MC1486295 - Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint: Generate smart tables of contents for PDFs on the web with Copilot

Microsoft 365 Message Center announcement MC1486295.

MS Message Center's Summary

Microsoft will introduce an artificial intelligence capability allowing licensed Copilot users to generate clickable tables of contents for PDFs within OneDrive and SharePoint on the web starting December 2026. The feature operates on demand, respects existing file permissions, and permits editors to save the generated structure. Administrators should inform helpdesk teams and verify license assignments before rollout begins.

Administrator impact
No direct administrator action is required.
End user impact
Eligible users can request artificial intelligence generated tables of contents to navigate PDF files more easily on the web.
Importance
3/10: This is a new feature rollout with no mandatory administrator action or service disruption risk.

Microsoft Summary

Microsoft 365 Copilot users can generate AI-created, hierarchical, clickable tables of contents for PDFs in OneDrive and SharePoint on the web starting December 2026. The feature is user-initiated, respects permissions, supports saving by editors, and may have inaccuracies, especially with scanned PDFs.

Message Center ID
MC1486295
Category
stay Informed
Severity
normal
Services
SharePoint Online, Microsoft OneDrive
Tags
New feature, User impact
Published
2026-10-02
Last updated
2026-10-02
Expires
2027-01-29

[What and Why:] We are introducing Smart Table of Contents (Smart TOC) in the Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint PDF viewer on the web for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. When a PDF does not already contain a table of contents, users can ask Copilot to generate a hierarchical, clickable structure that makes it easier to navigate long documents and move between sections. This feature is available only on the web in the initial release and is generated only when a user explicitly requests it. [Rollout Schedule:] Targeted Release (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early December 2026 and is expected to complete by mid-December 2026. General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in mid-December 2026 and is expected to complete by late December 2026. General Availability (GCC): Rollout will begin in mid-December 2026 and is expected to complete by late December 2026. General Availability (GCC High): Rollout will begin in mid-December 2026 and is expected to complete by late December 2026. General Availability (DoD): Rollout will begin in mid-December 2026 and is expected to complete by late December 2026. This is a gradual rollout, and not all eligible users will receive the feature at the same time. [Impact on Your Organization:] Who is affected: Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license who access PDF files in OneDrive and SharePoint on the web. Platforms/Services: OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft 365 Copilot, PDF viewer on the web. What will happen: The Smart TOC entry point will appear when an eligible user opens a PDF that does not already contain table-of-contents information. The feature is available only in the OneDrive and SharePoint PDF viewer on the web during the initial release. Mobile and desktop applications are not included at this time. Copilot analyzes document structure and generates nested, clickable entries mapped to pages or page ranges. Users with edit permissions can save the generated table of contents into the PDF. The saved table of contents can be displayed by compatible PDF editors. Users with view-only permissions can generate and use Smart TOC for navigation but cannot save the generated table of contents. Smart TOC is available only to users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. AI-generated content may be inaccurate, particularly for scanned or OCR-based PDF files. [Action Required/Recommendations:] No immediate admin action is required. Before rollout, you may want to: Review Microsoft 365 Copilot license assignments for users who should have access to this capability. Inform eligible users, helpdesk personnel, and support teams about the new PDF navigation experience. Update internal documentation to clarify that saving a generated table of contents requires edit permissions on the PDF. Encourage users to validate AI-generated table-of-contents entries when accuracy is important. [Compliance considerations:] Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed? Yes. Copilot processes PDF content that the licensed user is already authorized to access in order to generate a table of contents for navigation. Existing file permissions are respected, and saving changes requires edit permissions. Does the change introduce or significantly modify AI/ML or agent capabilities that interact with or provide access to customer data? Yes. Copilot analyzes PDF document structure and generates an AI-created hierarchical table of contents. The experience is user-initiated and does not run automatically. Does the change provide end users any new way of interacting with generative AI? Yes. Eligible users can request Copilot to generate a table of contents for PDF files that do not already contain one. Does the change allow a user to enable and disable the feature themselves? Yes. The feature is user-initiated and only runs when a licensed user chooses to generate a Smart TOC. The experience will clearly indicate that the table of contents was AI generated and may contain inaccuracies.