Last updated: Sep 2023
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.
Microsoft 365 Upcoming Changes and Deprecations List:
Here is a list of changes categorized by month and year.
- September 2023 (Most Celebrated Update: 1; New Features: 3, Retirements: 7, Enhancement: 1, Action Needed: 1)
- October 2023 (New features: 1, Retirements: 4)
- November 2023 (Major update: 1, Retirement: 1)
- December 2023 (Deprecation: 1)
- 2024 (Attention Needed: 8)
- 2025 (Attention Needed: 2)
- 2026 (Attention Needed: 4)
Top of the List:
Multi-tenant Organization (MTO) Capabilities in Azure AD
This is one of the most awaited features from Microsoft. The Multi-tenant Organization (MTO) feature allows admins to create a tenant group within their organization. It can connect up to five tenants through cross-tenant access policies to enable smooth directory synchronization.
MTO is particularly useful for organizations that maintain multiple Azure AD tenants, offering a streamlined approach to account management, especially in the context of mergers and acquisitions.
Private Preview:
Microsoft Entra ID: Platform SSO for macOS
Platform SSO is an advancement of the current SSO Extension functionalities designed for macOS. It grants users the ability to access their Macs without entering traditional passwords. Instead, they can use passwordless login or synchronize their local credentials with their Entra ID credentials.
September 2023
Most Celebrated Update: 1 | New Features: 3 | Retirements: 7 | Retirement Postponed: 1 | Enhancement: 1 | Action Needed: 1
Most Celebrated Update:
Sep 2023- Default Microsoft 365 Audit Logging Retention Period Doubled
Starting from September 2023, the Microsoft Purview Audit supports expanded logging capabilities for standard customers at no additional cost. It includes,
- The extension of the default audit log retention period from 90 to 180 days for standard customers. .
- 30+ new activities, such as Mail Item Accessed, Teams message read, Teams chat created, etc., have been added to the audit log, which were previously exclusive to the Microsoft Purview Audit (Premium) subscription.
New Features:
Early-Sep 2023- Discover and Co-author Documents Labeled with User-defined Permissions
SharePoint and OneDrive will support discovery and coauthoring of files labeled with user-defined permissions. These files can be easily accessed, edited, co-authored, and benefit from the AutoSave feature in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps across all platforms.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC617055
Sep 2023 – Entra ID MFA Supports Text Message Delivery through WhatsApp
Starting September 2023, users in a specific regions like India, Indonesia and New Zealand may start receiving multifactor authentication (MFA) text messages via WhatsApp. Only users that are enabled to receive MFA text messages and already have WhatsApp on their phone will get this experience.
Note: Entra ID will expand this feature to other countries in Oct-Nov 2023.
Solution: If you do not want your users to get OTP through Whatsapp, you need to disable text message as authentication in your organization.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC666628
Sept 15, 2023- Microsoft Graph to Support HTTP/2
Microsoft Graph service (graph.microsoft.com) will enable HTTP version 2 (HTTP/2) in addition to HTTP/1.1. for API requests
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC447341
Retirements:
Sep 01, 2023- Retirement of Get-ATPTotalTrafficReport Cmdlet
Microsoft retiring the Get-ATPTotalTrafficReport cmdlet from Microsoft Defender for Office 365 beginning September 1st, 2023.
Solution: Instead of Get-ATPTotalTrafficReport cmdlet, you can use the Get-MailTrafficATPReport, Get-MailDetailATPReport, and Get-MailFlowStatusReport.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC588322
Sep 11, 2023 – Microsoft 365 connectors Retirement on Viva Engage Communities
From September 11, 2023, adding Microsoft 365 Apps to Yammer/Viva Engage communities via Microsoft 365 connectors will no longer be supported.
Solution: If you are using a Microsoft 365 connector on a community, consider replacing your connector usage with the following:
- Viva Engage connectors in Power Automate, which are configured outside of the community
- Custom code using the Viva Engage (Yammer) REST API
Mid Sep 2023 – Twitter Web Part Retirement
Due to a change in Twitter’s terms of use for third-party access, the Twitter web part in SharePoint in Microsoft 365 will no longer be supported. Users may see error messages in pages that have Twitter web part.
Solution: SharePoint administrators can remove the Twitter web part from their SharePoint pages via the page authoring.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC662249
Sep 15, 2023- Disable Video Upload to Stream (Classic)
As part of Classic Stream retirement, you can’t upload video to Stream (Classic)
Solution: You can start to use Stream in SharePoint
Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/stream/streamnew/stream-classic-to-new-migration-overview#upcoming
Sep 15, 2023- Ending Support for Microsoft Store for Business and Education Apps
Microsoft Store for Business and Education apps will be removed from the Intune admin center.
