing by late July 2026

Note: Rollout will be progressive and timing may vary by tenant.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected

• Microsoft 365 tenants using Exchange Online
• Users who have Editor or higher permissions on shared calendars in user or shared mailboxes
• Delegates and users who access shared calendars in Outlook

What will happen

• Shared calendars will be automatically upgraded from the legacy MAPI-based model to the modern REST-based model.
• A new calendar folder will be created in a hidden state and will only become visible to the user once the full sync is successfully completed and validated, ensuring a seamless rollover to the new model.
• The transition is expected to appear seamless, with no interruption to normal user workflows.
• Events older than one year will be excluded from the initial sync window. However, recurring events with instances falling within or after the one-year threshold will still be included in the sync.
• Existing permissions and sharing relationships will be preserved; no re-sharing or permission reset will be required.
• The upgrade process is fully automatic and requires no action from the user — no Outlook restart, profile recreation, or any other manual steps.
• No data loss is expected as a result of this change.
• The rollout will initially support auto-upgrade for up to four shared calendars per delegate or principal, scaling up to six over time. Those managing more than six shared calendars will be excluded from the auto-upgrade and will experience no change to their current setup.

How does it effect the Classic Outlook setting ‘Turn on shared calendar improvements’?

• After migration, Classic Outlook will continue to honour the existing setting. Although shared calendars are upgraded to the REST model at the service level, Classic Outlook will follow the setting and use MAPI-based model if the setting is turned off. This behaviour is limited to Classic Outlook; all other endpoints (Outlook Web, Mobile, Mac, New Outlook) will use REST.

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required.

We recommend that administrators:

• During migration, a hidden shared calendar folder may be visible to tenant admins and support teams via the Get-MailboxFolderStatistics cmdlet. This is expected and has no impact on end users.
• Monitor for persistent issues, such as missing meetings after the migration window or duplicate calendar folders, and contact Microsoft support if observed.
• If a manual rollback is required after the calendar becomes visible, open a support request through standard Microsoft support channels.

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.

[Introduction]

We’re announcing the public preview of the Change Optics report for Exchange Online, which is now available for all customers. This report helps Exchange administrators proactively identify email traffic that may be affected by upcoming service changes, enabling investigation and remediation ahead of enforcement.

[When this will happen]

• Public preview: The report is now rolled out for all customers. We plan to conduct the public preview for at least one month. 
• General availability (Worldwide): Depending on feedback from the public preview, we may announce GA as early as June 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected

Exchange Online administrators

What will happen

• A new Change Optics report will appear in Exchange Online reporting during public preview.
• The report provides visibility into a sample set of messages that match characteristics expected to be impacted by future Exchange Online transport changes.
• At launch, the report includes the following scenarios:
  • OMC (onmicrosoft.com external traffic): Identifies onmicrosoft.com traffic being sent externally so organizations can address this usage to avoid throttling.
  • DRS (Direct Send traffic): Identifies Direct Send traffic being received by the tenant to help organizations prepare to enable the Reject Direct Send setting.
• The report does not modify mail flow, enforcement behavior, or tenant configuration.
• The report is enabled by default for Exchange Online tenants.
• There is no impact to users.

[What you need to do to prepare]

No action is required to prepare.

However, Exchange administrators may want to:

• Review the Change Optics report once it becomes available during public preview.
• Use the report findings to:
• Identify and reduce reliance on onmicrosoft.com external email usage.
• Assess Direct Send traffic and plan for enabling Reject Direct Send if appropriate.
• Update internal documentation or operational guidance related to mail flow best practices.

Learn more: Change Optics Report released into Public Preview to showcase messages impacted by future changes | Exchange Team Blog

[Compliance considerations]

We've released updates to the following update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps:

• Current Channel

[When this will happen:]

We'll be gradually rolling out this update of Microsoft 365 Apps to users on that update channel starting May 5th, 2026 (PST).

[How this will affect your organization:]

If your Microsoft 365 Apps clients are configured to automatically update from the Office Content Delivery Network (CDN), then no action is required.

If you manage updates directly you can now download this latest update and begin deployment.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

To get more details about this update view the following release notes:

• Current Channel

• Windows Server 2022: March 2026 Cumulative Update (KB5078766) or later.
• Windows Server 2019: March 2026 Cumulative Update (KB5078752) or later.

• Opt-In Windows Server 2025 Feature Update from the WS 2022 and WS 2019 Settings Dialog
• Plan your Windows Server upgrade
• Perform an in-place upgrade of Windows Server

[Introduction]

Microsoft Purview Data Security Investigations (DSI) is expanding its AI-powered investigation capabilities by adding optical character recognition (OCR). This enhancement enables DSI to extract and analyze text from images, helping organizations identify sensitive information embedded in visual content. This improves the accuracy and depth of data security investigations.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 561489.

[When this will happen:]

• Public Preview (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in late May 2026 and expect to complete by early June 2026.
• General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in mid-July 2026 and expect to complete by late July 2026.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Admins and analysts using Microsoft Purview Data Security Investigations (DSI)
• Organizations investigating data security risks using Purview

What will happen:

• OCR will be enabled by default in Data Security Investigations.
• DSI will automatically extract text from image-based content (for example: images, screenshots, embedded visuals in files).
• Extracted text will be incorporated into investigation datasets to improve search, analysis, and risk detection.
• Existing investigation workflows will require no changes.
• This can help improve detection of sensitive information that may be embedded in visual content.
• Existing Purview policies and controls (such as sensitivity labels and DLP) continue to be respected.

