Microsoft Roadmap, messagecenter and blogs updates from 10-10-2025

[Introduction]

To improve data traceability and support organizational compliance needs, Microsoft Viva Glint is introducing a new configuration option that allows administrators to retain the first name and last name of deleted users. Previously, while survey response data could be retained, identifying information for deleted users was not available. This update aligns with customer feedback requesting more granular control over user data retention.

This message is associated with Message ID MC1113670. 

[When this will happen:]

• General Availability: Rollout will begin mid-October 2025 and is expected to complete by late-October 2025.
• We’ve completed planned maintenance associated with MC1113670. Starting November 1, 2025, Viva Glint will resume processing Microsoft Entra delete signals. Users identified by these signals will be marked for data deletion in accordance with your organization’s configured User Data controls.

[How this affects your organization:]

• Who is affected: Viva Glint administrators managing user data retention settings.
• What will happen:
  • A new admin toggle will allow configuration of first name and last name retention for deleted users.
  • When enabled, first and last names of deleted users will be retained.
  • When disabled, first and last names of deleted users will be replaced with “Deleted user”.
  • If raw data export is enabled, deleted user data will be exported in accordance with User Data controls.
  • Changes will only apply to deleted users from the point of feature release and going forward, not retrospectively.
  • This feature will be enabled by default at rollout.
  Screenshot 1: Admin view in Viva Glint showing the new configuration option for retaining first and last names of deleted users.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Review your organization’s data retention policy and configure the toggle accordingly by November 1, 2025.
• Notify relevant stakeholders or helpdesk staff about this change.
• Update internal documentation if you reference Viva Glint data retention settings.

Learn more: Manage General Settings in Viva Glint

[Compliance considerations:]

We’re expanding Microsoft 365 Copilot extensibility in Office apps. Custom Engine Agents (CEAs) are now available in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. CEAs are partner-built agents that run on a developer’s service engine and connect into Copilot in Office apps. This release completes support for all Copilot agent types in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, joining Declarative Agents (DAs) already available.

General Availability (Worldwide) is currently available, with full rollout expected by October 13, 2025.

Who is affected: All users with Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses in WXP (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and OneNote.

What will happen:

• Users will see installed CEAs in the Copilot pane of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
• CEAs can be installed and opened directly within these apps if allowed in the agent store for your tenant.
• CEAs appear alongside other agents in the Copilot experience.
• Users can insert generated content (text, tables, images) directly into documents or presentations using the Insert action in response cards.
• CEAs honor existing app management policies for discovery and installation.
• Declarative Agents and Custom Engine Agents are now both supported in WXP + OneNote.
• CEAs are built using the Microsoft 365 AI Toolkit or Copilot Studio Full version. While the user experience is the same, CEAs differ in how they are orchestrated and built, offering more customization.
• CEAs are additive. They do not replace existing agents or change the experience for Declarative Agents. Users may simply notice more agents available inside Office apps that were previously only accessible in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.

• No admin action is required.
• Inform helpdesk and champions about CEAs arriving in WXP + OneNote.
• Review app and agent policies to ensure approved agents are discoverable.
• CEAs will appear automatically for users with Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses.
• Developers cannot opt out of CEAs appearing in WXP hubs.
• For EU tenants, CEAs will appear when underlying Copilot experiences are available.

Screenshot – View of new UX with a Custom Engine Agent (CEA) in PowerPoint:

Learn more: 

• Agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Learn
• Custom engine agents for Microsoft 365 overview | Microsoft Learn

[Introduction]

To improve access to Microsoft 365 Copilot and its productivity-enhancing companion apps, we’re introducing an update to the existing setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Admins can now pin the companion apps — People, File, and Calendar— to the Windows taskbar, along with the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. This update helps users quickly access Copilot’s capabilities — Chat, Search, Agents, Notebooks, and Create — alongside key productivity tools.

[When this will happen:]

[How this affects your organization:]

• Who is affected:
  • Admins managing Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
  • Users on Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices with Microsoft 365 Copilot and companion apps installed.
• What will happen:
  • The Copilot + Companion toggle is off by default.
  • When enabled:
    • Microsoft 365 Copilot will be pinned to the taskbar on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
    • People, File, and Calendar apps will be pinned only on Windows 11 Intune-managed devices where the apps are installed.
    • When the setting is enabled, the companion apps (People, File, Calendar) are pre-selected in the admin UI for pinning. Admins can manually deselect any of these apps before applying the setting.
    • Pinned apps will appear to the right of existing taskbar apps.
    • Users who manually pinned these apps will see no change.
    • Users can unpin apps from the taskbar at any time.
    • This setting does not install the apps; it only pins them if already installed.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Manage the setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center: Copilot > Settings > User access > Pin Microsoft 365 Copilot app to the Windows taskbar
• Ensure Microsoft 365 Copilot is installed on Windows 10/11 devices.
• Ensure People, File, and Calendar apps are installed on Windows 11 devices.
• You can enable the pinning policy even if apps are not yet installed; they will be pinned once installed.
• Notify users about this change and update internal documentation.
• Learn more: Pin Microsoft 365 Copilot and Companion apps to the Windows taskbar
• This MC post is related to messages posts MC1160180 and MC 1115982 respectively 

