[This article is prerelease documentation and is subject to change.]
Important
- You need to be part of the Frontier preview program and sign up to accept terms of participation to get early access to Microsoft Scout. Frontier connects you directly with Microsoft's latest AI innovations. Frontier previews are subject to the existing preview terms of your customer agreements. As these features are still in development, their availability and capabilities may change over time.
- If Microsoft Scout isn't visible in Microsoft Admin Center Agent management, ensure that the admin account is also enrolled in Frontier.
- This is a preview feature.
- Preview features may have restricted functionality and may not be released for general availability. These features are available before an official release so that customers can get early access and provide feedback.
- For more information, go to our Microsoft Product Terms.
Microsoft Scout is a desktop AI application that takes action across your files, shell, browser, development tools, and Microsoft 365 data. This article walks you through installation, sign-in, and your first conversation.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- A supported platform: Windows 11, or macOS 12 (Monterey) or later.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot access: An active Microsoft 365 Copilot license assigned to your account.
- Local Administrator permissions: Permission to install applications on your machine, including an Intune-enabled account.
Your IT admin also needs to complete the Microsoft Scout access setup before you can sign in. For details, see Admin access overview for Microsoft Scout.
Install Microsoft Scout
Download and install the Microsoft Scout installer appropriate for Windows or macOS.
Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts. After installation, Microsoft Scout appears in your applications menu.
Sign in
- Open Microsoft Scout.
- Select Sign in to Microsoft 365.
- Authenticate with your organizational Microsoft 365 credentials.
- Grant the requested permissions when prompted.
- Select Sign in to GitHub.
- Sign in with a GitHub account with a Business or Enterprise GitHub Copilot license.
Microsoft Scout uses Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL) with Web Account Manager (WAM) on Windows for secure authentication. Your organization's identity provider manages your credentials.
Configure your workspace
After signing in, Microsoft Scout asks you to set a workspace directory. This folder is where Microsoft Scout reads and writes files.
- Select a workspace directory or accept the default location.
- Review the initial permissions configuration.
You can change your workspace directory later in Settings.
Tip
Choose a directory you use for active projects. Microsoft Scout operates within this directory, so it can create documents, run scripts, and organize files.
Choose a personality (optional)
Microsoft Scout offers personality presets that change its conversational style. The default personality is helpful and professional - suitable for most users. You can switch at any time using the application icon next to the prompt entry field.
Connect to Microsoft 365
To access your Microsoft 365 data (email, calendar, Teams, and OneDrive):
- Open Settings.
- Select Sign in to Microsoft 365 and complete the authentication flow.
Once connected, Microsoft Scout can help you work across your Microsoft 365 content. It can read, draft, and manage email, calendar events, Teams chats, and OneDrive files. Actions that send, share, reply, forward, or update information visible to others require your confirmation before they run.
Start your first conversation
- Select the chat input at the bottom of the window.
- Type what you want done. For example:
- "Create a Word document summarizing my emails from this week."
- "Find an open time tomorrow for a 30-minute meeting with Alex."
- "Prepare a brief for my meetings tomorrow."
- "Search my workspace for files mentioning quarterly review."
- Press Enter or select Send.
Microsoft Scout begins working and shows progress in the conversation, including tool calls, permission prompts, created files, and final results.
Tip
Be specific about what you want. Instead of "Help me with email," try "Draft a reply to Sarah's email about the budget review, thanking her and confirming I'll attend the Thursday meeting."
Review default settings
Scout is configured with the following defaults:
WorkIQ connectivity: ON
Enables search across your Microsoft 365 data out of the box.Shell access: ON
Allows Microsoft Scout to request execution of terminal commands. Actions still follow the permission system and may require approval.Auto-approve: OFF
All actions require user confirmation. Auto-approve must be explicitly enabled per capability.
Understand permissions
As Microsoft Scout works, it might need your approval for certain actions. The permission system has three levels:
| Level | What happens |
|---|---|
| Auto-approve | The action runs automatically if explicitly allowed by configuration. |
| Prompt | Microsoft Scout pauses and shows you what it wants to do. You approve or deny. |
| Deny | The action is blocked. Dangerous commands use this level by default. |
When an approval prompt appears:
- Review what Microsoft Scout wants to do.
- Select Approve to allow the action or Deny to block it.
- Optionally, select Always allow to auto-approve similar actions in the future.
You can customize permissions in Settings > Permissions at any time.
Review results
Microsoft Scout renders results directly in the conversation using rich markdown: headings, tables, code blocks with syntax highlighting, Mermaid diagrams, and inline images. Files that Microsoft Scout creates are saved to your workspace directory.
To find files Microsoft Scout created:
- Check your workspace directory for new files.
- Images and visual artifacts might appear inline in the conversation and are also saved to your workspace when created as files. If you view the raw message, inline images might appear as markdown image links that point to the saved file.
- Documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) are saved to your workspace and can be opened in their native applications.
Explore settings
Open Settings to configure Microsoft Scout:
- Appearance: Theme (light, dark, or system)
- Default model: Choose which AI model to use
- Workspace directory: Change where files are saved
- Permissions: Control tool access and shell commands
- Memory: View and manage stored preferences
- Privacy, Cloud sync, Power management, Window behavior: Additional customization options
For detailed configuration instructions, see Configure tool groups.
Next steps
- Use Microsoft Scout — Comprehensive guide to all capabilities
- Microsoft Scout overview — Feature summary and product overview