What's new in Microsoft | January 2026 Updates

Microsoft 365 Copilot is introducing a capability that allows users to open Outlook emails directly within full-app Copilot experiences, including Copilot chat. This enhancement reduces context switching by enabling users to view referenced emails alongside their Copilot interactions.

When this will happen
General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins mid-February 2026 and is expected to complete by late February 2026.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
All users who access Microsoft 365 Copilot full-app experiences, including Copilot chat.

What will happen:

• Users can open Outlook emails directly from references or sources shown in Copilot chat.
• Emails will appear side-by-side within the Copilot experience.
• The feature is enabled by default.
• Existing Microsoft 365 permissions and data access models remain unchanged.
• No changes are made to Outlook, Exchange Online, or Copilot admin controls.

Agent mode enables Copilot to work alongside users to edit and refine documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Copilot responds to prompts, actively makes changes to files while reasoning through them, and provides visibility into what is being done so users can review, adjust, or guide the outcome.

When this will happen

• Users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license: Agent mode in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (web) is rolling out in February.
• Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license:
  • Agent mode in Word rolled out in November.
  • Agent mode in Excel rolled out on the web in December and on Desktop and Mac in January.
  • Agent mode in PowerPoint is rolling out on the web in February.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Copilot Chat users and users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

What will happen:

• Copilot can actively edit files while explaining its reasoning.
• Users retain transparency and control, with the ability to review or modify changes at any time.
• Copilot Chat users receive standard access with web grounding.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot-licensed users receive priority access with both web and work grounding.

Word, Excel, and PowerPoint agents enable users to create new files from a single prompt in Copilot Chat. These agents generate structured drafts with built-in formatting and detail, allowing users to quickly produce documents, analyses, and presentations that are ready for review and iteration.

When this will happen
Rolling out in February for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and for Copilot Chat users without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Copilot Chat users and users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

What will happen:

• Users can generate complete drafts for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly from Copilot Chat.
• Drafts include rich structure, formatting, and content to reduce time spent starting from a blank page.
• Copilot Chat users receive standard access with web grounding.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot-licensed users receive priority access with both web and work grounding.

Copilot in Outlook mobile now includes an interactive voice experience that summarizes unread emails and guides users through actions such as drafting replies, deleting, archiving, pinning, and flagging messages hands-free.

When this will happen

• iOS: Rollout began in January.
• Android: Rolling out in February.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Users of Copilot in Outlook mobile on iOS and Android.

What will happen:

• Users can open Copilot from the Outlook mobile home screen and select voice catch-up to begin.
• Copilot will summarize unread emails and support hands-free email management actions.
• This capability enables faster triage and interaction with email while on the go.

Users can now perform common email triage actions using natural language directly from Copilot Chat in Outlook and the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. This capability helps users manage inboxes more efficiently without navigating multiple controls.

When this will happen
Rollout began in December.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Users of Copilot Chat in Outlook and the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.

What will happen:

• Users can manage emails with prompts such as flagging unread messages, archiving project-related emails, or marking messages as read or unread.
• Supported actions include pinning and unpinning, flagging and unflagging, archiving, and changing read status.
• This capability streamlines inbox organization and supports faster email management.

The Microsoft 365 admin center now includes a redesigned Copilot overview page that provides a centralized and contextual view of Copilot across the tenant. This experience brings together insights on environment state, configurations, and prioritized recommended actions to support security, governance, and adoption.

When this will happen
Rolled out in January.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Admins managing Microsoft 365 Copilot in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

What will happen:

• A redesigned overview page will unify insights across Copilot Chat, agents, and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Admins can view environment status, configurations, and recommended actions in one location.
• The report supports readiness assessments, governance planning, management controls, and measurement.
• IT teams can more quickly evaluate deployment readiness and support Copilot adoption at scale.

Microsoft Teams is introducing a Drafts quick view feature that makes it easier for users to locate, edit, and send unsent messages. This enhancement improves productivity by increasing the visibility of saved drafts.

