Microsoft and MCP: Copilot, VS Code, Windows and Azure

Microsoft works on the Model Context Protocol (MCP) from both sides. Its apps act as MCP clients, from VS Code with GitHub Copilot to Copilot Studio and Microsoft 365 Copilot. It also publishes MCP servers for Azure, Microsoft Learn and Microsoft Graph, and co-maintains the official C# SDK.

Checked against: Microsoft's catalog of official MCP servers on 28 October 2026. eSEOspace did not test Microsoft's products.

At a glance

What Microsoft offers for MCP

A seat in MCP governance

The AAIF About page lists Microsoft among eight Platinum members. Caitie McCaffrey of Microsoft sits on both the Governing Board and the Technical Committee. Our guide on who owns MCP explains what those bodies decide.

Microsoft also helps maintain the official C# SDK, which the repository describes as "Maintained in collaboration with Microsoft." Its packages include extensions for MCP Apps, Skills and Tasks.

MCP clients

• VS Code with GitHub Copilot. The VS Code MCP docs support local stdio servers and remote HTTP servers. You can use tools, attach resources and run prompts. MCP Apps support is marked experimental, and an MCP server gallery is in preview.
• Copilot Studio. Microsoft's Copilot Studio MCP guide says it "currently supports MCP tools and resources." You connect through an onboarding wizard, and generative orchestration must be on.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot. Developers can add a remote MCP server as a plugin for a declarative agent with the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit. Sign-in options include OAuth with static or dynamic registration, or Entra single sign-on.
• Windows. Microsoft's MCP on Windows overview describes the Windows On-device Agent Registry (ODR). It lets apps and agents discover registered MCP servers, and Windows ships connectors such as a File Explorer MCP server. Microsoft notes some of this "relates to prereleased product."

MCP servers

The microsoft/mcp repository calls itself a "Catalog of official Microsoft MCP" server implementations. Highlights include:

• Azure MCP Server. The Azure MCP Server overview says it uses Entra ID and Azure RBAC. See our Azure MCP Server profile.
• Microsoft Learn MCP Server. The Learn MCP Server overview describes a remote endpoint that searches and fetches Microsoft documentation, with no sign-in required.
• Microsoft MCP Server for Enterprise. A read-only Microsoft Graph server for Entra directory data, in public preview. See our Microsoft Graph MCP profile.
• Work IQ MCP. Microsoft's Work IQ MCP server exposes Microsoft 365 data, such as mail, calendar and Teams chats, through one endpoint with generic tools. As of 28 October 2026, Microsoft's MCP server options overview calls its app-specific servers (Mail, Calendar, Teams, SharePoint and others) "a legacy experience retained for testing and backward compatibility." See our Outlook and Teams profiles.
• GitHub MCP Server. Built by GitHub, which Microsoft acquired in 2018. See our GitHub MCP Server profile.

Who it's for

Microsoft's MCP work suits teams already on Microsoft 365, Azure or GitHub. Developers start with VS Code and the Azure and GitHub servers. Business teams can build Copilot Studio or Microsoft 365 Copilot agents that call your MCP servers.

Pricing

There is no separate price for MCP as a protocol. MCP itself is free and open source under its license. As of 28 October 2026, Microsoft's own pages say:

• GitHub Copilot. GitHub's plans page lists Free at $0, Pro at $10 per month, Pro+ at $39 and Max at $100. "Integrates with MCP servers" is included in agent mode on all four.
• Copilot Studio. MCP needs generative orchestration. Microsoft's licensing page lists it for the standalone subscription, not the Teams plan. A trial lets you build and test but not publish.
• Learn MCP Server. Microsoft says "There's no charge to use the MCP server."
• Microsoft MCP Server for Enterprise. No additional cost or separate license, though you need licenses for the data you query.
• Azure MCP Server. Microsoft lists a GitHub Copilot subscription and an Azure account as prerequisites. Pricing depends on the underlying products.

Security and trust

Microsoft says local MCP servers "can run code on your machine," and VS Code lets organizations restrict which servers are available. Copilot Studio states that when you connect an external MCP server, "you're responsible for the tools and resources you access."

On Windows, Microsoft says registered servers are "contained in a separate environment" by default. It adds that admins can control access per agent through Settings and Intune, with logging and auditing. The Azure MCP Server acts with your RBAC permissions, so least-privilege roles matter. Our guide to MCP security risks covers the basics.

Alternatives

• Google and MCP if your team runs on Google Cloud or Workspace.
• Anthropic and MCP, the company that created the protocol.
• The best MCP clients for a side-by-side view of AI apps.

Next step

Start with the client you already pay for and one read-only server. Browse other company profiles in the MCP Guide company directory, or ask eSEOspace about MCP development if you need a custom server for Copilot.

Frequently asked questions