Can you create your own Copilot Agent Templates?

Duplicating the agent (where we would essentially be copying it but able to make modifications) would work perfectly but I can't figure out how to do it and can't find any instructions online.

I've tried to copy from an agent I created, from one a coworker shared with me. I've also tried from the create agent interface and can't find any options or ability to copy.

None of the links you included show how to copy an agent and it's not in any of the menu's.

Dear Ashley,

Thank you for your patience, and I apologize for any confusion in our previous conversation.

Duplicating (copying) an agent within the same Microsoft Copilot Studio environment is not straightforward via the UI, as there is currently no direct "Copy" or "Duplicate" button for agents. However, the commonly recommended approach involves exporting and importing solutions that contain the agent, with some manual modifications to avoid overwriting the original.

Steps to Duplicate an Agent via Export/Import:

1. Create a Solution and Add Your Agent
   In Copilot Studio, create a new Solution (or use an existing one) and add the agent you want to duplicate into this solution.
2. Export the Solution
   Export the solution as a ZIP file.
   Note: You cannot export a single agent alone; the export includes all agents within the solution.
3. Modify the Exported Solution Files
   • Extract the ZIP file locally.
   • Locate the agent’s configuration files (usually JSON files inside folders).
   • Edit the agent’s name and, if possible, the ID to new unique values to prevent overwriting the original agent.
   • Important: Some users report that the exported JSON may not contain an explicit "id" field, only a "name." In that case, changing the name is essential to avoid conflicts.
   • Recompress the modified files into a new ZIP archive.
4. Import the Modified Solution
   Import the modified ZIP file back into Copilot Studio. This should create a new agent with the updated name and configuration.
5. Publish the New Agent
   After import, publish the new agent to make it active.

Common Challenges and Notes:

• Exporting includes all agents in the solution, not just one, so your ZIP may contain multiple agents.
• Changing the agent’s name is essential to avoid overwriting the original during import.
• Some users find the lack of explicit "id" fields in the config files makes guaranteeing uniqueness tricky.
• The import process sometimes overwrites the existing solution rather than creating a new one, so careful modification is needed.
• Permissions or environment restrictions may prevent editing or importing solutions properly.
• If your agent is connected to Omnichannel or other integrations, additional configuration may be required.

For reference: Export and import agents using solutions - Microsoft Copilot Studio | Microsoft Learn

Since issues related to Copilot Studio are beyond my direct support scope, I recommend posting a new thread in the Power Apps Community, it is our dedicated platform that can cope with the related questions and issues. 

I am happy to assist as much as possible, but I want to avoid providing incorrect information that might not be helpful. We sincerely hope you find the perfect solution with the help of experienced support staff and community members. We also welcome any community members with relevant experience to share their insights.

Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

Kind regards,

Kai-L - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Dear Ashley,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.

Based on the latest official Microsoft documentation and community resources, here’s what you need to know about creating your own custom templates for Microsoft 365 Copilot agents:

Can you create your own agent templates in Microsoft Copilot?

• Currently, Microsoft provides a set of built-in agent templates in Copilot Studio that you can use as starting points.
• You can create new agents from scratch or start from these existing templates and customize them extensively, including instructions, personas, prompts, and knowledge sources.
• However, there is no explicit feature to save your own custom agent as a reusable "template" within Copilot Studio for easy cloning or sharing across projects or clients.

What you can do to support your use case:

• Create a master agent with your detailed instructions, persona, and prompt design for your internal process.
• Share this agent within your organization or client teams, who can then copy or duplicate the agent and simply update the knowledge source (e.g., point it to a different data set or client-specific content).
• This approach effectively acts as a "template" because the core logic and persona are reused, and only the data source changes.

How to create and customize agents (summary):

1. Open Microsoft 365 Copilot app or Copilot Studio (https://copilotstudio.microsoft.com/).
2. Go to Agents > Create Agent.
3. Choose to start from a template or create a new agent from scratch.
4. Customize the agent’s:
   • Instructions and persona
   • Prompts and tone
   • Knowledge sources (e.g., SharePoint sites, documents, databases)
5. Save and test your agent.
6. Share or duplicate the agent within your organization for reuse.

For references: 

Build your own agent with Microsoft 365 Copilot - Microsoft Support

Create a custom agent from a template - Microsoft Copilot Studio | Microsoft Learn

I hope this information helps clarify the situation and provides you with workable solutions. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always here to help. Have a wonderful day!

Kind regards, 

Kai-L - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist