(Updated) “Investigation priority score increase” Policy to be retired

MC783216 | August 15 – The “Investigation priority score increase” policy in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps will be retired between June and September 2024 due to high false positives and limited value. Administrators should use the Advanced Hunting query as an alternative.
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(Updated) Cloud Discovery anomaly detection policy to be retired

MC783218 | August 15 – Microsoft is retiring the “Cloud Discovery anomaly detection” policy from Defender for Cloud Apps due to high false positives. Rollout begins late June 2024 and ends late September 2024. Affected users should switch to “App discovery policy” and set filters as needed.
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Microsoft Word: Certain Dynamic Data Exchange features will be removed in April 2025

MC863140 | August 15 – Microsoft Word will fully remove certain Dynamic Data Exchange features in April 2025, affecting organizations using the specific registry key. No admin action is required, but users should be notified and documentation updated.
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Take action: Enable multifactor authentication for your tenant before October 15, 2024

MC862873 | August 15 – Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) for your tenant by October 15, 2024, to access Microsoft Azure portal, Microsoft Entra admin center, and Microsoft Intune admin center. Set up MFA early or apply to postpone the enforcement date if necessary. Without MFA, admin access will be restricted.
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Microsoft Outlook: Updated behavior for “OpenLinks” app configuration keys for Android/iOS

MC859848 | August 13 – Microsoft Outlook’s behavior for “OpenLinks” app configuration keys on Android/iOS is updated. Two keys control hyperlink behavior, with changes rolling out in mid-September 2024. Documentation will be updated to reflect the new functionality, and organizations may need to review their configurations.
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The August 2024 Windows security update is now available

MC860721 | August 13 – The August 2024 security update is now available for all supported versions of Windows. We recommend that you install these updates promptly. For more information about the contents of this update, see the release notes, which are easily accessible from theWindows 11andWindows…
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(Updated) Changes to Administrator Permissions Required to Create and Manage Teams Resource Accounts

MC780743 | August 12 – The message details updates to Teams administrator permissions affecting the creation and management of Teams Phone Resource Accounts. The rollout timeline has been adjusted to begin in early September 2024, with completion by late September. Administrators will now need Microsoft 365 admin roles with user creation permissions to manage these accounts. Organizations should prepare by ensuring the appropriate admin roles are assigned.
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Backfilling Microsoft Graph Connector Entitlement to 50M items

MC865187 | August 18 – Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions will soon include a new service plan, Graph Connectors Search with Index, offering a 50 million item index limit per tenant at no extra cost. Rollout begins mid-September 2024. Subscribers should review Microsoft Graph connectors resources to prepare.
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(Updated) Guidance for DNS security hardening changes in CVE-2024-37968

MC860722 | August 16 – Before the installation of Windows updates that were released on August 13, 2024, Windows Domain Name System (DNS) servers implicitly trusted theglue records. These records were used for recursion and to answer queries without first validating Name Server (NS) IP addresses (glue records)….
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Microsoft Viva: Quick Links Card on Viva Connections Dashboard

MC863971 | August 16 – The update allows organizations to add a Quick Links Card to the Viva Connections Dashboard for easy access to important links. It started rolling out in August 2024 and will be available by default with no admin action required.
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Autopatch Unification General Availability

MC863966 | August 16 – Windows Autopatch is unifying with Windows Update for Business deployment service in mid-September 2024, simplifying update management within Microsoft Intune. This change organizes update capabilities into three categories and maintains existing licensing rights for customers. Preparation involves informing teams and visiting the Intune admin center for support.
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Protect against security risks and NPS connection failures that affect RADIUS server environments

MC863964 | August 16 – A security risk exists in the Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocol. MD5 collision problems affect User Datagram Protocol or UDP-based RADIUS traffic over the internet. Data…
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(Updated) Updating conversation actions on Microsoft Outlook for iOS

MC805216 | August 16 – Microsoft Outlook for iOS is updating conversation actions to a customizable bar at the bottom of the screen, accessible from the Inbox on long-press. The rollout begins in early July 2024 and ends by late August 2024. Organizations should inform users and update documentation.
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(Updated) Microsoft 365 admin center: User admin and License admin roles enabled to manage self-service license requests

MC810926 | August 15 – User and License admins will soon manage self-service license requests in the Microsoft 365 admin center, a role previously limited to Global admins. Rollout begins mid-July 2024, with completion expected by late August 2024. Admins should familiarize themselves with the licensing process in preparation.
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(Update) Microsoft Purview | Information Protection: Improved Data Loss Prevention policy tips

MC790795 | August 15 – Microsoft Purview | Information Protection will update DLP policy tips for consistency across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows, aligning with SharePoint Online and OneDrive. Public Preview begins early June 2024, with General Availability starting mid-September 2024. No admin action is required before rollout.
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(Updated) Microsoft OneDrive: Change to shared folder experience

MC806523 | August 15 – Microsoft OneDrive is updating its shared folder experience. Users will now access shared folders via the People view in their own OneDrive, organized by the sharer, starting mid-September 2024. This change requires no admin action but users should be informed. More details are on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 395378.
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(Updated) Microsoft Viva Engage: Viva Engage question post update

