Microsoft Roadmap, messagecenter and blogs updates from 13-02-2026

Updated February 12, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

Microsoft Teams Events invite emails will be separated based on the role of the participant. Event organizers will get an email explaining the specific roles of participants in the event. Similarly, each presenter will get a separate calendar invite, allowing the organizers of town halls to maintain separate invites for attendees. 

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 476488.

[When this will happen:]

Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out mid-April 2026 (previously late March) and expect to complete by late April 2026 (previously early April).

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

General Availability (GCC, GCC High): We will begin rolling out late April 2026 (previously mid-April) and expect to complete by late May 2026 (previously early May).

[How this will affect your organization:]

This feature update allows the organizers of town halls to maintain separate invites for attendees.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically with no admin action required. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation as appropriate.

Updated February 12, 2026: We have updated the timeline and content. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We’ve extended the migration deadline to give organizations more time to transition. The following capabilities are now supported with Workflows webhooks:

1. Posting messages using MessageCard‑formatted payloads (no reformatting required; however, button rendering will not be supported)
2. Posting messages to shared channels

These updates significantly reduce migration friction for customers currently using Office 365 Connectors.

The migration deadline is extended to April 30, 2026 (previously March 31). 

• Who is affected: Organizations using Office 365 Connectors in Microsoft Teams

[What’s Coming Next:]

Additional details and enhancements — including support for private channels — will be later this month.

If you are currently using Office 365 Connectors in Microsoft Teams:

• Review your existing Office 365 Connector usage.
• Begin migrating to Workflows webhooks as soon as possible.
• Complete migration by April 30, 2026 to avoid service disruption.

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

Updated February 12, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction:]

The Microsoft 365 Copilot app now features a simpler, cleaner navigation experience. We’ve flattened the menu and grouped features logically so it’s easier for users to find what matters most.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 518222.

[When this will happen:]

• Targeted Release: Rollout begins in mid-November 2025 and is expected to complete by late November 2025.
• General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins in December 2025 and is expected to complete by end of February 2026 (previously January).

[How this will affect your organization:]

• Who is affected: Users of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app for Web, Windows, and Mac.
• What will happen:
  • Navigation is simplified with a flattened menu and logical grouping of features.
  • For users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, the Apps entry point is now located in the navigation footer, next to Settings.

Screenshot: Comparison of current (left) and refreshed (right) M365 Copilot navigation. The new design groups agents, notebooks, and recent chats directly in the left rail. Features shown may vary by license type and admin settings.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

• No admin action is required.
• Rollout will begin for users starting in December and complete in the following weeks.
• To learn more about managing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, review Microsoft 365 Copilot app settings for IT admins | Microsoft.

[Compliance considerations:]

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

Updated February 12, 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 late February (previously mid-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.

Updated February 11, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We are updating the file-opening experience in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. When users click on cited Word, Excel, or PowerPoint content in Copilot Chat, the file currently opens in a new browser tab. With this update, supported files can open directly within Copilot chat to streamline viewing. This change does not apply to Copilot Mobile, Copilot in Edge, Copilot in Excel, Copilot in Word, or Copilot in PowerPoint.

[When this will happen:]

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

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Users who access and open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file citations within Copilot Chat in the web experience.
• A Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required to use this feature.

What will happen:

• Supported Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files will open directly inside Copilot Chat instead of opening in a new browser tab.
• This enhancement does not change permissions, data access, or existing configuration.
• The feature will be enabled by default.
• There is no change to Copilot Mobile, Copilot in Edge, Copilot in Excel, Copilot in Word, or Copilot in PowerPoint.

[What you can do to prepare:]

No admin action is required for this update.

• Notify helpdesk or training teams about the streamlined in-Copilot Chat file-opening experience.
• Update internal documentation if it describes file citation behavior.

[Compliance considerations:]

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

Updated February 11, 2026: We have updated the content. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We are updating the Microsoft Teams app bar to create a cleaner and more focused experience. App names will be hidden by default, showing only app icons. This helps reduce visual noise and improves overall navigation clarity. Users can choose to show app names again in Settings.

Accessibility reviews have been conducted to verify compliance and ensure screen readers are working properly.

[When this will happen]

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

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected: All Microsoft Teams users in commercial (non-government) tenants.

What will happen:

• App names in the Teams app bar will be hidden by default.
• Users will see app icons only, providing a simplified vertical navigation experience.
• Users who prefer to show app names may update this setting individually:
  • Settings > Appearance > Show app names in the app bar
• No admin configuration changes are required.
• There is no impact to existing policies, permissions, or app availability.

Screenshot 1 – Before:

Screenshot 2 – After:

[What you can do to prepare]

• No action is required.
• If helpful, you may notify users or help desk staff about this visual update and how to re-enable app names.
• If your organization maintains internal documentation or screenshots of the Teams interface, consider updating them after rollout.

[Compliance considerations]

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

Introduction

To maintain security, performance, and long-term compatibility, Microsoft Teams on the web will require modern browser standards. Beginning May 15, 2026, Teams on the web will only be supported on browsers that are compliant with ECMAScript 2022 (ES2022).

When this will happen

• Now through May 14, 2026: Users on unsupported browsers will see reminder banners.
• Beginning May 15, 2026: Teams on the web will be blocked on non-compliant browsers.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:

• All tenants using Teams on the web
• Users accessing Teams through unsupported browser versions
• IT administrators responsible for browser standards and endpoint management

What will happen:

• Reminder banners will appear before enforcement.
• Blocking page will appear starting May 15, 2026 until the browser is updated.
• The change is enabled by default and cannot be disabled.
• Desktop and mobile Teams clients are not impacted.

