Microsoft Roadmap, messagecenter and blogs updates from 06-02-2026

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

Introduction

We’re introducing a new request and approval experience in the Microsoft 365 admin center for Microsoft agents. This update enables users to request access to agents—even those currently unavailable due to your organization’s configuration—directly from the Agent Store.

You can manage these requests centrally from the Copilot > Agents & connectors page in the Microsoft 365 admin center, streamlining access control and improving visibility into user interest.

Note: This request flow applies exclusively to agents built by Microsoft and does not extend to other agents available in the store.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 494809.

When this will happen

Rollout will begin early March 2026 (previously early February) and completes by end of March 2026 (previously end of February).

How this affects your organization

This update enhances flexibility and transparency in agent access management:

• Admins retain full control over access decisions and benefit from:
  • Centralized management of agent access requests.
  • Granular control to approve or reject requests at the individual user level.

This feature is on by default and requires no configuration to enable.

What you can do to prepare

No setup is required—this feature will roll out automatically.

To prepare:

• Visit the Copilot > Agents & connectors page in the Microsoft 365 admin center to view and manage agent access requests.
• Approve or reject requests based on your organization’s policies.

Compliance considerations

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

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

Introduction

We’re introducing new output control features in the Researcher Agent within Microsoft 365 Copilot. These enhancements allow users to customize the length of generated reports and select preferred output formats, improving flexibility and usability.

When this will happen: General Availability (Worldwide):

Rollout will begin in late September 2025 (previously mid-September) and is expected to complete by late February 2026 (previously late January).

How this affects your organization

This update gives users greater control over how research reports are generated and exported.

• Before generating a report, users can now select a desired length (short, comprehensive):

   

• After generation, users can choose from multiple output formats, including exporting to Word:

   

What you can do to prepare

• No action is required at this time.
• Admins may wish to inform users of the new customization options available in the Researcher Agent.

Compliance considerations

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

[Introduction]

We are introducing two new Microsoft Graph APIs that enable admins to programmatically access and manage agents and apps within their organization. These APIs provide greater flexibility for reporting and integration scenarios without relying on manual UI workflows.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 502875.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in mid-February 2026 (previously early February) and is expected to complete by end of February 2026 (previously mid-February).

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected: Admins managing Copilot agents and apps within Microsoft 365 environments.

What will happen:

• New Graph API endpoints will be available:
  • GET graph.microsoft.com/copilot/admin/catalog/packages – Retrieves a complete inventory of all agents and apps (Microsoft, External, Shared, and Custom).
  • GET graph.microsoft.com/copilot/admin/catalog/packages/{id} – Fetches detailed metadata for a specific agent or app, including properties and manifest details.

• These APIs allow for automated reporting and integration workflows.
• No changes to existing UI workflows or admin policies.
• These Graph API endpoints are available to users with an existing Microsoft 365 license; no additional license or add-on is required.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Review the Microsoft Graph API documentation to familiarize yourself with usage and capabilities at this time.

[Compliance considerations:]

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

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

We’re introducing more flexible and precise audience targeting in Viva Engage, starting with Storyline Announcements. This update allows leaders and their delegates to define a custom audience at the time of posting—without relying on pre-configured Leader Audiences. Audiences can include organizational attributes (such as reporting structure, country, department, job title), existing groups (Microsoft 365 Groups, DLs, SGs), or individual users by name. This flexibility enables more timely, targeted communication, helping leaders reach the right people with the right message. Notifications and delivery channels (such as Teams, email) will continue to follow existing Storyline Announcement behavior, ensuring a seamless experience for recipients.

This feature is ideal for leaders who want to tailor communications to specific departments, locations, or existing groups, enhancing relevance and engagement across the organization.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499895.

[When this will happen:]

• Public Preview (Worldwide): Begins mid-November 2025 and completes by mid-March 2026 (previously early February).
• General Availability (Worldwide): Begins mid-March 2026 (previously early February) and completes by mid-April 2026 (previously early March).

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected: Leaders and delegates using Viva Engage Storyline Announcements in tenants enrolled in public preview.

