Summary
Starting November 2026, Microsoft Frontier expands to offer public preview features in Teams, new Outlook for Windows, OneDrive, and SharePoint, alongside Copilot. Admins manage enrollment centrally, choosing users for early access, while others remain on Standard or Deferred release schedules. Frontier simplifies preview management and preparation.
Message ID: MC1529472
Published: Oct 28, 2026
Service: Microsoft 365 suite
Tag: New feature, User impact, Admin impact
Microsoft Message
Frontier now covers more of Microsoft 365. Starting in November 2026, users enrolled in Frontier will start getting eligible public preview features in Microsoft Teams, new Outlook for Windows, OneDrive, and SharePoint, in addition to Copilot.
Instead of looking in different places for previews, admins use one program and one setting to give the users they choose early access across Microsoft 365.
Frontier is optional and controlled by your admins. It is separate from each user’s Standard release or Deferred release preference, which still decides when users receive features once they’re generally available. If you already have users enrolled in Frontier, they don’t need to re-enroll.
Release options in the Microsoft 365 admin center:
- Frontier (preview access): Opt in specific users and groups, or all users, to get eligible public preview features before general availability.
- Standard release (general availability): Receive updates as soon as they’re generally available. This is the default.
- Deferred release (general availability): Receive eligible major updates approximately 30 days after Standard release begins, allowing more time for validation and readiness.
Learn more: Get started with the Microsoft Frontier Program
Rollout Schedule
November 2026: Users enrolled in Frontier will start getting eligible public preview features in Microsoft Teams, new Outlook for Windows, OneDrive, and SharePoint, in addition to Copilot.
Impact on Your Organization
Frontier makes early access to Microsoft 365 previews simpler and more predictable. Instead of looking in different places for previews, your organization gets eligible public preview features for Microsoft Teams, new Outlook for Windows, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Copilot through one program, managed from one admin setting. Admins choose which users and groups take part, and everyone else stays on their Standard release or Deferred release schedule, so it’s clear who gets what and when.
In November 2026, admins can also manage Frontier, Standard release, and Deferred release together in one place in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Early access gives you time to prepare guidance and support teams, and a way to share feedback before features are broadly released.
Action Required/Recommendations
- Users enrolled in Frontier will start seeing eligible preview features in Microsoft Teams, new Outlook for Windows, OneDrive, and SharePoint, in addition to the Copilot preview features they get today.
- If your Frontier setting is All users, every user with the right licenses will get these preview features.
- Users not enrolled in Frontier see no change. They keep getting features based on their Standard release or Deferred release preference.
- A Microsoft Copilot license is no longer required to enroll users in Frontier. Users need licenses for the products they want to preview. For example, to use Frontier features for Teams, users need a license that includes Microsoft Teams. Enrolled users without that license aren’t shown that product’s Frontier features.
- Users in Targeted release aren’t automatically enrolled in Frontier.
- Preview features may change before general availability.
- Future additions to Frontier will be announced in Message center.
We recommend that administrators
- Review your current Frontier enrollment. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to Copilot > Settings > View all > Copilot Frontier. You can choose No access (default), All users, or Specific users and groups.
- If Frontier is set to All users, decide whether everyone should get preview features. If not, switch to Specific users and groups.
- If you’re new to Frontier, consider starting with a pilot group and expanding over time. A pilot group could be IT staff, an innovation team, or employees who want to test the latest features.
- If you use Targeted release, enroll the users you want to get preview features in Frontier. Targeted release users aren’t enrolled automatically, and Targeted release retires in January 2027.
- Make sure enrolled users have licenses for the products they will preview.
- If you use the Microsoft 365 Insider (for business) program to validate production builds, keep doing so. To try eligible preview features offered through Frontier, enroll the users who will participate.
- Let your helpdesk, change management teams, and pilot groups know that enrolled users will start seeing preview features.
Until the unified release preferences experience is available, admins can continue to manage Frontier enrollment through Copilot settings in the Microsoft 365 admin center. In November 2026, you can manage Frontier, Standard release, and Deferred release together in the unified release preferences experience, or continue to manage Frontier through Copilot settings. For details, see MC1490899.
Compliance considerations
Does the change include an admin control?
Yes. Admins manage Frontier enrollment (No access, All users, or Specific users and groups) through Copilot Settings in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Additional Resources
- Frontier expands to more Microsoft 365 public previews | Microsoft Community Hub
- Get started with the Microsoft Frontier Program
- Explore AI Early Access in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Frontier