M365 Changelog: (Updated) Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365: Announcing Restricted SharePoint Search
Summary
Microsoft 365 introduces Restricted SharePoint Search for Copilot, allowing admins to limit search to selected SharePoint sites. Rollout starts mid-April 2024, with full availability by mid-August 2024. The feature is off by default and requires admin roles to enable. Users can access content from allowed sites and personal files.
MC726119 – Updated April 17, 2024: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
In April, Microsoft will begin the rollout of Restricted SharePoint Search for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. This feature allows you to disable organization-wide search, and to restrict both Enterprise Search and Copilot experiences to a curated set of SharePoint sites of your choice. Additionally, whether you have Enterprise Search or Restricted SharePoint Search enabled, users in your organization will still be able to interact with their own and previously accessed files and content in Copilot for Microsoft 365.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 385352.
When this will happen:
Preview: Microsoft began rolling out Restricted SharePoint Search in Public Preview on April 17, 2024 and expects to complete by early May 2024.
General Availability (Worldwide): Microsoft will begin rolling out mid-May 2024 (previously early April) and expects to complete by mid-August 2024 (previously late June).
How this will affect your organization:
Restricted SharePoint Search is off by default. To turn it on, you will need Global/Tenant and SharePoint admin roles. If you decide to enable it Copilot and non-Copilot users in your organization will be able to find and use content from:
- An allowed list of curated SharePoint sites set up by admins (with up to 100 SharePoint sites), honoring sites’ existing permissions.
- Content from their frequently visited SharePoint sites.
- Users’ OneDrive files, chats, emails, calendars they have access to.
- Files that were shared directly with the users.
- Files that the users viewed, edited, or created.
Additionally, Copilot users in your organization will see this message in their Copilot experiences: “Your organization’s admin has restricted Copilot from accessing certain SharePoint sites. This limits the content Copilot can search and reference when responding to your prompts. Learn more.”
What you need to do to prepare:
No action is needed from you to prepare for this rollout. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation as appropriate.
Learn more:
Previous Microsoft Copilot Changelog Messages
- M365 Changelog: Microsoft 365 Apps admin center: New Cloud Update Deactivation available now
- M365 Changelog: (Updated) Draft with Copilot in Outlook for Windows
- M365 Changelog: (Updated) Transitioning from Microsoft 365 Chat to Copilot in Teams
- M365 Changelog: Microsoft Copilot in Outlook: Logging and Microsoft Purview eDiscovery support
- M365 Changelog: Copilot in Stream to become available for customers using Microsoft 365 Copilot
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