(Updated) Microsoft 365 Copilot | New admin policy for harmful content access in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Message Center ID: MC1133507
Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365)
Stay Informed
New feature User impact Admin impact
September 2025
TeamsAndSurfaceDevices Web

Summary

Microsoft 365 Copilot introduces a new admin policy allowing specific roles to access harmful content in Copilot Chat, disabled by default. Rollout starts late September 2025. Admins can assign this policy to enable users to disable harmful content protection per conversation, requiring a Copilot license.

Details

Updated September 19, 2025: We have updated the content with additional information OR resources.

This feature is designed to support specialized roles—such as legal, investigative, or moderation teams—where exposure to sensitive content may be necessary. It enables these users to reason over sensitive content using Copilot Chat while maintaining organizational safeguards.

This feature requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499809.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in late September 2025 (previously early September) and is expected to complete by late September 2025 (previously early September).

How this affects your organization

This update allows organizations to assign a new policy that enables specific users—such as those in legal or compliance roles—to interact with sensitive content in Copilot Chat. By default, this feature is turned off and will not affect users unless the policy is explicitly assigned.

Admins will see a new policy setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center (shown below), which enables assignment of harmful content access in Copilot Chat.

Admin UX for assigning harmful content access policy in Microsoft 365 Copilot:

 admin settings

For users who are assigned the policy:

  • A new option will be available in Copilot Chat that allows them to disable harmful content protection for a specific conversation.
  • The default setting is RAI-protected, and users must explicitly turn off protection per conversation.

What you can do to prepare

No action is required unless your organization wants to enable this capability for specific users. Admins can assign the policy to appropriate users based on role requirements. For more information, refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation (link to be added when available).

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Related Roadmap Items

Change History

September 19, 2025 at 10:30 PM Updated
Summary
Previous
Microsoft 365 Copilot introduces a new admin policy allowing specific users, like legal or compliance teams, to access harmful content in Copilot Chat. This feature, off by default, requires explicit assignment and lets users disable harmful content protection per conversation. Rollout begins September 2025.
New
Microsoft 365 Copilot introduces a new admin policy allowing specific roles to access harmful content in Copilot Chat, disabled by default. Rollout starts late September 2025. Admins can assign this policy to enable users to disable harmful content protection per conversation, requiring a Copilot license.
Last Updated Date
Previous
2025-09-03T16:59:02.173Z
New
2025-09-19T19:59:18.487Z
Body Content
Previous

Updated August 13, 2025: We have updated the content below to show as intended. Thank you for your patience.

This feature is designed to support specialized roles—such as legal, investigative, or moderation teams—where exposure to sensitive content may be necessary. It enables these users to reason over sensitive content using Copilot Chat while maintaining organizational safeguards.

This feature requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499809.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early September 2025 and is expected to complete by early September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This update allows organizations to assign a new policy that enables specific users—such as those in legal or compliance roles—to interact with sensitive content in Copilot Chat. By default, this feature is turned off and will not affect users unless the policy is explicitly assigned.

Admins will see a new policy setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center (shown below), which enables assignment of harmful content access in Copilot Chat.

Admin UX for assigning harmful content access policy in Microsoft 365 Copilot:

 admin settings

For users who are assigned the policy:

  • A new option will be available in Copilot Chat that allows them to disable harmful content protection for a specific conversation.
  • The default setting is RAI-protected, and users must explicitly turn off protection per conversation.

What you can do to prepare

No action is required unless your organization wants to enable this capability for specific users. Admins can assign the policy to appropriate users based on role requirements. For more information, refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation (link to be added when available).

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

New

Updated September 19, 2025: We have updated the content with additional information OR resources.

This feature is designed to support specialized roles—such as legal, investigative, or moderation teams—where exposure to sensitive content may be necessary. It enables these users to reason over sensitive content using Copilot Chat while maintaining organizational safeguards.

This feature requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499809.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in late September 2025 (previously early September) and is expected to complete by late September 2025 (previously early September).

How this affects your organization

This update allows organizations to assign a new policy that enables specific users—such as those in legal or compliance roles—to interact with sensitive content in Copilot Chat. By default, this feature is turned off and will not affect users unless the policy is explicitly assigned.

Admins will see a new policy setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center (shown below), which enables assignment of harmful content access in Copilot Chat.

Admin UX for assigning harmful content access policy in Microsoft 365 Copilot:

 admin settings

For users who are assigned the policy:

  • A new option will be available in Copilot Chat that allows them to disable harmful content protection for a specific conversation.
  • The default setting is RAI-protected, and users must explicitly turn off protection per conversation.

What you can do to prepare

No action is required unless your organization wants to enable this capability for specific users. Admins can assign the policy to appropriate users based on role requirements. For more information, refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation (link to be added when available).

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

September 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM Updated
Last Updated Date
Previous
2025-08-13T20:01:15.697Z
New
2025-09-03T16:59:02.173Z
Body Content
Previous

Updated August 13, 2025: We have updated the content below to show as intended. Thank you for your patience.

This feature is designed to support specialized roles—such as legal, investigative, or moderation teams—where exposure to sensitive content may be necessary. It enables these users to reason over sensitive content using Copilot Chat while maintaining organizational safeguards.

