> **Status:** Public Preview: behaviour may change. Preview: May 2026 | GA: Sep 2026
  
  ## What it does
- A redesigned customer-facing live chat widget with faster load times, a modernised default look, and expanded branding customisation options. Delivered via a new script tag in the workstream config, the existing widget script continues to work until you switch over.
+ A redesigned customer-facing live chat widget ("Modern" widget) with faster load times, a modernised default look, and expanded branding customisation options. You opt in per channel: either add the Modern UI to an existing Chat workstream or create a new Modern chat channel. The existing (classic) widget script keeps working until you switch over.
  
  ## Key facts
  - Public preview: May 2026; GA: Sep 2026
- - Enabled by admins: requires switching to a new script tag in the workstream configuration in Copilot Service admin center
+ - Two setup paths in Copilot Service admin center: **Add Modern UI** to an existing Chat workstream (preserves existing config, lets you test alongside the classic widget), or **Channels > Chat > Add chat channel > Modern** to build a new one from scratch
+ - The Modern channel setup shows a live preview pane that updates as you change settings (brand colour, chat button icon/custom icon, and so on)
+ - **Behaviors** and **User features** settings are **shared** between the modern and classic versions and are editable only in the active version, so you can't accidentally change your live classic site while configuring the modern one
  - Faster load via optimised scripting: reduces time-to-display of the chat button on slower connections
- - New default appearance; customisation options expanded to better align with your brand and website design
- - Enhanced media support within the widget (specifics not yet published)
- - Existing widget script remains available: you opt into the new experience by adopting the new tag
+ - New default appearance; customisation options expanded (brand colour selector, custom button icon) to better align with your brand and website design
+ - Enhanced media support within the widget (specifics still being published)
+ - Existing widget script remains available: you opt into the new experience per channel
  
  ## When to use / skip
- Worth switching to once GA if you care about chat load performance or need more visual alignment with your website branding. Not urgent for go-live on Standalone if you're deploying before Sep 2026, the existing widget works fine. Skip for Embedded deployments if the widget is hidden inside a CIF app and branding isn't a concern.
+ Worth adopting once GA if you care about chat load performance or need more visual alignment with your website branding. Use the "Add Modern UI to an existing workstream" path when you already run the classic widget and want to trial the modern one without disturbing production. Not urgent for go-live on Standalone if you're deploying before Sep 2026, the classic widget works fine. Skip for Embedded deployments if the widget is hidden inside a CIF app and branding isn't a concern.
  
  ## Configuration decisions
- - Where and when to switch from the existing script tag to the new one: do this in a dev/UAT workstream first
- - Review customisation options in the new tag; you may need to re-implement any custom CSS or overrides applied to the existing widget
- - Coordinate timing with the web team: the new tag likely changes the DOM structure, so any JavaScript event listeners on the widget will need testing
+ - Which path: add Modern UI to the existing workstream (lower risk, keeps routing config) versus a fresh Modern channel (cleaner but re-does workstream setup)
+ - Remember Behaviors and User features are shared: decide which version is "active" before editing them, because edits apply to the live site
+ - Review customisation options in the new widget; you may need to re-implement any custom CSS or overrides applied to the classic widget
+ - Coordinate timing with the web team: the new widget likely changes the DOM structure, so any JavaScript event listeners on the widget will need testing
  
  ## Gotchas
- - Don't assume the new script tag is a drop-in replacement. Test in a non-production environment before switching production workstreams.
- - "Enhanced media support" is vague in the release plan: get clarity on what file types and media embeds are supported before committing to this in a contract.
- - The preview period (May–Sep 2026) is relatively short. If you're planning a deployment between now and Sep 2026, factor in whether to start on the old widget or go straight to preview.
+ - Don't assume the Modern widget is a drop-in replacement. Test in a non-production environment before switching production traffic.
+ - Behaviors/User features being shared trips people up: an edit made while configuring "modern" can land on the live classic widget. Confirm which version is active first.
+ - "Enhanced media support" is still vague: get clarity on supported file types and media embeds before committing to it in a contract.
+ - The preview period (May–Sep 2026) is relatively short. If you're planning a deployment between now and Sep 2026, decide whether to start on the classic widget or go straight to preview.
  
  ## Consultant notes
  
- - Don't commit to using the preview widget for a client go-live before September 2026. Preview features can change or slip. If a deployment is going live between May and September 2026, start on the existing widget and plan a post-GA switch: it's lower risk than debugging preview behaviour under go-live pressure.
- - "Enhanced media support" being vague in the release plan is a yellow flag if you're putting specific file type or rich content requirements in a contract. Get written confirmation from Microsoft or wait for GA docs before promising it to a client.
- - Web team coordination on the script tag switch is almost always forgotten until late. Flag it explicitly in the project plan: it's not just an admin center change, it's a website deployment that the client's web team needs to release. The timeline is rarely a week.
- 
+ - Use the "Add Modern UI to existing workstream" route for any client already on the classic widget, it lets you demo the new look in the same environment without touching routing. Building a fresh Modern channel just to trial the appearance is more rework than it's worth.
+ - Don't commit to the preview widget for a client go-live before September 2026. Preview features can change or slip. If a deployment is going live between May and September 2026, start on the classic widget and plan a post-GA switch.
+ - Web team coordination on the widget switch is almost always forgotten until late. Flag it explicitly in the project plan: it's not just an admin center change, it's a website deployment the client's web team needs to release.
  
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