Microsoft Viva Engage: Retirement of Copilot v1 (Writing Assistant)

[What and why]

We're retiring Copilot v1 (Writing Assistant) in Microsoft Viva Engage. This is the standalone writing assistance experience available when creating new posts in Viva Engage.

This change simplifies the Copilot experience in Viva Engage by consolidating writing assistance capabilities within Microsoft 365 Copilot in Engage. It also enables continued investment in a single Copilot experience for users who have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

After this retirement, Copilot v1 (Writing Assistant) will no longer be available in Viva Engage.

[Rollout schedule]

• Worldwide: Beginning in late September 2026 and expected to complete in late September 2026

[Impact on your organization]

Who is affected

Organizations using Microsoft Viva Engage with users licensed through:

• Microsoft Viva Suite
• Viva Communications and Communities (C&C)

Platforms and services

• Microsoft Viva Engage
• Microsoft 365 Copilot in Engage

What will happen

Today, Viva Engage includes two separate Copilot experiences:

After rollout:

• Copilot v1 (Writing Assistant) will be removed from Viva Engage.
• Users will no longer be able to access the standalone writing assistance experience.
• Writing assistance capabilities remain available through Microsoft 365 Copilot in Engage for users licensed for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Users assigned Viva Suite or C&C licenses, but not Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses, will lose access to writing assistance capabilities previously provided through Copilot v1.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot in Engage will not be automatically enabled as a replacement because it requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

[Action required and recommendations]

We recommend that administrators:

• Identify users who currently rely on Copilot v1 (Writing Assistant) through Viva Suite or Viva Communications and Communities licensing.
• Review whether affected users also have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license assigned.
• Evaluate Microsoft 365 Copilot licensing needs for users who require continued writing assistance capabilities in Viva Engage.
• Communicate this change to affected users before rollout.
• Update internal documentation, training materials, and support content that reference Copilot v1 (Writing Assistant).

No administrative action is required to remove the feature. Retirement will occur automatically during rollout.

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.