Wednesday, 26 August 2026

Use Python when Editing with Copilot in Excel

Edit with Copilot can now execute Python code inside Excel for statistical analysis, simulations, automation and advanced visualizations, with results written straight into the workbook. Existing security and execution controls continue to govern how the code runs. Windows, Mac and web.

Why it matters: Analyst-grade work moves inside Excel, so customers no longer need a separate Python or BI tool for advanced analysis.

learn.microsoft.com

Viva Engage private content in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Copilot now uses content from private Viva Engage communities and events as a grounding source. Users only see content they already have permission to access (roadmap 515144).

Why it matters: Extends Copilot answers into private community knowledge, so an Engage permissions review belongs in the pre-rollout checklist.

learn.microsoft.com

Updated Copilot Notebooks UX

Copilot Notebooks ships a streamlined flow for opening items and navigating the product, replacing the previous multi-step interface (roadmap 516042).

Why it matters: Less friction in Notebooks makes it easier to position as a default working surface in adoption programs.

learn.microsoft.com

Copilot Chat available when using Copilot Search

Copilot Chat now opens in a right-hand side pane while users are in Copilot Search in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, so browsing universal search results no longer means switching pages. Available to users with the AI SKU. Windows and web (roadmap 537281).

Why it matters: Search and chat in one view shortens the path from finding something to acting on it for licensed users.

learn.microsoft.com

Open Outlook emails within Copilot Chat

Clicking an email reference or source in any full-app Microsoft 365 Copilot experience now opens that email alongside Chat instead of launching a separate Outlook window. Windows, Mac and web.

Why it matters: Citation checking stays inside Copilot, which addresses the most common trust objection in early deployments.

learn.microsoft.com

Outlook Emails in Copilot Notebooks

Outlook emails can be added as knowledge sources in Copilot Notebooks across Microsoft 365, alongside files. Windows and web (roadmap 564910).

Why it matters: A project notebook can now carry the email thread that drove a decision, improving briefs and decks generated from it.

learn.microsoft.com

Teams Meetings in Copilot Notebooks

Teams meetings can be added as references in Copilot Notebooks, linking transcripts, notes, chat and shared content to a notebook. Android, Windows, iOS and web (roadmap 560706).

Why it matters: Meeting context becomes reusable project knowledge instead of being stranded in a single transcript.

learn.microsoft.com

Unified web and work chat experience with dedicated Work IQ button

Web chat and work chat merge into a single interface, with a Work IQ button in the top left that toggles access to work data without leaving the chat. Windows and web.

Why it matters: Removes the web/work tab split that confused end users and makes the work-data boundary an explicit, visible control.

learn.microsoft.com

Page steering and auto-triggering of pages on mobile

On Android and iOS, users can steer and refine pages with Copilot commands such as "Shorten this page", and prompt Copilot to auto-create a page from chat.

Why it matters: Pages become usable on mobile, which matters for frontline and field scenarios.

learn.microsoft.com

Simplified design for the Microsoft 365 Copilot app

The Microsoft 365 Copilot web and desktop app ships a refreshed chat home screen, a streamlined chat response layout and a redesigned navigation pane. Windows, Mac and web (roadmap 561488).

Why it matters: End-user screenshots and training material will go stale, so adoption collateral needs a refresh pass.

learn.microsoft.com

Scheduling with Copilot chat in classic Outlook for Windows

Users can schedule meetings from Copilot chat or a "Schedule with Copilot" button in classic Outlook for Windows; Copilot finds available times, books rooms, drafts agendas and sends invites. Requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and is rolling out in phases (roadmap 542185).

Why it matters: A concrete, demo-ready time-saving scenario for the many customers still on classic Outlook.

learn.microsoft.com

Reference an email when using Copilot in PowerPoint to create a presentation

Copilot in PowerPoint can reference an email when generating a presentation, instead of requiring the content to be pasted in. Windows (roadmap 555888).

Why it matters: Cuts the manual copy step between an email brief and a first-draft deck.

learn.microsoft.com

Explain slide selection during PowerPoint Live with Microsoft 365 Copilot

Attendees in a PowerPoint Live meeting can select text on a slide and ask Copilot to explain it, with content processed inside the meeting environment. Windows (roadmap 557256).

