Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365): Federated Copilot Connectors
Federated Copilot connectors are now generally available, allowing users to securely connect third-party data sources to Copilot via the Model Context Protocol without data indexing in Microsoft services. Admins gain governance controls through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Key dates
- — preview (Feature was in development/preview)
- — rollout (General Availability announced; rollout timing not specified)
Microsoft's description
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.