← Back
Microsoft 365 Copilot: GPT-5 Mode selector adds Auto, Instant, and Thinking modes
MC1192003 · build prod-20251231-200323
Category
planForChange
Severity
normal
Major change
False
Last modified
2025-12-04 01:33:47
Summary source
Azure OpenAI (gpt-4.1)
Action by (Graph)
Action by (AI)
Services
Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365), Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
Tags
New feature, User impact, Admin impact
Master tags
Roadmap IDs
532736

One-line summary

Copilot users can now select reasoning depth (Auto, Quick response, Think deeper); feature rolls out Dec 4-8, 2025, enabled by default, no admin controls or required actions.

Similar updates

More like this
MC1176368 (Updated) GPT-5 becomes the default Copilot model
(Updated) GPT-5 becomes the default Copilot model Microsoft 365 Copilot will use GPT-5 as the default model in a phased rollout starting early November 2025; users lose opt-out after Phase 2, affecting all Copilot endpoints. Thank y... [Introduction] We’re updating the default experience for users with the Microsoft 365 Copilot license by.
MC1194070 (Updated) Microsoft 365 Copilot: Declarative agents model upgrade to GPT-5.1
(Updated) Microsoft 365 Copilot: Declarative agents model upgrade to GPT-5.1 Microsoft 365 Copilot declarative agents will upgrade to GPT-5.1 with auto model selection, starting rollout in early January 2026 and enabled by default for all tenants. [Introduction] Microsoft 365 Copilot declarative agents are upgrading to the GPT-5.1 model... The.
MC1165054 (Updated) Microsoft 365 Copilot: Teams channels available in Context IQ prompts
(Updated) Microsoft 365 Copilot: Teams channels available in Context IQ prompts Copilot (Microsoft 365) adds Context IQ, letting users search and insert Teams channels into prompts; rollout starts early December 2025, enabled by default, no admin action needed[Introduction:] Microsoft is enhancing Copilot (Microsoft 365) with Context IQ (CIQ) ,.
MC1187671 New features coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat for Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
New features coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat for Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Copilot Chat users without a Copilot license will get expanded Outlook inbox reasoning and new Agent Mode features in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, starting rollout January 2026. [Introduction] We’re introducing new capabilities for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
MC1189001 Microsoft 365 Copilot: Voice chat in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot: Voice chat in Microsoft 365 Copilot Voice chat is coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot on desktop, web, and mobile apps, enabling users to interact with Copilot by speaking; rollout starts December 2025 for general availability. Introduction In early November, we announced voice in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app. Now.
MC1181660 Microsoft 365 Copilot: AI and Microsoft Graph-powered overview in Copilot Search
Microsoft 365 Copilot: AI and Microsoft Graph-powered overview in Copilot Search Microsoft 365 Copilot Search adds an AI-powered Overview feature, showing key info from results without opening items; enabled by default for licensed users starting mid-November 2025. [Introduction] We're introducing a new Overview feature in Microsoft 365.

Details

RoadmapIds
532736
Summary
Microsoft 365 Copilot now defaults to GPT-5 with a mode selector offering Auto, Quick response, and Think deeper options. The rollout begins December 3, 2025, affecting all users with no admin changes needed. User mode choices persist across chats and the feature is enabled by default.
Platforms
Desktop, Web

Body (from Message Center)

As announced in MC1176368 (October '25) GPT-5 is now the default model and today we're introducing the ability for your users to select how much reasoning to apply.

Users can choose from three modes:

  • Auto (default): Copilot decides how long to think.
  • Quick response (chat): Copilot answers right away.
  • Think deeper (reasoning): Copilot thinks longer for better answers.

This change is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID: 532736

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin December 4, 2025, and we expect to complete by December 8, 2025.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected: All users of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

What will happen:

  • Users will see a new selector in Copilot experiences.

  • Default mode is Auto; users can switch to Quick response or Think deeper.
  • User's choice is remembered and retained for new chats.
  • No admin configuration changes required. There are no admin controls for this feature.
  • Feature is enabled by default for all tenants.
[What you can do to prepare:]
  • No action required; this is a standard rollout.
  • Optional: Communicate the new modes to helpdesk staff and users.
[Compliance considerations:]

No compliance impacts identified. Review your organization’s policies as needed.

Raw JSON (for debugging)

Expand/collapse the full payload below.
Show/hide raw
{
  "snapshot_item": {
    "action_required_by": null,
    "ai_action_required_by": null,
    "ai_actions": [
      "Inform users and helpdesk about new Copilot reasoning modes"
    ],
    "ai_master_tags": [],
    "ai_model": "gpt-4.1",
    "ai_summary": "Copilot users can now select reasoning depth (Auto, Quick response, Think deeper); feature rolls out Dec 4-8, 2025, enabled by default, no admin controls or required actions.",
    "ai_topics": [
      "Copilot",
      "Copilot Chat",
      "Microsoft 365"
    ],
    "category": "planForChange",
    "details_map": {
      "Platforms": "Desktop, Web",
      "RoadmapIds": "532736",
      "Summary": "Microsoft 365 Copilot now defaults to GPT-5 with a mode selector offering Auto, Quick response, and Think deeper options. The rollout begins December 3, 2025, affecting all users with no admin changes needed. User mode choices persist across chats and the feature is enabled by default."
    },
    "id": "MC1192003",
    "importance": 2,
    "is_major_change": false,
    "last_modified": "2025-12-04T01:33:47Z",
    "ms_products": [
      "Copilot",
      "Copilot Chat"
    ],
    "platforms": "Desktop, Web",
    "roadmap_ids": [
      "532736"
    ],
    "services": [
      "Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365)",
      "Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat"
    ],
    "severity": "normal",
    "tags": [
      "New feature",
      "User impact",
      "Admin impact"
    ],
    "title": "Microsoft 365 Copilot: GPT-5 Mode selector adds Auto, Instant, and Thinking modes"
  }
}