Why it matters: Gives attendees a self-service way to follow dense decks without interrupting the presenter.

learn.microsoft.com

Use voice for Q&A during Read Aloud in Word

While Word reads a document aloud, users can ask questions by voice such as "What does this mean?" or "Summarize this section" and get answers without pausing playback. Windows (roadmap 523205).

Why it matters: A strong accessibility and document-review story for reading-heavy roles.

learn.microsoft.com

Enable Sonnet 5 in models menu

Sonnet 5 is now available in the Copilot models menu in Word and is set as the default for higher reasoning tasks, raising the default reasoning level used for drafting and edits. Web.

Why it matters: Model choice is now visible to end users in Word, so model governance guidance has to cover it explicitly.

learn.microsoft.com

Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365): Power BI reports as references in Copilot Notebooks

Copilot Notebooks will accept Power BI reports as references alongside files, letting Copilot ground summaries, presentations and briefs in report data. Preview in August 2026, GA targeted September 2026. Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant), desktop and web.

Why it matters: Closes the gap between BI reporting and Copilot output without building a custom connector.

microsoft.com

Select models when using Researcher in Copilot Chat

Researcher models and modes can now be picked directly in Copilot Chat when the Researcher agent is added to a conversation, instead of running on a fixed default model. Windows and web.

Why it matters: Lets teams match research depth and cost to the task rather than accepting one default for every question.

learn.microsoft.com

Generate and edit images in Copilot Cowork

Copilot Cowork can now generate and edit image artifacts using OpenAI's ChatGPT Images 2.0 model, removing the need for a separate design tool. Android, Windows, iOS, Mac and web.

Why it matters: Adds a visual output type to Cowork, widening the set of deliverables it can finish end to end.

learn.microsoft.com

Work IQ APIs - Unified REST Endpoint for Agents and Workflows

Work IQ now exposes a single REST endpoint as the entry point for invoking agents and workflows, presented as a consistent, scalable alternative to the legacy Copilot Chat endpoints (roadmap 559021).

Why it matters: Anyone integrating against the older Copilot Chat endpoints should plan the migration now, before the legacy surface is retired.

learn.microsoft.com

Azure OpenAI Assistants API retires

The Azure OpenAI Assistants API reaches its retirement date today. Microsoft directs agentic workloads to the generally available Microsoft Foundry Agents service and points pure model-inferencing workloads at the Azure OpenAI Responses API, with a published migration guide for classic agents. The retirement covers the classic Assistants and Agents experience in the Foundry (classic) portal plus the SDKs and APIs built on that surface.

Why it matters: Any customer tenant, prototype or demo still running on classic Assistants stops working from today, so straggler workloads need finding fast.

learn.microsoft.com

One always-on roadmap: Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Dataverse join the AI at Work roadmap

Microsoft is retiring the twice-yearly release wave 1 and release wave 2 model in favor of continuous publishing on the AI at Work roadmap. New capabilities start publishing there in September 2026, content with public preview or GA dates of June 1 2026 or later migrates between September and November, and Release Planner retires by November 15 2026. Existing release plans stay on Microsoft Learn for historical reference, and Message Center and Learn documentation are unchanged.

Why it matters: Any internal planning process or customer deliverable built on release-wave documents needs rebasing on the AI at Work roadmap before November 15.

microsoft.com

Planner: Connected Plans

Connected Plans will let teams link related plans together so work can be organized across projects and initiatives, with navigation between connected plans. GA targeted September 2026. Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant), web.

Why it matters: Gives Planner a cross-project structure that customers currently build by hand or push into Project.

microsoft.com

Organizational Messages now supports Hybrid-joined Devices

Organizational Messages now reach hybrid Azure AD joined devices. Coverage was previously limited to devices fully joined to Azure Active Directory or to on-premises Active Directory (roadmap 503564).

Why it matters: Removes a delivery gap for customers running hybrid identity, so tenant-wide communications land consistently across the estate.

learn.microsoft.com

Outlook: Manage Multiple Inbox Rules at Once

New roadmap entry: Outlook on the web will let users select multiple inbox rules and delete, enable or disable them in one action, GA targeted November 2026.

microsoft.com

Powering Memory in Foundry Agent Service, with Azure Cosmos DB

Walkthrough deploying a CosmosMemoryContextProvider agent to Foundry Agent Service on keyless Azure infrastructure, using fact, procedural and episodic memory scoped by a stable user ID.

devblogs.microsoft.com