Microsoft 365: Upcoming Changes and End-of-Support Milestones

Last updated: November 2026

Join us in this blog as we explore the dynamic world of Microsoft 365. 🌟 We’ll shed light on the features and products that are undergoing transformations or bidding farewell. Whether you’re a system administrator 🧑‍💻 managing the Microsoft 365 environment or an avid user 🙋‍♂️ staying ahead of the curve, this blog will provide invaluable insights and actionable recommendations.

🚀Discover the key changes, deprecations, and end-of-support scenarios that require your attention. From deprecated features to configuration modifications and essential upgrade plans, we’ve got you covered! Make informed decisions and ensure a smooth transition.⚡️

Note: Interested in exploring past month’s features and deprecations? Look no further! You can find a comprehensive history of all the changes in our GitHub repository.

Here is a list of changes categorized by month and year:

• November 2026 (Retirements: 6, New Features: 9, Enhancements: 8, Existing Functionality Changes: 5, Action Needed: 3, Live: 3)
• December 2026 (Retirements: 4, New Features: 5, Enhancements: 2, Existing Functionality Changes: 1, Action Needed: 2)
• Q1 2027 (Attention Needed: 18)
• Q2 2027 (Attention Needed: 5)
• Q3 2027 (Attention Needed: 1)
• Q4 2027 (Attention Needed: 2)

Retirements: 8 | New Features: 12 | Enhancements: 7| Existing Functionality Changes: 4 | Action Needed: 5 | Live Now: 1

Microsoft 365 will retire Targeted Release in January 2027 and replace it with three release options: Frontier, Standard release, and Deferred release. Starting in November 2026, admins will no longer be able to modify existing Targeted Release assignments.

Solution:

Admins should review their current Targeted Release assignments and move users to the appropriate release option before November 2026. Frontier, Standard release, and Deferred release preferences can be managed through the new unified experience in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1490899

Microsoft is planning to retire four Microsoft Graph endpoints in November: /drive/recent, /drive/sharedWithMe, /insights/used, and /insights/shared.

Ref:

• /drive/recent – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/drive-recent?view=graph-rest-1.0&tabs=http

• /drive/sharedWithMe – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/drive-sharedwithme?view=graph-rest-1.0&tabs=http

• /insights/used – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/insights-list-used?view=graph-rest-1.0&tabs=http

• /insights/shared – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/insights-list-shared?view=graph-rest-1.0&tabs=http

Note: Microsoft has not provided any alternative endpoints or workaround options for these retirements.

Microsoft is retiring the Outlook for Windows report in the Exchange admin center. Administrators will no longer be able to access the report through the existing Exchange admin center experience after the retirement.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1230889

Microsoft is retiring selected search reporting capabilities across Bing, Teams, Outlook, Windows Search, and Microsoft365.com. Admins will no longer have access to search trends, user activity, query details, or answer insights for these services. Search functionality will remain unchanged for users, and SharePoint and Connector Analytics will continue to be available.

Solution: Admins should identify whether their teams rely on these reports to analyze search performance or track usage. Export or save any important historical data and update dependent reporting workflows before the analytics capabilities are retired.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1528009

Microsoft is retiring access to SharePoint Server through the standalone SharePoint mobile apps for iOS and Android. After the retirement, these apps will support SharePoint Online only.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1528013

Microsoft will fully retire SharePoint One-Time Passcode (OTP) authentication for external sharing by the end of November 2026. External sharing authentication in OneDrive and SharePoint will move to Microsoft Entra B2B. As a result, external users who previously accessed shared content using OTP will be denied access unless a corresponding guest account exists.

Solution: Create a guest account in Entra B2B, or ask an internal user to share the content again. This will automatically provision the guest account and restore access.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1243549

Microsoft will introduce a Governance Review dashboard for SharePoint in private preview. Site owners can use it to review pending governance activities, including site inactivity reviews, attestation reviews, and ownership reviews.

