MC1122153 Medium
(Updated) New Tools feature coming to the Microsoft Copilot Chat prompt box
Summary AI-generated
A new Tools menu in Copilot Chat will launch starting October 2025, letting users access AI task-specific features based on their license directly from the prompt box.
Suggested actions AI-generated
- Inform users about the new Tools menu in Copilot Chat
- Update documentation or training as needed
Written by Azure OpenAI (gpt-4.1) from the text of the post below. It can be incomplete or wrong; the original post is authoritative.
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Original post from Microsoft
Updated February 2, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.
Beginning in October, we're introducing a new Tools feature in the Copilot Chat prompt box. Tools acts as a lightweight entry point into high-value, task-specific Copilot features and capabilities directly from the prompt box. By selecting Tools, users get a menu where they can easily discover and trigger the right Copilot feature or capability for their current task, while also providing consistent interactions across tools. Based on the user's license, Tools provides easy access to features and capabilities like Researcher, Analyst, Pages, and image generation.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap 497298.
When this will happen
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rollout in October 2025 (previously late September 2025) and expect to complete by end of February 2026 (previously end of January).
How this affects your organization
Once this update is rolled out, users will see a new Tools button in the Copilot Chat prompt box. Selecting this button opens a menu of AI-powered features tailored to the user’s license. This enhancement improves discoverability and usability of Copilot capabilities, helping users complete tasks more efficiently.
This feature is on by default and does not require admin configuration.
What you can do to prepare
No admin action is required. However, you may want to:
- Inform users about the new Tools experience in Copilot Chat.
- Update internal documentation or training materials if needed.
Compliance considerations
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.
Additional details from Microsoft
- Summary
- Starting October 2025, a new Tools feature will appear in the Microsoft Copilot Chat prompt box, offering easy access to task-specific AI capabilities based on user licenses. Rollout completes by February 2026, requires no admin action, and enhances feature discoverability and usability.