Microsoft 365 Copilot enables deep work but lacks durable project and artifact continuity
a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } icrosoft 365 Copilot enables me to accomplish complex analytical and engineering work without needing to know everything upfront, which is genuinely transformative. However, the lack of durable project state, reliable artifact persistence (file generation and retrieval), and cross‑device continuity breaks real workflows. Copilot succeeds at reasoning, but outputs cannot be reliably retained, resumed, or transferred across sessions and devices. This limits sustained use for serious work in Microsoft 365 scenarios where users expect continuity similar to Word, Excel, and OneDrive. This is not a UX polish issue — it is a workflow and demand‑growth constraint for advanced users who want Copilot as a long‑running work partner rather than a disposable assistant. Copilot feels capable of being a first‑class Microsoft 365 collaborator, but today its lack of persistence prevents users from trusting it with real work.
Feature Request: Add Search Functionality in Copilot Chat History
Hi everyone, I’d like to suggest a feature for Microsoft Copilot that I believe would significantly improve usability and productivity: searching within chat history. Currently, users cannot search past conversations inside Copilot. This makes it difficult to retrieve previous answers, references, or technical instructions—especially in long or complex chats. Adding a search bar or keyword filter would allow users to quickly locate relevant messages without scrolling manually. This feature would be especially helpful for developers, IT professionals, and anyone using Copilot for technical troubleshooting or documentation. It would also reduce repeated questions and improve continuity across sessions. Please consider adding this capability in future updates. If others agree, feel free to upvote or share your use cases. Thanks!Removal of Copilot Chat Availability in M365 Apps?!?
Received a post in Message Center today and would like clarification as to what capabilities Copilot Chat will retain as it is unclear from the message. This is a huge impact to users who have already adopted Copilot Chat in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote as well as training materials (both our own and those provided here by Microsoft). Will users be able to access Copilot Chat (basic) via pinned app in M365 apps? Will users only be able to access via web browser? The section below noted in red is very confusing (from the Microsoft message) -- who gets what features as both are mentioned in same paragraph? ---------------------------------- Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat – Updates to Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote Starting April 15, 2026, Copilot will no longer be available in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for Copilot Chat users. To ensure a high-quality experience, we are reserving the full Copilot experience in these apps—with advanced reasoning and model choice—for users with a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license. There are no other changes for users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. Copilot Chat still offers secure, AI web chat and the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint agents for chat-first content creation within the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. Additionally, users still get Copilot in Outlook with inbox and calendar grounding.In Case You Missed It: Frontier Transformation and Wave 3 of Microsoft 365 Copilot Announcements
March brought a major set of Frontier Transformation and wave 3 of Microsoft 365 Copilot announcements across Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, and agents—all focused on helping people move faster from intent to action and helping organizations scale AI responsibly. If you missed any of the updates, here’s a quick recap of what’s new and why it matters. Copilot Transforms Knowledge Work These updates deepen how Copilot shows up inside the flow of work—grounded in your content, context, and tools. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Agents From Copilot Chat, users can ask Word, Excel, or PowerPoint agents to create content, take next steps, or execute tasks, helping them move from intent to action without copying and pasting or switching contexts. 👉 Learn more Edit with Copilot in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Copilot now creates, edits, and refines content directly inside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, grounded in the context of a user’s work through Work IQ, so people can iterate and improve content without leaving the app they’re working in. 👉 Learn more Sequences shortened for demonstration purposes. Copilot Chat in Outlook Copilot Chat in Outlook enables users to draft and refine emails, manage calendars and RSVPs, and use the Outlook email widget to take action directly from chat, streamlining everyday communication and scheduling tasks. 👉 Learn more Outlook customer calendar instructions & proactive RSVPs Copilot finds available meeting times, sends invites, and keeps calendars up to date based on custom instructions, notifying users of changes directly in chat to reduce manual coordination. 👉 Learn more Copilot Cowork Built with Anthropic, Copilot Cowork brings a multimodel approach to Microsoft 365 Copilot—so your work isn’t tied to a single model. Cowork moves Copilot beyond prompts into long‑running, multi‑step work. With full awareness of your work context through Work IQ, it lets you delegate meaningful work and stay informed as it progresses. 👉 Learn more Claude Sonnet available in Copilot Chat Users can select Claude models directly in Copilot Chat, alongside next‑generation OpenAI models, bringing leading models from multiple providers into a single Copilot experience. 