MC1187395 – M365 Change Digest

One-line summary

The Up Next card in Microsoft 365 will show a Prepare button up to 5 minutes before meetings, giving Copilot Premium users quick access to meeting prep tools; rollout starts early January 2026.

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Details

Summary

Microsoft 365 Copilot users will see a new "Prepare" button on the "Up Next" card replacing "Join" up to 5 minutes before meetings, providing quick access to Copilot’s meeting prep tools. Rollout begins January 2026, enabled by default for Premium license users, with no admin action needed.

Body (from Message Center)

Updated December 4, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

[Introduction]

To help users better prepare for upcoming meetings, Microsoft is enhancing the Up Next card experience in Microsoft 365. A new Prepare button will replace the Join button up to 5 minutes before a meeting starts, offering a one-tap way to access Copilot’s meeting preparation tools. This update supports improved productivity and readiness, aligning with feedback for more proactive meeting support.

Screenshot 1: Tap Prepare in Up Next.

user settings

Screenshot 2: Users can prepare with Copilot Chat.

user settings

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): Rollout begins early January 2026 (previously early December 2025) and is expected to complete by late January 2026.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected: Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot Premium license.
What will happen:
- The Up Next card will display a Prepare button instead of Join until 5 minutes before a meeting.
- This button provides quick access to Copilot’s meeting preparation features.
- No changes to admin settings or policies are required.
- The feature is enabled by default for eligible users.

[What you can do to prepare:]

No admin action is required at this time.
You may wish to:
- Inform helpdesk and support teams of the upcoming change.
- Share this support article with users: Prepare for your meeting with Copilot
- Update internal documentation if you reference the Up Next card or meeting workflows.

[Compliance considerations:]

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

Raw JSON (for debugging)

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    "ai_action_required_by": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
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    "ai_summary": "The Up Next card in Microsoft 365 will show a Prepare button up to 5 minutes before meetings, giving Copilot Premium users quick access to meeting prep tools; rollout starts early January 2026.",
    "ai_topics": [
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    "category": "stayInformed",
    "details_map": {
      "Summary": "Microsoft 365 Copilot users will see a new \"Prepare\" button on the \"Up Next\" card replacing \"Join\" up to 5 minutes before meetings, providing quick access to Copilot\u2019s meeting prep tools. Rollout begins January 2026, enabled by default for Premium license users, with no admin action needed."
    },
    "id": "MC1187395",
    "importance": 4,
    "is_major_change": false,
    "last_modified": "2025-12-04T20:41:52Z",
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    "services": [
      "Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365)"
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    "severity": "normal",
    "tags": [
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    "title": "(Updated) New \"Prepare\" button added to the \"Up Next\" card for Microsoft 365 Copilot users"
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