Solution: Add your apps through the new Microsoft Store app experience in Intune.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC553242
Sep 30, 2023- Azure Automation Run as Accounts Retirement
All runbook executions using Run As accounts, including Classic Run As accounts would not be supported after this date.
Solution: If you have existing Azure Automation runbooks using Run As accounts, migrate them to Managed identities.
Sep 30, 2023- Deprecation of Client Access Rules (CAR) in Exchange Online
Microsoft retiring CARs that provide granular access control based on client properties such as IP addresses, protocol, or application.
Solution: Migrate CARs to Continuous Access Evaluation (CAE)
Retirement Postponed:
Retirement of Stream Live Evens Postponed to Jan 30, 2024
To provide ample time for organizations to implement Teams live events with encoder support, Microsoft has postponed the retirement of Stream live events from September 15, 2023, to January 30, 2024.
Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/stream/streamnew/stream-classic-to-new-migration-overview#upcoming
Enhancement:
Mid Sep – Microsoft Authenticator Lite (for Outlook) Support in Legacy, Per-user MFA Policy
For organizations using the legacy per-user MFA policy and having “Notification through mobile app” enabled, users without the Microsoft Authenticator app can see the option to set up “Microsoft Authenticator Lite”.
Solution: If your organization doesn’t want to use Microsoft Authenticator Lite,you can disable Authenticator Lite using the steps given in the MS doc.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC664476
Action Required
Sep 29, New PowerBI Admin Setting To be Turned ON by Default
The new setting “Users can view Power BI files saved in OneDrive and SharePoint (Preview)” allows users to view Power BI reports stored in OneDrive and SharePoint directly in their browsers. It will be ON by default starting in early October unless you take action before September 29th, 2023.
Solution: If you do not want users in your tenant to view Power BI reports stored in OneDrive and SharePoint, turn off the settings from admin portal before September 29th, 2023.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC666631
October 2023
New Feature: 1 | Deprecations: 4
New Feature
Mid-Oct 2023, Meet App in Microsoft Teams
The Meet app serves as a centralized hub for all meeting activities and content. It allows users to prepare for upcoming meetings, catch up on missed content, and access meeting-related materials like agendas, notes, chats, and recaps, all conveniently in one place.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC660610
Deprecations
Oct 2023- Deprecation of Remote PowerShell (RPS) Protocol in Exchange Online PowerShell
MS will block RPS for all tenants irrespective of the tenant creation date, size, or opt-out status.
Solution: You can use Exchange Online PowerShellV3 module.
Oct 2023- Classic Search in Purview Portal Retirement
From October 2023, Classic Search available in the Microsoft Purview portal will be retired.
Solution: Admins are encouraged to utilize the “New search” feature, which offers faster search times, additional search options, the ability to save searches, and more functionalities.
Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/audit-log-search
Oct 10, 2023- Older Office Versions Not Supported for Connecting to Microsoft 365 Services
Older Office versions (Office 2016 & 2019) might still be able to connect to Microsoft 365 services, but that connectivity isn’t supported.
Solution: You can use Microsoft 365 apps.
Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/endofsupport/microsoft-365-services-connectivity
Oct 15, 2023- Classic Stream Retirement
Users are no longer able to access or use Stream (Classic) unless admin takes action to delay this change.
Solution: Admins can extend the date. This change can be delayed until April 15, 2024.
Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/stream/streamnew/stream-classic-to-new-migration-overview#upcoming
November 2023
Major update: 1 , Retirement: 1
Major Update
Nov 1, 2023 – New Requirements for SMTP Relay through Exchange Online
Effective from November 1, 2023, the matching condition for the SMTP P2 sender domain will be removed. This means that relaying email through Exchange Online will require meeting the following criteria:
- Accepted domain: The SMTP certificate domain on the SMTP connection or the SMTP envelope sender domain in the MAIL FROM command (P1 sender domain) must be one of your organization’s accepted domains.
- Inbound Connector: The sending host’s IP address or certificate domain on the SMTP connection must match your organization’s Inbound Connector of on-premises type.
Failure to meet either of these conditions after November 1, 2023, will result in the rejection of relay attempts from your on-premises environment to Exchange Online
Solution: It is necessary to modify your Inbound Connector of the on-premises type and switch from using IP addresses to a certificate domain. Furthermore, you need to ensure that the certificate domain is included as an accepted domain of your organization.
Retirement
Nov 13, 2023 – Exchange Transport Rules (ETRs) stopping support for DLP scenarios
Beginning mid-November, Exchange DLP-related actions and conditions/exceptions (predicates) will be removed from mail flow rules
Solution: You use Microsoft Purview Unified DLP, which provides DLP protection to SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Teams chats, devices, and more.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC670895
December 2023
Deprecation: 1
Dec 31, 2023 – Retirement of OMEv1 (Office 365 Message Encryption)
OME v1 mail flow rules will be fully retired.
