# Microsoft Copilot Cowork Cloud agent for long-running work using Microsoft 365 context. Canonical profile: https://ki-agentenkompass.de/en/agents/copilot-cowork/ Editor: [Michael Meierhoff](https://ki-agentenkompass.de/en/about/) Sources reviewed: 2026-10-19 Basis: provider documentation. Examples are editorial suggestions, not hands-on product tests. ## Overview Generally available; a distinct work mode in Microsoft 365 Copilot. - Provider: Microsoft - Product family: Microsoft Copilot Cowork - Profile type: Work agent - Environment: Microsoft 365 cloud - Connections: Cloud tasks, Work context, Plugins, Budgets, Usage - Setup: Requires a Copilot license, administrator approval and a usage budget. - Pricing model: Copilot license plus USD 0.01 per Copilot Credit (PayGo). ## Key features ### Cloud tasks Work continues while the computer is off. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ### Work context Work IQ incorporates business information. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ### Plugins Connected tools extend tasks. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ### Budgets Administrators set spending limits. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ### Usage Usage and costs are shown per task. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ## Example workflows ### Example task 1 - Your input: Summarize project materials for a meeting. - Possible result: A draft for expert review. - What to check: Check inputs, output and performed actions. ### Example task 2 - Your input: Check approved spreadsheets for discrepancies. - Possible result: A draft for expert review. - What to check: Check inputs, output and performed actions. ## Requirements and limits ### Setup Requirement: Requires a Copilot license, administrator approval and a usage budget. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ### Product boundaries Limitation: The reviewed announcement lists Edge browser use as a Frontier feature. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ### Output quality Not yet confirmed: Success rates and German-language operation have not been tested here. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ## A good fit if … - an admin enables Cowork for you through a spending policy with usage-based billing - you want tasks in email, Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint handled with your existing permissions and Purview protection - you want recurring tasks triggered by schedule or by incoming emails and Teams messages ## Less suitable if … - you work without a Microsoft 365 tenant and admin enablement; access depends on a spending policy - you do not want usage-based billing (Copilot Credits) Editorial assessment based on provider documentation. Not a product test. ## Usable AI models Fixed choice across providers The default is Auto, but you can pick GPT, Claude and Grok models from the menu, some of them only in the Frontier program. Admins can turn Claude off, and inside the EU Data Boundary only GPT models are offered. The checked pages do not mention own keys or own models. - Model families named: OpenAI (GPT), Anthropic (Claude), xAI (Grok) - Model choice: Automatic or your choice - Your own API key: Not stated - Router or custom endpoint: Not stated - Local models: Not stated - Depends on: Admin approval, Region, Preview or beta Documented · Sources accessed on: 2026-11-05 - [Microsoft Learn: Choose a model for Copilot Cowork](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-models) - [Microsoft: Copilot Cowork is now generally available](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/) ## Europe & regional availability Provider sources reviewed again. This assessment applies to the access described here. Reviewed scope: Product access and explicitly stated exceptions Reviewed on: 2026-10-19 ### Worldwide access for Microsoft 365 Copilot customers With requirements Microsoft reports Copilot Cowork as generally available worldwide since June 16, 2026. It requires Microsoft 365 Copilot, administrator enablement and usage-based billing setup. Individual preview features may require additional enablement. Region covered: Germany; other countries according to the provider list Documented reason: The sources state access conditions; they do not show EU regulation as a cause. Official source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ Official source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance ## Accounts & permissions Based on provider documentation. Permissions depend on the account, integration and organization policies. Review the permissions actually requested before use. Configuration covered: Copilot Cowork in a Microsoft 365 tenant, enabled through a spending policy Sources reviewed: 2026-11-05 ### Account used Documented: Automated tasks run as the user who created them and see only that user's data. Browser tasks run in Microsoft Edge on your device, using your existing sign-ins and your organisation's policies. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance ### Admin approval Documented: Access exists only through a spending policy that selects Cowork; the former agent setting in the admin center no longer controls access. Admins also control plugins, can turn off the Anthropic model family, and can switch browser use on or off with the Cowork Browsing setting. Publishing a plugin organisation-wide needs admin approval. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-manage-plugins ### Data access & team sharing Documented: You can supply files, people, emails and Teams chats, channels and meetings as context, as well as files from OneDrive, SharePoint or Teams. Microsoft Purview is available to secure and govern Cowork. Each person must sign in to plugin connectors themselves. A shared plugin gives recipients no extra access. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/use-cowork Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-manage-plugins ## Prices and included usage Pricing checked: 2026-10-19 Copilot license plus USD 0.01 per Copilot Credit (PayGo). Billing depends on plan, usage and setup. Pricing details: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ## Operation & oversight Based on public provider documentation. Assessments are editorial inferences from the stated properties. Actual time requirements and reliability have not been measured. Deployment covered: Cloud operation in Microsoft 365 with scheduled and event-driven tasks Sources reviewed: 2026-11-05 ### Files and working state Documented: Cowork processes files in a temporary, isolated environment inside the Microsoft 365 service boundary, uses them only for the duration of the task and removes the environment afterwards. Result files are in the output folder and the OneDrive Cowork folder; earlier chats and tasks can be referenced as context. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/use-cowork ### Sign-ins Documented with conditions: After the first sign-in to a plugin connector, Cowork remembers the authorisation unless you or an admin revokes it. The reviewed page does not say what happens on expiry. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-manage-plugins ### Starting further runs Documented: Further runs start manually, as scheduled prompts (up to 25) or as event-driven tasks on matching emails or Teams messages. You manage them on the Automations page. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/use-cowork ### Human intervention Documented: Cowork asks before sensitive actions such as sending an email or posting in Teams. You can allow once, stop asking for the session, or cancel. Automated tasks present actions for approval by default; you can pre-authorise actions when creating the task. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/use-cowork Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance ### Detecting errors Documented: A status indicator shows Connecting, Connected, Reconnecting or Failed. The task view filters by Needs your input, In progress and Complete; event-driven tasks show their run history. Automated task activity appears in the unified audit log. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/use-cowork Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-admin-governance ### Resuming after failures Documented: After a pause, Resume continues where Cowork stopped; connection or send errors offer Retry. You can return to earlier tasks from the home page. The page does not describe automatic retries of failed automations. Evidence: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/use-cowork ### Editorial assessment Approvals, status display and audit log are documented, so oversight can rely on approval requests and the Automations page. Admins must set up usage-based billing and a spending policy beforehand. ## Memory and conversation continuity Scope: Copilot Cowork; distinct from general Copilot memory Sources accessed: 2026-11-04 Microsoft explicitly describes conversation-scoped context without transfer to new conversations. ### Storage and scope Documented: Documented context exists within a conversation; files reside in OneDrive or SharePoint. Durably learned personal memory is not provided here. - [Copilot Cowork application card](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/cowork/responsible-ai/copilot-cowork-application-card) - [Copilot Cowork general availability](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/) ### Selection and timing Documented: Cowork incorporates feedback and further messages during a running task. This is adaptation within the conversation. - [Copilot Cowork application card](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/cowork/responsible-ai/copilot-cowork-application-card) - [Copilot Cowork general availability](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/) ### Inspect, edit and delete Partly documented: Messages, outputs and approvals can be reviewed; an editor for cross-conversation memories is outside the described model. - [Copilot Cowork application card](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/cowork/responsible-ai/copilot-cowork-application-card) - [Copilot Cowork general availability](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/) ### Agent and channel boundaries Documented: Memory and approval preferences apply to the individual conversation. Microsoft 365 sources continue to follow existing access permissions. - [Copilot Cowork application card](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/cowork/responsible-ai/copilot-cowork-application-card) - [Copilot Cowork general availability](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/) ### Retrieval Documented: Cowork uses conversation history and connected work sources. Access to Microsoft 365 knowledge is distinct from learned long-term memory. - [Copilot Cowork application card](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/cowork/responsible-ai/copilot-cowork-application-card) - [Copilot Cowork general availability](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/) ### Session reset and compaction Partly documented: The application card states that memory does not persist across conversations. Technical compaction of active context is not explained. - [Copilot Cowork application card](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/cowork/responsible-ai/copilot-cowork-application-card) - [Copilot Cowork general availability](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/) ## Context The reviewed announcement lists Edge browser use as a Frontier feature. Provider sources reviewed; examples are editorial suggestions. No hands-on test. ## Open points Requirements and limits, not yet confirmed: - Output quality ## Sources - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ ## Provider Product and provider are documented through the linked original sources. - Operator: Microsoft - Organization: Provider - Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ - Reviewed: 2026-10-19 - Provider source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/blog/2026/06/16/copilot-cowork-is-now-generally-available/ [Sources and method](https://ki-agentenkompass.de/en/sources/)