Can CoWork use MCP servers without a plugin?

Sonalika Priya 0 Reputation points
2026-06-12T05:52:34.18+00:00

I'm trying to understand the MCP integration model in Microsoft CoWork.

Specifically:

  • Is a plugin required for every MCP integration?
  • Can CoWork connect directly to an MCP server without a plugin?
  • Are there any supported architectures where MCP servers can be used independently of a Teams plugin?

My understanding is that CoWork discovers MCP tools through plugins that declare MCP server endpoints, but I'm not sure whether direct MCP server connectivity is supported.

Looking for clarification from anyone who has implemented or tested MCP integrations with CoWork.  

Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Development
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  1. AI answer

    2026-06-12T05:52:45.2+00:00

    CoWork does not connect to MCP servers directly. A Teams plugin is required as the packaging and discovery mechanism for MCP integrations.

    From the documented model:

    • CoWork “supports plugins with MCP servers and/or skills, packaged as Teams apps. CoWork performs dynamic tool discovery — when a plugin declares an MCP server, CoWork calls initialize and tools/list at runtime to discover available tools automatically.”
    • MCP servers are declared in the plugin’s manifest.json via agentConnectors[], and CoWork then uses MCP core methods (initialize, tools/list, tools/call, notifications/initialized) against those declared servers.

    This implies:

    1. A plugin (Teams app) is required for each MCP integration that CoWork should use. The plugin is the unit that:
      • Declares the MCP server endpoint and auth model.
      • Is installed/acquired for a tenant or user.
      • Controls which tools CoWork can discover and call.
    2. CoWork does not support “bare” or direct MCP server connections that are not surfaced through a plugin. There is no documented path where CoWork is pointed at an arbitrary MCP endpoint without going through a plugin manifest.
    3. All supported architectures for MCP usage in CoWork are plugin-based:
      • Store-published plugins that declare MCP servers.
      • Sideloaded plugins (for development/testing) that declare MCP servers.
      • Plugins may be “skills-only”, “MCP-only”, or a mix, but MCP usage always flows through a plugin package.

    If plugins are disabled at the tenant level, CoWork will not load plugin skills or connectors, which also means no MCP servers are used in that configuration.

    References:

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