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Extend your agent with Model Context Protocol

Another way to extend your agent with tools is via Model Context Protocol (MCP).

What is Model Context Protocol?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) allows users to connect with existing knowledge servers and data sources directly within Copilot Studio. Connecting to an MCP server gives you access to:

  • Resources: File-like data that an agent can read for more context (like API responses or file contents)
  • Tools: Functions a language model can call to perform an action
  • Prompts: Predefined prompt templates to accomplish specific tasks

Note

Copilot Studio currently supports MCP tools and resources.

How does MCP work?

Each tool or resource published by a connected MCP server is automatically made available for use in Copilot Studio. Name, description, inputs, and outputs are inherited from the server. As tools and resources are updated or removed on the MCP server, Copilot Studio dynamically reflects these changes, ensuring users always have the latest versions and that obsolete tools and resources are removed. A single MCP server can integrate and manage multiple tools and resources, each accessible for use by Copilot Studio agents.

When you connect to a Non-Microsoft Product, including an external MCP server, you're responsible for the tools and resources you access from within Copilot Studio.

Note

Generative Orchestration must be enabled to use MCP.

What is the process to extend an agent using MCP in Copilot Studio?

To integrate MCP in Copilot Studio:

  1. Connect your agent to an existing MCP server based on a YAML schema template.
  2. Create an MCP server if you don't already have an MCP server.
  3. Add MCP server tools and resources to your agent so that your Copilot Studio agent can use them.
  4. (Optional) Publish your MCP connector to allow the connector to be used across tenants.

For more information on troubleshooting MCP integration, see Troubleshooting Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration.

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