Microsoft 365 Copilot: Introducing Federated Copilot Connectors

Microsoft 365 Copilot now supports federated Copilot connectors, enabling secure, real-time data access from third-party sources without storing data in Microsoft services. Available worldwide from April to May 2026, admins can manage connectors via the Microsoft 365 admin center, with initial connectors including Canva, HubSpot, and Google Calendar.

[Introduction]

Microsoft is announcing the General Availability (GA) of federated Copilot connectors for Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Federated Copilot connectors enable users to securely connect Copilot to popular third‑party sources and retrieve data in real time using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). These connectors do not store or index customer data in Microsoft services; access occurs in real time using the user’s identity, while administrators retain full governance and control through the Microsoft 365 admin center.

With GA, federated Copilot connectors will be supported in Researcher agent, Microsoft 365 Chat, and Agent Mode in Excel, enabling users to bring external data directly into their workflows.

[When this will happen]

• General Availability (Worldwide): 
  • Admins will begin seeing federated Copilot connectors in Microsoft 365 admin center starting on April 20, 2026. Public documentation will be updated around the same time.
  • Rollout for users will begin in late April 2026 and complete by late May 2026.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected

• Organizations with Microsoft 365 Copilot Premium licenses

What will happen

• Microsoft‑published federated Copilot connectors (connector type: MCP) will appear under Microsoft 365 admin center → Copilot → Connectors and will be enabled by default.
• Admins will be able to:
  • View all Microsoft‑published federated Copilot connectors in one place.
  • Identify federated Copilot connectors by filtering on connector type: MCP.
  • Use staged rollout to enable specific connectors for selected users or groups.
  • Disable any connectors that do not align with organizational policies.
    • Admins can bulk‑disable all connectors using CLI, then selectively re‑enable individual connectors within the admin center.
• Users will be able to connect to federated Copilot connectors directly from:
  • Researcher agent
  • Microsoft 365 Chat
  • Agent Mode in Excel
• Public documentation will be updated as the rollout progresses.

Screenshot 1 – Manage federated Copilot connectors:

 

Screenshot 2 – Connect and use federated Copilot connectors:

 

Microsoft‑published federated Copilot connectors available at GA include:

• Canva
• HubSpot
• Linear
• Intercom
• Google Calendar
• Google Contacts
• Notion
• S&P Global
• Moody’s
• LSEG

Note: Microsoft may initially release a subset of the connectors listed above, with additional Microsoft‑published federated Copilot connectors becoming available over time with prior notice.

[What you can do to prepare]

• Review available Microsoft‑published federated Copilot connectors in Microsoft 365 admin center → Copilot → Connectors.
• Use the 7‑day, admin‑only review window before the connectors become available to users to validate compliance, risk posture, and readiness.
• Plan a staged rollout strategy using Entra ID group targeting if you want to enable connectors gradually.
• Disable any connectors that do not meet your organization’s security or compliance standards.
• Review your third‑party provider agreements, including data residency and licensing terms, before enabling federated Copilot connectors.
• Update internal documentation or helpdesk guidance as needed.

Note: By using Microsoft 365 Copilot connectors, you, as the data controller, authorize Microsoft to index third‑party data or otherwise send Customer Data and Personal Data to third‑party services, as well as retrieve third‑party data and import it into your Microsoft 365 tenant according to your configurations.

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.