What's New in Microsoft 365?

Here you can find the latest brand new features and updates coming to Microsoft 365.

Microsoft Copilot: Immediately start writing with prompts in Word

On blank documents, Copilot in Word will now provide one-click examples of prompts straight away. Helping you to quickly going on your document.

Rolling out from June.

Microsoft Copilot: Rewrite SharePoint pages with Copilot

Rolling out from July 2024, users can leverage Copilot to revise existing text on SharePoint pages or news posts. Within just seconds, they can use the AI tool to adjust the tone, review the material, make it more concise or expand it, and even auto-rewrite the text. Making content more engaging.

Microsoft Copilot: Writing Coaching in Word

Rolling out in July, you will be able to get AI-powered coaching on your writing.

Copilot will review the writing and offer suggestions for high-impact areas, such as logical structure, flow, and tone.

Microsoft Forms: New and improved experienced

A simpler, and more modern interface is coming to Microsoft Forms.

Along with the modern update, users will be able to toggle between upgraded templates and then view insights and suggested actions when the responses come in.

Coming from July 2024.

Microsoft Teams: Toggle notifications on/off for a post

Coming soon, Microsoft Teams users will be able to opt in or out of receiving notifications for certain posts.

Microsoft Teams: Hide inactive channels

Coming in July, there will be a way to easily keep your list of channels relevant. Allowing for a cleaner and more seamless user experience.

Teams will automatically detect inactive channels based on those you haven’t interacted with in a while - and then automatically hide them for you.

To maintain your own levels on control over your Teams environment, you have the option to review the list of channels and unhide some or all of them, opt out of automatic hiding from settings, or initiate this process on demand.

Microsoft Copilot: Copilot in Forms helps improve response rate

Copilot in Forms already has some impressive capabilities, allowing you to create engaging surveys and quizzes in moments through prompts.

Now, Copilot will assist Forms users even more, by recommending the best distribution channels and settings for sending forms or quizzes.

This includes leveraging email, social media, and QR codes to maximize responses.

Microsoft Copilot: Customise Outlook with AI-generated themes

Set for release in July, you will soon be able to customise Outlook thanks to AI. With themes generated by Copilot.

More information will be released in the coming weeks.

Microsoft Outlook: New and improved reading pane for meetings

Rolling out from June 2024, the Reading Pane will have a new and improved Meeting Details card when the Outlook conversation is part of a meeting.

It has been designed this way to provide a more efficient and modern RSVP flow.

Microsoft Outlook: New RSVP options

Two new settings are coming to Outlook, which look set to improve user experience when responding to meeting invitations. There will soon be an option to not delete an invitation email after RSVPing, with another setting to auto-decline if the attendee's calendar shows as busy.

Available from July 2024 in the new Outlook for Windows and web.

Microsoft Outlook: Permissions notifications for OneDrive and SharePoint files

Rolling out soon, this handy new feature helps ensure everyone in your email can open the file you are trying to share.

When you add a OneDrive or SharePoint file to an email, Outlook will notify you if anyone doesn't yet have permissions. Allowing you to update those before sending your email, making sharing even more seamless.

Microsoft Teams: Preview of files in Chats and Channels

Being able to seamlessly share documents like Word files, PowerPoint presentations, or PDFs is one of the huge benefits of Microsoft Teams. Soon, you will be able to see a thumbnail image of the file you are sharing in Chats and Channels. Allowing you to preview the file’s content without opening it.

Microsoft Teams: Rename the General Channel

This one has been a long time coming!

Microsoft announce that you will soon be able to rename the General channels in Teams, as part of "efforts to bridge the gaps between general and other channels."

It can be renamed by the team owner, or member (if they have permissions), to show up in the teams and channels list in alphabetical order.

Microsoft Teams: 'Files' to become 'Shared' in Chats

A small change to the Teams UI, the 'Files' tab in a Teams chat will become ‘Shared’.

Showing all the files and links that have been sent in the chat, making it easier to find them- all in one place.

Microsoft Viva: Explore the cost of meetings with new Viva Insights feature

Leaders will soon be able to gain a better insight into the true cost of meetings thanks to this new Viva Insights feature.

They will be able to access a new report that shows how their team invests time in meetings. Similarly, individuals will have improved meeting review insights in the Viva Insights app, with new nudges in Outlook to encourage them to be thoughtful when creating high-cost meetings.

Microsoft Copilot: Prepare for Meetings in Outlook

When you have an upcoming meeting, Copilot will show a "Prepare" button in your inbox. This will help to quickly provide context for the meeting including showing a summary and any relevant files.

Microsoft Copilot: Create a new document based on existing files

The draft "Draft with Copilot" feature will allow you to create a new document, based on up to three files that already exist. More information available on the Microsoft 365 roadmap:

Visit Microsoft.com

Microsoft Copilot: Find the perfect visuals with Copilot and Designer in Word

Copilot in Word now integrates with Designer. Helping you find the perfect image or create a banner to bring your document to life. General availability June 2024.

Microsoft Forms: Pre-filled fields for responders

Rolling out in April 2024, users of Microsoft Forms will soon be able to send respondents a form with some fields already filled in. It has been designed to simplify respondent experience and improve data accuracy.

Microsoft Teams: Chat for organisers and presenters in Teams webinars

A new feature is coming to help improve the effectiveness of webinars. Allowing organisers and presenters to chat privately in a separate chat from attendees. It will be available to access before, during, and after the webinar.

Rolling out from June 2024.

Microsoft Teams: Drag the presenter toolbar

Have you ever tried to share your screen only for the Presenter Toolbar to get in the way? Well - you're in luck! Microsoft are finally introducing the ability for presenters to freely drag the Presenter Toolbar that appears on top of screen while screensharing.

