MC1548034 - Copilot Studio - Set up third-party agent connections in conversations

Microsoft 365 Message Center announcement MC1548034.

MS Message Center's Summary

Microsoft is rolling out an updated connection flow for Copilot Studio agents allowing users to authenticate third party services directly inside their active conversation without navigating to a separate portal. General availability is scheduled to complete by December 31 2026. Administrators should review existing connector policies and notify internal support teams about the streamlined authentication process while developers must update any custom web user interfaces using the Standard harness.

Administrator impact
Review existing organizational controls for connectors and update any custom web user interface implementations.
End user impact
Users can set up required third party connections directly within their agent chat interface.
Importance
4/10: This update introduces workflow improvements and developer requirements for custom web user interfaces but does not cause service disruption.
Message Center ID
MC1548034
Category
plan For Change
Severity
normal
Services
Microsoft Copilot (Power Platform)
Tags
Feature update
Published
2026-11-11
Last updated
2026-11-11
Expires
2027-01-31

We are announcing improvements to the experience of setting up connections in chats with Copilot Studio agents. These improvements will reach general availability by December 31, 2026. How does this affect me? Previously, users needed to leave their conversation, go to a separate connection-management experience, complete setup, and then restart their interaction. This feature is introducing a more seamless way for users to connect agents to third-party services. When an agent requires a connection, users will be guided through a focused setup experience without leaving the conversation or being redirected to the full connection-management portal. When possible, the agent will reuse an existing valid connection. With this update: Users can establish a required third-party connection from their agent conversation. Users complete only the setup required for the service they are using. Users return directly to the conversation after connecting. An eligible existing connection can be reused instead of configuring another connection. Users can continue working with connected agents across Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Teams, and Web Chat. Existing organizational controls that govern which connectors and connections users can access will continue to determine availability. Please note that developers of agents published through a custom web UI using the Standard harness will be required to make changes to support the new connection experience. What action do I need to take? To prepare for this change, we recommend that you: Inform support teams and agent users about the improved connection experience. Review your existing organizational controls for connectors and connections. For agents published through a custom web UI using the Standard harness, update your implementation to: Open the new connection window. Continue the conversation after connection setup succeeds. If you would like more information on this feature, please visit Support connection setup in a custom canvas .