MC1519871: Microsoft Copilot Adds AI-Powered Copilot Code for Frontier Users

📢 Official Microsoft Message Center Announcement

[What and Why:]

Copilot Code is an AI-powered coding experience in Microsoft Copilot that helps people turn ideas into trackers, dashboards, apps, and other solutions using natural language. Work IQ grounds what they build in emails, meetings, documents, chats, and connected data.

People closest to a problem can build the solution they need while your organization maintains control. Published apps run on Copilot Managed Runtime and inherit your organization’s governance, security, and management controls.

[Rollout Schedule:]

• Copilot Code: Begins with the Frontier program in late October 2026.

[Impact on Your Organization:]

Who is affected:

• Users in the Frontier program who have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and are enabled for usage-based billing.
• Microsoft 365 admins who manage the Copilot app, spending policies, and usage-based billing.

Platforms/Services:

• Microsoft Copilot app on Windows
• Microsoft Copilot on the web
• Microsoft 365 admin center
• Copilot Managed Runtime
• Work IQ
• GitHub, when enabled

What users can do with Copilot Code

• Users access Code from the Copilot app navigation pane and describe what they want to build. Copilot can ask clarifying questions and use their work context to build the solution.
• Users can refine what they build through conversation or direct edits. On PC, when local coding is enabled, users can also work with local files and tools or use the terminal.
• Users can publish projects to Copilot Managed Runtime, a Microsoft-managed cloud environment, and share them with others in their organization. Access to underlying data continues to depend on the user’s permissions.
• Users can connect Code to GitHub when the connection is enabled by an admin.

How admin settings control access

Copilot Code uses usage-based billing. To use Copilot Code, users need:

• A Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
• A spending policy.

By default:

• Cloud coding sessions are enabled on web and PC for eligible users with a Copilot spending policy.
• Local coding sessions are disabled by default. Admins can allow local coding on PC by setting Code execution location to Cloud and local in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• Users covered by a spending policy where the setting “Allow new Agents and services as they become available” is enabled automatically receive access to Code through that spending policy.

For more information about Allow new agents and services setting, see MC1470425.

The following settings determine what users see and can use:

[Action Required/Recommendations:]

Action is required if you want eligible users to use Copilot Code.

1. Review the Copilot Code blog.
2. Deploy the unified Microsoft Copilot app.
3. For Windows devices participating in Frontier, set the Microsoft Copilot target channel to Beta.
4. Review your spending policies and confirm that Code is included for the users who should have access. If automatic access to new usage-based services is enabled, review which users will automatically receive Code through their existing spending policy.
5. Enable Copilot Credit consumption and configure the appropriate spending policies in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Copilot > Cost management.
6. Decide whether users should have cloud-only coding or cloud and local coding. Local coding is off by default.
7. Prepare your help desk for the new Code experience, including the in-product experience and your organization’s access-request process.
8. Review information about Copilot Managed Runtime.
9. Review the Frontier program requirements and guidance.

Resources

• Copilot Code blog
• Get started with Copilot Code
• Deploy the unified Microsoft Copilot application | Microsoft Learn
• Microsoft Copilot update policies for Windows | Microsoft Learn
• Copilot Managed Runtime blog
• Get started with the Frontier program

[Compliance considerations:]

Source: Microsoft Message Center • Analysed by MWPro