Choosing Between Guided Setup and Manual Configuration

Use this topic when you need to decide which setup path is right for you, or when you want to understand the difference between the two options before you begin.

Next steps

What are the two options?

When you open AI Security, the Configure AI Security dialog gives you two ways to get started.
Start Easy Setup launches a guided three-step wizard:
- Connect Apps
- Data Protection
- Confirm Setup
  
  Note: See Completing the Guided Setup to use the guided setup wizard to connect your first AI application.
Configure Manually skips the wizard and takes you directly to the App Connectors page. From there you configure each area — App Connectors, Policies, and MCP Gateway — on your own, in any order.

Note: Microsoft Copilot can be connected using either admin consent or client secret authentication. See Connecting Microsoft Copilot Using Admin Consent or Connecting Microsoft Copilot Using a Client Secret.

Which one should I use?

Use Start Easy Setup if:
- This is your first time setting up AI Security.
Use Configure Manually if:
- You have set up AI Security before and know exactly what you need to configure.
- You only need to update one specific area, such as adding an app connector, without going through the full wizard.
Note: Choosing Configure Manually does not lock you out of the wizard. You can always click Guided Setup on the Getting Started page to go back to the wizard. The two paths lead to the same result — the choice is about how you prefer to get there.