Solution: If you don’t do anything, Microsoft will process all mail flow rules that currently applies OME protection to Microsoft Purview Message Encryption protection.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/adminportal/home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC455516
2024 (Attention Needed: 8)
Jan 2024- Wiki Retirement in Teams Channels
Wikis tab and wiki App wouldn’t be able to accessible in Teams and users wouldn’t be able to export.
Solution: Your data is accessible from SharePoint as per retention policy even after Wiki is deprecated. You can download wiki content from SharePoint.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC496248
Mar 30, 2024 – Azure AD Graph Retirement and PowerShell Module Deprecation
Microsoft has postponed the deprecation date for MS Online, AzureAD, and AzureAD Preview PowerShell modules to March 30, 2024.
Solution: Before the deprecation date, you can migrate your existing scripts to MS Graph.
Apr 02, 2024- SharePoint 2013 Workflow Retirement
Starting April 2nd, 2024, SharePoint 2013 workflows will be turned off for newly created tenants. Starting April 2nd, 2026, SharePoint 2013 workflows will no longer be supported for existing tenants.
Solution: You can move to Power Automate or other supported solutions.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC542767
Apr 11, 2024- Retirement for the Azure Information Protection Unified Labeling Add-in for Office
The AIP Unified Labeling add-in for Office will reach end of availability and support of the service.
Solution: You can use sensitivity labeling directly into Office apps.
Apr 15, 2024- Stream (Classic) is Fully Retired & Automatically Disabled.
Users & admins are no longer able to access or use Stream (Classic). Any remaining content in Stream (Classic) that wasn’t migrated will be deleted.
Solution: You can use Stream on SharePoint.
Sep 30, 2024- Azure Multi-Factor Authentication Server
Azure MFA Server deployments will no longer service MFA requests, which could cause authentications to fail for your organization.
Solution: Organizations should migrate their users’ authentication data to the cloud-based Azure MFA service
Sep 30, 2024- Retirement of Managing Authentication Methods in Legacy MFA & SSPR Policy
Starting Oct 2024, Microsoft no longer allow authentication methods to be managed in the legacy MFA and SSPR policies.
Solution: Organizations should use the converged authentication methods policy where methods can be managed centrally for all authentication scenarios including passwordless, MFA and SSPR.
End of 2024- Retirement of Mail and Calendar Apps in Windows
At the end of 2024, Microsoft replacing the Mail and Calendar apps in Windows with the new Outlook for Windows.
Solution: Start trying and testing the new Outlook for Windows.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC590123
2025 (Attention Needed: 2)
Feb 01, 2025- Azure Key Vault: Soft-delete Will be Enabled on All Key Vaults
Soft Delete preserves deleted key vaults and secrets for up to 90 days, enabling customers to restore them through a self-serve process.
Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/key-vault/general/soft-delete-change
Oct 14, 2025- End of Extended Support for Office 2016 & Office 2019
Office 2016 and Office 2019 extended support ends in 2025.
Solution: You can start to use the latest supported versions.
Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/microsoft-office-2016
2026 (Attention Needed: 4)
Jan 13, 2026- End of Extended Support for Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics 1.x
Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA) extended support will be ended on January 13, 2026.
Solution: Updates for Microsoft ATA are available from Microsoft Update or by manual download.
Mar 31, 2026- Deprecation of ‘Require Approved Client App’ Conditional Access Grant
The Require approved client app control in Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Conditional Access will be retired and no longer enforced.
Solution: You can make use of the “Require app protection policy” control, which has all the same capabilities
Apr 02, 2026- SharePoint 2013 Workflow Retirement
SharePoint 2013 workflows will no longer be supported.
Solution: You can move to Power Automate or other supported solutions.
Ref: https://admin.microsoft.com/Adminportal/Home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC542767
July 14, 2026- InfoPath 2013 Client and InfoPath Forms Services in SharePoint Online will be Retired
InfoPath Client 2013 will reach the end of its extended support period on July 14, 2026, and to keep an aligned experience across Microsoft products, InfoPath Forms Service will be retired from SharePoint Online.
Solution: To understand the usage of InfoPath within your organization, you can utilize the Microsoft 365 Assessment tool to scan your tenant and analyze InfoPath usage. If you are currently using InfoPath, you can initiate the migration process to modern alternatives such as Power Apps, Power Automate, or Forms.
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. 💪
Don’t miss out on the latest buzz in Microsoft 365! 🐝We’re committed to keeping this blog fresh with the most current information. Stay tuned for the latest updates!
End of Support Resources for Microsoft 365:
