MC1136042 - Streamlined file preview experience in Microsoft 365 Copilot app for iOS

Updated October 13, 2025: Introduction

We have updatedare streamlining the content. Thank youMicrosoft 365 Copilot mobile app on iPhone and iPad to help users interact with their content more naturally and efficiently. This update will introduce file previews of Word, Excel, PowerPoint files in the mobile app. In these file previews, users can easily view file contents and comments, as well as use Copilot Chat to command and ask questions about the file. As part of this change, users will be prompted to open the standalone Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps to edit their files. This change is rolling out in September for your patience.iPhone devices and coming later for iPad devices.

When this will happen:happen Updated Rollout Schedule

This update will be generally available for iPhone devices on September 15, and iPad devices will have similar changes soon after.

The first phase ofHow this change is in-product notifications in the M365 Copilot app to encourageaffects your organization

August 22, 2025:

When users who are editing documents to install the Word, PowerPoint, Excel apps. Users whoedit or try to browse filescreate a Word, Excel, or manage their OneDrive libraries will be promoted to install the OneDrive app. This in-app notification will roll out to TestFlight users at the end of August and become generally available the week of September 15, 2025. This is a modification from the initial post to allow our enterprise customers more time to prepare.

The second phase of this change updates the Word, PowerPoint and Excel functionalityfile in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app with previewers that will be made available to TestFlight users only in October and GA rollouton an iOS (iPhone or iPad) device, they will begin mid-October 2025. This will beseeing a gradual, phased rollout that will take about 4 weeks or so to reach 100%popup banner encouraging installation of customers. These changes only apply to iPhone for now, iPad will see similar changes with a start of TestFlight in early November, and the start of the GA rollout in mid November. For iPad we will have a phased rollout that gradually ramps up to 100% of GA in about 4 weeks time.

To get early builds and test out features before GA dates – you will need to join the iOS TestFlight program for the Microsoft 365 Copilot app. There are a limited number of seats available in the iOS TestFlight program. We periodically remove inactive users (those who have not updated their build) to make space for others. If you are unable to join because the program is full, please check back later, or contact your Microsoft Support representative. Learn More: Microsoft 365 Insider program on iOS, Become a Microsoft 365 Insider on iOS.

How this affects your organization: Transition to Previewers in the M365 Copilot App for WXP file viewing & File Access & Management

As part of this update, the Microsoft 365 Copilot app for iPhone and iPad will transition to a Copilot powered preview experience for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Users will continue to be able to view files and use Copilot Chat to get deeper analysis and insights on their content. If a user needs to edit, the M365 Copilot app will transition to the standalone Word, Excel, or PowerPoint apps.app. Users ofcan choose to ignore the M365 Copilot app willbanner and continue to be able to browse and search recent files in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, but users seeking comprehensive file management features will be encouragedwith no change to utilize the OneDrive app. When users land in the M365 Copilot app Search experience and navigate to the My files, Libraries, or My device entry points a notification will appear promoting the use of the OneDrive app for these actions.functionality.

Detailed Change Log: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, M365 Copilot App September 15, 2025:

• Word, Excel, PowerPoint: The Microsoft 365 Copilot app for iPhone and iPad will transition to a provide a Copilot poweredfile preview experience for documents. UsersWord, Excel, and PowerPoint files where they can view contentfile contents and comments and use Copilot Chat for file queries.to command and ask questions about the files. Users who wishwill not be able to edit files in the fileMicrosoft 365 Copilot iPhone app. Instead, they will be prompted to open or install the standalone apps.
• M365 Copilot App: The M365 Copilot app has evolvedapps (ie. Microsoft Word iPhone app) to an AI-first productivity assistant that brings together productivity activity across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and other Microsoft 365 apps. It gives your users the power of file previews and M365 Copilot chat in an experience that inherits all the security, identity and privacy policies you’ve set up in Microsoft 365.edit files.
• Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook iOSapps will stop opening these files in the Microsoft 365 Copilot iPhone app integration: These apps on iPhonefor editing and iPad will continueinstead prompt users to show users a preview of their Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. If users want toinstall or open and editthe respective standalone apps.
• When opening a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file,file in the Microsoft 365 Copilot iPhone app via Search result, Copilot Chat response, or share to Microsoft 365 Copilot action from a third-party app, users will get a streamlined experience where they can preview the file contents and get Copilot Chat assistance on the file directly in the preview.
• In the Create experience in the Microsoft 365 Copilot iPhone app, users will get a chat-centered experience when creating a document rather than the template options in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint experience. With this, they will now be directed todirectly see a Copilot Chat conversation experience when selecting the respective standalone Word, Excel or PowerPoint app. The M365option from the Create Screen. There, they can create a file via a chat prompt. They may open the file in the standalone Word, Excel, or PowerPoint apps once created for further editing.

After September 15, 2025:

We will roll out a similar set of updates to the Microsoft 365 Copilot app will no longer handle file open and edit operations from Teams, OneDrive or Outlook.

What you can do to prepare:prepare Updated Recommendations

• InformNo admin action is required. However, we recommend:

• Informing iOS and iPadOS users about the updatedupdates to file experiences in the M365Microsoft 365 Copilot app,app and for users who have the need to edit WXP files on their mobile devices, encourageencouraging installation of the standaloneMicrosoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps.

  • The M365 Copilot app should continue to be available to end users as an AI-first productivity assistant. It brings together productivity apps and content with Copilot, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.

  • Update allfrom the iOS App Store.

• Updating internal documentation and training materials to reflect the revisednew file handling behavior for the M365Microsoft 365 Copilot app across iPhone and iPad (coming soon).

  • iOS app.

• For organizations using mobile device management (MDM), pushconsider pushing the standalone Word, Excel, PowerPoint,PowerPoint and OneDrive apps to managed iOS/iPadOSiOS devices.

  • Join the iOS TestFlight program for the M365 Copilot app to get early access to changes

Learn more: Deployment guide: Manage iOS/iPadOS devices in Microsoft Intune

Compliance considerations: considerationsImpact on Workflows, Admin Controls, and Metrics

The M365 Copilot app remains a necessary and supported solution for enterprise environments, providing preview and AI-powered chat experiences for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Organizations should continue to manage and deploy the Copilot app to maintain access to Enterprise AI workflows.