What will happen:

• This capability is being introduced as part of the public preview for Viva Engage. During this phase, leaders and their delegates can actively experiment with flexible audience targeting for Storyline Announcements—defining a custom audience at the time of posting, rather than relying solely on pre‑configured Leader Audiences.
• Audiences can include organizational attributes (such as reporting structure, country, department, job title), existing groups (Microsoft 365 Groups, DLs, SGs), or individual users.
• Notifications and delivery channels (Teams, email, Viva Engage Inbox) remain unchanged for recipients.
• No dependency on IT or advance audience setup—leaders can act immediately when communication needs arise.
• Available only in public preview; functionality and targeting options may evolve before general availability.
• Admins should ensure organizational attributes in Entra ID or Organizational Data in Microsoft are accurate to support successful targeting.
• Available platforms: Desktop and web.
• Licensing requirements: This feature requires a premium license available through Viva or Communications and Communities (C&C). Availability may vary depending on your organization’s Microsoft 365 licensing agreement.

[What you can do to prepare:]

No admin action is required for rollout. To prepare, you may want to:

• Validate organizational attributes (reporting structure, country, department, role, job title) in Microsoft Entra ID or Organizational Data in Microsoft.
• Confirm leader and delegate assignments to ensure the right people can use Storyline Announcements and the new targeting control.

Learn more:

• Use your organizational data in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Viva | Microsoft Viva | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations:]

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

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

[Introduction:]

As part of the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative (SFI) and in alignment with the “Secure by Default” principle, we’re retiring the legacy IDCRL (Identity Client Run Time Library) authentication protocol in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. This change helps strengthen your organization’s security posture by enforcing modern authentication standards—OpenID Connect and OAuth—which reduce exposure to outdated and vulnerable authentication methods.

[When this will happen:]

• Starting February 16, 2026: Legacy client authentication will be blocked by default. Organizations may temporarily re-enable it using PowerShell until April 30, 2026.
• Starting May 1, 2026: Legacy client authentication will be permanently blocked and cannot be re-enabled.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Organizations using clients, scripts, or applications that rely on the legacy IDCRL authentication protocol to access SharePoint Online or OneDrive for Business.

• Legacy authentication calls using IDCRL will be blocked by default starting February 16, 2026.
• Temporary re-enablement is possible via PowerShell until April 30, 2026.
• After May 1, 2026, IDCRL authentication will be permanently retired and cannot be re-enabled.
• Applications using IDCRL will fail to authenticate unless updated to use modern protocols.

[What you can do to prepare:]

We recommend migrating from legacy authentication protocols to modern authentication as soon as possible. 

To prepare for this retirement:

• Migrate all clients, scripts, and applications to use OpenID Connect or OAuth protocols. 
• Review current configurations for IDCRL authentication.
• Notify IT admins, app owners, and security teams about the upcoming retirement.
• Update internal documentation to reflect the new authentication defaults.
• Use telemetry to identify usage of legacy authentication protocols and monitor migration progress.
• Use PowerShell to manage legacy authentication settings if needed:
  • Set AllowLegacyAuthProtocolsEnabledSetting and LegacyAuthProtocolsEnabled to TRUE to temporarily allow legacy authentication until April 30, 2026.
• Learn more:
  • Migrating from IDCRL authentication to modern authentication in SharePoint | Microsoft 365 Developer Blog | Microsoft Dev Blogs
  • Set-SPOTenant (Microsoft.Online.SharePoint.PowerShell) | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations:]

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

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

We’re introducing federated Copilot connectors in Microsoft 365 Copilot, enabling users to securely connect external apps such as Notion, Canva, or Hubspot directly within Copilot experiences like Researcher. Unlike traditional indexed connectors, federated connectors use the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to access data in real time. This allows users to fetch and read information from connected sources using their own credentials, while maintaining admin-level visibility, control, and governance in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

This feature will be available on the web platform.

A Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required to use this feature.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 501585.

Public Preview: Rollout will begin February 9, 2026 (previously January 12).

Targeted Release: Rollout will begin mid-February 2026. 

• Who is affected: All tenants using Microsoft 365 Copilot with access to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• What will happen:
  • End users will be able to connect to Microsoft-published federated connectors (such as Canva, HubSpot, Linear, Intercom, Google calendar, Google contacts, Notion) directly within Copilot experiences to search or fetch live data.
  • Admins will have visibility and control from the Copilot > Connectors section, where they can
    • View all default Federated copilot connectors enabled by Microsoft.
    • Disable any connectors that are not relevant or compliant for their organization.
    • Use staged rollout to enable these connectors for a limited group of users
  • Admin can also create and manage custom MCP based federated copilot connectors for internal or specialized data sources using an MCP endpoint.

