Copilot agents are specialised assistants inside Microsoft Copilot that each handle a particular job, such as research, data analysis or feedback on your writing. Microsoft builds some itself, like Researcher, Analyst and Visual Creator, while others come from partners or your own organisation. You find them in Copilot's left navigation under Agents, and if one's missing, under All agents.
If you've opened Copilot and wondered what the Agents section is for, or why a colleague has an agent you can't see, this is the plain-English version. Here's what Microsoft's own agents do, the two kinds of agent behind the scenes, and how to tell whether you need an agent at all.
Microsoft's built-in Copilot agents
| Agent | What it does | Where you'll find it |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst | Turns raw data into insight and forecasts | Left navigation, under Agents |
| Researcher | Deep, cited reports from the web and your work content | Left navigation, under Agents |
| Visual Creator | Turns ideas into visuals and prototypes | Left navigation, under Agents |
| Writing Coach | Feedback on tone, grammar and style | All agents |
| Prompt Coach | Helps you write better prompts | All agents |
Idea Coach, Learning Coach and Career Coach are also available through All agents. If one you want isn't in your navigation, that's where you add it from.
When to use Researcher instead of chat
Researcher does multi-step research and writes source-cited reports from the web and your work content: the files, emails, meetings and chats you already have access to. Standard Copilot chat is for a quick answer or a summary of one thing. You'll find Researcher under Agents in Chat.
| The job | Use |
|---|---|
| A quick answer or a summary | Copilot chat |
| A report pulling together several sources, with citations | Researcher |
| Forecasts and insight from a spreadsheet of raw data | Analyst |
| A visual or prototype from a rough idea | Visual Creator |
My rule of thumb: if you'd be happy to forward the result to your boss with the sources attached, it's a Researcher job. If you just need to know what's in a document, chat is faster.
Why you can't see an agent
The most common reason isn't a bug. Microsoft says a missing agent usually means you don't have a Microsoft Copilot licence or your admin hasn't enabled that agent. Check All agents first, and if it isn't there either, ask IT whether it's switched on for you. People without a Copilot licence won't see the same list as people with one.
Declarative agents vs custom engine agents
Every Copilot agent is one of two main types. Declarative agents use Copilot's own AI infrastructure, model and orchestrator. You give them instructions and knowledge, and they run inside Copilot, Teams, Outlook and SharePoint. They're built with Agent Builder or with pro-code tools.
Custom engine agents are hosted outside Microsoft 365 and built with Copilot Studio or pro-code tools. The practical difference is that a declarative agent is Copilot with a specific brief, while a custom engine agent brings its own engine. If you're weighing up the second route, my explainer on what Copilot Studio is is the place to start.
The Agent Store and how agents arrive
Agent Store is Microsoft's central hub for discovering and installing agents from Microsoft, partners and your own organisation. Microsoft lists four ways agents get there:
- Deploying prebuilt agents.
- Publishing agents from Copilot Studio.
- Bringing in agents from external platforms.
- Integrating with the Agent 365 SDK.
Admins browse the catalogue in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Agents, then All agents. From there they can assign agents to users and review each one's Data & tools and Security & compliance details before rolling it out. That review step is worth doing for every partner agent, not just the ones that look technical.
Agent or connector? How to decide
This is the decision most teams get wrong. A connector isn't an agent: it ingests data into Microsoft Graph so Copilot can reason over it. Often a connector is the right answer instead of an agent.
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- Ask whether Copilot can already see the information. If it lives in a system Copilot can't reach, start with a connector.
- Check Microsoft's prebuilt options first, since there are more than 100 prebuilt Copilot connectors.
- If Copilot can see the data but you want it handled the same way every time, with set instructions, build a declarative agent.
- If the job needs its own hosting or engine, it's a custom engine agent built in Copilot Studio or with pro-code tools.
- Before building anything, check the Agent Store for an agent that already does it.
Most people will meet their first agent inside Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, so it helps to know what Chat does on its own before you add anything.
Where I'd start with Copilot agents
Try Researcher and Analyst before you build anything. They cover the jobs most small teams want an agent for, and if you've got a Microsoft Copilot licence, they're already there. If something's missing from your navigation, it's almost always a licence or an admin setting. And when you think you need a custom agent, ask first whether a connector would do, because getting the right data in front of Copilot solves more problems than a new agent does.
Choosing the right agents and getting your team comfortable with them is a big part of what I do. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement, AI automation and GEO, which is about getting your business seen and cited in AI answers. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams, telecom companies and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
What are Copilot agents?
Copilot agents are specialised assistants in Microsoft Copilot that handle a particular job, such as research or data analysis. Some are built by Microsoft, others by partners or your own organisation.
What agents does Microsoft build for Copilot?
Microsoft's agents include Analyst, Researcher and Visual Creator in the navigation, plus Idea Coach, Writing Coach, Prompt Coach, Learning Coach and Career Coach through All agents.
Why can't I see an agent in Copilot?
Microsoft says it may be because you don't have a Microsoft Copilot licence or your admin hasn't enabled the agent. Check All agents first.
What's the difference between declarative and custom engine agents?
Declarative agents use Copilot's AI infrastructure, model and orchestrator and run in Copilot, Teams, Outlook and SharePoint. Custom engine agents are hosted outside Microsoft 365 and built with Copilot Studio or pro-code tools.
Should I build an agent or use a connector?
Use a connector when Copilot needs data it can't reach, since connectors bring data into Microsoft Graph. Build an agent when you want that data handled in a specific way.
