Ignite Spotlight: Copilot Pages Agent Mode & Notebooks

Introduction

Microsoft Ignite has set the stage for the next era of AI-native work with Agent Mode in Copilot Pages. This breakthrough turns Copilot into a proactive, context-aware agent that doesn’t just respond—it manages entire workflows, keeps context across tasks, and drives collaboration without constant user input. In this post, created using Agent Mode itself, we’ll explore why this matters for organizations and how it fits alongside other Ignite innovations like Page History, Copilot Notebooks sharing, and Copilot Shortcuts.

Agent Mode in Copilot Pages

Agent Mode is more than a feature—it’s a new way of working. Here’s what makes it powerful:

Persistent Context: Copilot retains instructions and applies them across tasks.
Multi-Step Workflow Execution: From ideation to final output, Copilot handles transitions without manual re-entry.
Real-Time Collaboration: Teams can co-author while Copilot manages structure and formatting.
Full Editing Flexibility: You and your colleagues can always edit the content in the page manually and also ask Copilot to make edits at any time, ensuring complete control and adaptability.

Note: At this point, you need to ensure GPT-5 is ON for Agent Mode to work. If you try anything too complex, Copilot may not create the page. However, you can create the page manually ( the old way) on Copilot’s result and then use Agent Mode to edit its contents.

Imagine starting with: “Create a page for onboarding digital employees to the organization.” Copilot creates a structured page, organizes sections, and iterates based on feedback—all in one continuous flow.

Why Executives Should Care

Faster decision cycles.
Scalable collaboration.
Built-in governance and compliance.
Significant efficiency gains.

Use Case: Writing This Blog Post with Agent Mode

This very article is an example of Agent Mode in action:

Step 1: Ideation in Copilot Chat – We started by asking Copilot to draft a LinkedIn post about Agent Mode.
Step 2: Expand to Blog – Using Agent Mode, Copilot transformed the post into a full blog with structured sections.
Step 3: Add Ignite News – Copilot integrated additional announcements like Page History and Notebook Sharing.
Step 4: Iterate and Refine – We requested edits, added headers, and expanded explanations—all without losing context.

Learn more about Copilot Pages and Agent Mode here.

Version History in Copilot Pages

Copilot Pages are built for iteration, and Page History gives you confidence and control at every step—whether editing manually, with Copilot, or collaboratively.

Recover previous versions in seconds if something is deleted or overwritten.
Copy specific sections from older versions without overwriting current work.
Available today for all Microsoft 365 Copilot app users on web, Windows desktop, and Mac desktop.

How to Use Page History:

Open your Copilot Page.
Click Page History in the toolbar.
Browse previous versions and select the one you need.
Choose Restore Entire Page or manually copy content

Note: Page History does not take continuous snapshots of your page—it only saves versions periodically. For immediate changes, you can and should still use Undo (Ctrl+Z) to revert to the previous moment. Use Page History when you need to restore or copy content from an earlier version beyond what undo can provide.

Collaboration just got easier. You can now share Copilot Notebooks with colleagues for brainstorming, planning, and experimentation.

Control access with Microsoft 365 permissions.
Share securely across your organization.

License Requirement: Copilot Notebooks is available for users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and requires access to OneDrive or SharePoint for storage.

How to Invite People to a Notebook

Open your Copilot Notebook.
Click the Share icon in the top-left corner of the notebook interface.
In the sharing panel, type the name or email address of the person you want to invite in the input box.
Click Invite to send the invitation.

What Happens Next:

People invited to the Notebook will receive an email and can open the Notebook.
All notebook content and links are shared, while chats and audio overviews remain private.
Under People, you’ll see the list of members with their roles (e.g., Owner, Editor).
Use the dropdown next to each name to remove them from the notebook.

Tip: If you don’t see the new sharing UI, press Shift + F5 to refresh the page and load the latest interface.

Learn more here.

New Notebook Capabilities

You can now create a PowerPoint presentation or Word document directly from your Notebook using the Create button in the top-right corner. This makes it easy to turn ideas into polished deliverables without leaving the Notebook.
The new UI also includes an Overview section (currently in Frontier preview) that generates a read-only summary and key insights of the Notebook contents.

Tip: if you are looking for how to create the Audio Overview, then look for adding content where you can create the Audio overview or Study guide.

Copilot Shortcuts

Located at the bottom-right corner of the page, Copilot Shortcuts provide quick actions to refine and format your content without typing additional prompts. These shortcuts are essentially predefined prompts that you can click, and then Agent Mode executes the changes directly on the page. This makes editing faster and more intuitive.

Available Shortcuts:

Content Adjustments: Add details, make text shorter, change to an email, or convert to a blog post.
Tone Settings: Switch tone to Professional, Friendly, Sincere, or Assertive.
Formatting Options: Add emojis, section headers, introduction, conclusion, or apply all enhancements at once.

Tips for Using Shortcuts:

Use Add details when you need richer explanations or examples.
Apply Make shorter for concise summaries or executive-ready content.
Switch tone quickly to match your audience—Professional for formal reports, Friendly for internal updates.
Combine formatting options like Add section headers and Add conclusion to make content presentation-ready.
For fast transformations, use Change to an email or Change to a blog post to adapt content for different channels.

These shortcuts make Copilot even more efficient by enabling one-click improvements for style, tone, and structure.

Conclusion

Agent Mode, Page History, Notebook Sharing, and Copilot Shortcuts together represent a useful updates to Copilot Pages and Notebooks. These features don’t just save time—they change how teams collaborate and innovate:

Agent Mode ensures continuity and accelerates workflows.
Page History provides confidence and flexibility for iterative work.
Notebook Sharing unlocks collaborative creativity across your organization while Overview and Study guide gets you up to speed with contents
Copilot Shortcuts deliver instant refinements for tone, structure, and formatting.

By combining these capabilities, Microsoft 365 Copilot empowers organizations to move faster, stay aligned, and innovate without friction. The future of work isn’t just about automation—it’s about intelligent, adaptive systems that work alongside humans to deliver better outcomes.

I created most of the content on this page using Copilot Page Agent Mode, only editing some parts when I had to. I would recommend everyone start trying this out, how to create content with AI.

Ignite Spotlight: Copilot Pages Agent Mode & Notebooks

Introduction