Screenshot 1 – Admin experience:

Screenshot 2 – User experience:

When a Microsoft-published federated Copilot connector first appears in the Microsoft 365 admin center (Copilot > Connectors> Your connections), it will remain admin-only for 7 days before it can be used by end users.

During this seven-day review window, admins can:

• Review newly available federated connectors
• Disable connectors that are not relevant or compliant for their organization
• Use staged rollout to limit availability to specific Entra ID groups
• Any connector disabled during this window will not be rolled out to end users.

Additional steps:

• Review the list of default connectors that will appear in your tenant under Copilot > Connectors > Your Connections. List includes: Canva, HubSpot, Linear, Intercom, Google calendar, Google contacts, Notion and more. You can find them with type ‘MCP’
• Ensure all available connectors align with your organization’s data and compliance policies. Disable any that do not meet requirements directly from the admin center.
• For custom connectors, configure your MCP endpoints with the required tools (search and fetch) and proper authentication (OAuth2).
• Communicate this change to helpdesk staff and update internal documentation as needed.

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

“Hey Copilot” to start voice in Copilot on Windows devices

[Introduction]

Starting late November 2025, we’re introducing a new hands-free way to activate voice in Microsoft 365 Copilot on Windows devices. Users will be able to start a voice chat with Copilot by saying “Hey Copilot”. To end the conversation, users need to press the “Dismiss/X” button in the voice chat controls. In the future, users will be able to end the chat with a voice command. This allows users to stay in the flow of work, without switching apps or windows, while getting assistance from Copilot using voice.

Important: The “Hey Copilot” feature is off by default.

Users can manually enable the feature by going to Settings > Quick view in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app and turning on the Listen for “Hey Copilot” toggle. When on, this capability operates locally on the device and only activates by “hearing” the trigger word “Hey Copilot” without recording or storing any conversation. Text transcripts from voice conversations with Copilot are stored and managed in the same way as text conversations in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. No user or Copilot audio is stored. For more information about data retention for Copilot, see Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft 365 Copilot.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 497848.

[When this will happen]

Preview (Frontier): Begins rolling out at the end of November 2025.

General Availability (Worldwide): Begins rolling out end of February 2026 (previously late December 2025).

[How this will affect your organization]

• Users will be able to start a voice conversation with Copilot hands free, saying “Hey Copilot” once turned on.
• The “Hey Copilot” feature is off by default and must be turned on by users in Copilot settings.
• When on, this capability operates locally on the device and only activates by “hearing” the trigger word “Hey Copilot” without recording or storing any conversation.
• There is no admin control to disable this feature by an admin at a tenant or group level.
• Voice in Microsoft 365 Copilot is currently available only for Copilot licensed users and this feature will be available only to those same users.
• Activation respects organizational compliance boundaries and only responds when explicitly called.
• To mute or end the conversation, the user must click to “Mute” or “Dismiss” as needed. At that point, Copilot stops listening. Copilot will end the session after 60 seconds of inactivity, giving users a notice after the first 30 seconds. 
• The feature will not activate if audio from another app is on or when the user’s device is locked.
• This feature is supported in English only, but once activated, users can have conversation in any language Copilot that supports.

[What you need to do to prepare]

This feature will roll out default off but users will be prompted in product to try this feature by turning it on in the Copilot settings.

To enable, users need to go to Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows devices and enable it in settings and ensure that microphone permissions and device settings are compatible with voice activation

• Review how privacy and security of organizational data is protected when using this feature: Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft 365 Copilot
• Communicate the availability and benefits of this feature to your users.
• Remind users to ensure that microphone permissions and device settings are compatible with voice activation.

[Learn more]

How “Hey Copilot” voice chat wake word works in Microsoft 365 Copilot – Microsoft Support

Frequently asked questions about voice features in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Get started with voice features in Microsoft 365 Copilot

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

[Introduction]

We are introducing structured document generation with Microsoft Forms in SharePoint. This capability will help organizations generate standardized, compliant documents through simple form-driven experiences. It will reduce manual effort, improve template consistency, and support governance across high-volume document workflows. Creating and configuring structured document forms will require a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

This message is associated with Microsoft Roadmap ID 545896.

