Windows adds Agent registry

Windows 11’s latest Release Preview build adds native support for the Model Context Protocol, a standard way for AI agents to find tools and data on a PC. (blogs.windows.com) Microsoft shipped Build 26200.8313 and Build 26100.8313 on April 17, 2026, to the Release Preview Channel for Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. The company said the update rolls out in phases, so features may not appear on every device at once. (blogs.windows.com) The new Windows layer centers on the On-device Agent Registry, or ODR, which Microsoft describes as a secure interface for discovering and using agent connectors from local apps and remote servers. Microsoft’s documentation says the registry works with Model Context Protocol servers and includes a command-line tool called `odr.exe` to list, add, and remove them. (learn.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com) Model Context Protocol, or MCP, is an open protocol for connecting AI apps to outside tools and data sources. Microsoft says Windows uses it so agents can call capabilities exposed by lightweight services, such as file access or app actions, through one standardized interface. (learn.microsoft.com, blogs.windows.com) Microsoft is packaging that access with controls aimed at enterprise deployment. Its Windows documentation says MCP servers are isolated by default, users and information technology admins can manage access through Settings and Microsoft Intune, and interactions can be logged and audited. (learn.microsoft.com) The company has been laying the groundwork for months. Microsoft’s MCP overview says several Windows agents already support MCP servers, including the Windows Settings connector, Visual Studio GitHub Copilot agent mode, and Visual Studio Code GitHub Copilot agent mode. (learn.microsoft.com) That ties the Windows change to Semantic Kernel, Microsoft’s agent framework for building software agents that can use models, tools, and human input to complete tasks. Microsoft’s Semantic Kernel docs say the framework supports adding plugins from MCP servers, including local servers and streamable Hypertext Transfer Protocol connections. (learn.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com) Microsoft has also framed MCP as a security problem as much as a developer feature. In a May 19, 2025 post, the company said poorly controlled MCP servers could expose sensitive functions or enable attacks such as prompt injection, tool poisoning, credential leakage, and even remote code execution. (blogs.windows.com) The result is a more operating-system-level model for agents on Windows: discover tools through a built-in registry, govern them with admin controls, and connect them to frameworks developers already use. Build 26200.8313 puts that model into the Release Preview channel, one step closer to broader Windows deployment. (blogs.windows.com, learn.microsoft.com)