What you can do to prepare

• Inventory browser versions used to access Microsoft 365 web apps.
• Ensure users are on supported browsers and versions.
• Notify helpdesk staff and end users ahead of enforcement.

Browser compatibility guidance

All currently supported versions of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari are ECMAScript 2022 (ES2022) compliant. Browsers that are out of vendor support should be assumed non‑compliant. A browser is considered “out of vendor support” when its publisher no longer provides updates or security fixes; these browsers should be assumed unsupported for Teams on the web.

Compliance considerations

Conditional Access policies may be impacted if users attempt access with unsupported browsers.

[Introduction]

To streamline and modernize reporting experiences across Microsoft 365, we are retiring the Outlook for Windows Usage Report in the Exchange admin center (EAC). Admins can continue accessing Outlook usage information in the Microsoft 365 admin center (MAC), which offers a more complete and up‑to‑date reporting experience across Microsoft 365 apps.

[When this will happen]

• Retirement will begin in mid‑April 2026.
• Retirement will complete in mid‑May 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected

• Admins who use the Exchange admin center (EAC) to view Outlook for Windows usage data.

What will happen

• The Outlook for Windows Usage Report will be removed from the EAC.
• No replacement Outlook usage reporting will remain in the EAC after this retirement.
• Admins can continue accessing Outlook for Windows usage insights through the Microsoft 365 admin center (MAC): Reports > Usage > M365 Apps > Usage > Outlook for Windows
• MAC provides consolidated usage reporting with charts and tables to help admins understand usage patterns across Outlook and other Microsoft 365 apps.
• No impact to Outlook for Windows functionality for users.
• This report retirement will occur automatically; no opt‑out or admin toggle will be available.

[What you can do to prepare]

• No admin action is required.
• If your organization references the EAC usage report in documentation or internal processes, update those materials before the retirement is complete.

Learn more: Microsoft 365 Reports in the admin center – Microsoft 365 Apps usage | Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations]

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

[Introduction]

Microsoft is retiring SharePoint Designer 2013, which follows the Microsoft Fixed Lifecycle Policy and will reach end of support on July 14, 2026. This retirement aligns with our commitment to modernize workflow automation and customization experiences using supported tools such as Power Automate.

[When this will happen]

End of support begins in mid-July 2026, with retirement enforcement occurring between mid-July and late July 2026 across all Microsoft 365 environments (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, and DoD).

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected: Organizations that use SharePoint Designer 2013 for SharePoint workflows or site customizations.

What will happen:

• Microsoft will no longer provide support, security updates, or fixes for SharePoint Designer 2013.
• No extensions or exceptions will be offered beyond the retirement date.
• Workflows built with SharePoint Designer 2013 will require migration to supported alternatives such as Power Automate.
• The SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) can migrate supported workflow actions to Power Automate.

[What you can do to prepare]

We recommend the following actions before July 14, 2026:

• Review existing SharePoint Designer 2013 workflows and customizations.
• Plan and complete migration to supported technologies.
• Update internal documentation, helpdesk knowledge bases, and user communications.
• Use the SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) 4.1 to assess and migrate supported workflow actions to Power Automate.
• Note: The SharePoint Migration Tool lets you migrate SharePoint Designer 2013 workflows to Power Automate.
• Review SharePoint Designer 2013 lifecycle details and workflow migration guidance as part of your planning.

No extension options will be available after the retirement date.

Learn more:

• Guidance: Migrate from classic workflows to Power Automate flows in SharePoint | Microsoft Learn
• Microsoft Fixed Lifecycle Policy | Microsoft Learn
• SharePoint Designer 2010 and 2013 workflow migrations to Power Automate | Microsoft Learn
• SharePoint Designer 2013 Lifecycle | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations]

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

[Introduction]

We’re updating how entities inserted from Add Work Content under the + menu behave in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat. With this change, entity names (such as document titles, people names, or other referenced objects) will no longer be inserted as text within the input box, making it easier for users to craft clean prompts without needing to manually delete entity labels. This feature is available to both users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license (Microsoft 365 Copilot users) and users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license (Copilot Chat users), but the experience varies.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 552592.

[When this will happen]

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins in mid‑February 2026 and completes in late February 2026.

[How this will affect your organization]

Who is affected: All users with access to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat in commercial (non-government) clouds.

What will happen:

• When users insert entities through Add Work Content (+):
  • The entity pill will appear in context, but the entity name will no longer be inserted as text in the chat input box:

     

• This change creates a cleaner prompt-building experience by removing extraneous text.
• No admin controls are changing.
• This update is enabled by default for all tenants.

[What you can do to prepare]

No action is required.

Optional steps include:

• Informing helpdesk or training teams about the change.
• Updating internal documentation that references entity insertion behavior in Copilot or Copilot Chat.

Learn more: Using Context IQ to refer to specific files, people, and more in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat | Microsoft Support

[Compliance considerations]

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

• Admins can use modern architecture for existing legal entities with additional transaction support, including project procurement documents and item requirements.
• This feature allows the parallel use of projects from both deployment types, enabling long-running projects to enter transactions and create invoices.
• Customers using the stocked deployment type are not impacted unless transitioning to the Project Operations Integrated with ERP deployment type, which does not require reimplementation of the existing legal entity.
• Legacy functions in both deployment types, such as resource management and project work breakdown structures, will be removed or set to read-only in the finance and operations user interface for the Project Operations Integrated deployment type.
• Projects created using modern architecture will use Unified Resource Scheduling for resource scheduling and Project for the Web for project planning.

• Performing research for all prospects in your CRM (either Salesforce or Dynamics 365 Sales).
• Using data gathered from the web and your CRM to perform deep research and generate insights.
• Generating outreach emails based on the research that you can use to engage new leads.
• Configuration options to match your unique business needs.