[When this will happen]

Public Preview: We will begin rolling out in mid-February 2026 and expect to complete by end of March 2026.

General availability (Worldwide): We will announce via Message center when we are ready to proceed.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected:

• All Microsoft 365 tenants using SharePoint Online
• Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license who will create structured document forms

What will happen:

• Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license will be able to create structured document forms linked to approved SharePoint templates.
• Business teams will be able to maintain and enforce template governance while enabling document generation across the organization.
• Users will be able to generate consistent, compliant documents by completing a form.
• Existing SharePoint permissions, governance policies, and information management controls will continue to apply.
• Document generation through published forms will be available based on standard SharePoint permissions.
• The feature will be on by default; no admin action will be required.

Screenshot 1 – Review and refine AI-suggested fields before publishing:

Screenshot 2 – Edit content and apply advanced template customizations, including conditional sections in Word:

[What you can do to prepare]

No admin action is required. You may choose to:

• Inform business stakeholders who manage templates and document workflows.
• Review opportunities to streamline document processes with form-driven generation.
• Update internal documentation or training materials if needed.

Watch the video: Generate documents by filling in the form (18 seconds)

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate

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

[Introduction]

We’re expanding Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for Microsoft Fabric to include support for Fabric warehouses. DLP for Fabric is already generally available and helps organizations detect and protect sensitive data stored in structured data within OneLake. With this update, existing DLP policies can now extend protection to warehouse data, strengthening your organization’s overall data security and compliance posture.

[When this will happen]

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

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected:

• Organizations using Microsoft Fabric with DLP policies scoped to Fabric and Power BI in Microsoft Purview, including organizations that use Fabric warehouses. Fabric warehouses are SQL-based analytical databases within Microsoft Fabric that store structured data for reporting, analytics, and business intelligence and are fully integrated with OneLake and other Fabric workloads.

What will happen:

• Existing DLP policies scoped to the Fabric and Power BI location will automatically begin scanning and evaluating Fabric warehouses in included workspaces.
• Admins who monitor DLP policies or billing will see warehouse objects included in the protected asset count in the Microsoft Purview pay-as-you-go invoice.
• No changes will be made to existing policy configurations.
• The feature will be enabled by default as it becomes available to your tenant.
• There is no impact on user workflows.

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required. You may review existing policies or inform billing and compliance stakeholders of the updated protected asset coverage.

Learn more: Get started with data loss prevention policies for Fabric and Power BI | Microsoft Purview | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations]

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

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

[Introduction]

The Researcher Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot empowers users to create rich, detailed reports on any topic they choose whether from work or web content. We are introducing a new output formats in the Researcher Agent that will allow users to export generated reports into infographics. We are also updating the UX for previously existing output formats- Word and Pages.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 546246.

[When this will happen]

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in mid-February 2026 (previously early February) and expect to complete by early April 2026 (previously late December 2027). 

[How this will affect your organization]

This update gives users greater control over their research reports as they will now be able to convert their reports into a new format for easier viewing, use and sharing. This feature is enabled by default and designed to enhance user productivity without requiring admin configuration.

[What you can do to prepare]

• No action is required at this time.
• Admins may wish to inform users of the new output format available in the Researcher Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Introduction

We’re conducting an experiment that changes how Word, Excel, and PowerPoint file attachments open in Outlook for iOS. For iPad users only, these files may open directly in the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint apps when they are installed, instead of using the in-app previewer.

When this will happen:

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCCH, DoD): We will begin rolling out this experiment in early to mid-February 2026 and expect to decide whether to proceed with or stop the rollout by the late March 2026.

How this affects your organization:

Who is affected:

• Users on iPad devices running Outlook who have the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint apps installed.

What will happen:

• Some iPad users will find that Word, Excel, and PowerPoint attachments open directly in the corresponding app.
• Users without the Office apps installed will continue to use the in-app previewer.
• This is an experiment and may not become permanent.
• No admin configuration is required.

