MC1189001 – M365 Change Digest

One-line summary

Voice conversation support is expanding in Microsoft 365 Copilot for licensed users across desktop, web, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook; rollout completes by April 2026.

Similar updates

Details

RoadmapIds

516569

Summary

Microsoft 365 Copilot is adding voice chat across desktop, web, and mobile apps like Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Rollout starts November 2025, completing by April 2026. Licensed users can have natural voice conversations with Copilot, with no admin disable option. Privacy and data handling remain consistent.

Platforms

Desktop

Body (from Message Center)

Updated March 20, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

Introduction

In early November, we announced voice in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app. Now we’re expanding that offering to Microsoft 365 Copilot app on desktop and the web, as well as in the Microsoft 365 apps, starting with Word and PowerPoint on desktop and web and Outlook on desktop, web, and mobile.

Voice enables Microsoft 365 Copilot users to have natural, back-and-forth conversations with Copilot simply by speaking. It lets you quickly capture your ideas, whether you’re brainstorming, drafting a response, or preparing for a meeting. Just say “help me prepare for my next meeting” to get an instant response from Work IQ, grounded in your work data, context, and preferences.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 516569.

When this will happen

Public Preview: Rollout began in November 2025 and is expected to complete in December 2025.
General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins in December 2025 and is expected to complete by end of April 2026 (previously March).

How this will affect your organization

Who is affected: All Microsoft 365 Copilot licensed users.

What will happen

Users can start a voice conversation with Copilot by selecting Start a new voice chat in the Copilot input box.
There is no admin control to disable this feature at the tenant or group level.
Voice in Microsoft 365 Copilot is available only for Microsoft 365 Copilot licensed users.
Text transcripts from voice conversations are stored and managed the same way as text conversations in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.
Users can continue a voice chat in the background while moving between apps or with a locked screen on desktop.
Audio from voice chats will be interrupted if users play audio from another app.
Background noise suppression is included, but background speech may still be picked up.
Voice is available in all languages supported by Microsoft 365 Copilot.
While in voice chat, Copilot can respond using existing memories stored in user Personalization settings. Users cannot modify or edit memories from voice chats yet due to privacy considerations.

What you need to do to prepare

Review how privacy and security of organizational data is protected when using this feature: Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Learn.
Communicate the availability and benefits of this feature to your users.
Remind users to ensure microphone permissions and device settings are compatible with voice activation.

Learn more: Voice turns Microsoft 365 Copilot into your thought partner

Compliance considerations

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

Raw JSON (for debugging)

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      "Summary": "Microsoft 365 Copilot is adding voice chat across desktop, web, and mobile apps like Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Rollout starts November 2025, completing by April 2026. Licensed users can have natural voice conversations with Copilot, with no admin disable option. Privacy and data handling remain consistent."
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