The dashboard will also display required actions, due dates, and site enforcement status, allowing site owners to review and take action directly from one place.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=560541

Microsoft is introducing a pay-as-you-go billing model for OneDrive storage based on consumption. When storage usage exceeds the allocated quota, additional capacity is automatically made available and billed based on actual consumption.

The model enables organizations to scale storage flexibly and pay only for the additional capacity consumed, reducing the need to purchase fixed storage add-ons.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=562352

Microsoft Teams is introducing a dedicated attendance and engagement report policy for Teams events, such as webinars and town halls, separating their controls from Teams meetings. This allows administrators to grant event organizers access to event attendance and engagement reports while separately controlling access to Teams meeting reports.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=567466

New Outlook for Windows will make it easier to attach files stored locally on a user’s device. Users will be able to select local Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files directly when composing an email and send them as attachments. The capability will be enabled by default.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1245222

Teams now lets users set and manage reminders directly on chat and channel messages. Users can create, update, complete, and delete reminders, track them in a dedicated Reminders view, and receive notifications when they are due. Reminders are private to each user and include the original message context, making it easier to revisit and act on important messages.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=565869

Microsoft is introducing the “Change organizer” option for eligible Outlook meetings and recurring meeting series. Users will be able to request that another person in their organization take over as the organizer.

The selected person must accept the request before the ownership changes. This helps keep meetings running smoothly during role changes, employee leave, and offboarding. The feature is expected to roll out by early-Nov 2026.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1472028

Microsoft Teams is adding two system chat sections: Muted chats and Meeting chats. These sections will help users organize their chat and channel lists by keeping muted conversations and meeting-related chats separate. Users can choose whether to show or hide these sections. The new Meeting chats section will also replace the existing Meeting chats filter at the top of the chat and channel list.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1269864

Microsoft currently supports label-based protection for Microsoft 365 groups and SharePoint sites. This support is now being extended to Microsoft Entra security groups. Group owners will be able to apply sensitivity labels during group creation or afterward through the Microsoft Entra admin center, Azure portal, PowerShell, or Microsoft Graph. Once applied, a sensitivity label cannot currently be changed or removed.

The applied label will automatically enforce the configured membership and guest access policies.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1508238

Microsoft plans to let admins apply Conditional Access policies to selected sensitive Teams meetings. This will help ensure that only legitimate users and participants who meet the required organizational security standards can join these meetings.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1532256

Microsoft Teams is expanding meeting screen-sharing capabilities to support two presenters at the same time. Instead of limiting meetings to a single shared screen or window, two presenters will be able to share their content simultaneously, allowing participants to view both streams during the meeting.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=80239

Currently, admins can only enable or disable Weaponizable File Protection in Teams, while Microsoft determines the file extensions that are blocked by default. With this update, admins will be able to customize the blocked file extensions to match their organization’s security requirements. They can also restore Microsoft’s recommended default list at any time to resume receiving automatic updates.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1509801

Microsoft Teams is introducing more granular channel notification options, including presets such as All new messages, Mentions and replies, and Mute. Within each option, users can further customize notifications for thread follows, tag mentions, channel mentions, and Teams mentions.

The feature is enabled by default for all users, providing greater control over how channel activity is surfaced.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1388719

Microsoft is adding the .msix and .msixbundle file formats to the restricted attachment list in Outlook on the web and the new Outlook for Windows. These formats will be blocked by both default and custom OWA Mailbox policies across the tenant, adding another layer of protection against potentially malicious email attachments.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1488841

Microsoft Teams is making it easier for event organizers and producers to share videos from OneDrive during Teams events. With the Manage what attendees see feature, they can bring videos on stage and control playback directly, without sharing their screen or adding videos to a PowerPoint presentation. This provides attendees with a smoother, higher-quality viewing experience.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1506734

Microsoft Entra will recognize Windows Hello for Business (WHfB) and macOS Platform Single Sign-On (PSSO) as standalone multifactor authentication factors in supported authentication scenarios. Users will be able to satisfy supported MFA requirements without registering an additional passkey.