What you can do to prepare:

• No action is required.
• You may choose to notify iPad users or update internal help documentation.

Compliance considerations:

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

[Introduction]

We are bringing digital signage capabilities to Teams Rooms on Android, similar to what is available for Teams Rooms on Windows. This update allows IT admins to display dynamic content—such as announcements, news, or organizational information—on front‑of‑room displays when the room is not in a meeting. Tenant‑wide and room‑specific configuration is available through the Teams Rooms Pro Management portal. This feature supports select third‑party digital signage partners and is included with the Teams Rooms Pro license.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 548647.

[When this will happen

• General Availability (Worldwide): Rolling out in early March 2026; expected completion by late March 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected:

• Organizations using Teams Rooms on Android.
• Admins managing devices through the Teams Rooms Pro Management portal.
• Tenants with Teams Rooms Pro licenses.

What will happen:

Before the rollout, Teams Rooms on Android show a static front‑of‑room display home screen when not in use.

After the rollout:

• Admins can enable digital signage to display dynamic content when the room is idle:

 

• Supported signage sources include Appspace, XOGO, and custom web URLs.
• Digital signage is configurable at the tenant level and for individual rooms.
• Users can return to the home screen by tapping the touch console.
• Admins can:
  • Choose whether to show the Teams Rooms banner with room info and calendar preview.
  • Configure activation and deactivation timers for signage mode.
  • Determine whether signage mode respects or bypasses OS screen‑timeout settings.
• Custom URL requirements:
  • Must begin with https
  • Must be publicly accessible with no authentication
  • Must support viewing within an iframe
• SharePoint and OneDrive URLs are not supported for custom signage.

Role-based access:

• Global Admins and Teams Rooms Pro Managers can manage tenant‑wide settings.
• These roles can assign additional permissions using Role-based Access Controls (RBAC) for specific rooms or room groups.

[What you can do to prepare]

• Begin planning your digital signage deployment strategy (centralized, localized, or blended).
• Prepare content within supported signage systems.
• After devices update to the minimum required app version:
  • Enable digital signage in the Teams Rooms Pro Management portal by navigating to Settings > Digital Signage.
  • Add signage sources and apply settings to applicable rooms.
• Notify helpdesk and affected users of the upcoming capability.
• Update internal documentation and training materials as needed.

This rollout will occur automatically within the specified rollout window; no administrative action is required before rollout.

Learn more: Configure digital signage on Teams Rooms | Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations]

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

[Introduction]

We’re introducing a new capability in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Premium) that allows eDiscovery users to add a statistical sample of search results to a review set. This enhancement helps organizations validate search results earlier in the investigation process, improving confidence in data relevance before committing all results to review.

With this update, reviewers can include a representative subset of items based on configurable sampling criteria, enabling faster early‑stage assessment while reducing review volume. 

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 516578.

[When this will happen]

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

General Availability (GCC, GCCH, and DoD): Rollout will begin in early March 2026 and is expected to complete by late March 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected: Administrators and eDiscovery (Premium) users who manage or review search results and review sets in Microsoft Purview.

What will happen:

• This change does not impact any other Microsoft Purview or Microsoft 365 services.
• Users will see new sampling options after search statistics have been generated for a search.
• Users can choose to add all search results to a review set or add a sample of results based on configurable statistical inputs.
• When sampling is selected, reviewers can specify:
  • Confidence level
  • Confidence interval
  • Percentage‑based sampling options
• This capability integrates with existing eDiscovery workflows.
• No changes are made to permissions, access controls, or review set behaviors.
• No features are being removed or replaced.
• The feature will be available by default when it reaches your tenant.

[What you can do to prepare]

No prerequisites are required, and no action is needed to prepare for this change. The capability will become available automatically.

If helpful, you may consider:

• Reviewing internal eDiscovery workflows.
• Updating training or documentation to reflect how sampling can support early validation of search results.

Learn more about eDiscovery: Learn about eDiscovery solutions | Microsoft Learn

Learn more about adding search results to review set: Add search results to a review set in eDiscovery | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations]

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

[Introduction]

Engage will retire live events powered by Teams Live Events effective April 15, 2026. Existing live events already scheduled will continue to be supported through February 28, 2027. We encourage customers to transition to events in Engage powered by Teams town halls, which offer an improved experience for large-scale digital and hybrid events.

