(Updated) Classic Outlook for Windows: User-initiated insights with Copilot
Versions captured by this deployment. Earlier versions and notices may be missing; first observed is not first published.
Rollout
- Ends
- 30 Nov 2026
- Roadmap
- 508524
- Platforms
- Desktop
Rollout dates are often only in the text. When Microsoft moves them, the change shows under "What changed".
- Microsoft's start date
- 15 May 2026
- Last changed by Microsoft
- 1 Sep 2026
- First seen here
- 19 Oct 2026
- Versions seen
- 1
What the notice says
Microsoft's text, with its sections, lists and tables; source markup removedUpdated September 1, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.
Introduction
We're introducing User Initiated Insights in Copilot for classic Outlook for Windows, enabling users to manually select text within an email and prompt Copilot to provide contextual insights. This enhancement gives users greater control over when and how Copilot assists them, improving productivity, clarity, and decision-making directly within their workflow.
This message is associated with Roadmap ID 508524.
When this will happen
- Public Preview (Worldwide): We began rolling out in early May 2026 and expect to complete by late May 2026.
- General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in early October 2026 (previously early September) and expect to complete by end of October 2026 (previously end of September).
How this affects your organization
Who is affected
- Users with Microsoft 365 Copilot capabilities
- Organizations using classic Outlook for Windows
What will happen
- Users will be able to highlight text in emails and invoke Copilot to generate insights.
- Functionality is built into the Outlook experience and does not require a separate add-in.
- The feature will be on by default for eligible users.
- Existing Microsoft 365 security, compliance, and data protection policies continue to apply.
What you can do to prepare
- If you do not want users to access this feature, remove or restrict Copilot capabilities.
- Verify users are running the latest version of classic Outlook for Windows.
- Inform helpdesk and support staff about this new Copilot interaction model.
- Communicate to users how to select text and invoke Copilot for contextual insights.
Learn more
- How do I enable or disable Microsoft Copilot on MS 365 Premium | Microsoft Learn
- Instructions to turn off Copilot | Microsoft Support
Compliance considerations
| Compliance area | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Introduces AI/ML capabilities interacting with customer data. | The feature enables Copilot to process user-selected email content to generate insights. |
| Provides a new way for users to interact with generative AI. | Users can invoke Copilot directly by selecting text within emails. |
| Allows users to enable or disable the feature at use time. | Users control invocation by choosing when to select text and engage Copilot. |
What changed
Between the versions this installation saw, newest firstThis installation has seen one version of this notice, first on 19 Oct 2026. Later changes will show here.
Linked documentation
Microsoft pages the notice links toThe notice links to no Microsoft Learn or Support page that this installation reads.
Not confirmed here
What this page cannot tell you- Whether your tenant is affected: this is Microsoft's notice, not a check of your settings.
- Versions before 19 Oct 2026: this installation first saw the notice after Microsoft posted it.