Add a tool to an agent (GitHub Copilot)

You can add tools to your agent from the Build tab. Tools let your agent perform actions, connect to external services, and retrieve real-time data during conversations.

Note

The harness used to build this agent uses usage-based billing. Using, building, testing, and evaluating agents might consume Copilot Credits. Learn more in Overview of usage-based billing.

Prerequisites

Add an existing tool from the Build tab

  1. Sign in to Copilot Studio and open your agent.

  2. In the agent navigation bar, select the Build tab.

  3. In the components panel, select the Tools button.

  4. In the Add a tool dialog, browse or search for the tool you want to add. Use the Featured, Model Context Protocol (MCP), Connectors, or Workflows tabs to filter by tool type.

  5. Select the tool to view its details, including a description and the actions it provides.

    Note

    If your organization blocked a tool due to data policies, you can't select it. Learn more in Tools blocked by your organization's policies.

  6. Select Add to add the tool to your agent.

Tools blocked by your organization's policies

Your organization can use governance policies to restrict which tools and connectors are available in Copilot Studio.

When a data policy blocks a tool, the tool appears disabled in the Add a tool panel and you can't select it. Hover over the cross Image of a cross icon in the Add tool panel icon next to the disabled tool to see why the tool isn't available.

Screenshot showing a tool blocked by a data policy in the Add a tool panel

The message identifies the policy restriction that prevents the tool from being used. If you need access to a blocked tool, contact your administrator.

Learn more in Configure data policies for agents.

Configure a tool after adding it

After adding a tool, you might need to:

  • Authenticate: Some tools require you to sign in or provide credentials before they can be used. Follow the authentication prompts when they appear.
  • Select actions: For connectors that provide multiple actions, you can select which specific actions to make available to your agent.
  • Review the description: Ensure the tool's description accurately reflects what it does. The agent's orchestration runtime uses the description to determine when to invoke the tool.

Add a new custom tool

If the tool you need isn't available in the browser, you can add a custom tool. Currently, the agents powered by the GitHub Copilot harness supports adding the following as custom tools:

  • MCP tools from an existing Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. This allows you to connect to custom services, databases, or APIs that expose capabilities as tools through the MCP standard.
  • Workflows that you create in Copilot Studio's flow designer. This allows you to define multi-step processes that your agent can execute on demand.

Files your agent creates

Some tools produce files as their output - for example, a generated report, spreadsheet, or image. These files are capped at 10 MB each, and files that exceed the cap aren't returned to the user. Learn more in Files the agent creates (GitHub Copilot preview).

Tips for effective tool descriptions

Tip

The tool's name and description are critical for accurate tool invocation. The enhanced orchestration runtime uses these to decide when to invoke a tool, so:

  • Use clear, specific names that describe the tool (for example, "Create support ticket" rather than "Ticket tool")
  • Write descriptions that explain when the tool should be used and what it returns
  • Avoid vague or overlapping descriptions between tools
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