MC714521 | August 15 – The message details updates to Microsoft Viva Engage, including a two-part question post structure for clarity and an option to add code snippets to various post types. The rollout is expected to complete by late September 2024. It also advises updating training and documentation accordingly.
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Plan for Change: Intune moving to support iOS/iPadOS 16 and higher later this year

MC863136 | August 15 – Microsoft Intune will soon require iOS/iPadOS 16 or higher after the release of iOS/iPadOS 18. Organizations managing iOS/iPadOS devices should check Intune reporting to identify affected devices and users, and use Intune controls to manage OS versions. Apple User Enrollment with Company Portal support is ending.
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(Updated) Copilot for Microsoft 365: Direct connection to Microsoft SharePoint organization asset libraries

MC843114 | August 15 – Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 now supports direct searches and downloads from SharePoint organization asset libraries for brand-approved content. Rollout starts late August 2024, with completion by late September 2024. Tenant admins must prepare by identifying brand content and using a new cmdlet for library consent.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Custom emojis and reactions

MC795750 | August 15 – Microsoft Teams will introduce custom emojis and reactions, allowing users to upload images or GIFs. Each tenant can add up to 5,000 custom emojis. The feature will be available by default, with rollout starting late October 2024. Admins can manage this feature through the Teams Admin Center.
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(Updated) Microsoft Defender XDR: Enhancing email remediation with Sender’s copy clean-up features

MC794815 | August 15 – Microsoft Defender XDR is introducing Sender’s copy clean-up features to enhance email remediation. This includes integration with Soft delete, wide support across platforms, and an undo capability. It applies to intra-organization and outbound emails, with a rollout expected from end of May to early September 2024. Admins will have improved management of Sent items with no action required before the rollout.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Channel cards

MC797474 | August 15 – Microsoft Teams will introduce Channel cards providing an overview of a channel, including description, activity, team name, and membership. They will appear on desktop and web by hovering over channel names and offer quick access to settings and management. Rollout begins early July 2024, completing by late August 2024, with no admin action required.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Simplifying the personal app design at the top of the screen

MC798316 | August 15 – Microsoft Teams is introducing a new simplified design for personal apps on desktop and web clients, moving the ‘About’ tab and utility actions to a three-dot menu. This change, associated with Roadmap ID 396166, will start rolling out in mid-July 2024 and is expected to complete by late August 2024. It aims to reduce clutter and complexity. No admin action is required before the rollout.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Attach files from Microsoft SharePoint sites in the mobile app

MC793966 | August 15 – The Teams mobile app will soon allow users to browse, select, and attach files from SharePoint Sites to chats or channel conversations. This feature is part of Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 395375 and will roll out in early to late August 2024 without requiring admin configuration.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Ability to purchase third-party app subscriptions from Teams Admin Center and Teams app store

MC794545 | August 15 – Microsoft Teams will soon offer an enhanced purchase experience for third-party app subscriptions via Teams Admin Center and Teams app store. This update, associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 179897, aims to simplify the subscription process with a new user interface. It will roll out in late August 2024, with no preparatory action required.
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Microsoft Copilot to update to enterprise data protection

MC862983 | August 15 – Microsoft Copilot will update next month to include enterprise data protection for users with an Entra account. It will feature a new ad-free interface, with no changes for other Copilot experiences in Microsoft 365 apps. Rollout begins mid-September 2024, with no action needed for automatic redirection.
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(Updated) Now get Real Time Calendar Notifications in Teams

MC704955 | August 15 – Real Time Calendar Notifications are now available in Teams, with a rollout timeline updated to late August 2024 for General Availability. Users will receive notifications for meeting invites, updates, cancellations, and forwards in the Activity Feed, which can be managed from Teams settings. No action is needed to prepare for this change. Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID: 314355.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Emojis, GIFs and Stickers Unified in One Picker

MC674737 | August 15 – Microsoft Teams will soon have a combined picker for emojis, GIFs, and stickers. The rollout timeline has been updated, with targeted release starting in early December 2023 and worldwide release in late August 2024. Users can find all the fun content under the smiley face icon, and there is nothing to do to prepare.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: In-meeting Error Messaging

MC683928 | August 15 – Microsoft Teams Meeting users will receive error messages on the right pane explaining why they cannot access meeting chats due to policy limitations or unexpected errors. The rollout will begin in mid-November and end in late August 2024, and users do not need to take any action to prepare for this change.
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Microsoft Teams: External presenters can join on mobile

MC862236 | August 14 – External presenters can now join Microsoft Teams events via the mobile app. This update, associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 409228, will roll out in stages starting early September 2024, with no admin action required. More information is available on scheduling a town hall in Microsoft Teams.
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Microsoft Outlook: Quickly see who is in the office based on work hours and location

MC862229 | August 14 – Outlook is introducing a new calendar feature to show who will be in the office, based on users’ work hours and location settings. It will start rolling out in mid-August 2024 for Targeted Release and in early October 2024 for General Availability. This feature will be on by default.
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Microsoft Outlook: Behavior change for “Org Data Notifications” for Android

