(Updated) Microsoft Outlook: Enhanced search experience with Copilot in Classic Outlook

Updated October 23, 2025: We have updated language surrounding who is impacted for clarity. Thank you for your patience. 

We’re introducing a new Copilot experience in Classic Outlook to help users get more value from their search results. After executing a search, users will see an entry point to the Copilot side pane, where they can view a large language model (LLM)-based summary of their results. This includes content from documents, Teams messages, and more. Users can also ask follow-up questions and interact with the content directly in the Copilot pane.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 510107.

When this will happen:

General Availability: We will begin rolling out mid-December 2025 and expect to complete rollout by mid-February 2026.

How this affects your organization:

Who is affected: Commercial accounts with access to M365 Copilot Licenses.

What will happen:

• Users will see an entry point to the Copilot side pane after they execute a search.
• The pane will display an LLM-generated summary of search results, including content from documents and Teams messages.
• Users will be able to ask follow-up questions and interact with the summarized content.
• The feature will be enabled by default; no admin action will be required to turn it on.
• AI generation of content within the pane will be opt-in.

Screenshot - Copilot pane showing AI-generated summary in Classic Outlook:

What you can do to prepare:

• Confirm that affected users have the required Microsoft 365 AI SKU.
• Communicate this change to helpdesk staff.
• Update internal documentation if you detail Outlook search functionality.
• No admin controls are available to disable the feature; however, users must opt in to AI-generated content.

Compliance considerations:

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.