The credentials will also appear in My Security Info as auto-registered passkeys, helping organizations expand the use of phishing-resistant authentication methods.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1450134

Microsoft Defender XDR is adding detection-source controls to alert tuning rules. Admins will be able to specify which detection sources a rule should cover, giving them more control over which alerts are affected by each tuning configuration.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1481318

Auto-expanding archive mailboxes are currently limited to 1.5 TB. Microsoft has removed this limit, allowing archive mailboxes to grow upto 3 TB automatically and providing more room to support long-term retention requirements.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1521615

Microsoft Purview is extending auto-labeling to legacy Word (.doc), Excel (.xls), and PowerPoint (.ppt) files stored in SharePoint and OneDrive. Starting in November 2026, organizations will be able to automatically detect and apply sensitivity labels to these file formats in both simulation and enforcement modes. New policies will include support for these formats by default. Existing policies will require a small configuration change and must be run again to include them.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1530948

Starting November 4, 2026, Microsoft Entra will introduce stricter controls over how AI agents create their own identities. Agent blueprint principals will no longer receive the AgentIdentity.CreateAsManager permission automatically. Admins must explicitly grant consent before agents can use this permission.

Admins should grant the required Microsoft Graph permission to agents that use app-only authentication to create their own identities. Alternatively, they can move these agents to another supported authorization method to prevent disruptions.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1506728

Microsoft Entra ID Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) will require users to verify their identity using authentication methods explicitly registered for authentication. Directory-stored contact information that has not been registered as an authentication method will no longer be accepted for SSPR verification.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1325414

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is aligning App Governance permissions with the Unified RBAC model in Microsoft Defender XDR, starting in November 2026. Users assigned the Cloud App Security Administrator role will gain permission to manage App Governance policies.

Meanwhile, the Compliance Administrator and Compliance Data Administrator roles will lose certain App Governance permissions. Custom roles configured through Defender XDR Unified RBAC will also receive access according to their assigned permissions.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1479503

Microsoft Purview is reducing the expected synchronization time for Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy changes from approximately 2 hours to 30 minutes. This enhancement allows administrators to see newly created or modified DLP policies take effect more quickly across supported workloads.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1317834

Starting November 3, Microsoft will allow users to create agent blueprints by default. Users assigned built-in or custom Microsoft Entra roles will be able to create new agent blueprints. Admins can restrict this capability by turning off the Users can create agent blueprints setting in the Microsoft Entra admin center.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1506733

Microsoft Entra ID will retire the MemberOf rule operator for dynamic groups and dynamic administrative units.

Solution: Organizations using this operator in dynamic membership rules will need to update those rules to supported alternatives before the retirement date.

Ref: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/discussions/microsoft-365/entra-id-drops-the-memberof-rule-operator-for-dynamic-groups-and-dynamic-admin-u/4544978

Selected properties in the Get-Mailbox -Migration and New-Mailbox -Migration cmdlets are scheduled for retirement.

Solution: If your scripts, applications, or automation use these Exchange Online migration scenarios, review the affected properties and identify whether any existing workflows depend on them.

Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/get-new-mailbox-migration

Microsoft 365 has introduced a new file and folder sharing experience built around a single hero link for each file or folder. When access requirements change, users can update the existing sharing link instead of creating and distributing a new one.

By default, the hero link provides access only to people explicitly added to the file or folder. Admins can configure the default audience at the SharePoint site collection or OneDrive level.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1454378

Microsoft Teams introduced an option that lets users pause all notifications for a selected period, helping them minimize interruptions and stay focused. The feature will be available across desktop, web, and mobile.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1465768

Microsoft Entra ID introduces Conditional Access Policy Plans in public preview, allowing admins to manage multiple access requirements under shared targeting settings. This reduces repetitive configurations while supporting different security controls for users, devices, and agents. Existing Conditional Access policies continue to work as before.

Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/conditional-access/concept-conditional-access-policy-plans/4544978

Microsoft is retiring the Data Risk Graph in Insider Risk Management and shifting investigations toward other built-in investigation experiences. The Data Risk Graph currently provides a visual view of relationships between users, data, alerts, and related activities.

After its retirement, admins can use Activity Explorer, Content Explorer, and User Activity experiences to investigate risk indicators and related activities in greater detail.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1481317

Exchange Online PowerShell is deprecating the -Credential parameter as it relies on the legacy ROPC authentication flow that does not support MFA or Conditional Access. This change applies to both the Connect-ExchangeOnline and Connect-IppsSession cmdlets.

Solution: Move to secure authentication methods such as interactive sign-in, app-only authentication, or managed identity authentication when connecting to Exchange Online PowerShell.

Ref: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/deprecation-of-the–credential-parameter-in-exchange-online-powershell/4494584

Microsoft is retiring the Power BI Q&A experience by the end of December 2026. Existing Q&A visuals and experiences will stop working, and Q&A Setup tools will also be retired. Organizations should transition Q&A experiences to Copilot in Power BI and use Prep Data for AI as an alternative to Q&A Setup tools.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1218421

Microsoft is retiring the Microsoft 365 companion apps for Calendar, People, and Files. These taskbar-integrated apps will no longer be supported or functional after December 16, 2026.

Microsoft has already stopped providing updates and fixes, including security updates, and is phasing out their automatic installation.

Action required: Admins should remove the companion apps from organizational devices before the retirement date.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1474111

Microsoft Purview DLP is adding a new View-Only Device Management role to give users read-only access to the Devices page. Users assigned this role can check device onboarding status, search devices, view configurations, and export device details without making changes. This allows admins to give auditors and security analysts the visibility they need without assigning broad administrative roles. Existing admin permissions remain unchanged.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=577187

Microsoft Teams is introducing an AI-powered Facilitator capability that detects unanswered questions and knowledge gaps during meetings. It uses web search to find relevant information and shares answers directly in the meeting chat, helping participants stay focused without interrupting discussions. The feature requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium) license and must be manually enabled.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1409304

Admins can now configure retention policies in Data Lifecycle Management to automatically move inactive OneDrive and SPO files to M365 Archive. Archived content is excluded from Copilot indexing. This feature is turned off by default and helps admins manage storage costs effectively.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1472601

Microsoft Teams is introducing Impersonation Protection to help users spot potential impersonation attempts. The feature will display warning messages and risk indicators when suspicious identities are detected, helping users identify potentially fraudulent interactions before engaging with them.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1530613

Microsoft Purview is making its Adaptive Protection integration with Data Lifecycle Management (DLM) generally available in late Dec 2026. The integration automatically retains content deleted by elevated-risk users for 120 days across SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange, helping protect against potential data sabotage.

Admins can enable the integration from the Microsoft Purview compliance portal, while Microsoft automatically creates and manages the required retention label and policy.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC791110

Starting in December 2026, organizations will be able to select how long Message Trace data is retained by choosing from a set of predefined retention periods. This enhancement gives admins greater flexibility to align log retention with their compliance, audit, and operational requirements.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=542929

Microsoft Purview plans to expand DLP and Information Protection Auto-labeling to supported non-Microsoft connected apps, including Google Workspace, Box, Dropbox, and Salesforce. These capabilities rely on Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps connectors to integrate supported non-Microsoft applications with Microsoft Purview.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1449180

Microsoft Purview Endpoint DLP is introducing a predefined list of supported file extensions for policy configuration. Admins will no longer be able to enter file extensions manually, helping ensure that only supported file types are included in DLP policies.

Existing policies will continue to work as configured, but admins may need to remove unsupported extensions when making future changes.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1384415

SMTP AUTH Basic Authentication will be disabled by default for existing tenants by Dec end, though admins can enable it if required.