[Compliance considerations:]

To improve consistency across Microsoft 365 services and reduce reliance on Scope Search, Microsoft Teams will now respect hidden user attributes—such as ShowInAddressList and HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled—without requiring Scope Search. This change aligns Teams behavior with Outlook and Exchange, simplifying user visibility management and resolving issues caused by Scope Search, such as difficulty locating Call Queues and Auto Attendants.

Rollout begins early October 2025 and is expected to complete by late October 2025.

• Who is affected: Admins managing Microsoft Teams user visibility, especially those who previously used Scope Search to hide users.
• What will happen:
  • Teams will respect hidden user attributes (e.g., ShowInAddressList, HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled, msExchangeHiddenFromAddressList) without requiring Scope Search.
  • Guest users with ShowInAddressList set to False will no longer appear in People Search.
  • Scope Search is no longer needed to hide users.
  • If Scope Search is used for Information Barriers (IB), it should remain enabled.
  • This change aligns Teams behavior with Outlook and Exchange.

• Review your current use of Scope Search. If used solely to hide users, disable it.
• Ensure hidden user attributes are correctly configured:
  • Online: HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled
  • On-premises: msExchangeHiddenFromAddressList
  • Guest users: Set ShowInAddressList to True if they should appear in search results.
• Communicate this change to helpdesk and support teams.
• Update internal documentation to reflect the new behavior.
• For more details, refer to Microsoft Teams admin documentation.

[Compliance considerations:]

Introduction

We’re excited to announce that Microsoft Teams now supports apps in Shared Channels. This update enables richer collaboration scenarios across teams and organizations by allowing users to add and use apps—including bots, tabs, and message extensions—directly within Shared Channels. This change aligns with customer feedback requesting more consistent and flexible app experiences across collaboration spaces. Support for apps in Private Channels will follow the same model, ensuring a unified experience for users and developers.

This message is associated with Roadmap ID 505791 and applies to Teams for Windows desktop, Teams for Mac desktop, Teams for the web, and Teams for iOS/Android.

When this will happen:

• Targeted Release: Rollout begins in mid-October 2025 and is expected to complete in late October 2025
• General availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins in early November 2025 and is expected to complete in late November 2025.

How this affects your organization:

Who is affected:

• All Microsoft Teams users who participate in Shared Channels
• Admins managing Teams app policies
• Developers maintaining Teams apps

What’s changing:

• Apps can now be added to Shared Channels. Previously, only a limited set of tabs were supported.
• This feature is available by default.
• All apps marked to work in Shared Channels will be available.
• Channel owners or members can add apps to a Shared Channel, with new governance and consent controls.
• A new channel setting allows owners to control who can add apps.
• Apps must be explicitly added to each channel; installing at the team level will no longer apply to Shared or Private Channels.

  Screenshot 1: Apps must be added per channel. Users are prompted for consent when interacting with an app that hasn’t been added. Apps are available through all standard discovery entry points.

  

  Screenshot 2: Manage apps in your channels from the new Apps tab in Manage channel settings.

  

• External users (via Teams Connect) can use supported apps depending on app and admin settings.
• Only apps updated by developers to support Shared Channel functionality and allowed by admins will be available.
• Support for apps in Private Channels will follow the same model and require similar updates.

What you can do to prepare:

Admins:

• Review your Teams app policies and ensure required apps are updated for Shared Channel support.
• Communicate this change to helpdesk staff.
• Update internal documentation if you detail this feature.
• Confirm that apps used in Shared Channels are permitted by your organization’s app governance policies.

• Update your app manifest to include supportsChannelFeatures: tier1 as part of the latest manifest version.
• Use channel-specific APIs for membership, storage, and permissions. Do not assume team membership equals channel membership.
• Review and update Resource-Specific Consent (RSC) permissions if required.
• Test your app in Shared Channels and with different user roles (internal, guest, external) to validate functionality.
• For apps with advanced scenarios (e.g., file access, cross-channel data, custom permissions), review the full developer guidance for targeted updates.

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

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