This feature is available with the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on license, which enables Copilot in eligible Microsoft 365 plans.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499809.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early September 2025 and is expected to complete by early September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This update allows organizations to assign a new policy that enables specific users—such as those in legal or compliance roles—to interact with sensitive content in Copilot Chat. By default, this feature is turned off and will not affect users unless the policy is explicitly assigned.

Admins will see a new policy setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center (shown below), which enables assignment of harmful content access in Copilot Chat.

Admin UX for assigning harmful content access policy in Microsoft 365 Copilot:

 admin settings

For users who are assigned the policy:

  • A new option will be available in Copilot Chat that allows them to disable harmful content protection for a specific conversation.
  • The default setting is RAI-protected, and users must explicitly turn off protection per conversation.

What you can do to prepare

No action is required unless your organization wants to enable this capability for specific users. Admins can assign the policy to appropriate users based on role requirements. For more information, refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation (link to be added when available).

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

New

Updated August 13, 2025: We have updated the content below to show as intended. Thank you for your patience.

This feature is designed to support specialized roles—such as legal, investigative, or moderation teams—where exposure to sensitive content may be necessary. It enables these users to reason over sensitive content using Copilot Chat while maintaining organizational safeguards.

This feature requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499809.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early September 2025 and is expected to complete by early September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This update allows organizations to assign a new policy that enables specific users—such as those in legal or compliance roles—to interact with sensitive content in Copilot Chat. By default, this feature is turned off and will not affect users unless the policy is explicitly assigned.

Admins will see a new policy setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center (shown below), which enables assignment of harmful content access in Copilot Chat.

Admin UX for assigning harmful content access policy in Microsoft 365 Copilot:

 admin settings

For users who are assigned the policy:

  • A new option will be available in Copilot Chat that allows them to disable harmful content protection for a specific conversation.
  • The default setting is RAI-protected, and users must explicitly turn off protection per conversation.

What you can do to prepare

No action is required unless your organization wants to enable this capability for specific users. Admins can assign the policy to appropriate users based on role requirements. For more information, refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation (link to be added when available).

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

August 13, 2025 at 8:30 PM Updated
Title
Previous
Microsoft 365 Copilot | New admin policy for harmful content access in Microsoft 365 Copilot
New
(Updated) Microsoft 365 Copilot | New admin policy for harmful content access in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Last Updated Date
Previous
2025-08-11T23:31:30.473Z
New
2025-08-13T20:01:15.697Z
Tags
Previous
New feature,User impact,Admin impact
New
Updated message,New feature,User impact,Admin impact
Body Content
Previous

Introduction

We’re introducing a new policy setting in Microsoft 365 Copilot that gives administrators enhanced control over how users interact with harmful content protection in Copilot Chat. This feature is designed to support specialized roles—such as legal, investigative, or moderation teams—where exposure to sensitive content may be necessary. It enables these users to reason over sensitive content using BizChat while maintaining organizational safeguards.

This feature is available with the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on license, which enables Copilot in eligible Microsoft 365 plans.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499809.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early September 2025 and is expected to complete by early September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This update allows organizations to assign a new policy that enables specific users—such as those in legal or compliance roles—to interact with sensitive content in BizChat. By default, this feature is turned off and will not affect users unless the policy is explicitly assigned.

Admins will see a new policy setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center (shown below), which enables assignment of harmful content access in Copilot Chat.

Admin UX for assigning harmful content access policy in Microsoft 365 Copilot:

 admin settings

For users who are assigned the policy:

  • A new option will be available in Copilot Chat that allows them to disable harmful content protection for a specific conversation.
  • The default setting is RAI-protected, and users must explicitly turn off protection per conversation.

What you can do to prepare

No action is required unless your organization wants to enable this capability for specific users. Admins can assign the policy to appropriate users based on role requirements. For more information, refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation (link to be added when available).

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

New

Updated August 13, 2025: We have updated the content below to show as intended. Thank you for your patience.

This feature is designed to support specialized roles—such as legal, investigative, or moderation teams—where exposure to sensitive content may be necessary. It enables these users to reason over sensitive content using Copilot Chat while maintaining organizational safeguards.

This feature is available with the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on license, which enables Copilot in eligible Microsoft 365 plans.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499809.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in early September 2025 and is expected to complete by early September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This update allows organizations to assign a new policy that enables specific users—such as those in legal or compliance roles—to interact with sensitive content in Copilot Chat. By default, this feature is turned off and will not affect users unless the policy is explicitly assigned.

Admins will see a new policy setting in the Microsoft 365 admin center (shown below), which enables assignment of harmful content access in Copilot Chat.

Admin UX for assigning harmful content access policy in Microsoft 365 Copilot:

 admin settings

For users who are assigned the policy:

  • A new option will be available in Copilot Chat that allows them to disable harmful content protection for a specific conversation.
  • The default setting is RAI-protected, and users must explicitly turn off protection per conversation.

What you can do to prepare

No action is required unless your organization wants to enable this capability for specific users. Admins can assign the policy to appropriate users based on role requirements. For more information, refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot documentation (link to be added when available).

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

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