Microsoft Clipchamp: Remove backgrounds of images

Users of Microsoft Clipchamp will soon be able to remove a background from an image using AI.

Preview available in April with roll out set for July 2024.

Microsoft Clipchamp: Support for work accounts on the desktop app

The updated Clipchamp desktop app will soon allow support for work accounts. Users of Clipchamp for work will be able to access the video editor in the app without using a browser.

Microsoft 365 administrators will have the ability to control if their users are able to access both Clipchamp for work and Clipchamp for personal accounts via the app or only Clipchamp for work.

Rolling out starting May 2024.

Microsoft Copilot: Integrations with Viva Learning

Copilot is coming to Viva Learning. Previewing and rolling out later in the year, it will ac as a virtual learning companion. Assisting users through their learning journey and providing personalised guidance and recommendations.

Microsoft OneDrive: View hidden files and folders

Quickly access files and folders you have previously hidden.

Navigate to the “Shared with you” view in OneDrive for Web and click on the 'Hidden' button in the filter bar. You can also 'Unhide' files and bring them back to the 'Shared with you' view.

Rolling out in March 2024.

Microsoft Outlook: Start a Teams chat directly from an email message

Coming soon to the new Outlook for Windows, users will be able to start a Teams chat directly from an email message. Either with the sender or all of the recipients in the email. The Teams chat will open in Outlook, so users can chat and continue their workflow directly within their Outlook window.

Microsoft Outlook: Updated work hours and location experience

Coming to the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Web, users will soon have a new and improved experience for viewing work location and hours.

Click on your work location icon at the top of your calendar to change your work location, view who else will be in the office, or receive suggestions to help optimise your work day.

You will also be able to update your location from Teams, which will stay in sync with Outlook, and be reflected across Microsoft 365.

Microsoft SharePoint: Section level content align

Good news for SharePoint admins as Microsoft announce Section Level Content align. Allowing authors to centre and bottom align all of the webparts in a single section. Ideal for creating more visually appealing content.

Microsoft Viva: Create more than one Connections experience per tenant

You will soon be able to create multiple Connections experiences within Microsoft Viva, with corresponding home sites within the same tenant.

This might be particularly useful for large conglomerates or organisations with subsidiaries that require different Connections experiences for different users. Each experience comes with its own dashboard, feed and resources.

Microsoft Bookings: New homepage experience

Microsoft announce a new homepage experience is coming to Microsoft Bookings. Helping to make it easier to book meetings with your customers, clients, and colleagues.

Read more here | Microsoft.com

Microsoft Clipchamp: Audio improvements

New and improved audio features in Clipchamp to help elevate the possibilities of video creation in the platform.

Microsoft Copilot: Integration with Microsoft Forms

Microsoft announce integrations between Microsoft Copilot and Forms.

Describe the form you need with a prompt, and Copilot will generate a form from scratch, based on your description. You can do this in a matter of moments, making it a huge time-saving feature.

Microsoft Publisher: Retiring Publisher in 2026

Microsoft announce that Publisher will reach its end of life in October 2026. It will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 after that time, and it longer be supported.

Microsoft Viva: Topics to be retired

Microsoft announce that Viva Topics will be retired on February 22, 2025. Microsoft will not be investing in any new feature development for Viva Topics going forward from February 2024.

Microsoft Copilot: Addition of a Copilot key coming to new devices

Microsoft have announced the addition of a Copilot key to brand new Windows 11 PCs. Marking the first major change to the layout of Windows PC keyboard since the Windows key was added almost 30 years ago.

Microsoft Copilot: Available for purchase with any licence

Microsoft have announced that Copilot is now generally available for all individuals, enterprises, and anyone in between. The 300 lisence minimum has been removed.

Microsoft Copilot: Include AI generated document summary

Copilot will allow you to share an AI-generated document summary when you choose to share a Word document with other users. Giving more context around what is in the document, without the time commitment for the document owner.

Microsoft Copilot: Notepad is getting a Cowriter feature

Notepad is the next Microsoft programme to get AI super powers. Cowriter will be a generative AI assistant, helping to create content in Notepad depending on the prompts given to it by users.

Microsoft Education: Reading Coach made available to everyone

Bringing the power of reading to more people, Microsoft announce that the standalone version of the Reading Coach app is available to everyone. No subscription required.

Microsoft Stream: Video reactions are coming

Following the rollout of 'reactions' features across Teams, Word, and Outlook, Microsoft announce that they are now coming to Stream too. Viewers will be able to express feelings towards videos, and see how their other colleagues feel about content.

Microsoft Teams: 'Calm' for Microsoft Teams

The top wellness and meditation app in the world, Calm, now has a Microsoft Teams integration! With mindfulness content to help you feel relaxed, productive, and connected. Improve your mental health in the workplace with a library of more than 3,000 Calm sessions within Teams.

Microsoft Teams: Decorate your

Microsoft vow to 'make meetings more fun and personal' with the new Decorate your background feature. People can now use generative background effects in Teams, helping you to create a brand new background. Even if the space you’re working from isn’t at its best. Uses the power of AI, available for users with a Teams Premium license only.

Microsoft Teams: Hide 'General' channels

People will soon be able to hide the 'General' channels within Teams. Helping to improve focus and highlight the channels that matter most to you.

Microsoft Teams: Forward Chat messages

Microsoft roll out a forward feature for Microsoft Teams messages.

Share a message with another colleague by right clicking the message and selecting “forward” or by clicking the “…” on the message and then “forward”. Helping us all to get work done quicker.