Solution:

• Migrate applications and devices to OAuth-based authentication.

• Use alternatives such as High-Volume Email for Microsoft 365, Azure Communication Services for Email, or an on-premises Exchange.

Ref: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/updated-exchange-online-smtp-auth-basic-authentication-deprecation-timeline/4489835

Dynamics 365 Guides and Dynamics 365 Remote Assist will retire on December 31, 2026. After this date, the products will no longer receive security updates, bug fixes, or technical support.

Solution: Customers should plan their transition early by identifying dependent users and scenarios. Explore alternative mixed reality solutions available in the Microsoft Marketplace, and consider Microsoft Teams Mobile with spatial annotation for certain remote collaboration use cases.

Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/announcements/dynamics-365-guides-remote-assist-end-of-support t

Microsoft will disable Basic Authentication with Client Submission (SMTP AUTH) by default starting January 2027. OAuth will be the supported authentication method.

Proactive Steps:

• Move applications and devices to OAuth-based authentication for SMTP AUTH.

• If Basic Authentication is still needed, consider alternatives such as High-Volume Email for Microsoft 365, Azure Communication Services for Email, or an on-premises Exchange Server in a hybrid setup.

Ref: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/updated-exchange-online-smtp-auth-basic-authentication-deprecation-timeline/4489835

Microsoft is ending the lifecycle of standalone SharePoint Online Plan 1 and Plan 2 and OneDrive for Business Plan 1 and Plan 2. New customers are no longer able to purchase these standalone plans. From Jan 2027, renewals will no longer be permitted, although existing subscriptions will continue until their expiration.

Solution: Move to Microsoft 365 suite offerings such as Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, E1, E3, or E5 for continued service availability.

Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/announcements/2026-january#retirement-of-standalone-sharepoint-online-and-onedrive-for-business-plans-plan-1-and-plan-2

Microsoft Teams is introducing AI-generated meeting memory files, previously known as archive files, to capture key insights from meetings. These files will help Microsoft 365 Copilot and Facilitator provide more accurate, context-aware responses without storing raw meeting content, supporting stronger privacy controls. By improving how AI grounds its responses in meeting knowledge, this capability aims to make enterprise AI more reliable while keeping organizational data secure and manageable.

The files will be stored securely in tenant-owned SharePoint, enabled by default, and managed through admin controls and configurable retention settings. The targeted release is expected to begin in early-Jan 2027.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1429018

Microsoft Purview will retire the Instances policy location for Data Loss Prevention (DLP) on January 6, 2027. Dedicated application locations are being introduced for supported non-Microsoft applications, replacing the existing instance locations.

Solution: Review existing DLP and auto-labeling policies that use the Instances location and recreate them using the corresponding dedicated application locations before January 6, 2027.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1429010

Microsoft will introduce a “When items were last accessed” option in Purview retention policies. This will allow admins to configure retention policies based on file access history in OneDrive and SharePoint, enabling the removal of outdated data and enhancing Microsoft 365 Copilot responses. This update will be rolled out to preview by mid-Jan 2027.

Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC999442

Microsoft is changing how legacy Teams retention policies handle Copilot data. From Mid-Jan 2027, these policies will retain only Teams content and will no longer apply to Microsoft 365 Copilot interactions. Organizations that need to retain Copilot data must configure separate retention settings for the Copilot workload.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1481313

Microsoft is extending Data Loss Prevention (DLP) support for Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat by introducing a new capability to exclude emails from external or untrusted domains. These emails will not be used for summarization, responses, or grounding data in Copilot experiences.

The feature is available as an opt-in option. Once enabled, emails from trusted internal sources will continue to be used for Copilot responses, while content from external untrusted domains will be restricted.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1301714

To unify the interface across Microsoft Defender products, Microsoft will retire the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) Advanced Hunting API and Microsoft Defender XDR Advanced Hunting API.

Solution: Move to Microsoft Graph Security API for broader data coverage, improved consistency, and better scalability for automation and security workflows.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1220762

Microsoft will fully retire Restricted SharePoint Search (RSS), which limits how SharePoint content appears in Microsoft Search and Microsoft 365 Copilot, by January 31, 2027. Existing Restricted SharePoint Search configurations will not be automatically migrated to Restricted Content Discovery (RCD).

Solution: Organizations should migrate from Restricted SharePoint Search to Restricted Content Discovery (RCD) or adopt another appropriate control for managing content discoverability before the retirement date.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1395311

Microsoft is continuing its transition of Copilot Studio experiences from the Microsoft Teams app to the Copilot Studio web app. As part of this change, Microsoft will discontinue the Copilot Studio app in Teams. Users will need to use the Copilot Studio web app to create, edit, and publish chatbot agents.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1511056

Microsoft is retiring its built-in SMS and voice authentication service in Microsoft Entra on February 1, 2027. Organizations that continue using SMS or voice MFA must configure a supported telecom provider, as Microsoft will no longer provide these services.

Passkeys become the recommended authentication method, starting September 1, 2026. Tenants that continue relying only on Microsoft’s built-in SMS or voice authentication may experience sign-in disruptions after February 1, 2027.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1426371

Microsoft Purview Endpoint DLP will extend protection to sensitive files stored in previously excluded Windows folders, such as AppData and temporary directories, starting late February 2027.

With this update, Endpoint DLP policies will apply to key file egress activities, including copying, printing, uploading, and saving files to network shares. Actions will be logged in audit mode and restricted in block mode, with block policies taking precedence when both apply.

Action Required:

• Deploy Microsoft Defender anti-malware client version 4.18.26051 or later.

• Review excluded folder paths and update DLP policies accordingly.

• Pilot the changes in audit mode before enabling block mode.

• Educate users and support teams about potential restrictions on file activities.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1384420

Microsoft 365 Enterprise users will automatically switch to the new Outlook for Windows, gaining access to modern features like Copilot, theming, and time-saving options such as pinning and snoozing emails. A toggle will be available for users to revert to the classic Outlook. Admins can prevent this automatic migration via cloud policy.

The opt-out phase originally scheduled for April 2026 has been postponed to March 1, 2027, providing organizations with additional time to prepare.

Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC949965

Microsoft is phasing out classic SharePoint publishing capabilities as part of the transition to modern SharePoint experiences.

Starting March 1, 2027, existing tenants will no longer be able to create classic publishing sites or activate publishing features. New tenants will also have restrictions on creating classic pages and making changes that depend on custom scripts.

From October 1, 2028, existing classic user-created pages will become read-only, and custom scripting restrictions will apply across all tenants.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1464926

Microsoft will retire security questions as an authentication method for Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) in Microsoft Entra ID starting March 2027, due to security vulnerabilities and low verification reliability.

After this retirement, users will no longer be able to verify their identity using security questions during password reset. Organizations that continue relying on this method may experience failed password reset attempts, user lockouts, and increased help desk support requests.

Solution: Ensure users are registered with supported authentication methods before March 2027 to avoid Self-Service Password Reset failures.

Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/concept-authentication-security-questions

Microsoft is consolidating its Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management capabilities into a unified DSPM experience. As part of this change, the classic DSPM and DSPM for AI experiences will be retired.

The unified experience will provide a central place for organizations to discover, protect, and investigate data security risks across traditional data sources as well as AI applications and agents.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1481315

Microsoft is rolling out security improvements to the authentication process in ExchangeOnlineManagement PowerShell module version 3.10.1 to enhance protection against potential threats. Organizations using older module versions may encounter sign-in issues with certain interactive authentication methods after the rollout begins.