[When this will happen:]

• Effective April 15, 2026: You will no longer have the option to schedule a live event in Engage powered by Teams Live Events.
• Through February 28, 2027: Engage will continue to support any live events powered by Teams Live Events that were scheduled before April 15, 2026.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected: Organizations using live events in Engage powered by Teams Live Events.

What will happen:

• You will no longer be able to schedule a live event in Engage powered by Teams Live Events starting April 15, 2026.
• Engage will continue to support already scheduled live events powered by Teams Live Events through February 28, 2027.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Migrate to events in Engage powered by Teams town halls.
• Review and update internal documentation to reflect this change.

Explore these resources:

• Organize a Live event with Teams town hall 
• Plan for Teams town halls
• Virtual Events Graph APIs
• Customer Hub events readiness sessions – recommended sessions for Teams live event users transitioning to Teams town halls:
  • What’s new in Microsoft Teams town halls and webinars
  • Migrating from Teams live events to town halls
  • Tips, tricks, and traps for town halls and webinars in Microsoft Teams

[Compliance considerations:]

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

[Introduction]

Microsoft is introducing a unified plus (+) menu to make it easier for users to add grounding, tools, and sources when prompting in Microsoft 365 Copilot. Grounding refers to the content users connect to Copilot—such as files, sites, or other organizational data—that helps improve response relevance. This update consolidates related actions into a single menu, improving discoverability and streamlining the workflow for adding entities or updating inputs. This simplified menu will be available for Copilot Chat users (without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license) and Microsoft 365 Copilot users (with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license).

Note: The Tools menu will be consolidated under the unified plus (+) menu and no longer exist as a separate menu in the prompt box after this change.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins in late February 2026 and is expected to complete by mid‑March 2026.

[How this affects your organization:]

  Who is affected:

  Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot users that rely on the unified plus (+) menu.

  What will happen:

• Users will see a redesigned and unified plus (+) menu.
• Grounding options, tools, and data sources will be consolidated in one menu.
• Users will be able to add entities and update sources from this unified location.
• The feature will be enabled by default and replaces the current experience; no admin configuration is required.
• Existing admin policies related to Copilot input sources remain unchanged.

[What you can do to prepare:]

No action is required for administrators.

• Inform helpdesk and training teams about the unified plus (+) menu layout.
• Update internal documentation or screenshots that reference the previous menu.

[Compliance considerations:]

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

[Introduction]

We are introducing a redesigned Meet app in Microsoft Teams that delivers a new, unified Events experience. This update modernizes how users create, discover, and manage events—bringing webinars, town halls, and custom events into a single streamlined workflow. Users will continue to access their current Meetings and Audio recap experiences without any disruption.

Screenshot 1: Discover experience for attendees showing Events happening now and upcoming ​

This message applies to Teams for Windows desktop, Teams for Mac desktop, and Teams for the web and is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 547834.

[When this will happen:]

• Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early February 2026 and expect to complete by mid-February 2026.
• General Availability: We will begin rolling out early April 2026 and expect to complete by late April 2026.

[How this will affect your organization:]

Who is affected:

• All users who currently use the Meet app in Microsoft Teams.
• Applicable across all Teams clients where the Meet app is available.

What will happen:

• Users will see the redesigned Meet app with a modernized, unified Events experience.
• A centralized Events hub to create, edit, and track events.

Screenshot 2: Manage all your events in different stages



• Simplified scheduling for custom events, webinars, and town halls using templates. 

Screenshot 3: New simplified scheduling form



• Custom events created using Create from scratch will automatically honor the appropriate policy set—Town hall policies for broadcast‑type events and Webinar policies for collaborative events.
• Ability to schedule events using shared and delegate mailboxes.
• Event landing pages with Q&A and Polls.
• Seamless upgrade path for current Webinars and Town halls.
• A redesigned Events home to help users discover and revisit events.

Screenshot 4: Event landing page for Attendees to engage before or after event



• Meetings and Audio recap remain accessible via a continuity banner.
• No impact on existing events.
• No changes to admin controls.
• Classic Meet remains available during preview and general availability.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

No administrative action is required.

