Microsoft SharePoint: Restricted content discovery enhancements for Copilot and Microsoft 365 search

🚨 The Signal: SharePoint's Restricted Content Discovery (RCD) now prevents recently accessed files from appearing in Copilot and Microsoft 365 search. AI entry points are also removed from RCD-enabled sites, reducing oversharing risk and enforcing data governance for AI.

The Impact

SharePoint administrators and users on RCD-enabled sites are affected by reduced content visibility and AI feature access, lowering the risk of accidental data exposure via AI.

• SharePoint administrators: Enhanced control over content surfacing in AI experiences.
• Users on RCD sites: Reduced visibility of recently accessed files in search and Copilot.
• Users on RCD sites: AI-powered features like Copilot buttons will be absent.
• Security teams: Improved data governance and reduced risk of oversharing via AI.

The Action

1. Review existing Restricted Content Discovery (RCD) policies in SharePoint to ensure they align with your organisation's data governance requirements.
2. Communicate to users on RCD-enabled SharePoint sites that recently accessed files will no longer appear in Copilot or Microsoft 365 search.
3. Inform users that AI-powered entry points (e.g., Copilot button) will be removed from RCD-enabled SharePoint sites.
4. Verify that RCD policies are correctly applied to sensitive SharePoint sites to leverage these enhanced protections.

Domain: SharePoint · Impact: high · Workload: SharePoint