Solution: To avoid disruptions, admins should upgrade to version 3.10.1 or later. Those already on a supported version can continue using it without any immediate changes.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1483974

Microsoft is migrating Microsoft Sentinel from the Azure portal to the Microsoft Defender portal. After March 31, 2027, Microsoft Sentinel will no longer be supported in the Azure portal, and must be accessed through the Microsoft Defender portal.

The Microsoft Defender portal will become the primary management experience for Microsoft Sentinel and can be used even without Microsoft Defender XDR or a Microsoft 365 E5 license.

Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sentinel/overview?tabs=defender-portal#microsoft-sentinel-in-the-azure-portal-retirement-timeline

Exchange Web Services (EWS) in Exchange Online will be fully and permanently retired on April 1, 2027. Microsoft will progressively disable EWS beginning October 1, 2026, with the final shutdown removing the ability to use EWS in Exchange Online. Organizations should identify remaining EWS dependencies and migrate supported integrations to Microsoft Graph.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1447678

Microsoft is removing support for pre-authenticated (tempauth) URLs in SharePoint Online and OneDrive from April 1, 2027. Applications that rely on these URLs or HTTP 302 redirects must switch to Microsoft Entra ID authentication to continue accessing files without disruption. New tenant controls will help admins test the updated behavior before the change takes effect.

Action Required:

• Identify applications using affected Microsoft Graph file APIs.

• Update authentication methods to use Microsoft Entra ID tokens.

• Test application compatibility using the new tenant controls.

• Remove dependencies on embedded authentication URLs and HTTP 302 redirects.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1492958

Microsoft is retiring the existing Microsoft Exchange connector in Excel Power Query in April 2027. It will be replaced by new Exchange Mail and Exchange Calendar connectors. Existing workbooks will not automatically migrate, so workbook owners using the current connector will need to reconnect their Exchange data using the new connectors. The new connectors require Microsoft 365 Apps or Office 2024.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1461158

Microsoft Entra ID will fully retire Custom Controls in Conditional Access by May 2027, replacing them with External MFA for third-party MFA integrations. Custom Controls will stop being evaluated by the Conditional Access engine after the final retirement. Microsoft has already planned an earlier September 2026 milestone when administrators will no longer be able to create or modify Custom Controls.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?source=applauncher&ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1422061

OneDrive will increase its supported sync limit on macOS from 300,000 to 1 million items. This makes it easier to work with large SharePoint libraries and shared content on Mac devices.

The preview is available through the Insiders ring and requires devices to meet Microsoft’s hardware and configuration requirements. Devices that do not meet the requirements will continue to use the existing 300,000-item limit.

Ref: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?id=570448

Microsoft is retiring Remote Event Receivers (RERs) in SharePoint Online as part of its platform modernization. Azure ACS-registered RERs stopped working on April 2, 2026, while Microsoft Entra ID-registered RERs will continue to function until July 1, 2027, after which all RERs will stop working.

Solution: Organizations should migrate to SharePoint webhooks or Microsoft Graph change notifications before the retirement date, as no extensions will be provided.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1411726

In October 2027, Microsoft will remove the option to create meetings without passcodes. This means all online meetings created through the Microsoft Graph API will automatically require a passcode, and the isPasscodeRequired property on the joinMeetingIdSettings resource will be removed. This change ensures that every meeting is consistently secured with a passcode, simplifying meeting creation, and improving security.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC985483

To align with the updated passkey policy API schema that supports group-based passkey profiles, Microsoft will retire isAttestationEnforced and keyRestrictions from the fido2AuthenticationMethodConfiguration API. During the transition, these properties will sync with attestationEnforcement and keyRestrictions in the Default passkey profile.

Solution: Admins should update configurations, automations, and integrations to use the new schema.

Ref: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1188230

In conclusion, navigating the ever-evolving landscape of Microsoft 365 requires staying informed about the changes 🔍. By proactively adapting to these changes, you can optimize your Microsoft 365 experience, maximize productivity, and effectively plan for the future. 💪

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