Core Updates – April 2026

Copilot & AI

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat – Experience Changes

Description: Microsoft has completed the move to a unified Copilot Chat experience. Copilot chat entry points have been removed from Word, Excel, PowerPoint (and Lists) for users on basic Copilot licences, consolidating access through the Copilot web experience instead. This reduces confusion between in-app and web-based Copilot, but represents a visible change for end users.

Rollout: Mid-April 2026

Why it matters: Users accustomed to launching Copilot directly from Office apps may assume functionality has been removed. Without communication, this can generate unnecessary support queries.

Actions to take:

• Notify users of the Copilot Chat access change and where to find it
• Update internal guidance and training materials
• Brief service desk teams so they can respond consistently
  
  

Copilot Agent Model Upgrade
(GPT‑5.2 – Declarative Agents)

Description: Declarative Copilot agents are being upgraded to the GPT‑5.2 model. This brings improved reasoning quality, greater accuracy, and better handling of multi‑step tasks, particularly for more complex business scenarios.

Rollout: March–April 2026

Why it matters: Agent builders may see noticeable differences in output. While improvements are expected, organisations should still validate behaviour, especially where agents support business‑critical processes.

Actions to take:

• Inform Copilot agent builders of the model upgrade
• Test critical agents against the new model
• Update internal documentation where relevant
  
  

Admin Control for AI‑Generated Code Previews
(Copilot Pages)

Description: Microsoft has introduced an admin control that allows organisations to enable or disable AI‑generated code previews in Copilot Pages. While Copilot Chat supports ideation, Pages are designed for producing persistent, shareable work such as documents, plans, and code.

Rollout: Mid-March - mid-April 2026

Why it matters: Some organisations may wish to restrict AI‑generated code due to security, quality, or governance concerns.

Actions to take:

• Review organisations appetite for AI-generated code
• Test with trusted developers before broad enablement
• Configure and document the chosen admin setting
  
  

Microsoft Teams

External Bot Detection in Teams Meetings

Description: Teams can now automatically detect and label external bots joining meetings. Meeting organisers are alerted and can explicitly allow or deny the bot’s participation.

Rollout: June 2026

Why it matters: As AI note‑takers and third‑party assistants become more common, this feature improves transparency and meeting security.

Actions to take:

• Update SOC runbooks to include Teams‑based alerts
• Communicate the change to users as part of security awareness
• Review current Defender alert thresholds for alignment

Removal of Teams Recording Expiration Emails

Description: Microsoft is retiring automatic e‑mail notifications that warn users when Teams meeting recordings are about to expire.

Rollout: 1 June 2026

Why it matters: Some users rely on these emails to manage recordings or trigger downstream actions.

Actions to take:

• Identify teams that depend on recording expiry notifications
• Update internal guidance on managing record retention
  
• Review retention policies to ensure they align with business needs
  
  

Microsoft SharePoint

InfoPath Form Publishing Retirement

Description: As part of the wider InfoPath retirement, organisations will no longer be able to publish new or updated InfoPath forms in SharePoint Online. Existing forms will continue to function until full retirement in July 2026.

Key Dates:

• New or updated forms blocked from mid-May 2026
• Full retirement: 14 July 2026
  

Why it matters: Business-critical workflows may break if not modernised.

Actions to take:

• Use Microsoft discovery tools to identify InfoPath usage
• Prioritise migration to Power Apps and Power Automate
• Engage form owners early to avoid disruption

Security, Compliance & Purview

Purview Posture Reports – Generally Available

Description: New Microsoft Purview posture reports are now generally available, offering executive‑ready insights into sensitivity labels, DLP policy activity, and overall data protection posture.

Why it matters: Improves visibility, trend analysis, and reporting without manual effort.

Actions to take:

• Review posture reports regularly
• Use insights to prioritise data protection improvements
• Share high‑level summaries with security and compliance leadership
  
  

Item‑Level Investigation for Purview DSPM (SharePoint)

Description: New Purview DSPM now supports item‑level investigation and remediation for SharePoint. Administrators can identify overshared files, apply labels, remove sharing, or notify owners directly from Purview.

Why it matters: Delivers faster remediation and stronger governance without relying on broad site‑level controls.

Actions to take:

• Train security teams on new remediation capabilities
• Update governance playbooks
• Use findings to inform user education
  
  

Power Platform

Shared Process Licence Capacity (Power Automate)

Description: A single Power Automate process licence can now be shared across up to 25 cloud flows, reducing licensing overhead for shared or service‑based automation scenarios..

Expected Availability: Late April 2026

Why it matters: Improves cost efficiency for organisations using premium connectors and service principals.

Actions to take:

• Review current Power Automate licensing usage
• Identify opportunities for licence consolidation
• Monitor release details for environment constraints
  
  

Mhairi Nisbet
Customer Success Manager