[What you can do to prepare:]

No action is required prior to rollout.

You may consider the following:

• Inform your security and compliance teams about improved detection capabilities involving image-based content.
• Review internal investigation procedures to account for insights derived from OCR.
• Update any internal documentation or training materials that reference Data Security Investigations capabilities.

Learn more:

• Use AI analysis in Data Security Investigations | Microsoft Learn
• Learn about Data Security Investigations | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations:]

[Introduction]

As recently announced, Microsoft is expanding Microsoft 365 Copilot Cowork with support for plugins, connectors, and selected partner integrations. This change enables Copilot Cowork to securely access additional Microsoft and third‑party services using existing permissions, helping users complete tasks across systems without changing current security or compliance controls. These updates are based on early customer feedback from Microsoft 365 Copilot Frontier participants and are designed to improve extensibility and productivity while maintaining tenant governance.

Copilot Cowork is available through the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on web, desktop, and supported mobile devices (iOS and Android) for Frontier participants.

[When this will happen]

• Public Preview: Rollout begins in early May 2026 and is expected to complete in early May 2026.
  • These capabilities are rolling out gradually as part of the Microsoft 365 Copilot Frontier program. 
  • There is no general availability date announced at this time.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected

• Organizations enrolled in the Microsoft 365 Copilot Frontier program
• Users who have access to Microsoft 365 Copilot Cowork

What will happen

• Copilot Cowork can be extended through plugins, which may include connectors, skills, or both.
• Native Microsoft connectors allow Copilot Cowork to read (and where supported, write) data from services such as Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Fabric, including Power BI.
• Partner plugins will roll out over the coming weeks, including integrations with LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group), Miro, monday.com, and S&P Global Energy, with additional partners planned.
• Organizations can create custom plugins to connect Copilot Cowork to internal systems or workflows.
• Copilot Cowork is available through the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on web, desktop, and supported mobile devices (iOS and Android) for Frontier participants.
• Existing Microsoft 365 permissions, policies, and audit controls are respected. Tenant security boundaries do not change.
• This feature is available only to Frontier participants and is not enabled for non‑Frontier tenants by default. 

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required if your organization is not enrolled in the Microsoft 365 Copilot Frontier program.

If you are participating in Frontier:

• Review whether plugin and connector access aligns with your organization’s governance and data access policies.
• Decide whether to allow or restrict custom plugin creation.
• Inform helpdesk staff or pilot users that Copilot Cowork may surface data from additional Microsoft and partner services based on existing access.

Learn more:

• Build plugins for Copilot Cowork (Frontier) | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn
• (Co)work in Progress | Microsoft 365 Copilot Blog
• Frontier program – Microsoft Adoption
• Manage plugins for Copilot Cowork (Frontier) | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn
• Use plugins with Copilot Cowork (Frontier) | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations]

[Introduction]

A new Notifications Delivery Tracker is now available for Storyline Announcements in Viva Engage. Storyline in Viva Engage is a personal publishing and communications experience that allows leaders and employees to share updates and announcements directly with their audience across Microsoft 365.

This new capability provides communicators with real-time visibility into the delivery status of announcement notifications—helping ensure critical updates are delivered as expected and improving confidence in communications reach. With this tracker, communicators can monitor when notifications are preparing, sending, and have completed delivery after an announcement is published.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in mid-May 2026 and is expected to complete by late May 2026.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Communicators and leaders publishing Storyline announcements in Viva Engage
• Admins monitoring usage and adoption of Viva Engage analytics

What will happen:

• A new Notifications Delivery Tracker will be available in Conversation Analytics page for Storyline announcements.
• The tracker will display real-time notification delivery status (preparing, sending, completed).
• The tracker is accessible on the Conversation Analytics page after publishing an announcement.
• It reflects notification delivery progress, including:
  • When an announcement is posted.
  • When notifications are processed.
  • When notifications are successfully delivered.
• Delivery visibility will include multiple channels:
  • Email
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Viva Engage
  • Mobile push notifications
• There is no change to user publishing workflows—this enhances visibility post-publish.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• No admin action is required.
• Inform communicators and leaders in your organization about this new visibility feature.
• Update internal documentation or training materials related to Viva Engage Storyline announcements (if applicable).
• Review Conversation Analytics to understand how this feature can support communication effectiveness.

[Compliance considerations:]

The feature enhances reporting visibility in Viva Engage by adding delivery tracking to Conversation Analytics. This is an additive reporting capability and does not change underlying compliance data handling.

• Translating user intent into structured workflow logic
• Automatically configuring actions, triggers, and other components
• Reducing the need for manual setup and technical configuration
• Accelerating time from concept to implementation

• Which actions appear: Select any eligible out-of-the-box POS operation or custom operation registered in headquarters to include as an inline action on transaction line items.
• Display order: Control the sequence in which inline actions appear, so the most relevant operations for a given store format or associate role are surfaced first
• Custom operations: Operations built through the POS extension framework can be added as inline actions alongside out-of-the-box operations, giving retailers a unified configuration surface for both standard and customized workflows.

• Enable manual recording for nonvoice engagements through settings.
• Specify which roles can start, stop, review, or download recordings using existing security roles.
• Disable individual capabilities at any time by turning off the relevant settings or removing role permissions.
• Manually link recordings to cases or conversations when sessions don’t originate from voice calls, ensuring recordings are attached to the correct entity.
• All new capabilities are disabled by default to provide admins time to validate policies and workflows before enabling additional controls.