💡 Our Technical Review in summary
Summary
- Microsoft is introducing a unified plus (+) menu within the Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat interface to centralize access to grounding, tools, and data sources.
- Grounding allows users to connect Copilot to specific files, sites, or organizational data to improve the relevance of AI-generated responses.
- This update consolidates the existing “Tools” menu and “Grounding” options into a single, streamlined entry point in the prompt box.
- The rollout is scheduled to begin in late February 2026 and is expected to reach General Availability by mid-March 2026.
Impact
- User Interface Change: The separate “Tools” menu will be removed from the prompt box. All tool-related actions and data-source selection will now reside under the unified (+) menu.
- User Experience: This change affects both licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot users and users of the standard Copilot Chat. It simplifies the workflow for adding entities and updating inputs.
- Administrative Control: This feature is enabled by default. There are no new admin configurations required, and existing data access policies or Copilot input restrictions remain unchanged.
- Scope: This is a worldwide update affecting all tenants using Microsoft 365 Copilot interfaces.
Action Required
- Update Documentation: Review and update internal training manuals, Quick Start guides, and SharePoint knowledge base articles to reflect the new (+) menu layout and the removal of the standalone Tools menu.
- Helpdesk Awareness: Brief IT support and helpdesk staff on the UI change to ensure they can assist users who may have difficulty locating tools or grounding options after the update.
- User Communication: Consider sending a brief update to power users or Copilot champions, highlighting that grounding (connecting to files/sites) is now more accessible through the unified menu.
Microsoft Official Update
Service: N/A
Category: stayInformed
Severity: normal
[Introduction]
Microsoft is introducing a unified plus (+) menu to make it easier for users to add grounding, tools, and sources when prompting in Microsoft 365 Copilot. Grounding refers to the content users connect to Copilot—such as files, sites, or other organizational data—that helps improve response relevance. This update consolidates related actions into a single menu, improving discoverability and streamlining the workflow for adding entities or updating inputs. This simplified menu will be available for Copilot Chat users (without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license) and Microsoft 365 Copilot users (with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license).
Note: The Tools menu will be consolidated under the unified plus (+) menu and no longer exist as a separate menu in the prompt box after this change.
[When this will happen:]
General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins in late February 2026 and is expected to complete by mid‑March 2026.
[How this affects your organization:]
Who is affected:
Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot users that rely on the unified plus (+) menu.
What will happen:
- Users will see a redesigned and unified plus (+) menu.
- Grounding options, tools, and data sources will be consolidated in one menu.
- Users will be able to add entities and update sources from this unified location.
- The feature will be enabled by default and replaces the current experience; no admin configuration is required.
- Existing admin policies related to Copilot input sources remain unchanged.
[What you can do to prepare:]
No action is required for administrators.
- Inform helpdesk and training teams about the unified plus (+) menu layout.
- Update internal documentation or screenshots that reference the previous menu.
[Compliance considerations:]
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.