MC862228 | August 14 – Outlook for Android will soon align with documented behavior, ignoring the ‘Block’ setting for ‘Org Data Notifications’ after mid-September 2024. Organizations should review their settings before this date to ensure desired notification behavior, as no admin action is required for the rollout.
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(Updated) Microsoft Purview | Compliance portal: Enhanced policy conditions for Communication Compliance

MC765808 | August 13 – Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance will introduce enhanced policy conditions for precise detection, custom logic, and seamless testing. Public Preview begins late April 2024, with General Availability starting late May 2024. Updates include detection of external email communications, support for the OR operator, and condition testing before implementation.
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(Updated) Microsoft Purview | Insider Risk Management: Adaptive protection – Enhancements to risk level settings

MC789307 | August 13 – Microsoft 365 is enhancing Insider Risk Management with configurable risk level expiration settings for adaptive protection. Admins can choose to retain or expire risk levels after a user’s alert is dismissed or case is resolved. Public Preview starts in May 2024, with General Availability in late August 2024.
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(Updated) Microsoft OneDrive: Annotate PDFs with text boxes

MC783215 | August 13 – Microsoft OneDrive introduces a feature for annotating PDFs with text boxes, rolling out late June to late August 2024. Users can edit PDFs in OneDrive and SharePoint by opening the file and using the ‘Edit’ and ‘Add Text’ commands. No admin action is required for this update.
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(Updated) Updates to natural language-based search in Microsoft 365

MC793654 | August 13 – Microsoft 365 is reducing support for Natural Language-Based Search in favor of keyword-based searches, starting early July 2024. Affected products include Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Search on Bing and office.com. Users can use search filters to aid the transition.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams Phone: Improved license handling (GCC)

MC805197 | August 13 – Microsoft is updating Teams Phone license handling to allow migration between phone number types without unassigning Direct Routing and Operator Connect Numbers when a Calling Plan license is added. Rollout starts late July 2024, with no admin action required before the rollout. Users can have any number type with the required license.
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Windows Office Hours: August 15th, 2024

MC860973 | August 13 – If you are an IT admin with questions about managing and updating Windows, we want to help. Every third Thursday of the month, we host a live chat-based event on the Tech Community called Windows Office Hours. Members of the Windows, Intune, Windows Autopilot, Windows Autopatch, and Windows 365 engineering teams will be standing by to answer your questions. We also have experts from FastTrack, the Customer Acceleration Team, and Microsoft public sector…
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Updates available for Microsoft 365 Apps for all channels

MC860849 | August 13 – We’ve released updates to the following update channels for Microsoft 365 Apps: Current Channel Monthly Enterprise Channel Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel
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(Updated) Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management: Public preview of policy wizard enhancements

MC700928 | August 13 – After further consideration, we have decided to not move forward with the rollout at this time. We will communicate via Message center when we are ready to proceed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Meeting participants can choose a breakout room from a list

MC854652 | August 13 – Microsoft Teams will soon allow meeting participants to select their own breakout rooms. This feature will be available on Teams for Windows, Mac, and the web, and is part of Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 121269. Rollouts will begin in early October 2024 and be completed by late November 2024. The feature will be on by default and requires no admin action prior to rollout. Organizers should inform users and update documentation as needed.
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(Updated) Teams admin center: App centric management and changes to app permission policies

MC688930 | August 13 – The Teams admin center update introduces app centric management, which is on hold until mid-September 2024. The rollout will occur in three phases, with different criteria for each tenant type. Detailed documentation is available, and no immediate action is required for phase 1 tenants.
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Microsoft Teams: Improvements to the “Manage what attendees see” feature

MC859870 | August 13 – Microsoft Teams is enhancing the “Manage what attendees see” feature with new intuitive controls for a simpler event production and professional attendee viewing experience. This update is already available for Targeted Release and will roll out globally from late August to early September 2024. The update will apply automatically, with no admin action needed, but users should be informed and documentation updated. A test session is recommended to familiarize with the new controls.
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New Microsoft Outlook for Windows and the web: Use the Ctrl Y shortcut to jump to a folder

MC859862 | August 13 – The new Microsoft Outlook update allows users to quickly navigate to folders using the Ctrl+Y shortcut and typing the folder name. This feature is rolling out from late July to mid-September 2024 and will be on by default. No admin action is required for the rollout.
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Microsoft Graph API is generally available in v1.0 to manage username, group names, and site names

MC859853 | August 13 – The message details the general availability of Microsoft Graph API v1.0 for managing names and the upcoming release of two APIs for updating and getting admin report settings. Rollout starts early August 2024, with completion by mid-August. Global admins can change name display settings in the Microsoft 365 admin center. No action is required before the rollout.
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Schedule with Copilot from an Email

MC859835 | August 12 – Outlook’s new feature, Schedule with Copilot, allows enterprise users with Copilot licenses to schedule meetings directly from an email thread. It’s rolling out in mid to late August 2024 for the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web. No action is required to prepare for this release.
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