👉 Learn more Dataverse in Work IQ Work IQ connects signals from Microsoft 365—including documents, meetings, email, and chat—and will soon access operational data in Dataverse through Copilot in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps, bringing work context and business data closer together. 👉 Learn more Work IQ Memory (Chat History) Work IQ Memory enables more relevant, personalized Copilot responses shaped by a user’s work and Copilot chat history over time. 👉 Learn more Extensibility: Work IQ API / MCP Work IQ APIs provide access to production‑ready AI capabilities that work directly with enterprise work context, enabling extensibility through APIs and MCP. 👉 Learn more Launch Demo Copilot in Dynamics 365 & Power Apps Microsoft 365 Copilot is accessible directly within Dynamics 365 Sales, Customer Service, and Power Apps, extending Copilot experiences into business applications where operational work happens. 👉 Learn more Agents That Help Run the Business These announcements focus on building, deploying, and scaling agents across the enterprise. Apps SDK The Apps SDK provides tools to build ChatGPT apps based on the MCP Apps standard, with additional ChatGPT functionality to support agent and Copilot experiences. 👉 Learn more Model Context Protocol (MCP) Apps MCP Apps turn Copilot from a text interface into a governed, interactive execution layer by surfacing interactive app experiences directly in Copilot Chat. 👉 Learn more Apps in Agents: Outlook, Dynamics 365, and Power Apps Agents can bring Outlook, Dynamics 365, and Power Apps directly into chat, allowing users to review information and take action without leaving the conversation. 👉 Learn more Agent Recommendations in Microsoft 365 Copilot When users prompt Microsoft 365 Copilot, the system analyzes intent and recommends an installed, IT‑approved agent directly in the flow of work, making agents easier to discover and use at scale. 👉 Learn more Evaluate agents in Copilot Studio Copilot Studio provides structured, repeatable testing to help catch issues early, reduce the risk of bad answers, and maintain agent quality as agents evolve. 👉 Learn more Visibility, Governance, and Control at Scale As agent usage grows, these updates help organizations move from experimentation to enterprise readiness. Agent 365 Agent 365 serves as the control plane for agents, helping organizations move from experimentation to enterprise‑scale operations by enabling them to observe, govern, and secure agents. 👉 Learn more Microsoft 365 E7: The Frontier Suite Microsoft 365 E7 unifies Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Agent 365 into a single solution powered by Work IQ and integrated with the productivity apps and security stack customers already rely on. It includes Microsoft Entra Suite and advanced Defender, Intune and Purview security capabilities, delivering comprehensive protection across agents and employees. 👉 Learn more To explore what’s available now—and what’s coming next—visit the Microsoft 365 roadmap and related announcement blogs. 👉 Explore the roadmap
Cannot Share Fabric Data Agent
I created Fabric Data Agent. I published it to M365 Copilot. I shared it to user A, B, C. I copy the link https://m365.cloud.microsoft/chat/?titleId=T_xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx&source=agentCenterDialog. I generated an QR Code using canva. User A, B, C tried to scan the QR Code using their phone, but it returned an error as seen in picture 1. However, when user A, B, C opened it via laptop browser, it was not error. how to solve this problem?
Suggestion: Allow users to customize the UI name of MS Copilot (with “Powered by Microsoft 365”)
Background Microsoft Copilot is an extremely capable assistant, but its current visual identity is completely fixed (the name “Copilot” is always shown), even though users interact with it daily as a personal or team assistant. From a user experience perspective, this creates a small but important gap between using a tool and working with an assistant. Proposal Allow users to customize the visible name of their Copilot assistant, while maintaining a clear and consistent Microsoft branding indicator, for example: Holiday (name that the user creates for calling Microsoft Copilot 365 IA) Powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot (Text that Microsoft uses to reflect that it's already Microsoft Copilot). This proposal does not aim to change the underlying model, security, governance, or responsibility. It only affects the identity/presentation layer of the assistant. Why this matters (UX & adoption) Allowing users to name their assistant creates: Psychological ownership (“my assistant” instead of “the assistant”) Higher trust and willingness to delegate complex tasks Stronger long-term adoption and recurring usage In daily work, users naturally refer to assistants by name (“Ask Friday to review this document”), which helps integrate Copilot into real workflows instead of keeping it as an external tool. Enterprise perspective In organizational environments, a named assistant feels like part of the team rather than a generic external service. This improves internal communication, clarity, and acceptance of AI-assisted workflows. Importantly, the “Powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot” label keeps: brand visibility transparency technical and legal responsibility clearly with Microsoft This follows well-established patterns such as “Powered by Azure” or “Powered by Microsoft Security”. Strategic fit Microsoft already enables named and branded assistants through Copilot Studio. Extending this concept to the core Copilot experience feels like a natural next step with: Low technical risk (presentation-level feature) High UX impact No compromise on governance or brand integrity Closing Naming the assistant transforms the relationship from using AI to collaborating with AI. This small change could have a disproportionally positive effect on trust, adoption, and everyday productivity. Thanks for considering this feedback.
