Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat: New ways to include files and emails in prompts
From Microsoft 365 Message Center Archive by Merill Fernando · Microsoft may not have sent this notice to your tenant.Rollout
- Roadmap
- 500377
Rollout dates are often only in the text. When Microsoft moves them, the change shows under "What changed".
Schedule dates changed in the text
Date phrases in schedule sentences differ between the versions this installation saw- Seen 9 Feb 2026
end of January 2026→ end of March 2026 - Seen 17 Dec 2025
late November 2025→ end of January 2026 - Seen 7 Nov 2025
late October 2025→ late November 2025 - Seen 24 Sep 2025
mid-September 2025, late September 2025→ early October 2025, late October 2025
Read from date phrases in Microsoft's text, not from notice metadata. A changed phrase can be a moved rollout, a new milestone or just rewording; "What changed" below shows which.
What the notice says
Microsoft’s text, safely structuredUpdated February 9, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Access to emails by typing '/' in the prompt box will only be available when using Copilot Chat in Outlook. This applies to both the full app and side pane experience. Thank you for your patience.
We're enhancing Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat with new capabilities that make it easier for users to include work content—such as files and emails—in their prompts. By typing ‘/’ in the prompt box, users can quickly search and reference relevant files or emails, streamlining prompt creation and improving Copilot responses. Additionally, some suggested prompts beneath the input box will now include relevant files or emails to help users get started quickly.
Note: For users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, Copilot Chat is still grounded only in the web. Users can also choose to include additional content in the prompt for Copilot to reason over, such as with the methods described above. Chat is not automatically grounded in the organization’s graph or the user’s personal graph - this is only available for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license when using Chat in Work scope.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 500377.
When this will happen
- Files: Currently available (Roadmap ID 497112)
- Emails: Rollout begins early October 2025 (previously mid-September) and completes by end of March 2026 (previously end of January). Roadmap ID 500377.
How this affects your organization
This update improves usability and prompt relevance in Copilot Chat by allowing users to reference files and emails in their prompts (without uploading them manually) or as part of suggested prompts under the input box. Users will only see content they have access to, based on interaction signals (such as accessed, modified, or shared) and properties (such as creation or last update date).
No changes to default settings or user permissions are required.
What you can do to prepare
No admin action is required. You may want to inform your users about the new reference capabilities.
Learn more: Using Context IQ to refer to specific files, people, and more in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat
Compliance considerations
| Consideration | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed? | Yes, users can now access specific data types (files, emails) they have permission to view directly from Copilot Chat by typing '/' in the prompt box. |
| Does the change provide end users any new way of interacting with generative AI? | Yes, users can now more easily include specific data types (files, emails) in their prompts, improving grounding and relevance of Copilot responses. |
What changed
Between archive captures, newest firstUpdated
December 17, 2025:February 9, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Access to emails by typing '/' in … Rollout begins early October 2025 (previously mid-September) and completes by end ofJanuaryMarch 2026 (previouslylate November 2025).end of January). Roadmap ID 500377. How this affects your organization: This update improves usability …Updated
November 7,December 17, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Access to emails by typing '/' … 497112) Emails: Rollout begins early October 2025 (previously mid-September) and completes bylate November 2025end of January 2026 (previously lateOctober).November 2025). Roadmap ID 500377. How this affects your organization: This update improves usability …Updated
September 24,November 7, 2025: We have updated the timeline.Thank you for your patience. Updated September 5, 2025:Access to emails by typing '/' in the prompt box will only … Outlook. This applies to both the full app and side pane experience. Thank you for your patience. We're enhancing Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat with new capabilities that make it … Emails: Rollout begins early October 2025 (previously mid-September) and completes by lateOctoberNovember 2025 (previously lateSeptember).October). Roadmap ID 500377. How this affects your organization: This update improves usability …Updated September 24, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. Updated September 5, 2025: Access to emails by typing '/' in the prompt box … 500377. When this will happen: Files: Currently available (Roadmap ID 497112) Emails:
mid-Septemberearly October 2025 (previously mid-September) and completes by lateSeptemberOctober 2025(Roadmap(previously late September). Roadmap ID500377).500377. How this affects your organization: This update improves usability and prompt relevance …- Tags
New feature, User impact, Admin impact→ Updated message, New feature, User impact, Admin impact
Updated September 5, 2025: Access to emails by typing '/' in the prompt box will only be available when using Copilot Chat in Outlook. This applies to both the full app and side pane experience. We're enhancing Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat with new capabilities that make it … Rollout begins mid-September 2025 and completes by late September 2025 (Roadmap ID
500377)500377). How this affects your organization: This update improves usability and prompt relevance …- Tags
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