New Year, New Momentum: Here are three Copilot updates to get you started into 2026

on
It's a new year, so I thought I'd start the year by mentioning three features already released, or soon going to be released. One of the features improves the workflow of sharing files with comments, the other improves the application specific Copilot, and the last feature makes it easer to find the nest available timeslot for a 1:1 meeting. As with all of my other posts, timelines can shift, and the timelines in this post is as written in the Message Center at the time of posting. AI-Summary experience when sharing files. With this new feature, copilot intent to help users share files with clearer context in just a few steps. Users will get the capability to generate a concise summary of a file and include it when sharing from the File Explorer share dialog or the OneDrive activity center. This will make it easier to share the context of a file and giving the receiver a faster understanding of what a document or file contains before they open it. General Availability announced...

Three new Microsoft 365 Copilot Updates IT Pros Should Know

on

Here are three new updates to Copilot that will make it smarter, more intuitive, and better integrated into everyday workflows. These changes focus on personalization, user experience, and collaboration. Here’s what you need to know.

Communication Memory: Smarter, Context-Aware Assistance

I know I have mentioned this before, but starting in September 2025, the new feature called Communication Memory is rolling out. This enhancement allows Copilot to summarize and learn from emails, chats, and meeting transcripts that a user already has access to. The goal is to provide more personalized, context-aware responses across Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Teams, and Word.

Instead of starting from scratch, Copilot can now recall relevant details from past conversations, making tasks like drafting follow-up emails or summarizing meetings faster and more accurate. Communication Memory is enabled by default for Copilot-licensed users, and all summaries are stored privately in the user’s mailbox. Admins can manage this feature through Enhanced Personalization controls in Microsoft Graph, including the ability to disable it for specific groups if needed.

As this is a default feature, you might want to inform users about the feature and its privacy safeguards, as well as review internal policies.

Users can control this feature through their "Copilot Settings" within Teams or Outlook respectively.

Outlook Copilot Chat (on the web): A More Familiar Interface

Microsoft is also updating the Copilot Chat experience in Outlook by moving the navigation pane from the right side of the window to the left. This change, which began rolling out in mid-August 2025, aligns Outlook with the layout used in Teams and other Microsoft 365 apps. The new left-side pane includes quick access to Copilot agents, conversation history, and an “All Conversations” page for easy navigation.

This design update unifies the way Copilot Chat works for the Chat application it self and within Outlook. Making it all more familiar to the end-user.

SharePoint Agents in Teams Channels: Knowledge Where You Work

Last but not least, Microsoft is bringing SharePoint-based Copilot agents into Teams Channels in a more streamlined way. This feature, rolling out from late August through mid-September 2025, allows users to @mention a SharePoint agent directly in a channel conversation to retrieve summaries, answers, or documents without leaving Teams.

This update reduces context switching and makes organizational knowledge instantly accessible in the flow of work. The feature will be available by default. 

If you found this update helpful, consider subscribing to my blog or following me on LinkedIn for more.