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.