Proposal for a Unified Copilot Architecture and Tiered AI Assistant Model
Submitted by: Craig D. Evans Detroit, Michigan Executive Summary This proposal outlines a strategic redesign of Microsoft Copilot that transforms it from a collection of isolated chat instances into a unified, persistent, account based artificial intelligence assistant. The proposed architecture positions Copilot as the central intelligence that operates all Microsoft Office applications, maintains long term memory, and follows the user across all devices. This model introduces a tiered pricing structure that creates a scalable revenue engine while strengthening Microsoft’s long term dominance in productivity software. The proposal also introduces the concept of a dual AI verification system, in which Copilot performs tasks and a secondary model provides independent review. This structure increases reliability, reduces errors, and enhances user trust. Problem Statement The current Copilot experience is fragmented. Each application instance behaves as a separate assistant with limited continuity, limited memory, and limited cross application intelligence. Users must repeatedly re explain context, re establish preferences, and manually coordinate tasks across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 applications. This fragmentation reduces efficiency, increases cognitive load, and prevents Copilot from functioning as a true personal assistant. It also limits Microsoft’s ability to monetize Copilot at scale, because the product does not yet offer a unified, persistent experience that users would be willing to subscribe to at higher tiers. Vision The vision is a single, persistent Copilot identity that the user logs into, similar to any modern online service. This identity follows the user across all devices and applications, retaining memory, preferences, formatting rules, workflows, and ongoing projects. In this model, Copilot becomes the central intelligence that operates the Microsoft Office ecosystem. Office applications become the tools, and Copilot becomes the operator. This transformation elevates Copilot from a chatbot to a long term digital assistant that remains with the user for decades. Functional Overview 1. Persistent Copilot Identity A single Copilot account that retains: Long term memory User preferences Formatting rules Writing style Project context Cross application workflows Templates and document structures This identity behaves like any other modern login system, such as Amazon, Walmart, or email services. 2. Copilot as the Central Intelligence of Office Copilot should be capable of: Opening and managing Word documents Applying templates and formatting Building PowerPoint presentations Managing Excel formulas and data structures Organizing files and directories Coordinating tasks across applications Executing workflows on behalf of the user Office becomes the body. Copilot becomes the brain. 3. Cross Device Continuity The user logs into Copilot once, and the assistant follows the user across: Desktop Laptop Mobile Web Cloud environments This creates a seamless, continuous experience. Tiered Pricing Model A tiered structure creates a scalable revenue engine and aligns with Microsoft’s existing subscription model. Tier 1: Free Copilot Basic chat No memory No continuity Limited functionality This tier serves as the entry point that encourages users to upgrade. Tier 2: Copilot with Memory and Formatting Persistent memory Document formatting intelligence Writing style retention Basic cross application awareness This tier provides immediate value and will attract a large user base. Tier 3: Cross Device Copilot Identity Full continuity across devices Unified assistant experience Project level intelligence Long term context retention This tier becomes the premium personal assistant model. Tier 4: Copilot as Full Office Manager Complete control of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook Workflow automation File management Multi application coordination Enterprise grade productivity This tier becomes the flagship offering for professionals and businesses. Optional Tier: Dual AI Verification (Copilot + Reviewer Model) Copilot performs tasks. A secondary model independently reviews output for: Accuracy Formatting Logic Consistency This reduces errors and increases trust. It becomes a high value premium tier. Competitive Advantage This architecture provides Microsoft with several strategic advantages: A unified assistant that no competitor currently offers A multi tier revenue structure that scales with user needs A long term relationship between user and assistant Increased adoption of Microsoft 365 subscriptions Strong differentiation from competing AI products Reduced user churn due to persistent memory and continuity This model positions Microsoft as the leader in personal and professional AI assistance. Long Term Strategic Value A persistent Copilot identity ensures that users remain within the Microsoft ecosystem for decades. As the assistant accumulates memory, preferences, and workflows, the cost of switching to another platform becomes extremely high. This creates: Long term subscription stability Increased enterprise adoption Stronger user loyalty A durable competitive moat Copilot becomes not only a feature, but a lifelong digital partner. Closing Statement I respectfully submit this proposal as a long time user who believes that Microsoft has the opportunity to define the future of personal and professional artificial intelligence. A unified Copilot identity, combined with a tiered pricing model and a dual AI verification system, will create a powerful, scalable, and enduring platform that strengthens Microsoft’s leadership in productivity software. Submitted by: Craig D. Evans Detroit, MichiganCopilot chat: Does (dis)like expose data?
We have some questions/concerns from customers about the (dis)like functionality in Copilot Chat. The main question is: "What happens with the data/chat when using this functionality? And can we turn it of?". Let's break it down in some sub questions: 1.) What happens when you use this? Does it train the model? Adjust it responses to the user? 2.) MS will use it as feedback. In what way? Do they read the chat and/or content from to analyze the issue? 3.) Is it possible to disable this functionality for all users in the tenant? (Copilot Studio allows this for a custom agent). 4.) Is the behavior different for License and non-licensed users? (work vs web) This is mainly a security concern, because some customers don't allow data to leave the tenant or don't want to have risk for accidental data leaks.