When this will happen

• Targeted Release: Rollout begins mid-February 2026 and is expected to complete by late February 2026.
• General Availability: Rollout begins mid-March 2026 and is expected to complete by late March 2026.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
All Microsoft Teams users on desktop platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux).

What will happen:

• A new Drafts quick view option will appear in Teams.
• Selecting the quick view will display all unsent draft messages for editing and sending.
• The feature will be enabled by default and requires no admin configuration.

Microsoft Teams is introducing enhanced support for viewing code blocks in the mobile app for iOS and Android. This update improves readability and formatting accuracy for teams that collaborate using code snippets.

When this will happen

• Public Preview: Rollout begins early February 2026 and is expected to complete by mid-February 2026.
• General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins mid-February 2026 and is expected to complete by late February 2026.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
All users of the Microsoft Teams mobile app on iOS and Android.

What will happen:

• Code blocks will display with improved formatting and readability on mobile devices.
• Users can review shared code more accurately while collaborating on the go.

Express voice enrollment simplifies the process of registering a voice profile in Teams. Once enrolled, the profile supports capabilities such as voice isolation, speaker recognition, identification in meeting rooms and transcripts, and enhanced meeting recaps and insights from Microsoft 365 Copilot.

When this will happen
Available in March.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Microsoft Teams users eligible for voice enrollment.

What will happen:

• Users who have not enrolled will receive an in-product prompt to opt in and create a voice profile by speaking during a meeting.
• Voice profiles enable features including voice isolation, speaker recognition, transcript identification, and improved meeting insights.
• Admins can enable or disable this feature for their organization.

Microsoft Teams is introducing a new events experience that centralizes discovery, creation, and management into a single workflow. This update provides organizers with greater flexibility when configuring events and improves how attendees find and track events.

When this will happen
Public Preview: Available now.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Event organizers, delegates, and users who register for or attend Teams events.

What will happen:

• Organizers can configure events using a flexible creation flow with expanded interaction, registration, and branding options.
• A new discovery experience makes it easier for users to find, track, and revisit events they are registered for or eligible to attend.
• Redesigned management capabilities provide a consistent location to update event details, review registrations, access reporting, and coordinate with co-organizers and delegates.

This experience supports improved control and flexibility for digital and hybrid events.

The Files tab in Teams channels has been renamed to Shared. The updated tab provides broader visibility into content shared in channel conversations, making it easier to find files and links without scrolling through message threads.

When this will happen
Availability details will be shared in a future update.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Microsoft Teams users working in channels.

What will happen:

• The Files tab in channels is renamed to Shared.
• The Shared tab displays current files along with previously shared files and links from channel posts.
• The Recent view allows sorting by date and filtering by Files or Links.
• The In messages view helps locate links that appear within channel conversations.

No admin configuration is required.

A new option is being added to eSignature for Microsoft 365 that allows users to draw their electronic signature when signing PDF documents. This expands the existing typed signature option and provides a more natural signing experience.

When this will happen
General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in mid-March 2026 and is expected to complete by mid-May 2026.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
All users in Microsoft 365 tenants who use eSignature for Microsoft 365 to sign PDF documents.

What will happen:

• Users will be able to draw their signature when signing PDFs.
• The existing typed signature option will remain available.
• No admin configuration changes are required.

Microsoft Edge will introduce a refreshed profile flyout designed to provide a cleaner and more intuitive interface. The updated design improves profile distinction, simplifies credential management, and enhances access to key settings.

When this will happen
Availability details will be shared in a future update.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected:
Microsoft Edge users.

What will happen:

• The profile flyout will feature a redesigned interface with improved clarity.
• Users can more easily distinguish between work and personal profiles.
• Credential management and access to important settings will be streamlined.
• Organization branding will remain visible within the updated experience.

Screenshot 1: Example of the redesigned profile flyout for a managed (work) account.

Screenshot 2: Example of the updated flyout for a profile that is not signed in.