• Review and update internal training and communication materials.
• Inform event organizers of the upcoming unified Events experience.
• Encourage users to pin the Meet app in Teams.
• Share training resources within your organization.

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

[Compliance considerations:]

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

[Introduction]

To help organizations streamline approval workflows and improve governance, users who request a Microsoft 365 Copilot license will be able to submit a business justification with their request. Admins will see this justification during review, enabling faster and more informed decisions while reducing manual follow-ups.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 547731.

[When this will happen]

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in late March 2026 and is expected to complete by late April 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected:

• Users who request Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses
• Admins who review, approve, or manage Copilot license requests

What will happen:

• Users requesting a Copilot license will see a new field to provide a business justification.
• Admins will see the justification as part of the review experience.
• The feature will be on by default with no tenant configuration required.
• Existing license request workflows will continue to function as they do today.
• There will be no impact to the user experience unless they request a Copilot license.
• No changes to admin policies, settings, or reporting.

Screenshot 1 – A license request will be created when the user clicks Request License:

Screenshot 2 – On the next screen, there is an option to provide a business justification for the request; this step is optional:

Screenshot 3 – View of the dropdown menu with business justification options:

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required.

Optional steps:

• Notify helpdesk or approvers about the new justification field.
• Review or update internal documentation as needed.
• If you track license request metadata, ensure your internal workflows and tools account for the justification field.

[Compliance considerations]

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

[Introduction]

We’re updating the timeline and process for the retirement of Exchange Web Services (EWS) in Exchange Online. As previously announced, EWS will be retired in favor of Microsoft Graph, which offers improved security, modern authentication, and broader capability support. A phased disablement begins October 1, 2026, with permanent shutdown starting April 1, 2027.

[When this will happen:]

• Phased EWS disablement begins: October 1, 2026
• Full and permanent EWS retirement: April 1, 2027
• EWS App AllowList feature availability: Coming soon (before retirement milestones)

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Organizations using custom or vendor applications that rely on EWS
• Workflows involving mail, calendar, or integrations that use EWS
• This change only impacts Exchange Online; Exchange Server (on-premises) is not affected

What will happen:

• Beginning October 1, 2026, EWS will be blocked unless the tenant configures an AppID AllowList and sets EWSEnabled=True.
• Without admin action, Microsoft will set EWSEnabled=False and EWS apps will stop working. Tenant admins will be able to re-enable EWS if necessary. 
• Temporary “scream tests” may occur before October 2026 to help identify dependencies.
• After April 1, 2027, EWS access will be permanently removed with no re-enablement.
• No changes are being made to EWS in Exchange Server (on-premises).

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Review EWS usage in the Microsoft 365 admin center or using published scripts to identify dependent applications.
• Begin migrating any remaining EWS-based workflows to Microsoft Graph, which provides near-complete API parity.
• If EWS is required after October 2026, configure an AppID AllowList and set EWSEnabled=True before end of August 2026.
• Communicate these changes internally and update documentation.

Learn more:

• Deprecation of Exchange Web Services in Exchange Online
• EWS Retirement Process overview

[Compliance considerations:]

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

• NTLM has been deprecated since June 2024. 
• Today, enhanced auditing is available as part of Phase 1 toward NTLM disablement. 
• In the second half of 2026, new tools will be available to Windows Server 2025 and Windows 11, version 24H2 and later: IAKerb, Local KDC, upgrade to negotiate Kerberos. 
• With the next version of Windows Server and its corresponding client version, NTLM will be disabled by default. Additional support for handling NTLM-only cases will be built in. 

1. Deploy enhanced NTLM auditing to identify where NTLM is still used. 
2. Map dependencies across applications and services and prioritize remediation. This may include reaching out to application developers to update critical applications. 
3. Migrate and validate that critical workloads succeed with Kerberos. The capabilities that will be released in the second half of 2026 will significantly expand the scenarios where you can use Kerberos successfully. 
4. Begin testing NTLM-off configurations in non-production environments. 
5. Enable Kerberos upgrades as they become available through the Windows Insider Program, and then more broadly later this calendar year. 

• Advancing Windows security: Disabling NTLM by default
• Overview of NTLM auditing enhancements in Windows 11, version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025
• Active Directory Hardening Series – Part 8 – Disabling NTLM
• NTLM overview in Windows Server