In short. Work IQ controls whether Copilot Chat can reference Microsoft 365 work data.
Definition: Yes. Microsoft documents the Work IQ toggle as the control that determines whether Copilot Chat can reference Microsoft 365 work data. It controls work grounding, while attached content and public web information are separate inputs.
Key facts
- Microsoft's Copilot Chat source controls help says the Work IQ toggle controls whether Copilot Chat can reference work data such as emails, Teams messages and files.
- The same Microsoft help page says the Change data sources menu has toggles for the sources Copilot may reference for a response, and its Turn off all control leaves web search on.
- Microsoft's grounding and Work IQ documentation says the old Work and Web tabs were replaced by one Work IQ control for work grounding.
- The grounding documentation says Work IQ follows existing Microsoft 365 permissions and can reference only work content the user is already authorized to access.
What does the Work IQ toggle control?
Microsoft describes grounding as connecting a response to real information so that Copilot can answer from a user's work and the public web with citations to check. The Work IQ button is the control for the work part of that grounding. When it is on, Copilot can use work data such as emails, files, chats, meetings, people and projects across Microsoft 365 apps, alongside attached content and web information.
The control is permission-aware. Microsoft says Copilot applies the organization's security and governance controls to every request and honors the access rules already attached to the user's work data. Work IQ is available to users with a Microsoft Copilot add-on license. Availability also varies with the license, subscription and administrator settings.
What happens when Work IQ is off?
With Work IQ off, Copilot answers without referencing Microsoft 365 work data. Microsoft's documentation lists attached content, publicly available web information, and the user's profile and personalization preferences as the remaining inputs in this mode. Turning the control off therefore changes the grounding scope for organizational content while leaving those other input types available.
For a website owner, this is a user-side work-data setting. The same documentation describes web information as a separate source and describes attached files, images, links or text as another source. A public page can therefore be part of web grounding when web access is available, but the Work IQ setting concerns the user's Microsoft 365 work context.
How can you check the sources for a prompt?
The Work IQ button answers whether work data is in scope. Copilot Chat also provides a per-prompt source menu. Microsoft documents this path:
Copilot Chat > Add and manage sources > Change data sources
In that menu, use the individual toggles to control available sources. Microsoft gives Viva Engage as an example of a source that can be turned off. After Copilot responds, inline citations appear next to generated information, and the Sources button opens a complete list of the sources used. Selecting a source opens its file in a side pane, with an option to open it in the related app.
Related terms
FAQ
Does Work IQ turn web search off?
No. Microsoft describes Work IQ as the control for work data. Web search is listed separately, and the source menu can turn off all data sources except web search.
Does Work IQ let Copilot read every company file?
No. When Work IQ is on, Copilot can reference work content that the user is already authorized to access. Existing Microsoft 365 permissions and organizational controls apply to each request.
Can attached content still be used with Work IQ off?
Yes. Microsoft lists content attached to the prompt and publicly available web information among the inputs used when Work IQ is off.
Sources
- Microsoft Support, "Control and review sources of Microsoft Copilot Chat’s responses", 31 August 2026
- Microsoft Support, "What information does Copilot use to answer my prompt?", 15 September 2026
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