Table of Contents
Summary
- Users blocked from Copilot by admin policy will see the Chat option in the navigation but will remain restricted and will land on Search.
- Users ineligible for Copilot due to age, region, or environment won’t see the Chat option and will receive a pop-up if they try to access it via URL.
- No changes will occur for licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot users or those with default pinning already set.
- No admin action is required for this update; optional documentation review is available for managing Copilot features.
- This change includes a user impact as it affects the accessibility of the Chat feature based on eligibility and admin restrictions.
Admin Impact: Low
User Impact: Medium
Release Start: 01 Jan 2026
Release End: 28 Feb 2026
Services: M365 Copilot
Category: Stay informed
Tags: Feature Update, User Adoption
History
12/15/2025 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
Introduction
We’re making Copilot Chat availability state transparent in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. Users blocked by Admin policy from Integrated apps will now see Chat in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app navigation. Their access will remain restricted, and their default landing page stays on Search. When these users access Chat in Microsoft 365 Copilot, a message will notify them that Chat is unavailable.
Screenshot 1: User experience in the M365 Copilot app for a user blocked from accessing Copilot
Users ineligible for Copilot due to age, region, or environment won’t see Chat in the app navigation. If users attempt to access the Chat URL directly, a pop-up message will appear letting them know they are not eligible to use Copilot.
When this will happen
General Availability: Rollout will begin in late January 2026 and complete by late February 2026.
How this affects your organization
Who is affected:
- Organizations using the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.
- Users blocked from Copilot by admin policy.
- Users ineligible for Copilot due to age, region, or environment restrictions.
What will happen
Users blocked by admin policy:
- Will see Chat in navigation but remain restricted.
- The landing page remains on Search, while Chat displays a restriction notice.
Users ineligible for Copilot (due to age, region, or environment):
- Won’t see Chat in navigation.
- If they access Chat via direct URL, a pop-up message will appear letting them know they are not eligible to use Copilot.
No changes for licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot users or those with default pinning already set.
What you can do to prepare
No admin action is required.
Optional:
Review documentation for managing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app and Copilot Chat:
- Microsoft 365 Copilot app features that admins can control | Microsoft Learn
- Manage Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Microsoft Learn
Compliance considerations
No compliance considerations identified; review as appropriate for your organization.